He sent Ken all the information and asked if he’d dig in and see what he could find out. And he stressed that it was urgent, timing-wise. He wanted this situation with Hannah resolved as soon as possible so they could go back to how things were. He also sent all the information he’d uncovered along to Charlie to have Mary forward to the police.
And at two in the morning, totally exhausted but feeling like he was at least doing something, David fell into bed.
Chapter 17
Hannah was dreading the performance on Saturday. When David came to pick her up, her headache was like an ice-pick pounding into her temple. She knew it was just stress related and she took a double dose of Advil which lessened it to a minor ache by the time they reached the arena. David seemed in an unusually good mood, which made Hannah feel even worse. She’d decided that after the show on the way home, she was going to tell him about the stalker and let him know if he was still interested that she’d sell him her house.
She didn’t imagine he’d still want her to go with him to his mother’s wedding, but she would if he did, as a final goodbye. Her eyes welled up at the thought of leaving Quinn Valley and leaving David, especially. She blinked furiously to keep the tears from spilling over and twisted to look out the window so he wouldn’t see her struggling to keep her composure.
“So, I got a look at the menu for tomorrow. It looks pretty amazing. Turns out someone cancelled their wedding at the last minute, and my mother swooped in and took over the date and the catering. It should be fun.” His enthusiasm was contagious and Hannah couldn’t help smiling.
“That sounds meant to be,” she said.
“And I told my mother that you’re coming. She’s thrilled. They’re going to be at the show tonight, too.”
“Oh, that’s great.”
“I think half of Quinn Valley will be there, actually. Everyone at my office was talking about it. Not to make you nervous or anything, though you’re used to big crowds, I imagine.”
“I’m not sure if I ever really got used to it. I just somehow managed to get through it. Getting up on stage is the hard part. Once I start playing music and singing, it’s fun for me, too. I don’t really even see the crowds on stage, with the lights and all.”
“Well, I’m sure tonight will go great. And your security team seemed really solid so there’s nothing to worry about.” Something in his tone caught her attention. He’d never mentioned her security people before.
“I’m not worried. They do a great job.”
“Oh, I’m sure they will. I just meant everything is taken care of. All you have to do is get up there and sing.”
Hannah smiled. “Just get up and sing. I can do that.”
And she did. The evening was a tremendous success. The crowd loved Hannah. She even sang a brand new song that no-one had heard yet and they went crazy for it. David had no doubt that it was going to be her next big hit. Between the ticket sales and the silent auction during the reception, they raised an unprecedented amount of money for the kids’ center. His mother and Harry came up to them after the show and his mother was so cute, she was gushing over Hannah’s performance.
“My dear, you were so amazing. I know you’re a professional and all but I had no idea how truly talented you are. It’s a wonderful thing that you did for this good cause.”
Hannah smiled. “I was happy to do it.” And she did look happy. Now that the show was over, Hannah seemed more relaxed and calm. She was quiet on the way home, though, and David worried that she was pulling away from him again. When they reached her house, she invited him in, which he took to be a good sign. Until they stepped inside.
“I need to talk to you, and I didn’t want to do it while we were driving.” She didn’t look happy, and David braced himself for whatever was coming.
“Do you want something to drink? I have water, beer, wine, soda.”
David sat on one of the island stools and shook his head. “I’m good. I don’t need anything to drink. Just tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Okay.” Hannah sat next to him and took one of his hands and gave it a squeeze. She took a deep breath and then she told him everything, all about the stalker, moving to Quinn Valley and the latest, more threatening emails she’d received. “It’s my fault for not being more discreet about being here.”
But he shook his head. “No. I don’t accept that. If anything, it’s my fault for pushing you to do the show. I should have accepted your initial reluctance, especially now that I know it was with good reason.”
Hannah smiled. “It’s not your fault. I still could have said no. But it’s gone too far now. I think it’s best that I go somewhere else. I’m not sure where, but I don’t want to put anyone here in any danger. I’m happy to sell my house to you, if you still want it.”
David squeezed her hand and held on tight. He wasn’t about to let her go now.
“I don’t think you need to do that. I’m pretty sure your stalker emailed me, too.” He told her about the message and aggressive suggestion to hire Ruby Shaw instead.
Hannah’s jaw dropped. “Ruby was my backup singer.”
“I saw that online. I noticed that she only lasted for one tour with you and then for one tour with two other artists. Seems to be a pattern.”
“Ruby was a bit…difficult. She’s talented, there’s no question about that, but she wasn’t a good backup singer. She wanted to stand out a little too much, and it just didn’t work. She wasn’t happy when I had to let her go at the end of the tour. The other two girls refused to stay on if I kept her and I didn’t want to, anyway. I suspect something similar happened with the other two artists she toured with. Do you think she is the stalker? Why would she do that?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure that it’s her. I actually have a buddy of mine who is a private investigator doing a little digging. He can go places online that I have no idea how to access. But I figure it’s either her or her promoter.”
Hannah shook her head. “I don’t think it’s him. He’s a good guy with a great reputation. It might make sense if it’s Ruby. She was very impatient and wanted immediate success. Maybe she thought with me not touring, she’d have a better shot of getting gigs. But she’s not at the level of headlining a national tour.”
“That seems a little delusional,” David agreed.
“For someone to send emails like that, it shows they aren’t thinking straight,” Hannah said.
“The good news, though, if it is her, and I’m pretty sure that it is, I don’t think that you’re in any real danger. It seems like she just wants to scare you off. And she’s done a pretty good job of it so far.”
Hannah sighed. “She has. I hope it’s her, so I can be done with this. It makes me so angry, though, to think that she would do something like this. It really makes you feel vulnerable and afraid. I don’t like to think of myself as a weak person.”
David stood and wrapped Hannah in a hug. “I’d say you’re anything but weak. Most people wouldn’t have done the show. That was brave of you.”
“I really don’t want to leave Quinn Valley,” she admitted.
“And I don’t want you to leave, either. Hopefully this will be resolved soon and you can put it behind you.”
“I hope so.” Hannah yawned and David looked at the time. It was late, after eleven, and he imagined that Hannah must be exhausted. It had been a stressful day and night. He knew that he was ready for bed himself.
“It’s late. I’ll let you get to bed. I’ll be by in the morning to head to church and then the reception. You are still coming, right?” He held his breath waiting for her answer. He didn’t want to go without Hannah. It wouldn’t be the same.
She smiled slowly and he felt his heart melt. “Yes, of course. I’ll be ready.”
Chapter 18
Hannah was ready and waiting when David arrived the next morning to pick her up. She was wearing her favorite dress, a long, floaty cocktail dress in varying shades of pink with layers of ruf
fles and a flattering halter style top. She’d curled her hair and pulled it back in a pretty comb and let the curls tumble down her back. And she’d found the perfect shoes. They were pale pink cowboy boots and looked really pretty with the dress.
David smiled when he saw her. “You look incredible.”
“Thank you. You’re looking pretty sharp yourself.” And he was. David was wearing a charcoal gray suit and a deep purple tie that brought out his green eyes. They drove to the church and Hannah was glad that they’d arrived earlier than usual because it was packed to capacity. Maggie and Charlie were already in the front row, with Ryder and Bethany. Avery and Carter walked in right behind them. A few minutes after they joined the others, David’s youngest sister, Ivy, came rushing in with her new husband, Nash.
The service started right on time and tears came to Hannah’s eyes when she saw David’s mother walking down the aisle. She wore a pretty mint green suit and Harry was waiting for her, wearing a gray tux, matching green cummerbund and bowtie. He looked distinguished and radiant when his eyes met Marcia’s. The two of them were beaming at each other as the pastor had them recite their vows and then pledge their love to each other before pronouncing them husband and wife.
When the service finished, everyone made their way to the Quinn Hotel. Roxane Quinn was there to greet them. Her husband Ciran was close by. Roxane was the event coordinator. She handled all the details for the wedding and was there to make sure everything went smoothly. She was also there as a guest, since she was a Quinn. And Marcia had requested a selection of Ciran’s mouthwatering tacos as appetizers. David had brought Hannah to Ciran’s taco truck for lunch once and she’d been blown away by how good the simple tacos were.
Roxane pulled Marcia into a hug as soon as she saw her. “Auntie, we are so happy for you! And I’ve made sure that everything will be perfect.”
“Thank you, honey. I have no doubt that it would be. Thank you for taking such good care of us.”
Hannah watched with amusement as Marcia made the rounds of the crowded room. Everyone in town seemed to know her and they were all at her wedding. The food was fabulous and there was plenty of it. Hannah and David were seated at a big round table with the other siblings and spouses. They’d just started eating slices of the wedding cake when David’s phone beeped and she saw a text message flash across it. She couldn’t see what it said, though. David glanced at it and a look of excitement crossed his face.
“Will you excuse me? I need to make a quick call. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Of course.” She wondered what was so important that he was rushing off in the middle of his mother’s wedding to make a phone call. Ten minutes later, she found out.
David walked up to the table, pulled her into his arms and lifted her up in the air. No one paid much attention to them because by this time just about everyone was out on the dance floor.
“It’s over, Hannah. It’s really over now.”
A sense of relief and joy swept through her. “Tell me.”
He set her back down, took her hands and looked into her eyes. What she saw there shook her. She saw love and trust and her future.
“My buddy, the private eye, just let me know that he connected all the dots. I don’t know exactly how he did it, but he confirmed that it was Ruby and that she was doing the same thing to the other two artists, trying to scare them into not performing with the delusional hope that she could become a huge star. It’s all over for her now. He’s turned everything over to the Nashville police and they’re going to take it from here. I don’t think Ruby is going to be playing anywhere for a very long time.”
Hannah released the breath that she didn’t even realize she’d been holding. A single tear spilled over, and she wiped it away and shook her head. She was not going to cry. “Thank you. I really can’t thank you enough, David.”
He smiled. “I was happy to do it. That’s what you do when you love someone. You want to try to take their pain away.”
“You love me?” Had she heard that right?
“Yes, Hannah Keane, I am head over heels, totally in love with you. I hope that’s not a problem?” He grinned.
“No problem at all. I might love you, too.”
“You might? You’re not sure?” He teased her.
She laughed. “Oh, I’m sure. Want to dance?”
“With you? Always.”
An hour later, after dancing song after song, Hannah excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. On her way back, as she reached the table where David and the others were sitting, she overheard David saying something to Charlie. “I don’t feel right asking her to do that. The show was enough.” She smiled as she’d caught the band looking her way and talking amongst themselves. And she’d had an idea earlier but didn’t want to suggest it if it might not be welcome. It sounded like it might be. Instead of sitting next to David at the table, she pivoted and headed toward the band. They were just finishing up a song and wrapped up quickly when they saw her approach. She ran her idea by them and they were more than happy to comply.
David was startled when he heard Hannah’s voice over the microphone. He turned and saw her standing in front of the band and addressing the crowd.
“So, I have another new song that I recently finished. No one has heard it yet, but I thought it might be nice for this occasion because it’s a love song. It’s a slow ballad so if anyone feels like dancing, come on out to the dance floor.”
David’s mother and Harry were the first couple out there and as Hannah began to sing, David noticed his mother’s eyes looked suspiciously wet and Harry tenderly wiped a few tears away as they swayed to Hannah’s song, which was absolutely perfect.
“When the world fades away and there’s no one left but the two of us,
know that I love you.
I always have and I always will ’til the end of time.
The two of us together…”
It was a great song for a wedding and everyone seemed to agree. The dance floor was packed and if Hannah wasn’t singing, David would be out there, too. Hannah’s eyes met his several times and if he didn’t know better, he’d swear she was singing it just for him. When the song ended, the applause was loud and long. David’s mother went over to Hannah and gave her a big hug, and Harry did too. Hannah was still smiling when she reached David.
“I guess they liked it,” she said softly.
“And that would be the understatement of the year. That was very generous of you. I know my mother loved it. Harry, too. It was a beautiful song.”
“Thank you. I wrote it last night after you left. I thought I was so tired, but then I couldn’t get to sleep. The music was trying to get out. The whole song came in a rush. I couldn’t get the words down fast enough. I love when that happens.”
“I can’t begin to understand it, but I think I love it, too.”
Hannah laughed. “And I love you for saying that.”
Chapter 19
Two weeks later.
“You’re a good sport for agreeing to go fishing with me again,” David said as they walked to the boat. It was a sunny Saturday, unseasonably warm and a little past eleven.
“It’s a good day for it and I’d like to maybe catch a fish this time—as long as you promise to take it off the hook. I still don’t want to watch that part.”
“I can do that for you.” David took the heavy picnic basket that Hannah had packed for their lunch. She held a thermos of hot coffee in her other hand.
They climbed into the boat and David steered it to his favorite spot. They spent about an hour there with no luck before moving on to the area where he’d caught his fish last time.
“I probably should have come straight here, but you never know.”
Once they had their lines in the water, Hannah opened the basket and took out some cheeses, a rich and buttery St. Andre, a sharp cheddar and an aged goat cheese with fragrant truffles. She also had some sliced hard salami, assorted crackers, bread and cotton candy g
rapes—the oversized green ones that had an unusually sweet flavor.
She topped off their cups with a bit more hot coffee and they spent the next hour snacking, listening to their favorite country music station and waiting for the fish to bite.
It was a lazy, relaxing day and Hannah wasn’t in a hurry to see it end. After a few hours, though, David suggested that maybe it was time to call it a day. Just as Hannah was about to reel her line in, her pole dipped and she felt a tug. There was something on the end of her line! She held on tight and determinedly reeled it in and gasped when a good-sized trout flew into the air and then flopped next to her on the boat.
“Good job, Hannah!”
“What do you think, is it big enough?”
“Oh, that’s plenty big enough. We’re going to eat well tonight.” Hannah let David take over getting the fish off the line and packed into the fish box to bring back with them. She was thrilled that finally, she’d caught something. David rinsed his hands and dried them on a towel, then came towards Hannah with a funny smile on his face. He took her hand, then reached deep in to his coat pocket and pulled out a small box and got down on one knee.
Hannah felt light-headed. She didn’t see this coming at all, certainly not while they were out fishing.
“Hannah, I thought of something my mother said recently, when we asked if she might be getting married too soon. Ryder and I thought it was too quick. But she reminded us that she and Harry actually went way back and that when you know you’ve met the right person, there’s no reason to wait. My mother’s a wise woman. And I don’t want to wait. I love you, Hannah. More than I thought possible. Will you marry me?”
“Of course I will!” Hannah felt her eyes fill with happy tears as David slid the ring onto the finger. It was lovely, but she didn’t care what it looked like. It could have been a plastic toy ring and she would have been just as excited, because it was from David. And there was no one else she could imagine spending the rest of her life with.
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