The Songwriter

by Jensen, A. P.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She looked up as Trey sat across from her, took her cup and drank the whole thing. She didn’t answer as she got up to make him a cup and refilled her own. When she tried to take her seat, he grabbed her arm and dragged her onto his lap. He tipped her face up.

  “Did I do something wrong?” he asked.

  She smiled. “No.”

  “Did you do something wrong?”

  From the guarded look on his face she knew he was thinking about the games Natasha played and she shook her head.

  “No. This has just been a lot, you know?”

  “Touring or you and I?”

  “Both.”

  He nuzzled her face. “Am I crowding you?”

  She looked into his eyes and was still stunned to see desire in his eyes when he looked at her. It astonished her that he wanted to be around her all the time. If they weren’t rehearsing or performing, they explored whatever town they were in or loafed in bed and watched movies. Deep down, Trey was a simple guy and he liked having her around. Gwen stroked his face and knew their time was coming to an end.

  She leaned up and kissed him. “No. You’re not crowding me at all. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

  He tossed her over his shoulder and carried her to the bedroom. “Don’t mind if I do.”

  One night, they gathered around a campfire to celebrate one of the stage crew’s birthday. There was liquor, games, food and talking. She made a plate full of junk food and made her way over to Trey, who pulled her onto his lap where he sprawled in a fold out chair. None of the crew looked twice at them. Within their touring crew, they were just a couple having fun. When they finished the food, she watched everyone with a smile on her face and felt her heart squeeze.

  “I can’t believe this is going to end,” she whispered.

  “We become family,” he acknowledged. “My crew is the only real family I have. They come to my house during the holidays.”

  “I can see why. I know your brother passed, but what about your parents?”

  “My mom pushed me to be a singer. When I made it big she stole all of my money and started getting into drugs. When I was legal I cut myself off from her and I haven’t seen her since.”

  His voice had no inflection. “What about your dad?”

  “Never met him.”

  She cupped his jaw and he looked down at her. “You’re a great guy. I hope you know that.”

  He grinned. “You didn’t say that when we were rehearsing.”

  She scowled. “You can be a slave driver, but you take care of the crew and me and you’re great.”

  He kissed her solemnly and didn’t reply. She tiled her head back and looked up at the blanket of stars above that she would never see in the city.

  “I’m planning a world tour next year.”

  She jerked as if she’d been shot and her heart stopped in her chest. She was afraid he would ask her to sing and then afraid that he wouldn’t. He would be gone eighteen months or more. Everything was unraveling before her eyes. She waited for Trey to continue but he didn’t. He stared into the fire with a frown on his face and she was left feeling uncertain, anxious and a little peeved that he talked about a world tour but didn’t elaborate.

  At the end of the show in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Gwen was backstage when she heard someone shouting her name. She looked around and it was a shock to see her brother making his way towards her. She screamed and rushed to him, jumping into his arms so he could swing her around. She pressed kisses all over his face and tears rolled down her cheeks. She was babbling incoherently as Wade laughed and put her on her feet.

  “You were amazing!” he said.

  “What are you doing here? Are you here alone? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “We’re all here.”

  Gwen screamed and jumped up and down like a little girl. “Where? Mom and dad are here?”

  “Gwen?”

  A firm hand closed over her arm and drew her away from Wade. She knew without looking that Trey had joined them. She saw Wade’s eyes slide down to the hand on her arm and then up to Trey’s face. She brushed Trey’s hand away and grabbed her brother’s hand with both of hers.

  “Trey, this is my brother Wade. Wade, this is Trey.”

  Trey held out a hand and Gwen noticed Wade pause before he shook it. She was too excited to address the tension between the two men. Angie appeared with her family and Gwen squealed and ran to them. She ran to her dad who swung her around like Wade had, kissed her mom and sisters, Lisa and Jo. Her brothers in law were also there with her four nieces and nephew Ben. She smothered everyone with hugs and kisses and couldn’t believe they were all here.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were gonna be here?” Gwen demanded.

  “We wanted to surprise you.” Her mom bounced on her tiptoes as Trey walked up and beamed at him. “I think you’re fabulous!”

  Trey smiled and introduced himself. Realizing how rude she was being, Gwen stepped in and introduced her family one by one. She saw their eyes slide between her and Trey and she shifted uncomfortably. She never planned for this moment. It was a cold dose of reality having her family here. Having an affair with a country superstar was all well and good when your family wasn’t around but now…They, like everyone else assumed that their chemistry was part of the show, but Trey’s behavior now hinted at their real relationship. She knew Trey was looking at her and she had no idea what to say. Her four nieces crowded around her, touched her dress and asked her how she did her makeup.

  “We can give you a backstage tour,” Trey said, taking charge.

  “Cool!” the kids said and the men agreed.

  Gwen gratefully let him take the men and kids on a tour, leaving Gwen with her mom and sisters. Her mom was short, plump and sweet and at the moment she was eyeing her youngest daughter with a look that made Gwen feel fifteen again. Her older sisters were both built like linebackers, which came in handy in the hardware store. They looked scandalized and envious.

  “You’re seriously sleeping with Trey Phoenix?” Lisa hissed.

  Gwen stammered, “Why do you ask?”

  “Because he just stood there waiting for you to introduce him to us. Awkward,” Jo said.

  Gwen shook her head. “My relationship with Trey doesn’t matter.”

  “Gwen.”

  Her mom drew out her name on a long sigh and it made Gwen feel so damn guilty. She put an arm around her mom and kissed her cheek. “I know. Please don’t do this now. I’m so glad to see you all. Let me show you my bus.”

  Her sisters drooled over her bus and wardrobe and she hastily changed out of her dress because she was sweating. She showed them the recording bus and anything else she could think of to distract them from her relationship with Trey. When they reconnected with Trey, she saw that he and her dad were deep in conversation. Her nephew Ben ran to her and she put him on her hip.

  “You were pretty on the stage,” Ben said shyly.

  “Thank you. How do you like living with your daddy full time?”

  “I like it.”

  “That’s good.”

  “When you come back, are we going camping again?”

  Remembering the last camping fiasco she winced. “We’ll see, okay?”

  “Which reminds me,” her mom said. “You’ll be home when we renew our vows, right?”

  Gwen nodded. “We have one show in South Dakota and one in North Dakota, then I’ll be there. I can only stay one day before we head to Washington.”

  “As long as you’re there.”

  “I will be. I promise.”

  By the time her family left, she was exhausted, elated and depressed. She and Trey walked out to the parking lot and were swarmed by lingering fans, which made her family stare because most of them wanted pictures with Gwen. She and Trey waved as her dad honked his mini bus and drove out of the parking lot. She wrapped her arms around herself and started back towards the buses.

  “You were uncomfortabl
e,” Trey said.

  She blew out a breath and glanced at him. “I wasn’t prepared. Sorry.”

  “You didn’t want to introduce me.”

  “I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arm around him and was relieved when he pulled her close. “I didn’t want them to think I was a groupie or something. They wouldn’t understand.”

  “You’ve introduced other boyfriends to them before, right?”

  Boyfriend. Trey was so much more than that which made introducing him so damn hard. “You’re different. You’re a damn celebrity.”

  “Whatever. I didn’t know you had such a big family.”

  She nodded. “They rarely leave White Mist which was why I was so shocked to see them. My grandparents opened a hardware store and my parents are the second generation to run it. My brothers and sisters work there too.”

  “I can’t imagine you working at a hardware store,” he mused.

  She groaned. “I did when I was in high school. Why do you think I left at eighteen?”

  “So, you’re their wild child.”

  “They think so.”

  “Which is another reason why you didn’t want to introduce me?” He looked at her guilty face. “I didn’t even know you had a brother. When I saw you kissing Wade, I almost punched him.”

  She glanced up, frowning. “You know I don’t just jump on random guys and start kissing them, right?”

  He stopped, leaned down and kissed her. When he pulled away, her eyes were shut and she had a smile on her face.

  “I know you’re not like that, but seeing you kissing another guy isn’t easy for me. First I catch you sleeping with Johnny and now this. Mentioning you had a brother would have been a good head’s up.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and boosted herself up so her legs wrapped around his waist. “Sorry. For what it’s worth, thanks for not attacking my brother.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  He walked up the steps to his bus and when he lay her down and made love to her, she tried to forget that worried look on her mom’s face. She felt her stomach dive because it was almost over.

  Chapter Ten

  Trey nuzzled her neck as he splayed over her. Gwen smiled and savored the moment.

  “I’m going to be gone for a couple days,” Gwen murmured dreamily.

  Trey stopped what he was doing and looked down at her. “For what?”

  “I need to go home.”

  “Home where?”

  “Montana.”

  “You’re from Montana?”

  Gwen rolled out from under him. “Yes. White Mist, Montana”

  “When are you leaving?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow? And you’re only telling me now?”

  Gwen glanced at his outraged face. “Why are you getting pissy for?”

  He jabbed a finger in her direction as she pulled on a robe. “You act like I’m the one that’s always pulling away, but it’s you. If I was heading out to the Bahamas tomorrow, you would expect me to tell you, right?”

  Gwen shrugged. “I guess, but if it was private, I wouldn’t pry.”

  “You are the weirdest woman I’ve ever been with!”

  Gwen blew him a kiss as she made her way to the door. She was done talking about it. Trey scrambled across the bed and blocked her from leaving. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

  “Was there something else you wanted?” she asked.

  There were a lot of things he wanted from her. He wanted all of her, not just the parts she allowed. Sometimes, he thought they were in sync until she pulled stunts like this. ‘I’ll be gone for a couple of days’ she said as casually as if she was going to head to the store and come back. She didn’t expect him to question or be concerned. He wanted to be with her, damn it and she treated him like a fling and he was going to correct that. Now.

  “I’m coming with you,” he said.

  Gwen blinked. “Why?”

  He resisted the urge to shake her. “I just met your parents. They know we’re together. You don’t think they’ll think it’s weird that I don’t come with you?”

  “No. I can tell them you’re busy.”

  He glared at her. “You don’t want me to come with you?”

  She fumbled. “I don’t think this is your kind of thing.”

  “Which is?”

  “My parents are going to renew their vows. It’s their fiftieth anniversary.”

  “I’ve never seen a couple renew their vows.”

  She looked as if she swallowed a lemon. “I don’t know.”

  “Why?”

  “White Mist is a really small town and I don’t know what you would do there.”

  “I’d be with you.” Wasn’t that the whole point?

  “I’m going to be cooking and babysitting and setting up for the party. Don’t you think you’d rather stay here-”

  “No.”

  Gwen looked taken aback. “But don’t you have to-”

  “No. I don’t have to do anything. Ask me to come with you.”

  Gwen folded her arms across her chest. “And what are you going to do if my dad asks what your intentions are?”

  “What intentions?” he repeated blankly.

  “See what I mean? You have no idea what you’re walking into. My parents believe in marriage and marriage. That’s it. If I bring home a guy, they’ll assume it’s serious and start asking when we’re getting married.”

  Trey shifted nervously. Okay, so he never considered that, but he wasn’t about to be left behind. “I can handle it.”

  “You are so stubborn.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her. “Ask me to come with you.”

  “You’re making a huge mistake,” she said against his lips.

  “I don’t care. Ask me to come.”

  Gwen widened her big brown eyes and wrapped her arms around him. “Trey Phoenix, will you come home with me to meet my parents?”

  “Yes. I will. Thanks baby.”

  Gwen rolled her eyes and squealed when he picked her up and tossed her back on the bed.

  “I have to pack!” she shrieked as he pulled the robe open.

  “No. We’ll take your bus.”

  “I bought a plane ticket!” she protested.

  “Use it another time,” he said huskily and pushed into her.

  Gwen stepped out of her bus and eyed the fleet of buses that were now parked in her parent’s field. Everyone got out and started making camp. She glared at Trey and poked him in the chest.

  “This is all your fault!”

  “Nobody wants to miss out,” Trey said with a shrug.

  “I need to tell my parents. Stay here.”

  She started across the field to her parent’s house, but was pulled to a stop by Trey who took her hand. When she raised her brows, he kissed her.

  “We’ll go together. We’re not pretending while we’re here.”

  “Okay.”

  She knew this was going to be trouble, but she didn’t want Trey to think she was ashamed of him. He shouldn’t have to pay for her past mistakes. Her parents were standing on the back porch and her mom jumped up and down, waving.

  “Hi Trey Phoenix!” she shouted.

  “Mrs. Harper.”

  “Oh. You can just call me Mama.”

  Trey grinned and leaned down to hug her. “Okay Mama, you call me just Trey.”

  Gwen went over to her dad who was looking at fifteen tour buses now parked in his field. She put an arm around his waist. “So yeah, we have a couple days off and when people heard I was coming here for my parent’s anniversary they wanted to come. Is that okay?”

  Her dad didn’t say anything for a minute, but he finally nodded and kissed her on the cheek. He walked down the steps and walked out on the field to welcome the crew. She sighed and hugged her mom.

  “So we might be adding forty or fifty extra.”

  Her mom nodded. “Okay. Let me call your aunts to let them know.”

  Alway
s prepared for guests, her mom rushed into the kitchen and a minute later came out with a tray of chocolate bars artfully arranged. She headed out on the field to join her husband who had the crew gathered around.

  Gwen took Trey’s hand and pulled him into the house. The house was extremely old but well cared for. Pictures of generations covered the walls and antique lamps and trinkets were placed well above the reach of children. Here and there, toys were scattered and they walked out onto the front porch.

  “My parents own a lot of land so my sisters and brother live on the same property.”

  Gwen pointed out three other houses in the cul-de-sac. Trey put his arms around her as he took in the raw beauty of the mountains in the distance.

  “It feels like another world here.”

  “Far from the screaming fans and lights, huh?” Gwen chuckled. “I love coming home but I like the city too. I like being anonymous.”

  “You’re not anonymous anymore.”

  She elbowed him in the stomach. “Yeah. Thanks to you.”

  “Gwen, do you mind picking up the kids? Everybody’s working and I’m gonna whip up something for lunch,” Mama hollered.

  “Alright! I’ll be back,” Gwen shouted back and raised her brows at Trey. “And so the fun begins.”

  With Trey in the passenger seat of her parent’s SUV, Gwen drove through White Mist, showing Trey their tiny town. When she pulled up in front of the school, she honked the horn and her four nieces and Ben came running, shouting and yelling excitedly. They piled into the car and leaned between the console to give Gwen and Trey wet, happy kisses. Trey looked a little shell shocked and Gwen laughed.

  “They see you once and they think you’re part of the family,” Gwen said.

  “Uncle Trey, are you gonna marry Aunty Gwen?” Peyton asked.

  Gwen’s laughter filled the car while Trey turned to survey the five pairs of eyes watching him.

  “I’m waiting for your aunt to ask me,” Trey said.

  That stopped Gwen’s laughter. She shot him a warning look and looked up at the mirror that showed all the kids watching the byplay between the two adults.

  “Uncle Trey and I are dating and we’re good friends. Not everyone that dates gets married,” Gwen said.