Love's Everlasting Song

by RaeAnne Hadley

  She’d decided not to tell them about Luke Grayson and assured them she was still in negotiations with his managers for his music. Of course, living in a small town, word spread quickly and she was stopped often when she went to the store, local townsfolk offering their condolences for the end of her marriage. After the second month, the words of sympathy stopped and were replaced with comments of disgust that Kip was flaunting his new girlfriend about, not even having the decency to wait for the divorce to be final. She tried to be polite, knowing that they thought they were offering her support but she didn’t want to hear about his love life.

  Now, as they were nearing the end of the third month, the talk had shifted from her and Kip’s divorce to calving and lambing season, and she was finally able to go into town without being stopped.

  The last four days seemed to drag on and though she kept busy with the horses, her mind was on her D-day, as she and Megan and dubbed it. Every day she checked the mail, worried that she would receive a letter from the court’s stating that something wasn’t filled out right or not signed properly and that the whole process would start over again. The day before D-day, she received a fat, manila envelope with the courts stamp in the upper left corner. She felt her heart drop as she made her way to the house. This was what she had been dreading, an error with how she and Kip filled out the divorce papers and now she would have to wait another ninety days after she corrected the papers and re-filed.

  She grabbed a glass of water and drank it down, trying to calm her nerves and wet her suddenly parched mouth. She picked up the envelope and carefully opened it. She read and reread the words, trying to understand the legal wording but then noticed the large words printed at the top of the first page. Decree For Dissolution of Marriage. She saw the little court stamp down at the bottom, giving the date that their divorce was approved and filed within the courts. She felt the tears flow down her cheeks and joy flow through her body. They had filled out the papers correctly and she was now divorced, single.

  Single. The word penetrated her brain and she felt the sorrow again. All of her friends were married, having children, creating a family. Now she was at square one again, single, alone. She shook her head to try to get rid of the feelings of melancholy. She picked up the phone and called the one person she knew could pull her out of this state of mind.

  “Oh my God! This is awesome! You’re free of him! We need to celebrate and I’m on my way.” Megan shouted into her phone before hanging up. Rebecca hadn’t expected Megan to come over, just talk to her on the phone. She had planned on a quiet evening to reflect and plan her future. She’d also hoped to call Luke and tell him her divorce was final, that they could re-sign the contract for his song.

  “Oh, well,” she thought to herself, “things change and I should know by now to go with the flow.” She started cooking a light supper for them, knowing Megan would be bringing their favorite wine over to share. She laughed as she heard Megan’s car horn honking as she drove up the dirt drive.

  Megan came flying into the kitchen, singing and dancing towards Rebecca before swinging her around in a spin and pulling her in for a big hug. After planting a smacking kiss on her cheek, Megan sat two bottles of wine down on the kitchen table and grinned at Rebecca. “You’re free! You’re free!” She sang as she grabbed the wine glasses out of the cupboard.

  Rebecca went back to boiling the tortellini and opened a jar of alfredo sauce to heat up. “Yes, I am. Alone, single, unattached. I get to come home to an empty house and cold sheets every night.”

  “Oh, don’t start that, Rebecca. You came home to an empty house and cold sheets when you were married, so really, your life hasn’t changed other than the fact that now you can date whomever you want.” She handed Rebecca a glass, eyeing her suspiciously out of the corner of her eye. “Speaking of which, have you called Luke and told him of your wonderful news?”

  “No, he’s on tour and I don’t want to bother him with such trivial things.” she lied but knew Megan wouldn’t buy it. She wasn’t wrong.

  “Oh, give me a break. This isn’t trivial and you know perfectly well he would love to hear about this.”

  “Maybe. Let’s eat first while it’s hot. Cold white sauce is never appealing.” she laughed, bringing the plates over to the table. They enjoyed their meal together, laughing at past antics that they should have gotten in trouble for but had never been caught. Rebecca found herself laughing harder than she had in a long time. It felt good and she was very glad she had called Megan. This was what she needed, joyous laughter, good food and even better wine, not time for reflection. The past was the past, nothing could be done to change it.

  They finished their dinner and moved out onto the deck to enjoy another glass of wine. They made small talk for awhile but Rebecca braced for what she knew was coming. She wasn’t disappointed.

  “So, now that you have a full belly and time with your best friend, don’tcha think it’s time to call Luke Grayson?”

  “You won’t let up, will you, Megan?” she laughed.

  “No, not when I know it’s for your own good. Besides, you need to get the contract going again so that you can submit the sheet music to the orchestra at the competition.”

  “Yes, I will call him. But if you say a word while I’m on the phone with him, I’ll kill you. Understand?” she threatened.

  “Understood.” Megan grinned.

  Rebecca pulled out her phone and brought up Luke’s number, hesitating for a moment before she hit the talk button. She heard the phone ring on the other end, tension and butterflies building in her stomach.

  She heard Luke’s sultry voice answer the phone and she could hear the pleasure in his tone. “Rebecca! It’s so good to hear from you. How have you been?”

  “I’m doing great, Luke, thanks. How’s the tour going?” she couldn’t help the smile that lit her face.

  “It’s been amazing! We just wrapped up here in Oklahoma and our next stop is New York where we will play two nights before moving on. I wish we could stay longer, there is an energy in New York that I love. It’s really contagious.” he laughed.

  She closed her eyes and listened to his laughter. It was free and easy and she could almost imagine being in the same room with him. “It sounds amazing, I wish I could be there.”

  “Do you want to come out? I can have my plane pick you up and of course you’ll have backstage access. Come play in New York with me, Rebecca!” Luke exclaimed, excited about the idea.

  Her eyes shot open, growing wide as she realized he was serious. “I didn’t mean that I should come out, I mean, I wasn’t inviting myself. I just meant…” she stumbled

  “No, it’s a brilliant idea! I should have thought of it sooner. It’s still months before your show, surely you can take just a couple of days. I promise I won’t keep you too long, Rebecca.” he proposed.

  Megan must have understood where the direction of conversation was going because she was elbowing Rebecca and nodding her head yes vehemently. Rebecca was trying to push Megan off and talk to Luke, her mind arguing with her heart as to why she shouldn’t go. Her heart was winning.

  “Listen, Grayson, it sounds great and I promise to think about it. The reason why I was calling was to let you know that my divorce papers are final and that we could re-sign the contract for your song.”

  “Fabulous! Even more of a reason for you to come out and enjoy yourself. It will be like a little celebration and while you’re here, you can sign the contract. I’ll have it all ready. I’ll call you in the morning and let you know what time to be at the Sweetwater airport. Pack your bags and prepare to celebrate and enjoy yourself, Rebecca. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.” he chuckled and hung up the phone before she could argue with him.

  Rebecca held her phone away from her ear, a stunned look over her face. “I am going to New York.”

  “New York? You lucky witch! When are you going?” Megan clapped in delight.

  “Um, his plane is picking me up to
morrow at the airport.”

  “Oh, you have to get packed! Will your parents watch your ranch? Will you need me to come out and feed or anything? God, I wish I was going with you!” Megan squealed, standing up and pulling Rebecca with her. “Let’s go pick out what you’re going to wear. You’ve got to look sexy, it’s one of Luke’s concerts! You’re helpless with fashion, let’s go pack!”

  Rebecca allowed herself to be tugged along, knowing that her parents would watch her place for a day or two and that Megan was better at picking out her clothes than she was. She had no eye for fashion and didn’t have any desire to learn. She felt numb as Megan led her to Rebecca’s bedroom, Megan flinging clothes out of the closet onto the bed.

  “I just may need to bring some of my stuff over for you to borrow. We don’t have time to shop and blue jeans and t-shirts just won’t cut it.” Megan shook her head..

  Chapter Eight

  She boarded Luke’s private jet and actually pinched herself as she was seated in the soft, taupe colored leather seat. It was as large as any recliner she’d sat in and just as soft. She gazed around the beautiful interior with the polished wood tables and matching trim. The plush, forest green carpet was wall to wall but was lightened by the cream, fabric-covered walls. It appeared more like the interior of an upscale apartment than it did a plane.

  The take-off was smooth and after they had reached cruising altitude, a friendly stewardess asked if she was hungry and handed her a mimosa. Her stomach was too nervous to eat and she only sipped her beverage. She preferred to keep a clear head and a light stomach.

  When she landed at JFK airport, a large, black car was waiting for her. As her luggage was placed in the trunk, she slid into the back of the cool interior and saw a large vase of purple roses. A matching card with her name on it was sitting against the base. She opened it up and smiled as she read Luke’s note.

  Rebecca, I am so excited you came and hope you enjoy my concert. I will see you soon. Luke.

  She enjoyed the excitement she felt as she was whisked off into the streets of New York to her hotel. Her driver had informed her that although she was staying at the same hotel as Mr. Grayson, she was to have her own room, across the hall from his. She appreciated the fact that Luke had booked her own room, allowing her the privacy of staying in a private room as opposed to assuming she would be staying with him. It had been three months since she’d been with him and she still couldn’t believe she’d slept with him. She had never been careless and sleeping with a virtual stranger was unlike her. She wondered if the chemistry she had felt for him was still there of if it had been a one-time experience.

  She had fretted about this on the way to the hotel and while riding up in the elevator. When the bellhop opened the door and showed her the suite, she gasped and her worry left her body. Her room was exquisite and appeared larger than her house. The colors were soothing blues of every hue. Light, almost silver-toned blues adorned the walls in a silky fabric while deeper, navy velvet draped on either side of the picturesque windows, waiting to be drawn and blacken the room. Through glass walls, she could see the master bedroom off to her left, one of the panes frosted allowing privacy if one desired. An ocean blue duvet covered the king-sized bed, accent pillows piled against the headboard. There were other doorways that led into unseen rooms and she was excited to explore her little kingdom. It was a far cry from the drab, little room she had stayed at in L.A.

  The bellhop placed her luggage inside the room and handed her the key card. She fumbled with her purse to give him a tip but he shook his head and smiled.

  “Thank you, Miss, but Mr. Grayson has taken care of everything.”

  She smiled back and thanked him as she accepted the key. After the door closed behind her, she searched the suite, racing from room to room like a little kid in Disneyland. Each room was exquisitely decorated with rich colors in silks and velvets and she felt like a princess.

  She knew New York was two hours ahead of Colorado so she quickly dialed Megan’s number. When Megan answered, she excitedly described the jet, the flowers in the car and finally, her suite. They were talking about Luke’s concert in a few hours and what she was going to wear when the bell rang at her door.

  “Megan, there’s someone here, hang on a sec.” She answered the door and smiled at the bellhop who had helped her earlier, a large package with a huge pink bow filling his arms.

  “Miss Gordon, Mr. Grayson asked to have this delivered to you.”

  “Oh, thank you!” She accepted the box, fumbling with her phone.

  He smiled at her and nodded, turning away and closing the door as he left. Rebecca shuffled towards the table, trying to juggle the package and her cell phone, hoping she didn’t disconnect from Megan on the way. She set the gift on the entry table and put the phone back up to her ear. “Megan, Luke just had a present delivered to me!”

  “Well, what is it?” she asked impatiently.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t opened it yet.”

  “Well, open it, silly! And if you even think of hanging up, I’ll kick your but!” Megan threatened.

  Rebecca laughed. “I’ll set the phone down and put you on speaker.”

  She set the phone down on the table and began to pull the silk pink bow from the present when she heard Megan scream over the speaker on the phone. “Oh, just tear it open already!”

  “Alright, alright.” Rebecca giggled as she ripped off the bow and decimated the paper. When she lifted the lid and pulled back the tissue paper, a gasp escaped from her lips. She gently pulled out the delicate fabric and held it up.

  “Megan, it’s gorgeous! It’s a beautiful red silk blouse! And it’s sleeveless with sparkles all over it!”

  “Oh, I have to see it. Go put it on, take a picture and send it to me.”

  “All right but I’ll have to call you back. Give me some time.”

  They both hung up and Rebecca quickly went into the dressing room to try on the blouse. The room contained three full length mirrors and she slid the cool material over her head, relishing the sensuous feeling of the fabric as it slid down her skin and fell perfectly into place. She twisted and turned to examine how the red, sparkly material molded to her body and accentuated her figure. It complimented the parts of her that she was proud of and subtly inspired the parts of her she didn’t like. She never dreamed she could have ever looked so good.

  The blouse had a simple tie at her neck and the material flowed down into a low v-cut between her breasts, making them appear large and full. Her arms, toned from years of working with her horses were exposed, showing off her defined and firm muscles. A three-inch glittering band wrapped around underneath her breasts giving the illusion of a tiny waist while the silky material fell loosely around her hips.

  She giggled and twirled, knocking over the box that her present had arrived in, causing it to thud to the floor. She bent over to pick it up when something shiny caught her eye. She felt her breath catch as she picked up the ruby-encrusted jewelry. Three rows of rubies were twined together in delicate cords of gold, creating an exquisite bracelet that perfectly matched the color of her blouse. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the clasp, finally being able to secure it onto her wrist.

  She jumped as the phone rang and she blindly reached for it, unable to take her eyes off of the piece of jewelry. “Hello?” she stumbled.

  “It doesn’t take that long to try on a shirt. What the heck?” Megan demanded.

  “Oh, Megan, I’m sorry. You wouldn’t believe what else I just found in the box. There was also a bracelet! A gorgeous, sparkly, ruby bracelet. You’ve got to see it.” Rebecca cried.

  “Well hang up the phone, take a dang picture and send it to me. Then call me right back!”

  “Right. Okay!” she laughed and hit the end button. She quickly took a picture on her phone and sent it, waiting for a moment before calling her back. She heard the tears in Megan’s voice as soon as she answered.

  “Oh, Rebecca, it’s beautiful. This is
just like Pretty Woman! I’m so happy for you.”

  Rebecca took a breath, holding back her own tears. “Then why are you crying?” she teased.

  “Because you deserve it. And because every woman dreams of this and you are actually living it. I guess I’m a lot jealous, too. You’re so lucky.” Megan sobbed.

  “I’m starting to feel that way. It just feels so surreal. I’m almost worried that this is an omen and something bad is about to happen.” Rebecca admitted.

  “Don’t say that out loud. You’re gonna jinx it. This is wonderful and you need to enjoy it. Now go get dolled up, get some supper to absorb the alcohol and go see your man in concert, wench!” Megan laughed.

  “God, I can’t even think of food right now.” she admitted.

  “You have to eat. There’s bound to be champagne or some sort of alcohol afterwards and when you get tipsy, all you talk about are your horses. Tonight is about Luke’s career and you don’t want to be sloppy.” Megan warned.

  Rebecca felt panic in her stomach. “Are you serious? Why haven’t you ever told me?”

  “Because I love you. And you’re cute when you talk about your dream but tonight is about Luke’s dream and he’ll want to hear about what you think of it.”

  “You’re right, thank you for being honest with me. I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you all about it.” Rebecca promised.

  “I’m counting on it but not too early. It’ll mean you didn’t have as much fun as you should have had. Enjoy this tonight, you’re a princess!”

  “I love you, Megan.” she felt the tears flow again.

  “I love you too. Now stop crying and go fix yourself up. Your dream won’t end at midnight this time.”