Nice try. Shane finished her drink. “I’m afraid that’s too long of a story for this business meeting.” She smiled politely. “Let’s just say I needed a change.”
Chapter 10
Haley set her guitar next to her on the couch when she felt the bus come to a stop. She’d been trying once again to work on a new song, but the lyrics just wouldn’t come to her. She couldn’t clear her mind long enough to let them.
A minute later, Shane appeared in the doorway, stumbling onto the bus just after three a.m. She knew she should have stopped after the third glass, but the whisky was good and went down like water. Besides, with all of the bullshit she had to deal with recently, she deserved a few hours full of liquor and sexy women.
To Haley, she looked professionally…drunk. “What are you doing here?” she snapped.
“Huh?” Shane hadn’t noticed Haley sitting on the couch, until she was standing inches away. She gave Haley a very long seductive once over and grinned.
Haley raised an eyebrow and backed up a step. “Damn it, I thought maybe you’d quit or at least got moved to another bus.”
“Nope.”
“Ugh!” She rolled her eyes and growled. “You reek of alcohol and smoke.” She realized the spot on the collar of Shane’s shirt was actually make-up. “Where the hell have you been?”
Shane was not in the mood to go another round with ‘Miss Attitude’. “I don’t have to answer to you,” she said as she stepped past her and walked down the hallway.
“Then don’t expect me to answer to you either. I don’t need your fucking services, and I damn sure don’t want you sharing my living quarters if you’re out all night getting drunk with some floozy while you’re being paid to protect me!” Haley yelled to her retreating back as she followed her down the hall.
Shane spun on her heels and Haley ran into her. She bounced off the tall, solid body and backed up a step to look up into the fiery, smoky gray eyes staring down at her. “First of all…” Shane’s voice was low and deep. “I made sure you were safe before I left. My job is your safety. If you think I am not needed then take a real hard look at what happened twelve hours ago.” Haley opened her mouth to argue but Shane kept talking. “As far as tonight goes, I went out with Rich Bergman for a meeting. What happened at that meeting is none of your business.” Shane stepped closer to the blond. “If you ever accuse me of not doing my job again, I will quit, and you can let some ten dollar an hour rental cop protect you.” Shane walked into her room and slammed the door shut.
Haley stomped back to the couch, fuming with anger. She was furious with Rich, and seriously contemplating firing him in the morning. Still, her mind wandered back to Shane’s smoldering eyes. She swore she could feel them caressing her body as Shane eyed her slowly from head to toe. I know I didn’t imagine that. Damn you. Get out of my head!
Chapter 11
Shane was sitting at the dinette table drinking coffee, when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and smiled.
“Hey sweetheart,” Dennis said when she answered. “How’s it going?”
“Wonderfully. Couldn’t be any better. It’s good to hear from you sweet cheeks.”
He laughed. “That bad, huh?”
“Oh, honey, you have no idea. None whatsoever. Trust me,” she replied sarcastically with a huge fake smile on her face.
“Can you talk?” he asked seriously.
Shane was sure Haley was still asleep. She hoped she wasn’t stupid enough to leave the bus alone. But, she didn’t want to be overheard talking about the case. “No not really.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know when I get the package you sent. I should have the CODIS and NCIC results by the end of the day if FedEx arrives on time.” He was waiting on the fingerprints and bio information on Leroy Marvin, as well as all of the original letters.
“That’s fine. I’ll wait to hear from you then.” She hung up just as Haley stepped into the kitchen.
“Good morning,” Shane said, looking at her back.
Haley poured honey into her hot tea and turned around with a raised eyebrow. “What’s good about it?” she huffed and padded over to the couch.
“I don’t know. The sun is shining, you’re alive…” Shane shrugged sarcastically. She was still pissed at Haley for the ungrateful attitude the night before.
“Yeah, well, what you call good…I see as miserable. What is good about getting nothing done? For the past two nights, I have tried to work and I get nothing…absolutely nothing…done with you around,” she growled and sipped her tea.
“I plan to be out of your way soon, until then, we need to cooperate with each other.” Shane finished her coffee and checked her watch. “I’m meeting with Rich in a few minutes. Are you planning on leaving the bus anytime soon?”
Haley rolled her eyes and let out a deep breath. “Oh great, I can only imagine what today’s meeting will accomplish compared to last nights.” When Shane didn’t take the bait she said, “No, not until the noon run through.”
“That’s fine. Make sure you—”
“I know. I know. Call you before I leave. Damn it, I am so sick of being babysat. Tell Rich to get his ass over here when he is through with your little meeting,” she spat and snatched up her guitar.
***
Shane hit speed dial on her cell phone when she stepped off the bus. She had twenty minutes before her meeting with Rich inside the venue building.
“What do I owe the pleasure?” Dennis joked as he answered.
“Hey. I’m free to talk.”
“What’s your honest opinion of this Leroy Marvin?”
“It’s not him. Too easy. No, the guy we want is not looking to marry her and have babies. He’s angry with her. He disagrees with her choices and wants her to come to his side of thinking.”
“Yeah. How’s she taking it?”
Shane laughed sarcastically. “Dennis you have no idea. You’ve seen the picture, which does her no justice by the way. She’s hotter than a fire poker, with the razor-sharp claws of a bobcat in heat.”
“Wow,” he laughed.
“She’s the most self-centered, egotistical bitch that I have ever met.”
“Tell me how you really feel,” he said, still laughing.
“Man, I am not kidding. She’s flat out mean. Oh, and to top it all off, she doesn’t want me around, doesn’t want protection, and rebels anything and everything I tell her or even simply ask of her. She talks to her manager like he’s a piece of shit. Hell, she attacks me every chance she gets too.”
“She looks so sweet and innocent in her photo, and her music isn’t half bad.”
“Ha! Try living with her.”
“What?”
“You heard me pal. We’re cohabitating.”
“Just the two of you?”
“You got it.”
He laughed again. “No wonder this is so difficult. I figured you would be somewhere else I guess.”
“Yeah, me too. It’s like living with a rattlesnake.” Shane paced outside of the venue building with her eyes on the bus line in case Haley decided to bolt again. “You know, to a certain extent, I understand why she is upset. I mean, she’s used to her space and having the utmost authority over anything and everything, including her life. Then, I come in and turn the entire show upside down. She chewed me out this morning because she can’t get any work done with me on the bus.”
“What kind of work?” he asked.
“She stays up late at night writing songs. I’ve heard her playing her guitar every night. Apparently, my mere presence is a problem. I don’t know. I’m not a musician or artist. I don’t know how that shit works. All I know is, I’m being paid to protect her and all she does is pitch a fit and do whatever the fuck she wants.”
“Sounds stressful. No one ever enjoys having a bodyguard, but I’ve never heard of someone rebelling so much. You would think with everything that happened yesterday she’d change
her tone a little bit and be at least somewhat thankful you were there. Even though he isn’t your guy, he still could have easily hurt her.”
“Exactly. She hasn’t said a word about it. She’s extremely ungrateful.” Shane ran a hand through her short locks. “I can guarantee you, this is one of the most focused assignments I will ever be on. I am ready to catch this guy and get the hell away from here.”
Chapter 12
Haley sat on the edge of the stage, strumming her guitar and humming along to the melody. No one else was in the arena. She had finally found a place to be completely alone. She stopped every couple of notes to write on a plain white piece of paper lying next to her. She wasn’t known for ballads. Slow songs took too long to write, too long to sing, and they brought her down from the high she rode during her performances. She was a wild child and that’s what made her famous. The kick ass and take names motif, and the lyrics that pushed the limits were what people knew her for, which was why she was wondering what the hell she was doing sitting there writing a heart wrenching love song. She didn’t even know what love was, she’d never been in it. She’d only experienced the bullshit that goes with corrupt relationships and one-night stands that fueled her hit songs. She strummed a few more bars and added another line of lyrics as they came to her in her head.
“I always remember the passion, we share at night in my dreams. But like any good love affair, it ends when a new day begins,” she sang softly, feeling the words as her fingers picked the strings of her guitar.
***
Shane sat in the upper deck of the arena with her feet up on the seat in front of her. She’d already been in the arena doing a security walk-through, when she got word that Haley was ready to leave the bus early. Shane had allowed one of the security members to walk her inside. She quickly took a seat and watched as the fiery blond sat on the edge of the stage, strumming on her guitar. She couldn’t hear the words she was singing, and barely heard the echo of the beautiful melody in the huge arena because the guitar wasn’t plugged into an amp. However, Haley looked like she’d finally found the peace she was cursing Shane for taking from her. Shane wondered what inspired an artist like her, someone who walked the fine line between wild and reckless.
An hour later, Shane’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She was far enough away that Haley wouldn’t hear her so she picked it up.
“I’m assuming you’re with her,” Rich said.
“Sort of. What’s up?”
“The last time I saw her, she had her claws out and one of the security guys informed me that he escorted her inside on your orders, but left her alone.”
“She doesn’t know I’m in here with her.”
“Oh, really. Boy is she gonna be pissed when she finds out.”
“I don’t plan on telling her. I think she’s finally working on her music, and there is no need to disturb her.”
Rich checked his watch. “The band should be there in half an hour to do the run through.”
“When they come in, I’ll make an appearance. I’ve already pissed her off today, so I plan on keeping my distance until the show.”
“You pissed her off? Shit, you should have seen the verbal ass whipping she gave me this morning for keeping you out all night and bringing you back drunk with ‘whore’ perfume and make-up on your clothes. I honestly thought she was going to fire me for real this time. She’s threatened before, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen her that mad. So, as you can see, I’m avoiding her too.”
Shane laughed. “This is going to be a very long month.”
“Just think, we’re barely one week into it.”
“I can only imagine what the next three will be like,” she said before hanging up.
Chapter 13
Haley’s smoky voice filled the arena as she belted out the words to one of her hit songs, while her fingers flew up and down the strings of her guitar as if they were on fire. The band behind her chimed in on the background vocals of the chorus. Shane felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she watched Haley in her element. Her long, wild, curly hair hanging over one shoulder, paired with the low-slung, tight-fitting jeans that had threadbare holes, and the tight black tank top covering her torso and inching up enough to reveal the velvety smooth skin of her abdomen, only encouraged the hormones racing through Shane’s body. She turned away from the stage as the band continued practicing. Lord have mercy. She thought as she walked away. She couldn’t help her attraction to Haley. She might be the meanest, most ungrateful person Shane had ever met, but the young woman was the poster child for sex appeal. She was hot enough to melt the soles of your boots if you got too close.
Shane stretched her back and wiped the sweat from her brow.
“Radio or call me when she’s ready to go back to the bus,” she said to Rich as she walked by him on the floor of the arena.
***
Shane was asleep on the couch in the bus when Haley returned. She startled awake when she heard the door slam and looked up to see blue-green eyes staring daggers at her. She sat up quickly.
“Wow, so this is what you’re doing while you’re being paid to protect me,” Haley said loudly. “It’s not enough that you stay out all night with whores, but then you sleep on the fucking bus all day.”
“I haven’t been lying here sleeping all day. I just got back here less than an hour ago. I must have dozed off. As for last night, I thought we were passed that?”
“I haven’t seen you all day. Aren’t you supposed to be up my ass as my brave protector?”
“I thought I was getting in your way? I tried to give you some space, and now you’re giving me shit for that too? What is your problem with me, because it’s obviously me and not just the situation?” Shane countered.
“You’re right, you are the problem. I don’t want you here, and I don’t need you here. Then, you’re not even where you should be, so tell me what the fuck I am paying you for?”
Shane stood up from the couch, stretching to her full height over the smaller woman. “First of all, I told you I wasn’t in here sleeping all afternoon. As a matter of fact, I gave the order for you to be escorted to the arena by security. I sat in section three-twenty on the upper level and watched you for hours while you worked on your music. Then, I gave the order for you to be escorted to the bus and back again for your run through. So, don’t say I’m not doing my job. I’ve been less than a hundred yards from you the entire day and you had no idea. I did it to give you some space, so you would quit screaming at me constantly and blaming me for everything. I see that backfired in my face, so expect me to be as you put it, up your ass again.” Shane spun on her heels and left the bus before Haley could reply with what was probably another round of yelling expletives at her.
***
“Damn you. You make me crazy!” Haley spat as she flopped down on the couch, alone. The cushions were still warm where Shane had been lying asleep, and the scent of her light balsam and citrus cologne lingered in the air, making Haley’s senses tingle. “This is never going to work,” she sighed, wishing she could clear her mind and work. Her concentration had been broken since the moment she’d found out about the whole bodyguard situation. She hated being told what to do, and felt like she was being treated like a child. She was a rebel who had spent her entire career fighting to get to the top, fighting to stay at the top, and fighting against the naysayers who told her she would never make it with her music and her sound. She never conformed for anyone, making it all the way to the top on her own. Now, it seemed like conforming was all she was doing lately…except when she was on the stage. That was something no one would ever be able to take away from her. It was the one place she always had complete control. Walking the line was all new to her, and she didn’t care for it at all. She wondered if it was the whole concept, or the person behind it, causing her more frustration.
***
Shane walked the perimeter twice, checked the holding area under the
stage a handful of times, and paced outside of the bus on the path leading to the arena entrance. She was hungry, tired, and needed to change her clothes, but there was no way she was getting back on that bus. She never noticed Haley watching from the slightly open curtain. She finally decided to go get a chilidog from one of the vendors preparing for the arrival of the concert patrons. She would most definitely have heartburn within an hour, but that had to be better than the headache she’d get if she stepped foot on that bus any time soon. The doors to the arena were opening in a handful of minutes and Haley was set to take the stage in one hour. She was probably getting into her character, or whatever she did before a show, and Shane didn’t dare mess with that routine.
“Did I just see you with a hotdog?” Rich said to Shane when he saw her step out of the shadows between the buses.
“Yes. I was about to starve to death.”
“I sent a big spread to Haley’s bus an hour ago for the whole band, with you included of course.”
“Yeah, well, she and I aren’t speaking at the moment, so I am better off with a hotdog for dinner.”
“She’ll come around…eventually.” He smiled.
“Yeah, when I leave.” Shane smirked. “If I may be blunt, maybe she needs to get laid.”
Rich laughed so hard he almost choked. “She’s very secretive about that subject, and until we had this situation where she needed a bodyguard, I couldn’t tell you what happened behind the closed doors of her bus or with whom. She’s no saint, that’s for sure, but I don’t really get into that part of her personal space.”
Shane nodded her head. “Maybe you should.” She grinned. “Send her a stripper, or better yet, a whole pack of male dancers.”
“I would definitely be fired,” he laughed.
“She might actually get that sharp stick out of her ass,” Shane said just before her radio crackled to life.
Rebel Sweetheart Page 4
