Heartstrings (19 page)

His answer was her turning away from him in her sleep.

He put his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling. He was a fool. Always had been when it came to Abby, but now it wasn’t just her involved. Nothing had changed his desire regarding being Emily’s father.

He glanced over at her shapely shoulder and back. He’d never awakened to a woman beside him in the morning light. Staying always signified something more than just a night of pleasure. Staying meant sharing a toothbrush and breakfast. Staying meant regrets.

He couldn’t deal with staring across the breakfast table at Abby’s regrets reflecting in her brandy eyes.

Careful not to disturb her, he tossed off the covers and quickly pulled on his jeans and boots. She’d put his shirt on after they’d taken a shower together sometime after one, but it was warm enough he didn’t need it to drive back to Johanna’s house.

He’d never get the memory of her out of it anyway.

* * * *

The bright sunlight through the window awakened Abby slowly. Moaning, she sat up and glanced at the empty side of the bed. On the pillow, in the indent where Seth’s head had lain, were a single red rose and a folded scrap of paper.

She picked up the rose and smelled it. The sweetness couldn’t cover the spicy musk of his cologne or the underlying maleness of him. Taking a deep breath, she opened the small sheet of paper.

Call me. I want to see you again. S

She stared at the bold, blocky writing and smelled the rose again. Sweet mercy, had he made love to her three times? The last time had been against the wall in the shower. She couldn’t even count how many times she’d climaxed. Sighing like a woman who had been well and thoroughly loved, she lay back on the rumpled bed.

The smile faded, and she glanced at the note again. He didn’t love her. If last night hadn’t been just another one-night stand to him, he wouldn’t have left. Wasn’t that what she’d read in
Cosmo
and all those romance novels–not staying signaled the one leaving didn’t want anything permanent?

“What am I to you, Seth? Just another friend with benefits?”

Closing her eyes, she pulled the rose and note to her chest, hugging his shirt close to her body. She knew better than to want more. Did he want more than a one-night-stand?

She sat up and looked at the rose and note. He wanted her to call him. Maybe he didn’t want to be gone this morning when his aunt woke up. It was time to tell Emily the truth, because she wanted more.

“Can we possibly have a future together?”

Chapter 9

“What the hell do you mean, you aren’t coming back to Nashville next week?” The whiny voice of Seth’s manager sounded in his ear. “We had a deal, Seth. One month. Your month is up.”

He gripped his cell phone so hard his hand hurt. “I don’t really give a flying fuck about what you have planned, Gary. I can’t leave yet.”

“You’re talking about screwing over the
Late Show
! I also have feelers out to promote the new single on
Good Morning America
and other places. Amanda’s on board. All we need is you to show up.”

He paced the aunt’s living room, gritting his teeth and fighting the urge to toss his fancy-assed smart phone through a window. “Look. I know I said one month, but something’s come up here and I can’t leave. Tell Amanda’s people I’m sorry, but we’ll have to just wait for the CMAs to sing the song live together.”

The last thing he wanted to do right now was sing a love song with Amanda Lang. They’d gotten the idea to do a song last year after several of their colleagues had huge successes with pop-country crossover songs. But Abby would never understand if he ran off to New York to sing with his ex-girlfriend.

If she cared at all.

He couldn’t believe she didn’t.

“What is wrong with you? You’d never blow a chance like this.”

“I’m in the process of buying my father’s ranch.” He stared out the front window at the street. “And my aunt needs me right now. She doesn’t have any other family. Dad’s death was hard on her.”

His manager’s labored breathing hissed in his ear. He could imagine the man beating the end of a cigarette on his desk. “All right. All fucking right.”

Seth released the tension in his jaw. Gary was such a sucker when it came to old aunts. He’d been raised by his.

“But I sure as hell don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to like it. I’ll call Amanda personally to apologize. I think I know a way to placate her. You make things square with her people.”

“Don’t you worry that pretty little head about a thing.” A click of a lighter sounded over the line and then the hiss of air being sucked in. Gary lighting another death stick. If Seth had been there with him in person, he would’ve ended up with a face full of smoke when Gary spoke again. “I’ll just have to kiss some major ass, but what do you care?”

He laughed, the tension leaving him. “That’s why you make seven figures a year. You’re good at ass kissing.”

“You just get the hell back here by the beginning of October. You got it?”

“Adios.” Seth hung up before Gary had the chance to get the last word in or be able to hold him to any promises.

“What was that all about? Sounded important.”

He turned to Johanna standing in the doorway with a cup of coffee in each hand. When the phone in his hand started playing Jason Aldean’s
Crazy Town
, he looked at the caller ID. Gary. He turned off the cell and shoved it into his pocket.

“Nope.”

She handed him one of the steaming cups. “That’s not how I perceived it. That was your manager, right?

He sighed. No fooling Johanna. She had ears like a bat and the intuition of a fortuneteller. Nodding, he motioned for her to have a seat on her chair, while he sat on the couch. “He wants me to be in New York by Thursday.”

“And you’re not going?”

He looked into the black liquid in the flowery mug. “No. I told Tammy Jo McAllister I’d sing at Founder’s Day. My band is driving down a few days earlier.”

“Well, that should draw a big crowd. I’m surprised it’s not all over town.”

“I asked her to keep my performing a surprise for the town.”

“Ahh... Bet she hated that.”

“She did.” He tipped his mug back and gulped a big swallow of Johanna’s strong brew.

“My lips are sealed. How was your date with Abby last night?” She sipped her coffee and watched him with those razor sharp blue eyes. “I’m assuming it went well. You didn’t come sneaking in until four thirty this morning. What I don’t get is why you left her.”

He sat back and laughed. It was easier than to admit he was wondering the same damned thing. “Aunt Johanna, how can you be all dressed in your Sunday finest to head to church and ask me a question like that?”

“All right. I know when you’re avoiding the issue. But you can’t avoid what you feel for her forever.” She smiled, stood, and ambled out of the room with her dress swishing around her legs.

Damn, Aunt, how the hell do you do always know what I’m thinking?

* * * *

Abby turned away from the sink as the kitchen door opened. Emily set her cat carrier on the floor and opened the door to let out the squalling tomcat. As she soothed Goldie, Mike entered and set Emily’s suitcase by the door. He smiled at Abby, but his gaze turned hard when he noticed the bouquet of roses on the table behind her.

Emily stood from smoothing Goldie’s ruffled fur and turned toward her. She hugged her, but quickly let go and headed for the table. “Oh, Momma! Are these from Seth? Is he here?”

“No. We went out last night.” She swallowed and glanced at Mike.

He scowled and folded his arms over his dress shirt. “We wondered why you weren’t in church this morning.”

“I didn’t get home until late last night.” She lifted her chin, defying him to say more on the matter.

Emily hugged her again and beamed. “Wow! So, it’s official. You and Seth are dating?”

Not wanting to admit that she wasn’t sure what was going on, she shrugged.

Emily bounced on her toes and faced Mike. She gave him a big hug and kissed his cheek. “’Bye, Daddy.”

Mike hugged her back and said into her hair, “Love you, sweetheart.”

Pulling back, she smiled. “Love you, too.” Emily moved away and headed down the hallway, her cat following her. “C’mon, Goldie. I can’t wait to tell the girls about Mom and Seth!”

Once the bedroom door closed down the hall, Abby moved toward the coffee maker on the counter. “Would you like some coffee?”

“How many times do I have to ask you not to do this?”

She poured a cup of coffee and sipped it before facing him. “And I told you Emily and Seth have a right to get to know each other.”

He bore down on her, and his face darkened. “She better never find out the truth.”

“Maybe she deserves the truth, Mike.” She set the cup on the counter and braced her arms behind her. “Maybe we should never have kept it a secret to begin with. Hell, I should never have married you. I should’ve gone with Seth when he asked me to.”

He jerked back. “You’d tell her you lied?”

“Yes. I think the three of us should sit down and tell her what happened.”

“No.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. “I won’t let you destroy my life. All I’ve ever asked of you is that you never tell anyone the truth.”

She narrowed her eyes on him and jerked free. “Why is that, Mike? What are you so damned afraid of? I know it won’t be easy on anyone. Your parents will be devastated. Emily will probably rebel against us, and things will be strained for all of us. But, damn it, Seth is her father,” she ground out in a low voice. “And if he and I have a future together, it’s about time I’m honest with the world.”

He sucked in a breath. “I will not go along with this. Go ahead and confess your sins, but I’ll tell the world how you tricked me into believing she was mine and I was duty bound to marry you.”

His glare turned into an icy smile that caused her heart to freeze and fall into her stomach.

“I’ll call a reporter friend of mine right now,” he said. “I’m sure all the tabloids would love this story. The daughter of a disgraced preacher and an Amarillo whore follows in her mother’s footsteps. Only this time, the scandal wouldn’t just be a local one, it will involve one of America’s biggest stars.”

She flinched as if he’d hit her. How could Mike do this to her? “You wouldn’t stoop that low.”

He leaned in and his jaw worked as he clenched his teeth. “Try me. I know what the town thinks of you, Abby. I was cornered just this morning by Allan Marshall. He’s concerned about Trevor’s growing feelings toward Emily. He sugarcoated it to sound like it was their age difference, but I knew the truth.”

Glenda Marshall’s hateful words came back to her from the other day.
“Like mother like daughter. Your mother was a whore who lured a man of God in with her debauchery. You destroyed Mike’s life. I won’t allow your daughter to trap Trevor in the same snare.”

“Emily has a chance at a great future. Once she goes to college and gets a career, she can leave this town and never look back.” He turned at the door and smiled. “Or you can destroy her future by telling her about how you lied to her. And I’ll tell the world how you betrayed me.”

When he slammed the door on his way out, she jumped and shoved her fist into her mouth to keep in the sob. She turned to stare out the window over the sink as the tears fell. How could Mike do this? He’d been her friend ever since she was a toddler in diapers.

When they started school, Mike and Seth became her protectors, her best friends, and her confidantes.

Grief battered her heart at the loss of one of her closest companions. Mike was no longer her protector, no longer her friend. He was nothing but a bully.

The phone rang, but she ignored it. She grabbed a paper towel and wetted it with cold water. Emily couldn’t see her like this.

As she wiped at her eyes, Emily called from her room, “Mom! It’s for you.”

“Oh. I got it.” Her hand shook as she picked up the receiver from the wall-mounted phone by the door. “Hello?”