Echoes in the Wind
Page 23
“Good deal.” He withdrew a hand, touched his shirt then as if he remembered something, he thrust it back into his jean pocket.
“You can smoke if you need to. There’s no cause for me to care.” She couldn’t resist adding, “Anymore.”
“Whether you do or don’t—” He lifted a sleeve and turned to her to reveal a patch on his upper arm. “Trying to quit.”
“I’m impressed.”
“I listened to you.” He released his shirt and looked out into the darkness. The wind was picking up and the growls in the distance were becoming louder, closer. After a few minutes of dead air, he turned back to her, “I took your advice about a lot of things.”
“Which advice? I believe I gave you an enormous amount.”
“You did cram quite a bit at me in a week.” He chuckled. “Signed up online to finish my education. I’ll graduate in three months and earn a bachelor’s degree in architecture. Not as good as you but maybe someday.”
“Still exciting. Especially since you guys are so busy. Now if this whole music thing doesn’t work out, you’ve got a backup.”
“That I do. I also took a short break. Went back to Scotland. Had a good holiday with my family. Plan on going again for a longer one soon.”
“I’m sure your parents are happy you reconciled with them.”
“They are. And I am too. They were more understanding about the missing money than I thought they’d be.” He grinned. “Granted, the news was out before I visited home so they had a chance to get used to the idea.”
“My brother told me they haven’t found him yet. Dugan.”
“Every time we close in, the leads run out. We figure he’s probably changed his identity by now.” His mouth tensed into a straight line. “We believe we can kiss that money goodbye, but we’re not giving up.”
“You’re doing well with your new band. The amount of income won’t be as much as you once earned right now, though you’ll recoup nicely in the long run.”
“Yep.” He smiled. “I can honestly say as far as my career is concerned, I exceeded my wildest dreams.”
“I’m happy everything worked out for you.”
“Almost.”
Darla gave him a skeptical look. “What else do you want to achieve? A new number one record, song writing accolades, and respect from your peers. I’m sure cash will be rolling in soon.”
“How long are you going to be gone?”
“What?”
“To South America. How long is your trip?”
“Three weeks, possibly four.”
A cold blast propelled across the deck almost pushing her off balance. Eric put a hand out to steady her, but she quickly stepped away from him and crossed her arms.
“I told my parents about you. They want to meet you. I was hoping you could squeeze in a trip to Scotland sometime this fall.”
“You told them…they want me to come—to Scotland?”
“Yeah. They’re planning a holiday here, but that won’t be till Christmas. They’d want to get together with you before then if possible. So, they’d like you to come stay for a time. They want to get to know you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I explained to them what you’d done for me. You saved my life in more ways than one. They’re grateful for all of your help. They’d like to say thank you.”
Although the confession touched her, she refused to revel in the happiness she experienced or to give him any ammunition to use against her due to her increasing vulnerable state.
She lifted a shoulder. “I didn’t do anything but remind you of what’s important. You got some of it right.”
“I’m trying to get everything right,” Eric said with a lazy grin. Then he looked away. “When my career fell into place, I realized nothing was in place. I also concluded my opinion ’bout relationships were wrong. I do want to be with one person.” He paused and cleared his throat. “I want that person to be you.”
“It took you six weeks to figure that out?”
“Okay, in some areas I’m a slower learner than others. After you, I couldn’t return to my old way of life. I tried. Believe me I tried. I did everything to forget you, to go back to my carefree habits, but that style of living doesn’t work for me anymore. Nothing jelled. The fame, the money, those things weren’t as important as I first believed. My life was incomplete. I fought to not come back to you every day since I left. Even had m’ bags packed on more than one occasion.”
“So why didn’t you?”
He looked shamed. “I was too afraid. You deserve a man so much worthier than me, and I feared you’d recognize that while we were apart. Then I realized how we almost died and I became even more scared of being without you. I’m trying, Darla. I’m trying to be a better person, a better man, for you. Every song I write is about you, or I at least insert a connection to you somewhere in the lyrics.” He slipped a hand into his pocket, removed something, and held it out to her. “A copy of the new Spiraling UP’s disk. Read the back of the case.”
She took the recording and grasped it between her hands as she silently read the cover.
For Darla. My song, my life.
She swallowed a gasp as she tried to keep the hand clutching the CD jacket from trembling. Her gaze returned to Eric.
“When I saw you tonight.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “’Bout brought me to my knees. The bodyguards almost had to carry me to the car. I can’t get you out of my thoughts, my dreams, or my head. I knew I had to take a chance and tell you. Even if you reject me.” He turned to her and captured her gaze. “You know where this is heading, right?”
Darla smiled as she nodded. “But if you think you’re going to get out of this easily you need to think again. I’ve been waiting. I need to hear the words.”
Eric ducked his head and cleared his throat. “This is a first for me.”
“I get that. But that doesn’t change a thing. You have to say it.”
“I didn’t figure you’d let me off the hook.” He inhaled and stared directly into her eyes. “Okay, here goes. I now believe in the phenomenon of love. The reason I believe in love, is because I am in love—with you, Darla Hennessy. I want to be with you, forever.”
“Not so hard, right?”
Eric chuckled. “You tell me.” He gazed at her expectantly.
She took in a deep breath. “I’m in love with you too.”
“I’m sensing a ‘but’ coming. I’m not prepared for a ‘but.’”
“You left me six weeks ago and you made no attempt to contact me. I understand you needing to figure things out. With all the digital stuff available, how hard would it be to at least send me a message. Maybe even make me aware you were wrestling with something?”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve.” He shook his head. “I’m still in the learning phases of this whole love thing. These feelings I’ve been dealing with confused me. I don’t understand how to react to them.”
“Not a good excuse. For all you know, I could’ve moved on.”
“That was a chance, yeah. But I also kept tabs on you.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“Blaine, through Stephanie. I knew there was no one else. Like I said, I fought every day not to come back to you. Yet if I’d found out if any guy so much as looked in your direction, I’d been at your front doorstep in a heartbeat.”
“So you don’t want this yet. Us. Time’s still not right?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want us. It took my heart a while to convince my head this is where I’m supposed to be. A verse in the first song I wrote about you says everything. Your haunting dark eyes brought something to me; your beautiful smile blew me away. Your love shined through making me love you until my dying day.” He paused. “You’re my inspiration for all my love songs, by the way.”
Darla hitched another breath. “Pretty words, but you’re good with romantic expressions and you’re paid well to write them. How can I be sure you won’t
go again?”
“I’ve never lied to you. I was always clear on where I stood.”
“Except you left some things out.”
“For your own good.” A corner of his lip rose. “I knew coming here I’d be in deep shit and I’d have a lot to make up for.” The familiar wicked twinkle gleamed in his eye. “And believe me I can’t wait to start doing just that.”
Thunder boomed overhead followed by a pop of lightning. Tiny drops pelted their skin.
Darla observed the angry sky before she turned back to him. “I suppose you’d like to come inside now so you can begin your make-up process?”
Eric leaned over to swipe his lips across hers. “You so get me, luv.”
A word about the author...
Debra was born in Waco, Texas, and is a lifetime Texan, living in different areas throughout her adult life. She enjoyed creating stories growing up, though the idea of becoming an author did not occur to her until 2004. Since then, she has worked on learning to write while pursuing her bachelor's degree, which she earned in 2011 in Business.
She now resides in her hometown of Waco and is an active member of the Central Texas Chapter of Romance Writers of America, where she is secretary of the group.
In her spare time she loves being with her son Stephen and his wife Astrid, and daughter Hannah and her fiancé Ryan. Besides writing she also enjoys traveling, shopping, a relaxing pedi, and a good plate of Mexican food.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Echoes in the Wind
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
A word about the author...
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.