Sweet Harmony

by LuAnn McLane

  “Yep.” Maria looked at the amber liquid in her glass and then took a healthy gulp. She coughed and nodded. “Sure did.”

  “But you love him.”

  “I do.”

  “And he obviously adores you.”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I don’t get it. Why not make it official? You wouldn’t even have to change your name,” Cat said with a small smile.

  Maria crossed her ankles and leaned against the back of the sofa. She looked up at the ceiling as if trying to find a way to explain. After taking another sip of bourbon she said, “It’s not getting remarried to him that is the issue.” She sucked her bottom lip in and then sighed. “It’s moving back into the house—our house, as Pete calls it. We sort of argued over it and I left.”

  “Why?” Cat asked, even though she already kind of understood. But she wanted Maria to be able to talk this out.

  “Because Pete hasn’t changed hardly anything since the day I left. It’s like walking back in time. I mean, Cat, it brings back so many memories and some of them are so painful. And the good memories? Where do I file those?”

  “So did you tell Pete this?”

  “Yes, and he said that it’s our home and it’s his dream to have me come back and live there. Cat … I just can’t.”

  “Well, surely that’s not a deal killer, though, right? I mean, move somewhere else.”

  “Pete loves that house.”

  Cat put her hand on Maria’s knee and squeezed. “I think he loves that house because it reminded him of you. When you were gone he still had bits and pieces of you everywhere. But, Maria, now he has you back, so he doesn’t need the house. He probably doesn’t realize that. I mean, did you talk this out or did you just get girl-crazy emotional on him?”

  “A little bit of the first part and a lot of that last part.”

  “Like, storming-out girl crazy?”

  “Yes.” She closed her eyes and blew out a bourbon-scented sigh. “But why didn’t he come after me, Cat? I mean, why doesn’t he just come after me?”

  As if on cue the front door opened.

  And Pete walked in.

  24

  I Need You

  “I SOLD THE HOUSE,” PETE ANNOUNCED AND WATCHED FOR Maria’s reaction.

  “Wh-what?” Maria blinked at him and then looked at her glass, as if wondering whether she’d heard him correctly.

  “I sold the house to Clint and Ava,” Pete explained. “They are thrilled.”

  “When did this happen?”

  “On my drive over here. I followed you after you left, and, by the way, you drive like a maniac. I’m just sayin’.”

  “I was in a mood—”

  “That’s no excuse to have a lead foot. You need to slow down.”

  When Maria opened her mouth as if to argue, Cat said, “He’s right.”

  “Yes but you—”

  “Maria, just hear the man out, for Pete’s sake … Ha-ha, get it?” When he saw Cat’s discreet nudge with her elbow he almost grinned.

  “And you, Pete? Are you thrilled about selling the house?” Maria asked.

  Pete walked over to where Maria sat with Cat, who watched them back and forth like a Ping-Pong match. “Yes,” Pete stated firmly. “Our house stays in the family, but I know they will remodel and make it their own. And if Clint and Ava hadn’t bought it, then I would have called Maggie to list it.”

  “You would?” She craned her neck to look up at him. “Why?”

  “For you, Maria. Because I love you more than that house and more than Sully’s Tavern. I love you more than anything.”

  “Oh, Pete …”

  “I will live in a damned igloo if you want to.”

  “Well … no.”

  Pete grinned. “Well, that’s a relief.”

  “Although with my hot flashes an igloo holds some appeal. Why didn’t you say this earlier?”

  “Um, maybe because you stormed the hell out. Like this—” Pete jutted his chin out, puffed his chest, and made his boots click on the floor.

  Cat giggled and got a look from Maria. “Oh, come on, that was pretty accurate, I’m guessing.”

  “It was spot-on.” Pete walked closer and offered his hand to Maria. “I’d sit down with you but it might take a crane to hoist me back up.”

  Maria grasped his hand and then stood there with her hands on his chest. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Tell him that you love him,” Cat advised from her seated position.

  “More advice from the peanut gallery?” Maria asked.

  “Hello—apparently you need it,” Cat said.

  “Apparently I do,” Maria agreed and then smiled up at Pete. “I love you, Pete Sully. But I want to start fresh. And when we started to argue, it brought back fear—and losing you all over again isn’t something I could deal with.”

  “You won’t ever have to.” Pete shook his head and then cupped her chin. “Maria, we will disagree. And I can be a pain in the ass. But I won’t let you run out of my life ever again. I will pack up my bags and come with you just like we talked about. So if you run away, I’m running with you.”

  “Can I come too?” Cat asked. “Will we go to Mexico and ride donkeys? Wear big floppy hats?”

  Maria laughed.

  “I’m not kidding,” he said and felt his eyes mist over. “I will follow you to the ends of the earth.” There was a time when he would have suppressed tears, but not now. He let them slide down his cheeks. “I am dead-ass serious.” He pulled her in for a hug. He kissed the top of her head and said, “We need to call Jason Craig and have him design our dream house. Maggie can start looking for some land down by the river not far from the studio.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out the diamond and sapphire ring. “And I want you to marry me, Maria. Please say yes. It’s the third time I’ve asked. Hopefully it’s the charm.”

  “Yes!” she shouted and started crying too. When he slipped the ring onto her finger she put her hand over her mouth and then turned to show Cat.

  “Finally, happy tears!” Cat swiped at her eyes too. “I love happy tears!”

  Pete reached down and helped Cat to her feet. “Group hug,” he said gruffly. “And now, Cat Carson, we need to fix whatever is making you so sad. Tell me about it.” He gestured to the sofa. “But we have to discuss it while sitting on real furniture.”

  Cat held up her empty glass. “I need a refill and then you can help me straighten out the mess I’ve made of my life. Or we can switch to ice cream. I’m clumsy enough without getting tipsy.”

  “Coming right up.” Pete nodded. “I think I’m the poster child for messing up. But it’s never too late to fix things. Isn’t that what the hit song of yours is all about? Second chances?”

  The mention of the hit song seemed to bring upon distress. “I’ll go search for the ice cream.”

  “Just bring pints and spoons,” Maria suggested.

  A few minutes later Pete was sitting on the sofa next to Maria while Cat sat cross-legged on a big overstuffed leather chair.

  “Rocky road.” Cat pointed to the carton and shook her head. “Oh, the irony of it all.” She dipped her spoon and took a big scoop. “You tell Pete what’s going on, Maria. I need the ice cream fix. But this stays between us, okay?” She twirled her finger in a circle.

  Pete nodded. “Of course.” He listened to Maria as she explained Cat’s dilemma.

  “Well?” Cat asked. “It’s that whole rock-and-a-hard-place kind of thing.”

  Pete had opted for bourbon over the ice cream. He didn’t indulge often but this was a special circumstance. After a sip he said, “Are you kidding me? The answer is so simple.”

  Cat shoved her spoon into the ice cream, making it stick straight up in the air. “Go on.”

  “You know who Shane McCray’s idol was, right?” He gave Maria a look and her eyes widened.

  “Ohmigod …” Maria gasped and then looked over at Cat.

  “The suspense is making my ice crea
m melt,” Cat said. “Pul-ease!”

  “Johnny Cash,” Pete answered.

  Cat frowned as if not really following, but Maria waved her spoon in the air. “Oh, Cat!”

  “What?” Cat asked. “I mean, I know I’m kinda distracted by the rocky road but I really don’t get where you’re going with this.”

  Pete scooted forward and put his drink on the coffee table. “Cat, I have the tape of you and Jeff singing ‘Jackson.’ I mean, your single ‘Second Chances’ is doing well, but to be honest, over at the tavern I still hear people talking about you and Jeff singing ‘Jackson’; it reminded them so much of Johnny and June.”

  “Ohhhh …” Cat’s eyes widened.

  “And Shane is a good friend,” Maria added. “I’ve written half a dozen of his number one hits.”

  “So you can call in a favor?” Pete asked.

  Maria nodded, and they high-fived.

  “I sorta get where this is going but I’m not sure what you have in mind.” Ice cream forgotten, she looked at them.

  “Just step away from the ice cream and go get a notepad, Cat,” Maria said with a smile. “We’re about to put a kick-ass plan into action. Jeff Greenfield isn’t going to know what’s hit him.”

  25

  Yesterday

  JEFF PUT HIS GUITAR AWAY AND THEN POPPED OPEN another beer that Snake handed to him, but he wasn’t even sure he wanted it. They were going to fire up the grill later and throw on some steaks but he wasn’t in the mood to eat. He hadn’t been in the mood for anything since Cat went away. He glanced up at Cat’s cabin and sighed.

  “How many times are you gonna look up at that damned cabin and let out a big-ass sigh?” Snake asked. “It’s dark inside there. She’s not home.”

  “I know,” Jeff answered glumly. “It’s just she’s been gone for several days and I’m kinda worried.”

  “Worried? You said she had a date for a wedding and the date wasn’t you.” Snake shook his head. “You’re a better man than me, bro.”

  Jeff cracked a slight grin. “Well, that goes without saying.”

  “Call her.”

  “Not gonna happen.”

  Snake reached into the cooler for another beer. “Call Mia, then. I bet she’ll know where Cat is.”

  “No way,” Jeff said and continued to drink his beer. But after looking at the cabin again, he kind of warmed up to the idea. “I mean, that would be kinda ballsy.”

  “Then grow a couple. Do you have Mia’s number?”

  “Yeah, I showed her the cabin for Maggie a few months ago.”

  Snake blew out a low whistle. “All right, then, you forced me. Dude, I dare ya.”

  “Fuck.” Jeff ground his teeth together. “Good thing I’m three beers in.” He scrolled through his phone book and, before he could lose his nerve, he called. But as it was ringing he forgot to put a reason for calling in his brain. Damn …

  “Hey, Jeff. What’s up?”

  “Mia!” He shrugged over at Snake, who was grinning from damned ear to ear. “Hey, um, do you happen to know where Cat is?” Think fast! “The cabin needs, um, to be sprayed for, um, bugs.”

  “Oh, gross. Bugs, you say? What kind?”

  “Big ones.” He winced and looked over at Snake, who chuckled silently up at the sky.

  “Well, Cat was singing at a wedding in Nashville. Then I think she was going to visit with Amy Peterson, her former assistant.”

  “Oh, cool … Wait. Singing?” Jeff stood up from where he was leaning against the railing.

  “Yeah, for a fan who is in remission from leukemia. It was a surprise from her husband. I heard it was amazing. But then again Cat is always amazing,” she said and then grunted. “Ouch!”

  “You okay?”

  “I just bumped my shin.”

  “Oh …”

  “You mean you didn’t know?” Mia asked, but there was something in her voice that told Jeff she wasn’t supposed to be telling him this, but that never stopped Mia. “Yeah, she went to a prom a while back with a sweet kid going through chemo treatments. Cat does a lot of that kind of thing but keeps it on the down low. That’s how she rolls— Ouch! Sorry. I keep bumping into the darned table.”

  “So, do you know when she’ll be back? You know, so I can spray for big bugs.”

  “Why don’t you call her, Jeff?”

  He heard scuffling in the background, making him wonder what was going on. Maybe Cam was home. “I, um …”

  “And don’t even tell me you’ve tried,” Mia said in a slightly scolding tone.

  “She left me, Mia. Changed her mind about everything. I’m sure you know that already.”

  “Things aren’t always as they seem,” Mia said in a more gentle tone. “That’s especially true with Cat. And that’s all I can say. Cat would have my hide if she knew I told you any of this, but meddling is a way of life in Cricket Creek so I feel okay about it. Mostly. Stop it!”

  “Stop what?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Hey, thanks. I’ll keep my mouth shut. I promise. I owe you one.”

  “Oh, I’ll get a favor in return, trust me. Maybe singing some stuff for Heels for Meals? An acoustic set at a Cougars game?”

  “Done.”

  “Sweet, now go take care of those ‘bugs.’ You know, Cat is deathly afraid of creepy-crawly things. And she should be home later tonight … and she would be super scared,” Mia said in a voice filled with intention. “I’m just sayin’.”

  “And I hear ya loud and clear,” Jeff said with a chuckle. After he ended the call he took a swallow of beer before relaying the information to Snake.

  “That sounds like the Cat we know and you love,” Snake said. He gave Jeff a pointed look. “And it sounds like Mia might be trying to tell you to booby-trap Cat’s cabin.”

  “Really? Are you serious?”

  Snake grinned. “Okay, maybe it’s just what I would do. At any rate, I like that girl. Too bad she’s already taken by Cameron Patrick.”

  “Yeah, like you’d ever settle down with one girl.”

  Snake shrugged. “Maybe if the right one came along.”

  “Think that will ever happen?”

  “Fat chance,” Snake admitted, but there was just a hint of sadness in his reply.

  “Well, I can’t believe that Mia was suggesting that I booby-trap the cabin so Cat has to call for help.”

  “What? It’s brilliant. Let’s get a porcupine.”

  “You’ve had too many beers.”

  “Not even close. Okay, then, how about a mouse?”

  “Like I would stoop that low.”

  Snake raised his beer can and tapped it to Jeff’s. “Ah, that’s what friends are for.”

  Jeff sat back down on the edge of the railing. “Look, Cat might have been singing at a wedding, but she still backed out of Sweet Harmony.” He snapped his fingers. “Just like that. Why would she do that and make me think the worst? It doesn’t make a lick of sense.”

  “Beats my whole hand.” Snake looked at Jeff for a long minute. “Wait—whoa—what kind of car does Cat drive?”

  “A white Lexus SUV.”

  “Holy shit.” He shook his head and took another slug of beer.

  “Okay, you can’t stop there. What are you thinking?”

  Snake shoved his fingers through his hair, making it even messier than it already was. “Jeff, I think Cat might have overheard Jax and Colin arguing about you two becoming Sweet Harmony in the parking lot of the studio. I mean, it got really heated. Typical Jax, he flew off the handle and said some really stupid shit.”

  “So what are you getting at?”

  “Come on. Think about it. She bowed out to save the band from breaking up. She was making it easy on you, Jeff.”

  “Easy? How the hell is this easy? I love her and I thought she felt the same way.”

  “And she must love the hell out of you to back away. Don’t you get it?”

  Jeff’s heart thudded. He turned around and gripped the railing. It
was starting to make crazy but perfect sense. “And she must have known about Shane McCray’s offer before I did or I might have put two and two together sooner. Damn, Cat knows how much that meant to me and to the band. She didn’t want to screw it up for us so she took Sweet Harmony off the table.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wow.” Jeff felt emotion squeeze his chest.

  “She’s one helluva woman. Not a selfish bone in her bangin’ body.”

  Jeff shot him a look.

  “Sorry.”

  “So now what the hell am I supposed to do? I mean, the answer seemed so simple. My mother said to make the choice that means the most to me.” Jeff looked up at the sky, hoping he’d see the answer written in the stars.

  “Jeff, I’ve known you forever and I’ve never seen you so strung out over a girl. This is the real deal for you. I love you like a brother and I love the band, but you’ve got to go after her. You’ll never be happy, even if we win a damned Grammy and become rich as fuck.”

  Jeff looked over at his best friend. “Yeah, but could Cat ever be happy knowing she broke us up or ended our dream? How would the guys treat her?”

  “They’d get over it. But if Jax would get his shit together, we won’t have to break up. He always did have a hard head. I don’t have a problem with South Street Riot being the backing band for Sweet Harmony instead of just you. I never really did.”

  “Yeah, but you’re forgetting about Shane McCray. How can we turn that down?”

  Snake inhaled a breath and blew it out. “There’s got to be a solution.”

  They stood there in silence until Jeff’s cell started ringing. He looked down. “It’s Rick Ruleman calling.”

  “Answer it.”

  “Hey, Rick. What’s up?”

  “Sorry about the short notice but I’m on my way over, if that’s okay?” Rick asked.

  “Sure, I’m on the back deck drinkin’ a few cold ones with Snake.”

  “Sweet, have one ready for me. I’ll be there in a few.”

  “Holy shit,” Snake said. “I wonder what this is all about.”

  “We’re about to find out.”

  “I need another beer for this.” Snake shook his head.

  “I know sometimes I still find it pretty wild that he ended up in Cricket Creek of all places. And I’m glad that Rick reconciled with Garret. I don’t know what I’d do if I wasn’t close to my dad. But I guess being a mega rock star and being on the road constantly is tough on a marriage and kids. If we make it big, I hope I can find balance. I mean, it’s why Garth Brooks dropped out of the limelight. I wonder if Rick wishes he’d done the same thing.”