Chasing a Dream (26 page)

“Thanks, I think I will.” Tess sighed. She
was
tired. She was also scared and penniless and confused. But Justin had given her back the thread of hope she needed to fuel her will to fight. She wouldn’t go quietly into obscurity and lose Justin. She would fight for the chance to stay with him.

***

Justin’s music woke Tess from her nap in the guest bedroom. A check of the digital clock by the bed told her she’d slept for more than two hours. Her shoulder throbbed and felt stiff, and she decided to ask Hallie for some aspirin.

She found her hostess in the living room, where Justin and Brian were singing and playing guitars. Tess’s heart sank, remembering the way Randall had smashed Justin’s guitar in his fit of rage. She dreaded telling him what had happened to the gift Rebecca had given him.

For a moment she listened to Brian and Justin sing together about howling at the moon on a small town Saturday night. Hallie was right. Brian had talent too.

She smiled, watching the brothers who showed no sign of their earlier animosity. When Hallie noticed her standing in the doorway, she patted the sofa next to her. Tess moved to the couch and sat down.

Justin and Brian laughed when Brian missed a chord and mixed up the lyrics.

“So I haven’t played in a while. So what? Let’s see you get a continuance from Judge Matthews,” Brian teased.

“Let’s see you keep up on this one,” Justin returned and began playing a song with an even faster rhythm. Hallie winked at her husband who tried to outdo his kid brother.

“Is the whole family musical?” Tess spoke loud enough to be heard over the dueling guitars.

“Even the dog.” Hallie grinned when Tess wrinkled her brow in query. “She howls like a wolf when my father-in-law plays his harmonica. Funniest thing I ever saw. But there’s no doubt Justin’s the best, the one with the most promise.”

“What about Rebecca?”

Hallie’s smile turned sad. “Becca had an angel’s voice and wanted to go to Nashville herself. Then she met Mac and put her plans on the shelf.”

“She’s the one who encouraged Justin to try his luck in Nashville, right?” Tess met Hallie’s melancholy gaze when she turned back to face her, and Hallie nodded.

“Hey there, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?” Justin asked as he finished his song and spotted Tess on the sofa.

“All right, considering.”

Justin raised the T-shirt he’d borrowed from his brother and showed Tess the fresh stitches on his midriff. “I’ve been to a weekend clinic while you slept. They said for me to take it easy so that I didn’t bust this set of stitches. I told them I’d like nothing better than a calm couple of weeks to recover.” He curved his lips in a half smile. “Wonder what our chances are for that kind of quiet.”

“Probably not too good,” Brian volunteered. “But your odds of staying lost go up the more you think things through, and don’t let a careless error slip you up.”

Justin cut an impatient glance to Brian before returning his sights to Tess. “It’s time to make some plans.”

As he stood, Justin held the guitar he’d been playing out to Brian.

“Keep it.” His brother waved him off with a sweep of his hand. “You can’t become a country legend without a guitar, now can you? It’s just collecting dust around here.” When Justin furrowed his brow with an incredulous look, Brian grinned. “Try not to lose this one.”

Justin pulled the guitar back and looked down at it. “Thanks, Bri.”

Brian chucked him on the shoulder lightly. “If a music career is what you want, what makes you tick, then go for it. Just remember all us little people who helped give you your start, okay?”

Without saying more, Brian took his own guitar toward a back room, leaving Justin staring after him with an expression that told Tess just how much his brother’s gift and support meant to him. She glanced at Hallie, who smiled knowingly at Tess before rising from the sofa.

Hallie propped her hands on her hips. “What would y’all say to grilling burgers for dinner?”

“Sounds wonderful,” Tess said. “Can I help?”

“I think they want you in on the big strategy powwow. I’ll take care of dinner.”

After Hallie left, Tess crossed the room to Justin and slid her arms around his waist, careful to avoid disturbing his stitches. Justin set the guitar aside so that he could pull Tess closer. He combed her hair behind her ears with his fingers then gave her a quick kiss. “Brian and I took the Jaguar to a junkyard on the way to the clinic.”

Tess nodded.

“Brian’s going to lend us some money, so we can rent a car or buy a plane ticket to Mexico or lay low on a cruise to Alaska or whatever you want. Whatever we think would be best. Brian will also talk to some of his lawyer buddies and get a restraining order in place for you.”

When she bit her lip, he lay a finger across her mouth and rubbed the edge tenderly.

“And he’ll go to the courts with what I’ve told him about Randall and his attempt on our lives. Brian will get an investigation started. With your testimony, Brian feels sure we can get Randall locked up. Then, when everything is safe, you’ll come out of hiding and live happily ever after.”

As Tess gazed into Justin’s hopeful blue eyes, she tried to muster the same confidence in his plan. But she knew Randall’s tenacity, the reach of his power, the infinite possibilities for something to go wrong. She knew the high probability that they would die before Randall finished with them. But for Justin’s sake, because of all he and his brother were doing for her, she smiled at him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him again. “Here’s hoping.”

Brian came back and rubbed his hands together. “Shall we get busy?”

Justin and Tess sat on the sofa. With Brian, they discussed all the options and stumbling blocks ahead of them. Over the next hour, the trio assembled a plan.

In the morning, they’d rent a car in Brian’s name and drive north. Once well out of town, they’d switch cars and head to Dallas to catch a plane. From there, they’d fly to Maine, where Brian had a timeshare cabin by a lake. Later, they’d move to more permanent lodging, using aliases. Once settled, they’d be in touch with Brian, and he’d let them know when it was safe to come out of hiding. When they needed more money, they’d drive to Connecticut or another location a few hours away from their new home, and Brian would wire the cash to them.

“All this is with the understanding that you name your firstborn after me and I receive ten percent of all sales of your first record,” Brian added as he folded up the map they’d been consulting.

“We’d better accept,” Justin told Tess with a grin. “This is the same guy who used to extort my allowance from me in exchange for his silence about the trouble I got into as a kid. He charged me a dollar a day when I was kept for detention in seventh grade, and he came to pick me up after school because I missed the bus.”

“He’s lying, of course.” Brian turned to Tess matter-of-factly. “I never took money from him.”

Justin laughed. “Bull! You couldn’t have taken Sandy Booth to your junior prom if you hadn’t lined your pockets with all my money.”

Brian’s smug grin reminded Tess of the one that often graced Justin’s lips. “Well then, maybe you should have stayed out of trouble.”

“Why did you get detention?” she asked.

“I was caught cutting class.”

“So that you could . . .” Brian prompted, and Justin scowled at him.

“Never mind why!”

“He was out behind the lunchroom with this girl—”

“Brian!” The tips of Justin’s ears grew bright pink.

“—necking,” Brian finished.

Tess raised an eyebrow as she regarded Justin with a teasing frown of jealousy.

“I’ll see if I can help Hallie in the kitchen.” Justin’s face flushed fully as he stood and exited the living room. “I have all kinds of stories about ole Justin, Tess.” Brain sat back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head with a cocky grin. Tess smiled. “I’m all ears.”

***

“So what kind of stories did my brother entertain you with?” Justin asked later that night as he eased gingerly into the double bed beside Tess. “Sorry, but he paid me a dollar to keep my mouth shut. If you want to know, it’ll cost you two dollars.” Tess rolled to face him and grinned.

Justin patted his hips as if feeling for a wallet. “Damn. I left my money in my other pants.” He tipped his head to peer at her. “What if I showed you some of the things I was showing Susie Smith behind the lunchroom?”

He wiggled his eyebrows, and she laughed. When he tried to sit up and turn toward Tess, the tug of his fresh stitches made him wince and fall back on the bed.

Tess scooted closer and hovered over him in concern. “Justin, are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just don’t have the same freedom of movement until these stitches come out.” He smiled up at her and drew a crooked finger along the line of her jaw. “How’s your shoulder?”

“A little sore, a little stiff, but a small price to be alive and here with you.”

She smoothed a warm hand over his chest, and Justin’s whole body responded with a heightened awareness of every nerve ending.

He caught a lock of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers, kissed it, then moved his hand deeper into the thick tresses. Dipping her head, she pressed her lips to his in a tentative kiss that set a fire in Justin’s belly. He slid his fingers around her nape and pulled her closer, opening his mouth against hers and drawing on her lips with a gentle suction.

Tess’s soft, satisfied sigh sounded sweeter to him than any song he’d ever heard. When she pressed against him, he felt her nipples crest through the thin fabric of the nightgown Hallie had given her. His own body hardened in response, and he fought to keep the pace slow and easy.

Haste might frighten Tess. Haste might rip his stitches again. Haste would make it all over too soon. Being with Tess, holding her, making love to her was something Justin wanted to savor.

His limited movement proved less of an encumbrance than he would have expected, especially since Tess seemed eager to learn, to accommodate and to please him. She stroked and kissed him, hovered over him when he coaxed her into a position where he could suckle her breasts. When he rolled on his side and drew her to him, she cuddled close. He entered her from the back, cupping her breasts and nibbling her nape as he gently thrust and withdrew. Heat built in him, burning hotter and brighter until it exploded with a fiery force that shook him with its exquisite power. Tess moaned softly, and her body convulsed around him, prolonging his bliss.

When her body wilted in the aftermath, he held her nestled against him, their bodies still joined, his arms protectively around her. Holding her felt right. Making love to her was like a homecoming. How could he give her up and not go insane?

If he could know he’d made a difference, if he could feel certain he’d made up for his past mistakes, could he dare to believe in himself enough to promise Tess forever? More than anything he wanted to try his hand at a lifetime commitment. But she deserved more than an attempt. He had to have confidence in his staying power. He had to prove to himself he could take care of her before he would promise her the commitment she deserved. Until then, he’d give her all he had and savor the soft crush of her body next to his.

He slept in contentment until the early morning hours, when he received a rude awakening.

Two men flashing badges burst into the bedroom, past Brian who shouted about warrants and rules of conduct.

Tess screamed when the men hauled him from the bed and slammed him against the wall. Pain shot through his shoulder. Over Tess’s cries and Brian’s shouts, the man pinning him to the wall growled, “Justin Boyd, you’re under arrest for kidnapping, car theft, assault with a deadly weapon, and breaking and entering. You have the right to remain silent . . .”

CHAPTER
TWENTY

Clutching the sheet over her bare breasts, Tess watched in horror as the policeman jerked Justin’s hands behind his back and handcuffed him. When the other cop turned to her, she snatched her nightgown from the tangle of covers and tugged it over her head.

“Tess Sinclair?” the man said.

She stared mutely, too stunned and frightened to speak.

“You’ll have to come with us too. You’re wanted for questioning as a material witness.”

Justin grumbled to the man holding his arm, “Can’t I get some pants on?”

Brian picked up Justin’s jeans and briefs from the floor and helped his handcuffed brother dress. “I’ll be down to the station as soon as I can. Don’t answer any questions until I get there.” Brian raised a concerned but authoritative gaze to Justin then turned to Tess. “Same for you. Don’t say a word until I get down there to straighten this mess out.”

The man nearest the bed grabbed Tess’s arm. He hauled her off the mattress, ordering gruffly, “Let’s go, lady.”

Justin studied the two men who’d burst into the room, and his jaw tightened. His eyes darkening, he turned a haunted expression to Brian. “I love you, Bri.”

Brian was clearly as startled by Justin’s words as he was touched. But before he could do more than give Justin a puzzled look, the men shoved Justin through the door. The men escorted them hurriedly out to a waiting car.

The dark sedan seemed vaguely familiar to Tess. She saw no emblem indicating the law enforcement division these men were from, and a niggling doubt and a tremor of worry formed in the back of her mind and tensed her gut. When the men pushed Justin into the backseat beside her, she met his gaze and read the same doubt in his eyes, and her pulse skittered.

Justin drew a deep breath and gave her a weak smile. “Brian will straighten everything out. We’ll be fine.”

Tess thought she heard doubt in his voice, as if he were trying as much to convince himself as her. For Justin’s efforts to comfort her, she gave him the best smile she could and felt her cheek twitch nervously. As the car pulled away from the house, she inched closer to him, telling herself that as long as they were together, they would be fine.

An hour later, when they still had not reached the police station, Tess could no longer convince herself they’d be fine . . . together or not.