“What happened?” Dennis asked.
“Nothing. I took her to Graceland.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it was a little out of the way, but not too bad. I figured she needed a break from everything for a little bit.”
“How was the drive?”
“Fine. A little bumpier and more cramped than if we’d rented an SUV like I’d planned, but as soon as she saw the Vette, she was hooked.”
“Get out! You drove the Corvette all the way to Nashville?”
“Yep.”
Completely floored, Dennis squeaked, “Who are you, and what have you done with Shane Crowley?”
Shane laughed.
“I’ll let you get some sleep. I know it’s been a long day, and you’re obviously delirious.”
“Two hundred miles isn’t that bad. I shipped it from Arizona because that was entirely too long of a drive in that car. Anyway, yes, it has been a long day. I’ll touch base with you as soon as I know what’s happening next,” she said, ending the call.
Chapter 23
Around two a.m., Shane was awoken by the soft sound of a piano. She had no idea where it was coming from, but assumed Haley was up, burning the midnight oil, something she’d done just about every single night on the bus. Although, it seemed to be more of a struggle than anything else…wholeheartedly blamed on Shane’s presence. She wondered if it was the comfort of home allowing her to work. Nevertheless, she got out of bed, pulled on a pair of joggers and a t-shirt, and walked out of her room. The sound seemed to be coming from downstairs. She crept down slowly, hoping the old stairs didn’t creak. The last thing she wanted to do was disturb her and cause another riff. She navigated the first floor in the dark, letting the sound of the piano guide her. She finally came to a stop outside of what she believed was probably the music room Haley had mentioned earlier. She didn’t dare go in. Instead, she leaned against the wall a few feet away from the door, listening as Haley played the melody and softly sang the lyrics of Nothing Compares 2 U, written by Prince and made famous by Sinead O’Connor. She didn’t have to see her face to know that Haley was crying. Her usual sound of smoky blues mixed with country twang, was laced with tears. Shane squeezed her eyes closed, feeling the words cut to her soul as Haley sang them. She wished she could take away her pain. She knew all too well the feeling of being so riddled with guilt that you were broken inside.
***
When Haley finished the song, she let the piano go silent. Then, she wiped the tears from her face and put her hands back over the ivory keys once more. Before she could start playing, the wood floor creaked in the hallway, scaring her half to death. Realizing she wasn’t alone, she froze like a deer in headlights, afraid to move, and nearly unable to swallow the golf ball sized lump in her throat. “Damn it,” she mumbled, remembering her houseguest. “Sneaking around at night is a good way to get shot in the backwoods of Tennessee,” she called out.
“Shit,” Shane whispered, angry at the old board under her foot. “I’m sorry,” she said, walking into the room. “I heard the piano and—”
“I seriously doubt the letter writer is going to break in and play this old thing,” Haley said, getting up from her seat at the beautiful, polished mahogany, baby grand piano.
“I really wasn’t trying to disturb you.”
Haley nodded.
“I just…I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you,” Shane said softly as she moved to walk out of the room.
Haley reached out, meeting her gaze with tear-filled eyes.
Throwing caution to the wind, Shane wrapped her arms around her, taking heed at the way Haley’s body fit with hers. Warm tears rolled down her cheeks, dripping onto the skin of Shane’s neck where Haley’s face was nuzzled against her. Shane tried not to feel the blood rushing south, but there was no use. Her mind had betrayed her as soon as she’d inhaled the lingering floral scent of Haley’s shampoo and felt the warm body against her own. She tried to pull away far enough to put some space between them, but Haley’s lips moved up Shane’s neck, meeting hers in a passionate, yet delicately slow, kiss that made Shane weak in the knees. She knew she should stop this. Haley wasn’t thinking, she was just reacting with emotion. But, Shane became powerless as Haley’s tongue slipped between her lips, grazing her own. Whether it was meaningless sex, a one-night stand, or the biggest mistake of her life, Shane had no choice but to let it happen. All rational thought went out the window like a trail of cigarette smoke as Haley reached under Shane’s shirt. Warm hands moved up her back, removing the garment at the same time, revealing breasts that were on the smaller side, but perfect for Shane’s trim figure.
Haley broke the kiss as she dropped the shirt on the floor. Her eyes traced a path down Shane’s body as Shane grabbed the edge of the old Van Halen t-shirt Haley was wearing, pulling it easily up over her head. Perky round breasts, a cup size larger than Shane’s, bounced free. Shane’s eyes met Haley’s. Her watery tears were gone, but the sadness remained. No words were spoken as her gaze lingered, waiting for Haley to either keep going or walk away. She barely waited a full second, before Haley moved into her arms once more, pressing her lips to Shane’s and melding their bodies together.
Haley was too far gone to think about who she was with. She just wanted to feel, and Shane’s warm skin felt delectably good against hers. She ran her hands along Shane’s shoulders and down her sides, coming to rest at her hips and tucking her thumbs under the waistband of her joggers.
Shane followed her lead as Haley began to slip her pants and underwear off in slow motion. Without breaking their sensuous kiss, Haley pushed the clothing lower. Shane kicked out of them once the garments reached her ankles. Then, she grabbed Haley’s cotton shorts, tugging them over her hips. They fell easily to the floor, revealing nothing underneath.
Haley reveled in the feeling of Shane’s soft skin and a warm, naked body as she ran her hands up the front of her torso, caressing her taut stomach and cupping her breasts. Shane moved her hands from Haley’s hips to her back, sliding them along her smooth skin and up under the long, wavy hair hanging down. As Haley moved her hands up to Shane’s shoulders and into the short hair at the base of her neck, she pressed their hips together.
Shane wasn’t used to giving into someone. This was completely new to her, but knowing this was what Haley needed, she let her keep going when she urged her backwards. She’d only taken a few lazy steps, careful not to separate their bodies, when she bumped the worn, brown leather sofa.
The kiss finally broke when Shane moved to lie down. Their eyes locked as Haley crawled on top of her, dragging her lips in a lazy path as she slowly brought their bodies fully together with her thigh slipping between Shane’s legs. Itching to take control, Shane held her breath. Unaware, Haley moved to continue their fervent kissing, sliding her leg along the warm, wet folds at the same time. A tiny groan escaped Shane’s mouth as Haley’s hand inched lower, replacing her thigh. She was close…oh so close. It took everything she had to hold back. Needing a distraction as Haley began moving her fingers in teasing circles, zeroing in on the swollen mound in the center, Shane pushed her hand between their joined hips. She found the wetness she was looking for, but had no leverage to move her fingers. Instead, she held them still while Haley slowly rubbed herself against them, her hips matching the rhythm of her own fingers lazily working Shane’s wet center.
Shane’s heart pounded in her chest, trying desperately to keep up with the blood racing through her veins. She concentrated on breathing through their shallow kisses until Haley pulled her lips away, nuzzling her face against Shane’s neck as she began moving her fingers a little faster and pressing her hips down a little harder.
Shane couldn’t stop her body from letting go. She clenched her jaw and groaned from deep inside as the orgasm tore through her. Haley instantly shuddered on top of her, panting against Shane’s skin as she reached her own climax.
As soon as her body
began to relax, Haley slipped to the side between Shane and the couch, still somewhat on top of her. The coolness of the leather was like ice against her heated skin. She closed her eyes, listening to the steady rhythm of Shane’s heartbeat.
***
Shane stretched in her sleep, shifting her position on the old, worn couch, causing the thin blanket covering her to slip off. Opening her eyes in the dimly lit room, she noticed the guitars in the stand nearby and the piano just beyond. She sat up, realizing she was naked and alone as everything came flooding back to her.
She quickly got up, searching the floor for her clothes. Once she was dressed, she walked out into the silent hallway. The smell of food wafting past her nose as she moved towards the center of the house, made her stomach growl.
“Biscuits and gravy are in the kitchen, courtesy of Emma Jean,” Haley said, breezing past her as she headed up the staircase.
Shane simply nodded, unsure of what to say to her. Although, she hadn’t expected Haley to say much either. She’d been in her position; used someone to ease her grief, but it had been a one-night stand from a bar, not someone she had to see every day. The last thing Shane wanted to do was make things awkward, so she went about like nothing had happened. It was better this way anyhow.
She made herself a plate of breakfast and sat down on the same stool from the night before. She was barely three bites in when she remembered the funeral. If the clock on the stove was correct, she had less than thirty minutes to shower and get dressed. Sighing, she dumped the remainder of the best biscuits and gravy she’d ever had into the trash and padded up the stairs.
***
Shane was standing in the foyer at two minutes to nine, wearing her black suit with a slate gray dress shirt underneath her jacket and her Glock handgun in the holster under her arm. She faced the double front door with her back to the staircase, peering out the large windows on either side through the thinly veiled curtains. To her right was a closed door, leading to a room she’d never seen. Directly opposite was the door to the room she’d woken up in that morning. She kept her focus on the long driveway, anticipating Rich’s arrival. Anything to keep her mind from drifting back to that room.
Shane’s back stiffened at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. She caught sight of the black Cadillac SUV pulling through the gate, before pivoting so that the staircase was on her left and the front door to her right.
Haley slid her right hand along the rail as she descended, wearing a black, knee length dress. The V in the front stopped at the top of her breasts, showing a tiny cleavage line, and wide straps went over her shoulders. A matching shawl went around her back and tucked around each arm. A black fedora hat sat atop the wild blonde waves cascading over her shoulders, and black heels put her close to eye-level with Shane. However, her beautiful blue-green eyes were hidden behind dark aviator sunglasses. Her hands came together in front of her, holding a small clutch purse.
Shane stepped up next to her and held her elbow out. Haley said nothing as she wrapped her hand around the crook of Shane’s arm. Together, they walked out of the house, across the front porch, and down the steps.
The driver opened the rear passenger door of the waiting SUV and Haley slid in first, with Shane getting in beside her. Rich was seated up front, texting furiously on the phone in his hand as they drove away.
***
Haley stared out the window, her mind a million miles away. She’d been preoccupied ever since she’d woken on the couch in the music room…wrapped in Shane’s arms. That night had been mostly a blur, with no rational thoughts in sight. She was lost, hurting…full of emotion. All she’d wanted to do was feel something, anything. Shane had been there to help ease the pain, give her what she needed, no questions asked. She’d never used anyone to physically soothe her grief…until now. It had certainly helped lift some of the pain from her shoulders, but it made sense why people turned to strangers. She wondered if her body would ever forget what it was like to touch Shane. She’d done a pretty good job of losing sight of the night before while she’d prepared for the funeral that morning, but her mind reassured her that it wasn’t letting go, at least not while Shane was sitting two feet away from her. She tried to focus on the buildings passing by as the driver maneuvered through the traffic, finally turning into the parking lot of one of the oldest funeral homes in Nashville. The vehicle came to a stop under the covered area in front of the double doors. A few people dressed in black, milled about talking with one another or smoking.
Rich let himself out of the SUV, while the driver got out and opened the rear passenger door for Haley. Shane got out on her side, then walked around, quickly coming up to Haley’s door before the driver was able to open it. Everyone standing outside turned their heads to watch Haley exit the vehicle. Shane and Rich flanked her sides as she walked into the building.
***
Instrumental music played lightly over the speakers as the guests walked up the center aisle to where the silver, closed casket rested on a stand with a beautiful spray of blue flowers on top of it. A large framed picture of Fizzy was sitting on an easel nearby. Several different floral arrangements were on stands all around behind the casket, and some smaller ones were on the floor in front of it. A podium stand was a few feet away with a small, upright piano behind it.
Haley kissed her fingers and placed her hand on top of the casket. Then, she put that same hand over her heart as she looked at the picture. That was the way she wanted to remember him, smiling and happy.
Fizzy’s mother and wife were waiting for her as the guests continued moving in a small line, paying their respects. Haley hugged them both and wiped away tears with a tissue Shane had miraculously pulled from her pocket.
“I’m so very sorry for your loss. He was a good man, and so much more than a roadie. He was my friend, a confidant at times, and the most genuine, down to earth person I’ve ever met. Being on the road won’t be the same without Fizzy leading the way,” Haley said.
“Thank you for everything. Working for you and getting to know you as a person meant so much to him. He adored you like a father would a child,” his wife said, squeezing her hands. “To him, you were family. You all were.”
“He couldn’t wait to get out on the open road every time you announced a tour. He was so proud to say he was Haley Nielsen’s bus driver. He made sure everyone in town knew that,” his mom added.
Haley smiled and wiped a few more tears. “This is Shane Crowley. She’s been with us for most of the tour.”
“I remember Fizzy telling me you had extra security because of some nutcase.”
“Although I didn’t know him well, I had the pleasure of talking with your husband on numerous occasions. He was always friendly and eager to help out any way he could.”
“That was Fizzy. There was wasn’t a rotten bone in his body. If he met you once, you were friends for life,” his mother said.
Shane smiled and nodded.
Haley gave them one more hug before moving to her seat at the front of the pews on the opposite side as the service began. Rich and Shane flanked her, and her band members sat in the row behind her, with the rest of the crew members filling in all of the pews behind them. Fizzy’s family and friends filled up the pews on the left side of the room.
***
Shane stared at the wall behind the casket as the church pastor went on and on about Fizzy and his family. He led a few prayers, then he asked if anyone wanted to come up and say a few words. No one moved. He’d said enough for all of them.
“And now, we’ll have Haley Nielsen sing a song at the request of the family,” he added.
Haley sipped some room temperature water from the bottle Rich had been holding. Then, she walked up and sat down behind the piano. She adjusted the microphone, thinking she’d probably need it if her voice began to crack. Otherwise, her voice was strong enough to carry through the room.
Placing her hands over the keys, she started with a
soft intro, then went into the lyrics of Nothing Compares 2 U, slowly singing, “It’s been seven hours and fifteen days…since you took your love away.”
Haley’s rendition had a bluesy, smoky sound with a touch of country twang, instead of the sharp tone of Sinead O’Connor’s voice. Halfway through the song, a few tears streamed down her face, but her voice never wavered as she kept going.
Listening to Haley sing from the heart sent a shiver down Shane’s spine. She played the melody beautifully on the old piano, no doubt lifting the spirits of everyone in the room. Shane knew Fizzy loved to listen to her rock out on the guitar, but she had a feeling he was looking down at that moment, enjoying what he was hearing.
As soon as Haley finished the song, she rose from the bench. She held her hand to her heart while facing the family, then kissed her fingers and touched the casket one final time before taking her seat. The pastor spoke briefly, then ended the service with a prayer. Guests once again filed past the family, paying their respects on the way out of the funeral home. Rich hugged Fizzy’s mother and wife, then turned to Haley.
“I have some business downtown, so I won’t be going with you to the cemetery. I’m going to catch a ride with one of the road crew guys who is headed that way. The car service will follow the procession, then take you back to the house when you’re ready.”
Haley nodded and hugged him.
Shane shook his hand, then he walked away as they stepped up to the family.
“That was just absolutely beautiful,” Fizzy’s wife said. “He loved that song.”
“Thank you, and if it’s okay with you, I’d like to play it at all of the shows for the rest of the tour, dedicated to him each and every night. Although, I’ll probably play the guitar instead. I know he used to love coming to watch rehearsals and the shows on his nights off.”
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