by CF Frizzell
“One second, Nana!”
Breathless, Mel gathered her legs under her. Forcing her knees to flex and her body to bend upright, she nearly crumpled to the floor. She staggered against her thrumming heart and managed to reach her robe on the bathroom door. She flipped her hair into place as she tied the sash and blindly swiped perspiration from her face. Steadying herself with a deep exhale, she opened the door.
Nana stood, eyes wide and fearful, offering a cup of coffee.
“Morning, Nana.”
“Are you okay? My God! I thought you were hurt!”
“Ah, oh no, Nana. I just whacked my toes on the bureau.” Mel managed to chuckle for Nana’s sake and worked to ignore the incredible throbbing, the slick wanting between her feeble legs. “That’s what I get for being a sleepyhead this morning.”
“Oh, Lord, that’s all.” Nana was noticeably relieved. She patted Mel’s shoulder and put a hand to her cheek. “Are you feeling all right, dear? You look flushed.” Her hand went to Mel’s forehead. “You’re so warm. Feels like a fever.”
“Nana, you are a worrywart, bless you. Now, let me help you down these stairs.” Mel turned her around in the doorway. “And I am scolding you for coming up here,” she kissed her cheek, “even though I needed the coffee so badly.”
Step by step, Mel labored, her knees and legs frighteningly worthless as she helped Nana down the stairs to the kitchen, where ham and eggs had been prepared earlier.
“I made you breakfast anyway, young lady. You are too thin. You need to eat.”
“Nana, I have to shower and get dressed.”
“Yes, you do. Here. Take this plate up with you and get a move on.”
Mel kissed her cheek again and hauled herself back up to the bedroom. Church, she thought, noting the irony of it all. Jesus, are you watching? She shook her head as her racing heart finally returned to normal. That was close.
She held up the plate sheepishly when Shay peeked out from the bathroom.
“Unique room service you got here, Mel.” She grinned as she walked to her, powerfully naked, and set the plate on the dresser. “Don’t you dare ask if I want that for breakfast.”
Mel would have preferred to simply enjoy the view, but the vision of Nana in the doorway was slow to fade. She concentrated on Shay, on the sinewy body that now contained her very essence, and her mind reeled at the concept. When Shay reached for her, opened her robe, Mel eagerly stepped into Shay’s embrace. This is where I need to be.
Shay slipped the robe off Mel’s shoulders and squeezed her closer. “I hate letting go.” She pressed a lingering kiss to her neck.
“God, Shay.” She nibbled along Shay’s jaw.
“If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to.”
“Me neither.” Mel pulled back and led Shay to the bathroom. “At least Nana will hear the water running,” she said, adjusting the shower. She turned and glazed a palm across Shay’s abs.
Shay backed her into the shower and wrapped her up beneath the spray. “Guess I am very late for work.”
“Is that right?” Mel rose on her toes and kissed Shay’s nose. “And God is waiting for me.”
“We’re gonna disappoint everyone.”
Chapter Twenty-three
One of Sorvini’s mechanics stirred up a trail of gritty, brown dust as he graded the perimeter road, and Shay really longed to be gazing at something quite different in this bright morning sunshine. She was thankful the sweet breeze didn’t carry dust to where she sat on the Softail, deliberately conspicuous in the middle of the beaten parking fields. The heat bearing down was just ridiculous, but the view was invigorating, empowering, and her lingering high from the glorious morning just put a fuzzy warm glow around everything. Only an occasional wisp of cloud interrupted the morning’s tender blue sky, lofting above the distant, sensuously rolling hills, so like Mel’s consuming eyes, the easy, velvety curve of her hips, breasts, shoulders…
She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, taken by her newly expanded reality, humbled by the gifts she’d been granted. She looked over the hushed fair and carnival grounds, the concert area, caught up in their serenity. Intermittently, workers appeared at the rides, booths, the main barn where a delivery truck sat. Somewhere, a dog barked and a tractor grumbled. She marveled at the transformation due in just a few hours, the transformation of her life.
Thousands of acres, she thought, and here I sit. No asphalt grid for granite giants, no crooked maze among triple-deckers, no traffic, no nine-to-five, no makeshift commercialized reality. Such a storybook world so foreign to a born-and-bred city girl. Boston to Chicago to this?
It feels so right because it is. It’s the hypnotic power of the open spaces, the wonder of an endless blue sky, the warmth that reaches your bones, the breath of wind that fills your lungs. It’s everything Mel is.
“Amazing,” she said on a sigh.
She had to admit, pieces had fallen into place like some damn Hollywood movie. Life had never “clicked” before, always packed with troubles, worries, obstacles, and all that stress. Only those final months in Chicago had offered promise before they, too, dissolved into just one more tough break.
But here, here the world hadn’t stopped spinning since she’d come to town, from the moment Coby and Misty suggested she stay. And, Jesus, it’d been quite a ride. A mind-boggling fine one.
Here, she was free to work, to make the most of her talents, to meet challenges and thrive, to let her heart breathe. Here she was stretching out, growing, even at her age, and she didn’t want it to stop. Banking Slattery’s attractive paycheck was all well and good; it gave her a solid start, but she couldn’t allow it to take control. Filling these open spaces with subdivisions, traffic, and business bustle felt like a sin against nature, and she couldn’t—didn’t want to be a contributor. She’d left that life, where people, the very air and land meant nothing. Here, they meant everything, and so could she. Yes, she conceded, this place demanded she let roots take hold, because this was where her soul needed to be.
The “big decision” came easily. She would sit Sonny down and force him into a reality check. Tap her savings and investment money, if she had to, and put her offer on the table. And if her luck held, she would settle in. With Mel.
Coby and Misty would be thrilled.
Mel, she hoped, would be overjoyed. Staying put in Tomson meant investing in her life, and she wanted Mel to be as much a part of that as the damn wild grass beneath her boots, as the big sky overhead. Their relationship might still be new and fragile, but it was real. The sincerity Mel brought made their relationship worth every effort required to make it work.
She removed her Trailblazer cap and wiped the sweat from her brow with the hem of her shirt. Damn heat. She rumbled slowly across the field to begin status checks, an eye on the slow-rolling BMW convertible that looked destined to intercept.
Della drew alongside as they stopped in the vendors’ area. The tailored white linen skirt and jacket dazzled in the sunshine, and Della’s air of calm was welcome, if rather curiously uncharacteristic.
“Morning, Chicago.”
“A gorgeous morning. Hot start.”
Hands on her hips, Della surveyed the grounds through black Gucci sunglasses, the captain at the bow of her ship.
“Sure is. The place looks good, considering yesterday’s turnout was bigger than anticipated.”
“I think so, too,” Shay said, and performed the same scan. “So far, everything’s gone like clockwork. Should I be worried?”
“Don’t jinx it. I already have a nightmare on my plate. Something has to go right. I just got off the phone with Glen Davis. He said they only had to deal with one disorderly conduct yesterday, something about a fistfight over a damn parking space. He spoke highly of you and hopes these next two days won’t be too much of a test.”
“I like being on the sheriff’s good list. Our biggest challenge will be tonight.”
“Prairie Fire.”
“Yup. Major
feather in your cap, getting them to come, Della. They won some national award on TV just last week and are all over the radio. This place will be packed.”
“Friend of a friend in Nashville tipped me off about them last fall, said they were going places, so I took a chance and got lucky.”
Shay wondered how many other well-placed connections figured into Della’s success.
“So what brings you out here this morning?”
“Well, I’m looking for your opinion on something.” She seemed to study the mechanics’ barn in the distance for too long. “Is there someone you’d recommend to take over up there?”
“For Sorvini?”
“A big hole to fill. Don’t misunderstand, but losing him has hurt.” Shay crossed her arms, waiting for Della to spout his praises. “His temper cost us, Chicago—and you, obviously. Stupid on his part, so childish and hurtful to you and our mission. I’ve had to add finding a replacement to my list of priorities at a most inconvenient time.”
“How inconsiderate of him.”
“Regardless, he’s gone and his loss here could be profound. From a business standpoint, we’re fortunate he’s working with Ed Chandler until the damn court finishes with him, and that should help get us through some of these Heights issues.”
“From what I’ve heard, it sounds like his influence contributed to those issues, Della.”
“Oh, we’ll get past this mess the Chronicle caused, Chicago.” Shay scuffed the turf, sorely tempted to defend Mel. “Granted, it looks as if they overstepped out there, and, believe me, I’m not the least bit thrilled about this delay, but we’ll be back on track quickly. With Ed, and Angie helping for the time he has left, I’m not too worried.” Della adjusted her sunglasses. “Meanwhile, I’m faced with a critical vacancy. Tom Rogers endorsed someone I feel might be too young.”
“He told me he recommended Tim Kasparian. He’s twenty-four.”
Della nodded. “He’s only been with us for two years.”
“Smart kid, though, and a really hard worker.”
“The next six months are big on our calendar, very big.”
Shay geared up for what she hoped she wouldn’t hear. She didn’t want the job. “Well, I do not recommend Sorvini’s pets, Peters, O’Brien, or Jensen. They’re trouble. And only work when watched.”
Now Della removed her glasses. “I need someone with management smarts, someone willing to be hard-nosed about things when necessary. I’m considering you.”
“I appreciate that. Thank—”
“You’re interested?” The sunglasses went back on.
“Jesus, Della. Thank you, but Kasper’s a real workhorse. He’s young but honest, sharp, and reliable, and I think he’d do a great job for you.”
“Uh-huh. I’m disappointed. I don’t mind saying.” Della drifted to her car door. “You’ve become a key member of the Slattery team, Chicago, and I’d rather it be you.” She settled in behind the wheel. “Let’s get through this weekend and we’ll talk again.” She started the car and grinned. “Maybe one of us will have changed her mind by then.”
*
“Young people today don’t sing and play like the real ones,” Nana declared. She refreshed her Jean Naté with a dab behind each ear while Mel waited. “In fact, no one does the good songs any more. Who sings like Jim Reeves today?” She closed her bureau drawer and shuffled toward Mel, finally ready to leave. “No one, that’s who. Or Hank Snow? Tennessee Ernie Ford? And must you wear that hat? Where’d you get it? I don’t recall ever seeing it before.”
Mel minimized her smile as best she could. “Oh, it’s a fun hat, Nana. It belonged to a very special friend, but I’ve got it now.”
“Oh, did it?”
“Listen. If you don’t want to go back later for the concert, you don’t have to.” Mel followed patiently behind. Her mind spun as she took along the folded walker by the entry and stepped ahead to hold open the screen door and guide Nana onto the porch. They’d already performed this routine to attend church just to get to the fair at a decent hour. The recollection of Shay upstairs brought a buzz to her system. She looked forward to more of their time together tonight and secretly hoped Nana wouldn’t want to attend the concert.
“We’ll see, dear. Helen expects me to sit with her at the Grange table today, so I might not have energy for a concert—especially one where the music isn’t what it should be.”
“Their lead singer does Patsy Cline very well, you know. You might enjoy it. Prairie Fire is the newcomer of the year in Nashville. LeAnn Rimes was, too, when she started out, and you like her. So you might like some of the music tonight.”
They edged down the three porch steps, and Nana maneuvered her walker to the car.
“Helen will have talked both my ears off long before then, Lissa, so I think I’ll be looking forward to some peace and quiet this evening.”
Mel helped her buckle up and went around to the driver’s side. Just what Helen would profess to Nana began to eat at her. From the moment they’d kissed good-bye in her bedroom, Mel had been trying to formulate a way to introduce Shay to Nana. Today was the day. It had to be, the way word was zipping around town, but exactly how to tell her was the question.
She headed off to the ranch, deep in thought, convinced that Helen’s wealth of gossip included the “new couple in town.” Having Nana learn of them from someone else would make Mel’s effort twice as difficult. She covered her concern with sunglasses.
“The bonfire last night was great,” she offered. “Big turnout, too.”
“It confounds me,” Nana said, “how folks love to watch fire. Such a scary thing. Never could see the attraction in it.”
“Well, the concert and tomorrow night’s fireworks will draw even more people. There are lots of events going on, actually. We’ll get programs when we go through the gate.” She tamped down her rising jitters and took a breath. “Shay Maguire’s been super as Della’s project manager and has done a fantastic job with this. So much to coordinate and prepare.”
Nana shook her head and gazed out the window as they drove through town. “I know business is business, Lissa, but being chummy with one of Della’s cronies doesn’t look good.” Mel could feel the small gray eyes level at her as she drove. “We’ve already discussed your association with this Maguire character.”
“Nana, stop. Everything is fine. You’ll see. I’ll introduce you.” She urgently wanted Shay to turn her charm loose on Nana upon arrival.
Nana exhaled a resigned sigh. “I expect to get an earful today about what you did to the new shopping center.”
“You mean the liberties Angie Sorvini, Ed Chandler, and Della tried to take?”
“Seems to me, being nitpicky has cost a pretty penny all around. What am I supposed to say when people ask why you put the kibosh on all those jobs, those shops?”
Going to be a very long day.
“I had information about what they were doing out there and gave it to the proper authorities, Nana. Town officials issued a temporary stop; I didn’t put the kibosh on anything. Remember that. Nothing’s been killed, just delayed until they go through channels and fix what they did. Folks who know the facts are thankful it’ll be corrected.” They slowed at the Five Star gate and pulled up to the ticket booth. “So, are you going to be my ally today, Nana? Or are you going to let folks use me as a punching bag?”
“Hi, Mel. Good morning, Mrs. Baker.” The young redhead who ran a register at the supermarket eagerly thrust two fair programs through Mel’s window.
“Doing double duty, Janice?”
“Never turn down a little extra cash,” she said. “Glad you’re here. Shay and Mike have both been by, asking if you’d come in yet.”
“I’ll hunt them down,” she said and wondered what Nana was thinking.
Janice gestured toward the programs Mel set on the dashboard. “Range Riders go on in twenty minutes. Ring 10B.”
“Thanks, Jan.” Mel pulled away, and they waved to the two men in
suits seated beneath a patio umbrella, a shiny red Ford Escape beside them to be raffled off this weekend.
“Come buy a ticket, Mel!” one shouted, and Mel stopped politely. He trotted to Nana’s window and bent down to greet them. “Mrs. Baker, you’re looking younger every time we meet. Honest to God.”
Nana chuckled at him. “Always the car salesman, Henry.”
“Can I talk you ladies into buying a couple of tickets? Just fifty apiece and the money goes to the Winter Fuel Fund. Can’t pass up a beauty like this, can you? Won’t find a better deal on the planet.”
“Thanks. Nana and I will discuss it,” Mel told him, eager to move on.
His associate joined him at the window, and Mel was tempted to roll away. From too many past encounters, she knew Grayson Cochran would make his intentions known immediately.
“All set for the Harvest Ball, Mel?”
“Working it this year.”
“Really?” He elbowed Henry. “I figured you’d be on the arm of someone special.”
“Sounds like you’ve got your figures mixed up. Sorry, guys, but it’s almost show time and we’ve got to run. Good luck with sales.”
She left them grinning as she drove to the performance arena and found Nana’s quiet almost as disturbing as her nagging. Letting her stew over what she’d heard wasn’t wise.
“Want to gamble on a new car, Nana? If we won it, we could sell it for the cash.”
“I wish you’d attend the ball. Why did he think you were going?”
“Lord, Nana. You know Grayson’s even more of a car salesman than Henry.”
She bypassed the public parking fields and pulled in among the many horse trailers at the arena. Mel set up the walker and scanned the grounds as they made their way ringside.
Chapter Twenty-four
Shay rumbled over to the PA booth for one final check, waved a two-minute signal to the horse barn, and drove to the arena gate. Parked in the shade of a lone spruce, she was eager to watch Doran’s Range Riders drill team perform.