“And I recall you always had straight A’s in French class, while I never got the hang of it.” His arms beckoned to her. Willing herself to stay seated, she concentrated on the song. But it was Garrett’s song. “I also recall stepping on your feet at both of our proms.”
“Dancing with you was worth sore toes.”
As she forced her gaze away, the clock caught her attention. Almost two in the morning. “Please tell me that clock is wrong!”
“We missed the opportunity to kiss in the New Year last night.” Garrett winked at her. “Want to make up for it?”
Her face singed. “It’s been almost two hours. What about Tori?”
“Oh. I got sidetracked.” He dug his phone out, jabbed a button and held it to his ear. “I need to talk to Rick.” He grimaced. “I see. Thanks.” He slid his phone back in his pocket. “Tori already left the party.”
How dare Tori leave without her—after Jenna had spent almost two heart-shredding hours with Garrett so Tori would have a ride home. “Where did she go? Did she take a cab home?”
“No.” His gaze stayed on the floor. “I’m afraid she left with Rick, one of the guys in my band.”
A deep boiling started up in her chest.
“First she abandons me at the stadium and goes off to some party, and now she went with Rick to...” Her face scalded, as she stood and stalked back and forth across the room.
“Look, I’m really sorry. I should have made the call when I said I would. I completely forgot.”
Because she’d sidetracked him.
“I can get you a room.”
She shot him a glare.
“In a totally different hotel, if you want.” Garrett held his palms toward her as if to ward off a blow. “You can pick up your wayward friend in the morning and go home.”
“No.” Her voice shook. “I intend to pick up my wayward friend tonight. I refuse to stay in a hotel room so she can... Tori and I will go home tonight and I may even fire her.”
Garrett chuckled. “Simmer down now. I think it’s illegal to fire an employee for after-hours behavior unless it interferes with their work. Is she scheduled to work tomorrow?”
“Lucky for her—no.” She crossed her arms under her chest. “I should have fired her when she got the DWI.” But, no, I go and give her another chance and this is where it gets me.
“Let me handle Tori.” Garrett held up his hands again. “Hear me out. You don’t know what you might find in Rick’s room. Trevor will escort you to the private elevator and down to the parking garage. I’ll have your car waiting, and one of my security team will bring Tori to you.”
“I appreciate it.” Her face would surely melt.
“The least I can do is spare you further embarrassment. I’m sorry. Some of my band members refuse to grow out of that stage.”
“It’s not your fault Tori has no morals.” She huffed out a sigh. “Is Rick married?”
“I’m afraid so.” His gaze dropped to the floor.
Had Tori even bothered to ask? Jenna closed her eyes. It probably made no difference to Tori. “I don’t mean to speak badly of your friend, but I don’t understand people. If they can’t stay faithful to one person, why get married? Why not sleep around all they want? I mean, it’s still not right, but it’s better than cheating.”
“I can’t claim sainthood.” Garrett shrugged. “But marriage is sacred.”
Did she hear remorse? Did he regret his past? “So will I see you before I leave?”
“We booked the entire top floor, but I shouldn’t take any chances at being seen with you in the hotel.” His shoulders slumped. “Trust me, somehow it would find its way into the papers.”
“Thanks for helping me with this...situation.”
Garrett ponytailed his hair and tucked it into his collar, then slipped his sunglasses on and pulled his ball cap low. “Will I see you again?”
“Not unless you’re in Aubrey.” She managed a weak smile.
“Not this time. I visited with my family earlier in the week before the press got wind of me.” He leaned close and his lips grazed her cheek. “May I call you?”
Tingling warmth engulfed her entire being.
Following her feelings could only lead to trouble. Example—Tori.
But now that she’d seen Garrett again, could she go back to life without him? Before she could stop herself, she nodded.
He cupped her cheek. His gaze locked on her lips.
Would he kiss her? Would she let him?
Jenna took a step back.
His hand fell to his side. “I’ll look forward to talking to you, then. See you later, Jenna. This definitely isn’t goodbye.” He shot her one of his killer grins and stepped out the door.
Weak-kneed, she sank into the nearest chair. How had this happened? Garrett Steele back in her life. The guy who’d walked out on her. The guy who’d slept with countless groupies and supermodels and turned his back on God. What could they possibly have in common anymore?
Deep breath. In and out. She scooped up her purse.
The door opened and Trevor stepped inside. “Ready, ma’am?”
“Yes, thank you.” She followed him out to the elevator. Her stomach roiled worse than before as they descended.
“Here we are, ma’am.” The doors opened into the garage and a valet waited near her car a few steps away.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime, ma’am.”
No. There would never, ever be another time she would meet Garrett at a hotel. Ever.
* * *
Almost home. Jenna peered in her rearview mirror, but she couldn’t see Tori sprawled in the backseat. “You okay?”
“Define okay,” Tori moaned.
“I should have left you there.”
“You’d never do that.” Tori’s words slurred together. “You’re Jenna Wentworth. You never let anyone down and you always do the right thing.”
“Sometimes I wish I didn’t.”
“No, you don’t. Doing the right thing is what makes you—you.” Tori’s voice cracked and she started sobbing. “I love you, man.”
“You’re drunk.” Jenna rolled her eyes. “And you won’t remember any of this tomorrow.”
“No, really, I love you, man.”
“Can you walk?” Jenna pulled into her driveway and parked.
“Not sure?”
“Can you try?” Jenna got out and opened Tori’s door.
Tori sat up and clutched her stomach. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”
“Not in my car!”
Hanging her head out the door, Tori heaved.
Jenna jumped backward barely in time. Her stomach twisted and she turned away until it was over. An hour ago, she could have killed Tori. But now she felt sorry for her.
“I’m done. Sorry.” Tori staggered toward her. “Why are we at your house?”
“Because you’re sick and you shouldn’t be alone.” Jenna put an arm around her. “But don’t think this will get you out of church Sunday.”
* * *
A distant, annoying ring. Jenna rolled over and pulled the satin pillow over her head. But it wouldn’t stop. The phone.
She sat up and checked her caller ID. Natalie. Nine o’clock. On Saturday? Her only day to sleep in. Her cousin knew that. Why was she calling so early? She grabbed the handset to make it stop.
“Have you seen the news?”
“No. I was happily sleeping away my day off.”
“Sorry, coz, but curious minds want to know.”
“What?”
“Why on earth did you go to Garrett’s concert?”
Jenna sat straight up. “How did you know?”
“It’s all over the news.”
&nbs
p; “What?” Her heart plummeted.
“Imagine my shock when I see my cousin sitting onstage with the guy she’s loved since high school singing her a love song. Nice blouse, though.”
“I don’t love him. And you’re teasing me. You were at the concert, so you saw me.”
“Yes, you do love him. But, no, I wasn’t at the concert.”
“What channel?” She grabbed the remote off her nightstand and clicked the television on.
“That twenty-four-hour entertainment one you hate.”
Jenna scanned through the channels. Her face filled the screen in a close-up. The camera panned back to show Garrett kneeling at her feet. Her stomach twisted in a tight ball.
“This can’t be happening.” She clicked the TV off, as if that would make it all go away, and covered her face with her hand.
“So what gives? Why did you go to the concert?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’m coming over.”
“Bring ice cream.” She needed something to drown in.
She hung up and the phone rang again. Caitlyn.
“Jenna, are you sitting down?”
“I know. I just got off the phone with your sister. What are you doing up so early?”
“Mitch woke me up when he saw the news.”
“Natalie’s bringing ice cream.”
“I’m in.”
* * *
Garrett rewound the clip. Again. Jenna. If he couldn’t have her—at least he had the concert footage. He could watch it over and over, reliving the moment. Ridiculous.
How had he lived without her all these years? He hadn’t. He’d tried. Tried everything to forget her. But he couldn’t. And now that he’d seen her again, he had to win her back.
But she’d never be happy with touring. Where was he again? Oklahoma? Arkansas?
Oklahoma—yeah. Arkansas was next week.
A knock sounded at the door of his hotel room. “It’s Andy.”
“Come in.”
Andy entered the room, his hands framing air like a camera lens. “This is big.”
“Tell me you didn’t leak to the press about the drunk girl and my dinner with Jenna. They’ll turn the drunk girl on me and make my evening with Jenna something tawdry.” He shot Andy a glare. “I won’t have her smeared and I don’t want that kind of rep anymore.”
“This is bigger than that.”
“What?”
“Your concert footage is all over the news.”
“It always is after a concert.”
“No, I mean the footage of you dragging that girl onstage and singing to her.”
His heart pounded. “What?”
Andy clicked the TV on.
His run with Jenna around the concert arena filled the screen. “We have to kill this.”
“Are you crazy? Besides, we can’t. It’s gone viral.”
“No—no—no.” Garrett stood and paced the room. “This will ruin her life.”
“How could this ruin her life? And it’s not about the girl. It’s about you. You’ve gone viral.” Andy paced faster and faster. “Do you have any idea how your sales will spike? Women will buy concert tickets in hopes you’ll drag them onstage with you. Women will buy CDs and fantasize it was them on that stage with you. You’re a marketing genius.”
“It had nothing to do with marketing, and if I’d thought about anything besides me—” Garrett flung a throw pillow at the big screen mounted on the wall “—I’d have never dragged Jenna into this. She’s a private person. The media will pounce on her.”
“More publicity for us.”
“I have to call her.” Garrett scrolled through his address book to her number.
“You have her number in your phone?”
“Completely off the record.” Garrett jabbed a finger at Andy. “And if it gets leaked to the media, I’ll be hiring a new publicist.”
Andy shot him a hands-off gesture and left the room.
Busy signal.
Garrett sat down and ran both hands through his hair, pushing it out of his face. “What have I done? She’ll never forgive me.”
* * *
Both cousins flanked Jenna at her kitchen table. The off-white furnishings, creamy walls and cabinets with marble tiling usually soothed her. But today, not even the rich aroma coming from the coffeemaker or her favorite chocolate-chip ice cream melting in her mouth helped.
“What was I thinking?”
“What were you thinking?” Caitlyn scooped ice cream into her bowl. “I mean, when he was the entertainment at the car show here in Aubrey last year, you conveniently had to head for Dallas until he left. All these years, you’ve carefully avoided him and his concerts. But this time, you go. Why?”
“I told you. Tori—”
“Not buying it.” Natalie pointed her spoon at Jenna. “You went because you wanted to see if the old feelings were still there. And they are. For both of you.”
“Are not.” Especially not for Garrett. “It was a stunt for publicity, nothing more.” He’d as much as told her so afterward. She should have walked away then.
“It was obvious the way he sang that song to you. That lobby was full of willing women, but who did Garrett grab? You. A blast from his past.”
“What are the odds?” Caitlyn splayed her hands. “Natalie reconnects with Lane, her high school sweetheart, last year. She was certain they couldn’t overcome their past. But guess what? They did and they’re married.”
“Hopefully, there’ll be a bun in the oven soon.” Natalie patted her flat stomach. “And Caitlyn reconnected with her high school sweetheart last year. She never thought she could deal with Mitch’s dangerous job, but guess what? She did, and they’re getting married this summer.”
“Haven’t done any bun-planning yet.” Caitlyn blushed. “First comes love, second comes marriage...”
“Then comes Jenna with a baby carriage.” The cousins joined in singsong voices.
“Stop it.” Her vision blurred. “Just because y’all ended up with your high school sweethearts several years after graduation, that doesn’t mean I will. There’s no hope for Garrett and me.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Natalie handed her a tissue. “We’re sorry. No more teasing.”
“And with God there’s always hope.” Caitlyn patted her arm.
“But that’s the problem.” Jenna wiped her eyes. “Garrett is so far away from God. And even if he was the old Garrett, the problem remains—I want to settle down and have kids. You can’t do that on a concert tour.”
“Well, it’s not working out for you here in Aubrey, either.” Natalie put her arm around Jenna. “God will work it all out, and if you’re meant to be with Garrett—or someone new—you will be.”
Not with Garrett. “In the meantime, what do I do about this concert footage? I had to take my phone off the hook because of all the calls from reporters. How did they get my number?”
“Hello?” Caitlyn shrugged. “You’re, like, the last person I know our age who still has a home phone. You’re in the book.”
Jenna bit her lip. “Maybe now’s a good time to have my home-phone service cut. I’ve got my cell and I’m at the store more than I’m home.”
“This could be a gold mine of publicity for your store.” Natalie arched one eyebrow. “This could be the pathway to your second store in the Galleria like you always wanted.”
“Said like the great publicist you are.” Jenna covered her face with both hands. “I want the second store, but not like this. I don’t want publicity. I want my low-key, private life back.”
“Then here.” Natalie picked up the phone and plugged the cord back in, handing it to Jenna.
“Do they cut service on Saturday?”
“I want you to call Garrett.”
“I can’t call him. Why would I?”
“Because he’ll know what to do to get the press off your back.”
The phone rang in Jenna’s hand. She jumped, then checked the digital screen. Mama.
She squeezed her eyes closed. “Hello.”
“Jenna, I was flipping through channels and—”
“Tori had tickets and her cousin canceled at the last minute. She lost her license, so she begged me to drive her and promised to come to church with me in return.”
A few seconds of silence ticked past. Would Mama buy her cover story?
“That doesn’t explain what I saw on TV.” Skepticism dripped from Mama’s tone.
“I was in the lobby minding my own business. Garrett saw me and thought it would add to his concert.”
“That’s all?” Some of the doubt had ebbed.
Jenna crossed her fingers. “Uh-huh.”
“I remember what a number he did on you, sweetie. And I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“I’m fine. Natalie and Caitlyn are here.”
“I’ll let you get back to your company, then. See you at church tomorrow. And I’m proud of you for roping Tori into coming.”
Jenna ended the call and blew out a big breath. The phone rang again.
A familiar number. Her eyes widened. “It’s him.”
“So answer it.” Natalie splayed both hands upward.
“No.”
“Then I will.” Natalie grabbed the phone.
Jenna’s stomach bottomed out and she dived for the phone. But it was too late.
“Hi, Garrett, Jenna’s right here. She was just about to call you. Here she is.” Natalie held the phone toward her.
Jenna shook her head.
“Talk to him,” Natalie whispered.
Fingers trembling, Jenna pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
Chapter 4
Garrett’s heart turned to mush at the sound of her voice. He sank into the patio chair on his opulent hotel balcony. “You were about to call me?”
“We’re all over the news.”
“I know. I tried to call you. I’m sorry. My publicist leaked it.”
“Well, I need you to unleak it.”
Rodeo Song Page 4