“I appreciate all that, I really do, and I don’t take it lightly. I’m just not entirely convinced that it would have happened if Chet didn’t need to take the time off. Remember that before you brought me back, you had to let me go. You let me go home because I couldn’t give up my entire life to be with you. You couldn’t see past your own wants and needs to try to meet me halfway. I hate to say this, but it really felt like you thought of yourself first. When things got tough, you didn’t really consider my needs. It seemed like if it couldn’t be on your terms, you didn’t want a relationship with me.”
Blake took her hand and stroked circles against her skin with his thumb. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t think that I was a good enough bet, and I didn’t want you to take the chance on me. I’ve never done this before and I know that I screwed it up. I can see that I have been so selfish, and I’m ready to change.”
She squeezed his hand. “I hope so. I’ve changed, too. I’m not going to give my heart to someone who won’t keep it safe. I want and need a real commitment, and I don’t want to beg for it. I love what we had together, but I don’t want it back if it’s not for real.”
“We can have that again. We could go back to the way we were. We’re here together now, and we can stay together.”
“I’d like to think that, but I need more time before I’m sure. We’re only together here because you had a convenient way to make that happen. I certainly appreciate it, don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful for the opportunity, but I have to be careful with my heart. As far as I know, you could have gone the rest of your life without ever calling me again. I’ll need time to see if this is more than a convenient situation for you. If you don’t want to wait, then I’m sure there are a hundred other girls who would be willing to take whatever you’d be willing to give them.”
Blake smiled, as though he sensed that he had a chance. “I don’t want any other girls. I want you, only you, and I’ll prove it to you.”
Katie kissed Blake softly on the lips and whispered, “I hope so.”
• • •
Blake made his way around the dressing room, blowing out candles, dazed in disbelief. He had known that it might be awkward between him and Katie, but he thought the champagne and candles would put her in a more romantic mood.
He wished that he hadn’t been so awkward and stiff around her when she first joined the tour. Surely she was expecting a warmer reception, and then what she got was Mr. Businessman. She obviously needed to see that he could change, that he could put someone else’s needs above his own. He had to find a way to make her believe that he could commit.
Blake wished that he had a sister or even a close female friend who could help him with this. He needed a big idea, like a grand gesture, to win her back. He thought the candles and champagne would do the trick, but he apparently underestimated how badly she had been hurt.
• • •
Katie quickly rounded the corner and made sure she was out of Blake’s eyesight before she let herself slow her steps to a more normal pace. She relaxed her shoulders and took a few deep breaths as she approached her dressing room. Once she was safely ensconced in the privacy of her room, she locked the door and sat down on her couch. She wanted to fling herself face down on the cushions but Tiffany and Cara had worked so hard to perfect her look that she hated to ruin it.
So, Blake wanted her back. Now what? Katie imagined how delicious it would feel to be back in Blake’s arms, feeling his breath tickle her earlobe as he whispered sweet words to her. It would feel perfect to be back by his side, and part of her wanted to forget about waiting and just jump back in to the relationship. Everything was right when they were together. It was as if Blake was made for her, like she had found her perfect match.
She thought of the dark days following her return home to Texas, how many hours she sat alone, wishing he would call. It seemed to have been so easy for him to forget about her. Of course, she didn’t know if he had forgotten about her or if he truly just didn’t know what to do. She decided that there was no reason that she couldn’t eventually move past what had happened, but she would need evidence of a big change in Blake. She needed to see that he wouldn’t take her for granted again. He would have to show her that he had grown enough to think of someone other than himself, that her heart would be safe with him. She just hoped that she keep herself from throwing herself in his arms long enough to make him work to get her back.
She looked at herself in the big dressing room mirror, at her expertly applied makeup and shiny, bouncy hair, and realized that she hadn’t given Blake enough credit. He had made the arrangements for Tiffany and Cara to join her on tour, at his own expense, as a way to make Katie more comfortable. He figured that she would need a couple of friendly faces when she arrived, and had made this happen for her. It was entirely possible that Caroline Mathers had given him the idea, but Katie chose to believe that Blake thought of it all himself. She picked up her cell phone and dialed Blake’s number.
“Katie!” Blake answered, sounding achingly optimistic.
“Hey. Listen, I just wanted to thank you so much for bringing Tiffany and Cara on board for me. I never thanked you for that, and I want you to know how much it means to me. I was so excited to see them, and everything has been so overwhelming for me that it is wonderful to have them here with me.”
“It’s my pleasure, sweetheart. I’m glad that you’re happy. You know, if you decide to give me the chance, I’ll do many more things to make you happy.” Katie could hear the smile in Blake’s voice. He sounded lighthearted, but she hoped that he was completely sincere.
“Keep it up, Mr. Jackson, and I might have to find out.” Katie kept her tone light, but she wondered how she would ever hold out long enough to be sure that he had changed.
“I plan on it. You wait and see.”
Katie laughed. “Okay, I’ll hold you to that. See you at the show.”
“See you tonight, sweetheart.” Blake ended the call.
Katie held her phone in her lap and felt a huge grin spread across her face. Even after all they had been through, she still loved Blake. It would be torture to keep him at arms’ length for much longer, but she just couldn’t give herself to him as freely as she had in the past without making him wait, at least a little while.
• • •
Blake hummed to himself as he completed his last-minute preparations for the show. Katie hadn’t taken him back, but he thought he could hear traces of affection in her voice. He was confident that he could win her back with a little effort. He decided to stop feeling sorry for himself, to stop wishing he could change the past, and start looking towards the future.
Hiring Tiffany and Cara to join Katie for the rest of the tour was expensive, but clearly worth every penny. Blake was glad that he had thought of it, and even more glad that it helped Katie. It was a step in the right direction, but Blake had a feeling that he should do more than just give Katie nice things. A girl like her cared more about what a person did, how he used his resources to help others, than how many gifts he could buy her or how many fancy dates he could pay for. He already sent money to Luke’s foundation regularly, but that was easy. Katie wouldn’t be impressed by him writing a check to help his brother’s foundation. She would be impressed if he took the time to find other ways to use his money and celebrity to help others, and he had the beginnings of a great idea.
He called Caroline on her cell phone. “Hey, Caro, can you do me a favor?”
“Of course,” she answered.
“If you have time, would you poke around and find information on local shelters for battered women and children? I need it pretty quick.”
“Sure, I can do that. How quick are we talking?”
“Actually, like right away if you can. I know that we’ll have to move on this immediately, but if we can get something out by the time
the doors open tonight I would appreciate it. Here’s the thing. I want to get the contact info for the organization, get donation boxes out around the venue, and get the folks coming in tonight to donate to the cause. I’ll match whatever they put in, or double it, or whatever. I haven’t thought it all the way through, but I want to start tonight, and I want to think ahead and do it in other cities too.” He stood up and paced around his dressing room, energized by the idea and excited at the potential.
“I’m searching online right now. Is this the new and improved Blake Jackson?” Caroline asked affectionately.
“Yep. I hope you’re ready, because I’m making some changes.”
She laughed. “Does this have anything to do with Katie?”
“Well, I’m hurt that you would think that,” Blake joked. “But yeah, Katie seems to have gotten the idea that I don’t think of anyone but myself. I’d hate for her to be right.”
“You’re a good man. I’m sure she’ll see that. Okay, so I have some results from my search. I’ll call around and get everything set up. I’ll have the details for you before the doors open tonight.”
“Sounds good. Thanks for your help.”
• • •
The band had just finished their first song of the night, Blake’s popular hit ‘Someone like You’, and Blake stood at the microphone. “Hello, Wichita! Thank you for coming out tonight!” The audience cheered so loudly that Katie could feel the vibrations under her feet. Blake waited for the crowd to quiet down, and then said, “We’ve got a lot of music coming your way tonight, but first I wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping me. I know y’all saw the pink boxes out in the lobby, and I know that many of y’all donated money when you came in. I thank you, and the YWCA Women’s Crisis Center thanks you. We will be totaling up your donations at the end of the night, and I will match them!” A cheer went up from the audience. “Thank you! I thought it was high time I gave back to the communities that have given me so much. Thank you for digging into your pockets tonight!”
Blake grinned at Katie and winked. She tucked her fiddle under her chin and flashed a toothy smile at him.
“How do ya like me now?” He mouthed the words to her, nodded to the band, and counted “One, two, three, four!” before the band launched into their next song.
• • •
“You really are something, you know that?” Katie fished a bottle of water from a tub of ice in the band’s hospitality room and wiped it on her jeans.
“You liked that, huh? Well, there’s more where that came from.” Blake took a drink from his own water bottle and gave Katie a wink.
“More? How many times can you match an entire audience’s donations before you go broke?” She grinned up at him.
“Well now I didn’t say that I would do the same thing in every city,” he laughed. “I’m just trying to use my powers for good, you know? Helping others, being a good guy, all that stuff.”
“I’m just giving you a hard time. I think that what you did was amazing. That was really thoughtful of you. That money is going to help the YWCA do a lot of good. Frankly, I’m impressed, Mr. Jackson.”
“Well, thank you. I’ve been kicking some ideas around. You know, Caroline gets a lot of requests from nonprofits for appearances or money or endorsements, whatever. I’m going to start giving back more. It was recently brought to my attention that I can be pretty selfish.” He gave her a boyish grin.
“Well I’m glad to see that you’re changing your ways,” Katie teased. She didn’t resist when he leaned down to press his lips against hers. His warm kiss sent a shiver down her spine and reminded her why she fell for Blake in the first place.
“Is this okay?” he whispered against her lips. He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to hers.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Blake took her hand and led Katie out of the room and into the empty hallway. “I have something for you.” His eyes danced as he pulled a thick manila folder out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Katie. “Open it.”
She pulled out a sheaf of papers and scanned the type, her brow furrowed in concentration. Blake watched her carefully, waiting for her reaction.
“You should go over it in detail later, before you sign it. I wanted to give it to you tonight to show you how serious I am about you and your career. It’s a new contract, if you’re interested. It’s an offer to join me in a legal partnership. If you accept, then you will no longer be a hired musician for the band. You’ll be my partner. It gives you more stability, more ownership and involvement in the music. What do you think?”
“Oh my gosh, this is amazing. This is huge. I don’t know what to say.” Katie’s hand trembled as she tried to focus enough to read the words on the pages, unshed tears blurring her vision.
“You don’t have to say anything. I want you to know that, without any doubt, I want you here with me for the long haul and I think we’ll make a great team. This is not a favor or a gift. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but it’s a solid career move for you, if you decide to take the next step. I want to make it clear to you that you will not be my employee, we will be partners in this.”
“I am overwhelmed. I honestly never expected anything like this.”
“I hope this will show you how serious I am about you, as a musician and as my partner.” He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. “I swear to you, Katie McCoy, that I will never hurt you again. I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me.” He kissed her full on the lips and whispered, “If you’ll let me.”
He wrapped his arms around her, and she inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent that she had missed so much when they were apart. She felt his comforting warmth envelope her and could feel his heart beating next to hers. When Blake held her in his arms, Katie felt like she had come home. She had found her perfect fit, and she never wanted to let go.
She lifted her face and looked into his eyes, those blue eyes that told her he meant every word he said. She looked into the face that she loved so much, and words failed her. She pulled him down to meet her and kissed him. As he deepened the kiss, she could taste his minty toothpaste and found herself intoxicated by the spicy scent of his cologne, the warmth of his familiar body pressed against hers. It was everything that she had missed when they were apart. Her head was spinning and her toes were tingling. Her mind couldn’t focus on anything except the delicious sensations swirling through her. How could she not take him back? This is where she belonged, in his arms and at his side.
Chapter Sixteen
Katie woke up in her Denver, Colorado hotel room on the morning of her twenty-fifth birthday and stretched, enjoying the deliciously soft hotel sheets. The room was beautifully appointed, one of the best money could buy, but the silence, the beautiful golden silence, was the most decadent luxury. The tour had landed in Denver early the morning before and the band had been given a free day to refresh before the show tonight. True to his word, Blake had used his time between the Wichita show and the band’s stop in Denver, Colorado to respond to charity requests and schedule appearances that he would have skipped in the past. Yesterday he had installed Katie in the luxurious hotel room and left her in the capable hands of the staff massage therapist and aesthetician. She had spent the day getting kneaded and scrubbed while Blake had made an appearance at a local children’s charity event. The day of pampering and the fancy hotel room had been an early birthday gift from Blake, and if she were to be honest, it was sorely needed.
The new touring and practice schedule had taken its toll on Katie and it was beginning to show in the dark circles that had taken up residence under her eyes. She had worked hard in Sterling, but life on tour with a major national act was like nothing she’d ever experienced before.
This morning, though, well-rested and completely refreshed, Katie was ready to get b
ack to work. She called for room service to deliver breakfast and started her shower. The luxurious appointments reminded her how lucky she was. It was only because of Blake that she was even in Denver, much less spending her morning surrounded by luxury. He was shaping up to be a pretty good boyfriend. Working on her birthday would actually be a treat this year, and it was Blake who had made her dream job a reality. She massaged shampoo and conditioner through her hair and let her mind drift to the kiss she and Blake had shared in Wichita after he had given her the partnership papers.
Perhaps it had been too easy for her to slip back into his arms, but she was tired of resisting him, of denying herself what she wanted, what she needed. He was making changes in himself and the partnership agreement proved to her that he was serious. Katie wanted to believe that Blake had been as miserable as she had been when they were apart, that he would never let her go again. She had signed the contracts and was optimistic about their future together both professionally and romantically. For now, Blake was her everything, and the thought of losing him again felt like losing part of herself.
Katie wrapped herself in the hotel’s plush robe and lounged on the bed while she waited for breakfast to arrive. She pulled her fingers through the tangles in her wet hair and wished that she had ordered coffee with breakfast. There was a knock at the door and she pulled her robe tighter, checking to be sure that she was completely covered up. She was surprised to see Blake instead of the room service attendant when she got to the door.
“Happy Birthday, sweetheart,” he said with a grin before leaning in for a sweet kiss. He held up a package adorned with a giant fluffy pink bow.
Katie stepped aside as Blake entered the room. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “I thought you would be room service.”
“Sorry, no pancakes here, but I did bring you something.”
Blake led her to the bed and sat her down before placing the package beside her. He grinned like a school boy and sat down beside her. “Open it.”
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