Dirty Mind (Nashville Outlaws #2)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “And maybe you’re just scared,” Reed said, lowering his voice. “I get it. You’ve been through hell, jerked around by one woman after another. But let me ask you this.”

  I waited, anxiety making my gut clench as I imagined his next question.

  “It’s five years out. You’ve got more gold on your shelf. More platinum records lining your walls. Millions more in your portfolio.” He gestured behind him. “And you’re still living here… alone. Listening to the echo of your own footsteps. Lost in the silence. Cold and alone in an empty bed.”

  “I don’t wanna hear this.” I didn’t need to. I’d thought about that possibility too often.

  “Hear me out,” he said, showing me his palm. “Knox happens to mention in passing that his sister-in-law’s getting married. She’s pregnant. Stoked to be having a baby with her man.”

  I hated my friend right now, because he was forcing me to face my fears.

  “How do you feel?”

  “How the fuck do you think I’d feel?” My breathing was harsh, my temperature rising. I wanted to hit something or someone and Reed was making himself an easy target.

  “Or how ‘bout this?” he demanded, getting in my face. “Your girl, she walks out of Jimmy’s with that friend of hers last night. What’s his name… Max?”

  “Shut. Up.”

  He refused to heed my warning. “How would you feel if you were lying in your bed last night, imagining them goin’ at it the way you two did—”

  “I will kill you,” I said, closing my fist around his shirt. “I’m not even kidding right now, man. You need to shut your mouth.”

  His look was smug, fearless, when he said, “Why do you think I came here today?”

  “Because you want Charli to go on the road with you.”

  He shook his head. “The girl’s got the chops, but I could tell last night that she wasn’t feelin’ it. I knew what her answer would be.” He took a step back. “I didn’t come here for her. I came here for you.” He shoved me playfully. “I love you like a brother. I want you to get your shit together before it’s too late. Don’t make the same mistake I did with Brook, man. Don’t assume you have all the time in the world to figure this thing out. That woman just might walk out on you and all the begging in the world won’t convince her to stay.”

  I’d never begged a woman to stay. Never cared enough to want her to, but with Charli? I could see myself hitting my knees for that girl. Shit, what was I gonna do?

  We’d been working in my office for hours when I asked Charli if she felt like sushi for dinner. Things had been strained since Reed left, I assumed because of our conversation before his arrival, and I wanted to make things right.

  She looked up, chewing on the end of her pen. “Sorry, I can’t. I’ve got plans tonight.”

  “Oh.” My heart sank. I knew I didn’t have the right to ask about her plans, but I couldn’t help myself. “A date?”

  She smirked. “Yeah, with my favorite guy.”

  “Your favorite guy?” Who the hell was her favorite guy and why hadn’t I heard about him when we were going at it like pro-creating was our job?

  “My dad.”

  My heartbeat returned to normal when she gave me a got you look. “Have there been any reporters camped out at their house?”

  “Nope.” She stretched her arms over her head, making her loose-fitting crop top rise to expose her flat stomach. “They say the coast is clear.” She bit her lip. “Which means I could probably go back home. Not that their place is home. But until I save up some money for a place of my own—”

  “You’re welcome to stay in the guest house as long as you like, Charli. It’s probably easier that way anyhow, right? Saves you the commute into town twice a day.” And I really want you here.

  “You’re sweet to offer, but I feel like I’m imposing. And you’ve already been so generous with the salary, car—”

  “The thing is,” I said, swallowing the fear welling up in my throat. “You’re different. Every woman I’ve ever been with has expected things from me. You don’t. Which makes me want to do nice things for you.”

  She tipped her head, studying me. “But I’m not your girlfriend or your wife. I’m your employee and—”

  “And I’d like to think we’re becoming friends.” Even though we hadn’t known each other long, my connection with Charli was deep. I told her things I hadn’t told anyone about how fresh my wounds were.

  “Sure we are.” She stood. “You can never have too many friends, right?”

  I jumped up on impulse, reaching for her hand. “Damn it, I don’t wanna be your friend.” I stroked her cheek, watching her eyes drift closed. “I want to be your man.”

  She let her head fall against my chest. “You don’t know what you want, Dade. You’re just like every other guy I’ve ever been with.” When she opened her eyes, they were filled with unshed tears, making my heart hurt. “I just want a guy who’s all in, who’s willing to fight for me. No matter how hard it is or how ugly it gets, I want a man who’ll go to battle for me. For us.” She shook her head. “You said it yourself, you’re too weary for another battle. And I’m tired of men who find it so easy to give up on me.” She tipped her head back, letting me see her tears fall.

  “So you see, Dade, that’s why we’ll never work.”

  Chapter 13

  Charli

  By the time I’d heard Dade’s name the tenth time I was seriously thinking about making a run for it. My mama just would not let up.

  I sent a pleading look my father’s way, but he was too busy filling his face to notice.

  “I just don’t get it,” Mama said, shaking her fork at me. “You’re sleeping with the man—”

  “Mama,” I said, shooting a look at the old man, who was suddenly pretending to be deaf.

  “Oh please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Your daddy wasn’t born yesterday. He’s been around the block more times than all the rest of us put together. You think he don’t know what’s gonna happen with two sexy young thangs like you and Dade under the same roof together?”

  I palmed my forehead, groaning. This woman’s lips were getting looser and her mind was getting softer. “Nothing is going to happen. He’s my boss.”

  She clucked her tongue. “Shame on you, lyin’ to your mama. The Lord—”

  “Spare me, Mama.” She was only religious when it served her point. “I don’t need to hear you preachin’ about how I need a man like Dade. Because I don’t. I don’t need any man.” I looked at my father, waiting for him to jump to my defense. “Ain’t that right, Daddy?”

  He shrugged before taking another bite of sweet potatoes. “How the hell should I know what you need, girl? I ain’t no mind reader.”

  My mouth fell open before I snapped it shut. He was always telling me that I was strong and could stand on my own two feet. That I didn’t need any of those losers wasting my time because they weren’t fit to polish my boots.

  “Wait a minute.” I closed my hand around his wrist so he’d stop shoveling it in long enough to look at me. “What are you saying? You think I should pursue this thing with Dade? But you hate him. You think he uses women and—”

  “Don’t you go puttin’ words in my mouth now.” He glanced at my mama, looking disgusted by the grin splitting her face.

  “Did she put you up to this?” I demanded, pushing my chair back. “I know she’s desperate to get me married off, but I never thought you’d be willing to sell me to the highest bidder, Daddy.”

  “That’s not what this is about.” He sighed, wiping his face with his hand. “Damn it, Charli. Me and your mama just want what’s best for you. And maybe seein’ your sister with Knox got me to thinkin’ about you and your situation.”

  “Damn straight,” Mama said, shaking her head. “I couldn’t have custom ordered a better man for my baby. And you mark my words,” she said, looking at me. “That Dade is in the same class as Knox. You think they’d be thick as thieves if they were so di
fferent?”

  “They’re in the same business,” I reminded her. “Doesn’t mean they’re clones. It just means they have that in common. They can relate to each other in a way few other people can.”

  “Knox says he’s a good man,” Daddy grumbled. “And I trust his judgement. Your sister too,” he said, piling another scoop of the sweet potatoes on his plate. “Says he’s the salt of the earth, or some shit. Just had some bad luck with a few women, if you can call ‘em that.”

  All of a sudden my daddy was defending Dade? It must be time to get my hearing checked. “I don’t get it,” I said, shaking my head. “You came over to his house all riled up ‘cause you thought he’d set out to take advantage of me. What happened to change your mind?”

  “I’ve been doin’ my homework,” he said, between bites. “Lookin’ into these exes of his. They were up to no good. The whole trio.”

  I closed my eyes as I rested my elbow on the table, my hand clasping my forehead. I expected to have the mother of all headaches by the time I left this house. “You know you can’t believe everything you read online, right?”

  He snorted. “I’m not an idiot. But you should see these gals. Listen to these so-called interviews they do for money. Rippin’ on Dade. It’s obvious they got an axe to grind ‘cause they didn’t get all the money they thought they were entitled to. Did you know he had the two wives sign prenups and never lived with the fiancé?”

  “No, we don’t talk about stuff like that.” I could care less about his financial arrangements with his exes. I knew he had plenty of money and was confident he hadn’t left them destitute. He wasn’t that kind of guy, no matter how bitter he may have been by the end of the relationship.

  “I say good for him!” Mama said, slamming her hand down on the table. “Those money grubbin’ little hussies didn’t earn that money and weren’t entitled to it. He was only married to them for a couple of years.” She snorted. “Hell, I’ve got pantyhose older than that.”

  “I bet you do,” I muttered. “But I don’t see how any of this is our business. Or anyone else’s, for that matter. Dade may be a celebrity, but he’s entitled to some privacy.” I was angry on his behalf, knowing that so many people felt they had the right to weigh in on his personal life.

  “He traded his privacy the day he cashed that first big check,” Daddy said, reaching for his beer. “He knew what he was signin’ on for. No sense bellyachin’ about it now.”

  “He’s not bellyaching about it,” I said, frowning at him. “Dade’s not the one saying it’s not right. I am.” Why was I defending this man? It’s not like he needed me to have his back when he had a whole army of people behind him.

  Mama smirked. “Look at you, jumpin’ to his defense. And you’re tryin’ to tell me you got no feelings for him. I wasn’t born yesterday, hon.”

  “Why are you so—”

  The doorbell rang and I could have sworn my heart stopped when Mama jumped up, clapping her hands.

  “Oh good, he made it!”

  “Who?” When her eyes shifted to the ground, I knew. “Oh no, what did you do?” I groaned, knowing there was only one person she’d get so excited about. I side-eyed my dad as she ran to the door. “Please tell me she didn’t invite Dade here.”

  He raised a broad shoulder. “You know the way she is. Once she gets an idea in her head, there’s no talkin’ her out of it.” He leaned in, whispering, “Just be glad your boss couldn’t make it for dinner. Said he could only stop by for coffee ‘cause he had some interview at a radio station.”

  I didn’t see an interview on his schedule. He probably made up the excuse so he wouldn’t be subjected to my parent’s embarrassing Q&A all evening. Not that I could blame the poor guy. They were my blood and there’d been plenty of times I thought about running away.

  I could hear Mama’s excited chatter as she hauled Dade into the dining room by the arm, clutching a bouquet of flowers with the other. I had to hand it to him. He had a way with the ladies. Even ones who were old enough to be his mother.

  “Look who’s here,” Mama said, nudging my father with her elbow. “Don’t just sit there, Chee. Get up now. Greet our guest.”

  Daddy grumbled before shooting Mama a look as he stood to grasp Dade’s hand. “Hey, Dade. Good to see you again.”

  “You too, Mr.—”

  “What’d I tell you about that?” Daddy barked. “It’s Chee.”

  “Right.” Dade stood a little taller, looking him in the eye. “These are for you, Chee. Knox mentioned you like a good cigar now and then. Something we have in common.”

  Dade winked at me as I tried not to be impressed that he seemed to have won my father over so easily. Daddy hated every one of my boyfriends since I was old enough to date. Now the one who’d been publicly branded a womanizer is the guy to finally win him over? This made no sense to me.

  “Well,” Daddy said, turning over the box of expensive Cubans. “You’ve got good taste in cigars, I’ll give ya that. Mighty nice of you.” He cracked a smile. “You and me might have to light one of these up later.”

  “I’d like that,” Dade said, clapping him on the back like they were old friends.

  What the hell was going on here? Was I being duped? Some plan they’d hatched to punk me and make me look like a fool for buying into this shit?

  “You sit right over there next to Charli, honey,” Mama said, pushing Dade forward. “Let me get you a plate.” She gave me the stink-eye behind Dade’s back when she asked, “Where are your manners, girl? Give the man a hug!”

  I rolled my eyes before standing to whisper in Dade’s ear, “Sorry you got roped into this.”

  He chuckled. “My pleasure.”

  “How’d she get your number?” I asked when Dade claimed the seat beside me.

  “Apparently she texted Knox and asked for it, ‘cause she didn’t think your sister would give it up without asking a million questions.”

  She’d covered all her bases, the little schemer. “You really think this a good idea?” I asked him. “Being seen here? Maybe those rag reporters have been driving by and they just haven’t noticed,” I said, jerking a thumb towards my father, who was too busy peeling the wrapper off his box of cigars to pay any attention to us.

  “I did notice a dark colored sedan parked across the street,” Dade said, glancing across the table. “Have you seen it before, Chee?”

  He stroked his long white beard as he took a cigar out of the box and studied it. “Can’t say that I have, but you’d have to ask Aidy about that. She’s the one always peerin’ out the window, the nosy old gal.”

  “I heard that!” Mama shrieked, pointing a purple tipped nail at him. “Don’t you go talkin’ about me when I ain’t in the room to defend myself, you old coot.”

  Dade was trying to keep a straight face while I considered slipping under the table, but when you got Mama riled up there was no safe place to hide.

  “Thank you, Aidy,” Dade said, smiling at her when she set a plate down in front of him. “But I meant what I said on the phone, just coffee. They had a spread at the station.”

  “Mama said something about a radio interview?” I asked, reaching for my wine.

  Thankfully I’d had the good sense to take an Uber to their place. I had a feeling we’d be breaking open another bottle of wine just to get through the fake pleasantries before Mama started grilling Dade about his intentions.

  “Yeah.” He shook his head, smiling in acknowledgement as Mama poured him a cup of coffee from the carafe she’d brought in. “Tried getting out of it, but my label and manager were pretty insistent. Questions about my personal life were supposed to be off limits, but they always manage to sneak a few in.”

  Mama started slicing the homemade pecan pie she’d set out earlier before she asked, “What kind of questions were they askin’?” She jerked her head towards me. “Lemme guess, they wanted to know about this one, right?”

  Dade sighed. “Charli’s name did come up, but I tried
to shut him down without giving too much away.”

  “I don’t see the problem,” Mama said, plating a piece of pie for Dade before thrusting it at him. “So you have a new girlfriend, what’s the big deal? Do these damn fools expect you to be celibate the rest of your life?”

  Daddy grimaced. “For God’s sake, Aidy. Why’s it always gotta be about sex with you?”

  I drained my wine glass, wondering how many more it would take for me to forget this night ever happened. Sex. Really? They were gonna go there now?

  “For the last time, Mama, I am not Dade’s girlfriend.” I narrowed my eyes, trying to send her a telepathic message to shut her painted piehole. “I’m his assistant. That’s it. Just his assistant. So whatever fantasies you have about us being a couple, let them go right now, okay?” I smiled sweetly. “We wouldn’t wanna have to call the doctor and tell him we’re concerned about your delusions, now would we?”

  She huffed. “I am not delusional, young lady.” She tapped her fingernail against her temple. “I’m just as sharp as I ever was.”

  “Which ain’t sayin’ much,” Daddy mumbled.

  “You shut up,” she said, smacking his arm. The cigar box flew out of his hand and scattered the stogies across the hardwood floor.

  “Oh for the love of God,” Daddy said, pointing at the cigars. “Look what you made me do, damn fool woman. This is why we never have company. You don’t know how to act.”

  “Me? Like I’m the problem. Why, you scared the girls’ boyfriends so bad they practically wet their pants.” She looked at me. “Ain’t that right, Charli? Remember that slow boy you dated in high school, the one with the lazy eye? What the hell was his name again?”

  I jumped up when Dade pushed his chair back, intent on cleaning up the cigars.

  We were both on our hands and knees and he was trying to keep a straight face under the table, but the flash of white teeth gave him away.

  “It’s not funny,” I grumbled. “They’re both crazy.”

  “I heard that!” Mama shouted. “Not a damn thing wrong with my hearing, little girl.” She slammed the table. “Hank… that was the boy’s name.” She laughed. “He had a stuttering problem, Dade. And every time Chee so much as looked at him he’d start stammering something awful. Poor kid.” She clucked her tongue. “Went ever happened to him, Charli?”