The Songwriter (14 page)

“
So, you’re their wild child.”

“
They think so.”

“
Which is another reason why you didn’t want to introduce me?” He looked at her guilty face. “I didn’t even know you had a brother. When I saw you kissing Wade, I almost punched him.”

She glanced up
, frowning. “You know I don’t just jump on random guys and start kissing them, right?”

He stopped, leaned down and kissed her. When he pulled away
, her eyes were shut and she had a smile on her face.

“
I know you’re not like that, but seeing you kissing another guy isn’t easy for me. First I catch you sleeping with Johnny and now this. Mentioning you had a brother would have been a good head’s up.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and boosted herself up so her legs wrapped around his waist.
“Sorry. For what it’s worth, thanks for not attacking my brother.”

“
You’re welcome.”

He walked up the steps to his bus and when he lay her down and made love to her
, she tried to forget that worried look on her mom’s face. She felt her stomach dive because it was almost over.

T
rey nuzzled her neck as he splayed over her. Gwen smiled and savored the moment.

“
I’m going to be gone for a couple days,” Gwen murmured dreamily.

Trey stopped what he was doing and looked down at her.
“For what?”

“
I need to go home.”

“
Home where?”

“
Montana.”

“
You’re from Montana?”

Gwen rolled out from under him.
“Yes. White Mist, Montana”

“
When are you leaving?”

“
Tomorrow.”

“
Tomorrow
? And you’re only telling me now?”

Gwen glanced at his outraged face.
“Why are you getting pissy for?”

He jabbed a finger in her direction as she pulled on a robe.
“You act like I’m the one that’s always pulling away, but it’s you. If I was heading out to the Bahamas tomorrow, you would expect me to tell you, right?”

Gwen shrugged.
“I guess, but if it was private, I wouldn’t pry.”

“
You are the weirdest woman I’ve ever been with!”

Gwen blew him a kiss as she made her way to the door. She was done talking about it. Trey scrambled across the bed and blocked her from leaving. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

“Was there something else you wanted?” she asked.

There
were a lot of things he wanted from her. He wanted all of her, not just the parts she allowed. Sometimes, he thought they were in sync until she pulled stunts like this. ‘I’ll be gone for a couple of days’ she said as casually as if she was going to head to the store and come back. She didn’t expect him to question or be concerned. He wanted to be with her, damn it and she treated him like a fling and he was going to correct that. Now.

“
I’m coming with you,” he said.

Gwen blinked.
“Why?”

He resisted the urge to shake her.
“I just met your parents. They know we’re together. You don’t think they’ll think it’s weird that I don’t come with you?”

“
No. I can tell them you’re busy.”

He glared at her.
“You don’t want me to come with you?”

She fumbled.
“I don’t think this is your kind of thing.”

“
Which is?”

“
My parents are going to renew their vows. It’s their fiftieth anniversary.”

“
I’ve never seen a couple renew their vows.”

She looked as if she swallowed a lemon.
“I don’t know.”

“
Why?”

“
White Mist is a really small town and I don’t know what you would do there.”

“
I’d be with you.” Wasn’t that the whole point?

“
I’m going to be cooking and babysitting and setting up for the party. Don’t you think you’d rather stay here-”

“
No.”

Gwen looked taken aback.
“But don’t you have to-”

“
No. I don’t have to do anything. Ask me to come with you.”

Gwen folded her arms across her chest.
“And what are you going to do if my dad asks what your intentions are?”

“
What intentions?” he repeated blankly.

“
See what I mean? You have no idea what you’re walking into. My parents believe in marriage and marriage. That’s it. If I bring home a guy, they’ll assume it’s serious and start asking when we’re getting married.”

Trey shifted nervously. Okay, so he never considered that
, but he wasn’t about to be left behind. “I can handle it.”

“
You are so stubborn.”

He leaned forward and kissed her.
“Ask me to come with you.”

“
You’re making a huge mistake,” she said against his lips.

“
I don’t care. Ask me to come.”

Gwen widened her big brown eyes and wrapped her arms around him.
“Trey Phoenix, will you come home with me to meet my parents?”

“
Yes. I will. Thanks baby.”

Gwen rolled her eyes and squealed when he picked her up and tossed her back on the bed.

“I have to pack!” she shrieked as he pulled the robe open.

“
No. We’ll take your bus.”

“
I bought a plane ticket!” she protested.

“
Use it another time,” he said huskily and pushed into her.

Gwen stepped out of her bus and eyed the fleet of buses that were now parked in her parent’s field. Everyone got out and started making camp. She glared at Trey and poked him in the chest.

“This is all your fault!”

“
Nobody wants to miss out,” Trey said with a shrug.

“
I need to tell my parents. Stay here.”

She started across the field to her parent’s house
, but was pulled to a stop by Trey who took her hand. When she raised her brows, he kissed her.

“
We’ll go together. We’re not pretending while we’re here.”

“
Okay.”

She knew this was going to be trouble
, but she didn’t want Trey to think she was ashamed of him. He shouldn’t have to pay for her past mistakes. Her parents were standing on the back porch and her mom jumped up and down, waving.

“
Hi Trey Phoenix!” she shouted.

“
Mrs. Harper.”

“
Oh. You can just call me Mama.”

Trey grinned and leaned down to hug her.
“Okay Mama, you call me just Trey.”

Gwen went over to
her dad who was looking at fifteen tour buses now parked in his field. She put an arm around his waist. “So yeah, we have a couple days off and when people heard I was coming here for my parent’s anniversary they wanted to come. Is that okay?”

Her dad
didn’t say anything for a minute, but he finally nodded and kissed her on the cheek. He walked down the steps and walked out on the field to welcome the crew. She sighed and hugged her mom.

“
So we might be adding forty or fifty extra.”

Her mom nodded.
“Okay. Let me call your aunts to let them know.”

Always prepared for guests, her mom rushed into the kitchen and a minute later came out with a tray of chocolate bars artfully arranged. She headed out on the field to join her husband who had the crew gathered around.

Gwen took Trey’s hand and pulled him into the house. The house was extremely old but well cared for. Pictures of generations covered the walls and antique lamps and trinkets were placed well above the reach of children. Here and there, toys were scattered and they walked out onto the front porch.

“
My parents own a lot of land so my sisters and brother live on the same property.”

Gwen pointed out three other houses
in the cul-de-sac. Trey put his arms around her as he took in the raw beauty of the mountains in the distance.

“
It feels like another world here.”

“
Far from the screaming fans and lights, huh?” Gwen chuckled. “I love coming home but I like the city too. I like being anonymous.”

“
You’re not anonymous anymore.”

She elbowed him in the stomach.
“Yeah. Thanks to you.”

“
Gwen, do you mind picking up the kids? Everybody’s working and I’m gonna whip up something for lunch,” Mama hollered.

“
Alright! I’ll be back,” Gwen shouted back and raised her brows at Trey. “And so the fun begins.”

With Trey in the passenger seat of her parent’s SUV
, Gwen drove through White Mist, showing Trey their tiny town. When she pulled up in front of the school, she honked the horn and her four nieces and Ben came running, shouting and yelling excitedly. They piled into the car and leaned between the console to give Gwen and Trey wet, happy kisses. Trey looked a little shell shocked and Gwen laughed.

“
They see you once and they think you’re part of the family,” Gwen said.

“
Uncle Trey, are you gonna marry Aunty Gwen?” Peyton asked.

Gwen’s laughter filled the car while Trey turned to survey the five pairs of eyes watching him.

“I’m waiting for your aunt to ask me,” Trey said.

That stopped Gwen’s laughter. She shot him a warning look and looked up at the mirror that showed all the kids watching the byplay between the two adults.

“Uncle Trey and I are dating and we’re good friends. Not everyone that dates gets married,” Gwen said.

“
That’s what my mom says,” Peyton said.

“
Why don’t you ask your mommy how much men she dated before she married your dad.” When Peyton’s eyes went wide, Gwen decided it was time to change the subject. “Who wants ice cream?”

They drove through the McDonalds drive thru and armed with food and ice cream
, she drove the kids back to her parent’s house while the girls pestered Trey with questions and observations.

“
I looked you up on YouTube. Sometimes your pants are too tight,” Peyton said.

Gwen choked on a fry and wheezed.

“Uncle Trey, I saw you kissing another lady. You can’t kiss two girls at the same time,” Molly added.

“
I’m not kissing two girls. I’m kissing your Aunt Gwen.”

“
Aunt Gwen’s cool. She gives the best presents,” Abby chirped with her mouth full of ice cream.

Ben, the only boy watched and listened to his cousins but didn’t say a word. Gwen told her
self she needed to find time to talk to him. No one knew how much he knew about his mom or what he’d seen while in her custody. They all knew it wasn’t good and although he was talking more in Wade’s care, Ben didn’t act like other kids his age.

“
Papa says there’s land for Aunt Gwen to build her house. Maybe you and Aunt Gwen can build your house next to ours,” Molly said.

Gwen was relieved to pull up to her parent’s house
, which now had cars lining the street. She opened the back doors of the SUV and the girls ran out, rushing to put their bags down in their houses before they could go to Nana’s house. When Ben climbed out of the back, he smiled shyly at Trey and reached for Gwen who put him on her hip.

“
How was your day?” Gwen asked.

“
I like when you’re here,” he said.

She frowned, sensing all wasn’t well.
“Did something happen at school today?”

Ben rested his head on her shoulder and said nothing. She stroked his hair as she walked into her parent’s house with Trey
. Her parent’s house was filled with people milling and heading out back to the field where they were setting up a massive tent. Trey went out to help while Gwen greeted townsfolk and relatives. Mama rushed in looking flustered and excited.

“
Gwen, I’m going to make chili but I need more ingredients. Here’s a list,” Mama said, thrusting it into her hand.

She could be gone for a year but the moment she was home, it was hectic helping with the kids, cooking, cleaning. It was like she never left.

“Wanna come?” she asked Ben who nodded.

She settled him back in the SUV and drove to the nearest store. He rode in the basket as she moved quickly through the aisles, stopping every now and then to chat with someone who saw her on TV or heard she was singing with Trey Phoenix. Everyone knew why she was home and half the town was expected at her parent’s party. She tossed the items in the basket and checked out.

“This party’s gonna be huge!” Gwen said to Ben who watched her solemnly. “You like parties?”

Ben shook his head and her heart dived to her stomach. There was fear on his face and she wondered what he saw in his mind that he never talked about. She stopped beside the SUV and paused to brush his hair back and kiss his cheek.

“This party is going to be a nice party and your dad and I will be there the whole time,” Gwen said.

Ben nodded and hugged her. She didn’t know what to say so she loaded up the car silently and when she turned back to grab Ben
, she froze. He was gone. Instant panic filled her and she whirled in a circle and saw a woman with dark hair sprinting across the parking lot. Fear and fury gave her the speed she needed to step between the woman and her beat up Buick.

Steph Carson, Ben’s mother was gaunt with
sores on her face and neck. Her eyes were glazed and Gwen knew she was high on something. Gwen knew Steph was hurting Ben but he didn’t utter a sound as he looked up at his mom fearfully.