Back To You (In Tune Book 1)

by Jessica Ruddick

  My grin widened, and I leaned in. “Or maybe he’s mine.”

  The lady chuckled and turned her attention back to her paperback. We were sitting in the post-op waiting room at the VCU Medical Center. Had we been in California or New York City, she probably would have assumed I was Gabe Gable and not his long-lost twin. People didn’t expect to see celebrities in everyday situations.

  I drummed my fingers on the hard plastic of the chair’s armrest and shifted uncomfortably. My ass cheeks had fallen asleep an hour before, but I found that my pacing agitated the others in the room, so I sat.

  Waiting was the absolute worst. I’d been assured that Aunt Rose’s surgery was low risk, but knowing that she was just down the hall with her chest sliced open made me anxious. I could also feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on.

  At least my worry took my mind off Leah. I still didn’t know what to make of the bombshell she’d dropped on me. There was never anyone else. It was all a lie.

  My girl certainly knew how to drop a damn mic. Except she wasn’t my girl anymore, and she hadn’t been for five years. That was kind of the point.

  I scrubbed a hand over my face. What reason did she have to lie about cheating on me? Unless she’d told the truth then and was lying now. Christ. Trying to wrap my head around it made my brain throb.

  If Aunt Rose hadn’t had her surgery, I might have grilled Tyler about what the hell was going on, because he definitely knew more than he was telling me. But while I might have been able to squeeze some info out of him in person, there was no point trying over the phone. That cocksucker. Talk about breaking the bro code.

  I couldn’t entirely blame him if his loyalty had shifted toward Leah. He saw and talked to her on a regular basis, whereas he and I had turned into the annual-Christmas-card type of friends. I had no idea if my assistant, Bette, sent out holiday cards for me. She was old-school, so she probably did. Realizing it had been a while since I checked in with her, I texted her.

  ME: Not in Nashville anymore. Change of plans. In Virginia.

  BETTE: What the hell is in Virginia?

  ME: Family stuff.

  BETTE: If your family is anything like mine, I’ll send alcohol.

  I shook my head, thinking that my family was a lot like Bette’s. Or more accurately, like Bette herself. She and Aunt Rose were both tough old birds.

  ME: I’ve got it covered. Is everything okay there?

  BETTE: Yes. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll keep your plants alive.

  ME: I have plants???

  BETTE: SMH.

  Smiling, I tucked my phone in my pocket. Bette was a trip. I had no idea that I had plants. I guessed they were included in the renovation.

  Texting Bette was a nice momentary distraction, but that was all it was—momentary. I had at least another half hour, probably closer to an hour, before I could expect news on Aunt Rose. The sterile white walls of the waiting area were starting to drive me crazy. I let the nurse know I was stepping out and headed to search for coffee. Because caffeine will certainly be good for my nerves.

  I got lost in the maze of hallways and instead found myself near an exit, so I stepped outside, thinking fresh air would probably be a helluva lot better for me than coffee anyway. I called Tyler.

  “How’d it go?” he asked. “Is Aunt Rose okay?”

  “She’s still in surgery. I was getting antsy, so I stepped out to take a walk.” Not one to lie, I started hoofing it around the building.

  “Sorry, man. If I didn’t have duty, then I would have gone with you. It sucks that you’re alone.”

  “It’s okay.” Though I was usually surrounded by people, I was used to being alone. Even when I wasn’t on stage, I constantly had to be on. People wanted and expected Gabe Gable, the rock star. So I gave them what they wanted. It was exhausting. Rarely did I get to simply be the real me, Gabe Gagliano. On tour, I could count on one hand the number of people who were my real friends. The realization was sobering, especially considering that it had only dawned on me after being home and reuniting with people who’d known me before Gabe Gable was invented.

  “Well, keep me posted.”

  “I will.” I paused. What the hell? Might as well ask. “So I saw Leah last night.”

  Tyler’s voice immediately became guarded, which wasn’t unexpected. “You did?”

  “I need you to be straight with me, Tyler. Is she telling the truth?”

  He blew out a breath. “I don’t know what she told you.”

  “I think you probably do.” My tone was cold, and I didn’t realize how pissed I was. How long has Tyler known, and why the hell didn’t he tell me? It could have changed everything.

  He was silent for a few moments. “It wasn’t my place to tell you. And she was adamant that I kept it to myself. To be honest, I’m surprised she told you.”

  “I think I caught her at a bad time. She said something about her father. Is he giving her trouble?” My protective instinct was kicking in. I should have asked her about her father when she mentioned him, but I’d been too focused on my own shit. The man was a waste of space. The only good thing he’d ever done was provide half of Leah’s DNA.

  “Not that I know of. He’s not around much. I don’t think he even lives in Cedar Creek anymore. But I’ll look into it. That man is bad news.”

  “Thanks. So Leah didn’t actually cheat on me?” I asked, getting back to the point.

  Tyler paused again. “Obviously, I wasn’t there, so I only know what she told me. But I’d stake my life on it. Leah loved you, man. She’d never do that to you.”

  After I’d gotten over my initial heartbreak and anger, that had been my assessment of the situation as well. Leah wasn’t a cheater. She kept her circle small, and she was fiercely loyal to those she let inside it. “Then why the hell would she lie and tell me she did?”

  “Switzerland! I’m Switzerland, I tell you. I can’t get in the middle of this.”

  I scowled, but I couldn’t fault him for keeping a promise he’d made to Leah. A flushing toilet sounded on his end of the line. “Where are you?”

  “The Stop & Shop,” he grumbled. “Specifically, the ladies’ room of the Stop & Shop. Apparently, Tina loves Bobby. And if you want a good time, just let me know. I can hook you up with a phone number.”

  “Glad to hear you’re protecting and serving Cedar Creek.”

  “Piss off, dickbreath.”

  “Cockgobbler.” Despite everything, I smiled as I disconnected.

  Leah

  I took my frustration out on a bathtub that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in years. Perhaps that was too judgmental. The family I was cleaning for had three boys with a fourth on the way, so the tub was bound to take some abuse. My services were a gift to the expectant mother from her in-laws.

  For the first half hour, she’d waddled after me, scrutinizing my work. Once it became clear I was capable of scrubbing a toilet to her satisfaction, she’d relaxed and left me alone. Having dropped the youngest boy off at preschool, she was napping in the bedroom. Thank God. Her hovering had made me antsy. Besides that, her presence made me feel like I had to don a smile and make pleasant small talk, which was the last thing I wanted to do.

  My world had blown up the night before. First, my good-for-nothing father had come to the diner and threatened to blackmail me. Then Gabe had shown up, and I confessed something I’d sworn I would take to my grave. He was better off thinking I was a two-timing bitch. At least that way, he could move on with his life with a clear conscience.

  I cursed as a bit of cleaner flew off the scrub brush, missed my apron, and landed on my shirt. Then I looked guiltily at the closed master bedroom door, but luckily, I could still hear the woman’s soft snores. The cleaner had bleach in it, so the shirt was likely ruined. It wasn’t a big deal since it was only a T-shirt from Walmart, but it was still annoying.

  Sighing, I emptied the bin of bath toys so I could wash it. That wasn’t necessarily part of my job, but I didn’t
want to put the grimy thing in the sparkling tub. I wondered what that kind of life would be like, to be a wife and mother and have a home to run. I couldn’t picture it for myself. Maybe because I’d never planned for a domestic life.

  I’d planned for a life with Gabe.

  He’d always been so driven and passionate when it came to his music. I, on the other hand, was aimless. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, so I’d been content to put his dreams first. Maybe that was why I was still struggling to find my place, to find something that fulfilled me. The emptiness was never so apparent as with Lacey out of the house.

  God, I missed her something awful. But at the moment, I was glad she wasn’t around. That made it easier to keep my father away from her, that asshole. I still couldn’t believe he’d shown up at my work to threaten me. I shouldn’t have been surprised by how low he would sink. A man who abused his wife and children didn’t have integrity.

  I moved throughout the rest of the house to continue the job and fumed. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. By the time I’d finished cleaning the windows, I was downright pissed. The man might have intimidated me when I was still a teenager, but I was no longer that girl, despite how I’d been cowed by him last night. I wasn’t going to lie down and take his shit. I wasn’t going to sit around, anxiously waiting for him to make his move.

  Without him sitting in front of me, I could think more clearly. There was no way in hell Robert Jacobson had media contacts or the wherewithal to find any. He’d been bluffing, and I’d bought it—hook, line, and sinker. I wouldn’t be a pawn in his stupid scheme. And I sure as hell wouldn’t let him try to make Gabe one, either.

  As soon as I was done with the job, I set off in search of my father. I didn’t actually know where he lived anymore—not in Cedar Creek, and that was all I cared about. He said he’d be in touch, though, which led me to believe he was hanging around. There was only one place I could think to look for him—Debra Pritchard’s house. They had an on-again, off-again relationship I tried not to think too deeply about.

  Though I’d only been to Debra’s house twice that I could recall, I had no trouble finding it on the outskirts of town. Her place wasn’t actually a house—it was a mobile home that someone had built additions onto, making it look like an oversize Lego project.

  A pickup truck sat out front, and based on the bumper sticker with a picture of a semi and text that read “In it for the long haul,” I knew it belonged to my father. There was no other vehicle, so I assumed Debra wasn’t home. Before I lost my nerve, I climbed out of my car and pounded on the front door.

  My father opened it after about a minute. He was shirtless, with a potbelly hanging over the waistband of his jeans. In his hand, he clutched a beer bottle. He belched in my face by way of greeting.

  “How dare you?” I growled. “How dare you come to my work, threaten me, and then leave me to pay your damn check?” His face hardened, but I continued before he could speak. “You’re a sorry excuse for a man.”

  He stepped out onto the rickety porch, and sadly, despite my strong words, I backpedaled, flinching as he got near me. He jabbed a pudgy finger in my face. “You listen here, girl.” He swayed on his feet. He was drunk. I should have known—after all, it was four o’clock in the afternoon.

  I reached deep for the courage that had taken me out there. “No, you listen to me,” I snarled. “You are dead to me. Lacey is eighteen now, a legal adult, so you have no claim over her. There’s nothing you can do to us.”

  He blinked as if he was trying to put together a cohesive thought. “No, but your boyfriend—”

  “Is rich,” I finished for him, not bothering to correct him about Gabe being my boyfriend. “You think you can spread lies about him to the media and nothing will happen? I bet he has a whole team of lawyers who will take down your sorry ass.” I could tell by my father’s confused expression that that hadn’t occurred to him. “It’s called slander, and it’s illegal. You’re a drunk redneck, and no media will believe what you say. Besides that, they won’t dare print anything that will get them sued.”

  I was bluffing a little bit, because in truth, I wasn’t entirely sure about everything I was saying. The gist was accurate, though, and anyway, my dad seemed to believe me. If he really did have a media contact, his hopes had been dashed.

  My dad was seething, his shoulders heaving with his heavy breathing. He had probably thought he had a slam dunk—an easy payout—and there I was, ruining his payday. His eyes darkened, taking on an angry glint I knew too well. He lurched toward me, but I was ready for him. I aimed the pepper spray I kept on my keychain at his face and pressed my finger down on the button.

  Dropping his beer bottle, his hands flew to his eyes, and he yelled obscenities. Despite the pain he must have been in, he swung out with his fists, clipping me on the shoulder and knocking me backward.

  I’ll say this for dear old Dad—he doesn’t go down easily.

  I stumbled, and for a moment, I was filled with fear. Perhaps confronting my father in a rural area where no one could hear my screams had been a bad idea.

  No, I chided myself. I was done being scared of the man, and it was time he understood that. He might have been bigger and meaner, but I was smarter and faster.

  I kicked out with my leg, hooking my foot around his knees and pulling them forward.

  He crashed onto the porch. “Bitch!”

  He had no idea what a bitch I could be. “I’m done with you. If you approach me again, I will call my police officer friend and have a restraining order taken out on you. This is your only warning.”

  “You’re lying!” he howled. “You’re a weak little bitch, just like your mother.”

  I didn’t bother gracing him with a reply. I climbed into my car and did a U-turn in the dirt driveway. It wasn’t until I was on the main county road that I noticed my hands shaking.

  Chapter 7

  Gabe

  Aunt Rose’s surgery had gone well. Now, three days later, her doctor and the nurses assured me her recovery was also going well, but I’d never know it from how she was acting. The woman was not a pleasant patient. She was used to being so independent that being stuck in a hospital bed didn’t agree with her.

  “Aunt Rose,” I said gently, “when the nurse comes back with the wheelchair, you’ve got to get in it. Don’t give her a hard time.”

  She scowled. “It’s my boobs that were operated on, not my legs.”

  “It’s protocol, so don’t give the nice nurse any trouble. You’ve terrorized them enough.”

  She scoffed. “I haven’t terrorized anyone.”

  “Keep telling yourself that,” I mumbled.

  “I heard that.”

  I ducked my head to hide my grin. Honestly, her grumpiness was a good sign. I’d have been more worried if she weren’t.

  There was a knock at the door, and the head nurse opened it without waiting for an answer. Her mouth flattened into a thin line when she saw me. “We have a situation.”

  I stood up straight. “What?” Immediately, I thought the worst—there was an unforeseen complication with Aunt Rose’s recovery that they just discovered.

  “Look out the window.”

  I peeked through the blinds. Across the street, a crowd of people had gathered, and I noticed quite a few of them were wearing T-shirts from my latest tour. “Shit. Goddamn it.” I’d been coming and going from the hospital without incident for three days. Now this. Fuck me.

  The nurse narrowed her eyes and flared her nostrils, obviously not appreciating my foul language.

  “What is it?” Aunt Rose asked.

  “A sizable group of people has gathered, trying to get a glimpse of your grandson. Our security escorted them off the premises, but we can’t make them move from a public street.”

  Aunt Rose and I eyed one another, neither of us perturbed by the nurse calling me her grandson. That was what most strangers assumed.

  “Is there a back exit we coul
d use?” I asked.

  “Yes, but we’re on a city block. It’s not hidden from view.” The nurse sounded apologetic. “Our security team is good, but they’re not equipped to deal with something like this, nor is it their responsibility.”

  “What exactly is the problem?” Aunt Rose sounded exasperated. “Some of Gabe’s fans are out there. So what?”

  The nurse straightened. “It is our responsibility to see you safely out of our care. But we can’t prevent people from rushing you when you’re wheeled out of the facility. You could get injured.”

  “For goodness sake, they’re fans, not some mob,” Aunt Rose protested.

  I wished I could have agreed with her, but I’d seen well-meaning fans turn into a mindless mob. Chances were this wouldn’t be one of those times, but I wasn’t willing to risk it. Besides that, I didn’t want anyone taking pictures of Aunt Rose under normal circumstances, much less when she was recovering from surgery. Usually I didn’t mind my fans, and I’d sure as hell never resented them. But they’d also never posed a threat to my family before.

  “The nurse is right,” I said quietly. “I don’t want to risk anything happening to you. How did people find out I was here, anyway?”

  “The staff figured out who you were the first day,” Aunt Rose said dryly. “Why do you think they were so attentive to my care?”

  The nurse bristled at what she obviously perceived as an insult to her staff, as if they’d only provided good care because of who I was and they had leaked information relating to a patient.

  But what other explanation could there be?

  “How do you want to proceed? You could make alternate travel arrangements. Or we could try to wait until the crowd dissipates, but…” The nurse trailed off, and I caught her meaning. That wasn’t a likely scenario, and anyway, Aunt Rose was chomping at the bit to be sprung from what she’d dubbed “hospital jail.”

  I drummed my fingers on my thigh. It wasn’t as if I was going to send Aunt Rose home in an Uber. I’d have to call Tyler and hope he wasn’t on duty. Even if not, it would take him at least an hour and a half to get here, and that was if he left immediately. Damn it, I should have had a contingency plan in place. It was just that I usually didn’t have to worry about things like this. My people took care of it for me.