Love Song (18 page)

She pictured him digging in his pocket for antacid tablets. “I know, and I intend to fulfill my obligations, but my career isn’t the most important thing to me anymore. Don’t get an ulcer yet; the big lug hasn’t said anything about marriage.”

“But he loves you?”

“I thought you didn’t believe in love.”

“We’re talking about Wade, not me.”

“He hasn’t used words to say he’s in love, but everything else he does tells me he is.”

Kyle groaned again. “Why do I see my career, not to mention my fortune, evaporating?”

“That’s one reason I sent Nicki to you,” said Andi, realizing it was true. “You can take her to the top just like you did me. And I’m not going to fire you, nor do I want to quit completely. I just want to slow down.”

“How much?”

“I haven’t figured that part out yet. Actually, I think Wade is scared of the whole thing, so nothing may happen.”

“Hi there,” said Kyle softly, sounding as if he were no longer speaking directly into the phone.

Andi blinked, not only at his words, but at the tenderness with which they were uttered. The only time she had heard him speak so gently to anyone was when she woke up in the hospital.

“Do you feel better after your nap?”

Andi’s mouth dropped open. Sinking down on a kitchen chair, she listened to Nicki’s sleepy reply and his soft chuckle. Even his laugh sounded sweet.

“You’ll be all right after some dinner and a good night’s sleep. Andi’s on the phone. Do you want to talk to her?”

Seconds later, Nicki came on the line. “Hi, Andi.”

“Hi, kiddo. How are you?”

“Tired, but I made the trip okay. I didn’t get sick on the plane or lost in the Dallas airport.”

“Good for you. Sounds like Kyle is being nice.” She shook her head at the understatement.

“Yes, he is. He gave me a copy of his proposed contract and suggested I look over it tomorrow when I’m not so zonked. He thought I might want to read it to Dad before I sign.”

“That’s a good idea.” And an unusual display of patience and consideration from Kyle. “Call me if you have any questions. I’m sure it’s basically a standard contract and fair, but it never hurts to ask.”

“Thanks, I will.” Nicki yawned. “Sorry. I’m really out of it. I’d better go wash my face and try to wake up. Kyle wants to talk to you again.”

“Call me tomorrow.” When Kyle took the receiver, she blasted him. “Okay, Wilson, what are you up to?”

“Nothing. Just mellowing out like you asked. I haven’t yelled once.”

“I bet you haven’t. You also said you wouldn’t be a lecher, remember?”

“I remember, and I’m not.”

Andi had seen the man in action many times, and she deeply regretted letting Nicki go to Nashville alone. The girl didn’t stand a chance. “Kyle—”

“Don’t worry, Andi. I’ll be on my best behavior. I’m not going to take advantage of her. Neither is anyone else if I can help it.” His voice was quiet, yet intense. “You have my word on it.”

Andi relaxed. Kyle’s word was his bond. He never broke it. “Well, don’t sweep the kid off her feet.”

“I think the opposite may be true. I’ll talk to you in a few days. Gotta go. I’ve promised a pretty lady dinner at Happy Burger.”

Andi laughed as she hung up the phone, wondering how long it had been since her manager had actually set foot in a burger joint. Power lunches in high-class restaurants were more his style, along with the heartburn that went with them. “I never expected this. Lord, please take care of them both and don’t let either of them get hurt.”

“Are you talking to yourself or praying?” Dawn burst through the front door, tossing her purse on the couch.

“Both. Kyle seems to be quite taken with Nicki, and I don’t mean just as a singer.”

Dawn’s eyes widened. “The Kyle I know? Our sweet country kid is charming Mr. Sophisticated?”

“Right out of his socks. He’s even taking her out for a hamburger.”

Dawn whooped. “Oh, I wish I could see that. Do you think he will wear his expensive suit?”

“Probably, although she might convince him to take off his tie.” Andi laughed and went back to the counter, dumping the butter in with the sugar. “Did you see Wade?” She turned on the mixer, thoroughly blending the two ingredients.

Dawn poured some chocolate chips from the package into her hand and leaned against the counter. “Thanks for taking care of the cookies.” She rotated her head slowly, then each shoulder. “Yes, I saw him. He told me you had gone to Sidell. What did Doc have to say?”

“That I’m fine. Everything is back to normal. I’m free again. No more doctor visits. He wants me to have a blood count done in a month.” Andi scraped the creamy mixture off the side of the bowl. “What did else Wade have to say?” She cracked two eggs and dumped them in, tossing the shells in the garbage.

“That he hadn’t called because he has some things to work out. I think he may call tonight. He had dark circles under his eyes. I don’t expect he’s been sleeping, either.”

“He isn’t sick, is he?”

“Confused, yes. Sick, no. Ornery, definitely.”

Andi set a cup of flour down on the counter, really looking at her cousin for the first time since Dawn came home. “Good grief! Did you get any paint on the wall?”

Dawn glared at her. “That’s what that no account boyfriend of yours said. And in front of Grant Adams, too, I expect.” She rolled her eyes. “Oh, Andi, it was awful. I went flying out there, looking like a thrift shop reject, and go digging through Wade’s refrigerator, throwing things out and nagging him like a fishwife. When I realized how late it was, I dashed for the door and practically knocked him down.”

“Wade?”

Dawn impatiently shook her head. “Grant Adams. The absolutely most perfect cowboy I’ve ever seen.”

“Wade is the perfect cowboy.”

“True, in a good-guy sort of way.”

“And Grant is a bad-guy cowboy?” Andi crossed her arms. Dawn usually dated the polite, easy going, boy-next-door-type.

“Well, I hope not really, but he made me think of an outlaw. Black hair, a little shaggy. Dark stubble, more like he just didn’t bother to shave this morning than five o’clock shadow. Dusty jeans that were kinda worn, denim shirt, and a beat-up black hat, but he looked like a hard working man, not a bum. Handsome in a rugged kind of way, with the most beautiful, vivid blue eyes I’ve ever seen. And he did hold me up,” she added, her eyes twinkling.

“To keep you from falling, I suppose.”

“Aw, quit being so sharp. He even smiled at me.”

Andi went back to making the cookies. “That’s not unusual. People smile at you all the time.”

“I know, but I had the oddest feeling that he didn’t want to but couldn’t help it. And then he teased me. When I glanced at Wade, he was staring at Grant with his mouth open, totally amazed.”

Andi laughed. “Obviously being covered in paint wasn’t such a big deal. I thought you had given up on men.”

“A passing phase.” Dawn grinned. “I am trying to quit worrying about finding Mr. Right and let God take care of it. Chances are, I’ll never see Grant Adams again, but it’s still nice to meet someone interesting. Well, I’d better go chisel off this paint. If those good ol’ boys down at City Hall see my pink hair, they’ll think I’ve turned into a floozy and won’t give us a cent. Are we having anything besides cookies for dinner?”

“How about my specialty? Microwave frozen entrees.”

“Sounds delightful. I’ll take the fake Chinese stuff.”

By the time Dawn left for her meeting, taking a box of chocolate chip cookies to drop off along the way, Andi had begun to worry that her cousin was wrong, and that Wade wouldn’t call. For the next hour, she sat curled up in the big yellow chair, morosely flipping television channels. She finally settled on a nature show about penguins. When the phone rang, she swallowed a half-eaten bite of cookie and washed it down with a swig of milk.

Wade sounded relieved when she answered. “I thought you might have gone out.”

“Where? To the City Council meeting? I’d rather channel surf.”

“Find anything interesting?”

“Penguins sliding on the ice, just like kids going down a snow covered hill on inner tubes. Looked as if they were having just as much fun, too. And the shopping channel has an elegant, white brocade sofa cover for only three hundred dollars.”

“Just what I need. How did it go at the doctor’s?”

“Everything is back to normal. I’m officially well.”

“Good.” He paused and cleared his throat. “So when will you be leaving?”

“Not until after the museum benefit, at least. I asked Kyle to delay things as long as he can.”
Please take the hint.
“He knows I want to take Nicki on tour with me, so he’s finding a band for her. She’ll need some time to put together a show and rehearse.”

“Dawn said you were throwing an autograph party on Wednesday.”

“I want to thank everyone for being so kind and for respecting my privacy. I think practically everyone in town knew I was here, but not a soul bothered me.”

“She said you needed body guards.”

“The sheriff and a couple of deputies will be there, and I’m sure they’ll do a good job. But I’d feel better if you were around.”

“What time?”

“One to five. I know that’s a long time when you have work to do.”

“I’ll be there. Maybe I’ll see if Grant wants to come along.”

“How did he like Dawn?”

Wade chuckled softly, and she instantly felt warm and cozy.

“I don’t think he knew what to make of her. She was in rare form this afternoon, movin’ faster than a six-legged jack rabbit. Looked kinda cute, though—speckles, pink striped hair, and all. He did say she was pretty, but that he wasn’t interested. I think maybe he was, but I doubt if he’ll act on it.

“He used to be married, but his wife couldn’t handle him being gone so much with the rodeo. She hid it well, and he probably wasn’t paying close enough attention, even though he was crazy about her. He didn’t have a clue that anything was wrong until he came home early from a trip. The baby-sitter told him his wife was on a date. They separated, then Grant got hurt in the rodeo. They were still apart almost a year later when she died from an allergic reaction to a bee sting.”

“How awful. He has children?”

“A little girl. She’s nine or ten and lives in San Angelo with his mother. He goes to see her every chance he gets. He made some mistakes, but he’s a good guy. He’s had more than his share of hurt and needs God’s peace. I tell him about the Lord whenever I have the opportunity, but I have to tread lightly. What did Dawn think of him?”

“That he’d make a perfect outlaw.”

Wade laughed. “He could have played the part today, that’s a fact. He doesn’t look so scruffy when he’s cleaned up.”

“She seemed to like scruffy, but she doesn’t expect him to call her. She was rather mortified by both her appearance and her behavior, but she was also encouraged because she met someone interesting.”

“That’s good.” He was quiet for a moment. “Andi, I’m sorry I haven’t called these past couple of days. I still want to take you to the dance.”

“I want you to.”

“I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too. How about coming over for homemade pizza tomorrow evening?”

“I’d like to, but I have to go to Lubbock early in the morning. Looks like I’ll be gone all the weekend. My dad called last night and asked me to help with a surprise birthday party for my grandpa. He’s eight-five on Monday. I had been thinking about going up to see him on Sunday, but Dad and Uncle Ray and their sisters decided to throw a big shindig. It’s turning into a regular family reunion with most of the kinfolks coming into town.”

Andi could live with the disappointment of not seeing him. She had a harder time handling the fact that he didn’t want her to go. Years of masking her feelings in public helped her to keep the hurt out of her voice. “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time. I hope they have a big cake.”

He chuckled. “They will and a ton of other food. I’ll give you a call when I get back.”

“Sure. Have a nice time.” Andi spent the next few minutes rationalizing why he didn’t ask her to go. The reasons varied from having limited accommodations to the fact that her presence might very well take the limelight away from his grandfather, which she would loathe.

She could make all kinds of excuses, but in her heart, she knew the main reason he didn’t invite her. Taking her to such an important family gathering would be like announcing over a loud speaker that their relationship was serious.

Wade stood on the dark back porch of his grandfather’s farm house, looking out across the bare field that would soon be green with cotton plants. Even in the moonlight, it seemed as if he could see along the smooth, flat plains clear to Nebraska. The clock on the mantle struck ten-thirty, and he heard the creak of the screen door. He turned, smiling at his grandfather as he walked out. “I thought you were going to bed.”

“I am directly, but I need a minute to unwind after all the doin’s today.”

“It was some party, but I’m glad we came out here to your place and left all the others behind.”

His grandfather laughed. “Those daughters of mine will still be gossiping come sunup. It was a real treat to see all the family together.” The old gentleman eased into the rocking chair on the porch and sighed contentedly. “So, tell me about the woman that’s got you out here howlin’ at the moon.”

“I was just thinking.”

“Noisy thinkin’ with all that heavy sighing. Has to be a woman involved.”

“You’re right.” Wade hesitated. “I’m in love, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

“A man usually asks the woman he loves to marry him. Unless she’s already married. Then you’ve got a real problem.”

“She’s not married, but she might as well be.”

“Career woman?” At Wade’s nod, he continued, “Funny thing about love, son, it hits when you least expect it, and usually without regard for what the other person does for a living. Of course, you’ve probably already figured that out. I reckon what you’re worried about is if her career will be more important than her husband and kids, if you have any.”