Love Songs (21 page)

She wasn’t sure it was in her to be a headliner.

Things at home had been calm, and for that she was thankful. After her father’s impromptu bachelor party for Warner, she’d noticed a change in her husband. It was almost as if he had new purpose in his life.

There were a few days a week he stayed purposely away from home since the cameras were following him for his show. She didn’t mind that. Her tour schedule didn’t need to affect his TV schedule, or what they put on TV for that matter.

Clara sat in the back of the room where the other small opening act was rehearsing. She liked being around like minded people and she knew Warner wouldn’t be home until long after ten o’clock, so she saw no reason not to sit around and collaborate with the others she’d be touring with.

Trent Post, the guitarist for the other group, which called themselves
The Broke Tourists
, walked toward her, his guitar in his hand being held by the neck.

“What do you think so far?”

Clara looked up at him. “You guys sound great.”

Trent sat down on the folding chair next to her. “No. I mean about doing the tour and all. Savannah is a hard ass, isn’t she?”

Clara smiled as she balanced her guitar on her knee. “A tour this big, you’d have a lot at stake.”

“I guess it’ll be our turn someday. I mean that’s the reason we’re doing this, right? So that the ticket stubs have our names on them.”

“Something like that.” She went back to tuning her guitar.

Trent looked around the room and Clara assumed he had more to say to her. She looked back up and caught his eye.

“So someone said you just got married?”

Clara nodded. “I sure did.”

“Yeah, me too. She’s a little freaked out about me being on the road so much. What about your husband?”

“He hasn’t mentioned anything about it. He’s excited for me. After all, I’m singing his songs.”

“Right. He wrote all of those?”

“Yep.”

“Talented S.O.B.”

That made Clara laugh. “He sure is.”

“He’s that stepson of that gal on that reality TV show right? Nashville Ex-wives?”

Clara felt her throat go dry. “Yes, that’s him.”

Trent leaned in closer to Clara. “She’s a bitch. I don’t know how he deals with that.”

“He doesn’t,” she said softly back. “She does it for publicity. She has nothing to do with him.”

Trent nodded. “I’m surprised she let you on the tour since Savannah is signed under her label.”

“I figure she’s waiting for me to make a mistake.” Clara set her guitar up on its end. “I won’t be making any mistakes.”

Trent smiled. “I think we’re going to have a lot of fun on the tour. I’m glad you’re on it.”

“So am I.”

When Clara pulled into the driveway she had only one thing on her mind—sleep. She hopped out of the Jeep and headed to the door when Warner’s truck sped up the street. He stopped quickly in front of the house, jammed the truck into park, and jumped out.

“Are you okay?” Clara was headed toward him, but he was barreling at her as quickly as possible.

It was dark in the yard but that didn’t hide the fact that his lip was bleeding, his eye was black, and his shirt was ripped.

“Warner, what happened to you? Oh, God, are you alright?” She dropped her bag and guitar case right where she stood and hurried to him.

She reached for his face but he pushed her hands away. “Don’t touch it.”

“Warner, that needs stitches.”

“Like hell it does. It needs an icepack.”

He moved around her and up the front steps.

Clara didn’t even reach for her belongings. She followed him right into the house. “Who did that to you?”

“Not important.”

“Like hell it’s not.” She followed him into the kitchen as he pulled a towel out of the drawer and walked to the freezer.

Clara moved in and took the towel from his hand and filled it with ice. “Sweetheart, what’s going on? Why did someone do this to you?”

“Why? Because I’m a joke, Clara. I’m one big joke in this town.”

“That’s crap and you know it.”

“Really? Tell that to those guys on my show. Stupid Patty mentions my name on her show last night, which by the way was taped weeks ago because there is footage of me leaving her house. I haven’t been there since before we were married.” He winced when she pressed the towel to his cheek. “She made her usual snide comments about me, but they are bent out of shape thinking I’m taking over the show. I’m getting double the air time thanks to that bitch.”

“Warner, that’s not how this is. We have to get you off the show.”

“That’s not going to happen. Just like pulling you off that tour isn’t going to happen.”

She felt the pang of losing her opportunity when he said that. Oh, she wished it wasn’t like this. Warner should be with her on the road and not home doing this stupid TV show. But she kept in mind that by spring this would all be over.

Her tour dates would be over and his filming schedule would be done. At some point they could settle into being Mr. and Mrs. Wright.

Another car pulled up in the front and the driver parked and hurried out of the car. Again she could tell it was Christian by the sound.

The front door opened and Christian and Victoria flew into the room.

“What’s wrong? Why does Warner’s truck have a broken back window and all your stuff is outside on the ground?” Christian looked from her to Warner. “Christ! Clara, what did you do?”

“Me?”

She saw Warner’s mouth lift into a smile and then he winced from the pain.

“I didn’t do this. And what do you mean the back window?” She looked at her husband.

“I might have a cracked rib too. That was a baseball bat that hit the window first.”

“Warner!”

Christian moved in closer to him. “You need to go to the hospital.”

“Right. So they can put that on TV too?”

“Too?”

Warner let out a long breath and winced again. “This was all over Patty’s show and the only reason the guy got upset is because her cameras were in the building today too.”

“This is stupid, Warner. She’s going to get you killed.”

“I’m calling Curtis,” Christian said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “You guys are sure putting a downer on my evening.”

He took hold of Victoria’s hand and held it up, showing them the ring on her finger.

“Christian!” Clara jumped up and passed right past her brother and to Victoria. “You’re engaged! You’re engaged!”

“Yes,” Victoria said softly shifting her eyes to Warner and back to Clara. “It was very romantic.”

The moment was short lived when Christian began to speak to Curtis. The room was quiet and they waited.

Christian ended the phone call and placed his phone in his pocket. “He’ll be here in twenty.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Warner complained. “I’ll be fine. It’s not the first time I’ve had my face beat in.”

“Well I’ll guarantee it’ll be the last. We don’t roll like this,” Christian said through gritted teeth.

Clara smiled at her brother and then looked directly at Warner. “We need to call the police.”

“They already took the guy in. He was stupid enough to do this as I left the building today. Security detained him.”

“That’s something at least.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t you think this is reason for a lawyer? I mean if it’s dangerous for you be on this show you should be able to get out of the contract.”

Warner shifted in his seat and adjusted the towel on his cheek. “Actually, Jeremy said there was a call today about me. He wouldn’t give me specifics, but he told me what they were looking for. He wants new material written.”

“You mean someone wants to buy your songs?”

He shrugged. “It sounded bigger than that.”

Clara moved toward him to pull him into her arms but stopped short when he tried to back away.

“I can’t believe it. It’s really going to work? This stupid show is going to get you signed!”

“Now, don’t go saying that. This isn’t how my life works out.”

“It’s time it does.”

Curtis arrived just as promised and Warner should have known he wouldn’t travel alone. Before Warner knew it the entire Keller family was in their living room.

“You’re lucky he didn’t break your cheek.” Curtis placed a butterfly bandage over his eyebrow.

“He wasn’t looking to kill me, jut make me look bad.”

“Well, you look bad.” Curtis sat back and examined his work. “You’re sure they took off with this guy?”

“Yeah.”

Zach walked across the room, his phone in his hand. “I confirmed they arrested the guy. My lawyer thinks you should put a restraining order on him.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Zach narrowed his eyes on him. “Think hard. And listen, you’re covered with a lawyer if you need one to go after this guy.”

“I appreciate that. I can’t afford a lawyer and…”

“That’s not what I said.” He moved in closer until he was standing right behind Curtis. “We
all
work together here.”

Warner contemplated that for a moment. “Okay. Thanks.”

It was now past eleven and the front door opened again. This time it was Jeremy Smith.

Ed stood from his position on the couch with a menacing look to him.

Jeremy stopped walking. “I’m just wanting to check on Warner. Is he alright?”

“I’m fine,” Warner called and the sea of Kellers between him and Jeremy parted.

“Holy crap!” Jeremy hurried to him. “You needed an ambulance. How did you even drive home?”

“Let’s call it adrenaline.”

Zach stepped up to Warner’s side. “What’s going to happen to the guy that did this?”

“He was arrested.”

Zach nodded. “We know that. Warner isn’t going to have to work with him further is he? If that’s the case it’s not safe for him to be on your show.”

Jeremy’s eyes opened wide. “Oh, no. I wouldn’t have the guy back. He’s too much trouble. I can’t have him beating everyone up who gets mentioned on another show.”

“I’m serious,” Zach continued and now Curtis and Carlos were standing right next to him. “If there is a chance that he comes back and is near Warner again my lawyers will be unleashed on your company. Warner is doing this show in good faith that it will lead him to sell his music. This isn’t for the hype or to become some bad publicized reality TV personality.”

Jeremy nodded sternly. “You have my word. Warner will be taken care of. He’s my most promising talent. I have no reason to want him put in harm’s way.”

Perhaps it was the late night, the pain throbbing in his head, or sheer delirium from the situation, but Warner wanted to grin and laugh. Jeremy Smith had just said he was his most promising talent. That might have been one of the nicest things anyone had ever said about him.

Once the house emptied of Keller family, Clara helped Warner up the stairs and to bed. She turned off the lights and crawled in next to him.

“Are you okay? Did that stuff Curtis give you help take the pain away?”

Warner smiled as much as he possibly could. “It’s not the medication that makes me feel better. It’s you. It was your whole family showing up here to take care of me.
Me.
”

“You’re one of us now.”

He nodded. “And tonight I felt like it.”

Clara took hold of his hand. “I’m afraid to hold you too tight.

“I’m just bruised.”

“And bruises hurt.”

“Yes—they—do.” He finally laughed and then closed his eyes. “But did you hear what Jeremy said about me? I’m his most promising talent.”

Clara laughed. “Out of everything tonight you’re smiling about that?”

“Yes, I am.”

She laughed too. “You deserve good things, Warner.”

He wasn’t looking at her, but her voice carried her truth and he knew in that moment she meant it. Maybe she could move on with him and not worry that his past would creep back in and destroy him.

The news stations had quickly picked up on the story that Patricia Little’s stepson had been beaten by one of the co-stars of his own reality TV show.

Clara turned it off the moment they began to talk about Patricia and her TV legacy.

“You didn’t want to hear about me on TV?” Warner mused as he sipped his coffee at the kitchen table.

“Are you kidding me? I live in my own naive reality. And my story says
you should see the other guy.
”

Warner winced when she said it. “You don’t really think looking like this that I got one blow into him do you?”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “I said that was
my
reality. Don’t mess with me.”

He laughed, but there was a serious undertone to her voice.

“You leave on Thursday, huh?” He asked as he stirred sugar into this coffee.

“Yeah. I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

“You’re ready.”

“We’re talking thousands of people, Warner.”

“And you’ve performed for thousands of people.”

She let out a choked laugh and sat down at the table. “Not all at the same time.”

Warner reached across the table and took her hand. “The lights are so bright it’ll only look like you have a theater full.”

“Comforting.”

“I try.”

Clara packed her suitcase and repacked it. All of her outfits that she’d wear while performing were already on a bus and headed to the first leg of the tour.

“Did you sneak in some cheesy picture frame of your husband to put on your night stand?”

She turned to see Warner leaning against the doorjamb. He looked better already, though the black eye was going through that yellow stage, but the cut was healing nicely.

“My cell phone is full of them if that makes you happy.”

“I’d really like to be at that first show.”

“Can’t you arrange that with Jeremy?”

Warner shook his head. “I’ve been out all week. He was gracious to do that.”

She had to agree. Jeremy Smith had really come to Warner’s aid since he’d been attacked. Not only had he given him time off to heal, he’d fielded most of the media. And he’d put everything in a good light—Warner didn’t seem like a victim when Jeremy was done fielding reporter’s questions. He had agreed with Zach though and a restraining order was issued against the guy who had beat him up. She assumed Warner had agreed to it to calm her down.