Shadow of Doubt (16 page)

“Why are you smiling like that?” Jordan then asked as they drove toward home, still chuckling and reminiscing about their crazy crash.

“I just like this life,” she answered truthfully.  “I bet you've enjoyed yourself all these years.  Now I can see why you are so addicted to it.”

Jordan grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler.  “It's been pretty good to me.”

“Have you ever taken anyone else beside your mom for a ride in that car before?” she asked as she curiously gazed upon him.

“You mean any other women friends?”  he asked already knowing the answer.  Dolly smiled enviously.

“Just one.”

“Who?” she then asked jealously.

Jordan chuckled at her now.  “It was a very long time ago.  I was actually engaged to marry her.”

Dolly couldn't believe what he had just admitted to her.  “Jordan Scott?  Engaged to be married?” she wondered.

“What happened to her?” she finally got the nerve to ask.

Jordan glanced over as if thinking about whether or not he should tell her.  “Martin.  That's what.  Only he didn't lie about it that time.  He was screwing her behind my back.”

Now she knew the whole story.  Martin had deceived him once before.  “Then why are you still friends with him?”

“We weren't for a long time, but I figured she was more at fault then he was.  She was engaged to me.  Martin just took advantage of her.  He saw right through her and knew she was easy.  I should actually be grateful it ended when it did.”

“Did you beat her up?” she teased.

“No!  But I damn sure wanted too,” he admitted through his sexy grin not at all serious about his reply.  “I'm beginning to worry about you,” he laughed.

“Why's that?”

“You're beginning to act like an evil little thing.”

“Hey, you never autographed my arm,” she then playfully cut in, shoving her cast his direction.

“I gave you my autograph three nights in a row,” he teased back as he reached down and took hold of her leg with his warm hand.

“Oh yeah...how about making it four?”

Jordan shook his head with laughter and playfully slapped her leg.  “What'd I ever do without you?”

They arrived home late and raced each other up the stairs and straight to Jordan's master bedroom.

The next afternoon they picked up Martin and headed for the track.  He had called earlier that morning that his car wouldn't start and needed a ride.  Jordan wasn't too thrilled about it but agreed to give him a lift nevertheless.

Jordan then remembered he needed plumbing fixtures to complete the bathroom in Dolly's bedroom.  She had been using his the whole time they had been together now and even though he intended to keep her in his bedroom from now on, he figured he may as well tend to it while he had the time off so he headed into town first.

Jordan seemed unusually uncomfortable as they drove.  Finally he looked over at Martin.  “Hey dude, about the other day...”

“No problem Jordan,” he cut in.  “I understand okay?  Trust me, it will never happen again.  I know better this time.”  He looked at Dolly then turned his head in mere shame.

Jordan leered.  Martin stuttered.  “Its just that...well she's...well look at her Jordan,” he finally blurted as he motioned to Dolly.

Dolly and Jordan both smiled amusingly.  She was a little reddened by his remark but was too relieved by Jordan's grin to be embarrassed.

“Skip it okay,” Jordan answered.  “I guess you're only human too.”

Dolly was overwhelmed by the understanding and patience this man possessed.  How any woman could've jilted him before was beyond her.  She smiled enviously again feeling she was the luckiest woman alive.

Dolly decided to change the subject for them.  “Can we eat lunch while we're in town?”

Jordan looked at her with his lazy grin.  “How the hell do you stay so skinny, huh?  All you think about is food.”  He nearly scolded through his smile.

“That's cause you never have any food in the house,” she replied.  “I have hell dragging you to the grocery store.”

Jordan stopped at a local restaurant to feed his lady.  He was rather hungry himself.  Martin and Jordan finally acted as old buddies again through lunch and Dolly was pleased to see them getting along so well.

Everything seemed perfect.  They were all friends and enjoying being together.  And her relationship with Jordan was even more fantastic than she had ever imagined possible.

Their table sat just next to a huge window exposing the view of the sidewalk out front.  They could hear sudden noises as if a group of people were forming.

Outside the restaurant they looked only to see a crowd of young girls gathering and excitedly gabbing.  Dolly watched the all too familiar scene unfold outside the window as the crowd grew larger and the noise became louder.

“What’s going on out there?” she asked and turned to look at Martin, then too Jordan.

“I don't know,” Jordan mumbled out wondering the same thing as he watched the commotion build.

“Oh I bet I know,” Martin suddenly remembered.  “I heard on the radio this morning that some country music star is in to town.  He's supposed to be staying at the hotel just across the street from here.”

“Which one?” Jordan asked.

“Guy Radlee.  He's not doing a concert or anything though.  They just figured he's vacationing or something.  He never really told anybody why he was in town, just showed up this morning.”

“That's the one that sings that song you like so much,” Jordan then proclaimed to Dolly as they finished up their meal.

“Really? Maybe he'll sing it for me,” she teased as they rose to leave.

“If you could fight your way through all those crazy women,” he laughed back as he opened the door of the restaurant and began gently pushing their way through the screaming mob.

Jordan took steady hold of Dolly's left hand and held it firmly pulling her behind him as they tried desperately to make their way to his pick-up parked at the curve.

Then the crowd screeched and screamed louder and started to become more unruly as a big black limousine pulled up and stopped just short of them.

Dolly wasn't enthused about seeing some country singing sensation, yet the screaming was getting to her.  Just like in her dream.  There was something all too familiar about the sounds.  She wasn't too sure now if this was really happening or if she were back at Jordan's house asleep, dreaming this all too familiar dream.  Besides she had the best man alive at her side and had no desire to look back.  She continued to follow Jordan uninterested in seeing this famous country star that was surely about to emerge before these crazed fans.

As they finally cleared the crowd they heard a loud male voice yelling from behind them but ignored it and walked on.  Then it sounded even louder and nearer to them now.  Even Jordan had to turn and look this time.

“Barb!  Wait a minute!”

Jordan, Martin and Dolly turned around and stood still and stared as this near six foot blonde haired, blue eyed stranger approached them smiling as if he knew them.  Dolly scanned his well tanned face and arms and felt her body began to grow numb at his sight.  Then the dream began to flash in her head again and the man on the stage singing was no longer a blur.  She could see him plain as day, but it wasn't the dream...it was real...he was standing right in front of her smiling as if he had known her forever.

Jordan felt her trembling through his hand and her palm grew sweaty.  He looked from him to her.  She was motionless as she stared steadily into this strange man's face.

“Barb?  Are you okay?” Guy Radlee then asked as he stood only inches from her now.  His security guards circled all around them now trying to hold back the crowd of crazed fans.

“Dolly?  Do you know this man?” Jordan asked with fear.

Dolly's frightened eyes scanned nervously from Jordan back to this man.

“Barb?  It's me Barb.  What's wrong with you?”

Suddenly Dolly dropped Jordan's hand and threw her arms around this man's neck.  “Oh Guy.  I'm so happy to see you again!” she blurted out as Jordan watched on, clearly unamused.