Seeing the guitar cases, he slipped out of his seat and began checking them for damage.
“Nah, it’s no big deal. We’ll figure it all out later. There’s plenty of room in here, we just need to get creative,” she laughed. She looked at the itinerary, “So, you have one more show after today—next weekend. What are you all going to do for the rest of this week?”
“That’s a good question,” Joe responded as he reclaimed his seat. We were thinking about going home. I guess we can figure that out.”
“Well, my carriage is at your service,” Libby laughed.
Joe smiled back at her.
“Guitars okay?” she asked.
“Good to go, as far as I can see. So, what do I need to know about you? You’re a woman of mystery. I love a good mystery,” he smiled.
“I came out here for a specific goal. We never had the chance to talk about that—but there was a balloon festival over the Grand Canyon yesterday morning at sunrise. And, well, I’ve waited ten years to see it. That’s why I came out here. If I’d stayed…”
“Oh, wow, you didn’t get much sleep then. That was a long drive!” Joe exclaimed.
“Yeah…to tell the truth, I’m ready to get out from behind the wheel!” she laughed. “Well, I found your itinerary backstage,” she motioned to a piece of paper on the RV console. “So, you didn’t get my note?”
“I didn’t see anything, or you. I looked. Hey, if you need me to drive…”
“I’m so sorry, Joe,” she said softly. “I never meant...I left you a note that I’d catch up to you--tacked to the pole just off stage. I didn’t want to leave that way, but I couldn’t wait.”
“No, hey, you had things to do...I can appreciate that. Balloons, huh?” Joe paused, the corner of his eyes crinkled disconcertingly.
“I’m glad you found us again, for obvious reasons,” he smiled, “And maybe a few that…aren’t. Seems like you and I just can’t get into any kind of groove. I gotta tell ya, Libby…I’m not really likin’ that. I’d kinda like to see you...sit still...for a while.” Joe laughed. “Hopefully, next to me, that is. And I thought I was in the road too much! Are you always runnin’ around like this?”
Libby smiled back at him. “I’d like to be still…next to you. I owe you an apology for Lubbock, too. I didn’t mean to…overreact, but there are some things, I guess I’m sensitive about.”
“Ah, Lubbock…I hope you know, though, I don’t normally react the way you saw me in the parking lot that day—when you first saw me. We’ve been having problems with management for a while. This is the last tour—so once we finish these fairs, I know I need to find someone else to manage the band. I just haven’t been able to…focus…on it. Tell the truth, I’m looking forward to a little break. Hey, you caught me on a bad day—Libby, I can’t imagine anything you could do to make me be that angry with you.” Joe looked apologetically at her. “I’m just sorry you saw...that.”
She smiled back at him. There was something in his voice that captivated Libby.
“Clearly you’re a passionate man. Now, there’s no doubt I would NOT want to be on the other end of an argument like that, but I can say your fire is...intriguing,” Libby laughed as she shot a look at Joe’s reaction.
With a little smile, Joe studied Libby intently. “Libby, I’ve been doing this for a long time now. I’ve come across some real winners in this business. People think nothing of stealing your work. They get a thrill out of telling you what you can and can’t do—just for the power trip, not because it makes any sense. I almost quit on more than one occasion after coming up against these assholes. They don’t belong in the business, but you can’t always tell the sharks from those who really are in the business for the right reasons.”
After a long pause, Joe continued, “I’ve gone to the dark side, Libby. I’ve scared myself...so angry. I’d hate to admit to you the thoughts I had. There’ve been some pretty bleak times lately. I’ve let those assholes drive me down. I don’t ever want to be that way again. Sometimes it still scares me,” Joe laughed, “and I’ve never admitted that to anyone, so why am I admitting this to you...” Joe looked at her to gauge her reaction.
Libby opened her mouth to speak, but Joe quickly added, “Wait, let me finish. I’ve been thinking about this...a lot, since I saw you.”
Libby closed her mouth and waited patiently for him to finish. Her gaze was focused on traffic.
“Shootouts make the bar money. That’s always been good business for us. I don’t want to be responsible for someone getting sloshed and driving into a tree—or worse. Mixing liquor just fu…, uh, messes you up. But, that’s no excuse; I know...I guess I didn’t really think about it. Or maybe I didn’t want to think about it...that way.”
When he didn’t get a reaction, he continued, “Well, the other thing...” Joe stammered, staring at the traffic ahead of them. “Well, I won’t tell you a lie, yeah, there’ve been women. I don’t seek ‘em out to leave ‘em cold, but in my lifestyle--relationships just don’t work. Being on the road so much, either singing or acting, it’s just tough to keep ‘em going. I can tell you I’ve tried to...but most girls get bored or mad, and just move on. Yeah, so…I’ve had my share of one night stands. I’m not proud of that, but I’m not like Chuck. Chuck lives for it. He’s a hound dog,” Joe snickered.
“Joe, you don’t have to explain to me...” she said, avoiding eye contact. “Joe, really, I feel awful for those things I said. I’m so sor-”
“Don’t apologize, please! Libby, you really made me think about things that night. I’m glad you said what you said. I’ve felt like my life is so...fractured. I’ve been pulled in so many directions: trying to please everybody...trying to take care of everybody...it’s not working. I’ve been singing since I was 15 years old...and on the road since 18. It’s been a long time, and attachments don’t come easy.
“Too many people are out there looking to use you...catch your coat-tails for whatever ride they can. My life feels very heavy these days. It’s hard to know who to trust, who to believe in.”
He looked at her, “You’ll never know just how much I appreciate that you had the courage to say the things you said. You’re...a breath of fresh air.”
She glanced sideways at him, laughing, “Seems more like a whirlwind to me! I’ve been in this seat more than I ever imagined I would be...I’ve driven over 3000 miles in a week...and I thought this was going to be a leisurely trip,” she laughed.
“I guess meeting you has really changed my direction more than I realized,” she smiled at him.
“Before I heard your songs on the radio, I had two stops planned—my friend Laura’s in Las Cruces and the Grand Canyon. But because of you, I’ve added, what...three, no four stops! And I get the feeling we’re not done yet,” she shot a wistful look at him—hoping for confirmation.
Joe looked at her for a long moment. “Welcome aboard the King’s highway, lady,” he grinned, “Ya might wanna buckle up...could be the ride of your life!”
Pueblo, Colorado, Day 8 - continued
Arriving at the hospital, the two parked near the end of the lot and walked to the emergency entrance. Upon arriving, Joe identified himself, “I’m looking for my brother, Charles King. He came in by ambulance about an hour ago.”
“Sure, Mr. King, right this way. I’m a big fan, by the way,” the nurse gushed. “Unfortunately, I have to work tonight, or I’d be at the fairgrounds to see you guys,” she laughed.
Joe smiled politely, “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said sympathetically. “Hey, how’s Chuck doing?”
“He’s going to be fine, he’s pretty banged up. I’ll send the doctor in. It’s such an honor to meet you,” she gushed again. With that, she turned the corner and directed Joe and Libby into the small room. Chuck lay on the bed with his bruised eyes closed and gauze under his nose. His hand was wrapped in an ice pack.
“Chuck,” Joe said quietly.
Chuck’s eyes peeped open. “Hey, man...what’s happenin’?” Chuck slurred.
“Ah...you got the good stuff?” Joe laughed.
“Yeah, man...no pain!” he waved his hand and then winced as his animations caused the pain he so proudly denounced.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Stevens.” A deep voice was heard from the doorway. He extended his hand to Libby, then to Joe. “Everything looks fine. He’s going to hurt for a few days for sure. His hand apparently was caught between his nose and the airbag. We see that a lot. I don’t see any indications that there’s bleeding in the brain or anything. The nurse has prescriptions for pain and a muscle relaxer for a few days. She tells me he’s a guitarist...I’m afraid he’ll have to hold off on that for a while...course I don’t think I need to tell him that.” Dr. Stevens laughed. “His neck x-rays looked fine, I guess his airbag did its job, so you can take him as soon as the paperwork is finished...should be within the hour.” Joe checked his watch and nodded. “Any questions for me?” he asked.
“No, thanks. Thanks for everything,” Joe replied. The doctor excused himself and left.
Joe offered Libby the only chair in the room. “No, you take it...you were the one bounced around in the wreck. Besides, I’ve been sitting for hours, no, make that days.” she laughed.
Joe looked back at her and smiled. “You’ve got a great laugh, you know that? Lily...” he chuckled. “You know, I thought you said your name was Lily, right?” She shook her head, smiling. Chuck groaned and both turned their attention to him.
“Right! In Lubbock.” Libby laughed. “You kept referring to lilies, dedicating songs, I get it now!” she laughed again. “And here I thought you were stuck on some chick in the place, but hittin’ on me in case she didn’t work out!” she laughed even harder.
“Yeah, for what good it did me,” Joe laughed too. The two looked at each other, as if embracing with their eyes.
Libby felt warm to her toes...he’s so handsome, she thought.
“No wonder you said some of that stuff at the diner! You thought I was comin’ on to somebody else all night!” Joe’s eyes were wide as he laughed.
Libby blushed and nodded.
“I’m glad I finally caught up to you,” he said softly. “Hey, where you headed next, anyway?” he asked her.
“No place in particular: I had only one item on my agenda when I started out. That’s accomplished...so now there’s no place I have to be,” she replied. She looked intently, “Where you wanna go?” She smiled and raised an eyebrow, as if they shared a secret.
Joe caught his breath for a second and gave her a hard look. “Anywhere, so long as you’re there,” he smiled his most charming smile, then studied her lips. “You really need to tell me the name of that scent. It’s drivin’ me wild.”
Libby smiled. Just as she opened her mouth, the nurse appeared with papers for Joe to sign and with a police officer in tow. “Mr. King, I’m Officer Robinson. I was driving the vehicle in pursuit of the man who hit your SUV. I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for causing you all this trouble. Well, not that I caused it, but I do feel somewhat responsible. The man we were following was a known predatory child molester, and we had warrants for his arrest. This morning, we had a report of a missing girl. When we saw him near her neighborhood, we pursued him and, well, apparently you stopped him...or, rather your brother did.” Everyone looked back at Chuck, who was clearly oblivious to the entire conversation.
Libby asked, “Did you find the child?”
“Yes, turned out she visited a neighbor without permission. While I’m relieved, it makes this whole situation that much more unfortunate. And then there’s the regrettable news that he didn’t have insurance. I have some papers here explaining your rights as a victim, and if you have any questions, there’s a phone number you can call. How’s your brother?”
Joe took the papers and nodded. “Well, keep him off the streets, that’ll be a good start. Oh, he’s fine. Just…looks bad. Shoot, he’ll probably get more play off those bruises than anybody else ever would.”
The officer laughed, “Hey, well, if it were up to me...that cat’d never see the light of day! Here’s my business card, if there’s anything you need, just let me know.” He passed the card to Joe.
“Thank you,” Joe responded. With that, the officer left the room.
A few minutes later the nurse appeared with a wheelchair. “How long has he been asleep?” she asked.
“Just a few minutes,” Libby replied.
“Well, I need him to be awake for thirty minutes before I can let him leave.”
“No problem,” Joe responded. He proceeded to wake Chuck up and keep him talking for the duration. Thirty minutes later, the nurse appeared and helped Chuck into the chair. She handed Libby two prescriptions and papers on wound care and follow-up.
Once back in the RV, they ushered Chuck to the bed and made their way to the cab. Libby checked the GPS memory for the fairgrounds, and they set off. It was late afternoon, and no one had eaten since breakfast.
Joe immediately called the radio station to apologize to his fans and to try to encourage folks to come out to the fairgrounds. They did a brief interview by phone. Joe and Libby stopped for a late lunch while Chuck slept in the RV. After eating, they entered the fairgrounds backstage area and unloaded some of the equipment.
Once unloaded, Libby moved the RV from the loading area, and Joe managed affairs backstage. While Chuck was still passed-out, Libby quietly gathered a change of clothes and necessary items to dress for the evening. She contemplated showering, but decided to wait until she knew the plans. While she considered her options, there was a knock on the door.
“Ah…Joe! You don’t need to knock,” she smiled down at him outside the door.
“I can’t invade your space…without permission,” he smiled up at her as he climbed the stairs. “Chuck still out?”
She nodded.
He noticed her clothes on the sofa. “Hey, how about I take the bedroom to change, and you can have the space out here?” Joe offered.
Libby smiled, “Very considerate, thanks.”
Joe was looking in his overnight bag and froze. “I’ve really got a lotta work to do here, don’t I? I’m really not the bad guy you seem to think I am.”
Libby laughed. “Hey, lighten up! I was kidding! Besides, I’d be more afraid in there…if Chuck woke up. He might mistake me for…”
Joe snickered as he put his arms around her, “Yeah. You’d be wise to…well, not really. He’s more into brunettes. Besides he doesn’t have enough pain killers for the hurtin I’d…”
Libby kissed him. Joe responded. The fire ignited from their souls; and for a long while they were lost in each other in a passionate embrace.
A horn blew outside, bringing them out of their moment. It took them both a while to recover from the intensity.
“With tremendous restraint, I’m goin’…” Joe pointed to the bedroom. He moved a step away from Libby, then contemplated his next action. Looking at her furtively, he quickly made up his mind and picked up his overnight bag. Libby stood still as he passed by her. There was a part of her that wanted him to turn back, and she knew that he knew it. Just steps from the bedroom door, Joe paused. Without looking back, he forged through the door. Libby smiled, appreciating his hesitation.
Once the door closed behind him, Joe sighed deeply, half-frustration, half-exhilaration. He didn’t see Libby’s grin in response. She sat on the sofa, trying to rein-in her hormones. She looked at her bedroom door and smiled. “Wow,” she mouthed the unspoken word.
* * *
Joe opened the door slightly to the bedroom, “You decent?”
“Not so much in thought,” Libby muttered. “Sure…come on out.”
Joe smiled as he entered the den. “Very nice!” he added his approva
l of her appearance.
“Thanks…hey, do I need to pick up your brother at the airport?”
“Nah, it’s handled. The stage manager arranged to have someone meet him. I figured he knows the town…maybe has a connection. But, thanks.”
Libby nodded, picking up her keys and headed for the door. Joe looked disappointed, but followed behind her without a word. He had just over an hour before TBK’s performance slot. The two held hands as they walked through the parking lot approaching backstage. Joe greeted a few old friends as they arrived backstage, introducing Libby and explaining Chuck’s condition as they made their way.
* * *
Standing backstage in a small crowd, Joe and Libby casually held hands, but glances at each other caused sparks that would’ve hurt anybody caught in their crossfire.
Joe glanced at his watch, “Wonder how Rick’s coming along. Wish he’d let me know where he was.”
The promoter from the sing-off, Gordon Fisher appeared, looking grim. “Joe,” he said sternly. “I’m sorry to bother you right now, but I need to have a word with you and Ms. Morgan.”
“No problem, Gordon,” Joe replied with a smile. Fisher didn’t return one, but simply turned on his heels and made his way further backstage through makeshift offices and dressing rooms. Libby looked to Joe for some clue about the problem. He took her by the arm and they followed along.
“So, what’s up?” Libby tried to sound light as she offered a half-smile. Joe shrugged.
Following Fisher through one of the office doors, Joe held the door open, stepping back for Libby to enter, then followed behind her. Gordon Fisher took a seat behind a desk in the small room: Bret Puckett sat across from him. There were no other chairs in the room, so Libby and Joe stood by the door.
“What’s this all about?” Joe asked looking at Bret, “I have someplace I need to be, ya’ know.”
Mr. Fisher stood as he replied, “Mr. Puckett has made allegations that you two conspired to rig the contest in Albuquerque.”
Whirlwind Love: Libby's Journey Page 12