Redemption Song (9 page)

“Yeah, I’m just going to take a quick sec to check on Ben.”

Alaina walked down the hallway to Ben’s room. When she reached the doorway she found Ben on the top bunk of his bed. He was already tucked in his pajamas (at the early hour of seven o’clock), reading a book she had given him for his birthday about all of the creatures God created. It was almost all she could do to keep from turning to Ethan and canceling.

Alaina rarely got nights off from work. She felt guilty leaving Ben alone when she had the whole night that she could be spending with him.

“Hey sis!” Ben said when he saw her enter the room. “Hi roomy!” he added as Ethan entered. Alaina was always amazed by Ben’s smile. He could light up an entire stadium with that smile. “Are you and Ethan leaving for your date now?”

And that was the bad part of having a little brother. Sometimes they could be embarrassing. She refused to even shoot the slightest glance in Ethan’s direction.

“Ben, sweetie, Ethan and I are not going on a date. We’re just going to grab something to eat.”

“Then why did Ethan change clothes like five times and redo his hair twice? And why are you holding a flower? Looks like a date to me!” Ben averted his attention back to the book as if he was just making normal conversation.

Ethan let out an awkward laugh from behind her. “Thanks, little guy.”

Alaina couldn’t help but laugh and she was about to turn to leave when she noticed the flushed, pale look to Ben’s skin. As his mother figure for the last year, she knew that look all too well.

“Ben, are you running fever?”

He replied almost before she had finished asking. “No.”

“Ben, don’t you make me climb up there because you know I will. Get over here.”

Ben looked up from his book defeated, groaned, and crawled to the edge of the bed. Alaina placed the back of her hand on his cheek and reached up on her tip toes to kiss his skin. He was definitely warm.

“Ben, you are running fever! Why didn’t you come get me and tell me you weren’t feeling well?”

“Because I
do
feel well.”

“Then why are you running fever?”

“Because that’s what I do?”

“What does that mean?”

Ben flashed a stubborn little boy look. “It means that Granny Mae already gave me some medicine and I’m not sick. You are just a big ole’ worry wart. And I didn’t tell you because Granny Mae told me not to. She said you wouldn’t go out tonight if I told you.”

Alaina let out an exasperated sigh. “Well, she was right. I’m not leaving you here with Granny Mae when you’re getting sick. She doesn’t need to deal with that.”

“Oh yes she does!” Granny Mae’s voice startled Alaina from the doorway of the little bedroom. “Ethan, take Alaina out of this house at once before she gets to the point you have to drag her out and chain her to the seat of the car.”

Ethan cast a look of confusion.

“Really, Granny Mae,” Alaina pleaded. “Ben is my responsibility. I’ll stay with him.”

“You have way too many responsibilities, my dear,” Granny countered. “And tonight, the only one you have to worry about is showing my grandson what it’s like to be a normal teenager for once in his life. Now, I want you kids out of this house immediately and on the town having fun. Alaina, don’t worry about Ben. I might be old, but I’ve had kids of my own. I know what to do with a fever.”

“But . . .” Alaina started to argue.

“Nope! No buts. And Ethan, I want you to forget about agents, and producers, and screaming fans. Relax and have a good time tonight. You work hard and you deserve a night to yourself.”

Granny Mae looked at both of them dead in the eye. It was amazing how she could do that without shifting her eyes at all. She looked remarkably tough for such a frail woman. It must be a grandma thing, because it was working. “Are we clear children?”

“Yes ma’am,” Alaina and Ethan chimed together.

“Very well,” Granny Mae smiled. “Now, Ben, get down here. I made your favorite dinner.

Ben jumped down from the top bunk in one swift motion. Alaina cringed. “Grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken noodle soup?” he asked eagerly.

Granny smiled and brushed the top of his head. “You know it, kiddo.”

Ben ran from the room and the sounds of his steps could be heard as he bounded down the staircase.

“Oh, and Ethan,” Granny continued before they could exit the bedroom. “There’s a little surprise for you outside. Your friend Ted picked it up for you today.” Alaina had almost forgotten about the tall man on the couch.

Granny Mae took them both by the shoulders and guided them into the hallway to the stairs. Ethan gave Alaina an amused grin. She returned it.

“Okay, bye kids! Have fun!”

When Ethan and Alaina reached the front porch and peered out to the drive, they found the surprise. Beside the driver’s side door of a beautiful jet black Dodge Charger, Ted stood holding a set of keys.

“I thought you might like the freedom of your own vehicle, Mr. Carter,” Ted said as they made their way across the yard to him.

Please tell me he didn’t just go out and buy a car
, Alaina thought. But when she got closer, she noticed the tag on the key had the name of the rental place in town. She was surprised by Ethan’s expression as he grasped the keys from Ted.

“Wow, thanks man,” Ethan said slowly. “Are you sure this is okay?”

Why would it not be okay? Alaina knew Ethan was busy, but he surely had his license.

“I think it will be okay just this once,” Ted smiled. “But try to bring this one back in one piece, Mr. Carter. I’m sure Alaina would appreciate it. And technically, per Bruce’s orders, I am to accompany you on this outing in case you are discovered and mobbed by crazed female adolescents, but if it’s all the same to you, I think I’d rather wait for a call or text to come to your rescue.”

Ethan’s eyes gleamed. He was like a little kid who had just been told he was free to run around unsupervised in a Toys ‘R’ Us. He reached out and shook Ted’s hand as though some sort of silent agreement had been reached between them.

“You are welcome, Mr. Carter, but please do remember that my job is on the line here. I would appreciate it if you didn’t make me regret this.”

“No way, sir.”

Alaina wasn’t sure what was taking place between Ethan and Ted, but she didn’t have time to ask. Ethan grasped her hand and led her to the passenger side of the car. He opened her door and waited for her to be seated before shutting it. Then he ran around the back of the car, gave Ted one last wave, and fell into the driver’s seat.

Ethan turned to Alaina. His eyes sparkled with excitement. His wide smile stretched from ear to ear. Alaina felt a sensation in the pit of her stomach that she wasn’t familiar with. For some reason, she decided in that moment that she could look at that smile all day and it wouldn’t bother her a bit. She loved Ethan’s smile. She loved that he was happy. She worried that she was beginning to care a little too much about whether Ethan Carter was happy or not. It shouldn’t matter to her in the slightest . . . but it did.

Ethan turned the key and the Charger’s engine purred to life.

“So where should we go?” he asked.

Alaina thought for a moment and decided she could care less. She actually had a night to be kid again. The first in a long, long time. And she didn’t care where Ethan took her. All she cared about was that wherever the night took her, Ethan would be there with her.

Ethan

Ethan could hardly believe what was happening. He had never expected Ted to talk, much less to go rent him a vehicle so that he didn’t have to rely on Alaina to drive him around. He had felt a little pathetic asking Alaina to go out with him that night and then having to take her vehicle. But Ted solved his problem. Ethan understood what Ted was laying on the line for him and there was no way that he was going to mess that up.

The night had begun as a desperate desire to get out of Granny Mae’s house. To break free from his prison of punishment. But Ethan didn’t feel that now. When Alaina opened her bedroom door, and he’d seen her beautiful dark hair and cute little outfit with her signature shoes, he decided that maybe this night was a little more about her. Ethan had been curious about Alaina since their chance encounter the night before in the kitchen, and the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to know her.

Alaina was beautiful, and down to earth, and natural. She had an inner beauty that he didn’t quite understand. A calm peacefulness that he’d never felt in his own self. And even though she’d gotten a little frantic about leaving Ben, that only fueled Ethan’s desire even more. It was a sign of passion and loyalty mixed with a bit of anxiety. Alaina was going through something Ethan didn’t understand, but he wanted to do something to help her. She had helped him when there was no one else around to do it, and he wanted to return the favor.

Surprisingly, he wanted her to . . . smile. Ethan loved her smile. He wanted to make her happy tonight so that he could see her smile. The entire situation made Ethan realize how long it had been since he’d cared about someone’s happiness other than his own.

“So I was thinking we might go grab some food at that restaurant on the pier,” Ethan said after a moment. “I’ve always liked the looks of that place. It’s pretty, sitting out there on top of the water.”

Alaina giggled.

“What?”

“That’s where I work. I’m a waitress.”

“Never mind, scratch that. You’re probably sick of the food by now. We can go somewhere else.”

“No, it’s okay,” she said. “I actually never get to eat the food. I’m always too busy working. It’d be nice to experience that place as a normal customer for once.”

It was a night of new experiences for both of them. As Ethan drove through the sparkling downtown area of Fairhope, the sun was beginning to set over the ocean’s horizon and the town was coming alive. The light poles that lined the streets of the town were wrapped in beautiful greenery and white lights. The streets were clean. People walked here and there on the sidewalks. Mostly couples, but a few families with children, also. Ethan had forgotten how slowly life could move when he wasn’t on a tour bus bouncing from city to city.

Ethan remembered the way to the restaurant easily and arrived there within ten minutes of leaving the house. He and Alaina chatted back and forth about areas of the town that they liked the most. They laughed when Ethan’s latest hit came on the radio. He cranked it up and sang along in a pretend voice so that he sounded terrible. Alaina laughed and seemed to make the entire vehicle sparkle.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Ethan parked the car and walked to Alaina’s side. He reached out his hand to help her from her seat. She took it slowly and stepped out. The fruity scent of her hair lofted up to his nose. Her smooth, soft hand lay gently in his. When she was standing, Ethan was about to release her and move to shut her door, but something stopped him. He didn’t want to release her.

So he took a chance.

Ethan held loosely to Alaina’s hand and began to move away from the car, cautious to see how she would react.

It was apparent that she was about to let go of his hand, but in that instant, their eyes met. Sparks flew in Ethan’s stomach. What was it about this girl that seemed to light his world on fire? To his astonishment, after a brief moment of hesitation, Alaina moved with him away from the car, allowing her hand to remain comfortably rested in his.

When they reached the entrance, a smartly dressed hostess greeted them at the door.

“Hey girl!” the young girl voiced with surprise. “What are you doing here on your day off . . . and who is this?” The girl ran her eyes up and down Ethan as if he were a statue for her very own viewing pleasure.

“I’m E . . .” he began.

“This is my friend from out of state,” Alaina cut him off with an odd look. “This is . . . uh . . . Brandon . . . Matthews. I’m showing him around Fairhope tonight. We’re just going to grab something to eat and then head out.”

Ethan almost laughed aloud at Alaina’s quick thinking. He’d been so wrapped up in the moment; he’d almost blown his cover before the night even began.

“Alaina! So nice to see you, dear!” A blonde lady dressed in a tweed power suite exited the kitchen area and trotted over to them to give Alaina a quick hug.

“Uh . . . Brandon . . .,” Alaina said, trying not to smile. “This is my boss, Tina. Tina, this is my friend, Brandon.”

“It’s so nice to meet you, Brandon!” Tina exclaimed, grasping his hand with surprising force. “We don’t see Alaina out of her uniform very often. I’m so glad you chose our establishment for your dining this evening.”

“Oh, don’t worry about us, Ms. Tina,” Alaina said. “We’ll just sit over in the corner out of everybody’s way. I know what the dinner rush is like. We don’t want to get in the way.”

“My dear, you will do no such thing.” Tina turned and flashed a businesslike smile at Ethan. “Brandon, any friend of Alaina’s is an honored guest at my restaurant. You will be eating outside on the pier tonight.”

“But that table is only reserved for really important customers,” Alaina objected.

“Which is precisely why you will be seated there.” Tina snapped her fingers toward the hostess. “Gabby, take care of everything, will you? You know how things work on the pier.”

“Yes ma’am,” the girl said. “Wait here just a second, you guys. I’ll be right back.”

Ethan continued to grasp Alaina’s hand as they waited. He couldn’t judge the look on her face. Was it embarrassment or appreciation? He wasn’t sure, but he could tell that she wasn’t fond of all the attention.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay with this place?” he asked softly. “We can go somewhere else if you want.”

She cast a slight smile and peered up to him. “No, it’s fine. They’re just not used to seeing me out without Ben or Granny Mae. The shock will wear off soon enough. And I’ve waited the table at the pier a few times and it is beautiful. That was really generous of Tina to let us sit there.” A sly grin spread across her cheeks. “Besides, if my friend, Brandon, wants to experience Fairhope, this is the way to do it.”