Forever Red (31 page)

I nodded, dragging my teeth over my bottom lip to keep from tearing up. I hadn’t cried yet; I didn’t plan to.

He slid off his stool and dropped to his knees in front of me, gripping my hands in his. “Lia, when are you going to realize that you were my everything?”

It was the wrong thing to say and tears burned the backs of my eyes. He leaned forward slightly and tipped his head up to meet my eyes. “I wasn’t giving up the farm. I was spouting off at Nikki because she was being a selfish bitch. I didn’t mean any of it, and if you’d just told me, I would have explained. Nikki has never loved it here like I have and she wanted out. So I bought her half. I would have done it even if we’d been together.”

Realization dawned on me then, the conversation making more sense. He’d screamed at her and told her to “sell it,” but I’d assumed he’d meant his half too. Fuck me. I was even more stupid than I’d realized. All I could do was mumble a weak, “I’m sorry!” before I started to cry.

He stood, engulfing me in his arms, rubbing my back. “Baby,” he murmured, “all this time and it was because of that?”

I only sobbed harder, nodding because he was right. He held me until the last tear was dry. When I finally hiccupped and sat back, running my hands over my cheeks, he sat back on his stool, looking very serious and very mature.

“That’s fucked. This,” he started, moving a finger between the two of us, “was never just a pathetic high school fling. If it was, it’d be gone by now. I don’t look at April and wonder what would have happened if we’d stayed together. I don’t wonder what she’s doing every second of every day. I don’t look at her and immediately get hard thinking about her noises and her body. I think about you at least a hundred times a day, sometimes a shit ton more. I see you and I instantly want to throw you over my shoulder and tie you to my bed, just because I’m never going to get enough of you.

“I don’t give two shits about how young we were, and maybe that’s ‘cause down here, you marry your high school love because you know you’re never gonna get better. Maybe it’s because when you smile at me, I don’t remember my own goddamn name. But I think it’s ‘cause you are my one. The love that my Gramps used to sing songs about. We were just the lucky fucks who found each other early.

“I still love you. As much as I did the day you ripped out my heart. It never went away.” He sounded so broken, so damaged. “It’s been two days and I already can’t stand the idea of you not being here every day.”

“Nate,” I muttered, needing him to understand. “I came here to say goodbye.”

“I know.” Then he gave me that smile, the one that was mine. “Now, I’m asking you to stick around for a while. Come on tour with me.”

I gave him a sad smile. “I have school. I can’t run away with you, as great as it sounds.”

His eyes lit up in delight. “Not right now. But when the year ends. Come with me.”

I shook my head. “I work during the summer.”

“Work for me. Nikki’s going out on maternity leave and April can’t come because of her family. So, I need to hire someone anyway. You’d actually be doing me a favor.”

I smiled then, happy that he hadn’t offered to pay my way. “Isn’t there some rule about not sleeping with your employees?” If not, there should be.

His smile turned into a full on grin. “You’re coming with me.” Shit. I guess I was. “You’re really coming?”

I nodded, sighing as I tried to figure out how to tell the girls that not only was I sleeping with a music superstar, I was going on tour with him.

Before I could dwell on the thought, he pounced. Ripping off my clothes and lips sucking at every inch of skin he could find before lifting me and carrying me to the couch in the corner. He left me for a second, coming back as naked as I was, before covering me again. He pulled my legs apart playfully, killing my laughter when he pushed into me with an intensity I’d only ever found with him. He drove us both toward the edge, faster and faster, but when his knuckles circled around my clit, I fell apart. He followed seconds later, my name on his lips.

I didn’t want to move. The couch was scratchy against my back, the cushion had half fallen out so the wooden frame was digging into my ass, and Neil might not look like he weighed a lot, but his deadweight was crushing me. However, I was the most comfortable I’d been in years.

Neil must have been content to stay right there, too, because he didn’t try to move. When he finally did adjust his body, it was to lean down and capture my mouth with his. Breaking the kiss, he leaned his forehead against mine and just stared. I was going to be just as bad as the seniors, counting down the days until the end of school. I didn’t know where this would go, but I did know that Neil was in it with me.

“It’s the worst fucking idea in the history of bad fucking ideas!”

I turned to Finn, giving him a sympathetic look just as Nikki’s purse went flying by his head. I sat back on the couch and glared at my sister. “No, it’s brilliant.”

My sister put her hands on what used to be her hips pre-baby, and narrowed her eyes at me. “She doesn’t know the first goddamn thing about the music industry. Or managing you.”

The “she” in question was Lia. Nikki needed to go on leave and she needed to do it yesterday. Her doctor was extremely clear about that fact, and even if she didn’t want to hear it, she was taking a mandatory break. At this point, working from home was no longer an option. No, she was on full-fledged bed rest until the little cowboy – or princess – made an appearance. I thought knowing that I was in good hands would sooth her, but it had only made matters worse.

“I swear to fucking Christ, Nathaniel Carlton Kelly, you don’t have the sense the good Lord gave a squirrel.”

“It’s just for a few months, Nik. Calm down.”

“Calm?” she screeched, stomping her foot. “Don’t tell me to calm down.”

I didn’t know what else to say because everything made it worse. When a vein started popping out on her neck, her husband stood. “Yes. Calm down, damn it.” At his authoritative tone, Nik immediately stopped worrying her hands and dropped onto the couch. Finn hardly ever got angry, but when he did, people paid attention. He walked to her, bending down to her level, and put a hand on her swollen belly. “You’re getting all worked up over nothin’ and the baby needs you to be calm.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “That’s it, baby. Deep breaths.”

It took a few minutes, but the change in her was visible. It was like someone dropped a veil and my sister was suddenly back. She turned, smiling at me. A genuine smile that I hadn’t seen directed toward me in months. “Promise you won’t miss me too much?”

I laughed. “You’re not getting rid of me, kid. That’s my nephew you’re cooking in there.”

“Niece,” she countered. She pushed herself up, and tapped her husband on the cheek. “I’m going to go rest a spell.”

Finn grabbed a couple of beers, handing me one as he sat next to me.

“I’m moving Noah to bass. And Tex to steel…” I stated.

“Why?”

I popped the top, tossing it onto the table next to me. “Because Noah knows the songs without even trying and Tex is the only one that can cover steel.”

“No, man. Why are you taking my spot?”

I stared at my brother-in-law, confused. “Nikki’s leaving the tour,” I answered, but he only nodded. “So are you.”

That made him scowl. “I’ve never missed a tour and I’m not gonna abandon you in the middle of one now.”

“The hell you ain’t.” I scowled back. “Your wife needs to be on bed rest. You tellin’ me you don’t wanna be with your wife when she needs you?”

“That’s not what I’m sayin’.”

I knew it wasn’t. I didn’t know a man that loved his wife more than Finn did. He was the guy that would go without if that meant his wife had what she needed and wanted. He took care of her, always putting her before himself because that was the kind of man he was.

But he’d also worked every day since he turned fourteen. His bible-thumping Baptist family believed hard work made the man, and they never let him forget that his “hobby” wasn’t a real job. Didn’t matter to them that he’d made more in a few years than his parents had in a lifetime, because all they saw was that he wasn’t really working. Their opinion was always just in the back of his mind, waiting for a moment like this to come out and taunt him.

“Finn, if it was me, and my wife and baby needed to be home resting, I’d cancel the whole fucking tour to be with them. There is nothing more important right now than your family. They are your full time job right now.”

He listened, letting my words churn in his mind before he nodded. He finished his beer. “Move Noah to bass, but leave Tex on percussion. Liam can handle steel. It’ll smooth the sound. And I’ll be back before he gets sick of it.”

We talked for a few more minutes discussing which songs we could drop from the lineup. I was distracted, though. I’d been telling him the truth when I said that if it were my wife, I’d shut the entire tour down just to be with her. I hadn’t thought about settling down or having kids in years. I hadn’t met anyone that I wanted to share a life with.

Except Lia. A vision of her sitting on the porch, pregnant with my baby, watching me work in the fields while she kept her feet up and sipped sweet tea flitted through my mind. Hell, yeah. I would never tour again if I had her and a family at home.

After Finn left to join Nikki, I checked my phone. Lia would still be in school, but I’d call her as soon as I could. After the weekend we’d just had, I was even more addicted than I had been. I was still amazed that she’d agreed to come with me, but now I was counting down the days until I could spend every minute with her.

*****

“How many days left?” were the first words out of my mouth when she picked up the phone later that afternoon.

“Eleven more days of school, but twelve until I can close my classroom,” she said with a laugh. “When you count weekends and days until I’m actually flying to you, we’ve still got seventeen.”

I groaned. “I’ll never survive. You need to quit your job.”

She laughed. “Maybe you need to quit yours.”

“Let’s quit together and run away.”

“Nathaniel Kelly, it’s not even four o’clock. Are you drunk already?”

I chuckled at her condescending tone. “Nope. I’m sober, babe. We could go to the Virgin Islands. Or Scotland. Or, hell, even Canada. Just tell me what kind of climate you want and we’ll go. They’d never find us.”

“Are you high? Have you been hanging out with Willie again? Did he maybe slip you some of his wacky weed?”

My girl thought she was a comedian. “Seriously, tell me where you want to go, I’ll buy tickets and we can disappear tonight.”

I grinned at her sigh. “You are something else, you know that, right?” she asked and I nodded at the wall – I did. “Where are you tonight?”

I glanced out the window at the concrete wall. “Fuck if I know. Charlotte, I think. Nikki’ll tell me before I go out and make an ass outta myself.”

“What are you going to do without her?”

“It’ll be your job.”

“To keep you from making an ass out of yourself? I’m pretty sure that’s more than a full time job.”

We laughed the next half hour away until someone banged on my trailer door, letting me know it was time to get my shit together. “Shit. Someone needs me. I gotta go, babe.”

“Okay. Have a great show.”

“Want me to call you later? Or do you need to sleep?”

“Did you really just ask me that?” she countered back. “If you don’t know the answer, then I definitely need the sleep.”

Another bang let me know that the person outside was getting impatient. “I’ll call you tonight then.”

“Have a great show, Neil.”

“Come in,” I hollered as soon as I disconnected from her.

Molly came in, already dressed for the show. Her welcoming smile fell when she saw me. “You’re not ready.”

I glanced down at my jeans, boots, and black tee. It was what I wore every concert, or at least a variation of my normal clothes. “What should I be wearing?”

Molly’s eyes got big and she gave me an annoyed look. “They said white button up and black jeans.”

I had no idea what she was talking about.

“We have a photo shoot in fifteen minutes. Followed by an interview.” Seeing my face still blank, she growled in annoyance. “The
Country Weekly
interview?”

“Shit.” I had forgotten all about it. “That’s today?” I raised my hands in defense when she inhaled a sharp breath. “Give me five and I’ll be ready.” I didn’t wait for an answer, just hurried back to my room.

Twenty minutes later, I was smirking at the camera, one hand around Molly’s waist, while she gave me a flirty smile of her own. It was the photographer’s idea, not mine. Then he put Molly in front of me, my hands covering hers across her stomach. By the time he thought he had what he needed, I was tired of smiling.

We sat together for the interview, sipping on hot tea and laughing as we relayed stories of Molly’s old band and the time we’d spent together. The whole thing was going really well until they focused on me.

“Nate, you know I have to ask. I read recently that you are country music’s hottest bachelor.”

“I read that, too,” I mumbled, knowing what Sue, the reporter, was about to ask.

“And that you are a serial dater,” She said and I nodded again. It used to be true. “But I’ve also read that you may be off the market.” She glanced at Molly out of the corner of her eye. “Anything you can tell me?”

I inwardly groaned, knowing that she was connecting Mols and me in her mind. Putting on every bit of charm I’d learned to use over the years, I grinned at her playfully. “There are a lotta things I can tell you, Suzie Q, so why don’t you ask me what you want to know.”

Sue uncrossed her legs and adjusted in her seat. “Are you still single?”

I braced my elbows on the arms of my chair. I’d been asked this question hundreds of times, but I’d never really answered it. Usually, my response was humorous or self-deprecating. Not today. “I’m not.”

I felt Molly tense next to me while Sue’s eyes glinted in excitement. This was a juicy piece of gossip that would go viral before she left the venue. “You’re not?”

I shook my head once. “I’m not.” I shrugged. “We’re not getting married tomorrow”—then I laughed—“at least, we don’t plan on it. But, yeah, I have a girlfriend.”

She arched an over-plucked eyebrow. “You don’t plan on getting married tomorrow,” she repeated cautiously. “That sounds as if you’re saying you do plan on getting married at some point.”

I tipped my head, watching her. Red was going to kill me. Kill me dead. I chuckled at the thought. “Isn’t that the entire point of a relationship? Why bother if you don’t plan on getting hitched one day. We haven’t discussed it. I’m not even sure she’d call herself my girlfriend, but I could see myself marrying her one day.”

“Wow. Someone stole Nate Kelly’s heart.”

“I wouldn’t say she stole it ‘cause I’m giving it willingly. But she definitely put it back together.”

“Now I’m curious. Is she someone we know? Someone in the music business?”

I laughed. “Oh, no. I’ve already said too much. I can tell you that we’ve known each other for a long time. And when she’s ready to tell people, we’ll tell people. But know that right now, I’m taken.”

She pursed her lips but then turned to Molly. “You’re with him all the time so you must know who this mystery woman is.”

My friend nodded. “I do. I met her a few weeks ago. I think she’s a sweetheart. And, between you and me, she keeps him on his toes.”

“And she doesn’t have a problem with your friendship or you being on tour together?” The way she said it – as if it were completely unbelievable – pissed me off. I wanted to tell her that not all women were jealous and insecure, and to get fucked, but Molly answered before I could.

“If you can’t trust the man who just publically admitted he wanted to marry you, I’m not sure there is anyone you can trust.”

Nikki came in the room then, ending the interview, and escorting Sue out. As soon as the door was closed, Molly grabbed my arm. “You need to go call Lia,” she hissed angrily.

“Why?”

If looks could kill, she’d have murdered me on the spot. “You are a dumbass.”

I could only stare, forcing myself not to laugh.

“You do realize she thinks you’re talking about me, right?”

“Sue?” I asked and she nodded. “No she doesn’t.”

Molly glowered. “Yeah, she does. Or at least that’s how she’s going to spin it. Call Lia.”

I nodded, grabbing my phone. I relayed the information to Red as soon as she picked up, knowing I was needed in my dressing room. I left out the marriage part, but told her everything else I could. She wasn’t upset but found it hilarious.

“You actually told a reporter you weren’t single?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Are you trying to kill your career? Women buy tickets to your shows because they want to fuck you. If you’re taken, they won’t buy any more tickets.”

“Thanks,” I said bitterly. “I thought they came to see me play ‘cause they like my music.”

“Well, that too.”

“Me saying I have a girlfriend won’t keep the women away, Red.”

“Of course it will,” she argued. “What kind of woman is going to try to sleep with someone else’s boyfriend?”

I cleared my throat. “The kind that come to my shows on the off chance they’ll get to sleep with me.”

She was quiet for a few heartbeats. “Ew. That’s kind of nasty, Kelly.”

“You asked.”

“I did.” She groaned. “Are there going to be lots of those women around this summer?”