Nights Under the Tennessee Stars

by Joanne Rock

  The backstreet was quiet even though it was packed with cars for people who were at Lucky’s tonight.

  “You’re asking a Tennessee boy if he can two-step? New Girl, you’re showing your Miami side.” He hovered closer and she remembered how good his kisses felt.

  “I’m a Cajun first and foremost.” She let go of his one hand and pirouetted under his other arm. “I was at the fais do-do when I was old enough to walk.”

  “Is that right? You’ll have to catch me up on your bayou-speak, Cajun Queen.” He leaned in close enough to nip her lower lip. Gently. Slowly.

  She had to gather all her defenses to keep from kissing him senseless in return. Just because she wanted to take her time and get to know him better didn’t mean it was going to be easy.

  “Fais do-do.” She pronounced it slowly. “It’s a dance where the mamas leave their babies in the sleeping room off the dance hall so they can dance all they want.” She stepped away from the car, keeping hold of his hand. “I’ll tell you more while we walk.”

  “You’re awfully sure I’ll follow you,” he said in her ear, the sound tickling all the way down her neck.

  “No. I just hope you will.” She was nervous about telling him she wanted to slow things down. What if he was mad he’d broken up with his other girlfriend?

  He held out an arm like a real gentleman so she could take it. Maybe because she’d worn a dress tonight? She felt special. Pretty. Talking to Erin had made her think maybe she could go to school in the fall and no one would be the wiser that she’d screwed up her senior year.

  There was hope for her yet.

  “Like I said before, you keep me running, but I’m not complaining.”

  They walked in silence along the sidewalk for a moment, her skirt brushing up against his leg as they passed an abandoned flower shop and—unbelievably—a cobbler place. Who fixed shoes anymore? There was a gun and rod store on the street, as well, but everything was dark until they reached the pizza shop on the far end of Main Street. The scent of garlic and oregano wafted out the door along with rock music. She thought she saw a few kids inside who’d been at the soccer game.

  A couple of them looked up as they passed the window. Sarah held up her hand to wave, but a couple of them were already bending their heads together and whispering.

  “Sarah,” Lucas said. “Remember how I said I wanted to talk to you?” He hurried past the pizza shop and they neared The Strand and Last Chance Vintage. “Can we do that first? Before we dance? I know you didn’t want to go anywhere private, but—”

  “Let’s go to the baseball fields past the playground.” She’d seen the field the week before when they’d been playing laser tag. It’d been dark there. And quiet.

  “Okay.” He pointed down the alley near Erin’s store. “Can we go this way? We’ll come out on the side of the dugout.”

  “Sure.” She felt nervous. Jittery. What did he want to talk to her about? “Want to run?”

  “Seriously? You’re in a dress.”

  “Afraid I’ll beat you?” She let go of his arm. Picked up her pace.

  “Can you see well enough?” he called. “Sarah?”

  But she was already flying.

  She wasn’t much of an athlete, but she knew how to run. It was her first-response system when times were tough. She ran from the field trip. Before that she ran from her bad grades with bad boys. Then she ran from her therapy sessions by drinking too much.

  And, in between it all, she ran her butt off to get sweaty and forget about her mom taking a bullet in her temple one night in March when Sarah was at a sleepover smoking her first and only cigarette.

  “Sarah!” Lucas shouted. She slowed down in case she’d gone the wrong way.

  She tripped on a tree root, skinning both knees. Heard the fabric of her dress rip.

  “Ouch.” The pain radiated down her legs as she held herself off the damp grass with one hand.

  Not that it mattered. Her dress was probably already ruined.

  Footsteps pounded the earth hard and fast behind her.

  “Are you okay?” Lucas was beside her in an instant, arms all around her, though he didn’t move her. “I couldn’t see you in the dark. I’m so sorry.”

  “Why are you sorry?” She leaned her head into his shoulder for a second then fell the rest of the way into his lap. He fell over and they were a damp messy tangle of limbs. “It’s me who wanted to race in the dark.”

  “You have to be more careful.” He sat up, straightening her legs. “What did you hurt?”

  “My knees.” She didn’t want to sound like a baby, but they both stung. “I skinned them.”

  The twang of a country band floated on the breeze. They must be closer to the park. She thought she saw the baseball field up ahead, but the lights were off.

  “You’re sure nothing is sprained? Did you make certain the cuts weren’t deep?”

  She wrapped her arms around Lucas’s neck and squeezed. “You look. I don’t like the sight of blood.”

  “You and me both,” he muttered.

  “Why don’t you?” she asked, stopping his hands before he could lift up the hem of her skirt. “That is, why don’t you like the sight of blood?”

  “Just let me see.” He set aside her hands and positioned his body out of the way of the moonlight to see better. “This is important, so I’ll get over it.”

  He folded her dress gently, laying the extra fabric just above her knees. So careful.

  Something about the tender way he cared for her made her let go of his neck long enough to watch him. He cradled one knee and slowly moved her lower leg up and down, testing the range of motion in first one knee and then the other.

  She winced.

  “That hurts?” He stopped immediately, his warm touch vanishing.

  “Yes, but only because it pulls at the cuts. Nothing is sprained. I’m sure of it.” She felt bad for scaring him. He appeared really spooked.

  “I’m fine. They’re just scratches. It’s my fault for taking off.”

  “Why did you do that?” He studied her face, his eyes roaming every corner in the moonlight.

  She cupped his shoulders, feeling the warmth of his body through the cotton.

  “I was nervous about why you wanted to talk. I get antsy and twitchy when I’m scared. I don’t know. Running felt good.”

  His head tipped forward until it met hers, creating their own dark little pocket of privacy.

  “What am I going to do with you?”

  “Tell me what you wanted to talk about.” She toyed with his collar. It would be hard going slow with him when it felt so good to be next to him, his warm strength anchoring her to one spot and scattering every impulse to flee.

  “You asked about my reputation once and I didn’t want to talk about it.” He tensed. “But I need you to know what happened.”

  “You can tell me.” She could feel all his muscles go taut. His nervousness fed hers even as she wished she could reassure him it was okay.

  “I got arrested last fall. Well, not really. But that’s the rumor.”

  She stood up fast, ignoring the spike of pain in both knees.

  “Excuse me?” She fumbled for her phone. “Is this some kind of joke or something? Does, like, everyone in town know my real father is a felon? Are you trying to embarrass me?”

  “What?” He jumped to his feet. “No. My God, Sarah, of course not. I thought your dad was a producer. This doesn’t have anything to do with you. I got in trouble last fall and everyone still talks about it like I’m some kind of criminal.”

  She swallowed back the panic bubbling up her throat. She didn’t believe for a second that he’d done anything criminal—only that a cute boy might be tricking her in some kind of school prank. Besides, she already knew she could outrun his butt any day—track star or not. She was tricky, smart and fast.

  “What happened?” Keeping her phone in one hand, she was grateful he gave her space while she thought through what he said.
>
  “Domestic dispute. My mom and dad—same old crap and nothing new for them. But my dad got out of control and shoved Mom. Maybe he got away with that bullshit when I was four years old, but I’m eighteen. Did he really think he could do that to my mother and I would just let him?” He shook his head in disbelief.

  “Oh, my God, Lucas.” She stuffed the phone back into her purse and scrambled over to him. “Don’t say you got involved.”

  “Hell yes, I got involved. And I’ll be proud I did until the day I die.” He remained tense as she slung her arms around him. But when she squeezed tighter, he kissed her shoulder. “It’s okay, Sarah. My father and I didn’t really fight. The neighbors had called earlier when my mom and dad were yelling, so they got there before things got ugly. But I’d pissed my dad off, and he accused me of hitting him. I’d only just pushed him to keep him off Mom.”

  Horrified to think that that was the kind of home life he dealt with, Sarah didn’t know what to say.

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” she whispered.

  He shook his head. “It’s fine. It’s done. I’m living with my aunt now and I’m focusing on school and stuff instead of family drama. I can’t fix my parents, but I can make sure I don’t get drawn into that shit again.”

  “Good for you.” She admired the set to his jaw and the determination in his gaze. “And can I apologize once again for bringing you more drama?”

  “No.” He tipped her chin up and cradled her face so she was forced to meet his gaze. “Sarah, I looked at you the first time and—this is going to sound so cheesy—but I swear I saw that same crazy wildness in you that I feel all the time.”

  “Lucas, I’m going to do you a huge favor and tell you that you do not need crazy wildness in your life anymore.” She took a deep breath. “You’re right about me and what you saw in me. I’m trying to get a handle on it, though. I don’t want to be the wild girl forever.”

  “You don’t get it.” He shook his head, a dark wave of hair falling over one eye as he held her steady, his voice certain. “I saw the good kind of wildness, Sarah. You were carrying a pink laser gun and vaulting over kiddie slides while the other girls were rolling their eyes at the game. I knew five minutes after meeting you that I needed to break up with the girl I’d been seeing because I was going to fall hard for you. You’re so full of life and adventure. Well, maybe a little too much sometimes. But I liked you right away.”

  Warm happiness twined through her, and it was so nice to feel good again after so much bad crap in her life.

  “My dad—my real dad and not the felon—he says I have a powerhouse personality.”

  Lucas laughed. “That’s about right. But then, just when I thought I couldn’t be more crazy about you, my mom called to give me an update on how she’s been doing since she left my dad.”

  Puzzled, she couldn’t imagine how those things connected.

  “And?” She threaded her fingers through his hair, wishing she never had to leave Heartache and this boy who saw good things inside her.

  “And she told me she met ‘the kindest young woman’ on a television segment she was asked to film about her struggle to start over again.”

  Frowning, Sarah tried to make the pieces fit...

  She blinked. “Oh, my God. Your mom is Jamie Raybourn?”

  Pieces fell into place as she pictured the tiny blonde who’d just gotten an accounting job at Finleys’ Building Supplies. The woman who Erin had helped get an interview outfit and a makeover.

  “The one and the same. I always wished I had her last name instead of my father’s.” Lucas’s thumbs caressed her cheeks with infinite tenderness. “But she told me all about a beautiful, warmhearted girl who made her feel good about herself on a hard day. Sarah, I almost freaking cried when she told me your name.”

  Her voice wobbled. “In a good way, though, right?”

  “She’s my mom. I nearly got my ass sent to jail trying to keep her safe. Yes, it’s a good thing you were kind to her.” Lucas kissed her lips with an intensity that was a whole lot different than the way she’d kissed him under the slide. There was intention in it. A depth of caring she’d never felt with a guy before.

  “Oh.” She felt breathless. Dazed. “I thought so.”

  “It’s been tough for me to live with my aunt and not be there for Mom, but my heart’s been with her, despite having to pull myself out of that whole mess for a while.” Lucas straightened. “I hadn’t wanted to tell you about me getting hauled into the station and the rumors around town that I’d gotten arrested before I started school in Heartache. But I’ve wanted to thank you for helping my mother and I couldn’t say it until you knew the whole truth about me.”

  He sighed with the satisfaction of someone who had gotten a lot off his chest, a feeling she could identify with, having experienced it recently herself in the police station. What strange paths they’d walked to one another.

  “Now I know you and I like you even better,” she admitted.

  The idea worried her a little because it put a whole lot of pressure on her matchmaking scheme between Dad and Erin. She wanted to stay in Heartache more than ever. But how could she make her father fall in love in a week’s time?

  He’d been moving through life at a turtle’s pace for months.

  “You said you wanted to talk tonight, too,” Lucas reminded her as he wound a strand of her hair around his finger.

  Right. She’d wanted to tell him about slowing things down, but she knew he’d be okay with that. If anything, he’d been trying to slow her down.

  She also needed to tell him about leaving Heartache, but she didn’t want to think about that yet. Maybe she should tell him about the violence in her own past. But with this new tenderness in her heart, she wasn’t ready for that tonight, either.

  “It can wait.” She tipped her face into the spring breeze and inhaled the scent of barbecue on the breeze. “We should go dance.”

  “But your knees must hurt.”

  “I’m fine and I want to twirl around with you under the stars. Besides, I need to see you two-step for myself.”

  “Maybe someone there will have bandages and we can clean up the cuts.” He turned around so his back was facing her. “I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”

  She eyed his shoulders, liking the idea though it seemed way too far for him to carry her.

  “I don’t know...”

  Bending his knees, he lifted her, putting her on his back with ease.

  “Come on, Cajun Queen. We’ll dance sooner this way.”

  Sarah laid her cheek against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. Her legs locked around his waist.

  “Let the record show, I tried to warn you it wouldn’t be easy.”

  “You keep right on warning me away.” He picked up his pace as they reached the walking path leading over the bridge and back toward the playground. “You can’t get rid of me, Sarah.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  A WEEK LATER, Erin hummed with excitement and hope as she finished up her workday at Last Chance Vintage. Her episode of Interstate Antiquer had aired on Tuesday night, and now, on Friday, she could hardly believe how much business the show had driven her way. Even more, she couldn’t get over how generous the viewers had been with donations for Dress for Success.

  Remy had been right about that. She still worried about the business growing too fast, but it wasn’t as if there were new fast-food restaurants springing up on the main street just because Erin’s store had been featured on a national television show. Professionally, everything was sailing along.

  On a personal level? She was worried. After her tense conversation with Remy the night of the break-in, they’d backed off a bit. He still came to her house often. They’d shared meals and even a few nights, but there’d been a wall between them. Both of them knew it wasn’t going to work after he left. However, he’d promised her a big surprise when she got home tonight, so her mind was already traveling the route back to h
er house, curious what it might be.

  Was there any chance he could still make a big, romantic gesture the way Scott had for Bethany? It was almost hard to be around Bethany and not feel hopeful that maybe a happy outcome waited for her and Remy, too.

  “I can’t believe this,” Bethany said as she stared into the new addition to Last Chance Vintage, which was now packed wall to wall with clothes.

  Erin stood beside her, holding back the heavy plastic sheet as Bethany tried to take it all in. Erin felt dazed each time she saw the huge outpouring of clothes and accessories for her cause.

  Erin’s whole family had gotten involved in helping her manage the influx of items. Bethany and Scott were paying their new bookkeeper, Jamie Raybourn, overtime for extra hours she worked to help catalog the donations and set up an inventory system. Mack and Nina were investigating how to transport the clothes to Nashville for a three-day satellite event at Mack’s bar. Even Erin’s mom had helped out, coordinating outfit ideas and photographing them with help from Ally and Sarah. And Heather was flying home early from Texas and would be back in Heartache by nightfall. The project was going to help so many people. It went a long way toward helping Erin feel she’d made restitution, of sorts, for the hurt she’d caused Patrick’s wife and children.

  “Isn’t it amazing to see?” Erin had no idea when she would be able to open the expanded square footage now that she needed to sort and store so many donated items, but her commitment to Dress for Success only increased after Jamie’s ex-boyfriend had threatened her. Sarah had explained that Lucas’s father was the one who’d threatened Erin. “The donations started arriving less than twenty-four hours after the episode aired on Tuesday night and they haven’t slowed down since.”

  “This is a lot of fresh starts,” Jamie exclaimed, her pencil pausing over the buttons of a portable adding machine. “We’re going to be able to give away quite a few mini-wardrobes as starter packages to women who are in the most difficult situations.”

  Jamie went back to her calculating as she wove her way through the boxes and packages stacked in every corner of the new space that had been empty just three days ago.