Reaper's Girl (Rockin' Country #5)

by Laramie Briscoe

  “I don’t see how you two put up with that shit all the time.” Jared shook his head. “It pisses me off for you.”

  “We hardly ever pay attention to it,” Garrett admitted. “But that one in particular irritated me because could they not tell I’d just left my guts in the toilet? I mean really?”

  “At least those of us around you know you’re genuinely happy.”

  Garrett smiled widely, looking back at his son. “I am. Way happier than I ever thought I could be, way happier than I deserve to be. But it’s work. What a lot of people don’t see are the sacrifices and decisions we make. Only you see a part of it too.”

  “It’s why I always come to you for marital advice.”

  “I hardly ever know if I’m truly doing anything right, but when Hannah grins at me and tells me she loves me, I know I’ve done good things in another life or something.”

  They were both quiet as they approached Lower Broad, both trying to see what the line looked like and caught up in their own thoughts. “Holy fuck,” Garrett breathed.

  EJ in the back answered with his own fuck. Jared laughed, his own mouth hanging wide open as they saw the line of people waiting to get in to see Harmony Stewart.

  “They do know they’re only letting five hundred in, right?” Jared took a picture, sending it to Shell and Hannah.

  “Maybe they’re hoping they’ll let a few more slip by. Shit, they even have the road blocked off.” Garrett kept going through though, stopping when he got to a policeman. The cop walked up, recognizing him immediately.

  “Hi, Reaper, if you turn left at the light and go through the back alley, they have parking for you and three other vehicles. Are the three behind you with you?”

  “Yes, sir, they are. Thank you for making this such an easy process.”

  “No problem.” The cop grinned. “My wife is in line to see Harmony tonight.”

  “Which one is she?” Garrett asked as he scanned the line.

  The young cop turned around, doing his own scan until he found who he was looking for. “The cute redhead with the ripped jeans and Harmony shirt on.”

  Garrett spotted her quickly because there weren’t many redheads in the line. He would make sure she got in and had a good time. “We’ll take care of her tonight then. Thanks for your service.” Garrett reached out and shook the man’s hand before he made his way into the designated parking area.

  “Shit’s about to get crazy,” Jared reminded him as they sat in the SUV, waiting for everyone to arrive.

  “And need I remind you, crazy is what we thrive on. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited.”

  Truer words had never been spoken. He was ready to watch his queen take her place in the spotlight again. Nothing would make him happier, and nothing made him more scared at the same time.

  Chapter Nineteen

  * * *

  “Garrett posted on Instagram. They’re on their way.”

  Hannah wasn’t sure for whom she said the words – herself or everyone else. She needed to see her husband and friends, needed to see EJ. It wasn’t like he would understand what in the world was going on, but she wanted him to be a part of it. It made her proud to know he’d be able to see her life—even if he wouldn’t remember.

  Garrett grounded her like no one else, and she wanted to see him, feel his warmth, and smell the cologne he knew she liked him to wear. She had never wanted to do this journey on her own and it meant the world to her he was going to be here and bring everyone with him.

  “They just pulled in,” Shell told her as she stuck her head in the door opening.

  She closed her eyes and thought about how she felt at this moment. In this moment, she felt as special as she ever had. If she listened hard enough, she could hear them start to let in the fans, and she could almost sense their excitement. She’d changed a little while ago, and she wore her leather leggings, high-heeled boots, and the Reaper’s Girl shirt Garrett had given her so long ago. Her hair was curled into corkscrews and her makeup was dark.

  “I feel like we’re having a déjà vu moment.” Garrett came through the door holding EJ, taking in her look.

  “Kinda does, doesn’t it?” She laughed as she saw the shirt he wore. “Almost like we’re having more than one. I can’t believe you’re wearing that shirt again.”

  “We have a history together.” Garrett motioned for her to turn around before handing their son off to his mother-in-law.

  “We do.” She let him look his fill before she reached up and put her arms around his neck. “Who would have thought that when we first met? Who in the arena the night I went on stage with you could have predicted we’d be here now?”

  That was easy—no one. They’d amazed people when they’d gotten together, and most everyone had assumed they get sick of each other quickly. They’d broken all the rules and were thriving together with their little family.

  Grasping her around the waist, he pulled her into him, his gaze locking with hers. Garret stared at her for so long, she wondered if something was wrong. “What?”

  “God, I did.” He breathed the words out. “I didn’t know exactly how much I would love you, but I knew we’d be together.”

  “I didn’t know how much I would love you either, but standing here right now, I know exactly how much I love you.” Her voice was soft because of the emotion she was feeling. Everything she’d worked for in the past few years was coming to fruition. Letting go of her career and having the family she’d always wanted was bringing her to the most beautiful place she’d ever been.

  “I love you a fucking hell of a lot.” He grinned.

  “I love you just as much,” she answered back.

  Garrett let his thumb caress her cheek. “Still can’t make you say it, huh?”

  “No.” She shook her head, smiling up at him.

  He leaned in, his words a whisper. “But I can sometimes.”

  Her body warmed because she knew exactly the situations to which he was alluding. It took a lot for her to forget her morals and her upbringing. So far Reaper had been the one to do it. Part of her couldn’t wait for him to make a comeback, the other part questioned whether she could handle it or not.

  “Only you.” She stood on her tiptoes, kissing him softly on the mouth.

  Their lips mingled for longer than was proper, but by now their friends and family were used to their public displays.

  She disentangled herself from him, trying to spot Shell. When she did, she waited until her friend saw her before she asked, “Are they letting the fans in yet?”

  “They’ll start in five minutes. Security is tight, so we may have to push the start of the show back about ten minutes.”

  That was fine with her. It would give her more time to prepare, more time to be with her family and figure out what in the world she wanted to say to people she hadn’t performed in front of in almost two years. EJ broke away from his grandma making a beeline to her. As she saw his little feet running towards her, she knew the decisions she’d made had all been good. Now she hoped this one was just as good.

  “Are you ready?” she asked EJ, holding him on her hip.

  He wasn’t old enough to remember Black Friday’s last concerts, and in the grand scheme of things, he wouldn’t remember this one either. But it was important to her for him to be there, that he be a part of what was going on with them. When she’d started the journey, she’d worried constantly he would feel as if he was taking a backseat. It was obvious he hadn’t; Garrett had done a terrific job in her place, but it still gave her pause.

  EJ clapped his hands. “Ready!”

  “They’re starting to let people in,” Shell informed the crowd hanging around.

  In minutes they could hear the people who had gathered for the concert. They were loud as they waited. It sounded like someone had a speaker and they were playing Harmony Stewart songs while everyone waited.

  “This is surreal.” Hannah had to choke back emotion. When she’d said goodbye at her
last concert, she’d meant it. She hadn’t been sure she’d be back. At that point in time, she’d been so convinced all she’d ever want to do was be with Garrett, and that concert had truly been her stepping away point.

  Now they’d grown up as a couple, their family had grown, and they’d watched some of their friends tour with children and make their situations work. Then her dreams had changed, they’d evolved into whatever this was. It all scared her, but she knew she had to try. It wouldn’t happen just because she wanted it to.

  “They’re waiting on you,” Shell told her thirty minutes later as they got the all-clear they’d let in the amount of people they were allowed to by the fire marshal.

  “Are we ready?” she asked her band. The rehearsals they’d had were good, but she knew they would all be rusty until they got out there and fed off the crowd.

  With everyone behind her, she went to the side of the stage and waited as she was introduced.

  * * *

  The roar of the crowd was enough to knock her down as she walked to center stage, her legs shaking, her knees knocking. Hannah had never been so nervous in her life, but it was at that moment Harmony showed up, and her hand didn’t even shake as she brought the mic to her mouth.

  “Hey, y’all!”

  The crowd on the floor waved at her, catcalled, and welcomed her back with such enthusiasm she wanted to cry. Letting them get it all out for a few minutes, she put her mic down to her side and absorbed everything, taking it all in. “I’ve been gone for a little while, but I appreciate you coming here tonight to let me shake the dust off a little. If you’ll notice, there’s some cameras around. It’s bein’ filmed to be on TV in a few weeks, so let’s all hope the band and I can get through this without screwing up too badly.”

  They laughed at her willingness to poke a little fun at herself.

  “Tonight I’m gonna play you all my favorite songs from every album, including the new one, and if we’re all good, maybe I can get my husband to come out and sing with me. He’s wearing the most amazing shirt ever.” She pointed to him. “It’s got my face on it.” She laughed.

  Garrett stepped out from the wings, waving to the crowd and taking a bow. Loud applause went up as they saw his shirt. It was obvious the crowd loved her as much as he did.

  “So without making you all wait any longer, how about we get into the first song.”

  Those words were met with loud applause, screams, and the stomping of boots on the hard floor. They were ready, she was ready, and with everyone behind her there would be no stopping her. It had taken everything leading up to this moment to remind her of who she was and what she stood for to every person out on the floor tonight.

  Opening her mouth, she hit the first note, and she knew without a doubt Harmony Stewart was back.

  Chapter Twenty

  * * *

  “Y’all are so loud I’m not sure you can even hear me.” Harmony laughed as she took a break in between songs. Reaching into the people pressed up against the barrier, she shook as many hands as she could before going back towards the band.

  It was hot on the small stage, and she fanned her face as she walked around, waiting on Jared to bring the stools out. As she waited, she glanced around the room, amazed once again that the place was filled front to back. There wasn’t a spot in the room to even stand, much less get comfortable. Nobody was complaining though; everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. It was as if leaving for a while had made her in higher demand. That’d never been her intention, but it was an interesting side effect of taking time off.

  “Is it okay if I slow it down for sec?” she asked, smiling when the crowd gave a huge chant of affirmation that they were in fact okay with it. She kept speaking. “Y’all know my husband and I did a song a few years ago. I only sing it in concert if he’s with me and vice versa. Luckily he’s here tonight.” She motioned for him, Jared, and Shell to make their way onto the stage.

  The crowd exploded again as they saw Reaper walk from the wings, wearing his Harmony shirt. He flashed them a smile before he strode over to his wife, giving her a kiss on the cheek. As always, her heart skipped a beat. He was so hot when he was on stage. He didn’t even have to sing; it was the way he moved like he owned it. No matter the crowd, he always had them in the palm of his hand and they would bend to his will. She loved singing with him.

  “Thanks for having me out.” He took her hand in his, leading her over to where Jared had put the stools.

  “Thank you, Jared.” She grinned over at him.

  The crowd roared their approval because they knew about the cute little backstory of Jared always providing her a place to sit. “Like I keep telling you. I’ve been getting him laid since 1999,” he replied.

  She laughed, shaking her head. Couldn’t take either of them anywhere, but she was so happy to be back onstage with her family, it didn’t matter they were crass.

  “Okay, we’re gonna need some help with this one,” she encouraged the crowd to sing along.

  And sing along they did, almost drowning the group of them out as they harmonized on the chorus. Garrett reached down, kissing her as they finished singing. Squaring her shoulders, she turned around to face the room again. They only had a couple more songs, but everyone in the place tonight had learned something—something that would be spoken often when people asked about this show and how it went.

  Harmony Stewart was back, and it was like she’d never left.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  * * *

  “You’re sure it’s okay to leave him with you tonight?”

  Hannah bit her thumb as she questioned her parents one last time. She helped her mom strap EJ into his car seat, handing him his favorite toy. A part of her wanted to go out and have a great time with her husband and friends, but there was another part of her that felt as if she were shirking her responsibility. It tore at her, sending her son with them while she and Garrett planned to have an adult night out. The logical part of her brain knew she had to take the time when she could. With the upcoming tour, date nights would be few and far between. It wasn’t exactly easy to schedule babysitters on the road. Everybody had a job to do, and she hated to ask anyone to take time away from their own responsibilities in order to take care of something that was hers.

  “He’ll be fine,” her mom assured her. “You can come get him whenever you want to tomorrow. We’ll be up early, I’m sure.”

  Garrett leaned in, kissing his son’s forehead, and reached around Hannah’s waist to grab her. His fingers were strong against the muscles of her abdomen. Taking the opportunity, she entwined them together, holding tightly. “C’mon, babe, he’ll be fine. He’s almost out already. He won’t even know we’re gone.”

  It was true, his head lay sideways against the back of his car seat, and his eyelids were fluttering as he listened to the commotion going on around him. Even the pacifier he loved to keep in his mouth was hanging haphazardly; he was close to the deep sleep that seemed to claim all children.

  “Okay.” She breathed deeply, knowing she and her overprotective nature were becoming too overbearing. If she held him too close, he’d never be able to experience all the things other kids did. She refused to let him live in a bubble just because of who his parents were. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  They quickly said their goodbyes, leaving Garrett and Hannah alone with one another. Hannah watched the brake lights of her parents’ car until she could no longer see them anymore.

  “You ready to go have a good time?” he asked, brushing his nose against her neck, letting his lips slide down the smooth column of her throat.

  She’d taken a quick shower and changed after the concert. Instead of feeling weary after giving her all for the past two hours, she felt refreshed and more full of life than she had in a very long time. “I’m ready.” She smiled back at him. Maybe she did need a little grown-up time more than she cared to admit.

  “Then let’s get this show on the road.”

 
; Clasping hands, they walked to their SUV. It felt good to have her hand in his big one again. If there was one thing she missed when they weren’t together, it was the small touches. The small touches did her in and made her fall in love with him all over again.

  * * *

  Garrett kept his arm around Hannah’s waist as they made their way into the Nashville club. Shell and Jared had gotten there an hour before, grabbing them some seats in the VIP area. People stopped them every few feet, praising Hannah for the show she’d put on, letting her know how excited they were she was back, and all the good things they’d heard about the album.

  “There they are,” she shouted over the pulsing beat of the song playing over the sound system.

  He helped her make her way through the packed house. Even the VIP area held an over-abundance of people. Many had heard this was where she would be going after her concert, and obviously they’d wanted the chance to see her. As they approached their friends, she had a seat next to Shell while he shook hands with Jared.

  “You good?” he asked his friend, who sat with his arm around his wife’s waist. A couple years ago, they would all be worried about him being in the presence of alcohol and whatever else the dark corners of this club held. Nobody had been able to trust him, and with good reason.

  Jared tipped his head up to Garrett, nodding. “You know I’m good. As long as you all are here this scene doesn’t bother me.”

  It was a relief to hear after all the issues Jared had gone through the past few years. Plus, tonight, Garrett didn’t want to be on alert for his friend, he wanted to enjoy the night, possibly one of the last nights they’d have alone in months.

  “You want a drink?” he asked Hannah.