by Elks, Carrie
“Why didn’t you tell her about us?” he asked her.
Maddie swallowed. He was so close she could feel every part of him against her. “Because I don’t want to deal with the fall out.”
He blinked. “You don’t think this is worth it?”
“Of course it’s worth it,” she told him quickly. “That’s not what I meant. But you’re only here for a few more weeks and then you’ll be back in L.A. I’d rather keep it between us while it lasts.”
He dipped his head until his eyes were in line with hers. “You think this ends when I leave?”
“Won’t it?” she asked, a little breathless. “Because I can’t see how a long distance relationship will work.”
“You’ll come see me, I’ll come see you. In between we’ll have hot cyber sex to keep us going.” He smiled. “The usual.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is.”
“And when people find out about us, and they start to wonder why a star like you wants to be with somebody like me?”
He frowned. “What does that mean?”
“Look at us. You’re you and I’m… not.”
“You’re doing it again. Not seeing yourself the way I do.”
“I’m being honest. You must have a PR company representing you. And probably image consultants. They’d advise you against this. Tell you to find somebody more your level. One of those other singers you’ve had a relationship with.”
His fingers feathered her neck. “I don’t want one of those other singers. I want you.” His voice was thick. “I want to take you out in public, show people how goddamned lucky I am. I want us to be together, Maddie. And I don’t give a damn what anybody else thinks.”
“You’re lucky. I care too much.”
“Why?” He looked genuinely confused.
“Because I know what it’s like to be talked about. To have gossip whispered behind my back while people laugh at me. It hurts, Gray. Cuts like a knife. I don’t want to give anybody that kind of ammunition again.”
“So that’s it? We end this when I leave?”
Her heart clenched. The thought of not seeing him again made everything ache. “No,” she whispered. “I don’t want that.”
He blew out a mouthful of air. “Thank god. Because I couldn’t let you do that.” He tipped her chin up with his fingers, and pressed his lips against hers. “So where do we go from here?”
She thread her fingers through his thick hair and pressed herself against him, feeling the hardness of his excitement against her stomach. “I’ve got a few ideas,” she whispered throatily. “But we may need to keep it quiet.”
He slid his hands down her back and grabbed her ass. Then he kissed her hot and hard. “I can do quiet,” he whispered. “If you really insist.”
Chapter Twenty
Gray was enjoying repairing the roof about as much as he’d liked replacing the pipes in the house. It wasn’t the time it took, nor the physical effort he had to expend each day to remove the old shingles and nail new ones in their place. It was just so damn tedious. His hands ached with the repetitive nature of the task, pushing a crowbar under each broken shingle and maneuvering at it until it finally came free, then replacing it with a fresh row, making sure it lined up perfectly so no rain could seep through.
His mind was elsewhere today. Too caught up thinking about the song he’d started writing last night. Second Chances. He was stuck on the bridge that linked the verse to the chorus, and he kept humming combinations that could work.
So the pain, when it came, shot straight up his arm, squeezing the breath from his lungs in a deep groan. He looked down to see the sharp end of the crowbar digging into the thick skin between his left thumb and forefinger. Blood was pouring down his wrist and the metallic glint of the bar. He pulled his hand back, and the pain made his toes curl. He didn’t realize he’d shouted out until he saw Aunt Gina run out of the kitchen door.
There was a jagged cut about two inches long, exposing the soft tissues in his flesh. Blood was gushing everywhere, and he had to grit his teeth against the dizziness threatening to overtake him. He sat down hard on the roof to try to catch his breath.
“Gray!” Aunt Gina called out. “What’s happened?”
“I cut myself,” he said, his voice thinner than he’d expected. He really needed to get down from the roof before he lost too much blood.
“Is it bad?”
“Pretty bad.” There was too much blood to tell if he’d caught any tendons. “I need to get down.” He let go of the crowbar and it clattered down the roof. Clenching his teeth against the pain, he scooted to the edge. He grasped the roof ladder with his good hand, keeping the other lifted up in an attempt to stem the flow of blood.
“My god, Gray,” Aunt Gina whispered by the time he made it down. “Let me get a cloth to clean you up.”
“I think I might need a doctor,” he said, his teeth still clenched together.
“You need the hospital. Sit right there,” she told him firmly, pointing at the bench. “I’m going to call an ambulance, then we need to stop the blood. Keep your hand up and try to breathe.”
“Yeah.” He nodded, trying not to look at the way the sleeve of his grey Henley was stained dark.
But before he could even sit, the world turned black. The last thing he remembered was the sound of blood rushing through his ears.
* * *
Maddie ran into the emergency room, her heart galloping like it was trying to win the Kentucky Derby. She stopped at the desk, still breathless from her mad dash, and told the clerk she was looking for Gray.
“Are you family?”
“No,” she panted. “A close friend.” She looked across the waiting room and spotted the familiar sight of Aunt Gina’s gunmetal grey hair. “It’s okay, I see his aunt. I’ll go sit with her.”
Had it really only been half an hour ago that Laura had ran into the diner to tell her Gray had been rushed here? The town’s grapevine had been working overtime. Eleanor Charlton had been having a dress fitting in Laura’s shop when her best friend, Lula Robinson, had called. Lula’s son worked for the fire department who’d been called out to the Hartson home, and he’d wasted no time in telling his mom that they’d transported a superstar to the Sandson Memorial Hospital.
Aunt Gina showed no signs of surprise when Maddie appeared in front of her. Instead, she stood and smiled at her, offering her cheek the way she always did.
“Is Gray okay?” Maddie asked her after she’d kissed her cheek. “I heard he cut his hand. Is it bad?”
“I’m still waiting to find out. There was a lot of blood and he lost consciousness for a minute. He’s with the doctors now.” She patted the chair next to hers. “Why don’t you sit with me for a minute?”
Maddie wasn’t sure her body would slow down enough to sit. She wanted to pace the hallways until she found him. Still, she tried, taking a deep breath as her legs bent and her behind hit the seat.
“It’s nice of you to come check on him,” Gina said, her voice light.
Maddie’s feet started to tap the floor. “Do you think he hit any tendons?” she asked. That would be so bad for his career, and she felt sick at the thought of it.
“I don’t know. It was hard to tell through all the blood.”
Maddie winced.
“He’s a strong boy,” Gina said, patting her hand. “Don’t worry so much.”
But she did. She was worrying like crazy. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like if she couldn’t play the piano. It felt as important to her as breathing. And for Gray, his hands were everything.
“You’re fond of him, aren’t you, dear?”
Maddie turned to look at her. There was understanding in Gina’s eyes.
“Yeah, I guess I am.”
“I had a beau once,” Gina said, her gaze soft. “He was everything to me. But I was seventeen and he was twenty-three and my parents were strict. We’d pass notes after church and if I could get one
of my girlfriends to cover for me, we’d take Sunday afternoon walks by the river.” Her smile was full of memories. “Then one day, right before my eighteenth birthday, his number came up on the draft lottery. Turns out he was one of the last, but we didn’t know that at the time.”
“He went to Vietnam?” Maddie asked her.
“Yes he did. He was placed into the Marines after basic training. And while he was away he sent me the sweetest letters. He’d talk about what we’d do when I turned eighteen. Told me about his dream of a pretty white house full of children.” Gina pressed her lips together. “And then one day the letters stopped. And I couldn’t talk to my parents about it, because then they’d never let me see him again. So I’d come home from school and check the mailbox every day.”
“Did they start again?”
As if she hadn’t heard her question, Gina continued, “So I started to hang around his parents’ house. Just to see if the mailman delivered any letters there. His mom must have noticed me lingering, because one day she asked me to come in for a glass of lemonade.” Gina took a deep breath. “That’s when she told me about the visit she’d had that morning from a Marine Corps colonel. According to her, the poor man looked so white she was afraid he was going to faint. Then he told her about David. How he’d fought bravely but had died of gunshot wounds in battle.” She looked at Maddie. “He’d only been there for two months.”
Maddie’s chest ached. “Did you go to his funeral.”
Gina shook her head. “They buried him in a military cemetery miles away from town. I’d have had to ask my father, and explain why. I wasn’t brave enough to do that.”
“That’s so sad.” Maddie blinked away her tears. “What a waste of a life.”
“It really was. And for a while it felt like my life was over, too. No pretty white house, no picket fence. But do you know what the worst thing was?”
“What?” Maddie asked softly, her head tipped to one side.
“Not being able to tell anybody how sad I was. Not being able to talk about what I’d lost. Looking back, I wish I’d been braver. Told my parents about David and how I felt about him. Maybe then I wouldn’t have bottled it all up and felt like I was dying inside.”
“It sounds like you were very brave to me,” Maddie told her. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“It’s okay. These things often turn out for the best. Being single and alone meant I could take care of my sister’s children when she died too young. Maybe that was God’s plan for me all along.”
For a moment Maddie wondered if that was God’s plan for her, too. Whether she was supposed to be there for Carter and Grace the way Gina had been there for Gray and his siblings.
“But you’re not like me,” Gina told her. “And we live in different times. There’s no need to hide the way you feel about somebody any more.” She looked right at Maddie, her brows rising up.
She knew.
Maddie had no idea how much, or how she’d found out, but she knew.
And for some reason, right now that felt reassuring.
“I just hope he’s okay,” she whispered.
“I do, too. But I want him to be more than okay. I want him to be happy. And I have a feeling he hasn’t been happy for a long time.”
“But—” Maddie started to protest.
Gina held up her hand. “Oh, I know he’s successful with all those hit songs and Grammys and goodness only knows what else. But those things aren’t what make us happy. They’re just little bits of sparkle on the cake. But it’s the cake that matters. That’s what sustains us, keeps us going. Anything else will rot your teeth.”
“I want him to be happy, too,” Maddie admitted.
Gina smiled. “Well that’s half the battle. The other half is allowing yourself to be happy. Do you think you’re up for that?”
* * *
“If you have any pain, you can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen. No aspirin, though. We don’t want to thin your blood. The dressing will need to be changed in twenty-four hours. Your family doctor will be able to do that for you, but if you have any problems, give us a call.” The nurse smiled at him. “If you notice any increase in pain or oozing from the wound, come in right away. The stitches should dissolve in a couple of weeks, and we’d advise you to rest your hand until then.”
Gray looked at his bandaged hand. There were eight stitches holding the wound closed. They’d injected it with a local anesthetic before closing it up, and thankfully right now he felt no pain at all.
“And no more messing around on roofs,” the nurse told him. “Leave that to the professionals.”
“I plan to.” Gray managed a smile. “Can I go now?”
“Of course. I’ll walk you to the waiting room.”
She led him to the double doors and said her goodbyes, leaving him to walk to where he knew Aunt Gina was waiting. A few people looked up with interest as he passed, then leaned across to their companions to whisper frantically.
And then he saw her, and it felt like somebody had lit a fire inside him.
“Hey,” Maddie said, standing up as he approached. “How are you doing?”
He held up his bandaged hand. “All good.” It was impossible to stop himself from smiling. “You came.”
“Yeah,” she said softly. “I was worried about you. Did they say if you damaged any tendons?”
He shook his head, still grinning. “It’s just a flesh wound. A few stitches and a bandage and I’m good to go.”
She sighed with relief, and it heated him more. It was the sweetest damn thing somebody had done for him in a long time. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss the hell out of her. Then somebody cleared their throat and he realized Aunt Gina was right next to them, and he leaned forward to hug her.
“Thanks for picking me up off the ground,” he whispered in her ear.
She shook her head. “Don’t make me do it again. Now I’m going home to make some sweet tea, I figure Maddie can give you a ride home.”
Maddie didn’t look surprised at her request. “Yeah, sure.”
“And I’ll call around for some roofers,” Aunt Gina continued. “Don’t worry about your father. If he protests, he’ll get a piece of my mind.”
Gray bit down a grin. Over the years, he had enough pieces of his aunt’s mind to know what a threat that was.
She shuffled toward the main entrance, leaving Gray with Maddie. He still couldn’t get over her being here.
“Shall we go?” he asked her. She smiled and nodded.
He slipped his good hand into hers, his grin widening when she didn’t protest. She felt warm and soft and everything he wanted right now. Maybe that’s why he spun her around and pulled her against his side. His body relaxed as he pressed her against him. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, and hands,” he whispered, dropping his head to brush his lips against hers. She let out a sigh, and the warmth of her breath fueled his desire. If they’d been anywhere else – somewhere private, he’d have shown her just how much. But they weren’t. They were in a hospital lobby, and he had to be satisfied with deepening the kiss, letting his tongue caress hers as he slid his hand down to that perfect dip at the base of her spine.
When he pulled away, her eyes were heated, and he loved the way he affected her the same way she affected him. “Gray…” she whispered. “We shouldn’t.”
“I know.” His grin was lopsided. “But I can’t help it. Every time I see you all I can think about is those lips.” And that body, those legs, the way her voice got all rough when she sighed.
The way he felt real when she was in his arms.
He waited for her to chide him again, but instead her face paled. Her throat undulated as she swallowed, and he turned to glance over his shoulder, trying to determine what had caused such a change in her mood.
That’s when he saw the woman staring at them. He frowned, because she looked familiar, though he couldn’t quite place her.
“Who’s that?” he asked Maddie
.
She squirmed out of his hold. “It’s Jessica Martin. She used to be Jessica Chilton.”
Jess Chilton. Ashleigh’s best friend at school. She was still staring at them, her red-painted lips pressed together.
“I should talk to her,” Maddie said, her words coming out in a rush. “Tell her it isn’t what it looks like. She can’t tell Ashleigh…”
“Why not?”
She looked up at him, her eyes still wide. “Because she’ll go crazy.”
He shrugged. “So let her. What happens between us has nothing to do with her or anybody else.” He reached out and ran his finger down her face, aware of Jessica’s continued scrutiny. “I don’t give a shit what anybody else thinks.”
“I wish I didn’t.” Maddie inhaled deeply. “I really do.”
“Then just try it,” he urged. “It’s not as bad as you think. Trust me.”
“How do I do that?” She blinked.
“You realize people can’t hurt you unless you let them.” His mind turned to his dad. “That the words they say and the way they look at you can’t kill you. And what doesn’t kill you…”
“Makes you stronger,” she whispered.
He nodded. “That’s right.”
He could see the struggle on her face, as she thought about his words. And he realized how much he wanted her to ignore what everybody else said. To shuck off the expectations of this town and the people who lived in it. To shout from the rooftops that she wanted to be his girl.
Until now, he hadn’t realized how much he craved it. For her to tell everybody about them. For their relationship to be open knowledge, instead of a dirty little secret they both had to deny.
Because it wasn’t dirty. It was good and it was right, and it was the best damn thing that had happened to him in years.
“Maddie?” he whispered, his chest tight as he waited for her to say something.
She nodded, her eyes catching his. And he saw it. The strength and determination that had characterized her from the first time they’d met. It pushed down the vulnerability, cloaking it in a suit of iron.