James shrugged. “It’s his own fault. I’ve got no sympathy for him.” He fell back on the bed and heaved a deep sigh. “Maybe I should have just gone to sleep and not bothered anybody,” he muttered.
Spider gave a loud snort. “And then when this happened tomorrow night or the night after, would you have called somebody then? What if you couldn’t? You know, from where I sit, it was only a matter of–” He glanced down at the caller ID on his vibrating phone before answering it. “Where are you?” he asked. He listened for a moment then gave directions to the hotel. “Come in low if you can. I’ll be waiting for you down in the lobby,” he said.
He hopped up and flashed James a big smile. “Calvary’s about here. You sit tight. We’ll be back up in a minute.” He stuck his head out into the hallway and after a fast visual check, ducked out and closed the door behind him with a quiet click.
James snatched up his own phone and dialed Bryce, who answered immediately with a very dreamy “‘lo?”
The feminine purrs in the background indicated he had probably caught the guitarist in a…oh, shit…intimate moment. Well, can’t be all that good if he’s answering his phone. He cleared his throat. “I only need a second, Bryce. Just preparing you, I won’t be here in the morning. I’m done, man.”
“I’ll let the guys know. We were all thinking of bailing too, planning to talk to you about it over breakfast. Might as well be tonight, eh? You’re going to need to speed up if you plan on finishing that, luvvy. I got a date with a plane.” The Welshman suddenly roared with laughter. “Wouldn’t you love to be a fly on the wall here come tomorrow morning?”
When the call ended, James sat up on the bed and waited. One minute. Five minutes. The digital clock made no sound as the numbers changed, minute after minute ticking by. Ten minutes. The heavily insulated room was silent and when the door swung open, it startled a gasp out of him. He jerked his head up to see Ian looming in the doorway, his face taut with worry. James leapt from the bed and the two brothers met in the middle of the room in a crushing hug.
“Let’s get you home now,” Ian murmured. He gave James another firm squeeze before letting him go then stuck out a hand to Spider. “You have my deepest gratitude. If you catch any heat over this, you have a job with us for as long as you want it.”
Spider grinned, accepting the handshake. “Hey, who knows? I always liked Florida.” Grabbing James’s packed bags he motioned them toward the door. “Let’s get him out of here before the shit hits–”
No sooner than those words were out, there was a knock at the door. All three men froze. James cleared his throat. “Who is it?” he called warily.
“It’s us. Open up,” a familiar voice replied. Spider quickly unlocked the door and Bryce, DJ, Randy and Mike slinked into the suite like a lanky gang of shadows. “Wanted to say bye and to tell all of you to keep in touch,” DJ said with a warm smile. “We’ll hook up after everybody catches up on their sleep.”
They clasped hands in the circle of solidarity like they always did before a concert, bumping knuckles in parting. Keeping their voices and laughter low they moved toward the door. The last to leave, Bryce pulled James into a rough hug. “Take care, mate,” he whispered. As quickly as they had come, the band disappeared and Spider, Ian and James bolted for the elevator.
They made it to the lobby without incident and Spider handed the heavy suitcases over to the concierge to be loaded into the taxi. The threesome was nearing the front door when a shout from the mezzanine stopped them in their tracks. “Kelly!”
Ian turned to Spider and whispered, “Beat it. I’ll call you.” Silent as a wraith, Spider faded back into the woodwork, narrowly missing Aaron who came barreling down the stairs heading directly for the two men.
“Where’re you off to at this hour? The party’s already over,” Aaron demanded, looking from James to Ian, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at the suitcases being loaded into the taxi.
“He’s not going to let me just walk out of here, Ian,” James said quietly.
“It ain’t his call,” Ian whispered back through clenched teeth. “I got this – shut it.”
“I believe I asked you a question, James,” Aaron bellowed. “Just where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
James looked away, avoiding the manager’s acid gaze but Ian’s chin tilted up in muted challenge. “He’s going home,” he snapped.
“Like hell he is. He’s not going anywhere.” Aaron stormed toward James, but drew himself up and skidded to a stop when Ian stepped in between them and blocked his path Launching a full scale invasion into the manager’s personal space, Ian’s voice never rose about a whisper. “Give me a fucking reason to break you into little pieces, you avaricious bastard. Just. One.” He glanced down at Aaron’s fists clenched tightly at his sides. “Why don’t you, Aaron,” he said, almost conversationally. “You know you want to. Do it. Do it.”
Aaron turned white. “Are you threatening me, Ian?”
Ian bared his teeth in a frightening parody of a smile. “Why? Feeling threatened?” He locked an arm around James’s shoulder and guided him quickly toward the front door. Looking back at Aaron he grinned, a genuine one for the paparazzi gathered outside the lobby doors in hopes of a late breaking story. “Delightful seeing you again, Aaron. Kisses to the missus,” he called cheerily as they passed through the lobby doors, climbed into the waiting taxi and sped off into the night.
* * * *
got him
Lily sighed with relief when the text came through. She used the house phone to call Meg, but it was Dan who answered. “Happy ungodly hour of the morn, Dan. Just calling to let y’all know the dynamic duo are on their way home.”
He laughed at that. “And a good early morning to you, too. Meg’s in the kitchen making a big batch of the Kelly cure-all-soup.”
Lily paused only a moment. “But he’s not sick, Dan.”
Dan laughed even harder. “Try telling Meghan that. She’s been up cooking ever since you called. It’s an Irish thing, I reckon.”
Lily glanced down as her phone beeped with another text. “They’re in the air now and should be here in a little over an hour, he says.” She sighed. “I hate to say it, but I’m not surprised this has happened. Ian and Beth both have told me how unhappy he was.”
“You’ve called Beth?” he asked. No sooner than the words were out of his mouth, Lily’s phone rang. “That’s her now,” she said.
“Go talk to her. Keep us updated,” Dan said.
Lily answered her cell phone. Beth didn’t stand on ceremony; in typical Beth fashion, she launched straight in with a barrage of questions. “Have you heard anything? Where are they? How is Seamus? Have you talked to him?”
“I just heard from Ian, they should be here in just over an hour,” Lily said. Her phone beeped to announce another text message and she told Beth, “Hold on,” while she checked it.
he wants Beth
“He wants you here when he gets here,” Lily said. “Can you come?”
“I’ll be there in just a minute,” Beth told her, hanging up the phone.
By Lily’s best estimation, it was just under three minutes later when the doorbell rang. “You were waiting down in the parking garage,” she said in mock accusation.
Guilty as charged, Beth blushed. “I just got here. I had a feeling that maybe he’d want me to come over. Of course if he hadn’t said anything, I wasn’t going to invite myself up,” she assured Lily, who snorted.
“Don’t be silly, of course he wants you here and so do I,” she said. “Come on, I’m putting on a pot of coffee.” Together the two women went to wait for their men to come home.
* * * *
It was an hour and a half later when the front door opened. The two women stood silently by the bar as the men came in. Ian closed the door behind them. James opened his arms wide in invitation and a soft glow like a Christmas tree lit Beth’s face from within. She hesitated only a moment then flung herself into them. He cau
ght her and slanted his mouth hungrily across hers while Ian embraced his own wife. “Are you all right?” Lily asked. “You’re shivering.”
“Better now, beauty,” he nodded. “I’m just glad we’re home. No offense to Sully, but I seriously hate small planes. There’s…em…most likely going to be a firestorm over this. I might have…pissed Aaron off…inadvertently, of course.”
She pulled back to look at him and chuckled. “Inadvertently, hmmm? I can just tell by the look on your face you’ve been up to no good. Go call your sister,” she ordered, pushing him toward the kitchen and falling in step behind. James wrapped his arms around Beth’s shoulders and buried his face in the warm crook of her neck, scarcely able to believe that he was really there. “Oh, my darlin’ I have missed you so,” he said with a deep sigh.
She encircled his waist and pulled him even closer. “Not as much as I’ve missed you,” she whispered. “I’ve been so worried–”
He placed a gentle finger on her lips. “Sssh, love. It’s all over now,” he murmured. “I’m home.”
The four were sitting in the kitchen and talking over coffee when the doorbell began ringing in staccato bursts, punctuated with loud knocks. James immediately went into panic mode and followed Ian into the great room to investigate the commotion. “Who could it be at this hour? Do you think we were followed?”
“Not so much.” Without bothering to check the peephole first, Ian yanked it open protesting, “Christ, Meghan, give me time to get to the feckin’ door before you start banging it down.”
“Hush, you. Where is he?” Not waiting for an answer, she breezed in carrying a large covered tureen. Dan came in right behind her, bearing more covered containers of food.
Upon spying James, Meg thrust the soup into Ian’s hands, threw her arms around him and bawled, “My poor little brother. So happy you’re home with your family now. Sure and haven’t I been worrying myself sick about you. I just knew that…”
In sheer desperation James looked over her head at Dan and Ian, both struggling to keep from laughing at his plight. He gently disentangled himself from her hormonally driven effusions and said, “I’ll be fine, Meg. Needing some rest, is all.”
“And soup,” she added firmly.
“And soup,” they all agreed.
When Meg had finally wound down, she and Dan took their leave and the apartment was once again quiet. Ian stretched and yawned as he rose from the table. “I’m about done for the evening, so I’ll bid you all good night.” He dropped a kiss on Lily’s head on his way out of the kitchen.
James followed Ian out into the hallway. “Em, Ian? Would it–”
“Fine,” came the growled answer. “But if the two of you wake me up again tonight, I’ll drown you both.” James grinned when Ian flashed him a nearly identical smile. “I’m glad you’re here, brother.” He slipped into the master bedroom and with a wink, closed the double doors behind him.
“Me too,” James whispered. He turned and went back into the kitchen, taking Beth by the hand. “Come on, darlin’.”
Lily and James both laughed at Beth’s shocked expression. “Oh please,” Lily chided. “Your room’s all ready and there are extra blankets in the closet if you need them. I’m going to bed. Goodnight, both of you.” Passing through the kitchen doorway, she called back over her shoulder, “First one up makes breakfast, just so you know.”
James flinched. “God, I hope it’s not me. I can’t boil water without scorching it.” Rising to his feet, he took Beth by the hand and led her down the hall to the guest bedroom. He closed the door softly behind them.
She cast a longing look over to the bed. “I don’t really know if this is a good idea–” she began, but he silenced her with a gentle brush of his lips over hers.
“It’s been a very trying night for me, my love,” he said softly, “and what I want more than anything is just to fall asleep with you in my arms. Tomorrow, though.” He waggled his eyebrows, “is another story.” Without a trace of self-consciousness, he shrugged out of his clothes and laid them neatly across one of the plush chairs. Easing into the bed, he whipped back the top of the heavy quilted spread on her side and patted the pillow. “Right here, darlin’.”
* * * *
Beth blushed in agreement and undressed quickly, sliding between the cool sheets. He fluffed her pillow then gently pulled the comforter up over them. Moving in behind her, he wrapped one strong arm around her waist, curving his body around hers. She sighed blissfully, his warmth surrounding her. “Goodnight, Seamus. I love you,” she whispered.
There was no answer, as she had suspected there wouldn’t be. James was already fast asleep.
18
Dante stood at the door of Aaron’s hotel room at 7 a.m., wishing like hell he were anywhere other than his current location. Deciding that he was probably going to have to look for a new job anyway–Aaron was definitely a kill-the-messenger type–he summoned his courage and knocked.
Aaron answered the door after the second knock, looking like a sleep-deprived gnome. His salt-and-pepper hair stood on end. His clothes looked slept in and his face flushed an unhealthy red. “What is it?” he demanded.
Dante took a deep breath. “We got trouble, boss.”
Aaron stepped aside and allowed the taller man to come in. As soon as the door closed, he whirled around. “How bad is it?” he demanded, running his hand through his hair.
“Kelly isn’t here,” Dante began, “his room is empty, bags are gone.”
Aaron picked up a beer bottle and threw it against the wall, spraying glass and stale beer all over the carpet. “That son of a bitch, if he thinks–”
“It’s worse than that,” Dante continued. He took another deep breath and braced himself. “They’re all gone.”
Aaron went completely still. “What do you mean all?”
Dante shrugged. “All of them. The whole band. They’re gone, checked out. All their rooms are empty. I already talked to the night shift people at the front desk. They left in separate cabs around three in the morning.”
“The whole…fucking…band?” Aaron asked incredulously. “Gone? What the fuck is going on?” He snatched up his cell phone and began running down the list of contacts. There was no answer at any of the band’s personal numbers. He called his Marie and left a scathing message on her voice mail. “I want my attorney to call me as soon as you get this message then call the band. Any member of Horizon that you can get to pick up their goddamned phone transfer to me as soon as you connect. The whole fucking band has defected and I want answers now.”
Dante cleared his throat. “What about my crew?”
Aaron thought for a moment. “Have the second unit set up in Jacksonville as planned,” he said, “I’ll find the band.”
* * * *
Dr. Pat Thorne arrived at the apartment just before seven. “Thank you for coming, Dochtuir,” Ian said, welcoming the old family physician.
“My pleasure, Ian.” The formalities over, Ian showed Dr. Thorne back to his office where the patient reclined on the overstuffed leather sofa watching cartoons. The doctor began by checking vitals and noting them in a file. After everything had been recorded, he talked with James for nearly half an hour, asking questions about everything from his sleep patterns to his sex life.
James groaned and stretched luxuriantly, his spine making noisy settling pops. “I think I’m going to need some sort of doctor’s note or something. I pretty much skated out in the middle of a tour,” he grimaced.
Dr. Thorne laughed and replied in his soft brogue, “You’ll be needing more than a note, lad. I’m fair certain there’s going to be a press release in my near future, at the very least.”
Unable to stand the suspense any longer, James blurted out his worst fear. “So can you tell what’s wrong with me? Is it my heart?” he whispered, remembering the pain in his chest. “Am I dying, then?” He placed a hand to his chest and gazed up at the old physician. “Tell me straight up, doc. I can take it.”
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The doctor burst into laughter and patted the younger man on the shoulder. “Ah, Seamus.” He chuckled, wiping his eyes. “Such high drama with you. Near as I can tell, your heart is just fine, although I’d like to get you in for some tests as soon as possible just to be on the safe side.” He pulled out a prescription pad and began to write. “My preliminary diagnosis is mental and physical exhaustion. I want you to rest as much as you can until you can build your strength back up. I’m going to give you something to help with that.” He frowned and surveyed his patient. “Light exercise only, walking, swimming, that sort of thing. No weight training. Think you can do that or do I need to admit you into a hospital?”
James shook his head vehemently. “No, I’ll cooperate. I’d much rather be here.” He fidgeted around in his seat. “Uh, about the exercise…does…em…well, are there any…”
The doctor smiled. “Sex is fine. Just don’t overdo it,” he assured him.
James’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Lord, but I’m happy to hear that,” he breathed.
Dr. Thorne laughed heartily. “I imagine you are. If you need to get a medical statement out, we can go ahead and do that now with the provision that it could change after your tests.” Tucking the script pad back in his pocket, the doctor placed a hand on the door handle. “I’ll let you know what time to be at the hospital. We’ll have to get you in and out quietly. In the meantime, I want you resting.” He stuck his head into the hallway. “Ian?”
Industriously pacing a rut outside the office door, Ian wasn’t far away. “He’s going to be okay, Doc?” he asked, a note of worry apparent in his voice.
“I think with a bit of rest he’ll do.” The doctor smiled, handing Ian the prescription. With the diagnosis made, the three set about creating a medical statement. Ian typed on the computer while Dr. Thorne dictated. “Mr. Kelly is under my close medical supervision for extreme exhaustion. Until tests are complete, I am unable to speculate when he will be able to return to performing.” The old doctor added a few more lines then nodded in approval. “I think that about covers it, don’t you?”
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