Love Song

by Sharon Gillenwater

  “Not unless you’ve got real long legs.” He tossed the cat a bite of fish and laughed as the animal hopped up on the vacant chair. “Or if you’re a feline.”

  She strolled over beside Wade. “How much are you going to cook?”

  “As much as anybody wants.” His smile held more than a trace of satisfaction. “Something tells me you like catfish.”

  “I like this. I’ve never had fish of any kind that tasted this good.”

  He puffed out his chest. “Must be the cook. It also helps to eat it as it comes out of the cooker.” He looked around, first at the low, grassy hill behind the house, then up at a single cloud, turning orange from the setting sun. “Being outside and in good company makes it better, too.” He motioned to several cooked pieces on a plate beside the cooker, each one about a third of a fillet. “Those should be cool enough to eat by now.”

  “No more for me. I’m stuffed.”

  He turned to the others. “There’s more fish over here if you want it.”

  Dawn and his aunt shook their heads, but Ray meandered over and picked up a piece. He quickly dropped it back on the plate. “That one’s got the directions still on it—put me down.”

  “Sorry, I thought they’d cooled off enough,” said Wade.

  “It’s close. I just need something to set it on.” He returned a few seconds later with his paper plate and helped himself to two more pieces.

  “You’re going to have some left over.” Andi peeked in the bubbling oil where the fish was turning a crisp, golden brown.

  “Not as much as you think. I got behind on my eatin’.”

  “Oh, poor baby. Hard to eat and cook, too?”

  He nodded. “It’s a big sacrifice.”

  She gingerly touched a cooked portion with her fingers. “This one is cool enough. Open wide.” She lifted the fish to his mouth. He bit off a big chunk, then quickly sucked in air. “Too hot?”

  He shook his head, his eyes twinkling as he swallowed. “Best ever.”

  “Must be the one serving it.”

  “Must be. Tastes as sweet as sugar.”

  “Yuk. I don’t think sugar-coated fish would be very good.”

  Wade laughed. “Probably not.” When he opened his mouth again, she popped the rest of the fish inside it. He took the last of the pieces out of the pan and set them on a thick layer of paper towels to drain, then turned off the burner and closed the valve on the tank.

  “This is a nice set up. Do you use it often?” Cooking for other women? She met his gaze, striving for a disinterested expression, suspecting she failed miserably.

  “Not too often. Mostly for family or some of the folks from church. I’ve occasionally repaid a few dinners this way.” A faint glimmer lit his eyes. “Would you get the door for me? I need to go wash this cornmeal and fish off my hands.”

  “Sure.” Andi walked over and opened the screen door, trying to ignore a stab of disappointment. It was ridiculous to be hurt because he had entertained other women in his home.

  “Want to come help?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows in a barely-recognizable Groucho Marx imitation.

  She laughed and followed him through the doorway. She leaned against the counter as he washed his hands with soap, then splashed them with lemon juice to help take away the fishy smell. Reaching for a towel, Wade said quietly, “I like having you here, Andi.”

  “And I like being here,” she replied softly.

  Dawn came bustling into the kitchen, carrying the plate of fish and what was left of the salad. “Oops. Looks like my timing was way off.” She dumped the stuff on the counter and made a beeline for the back door. “Ray and Della are heading home before it gets too dark to see the ruts in the road. I’m going to walk down with them and look at some stuff she found last weekend. Pick me up when you’re ready to leave.” She paused long enough to take a breath, adding with exaggerated nonchalance, “Take your time.”

  As the back screen door slammed, Wade and Andi both glanced out the window. A turtle could have trudged the distance to Ray and Della’s place before dark. They looked at each other and grinned.

  “We have real subtle relatives, don’t we?” He threw the towel on the counter and closed the small distance between them. “Of course, they’ve probably known all day that I’ve been waiting to get you alone.” He put his arms around her, drawing her close.

  “You have?” She looped her arms around his neck and batted her eyelashes a la Scarlett O’Hara. “My goodness, whatever for?”

  “For this.” He feathered a tiny kiss at the corner of her lips. “And this....”

  Several minutes later, he lifted his head. “Want to go sit on the porch swing and listen to the crickets sing?”

  “Sounds like a line from a country song.” She leaned her forehead against his chin and wondered if she were capable of walking anywhere after his kiss had made her toes curl.

  “Maybe we’ll come up with a hit.”

  Honey, I think we already have. She had to bite her tongue to keep from saying the words out loud. “It’s a good start.”

  They walked out to the front porch, laughing as the swing swayed precariously when they sat down. Andi grabbed hold of the side until they were balanced. “Now, I understand why parents used to let their daughters sit out on the swing with their beaus.”

  Wade pushed his foot against the porch, gently setting the swing into motion as he put his arm around her. “They knew the poor wretch would dump them both out if he got too carried away. Warm enough?”

  “Yes.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed softly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. That was the sound of pure contentment. This is nice.”

  “Yes, it is.” He rested his cheek against the top of her head. “Written any more songs this week?”

  “I played with one yesterday, but it’s not right yet. Actually it’s a little low for me, but I think it might be a good one for Nicki. I suspect she’s stronger on the lower notes than I am.”

  “Maybe you could do a duet.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that, but it should work. We’ll have to give it a try tomorrow.”

  “You’re really looking forward to working with her, aren’t you?” He sounded as if it surprised him.

  And why shouldn’t it? It surprised her. “Yes, I am. Two or three months ago, I don’t think I would have been interested. More likely, I would have considered her a threat.”

  “And you don’t now?”

  “She’ll be competition, but it doesn’t bother me. My career isn’t the most important thing in my life anymore. If God wants me to stay where I am, he will bless my efforts. If not, he will open other doors.”

  “You aren’t seriously thinking about quitting, are you?” He looked down at her, concern and disbelief etched in his frown.

  She shook her head, mindful that she would never want to quit completely. “Making music is like breathing to me.”

  “You have such a gift, Andi. So many are blessed by your music. And now that you’re walking with the Lord again, you have a tremendous chance to share his love with others, with people who might never hear about him otherwise.”

  “I know, and I want to do it. But sometimes I almost wish I couldn’t carry a tune.”

  “Don’t even think that.”

  “I said almost. I know God has blessed me, and I thank him for it, but there are other things I want, things that would be difficult with my career.”

  “Such as?”

  She felt him tense and sensed his withdrawal even though he didn’t physically move away. Considering how his mother had treated him, she doubted she could easily convince him that loving him was so important to her. She had to be patient. In time, he would see how much he meant to her. “Oh, I have a whole list. I haven’t sorted through it all.”

  She walked her fingers across his lower ribs and hugged him. His tension seemed to evaporate. “Sitting here with you rates pretty high. Of course, that coul
d be because I’m too full to move.” She patted his stomach. “You had more fish than I thought you did.”

  “Are you saying I’m getting fat?”

  “That’s stretching it. I just meant your tummy doesn’t sound like an empty oil drum.”

  He laughed. “I’m not sure whether I’ve been insulted or complimented.”

  “Neither one. ‘Twas only an observation. I’ve gained four pounds, which is good. Probably ten after tonight, which is all I need to gain back. Actually, I’d like to have a big belly someday,” she said wistfully. “The kind that goes away after nine months.”

  “Then you get to lug the weight around on one hip. Kinda puts a hitch in your walk.” Even though he was teasing her, his voice held a tender, affectionate note. She thought—or was she only hoping—she heard longing there, too.

  Wanting to end the line of conversation, she faked a yawn. She hadn’t intended to start talking about babies. “I’d better go. Dawn has to meet a man at her store early in the morning for a quote on the new heating and cooling system.”

  After retrieving Andi’s purse and his keys from the house, Wade gave her a quick rundown on all the switches and gizmos on the Blazer.

  “Maybe I should have asked to borrow the roadster,” said Andi, teasing him. “It doesn’t have so many things for me to break.”

  “Sorry, but you can’t drive it.”

  “Well, thanks a bunch.”

  He leaned against the side of the Blazer, close to the open window. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t let you drive it. I said you can’t. You’re too short. The seat is custom built to fit me, and it doesn’t move up. Guess you’ll just have to get a roadster of your own and have it customized to fit you.”

  “I might do that. I’ve always wanted a white one with red and orange flames on the side.”

  He laughed and straightened as she started the Blazer. “That sounds like your style. I’ll be on the lookout for something.”

  “I won’t buy anything that doesn’t meet with your personal approval. I want on-sight inspection.”

  “That may be hard if you find something in Nashville or while you’re on tour.”

  “Ever heard of an airplane? Marvelous invention.”

  “So you’re telling me that if you find something in Humptulips, Washington, you expect me to fly up there and check it out?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never heard of it. Can you get there from here?”

  He smiled. “Probably not. But I reckon I’d give it a try, seein’ as how I like old cars.”

  “Now, I’m jealous of a car.” She put the Blazer into reverse, creeping backwards.

  “Darlin’, by the time I got there, you’d be some place else.”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She smiled, letting her love shine in her eyes, although she doubted he could see it in the dim light. “For you, I might stay around.” She changed gears and pulled away slowly, waving goodbye and muttering to herself. “And I’m not talking about Humptulips, Washington. I’m talkin’ about Buckley, Texas. Figure it out, you big, lovable galoot.”

  CHAPTER 12

  “Run through that last part again. I’m missing a chord in there somewhere.” Andi listened carefully as Nicki played the guitar and sang the last line of a song she had written. “Okay, let’s try it.”

  Nicki began the phrase, and Andi accompanied her with the piano part she had composed after first hearing the song.

  “That’s it!” cried Nicki, barely taking a breath after ending the last note. “Andi, that makes it absolutely beautiful.”

  “Not bad, if I do say so myself, although it was already beautiful. It will sound even better with a bass and drums. A good keyboardist may add sounds neither of us has thought of. You’ll be surprised when you get in a jam session with the band, and they start improvising.”

  “Is it really going to happen? Am I going to Nashville?” Nicki’s expression was hopeful yet incredulous.

  Andi laughed. “Yes, kiddo. Dreams and reality are colliding. Kyle is practically pacing the floor waiting for this tape. He wants us to send it express, so he can get it tomorrow. Now, are you ready to record this one?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Nicki immediately settled down, placed her fingers on the strings, and focused on the music.

  Andi nodded at Dawn to start the tape recorder, then she began the introduction she had added to the poignant ballad of a woman yearning for the man she loved. Nicki came in, her fingers light and precise on the strings of the guitar, her voice strong but husky with an emotional intensity that had not been present a few minutes earlier. Her voice gradually rose majestically, then fell to a hushed whisper by the end of the song. The last notes, slowly played in the high octaves on the piano, lingered in the air like the lonesome call of a whippoorwill.

  Andi blinked back tears as she lifted her fingers from the keys, aching to be in Wade’s arms. If the song had this kind of impact when she was only minutes away from him, what would she do when she was clear across the country? How could she hear it at every show and still walk out on stage?

  She didn’t think she had ever heard a more tender love song, nor one sung with more honest, heart wrenching emotion. If her instincts were right—and they were seldom wrong when it came to music and the music business—this song would be Nicki’s first single, and it would take her to the top of the charts.

  Dawn stopped the tape recorder and sniffed loudly, wiping her eyes with a tissue. “That was beautiful. It had to be written with someone special in mind.”

  Nicki took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “I wrote it about a year ago, after my boyfriend and I broke up. He went off to the Navy and didn’t want to be tied down. It was the right thing to do, but I still miss him when I sing it.”

  “Using your emotions sometimes plays a big part in turning a good song into a great one, but it’s not easy. You’ll find that it helps to follow a heart-tugger with something lively and happy.” Andi stretched her arms over her head and glanced at the clock. “Let’s take a break. Then we’ll do that sassy thing you were showing me this morning. If we put it on the tape next, Kyle will go nuts. He won’t be able to get you on a plane fast enough.”

  “Please don’t pinch me, or wake me up,” said Nicki with a laugh.

  They took some Cokes from the refrigerator and went out on the back porch for about fifteen minutes. When they returned to work, Nicki was relaxed and playful, getting downright spunky on the last song.

  Laughing, Andi twirled halfway around on the piano stool, waved her hands in the air, and stomped her feet. “I’ve created a monster! If I take you on tour, the audience will boo me off the stage.” She looked at Dawn and cupped her hand behind her ear. “Do you hear it?”

  Dawn grinned and played along. “I think so.” She tilted her head and put her hand behind her ear, too. “Yes, the cry is faint but growing—Nicki, Nicki, Nicki! Boo, Andi! Go back to the bus!”

  Nicki collapsed on the couch. “Y’all cut it out. That’s never gonna happen.”

  “Well, hopefully not the booing part. Do you feel up to playing around with one more song? I’ve been working on one that I want you to try.”

  Nicki sat up, her face glowing. “You wrote a song for me?”

  “Actually, it’s for both of us. When it popped into my head, I decided you’d have to sing it because it was a little low for me. Then Wade suggested that I sing high harmony and make it a duet. It evolved from there.” Nicki jumped up and hurried over to stand beside her. “I’ll play it through so you can see how it goes,” said Andi. “I was in a hurry when I scored it, but I think you can follow along.”

  They worked on the song for about thirty minutes, stopping several times to smooth out timing and harmony variations before Andi nodded. “Let’s try it from the beginning. I think we’ve taken care of the trouble spots.”

  She played the intro, then Nicki began, singing with strength and clarity. Andi sang the next line, her voice ringing out high and true. When their par
ts joined, it was as if God had ordained it. Their voices blended in magical perfection, with Nicki laying a velvet foundation of feeling, and Andi soaring to the heavens with sweetness and purity. When the song ended, neither of them could say anything. They simply looked at each other in amazement.

  “That’ll get the dogs out from under the porch!” cried Dawn, hopping up from her chair and rubbing her arms. “You gave me goose bumps. Are you going to put that one on the tape for Kyle?”

  “No, we’re going to do this one live,” Andi said quietly.

  ***

  As Andi predicted, Kyle called right after he heard the tape. “You say you found this kid at the shopping mall?”

  “Actually, she found me,” Andi replied with a laugh. “She came over and asked for my autograph.”

  “But, Andi, how did you know she could sing? Did she just belt out a song right there?”

  “That would have been interesting. The only way I can explain it is to say God must have revealed it to me. There was something in her voice that caught my attention, and somehow, I knew, without any doubt, that she was a singer, and that I was supposed to help her.”

  “That’s even wilder than if she started singing in the middle of the mall, but I’m glad you followed up on your intuition. She’s dynamite. Can she fly out tonight?”

  “Give the girl time to pack a suitcase and tell her boss she’s leavin’ town. How about two days?”

  “I knew you’d say that. All right, we’ll plan for Thursday. I’ll have Lisa make all the arrangements. Her tickets will be waiting for her at the airport in Sidell. We’ll pick her up here in Nashville. Call and tell her the news, so she gets the screaming over with before I call. I’ll give you ten minutes. I have a dinner meeting I can’t miss, and I want to talk to her before I leave.”

  “Yes, sir. And Kyle...”

  “Yes?”

  “Mellow out a little, or you’ll scare the poor girl to death. She doesn’t know anything about barracudas yet.”

  “I’m not a barracuda. Just a little intense.”