by Naomi Niles
A sudden impulse struck me, and I jumped up off the sofa.
“Wait a second, James,” I blurted out. “Before you go and do those autographs, can you do one for me?”
He smiled. “Of course, lovely lady. You got a notepad handy?”
“Not on paper – on my guitar.”
He raised an eyebrow. “But that's a beautiful instrument you've got there. Are you sure you want to mar it with writin'?”
“Trust me, James, it's not marring it. It'll only add to its beauty. Like I said, you're one of my musical heroes, and after hearing the story about where you came from, seeing your autograph on my guitar every time I pick it up to play will inspire me more than anything else could.”
He nodded. “Since you put it like that, why, I'd be honored to autograph your guitar.”
His manager found a permanent marker pen while I went and fetched my guitar. I watched with a smile as I handed it to him, and he signed his name in the thick, black ink of the sharpie. I then gave him one last hug, and then we all said farewell to him.
Jason, meanwhile, had gone off to fetch us a fresh round of beers. When he returned with them, he set them down on the coffee table.
“You two sounded amazing up there,” Lilly said. “You really did.”
“It was a dream come true,” I gushed. “And Chance here made it happen.”
Lilly turned to him and nodded. “That was a real decent thing to do, Chance,” she said.
“Well, you have to admit, she did deserve it after I was so rude on the first date,” he replied.
“I'm the friend who went and met her at the restaurant and ran up such a big tab on your card, by the way,” she said. “Sorry about that.”
He chuckled. “No, no, no. No need to apologize for that. I told ya’ll, I deserved it.”
Lilly had always been a more direct person than me, so she cut right to the chase.
“Can you tell us now, at least, why you got up and left like that?” she asked.
I hadn't expected her to be so abrupt about it, but now it was out there, we could only see how he would react. He didn't seem to mind, though.
“Sure. It's like this. I'm sure ya’ll have heard of Circle B Beef.”
Jason nodded. “One of the biggest producers of beef in North America, yeah.”
“Yeah. Well, they want my ranch, ya see. And they've been tryin' their darndest to get their paws on it by any means necessary. They wanna take over all the ranches in my area, and use ‘em for one gigantic mass feedlot. I've refused every offer they've made on the land though. That ranch had been in my family for generations, and that land is my daughter's birthright too. I sure as hell ain't gonna sell it out to corporate interests like that – especially not a corporation like Circle B. They'll destroy the land and pollute the creek with their feedlot. And it's not just the fact that it's my ranch – there are people on the ranch who have been there almost their whole lives, like my foreman Andy. That ranch is all he knows, and if it were taken away, I don't know what he'd do.”
“I see,” replied Lilly. “But what does all of that have to do with you running out of the date that night?”
“Everything,” replied Chance. I could see the same look of anger beginning to darken his features as he thought about the events of that evening. “Y' see, seeing as their conventional methods of negotiation had failed with me, those bastards at Circle B started resorting to more, shall I say, unconventional methods to try to persuade me to part with my land. And on the night I went out with Mackenzie to the restaurant, someone came onto my ranch and poisoned my favorite stallion.”
“Oh my God,” I exclaimed. “Is he all right? How could they do such a thing?”
“He only barely survived, but he's slowly regaining his strength.”
Before the conversation could continue, however, my phone rang. I checked to see who it was, and saw that it was my mother. I knew that I had to take this call.
“Hi. Mom,” I said.
I could hear right away that something was wrong – and I knew what it was. This was the call I'd been dreading getting for a while. This was what had been gnawing away at me for months, ever since I'd found out about my dad’s condition.
“It's your father,” she said, her voice shaky with emotion. “You better come now, Mackenzie, you better come right now.”
Chapter Ten
Chance
I saw the expression on Mackenzie's face change instantly. While she'd been practically glowing with joy and happiness ever since she'd stepped off the stage, she was suddenly pale, and a look of worry or even fear had entered her eyes. She slowly put the phone back in her bag and swallowed before she spoke.
“Guys, I have to leave right now.”
“What's wrong?” Lilly asked.
“It's... it's my dad. He's in hospital.”
I immediately had the urge to take charge, as I always did in situations of crisis. I stepped without hesitation. “I'll take you. I guarantee I'll get you there faster and safer than anyone else here. Trust me on that. Lilly, you take care of Mackenzie's guitar and other equipment. Jason, you speak to the manager of the bar and make sure Mackenzie gets her pay for the evening's performance. I'll let ya’ll know when we're at the hospital. Mackenzie, I assume you trust Lilly enough to give her your apartment keys? So she can take your equipment home and drop it off and then meet us at the hospital. Can you do that?” I asked as I turned to Lilly.
Lilly nodded. “I sure can.”
“I'll handle the finances,” Jason said. “I'll get on that right now.”
“Great. Mackenzie, give Lilly your keys and come with me. It's gonna be all right. It'll be all right.”
Nodding, and seeming kind of numb from the phone call, she handed Lilly her house keys.
“Good. Now, let’s go. I'm parked out back.”
I took her hand and gently, but briskly, led her out the back entrance of the bar, and we hurried across the parking lot to my truck. I opened the passenger door for her and made sure she was safely strapped in before I ran around to the driver's side and hopped in. I started up the motor and revved it, then threw it into gear and took off fast, wheels spinning.
“Don't worry, Mackenzie, I'll get us there quickly but safely. I may have done a bit of rally driving in my time, so you're in good hands.”
I sped through the streets, cutting between cars and overtaking everything in our path. We approached a red light, and I checked both ways to make sure no traffic was coming, and then I jumped it. A camera flashed behind me, but I didn't care. A traffic fine was a small price to pay for getting Mackenzie to the hospital when her family needed her.
We made it in less than twenty minutes. I dropped her off at the entrance so she could get in quickly, and then I went to find a parking spot.
She'd clearly been worried. We hadn't said a word to each other the entire drive there. I'd got the sense that she didn't really want to talk about it, so I hadn't pushed it. She could tell me when she felt ready to. All I wanted at this stage was to be there for her and help out in whatever way I could.
I eventually found a spot to park the truck and then I headed inside.
“Can I help you?” asked the nurse on duty at the front desk.
“I'm looking for a Mr. Shea who was just admitted.”
“Are you family or a friend?” she asked.
“I'm a friend.”
She took a look in her notebook and then shook her head.
“I'm sorry, but we can only let family in to see Mr. Shea at this stage. He's being attended to by doctors now. His situation is pretty urgent.”
“I understand. It’s not necessary that I see him, but I do need to see his daughter, Mackenzie. I just brought her here.”
“I see. Let me get hold of one of the nurses in the ward to let Miss Shea know.”
She picked up a phone and called someone. I waited for a while, tapping my fingers on the desk impatiently until the phone was eventually handed to me.
“Hi.” I heard Mackenzie's voice on the other end.
“Hi, Mackenzie. How's your dad?” I asked.
“He's not great, but the doctor just told us that he's going to pull through. He'll be moved to another room and I’ll probably be here a couple more hours.”
“All right. I can wait down here and give you a ride back when you're done.”
“No, I appreciate it. I'm gonna get a ride back with my mom and stay with my family tonight.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Listen, thank you so much for bringing me here. And thank you so much for organizing the song with James. I didn't get the chance to thank you properly, but it meant so, so much to me. It's something I know I'll remember for the rest of my life.”
Knots formed in my stomach as she spoke. I could only hope I'd succeeded in winning her over a little with that gesture.
“It's my pleasure, Mackenzie. It was beautiful to see you two play together. And that's something I'll remember for the rest of my days.”
While we were talking, Jason and Lilly walked in.
“Hey, Mackenzie, Jason and Lilly are here. Do you want a word with them?” I asked.
“Yes, please. And, Chance, don’t feel like you need to hang around. Thank you again so much for doing this. I'll talk to you tomorrow, all right?”
“All right, we'll talk then. I hope you and your family get some rest later, and this whole thing hasn't been too stressful on ya’ll. Have a good night, beautiful.”
I handed the phone to Lilly who immediately began asking all the questions a best friend would ask. Jason started talking to me.
“I got the money, and everything is settled at the bar,” he said to me.
“Thanks for doing that. Listen, man, I gotta run. But it was great meeting you,” I said.
“It was good meeting you too,” he responded. “There's one more thing I have to say though,” he continued. “Let's walk and talk.”
“All right,” I agreed, as we started walking alongside each other, heading out of the hospital.
“I can see you're interested in Mackenzie, obviously,” he said.
“I am. I mean, I didn't expect to be,” I admitted. “My buddy set up that date contest on the radio station as a bit of a joke – but hell, the first time I laid eyes on Mackenzie, and that was before I even knew about the date, I knew I wanted to get to know her.”
“Yeah. Well, listen, man, I don't mean to sound like a dick or anything, but you know how people talk. I’m just gonna come out and say it. I've heard that you've got a bit of a reputation with the ladies. Is that true?”
He turned and looked me in the eye, his face deadly serious. Of course, as I was far bigger and stronger than him, I wasn't intimidated at all, but I didn't want to disrespect him either. I knew his intentions were good and that he was asking this because he cared about Mackenzie. Therefore, I didn't get aggressive at all.
“I'm sure you might have heard some shit about me, yeah. And I ain't gonna deny it. There were times in the past when I acted in a, well, in a less than honorable way with some ladies. But it was all fun, and nobody got hurt in the end. Well, not hurt too badly, I hope.”
“If you're looking to do the same with Mackenzie, just stop now. Don't play games with her, man. She's not some bimbo you can party with and then drop. She has a past, and she's been hurt badly by a scumbag before. She's Lilly’s best friend in the world, and I've known her for many years. She really is one of the kindest, sweetest people I've ever met. And she deserves far better than some cold-hearted player. I know I'm half your size, Chance, but so help me God, if you break this girl's heart, I'll break your damn jaw. You got it?”
I respected him for being so upfront and standing up for his friend. Truth was, I had no intention of playing any kinda games with this girl's heart.
“I don't intend to mess Mackenzie around, Jason. And thank you for manning up and giving it to me straight, man-to-man. To tell the truth,” I said with a grin, lightening the moment, “I didn't expect something like that from a Yankee, but hell, the world is full of surprises. You have my word. I ain't gonna mess Mackenzie around or play games with her heart.”
I extended my hand to him, and he shook it firmly.
“Good,” he replied. “I'm glad to hear that. Have a good evening, and thanks for all the help. And remember what I said. I’ll be watching. No games. Just don't.”
“I won't, Jason. I won't.”
I turned around and headed back to my truck. As I started up the motor, my phone rang. I had to wonder who was calling me at this hour. I looked at the phone and saw that it was Tina.
“Hey, Tina, what's going on?” I said as I answered the call.
“Oh, not much, not much,” she replied. I could hear from the tone of her voice that she’d had a good few drinks. She'd finished her show at the station around two hours earlier, so I was guessing she'd gone out to party right afterward.
“Oh yeah? How did the show go earlier?” I asked.
“Just great! I didn't see you in the office next to the booth though. I was wondering if you were all right.”
“I'm fine, I'm fine. I was just out catching some live music with friends.”
“Oh... are you still doing that?” she asked, fishing.
“Nope, I'm just about to head home now, so—” Before I could close the conversation, she interrupted.
“Oh, that's just perfect! Look, I hate to bug you, Chance, but I'm at this bar downtown, and I need to get home. Thing is, I'm scared to take a taxi by myself, because there's this creepy guy who's been staring at me and following me around the bar all evening. I'm worried that if I get into a taxi, he'll follow me home. Did I mention how creepy this guy is? Seriously.”
I sighed. I didn't want to, but I knew, as a gentleman and her friend that I was obligated to help her out. “All right, all right, you don't need to ask. I'll come pick you up. Which bar is it?”
“The Basement. You know where that is?”
“Yeah. And what the hell are you doing in that kinda place anyway? No wonder these damn creeps are following ya around. Look, just wait by the bar or somewhere where you're visible and there's lots a' people around. I'll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Thanks so much, Chance, you're the best, you really are.”
I started up my truck and drove to The Basement — a biker bar. Fifteen minutes later, I parked my truck out front and went downstairs to the entrance. A heavily-tattooed bouncer stopped me from going in.
“Entrance is five dollars, cowboy,” he growled.
“I'm just going in to pick someone up,” I responded.
“Yeah, so is every other guy in this bar,” he countered.
“Fine, whatever,” I said as I handed him a five dollar bill.
“Enjoy,” he said, stepping aside to let me in.
I walked into the crowded bar, trying to ignore the ear-jarring heavy metal. I finally spotted Tina waiting on a bar stool at one end of the bar. She was dressed in a tight, white cocktail dress that showed off every curve of her perfectly contoured body. Her hair was styled and her makeup heavy. I had to admit, she looked damn sexy – but Tina had never been on my radar. Besides, my thoughts were still on Mackenzie. I walked up to Tina and tapped her on the shoulder.
“Chance!” she exclaimed as she turned and threw her arms around me and squeezed me tight, then followed it with a kiss on my neck.
“All right, all right,” I said, disengaging myself from her embrace. “I'm here, now come on. Let's get out of this joint. I need to get back to my ranch.”
“Okay. Thanks for coming to get me, I really appreciate it,” she slurred.
“Sure thing. Let's go.”
I took her hand and led her through the mass of bikers until we finally emerged onto the street. She leaned on my shoulder as she walked, and slipped her hand into the back pocket of my jeans. I probably should've pulled it out immediately, but I didn't want to get into an argument. She was drunk, s
o I just let it pass.
Still, within seconds she started squeezing my butt suggestively.
“Thanks for being a hero for me, Chance,” she said. “I'm so happy you came to rescue me.”
“You're a good employee, Tina. And no decent gentleman would refuse to help out a lady in need.”
“My handsome knight in a shining pickup,” she giggled. “And damn you're hot. Did you know that? Actually, doing this for me makes you even hotter in my eyes.”
“Well, uh, that's not why I'm doing it, Tina. I'm—”
Suddenly she grabbed my neck, pulled my face down, and planted her lips on mine, kissing me intensely. Before I knew it her tongue was in my mouth, and her hand was on my crotch, rubbing, squeezing, and massaging me through my jeans. I was so taken by surprise that I let her do it for a few seconds before my brain and conscience kicked in, and I pulled away and pushed her back.
“No, Tina,” I said firmly, panting as I regained my breath. “No. If you do that again you're walking home.”
“Aw, you're no fun, Chance,” she said, pouting. “Come on, I don't wanna be your girlfriend or anything. But can't we just have a little fun together tonight? No strings attached – and I mean none at all. Not a single one.”
“No. You're drunk, and I'm gonna take you home and drop you off, and that's gonna be the end of it. If you don't agree, well you can just walk.”
“Aw, come on, Chance,” she all but begged.
“I said you can walk. So that's what you wanna do?”
She huffed and a look of anger flashed across her face. She suppressed it quickly, however, and smiled, although I could see it was a fake smile.
“I'm sorry, Chance,” she said in the sweetest voice she could manage. “I shouldn't have done that. All right, we'll do it your way. I won't do anything else. You can just drop me at home.”
“You better be telling the truth,” I said. “Come on, get in, and let's go.”
She climbed into the truck without a word and then I got in too, and we took off into the night.