Marking Time (13 page)

K
ate fell into a routine and began to feel at home in her new apartment. She started each day with an hour at the gym followed by at least two hours of guitar practice. The new songs she’d been working on were coming along well, and she hoped to have the chance to debut them soon at the Bluebird.

Ashton and Reid called to check on her with such religious regularity that Kate suspected they had a written schedule. She spent Thanksgiving with them at Reid’s house. It had been a relaxing day with great food, board games, and movies. She’d enjoyed their company, even though she missed her own family terribly. Reid had invited her to come out to the house to go riding on Sunday, and she was looking forward to it.

On the days she worked, she left early so she could visit with Butch, the bartender at Mabel’s, before her shift. He’d become her only friend there, since most of the women she worked with ignored her.

“I don’t know what I ever did to them,” Kate lamented to Butch one day before work. She nursed a Diet Coke while he set up the bar.

Butch gave her a sympathetic smile. “You didn’t do anything to them, sweetheart. They’re threatened by you.”

“
By me?
How can they be threatened by
me
?”

“Because they want what you want, and now that they’ve heard you sing, they know you’re better than them.”

Charlie, the manager, finally let her on stage the day after she got her first chance to play at the Bluebird. That had been a good couple of days. After her performance, Charlie had gone on and on about how good she was, which Kate could now see led to the sudden increase in her coworkers’ hostility. She chewed nervously on her thumbnail. Some of those women were scary. “That’s not fair.”

“No, it isn’t, but that’s the way people are in this town.” With a glance around to make sure no one was watching, Butch pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “I grabbed this off the wall for you. One of the city’s better house bands is looking for a new female lead singer. I thought you might be interested.”

She took the paper from him. “Thanks. What’s a house band?”

“They play at house parties around town. Up-and-comers love to perform with them because you never know who’ll be at the parties. A lot of people have been discovered that way. The Rafters are really popular, so it could be a good break for you.”

She glanced up at him with appreciation. “Thanks, Butch.”

He shrugged. “None of the others deserved it. Not after the way they’ve been treating you.”

“You’re a good friend.” She studied the flyer and learned the band was holding tryouts the next day.

“Have you talked to Ashton?” Butch asked as he unloaded glasses from the dishwasher behind the bar.

“Not in the last few days.”

“I think he’s got a bad case for you.”

Her head whipped up. “
What?
Ashton?
”

Butch grinned at her shock. “Open your eyes.”

“But we’re just friends. I didn’t even think he liked me all that much.”

“Oh, he likes you all right.”

Kate sat back to process this new information. She should be wild about Ashton. He was handsome, successful, funny, and oh, that body of his… But Kate had to admit that it wasn’t Ashton she looked forward to hearing from every few days. No, it was his father she loved talking to.

Reid surprised her the next night by stopping in at Mabel’s during her shift. She was startled to see him talking to Butch at the bar. As she watched him from across the room, her heart lurched when he threw his head back to laugh at something Butch said. Reid wore a dark suit and was so devastatingly handsome that Kate couldn’t look away. When she finally had a lull in the action, she worked up the nerve to go over and say hello.

“Hey,” she said. “What’re you doing out on a school night?”

“I had a meeting in town and decided to come by to check on you.”

“Do you have to file a written report with my dad?”

“Monthly, and he requires at least one face-to-face meeting with each report,” Reid said with a grin.

“What are you drinking?” She wanted to know everything about him.

“One scotch on the rocks for the road.”

When he reached for his drink, a gold cuff link peeked out of his suit coat sleeve. There was something so sexy and classy about the little chunk of gold holding his starched white cuff together that her mouth went dry. She fixated on his finger making a path through the condensation on his glass.

“What kind of meeting did you have?” she asked when she finally tore her eyes off his hand.

“Zoning board. We have several projects pending before them.”

“Sounds interesting.”

He laughed. “Believe me, it’s not. What’ve you been up to?”

“Oh! Get this! I tried out today with a house band called the Rafters. They’re auditioning for a new lead singer.”

“That’s great. How’d it go?”

“Really well, I think. They called me to come back again tomorrow. I’m glad you came by. I was dying to tell you about it.”

His smile lit up his handsome face. “That’s wonderful, Kate. They’re really good. I’ve seen them play several times at parties.”

“You have?”

He nodded.

“I sure hope I get the job.”

“I bet you will. Did you walk to work tonight?”

Crooking her head, she grinned. “Should I lie and say no?”

He pretended to make a note on an invisible pad. “It’s going in my report—walking in the dark and lying. Multiple demerits.”

She laughed. “You’ll get me in big trouble.”

“I’ll walk you home to keep you safe and out of trouble.”

“Don’t be crazy. I have another hour to go, and you have to work tomorrow.”

“I’ve told you I don’t want you walking around by yourself after dark. This
is
a city, you know.”

“You sound like my dad. Go home. It’s late, and you’ve already worked twelve hours today.”

“Now who’s being the parent?” he asked with a playful scowl. “I’ll wait.”

Kate found it hard to move just then.

“Go,” he said. “I’ll wait.”

When her shift ended at eleven, she waved good night to Butch and went downstairs ahead of Reid. Once they were outside, she took a deep gulp of fresh air. “The smoke was tough tonight.”

“That can’t be good for your voice.”

“It’s not. Even if I don’t get the gig with the Rafters, I might quit Mabel’s. The smoke sucks, and the people there are kind of shitty.”

He stopped walking and turned to her. “Shitty?”

“Mean.”

“They’re
mean
? To
you
?”

He looked so mad on her behalf that she smiled. “Butch says it’s because I sing better than they do.”

“Butch is probably right. He’s pretty smart about these things.”

“I’m not used to people not liking me because of my music, but I suppose it’s to be expected here.”

“I’m sorry, darlin’. I hate hearing that.”

His dismay was so genuine that Kate slipped a hand into the crook of his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Are you gonna beat ’em all up for me?” she asked, mocking his accent.

“I just might have to.”

“They’re not worth it. Besides, I plan to get my revenge the old-fashioned way.”

Amused, he looked down at her. “Oh yeah? How’s that?”

“I’m going to be famous.”

He laughed. “I have no doubt,” he said as they reached the stairs to her townhouse. “Everything okay with the apartment?”

“Yeah, except for the slumlord. He’s a major pain.”

“You’re a real brat, aren’t you?”

“Sometimes. The apartment is great, thank you. I love having my own place.”

“Just call the slumlord if you ever need anything.”

“I’ll do that. Are we still on for Sunday?”

“We sure are. You remember how to get there, right?”

“Yep. I’ll be out around noon. Is that good?”

“That’s perfect. Well, I guess I’ll see you then.” He kissed her cheek.

“Who’s going to walk you back to your car?”

“I think I’ll be able to find it.”

“This
is
a city you know,” she said, imitating his stern lecture from earlier.

He laughed. “You really are a brat.”

“Yeah, yeah, put it in your report. Call me from the car. I won’t sleep if I have to worry about you getting mugged in the big city.”

“All right. Get inside before I go.”

At the top of the stairs, she unlocked her door and once inside, waved through the glass door.

He made a twisting motion with his hand.

She rolled her eyes and set the dead bolt. Running upstairs to her living room, she grabbed the portable phone and dialed his cell number.

“Didn’t I just leave you?” he asked when he answered.

She could hear the smile in his voice. “I was very concerned about you getting mugged on the way to your car.”

“Yet you have no fear of walking home alone on this same street late at night. Ironic, no?”

“You sound so prissy when you use that tone.”

“What tone?”

“That tone. Was that a yawn?”

“You’re hearing things.”

“I told you not to wait for me. Now you’ll have to talk to me all the way home so I won’t worry about you falling asleep on the road.” She heard the double beep of him unlocking his car.

“I’m not going to fall asleep. I’m in the car, so you can go to bed now.”

“Talk to me some more, will you?” she asked softly.

“What’s the matter, darlin’?”

“Nothing. Just kind of homesick today.”

“Did you call home?”

“Yeah, but the babies were crazy so my dad and Andi couldn’t talk. Maggie was at her friend’s house. I couldn’t reach my mom, and Jill was in class.”

“I’m sorry. You’ll be going home for a couple of days at Christmas, right?”

“Yeah, but that’s almost a month away.”

“Well, think of it this way—at least you’re making some progress here. You’ve gotten to sing a few times in public, and now there’s this possibility with the band.”

“That’s true.”

“I haven’t said too much about this, but I know people who could help you get where you want to be—”

“No! I don’t want that, Reid. Do you hear me? Don’t pull any strings for me.”

“Hey, hey. Settle down. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

“Do you promise? You have to promise me. I don’t want it that way.”

“I promise. But if I didn’t think you had the talent, I wouldn’t have offered. You’re head and shoulders above the rest. You deserve a break.”

“If that’s true, then I’ll get one. Please, Reid. Don’t do it.”

“I said I wouldn’t.”

“Okay.”

“Since you’re determined to keep me company, will you sing for me?”

“What do you want to hear?”

“Surprise me.”

She sang “Time to Fly,” one of the songs she had written since she arrived in Nashville. When she was done he didn’t say anything. “Uh-oh. I put you to sleep, didn’t I?”

“No,” he said gruffly. “Definitely not. That was beautiful, Kate. You really have no idea how very talented you are, do you?”

“I don’t think about it all that much. It’s just something I do. It’s so much a part of me.”

“You aren’t going to need help from me or anyone else.”

She let out a nervous laugh as something in his voice stirred feelings she had never experienced quite so acutely before. “I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”

“That we will. Well, I’m just about home. Time for lights out.”

“Thanks for the company.”

“Thank
you
. I’ll see you soon.”

“Good night.” She hung up but lay awake for a long time thinking about him and counting the hours until she could see him again.

Sunday dawned sunny and unseasonably warm. After the intense conversation they’d had the other night, Kate had gone from being excited to see Reid to being nervous, especially since Ashton wouldn’t be joining them. He was in Florida for a weekend fishing trip with his law school friends but had called to check on her before he left. She had swallowed her guilt when she assured him she was fine. He promised to call when he got home, but she told him he didn’t have to. In light of what Butch had told her, she was concerned about leading Ashton on. He had just laughed and said of course he would call.
Ugh
, she thought as she drove to Reid’s house with the window down.
What kind of mess is this shaping up to be?

Her nerves over seeing Reid shifted into high gear when she reached the entrance to the long driveway.
Don’t be ridiculous, Kate
.
He’s old enough to be your father
. She shuddered when she imagined her father’s reaction to the crazy crush she had on his friend. She’d only had one serious boyfriend, and that was last year. Ryan was adorable, and she’d imagined herself in love with him. But when her father flipped out after catching them making out, Ryan ran for the hills and never came back.
Just as well
.
Who wants a boy when you can have a man?

The man in question appeared when she parked her car next to his black Mercedes SUV. Her heart skipped a crazy beat at the sight of him in worn jeans, cowboy boots, and an oatmeal-colored cotton sweater that had seen better days. For the first time in her life, her mouth watered with lust.
Cool it, Kate
, she said to herself when he reached out to open her door.
Just ride the damned horse and keep it cool
.

His smile sent a flutter through her.

“Hey, you found me.”

“With no problem at all,” Kate said with more lightness than she felt. She wondered if he would die of shock if she reached up and dragged that beautiful mouth of his down to hers. It was all she could do to resist the urge as he stood close enough to touch, smelling like fresh air and citrus. Her every sense was on full alert, which was also new to her.

Reid walked her to the stables with two bags tossed over his shoulder. “We got a great day to ride. It’s never this warm in November.”

“I talked to my sister this morning. It’s snowing in Providence.”

“Jill, right?”

Kate was busy watching him walk. “Uh-huh.” He startled her when he suddenly turned around to face her.