Relentless (Nashville Nights)

by Cheryl Douglas

  He shrugged. “Apparently the proximity to your room made hers a less appealing option.”

  Trying to rein in his frustration, he clenched and unclenched his fists under the table. “You play for both teams or what?”

  Brad laughed as the sound filtered through the restaurant, drawing the attention of other diners. “Subtlety isn’t your strong suit is it, J.T.?”

  “I’m not in the mood for games. Just answer the damn question.”

  “No, I’m not bi. Nikki and I are just good friends, nothing more.”

  Satisfied that he was telling the truth, he asked, “Did she say anything to you about what happened last night?”

  Brad tossed a napkin on his plate and picked up his juice glass. He paused with the glass in mid-air. “You’re asking if she told me that you two slept together? Yes, she told me.”

  Normally, he would have been pissed that she’d shared the intimate details of their evening with someone else, but he was past the point of caring who knew about them. He just wanted some answers before his rising blood pressure landed him in the hospital. “Did she tell you why she bailed on me?”

  He set his glass down and shifted his body to the side, crossing his legs. “According to her, it was the other way around, my friend.”

  “What’re you talking about? I went to grab a shower. I needed a minute to get my head on straight.”

  “Maybe if you’d asked her to join you…”

  “Damn it, I…” He was about to defend his actions when he considered how it might have seemed to her. He’d barely said a word to her when he hightailed it into the bathroom. “Okay, obviously I’ve messed this up.”

  Brad crossed his arms, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Gee, you think so?”

  J.T. shot him a warning glare, which he guessed was lost on him. “Don’t be a smartass. Why don’t you help me figure out how to make this right instead of trying to piss me off?”

  Regarding him carefully, he said, “You really like her, don’t you?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Would I be here if I didn’t?”

  “You said you needed a few minutes to get your thoughts together last night. What does that mean?”

  He was not discussing his sexual performance with this guy, no matter how dire things seemed with Nikki. He stared across the table. Like it or not, Brad was her friend and he had been with her last night. If anyone knew what she was thinking and how she was feeling where he was concerned, it would be him. Sighing, he decided to swallow his pride. “Nikki and I first met five years ago.”

  He nodded. “I know. She told me.”

  He was pleasantly surprised their brief encounter years ago had warranted a conversation with her friend. That had to be a good sign. “Yeah, well she was too damn young for me back then. Hell, in my mind she wasn’t even legal.”

  Brad crossed his arms, tipping his head as he regarded him carefully. “How old are you?”

  “Thirty-three.”

  He shrugged. “That’s only ten years. Not that big a deal if you ask me. My boyfriend is nine years older than I am. It’s never been a factor in our relationship.”

  How could he put this without making himself sound like the male whore many believed him to be? “Let’s just say, it’s not about how many years I’ve lived, but how I’ve spent those years.”

  Brad laughed, slapping his palm against his knee. “You’re honest, direct; I like that in a man.”

  J.T. raised an eyebrow. He didn’t know where he was going with this, but he didn’t think he liked it.

  He held his hand up, smiling. “Relax; I’m not hitting on you. I’m just saying those are admirable qualities in a person.”

  Feeling like a jerk for jumping to the wrong conclusions, J.T. raised the mug to his lips and indulged in a fortifying drink of the strong brew.

  “Nikki is an amazing woman,” Brad said quietly.

  “Yeah, I kinda figured that out,” J.T. muttered.

  “You haven’t even begun to scratch the surface with her.” He paused, looking J.T. in the eye. “And I doubt she’s willing to let you get that close.”

  “Why the hell not?” J.T.’s cell phone rang, but since he hadn’t given Nikki the number, he chose to ignore it. This was more important. “Is that what she told you?”

  “No, but I know her. I know how hard she’s worked for this opportunity. She’s not willing to let anyone stand in the way of her dream.”

  “What makes you think I want to stand in her way?” He scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to resist the urge to shoot the messenger. “I think she’s incredibly talented. She deserves to be successful.”

  “And if you were the man in her life, you’d support her even if it meant she was on the road more than she was at home?”

  For the first time, he considered what it would be like to be involved with a woman who was never there, who was living a life completely separate from his.

  “I can guess what you’re thinking and you’re right. It wouldn’t be easy. I don’t think I could do it, share Ron with the rest of the world. But the man who falls in love with Nikki will have to share her; that’s just the way it is.”

  He considered his brother’s relationship with Avery. They had a rock-solid marriage. In spite of the challenges, they had found a way to make it work, so he knew it wasn’t impossible. Of course, he knew Avery was a hell of a lot more tolerant and understanding than he was.

  “Why Nikki?” Brad asked. “Why are you so interested in her?”

  J.T. didn’t even hesitate; he knew what made Nikki so special. “Like you said, she’s amazing. She’s bright, beautiful, talented, ambitious… Hell, I love everything about her.” Once the word slipped out, J.T. realized how it must have sounded to her friend.

  “You’ve been waiting a long time to make your move,” Brad said, watching him carefully. “This was more than a one-night stand to you, wasn’t it?”

  He sighed, trying to make sense of what he was feeling. He rarely let anyone in, so he didn’t know what possessed him to consider opening up to a complete stranger. “At first, I thought I’d be satisfied with one night, to get her out of my system, ya know?”

  Brad nodded, waiting for him to continue.

  “But it became pretty clear that wasn’t going to be enough. I started to want more. Hell, I knew I was in trouble when I started getting jealous of the piano player at the bar.”

  “Nikki wasn’t just some random girl in your mind,” Brad said quietly. “She was someone you’d been thinking about, waiting for, for a long time. It’s not surprising that your feelings for her ran deeper than you expected when you finally got the chance to act on them.”

  J.T. knew he was right. She was the voice that filled the cab of his truck every morning, the gorgeous image that flashed across his TV screen, the sexy little siren from that long ago memory. He had imagined what it would be like to be with her, to make love to her, countless times. It was no wonder his body was on sensory overload when he finally seized the opportunity to make his fantasies a reality.

  “You’re right; she’s not some buckle bunny, some random chick I picked up in a bar. She’s the girl I want.” It scared the hell out of him to admit it aloud, but he knew it was true. He suspected Nikki Spencer might be the one.

  Brad grinned, revealing teeth too perfect to be real. “You’re wasting your time sitting here telling me, cowboy. You need to hunt that girl down and tell her how you feel about her, what you want.”

  For the first time in a long time, J.T. was nervous, uncertain. “You think she’d be willing to listen to what I have to say?”

  Brad shrugged. “It won’t be easy to get her to see reason; she’s stubborn. But I have a feeling you’re not the kind of man to give up without a fight.”

  J.T. smiled, reaching across the table to offer his hand. “You’re right about that, buddy.”

  Nikki was trying to focus on the photographer’s direction, but her mind was inundated with images o
f J.T. That broad chest, the intense look in his eyes before he kissed her, the way he touched her.

  “Are you cold?” the photographer asked.

  She hadn’t realized she’d shivered at the memory until he posed the question. Forcing a smile, she said, “No, I’m fine, thanks.”

  “Okay, we’re gonna take five, Nikki,” he said, taking the strap off his neck and setting his equipment down on a nearby table. He nodded to Luc before making his way to a small office in the back of the studio.

  Luc approached her, eyebrows raised. “You seem a little off your game today. Is everything okay?”

  Her father rarely accompanied her on photo shoots, but this was important. An international fashion magazine would allow her to reach out to an audience beyond country music fans.

  Hopefully she would be able to attract the attention of the all-important 18-24 demographic of female fans, young women who could relate to her and her music.

  “I’m okay, Dad. Just tired, I guess.”

  He put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. “I’m so proud of you for taking home that award last night, sweetheart. I knew you could do it.”

  Her father might be a tyrant at times, but his love and support was unconditional. “Thanks, it makes all that hard work seem worthwhile,” she said, trying to suppress a sigh. The exhaustion seemed to be more mental than physical today. Maybe she needed a vacation. She had been burning the candle at both ends for a long time, writing music, recording, and now rehearsing for the upcoming tour.

  “You sure you’re okay?” he asked, looking concerned.

  She nodded, forcing a smile. She didn’t want to invite her father’s questions. The last thing she needed was for him to learn about what had happened between her and J.T. last night. He would be livid, not only because she’d been foolish enough to trust the wrong man, but because she was supposed to be focusing all of her attention on her career. There was no time for anyone or anything else. According to him, there would be time for dating later, much later. The next few years were all about building her career, solidifying her brand in the eyes of the music-buying public. There was no question Luc knew what he was doing. He was responsible for creating the biggest names in the business, but it hurt that he thought of her as a commodity instead of his daughter.

  Not that she would ever admit as much to him, especially after the years of grief she’d given him about wanting this opportunity.

  “Maybe you should go home and take a nap when you leave here. You have a rehearsal bright and early tomorrow morning.”

  “A nap sounds great, but I have an appointment with Jake when I leave here.”

  Luc raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

  She knew he suspected that she was intimately involved with her trainer, but he hadn’t come out and asked her the question directly. Not that she would tell him even if he did. There were some subjects that were off limits with her dad, and her sex life was definitely one of them.

  “Okay, but see that you head straight home after your workout. You need to be well rested tomorrow.”

  “Don’t worry; I intend to.” She knew Jake would probably suggest dinner before heading back to his place, but the thought of sleeping with him after her night with J.T. left a sour taste in her mouth. Brad was right; she was definitely a one-man woman, even when the man in question bailed on her without a backward glance.

  Chapter Eight

  When there was no one home at the Spencer estate, J.T. decided to pay his brother a visit. Maybe he could convince him to share Nikki’s cell phone number.

  Ty’s truck was parked in front of his home studio when J.T. arrived at his brother’s ranch. His sister-in-law and niece were nowhere in sight, so he pulled in behind Ty’s truck and cut the engine. He felt a modicum of guilt that he was interrupting his brother’s work yet again, but that quickly disappeared when he thought of Nikki. He had to see her, talk to her about last night. It killed him to think she may be blaming herself for what happened.

  J.T. turned the knob, knowing his brother was a holdover to the days when ranchers didn’t lock their doors. It was careless, given his fame, but Ty was stubborn and too set in his ways to change now. Fame or anonymity, his brother was the same humble guy he’d always been, a trait he secretly admired.

  J.T. was all about cashing in on his hard-earned notoriety, while Ty seemed content just to make music that pleased his fans. He often said he would do it even if he weren’t getting paid. J.T. wished he could say the same about bull riding, but too many trips to the hospital emergency room had diminished his love of the sport. No question about it, bull riding was a young man’s game and he wasn’t getting any younger. He’d put off retiring because he had no idea who he was or what he’d do without the sport that had earned him fame and the respect of his peers and fans, but he knew he couldn’t put it off forever. The end was near and that scared the hell out of him.

  “Hey, bro, you in here?” J.T. shouted when he entered the silent room. He expected to hear the sound of Ty’s raspy voice filtering through the air. Instead, he heard the sound of a dog barking. After walking to the window, J.T. watched Ty playing a game of fetch with his old golden retriever, Ike. The poor dog was at the end of his life, but Ty was determined to make his final days as happy and comfortable as possible.

  J.T. loved ranch life almost as much as his brother, but the thought of living out the rest of his days as a rancher didn’t sit well with him. He’d taken on the responsibility of running his parent’s ranch when his father wasn’t able to handle it anymore, and it had started to take its toll long before they made the decision to sell off most of their land.

  He was a free spirit. He loved to travel, hated the thought of being tied down. That was part of the reason he loved competing. He was able to travel to different cities, meet new people who shared his passion for the rodeo, and enjoy the perks that came with being a world champion. He had no idea how he was going to deal with it when people no longer saw him as the top dog.

  He’d just be a washed-up has-been who’d given people a few thrills back in the day. Sure, he held a few impressive records, but he had no doubt some young hot shot would come along and knock him off his throne in due time. Within a few years, the same people who’d sang his praises would barely remember his name.

  He didn’t know why the hell he was feeling so melancholy today. Maybe it was his time with Nikki. She reminded him that she was at the start of a promising career that would likely span decades, while he was at the end of a career that had been too damn short. Everyone kept telling him he had to have an exit strategy, but he’d been enjoying the present too much to think about the future. But now the future was here and he had no choice but to face it.

  Ty opened the rear door and Ike came bounding through ahead of him, anxious to greet J.T. He bent down to pet his old friend, whose tail was wagging happily at the attention. “How you doin’, old boy? You were lookin’ good out there,” he said, scratching the dog’s head. “Who the hell ever said fetch was a young dog’s game, huh? Us old guys can still keep up, can’t we, bud?”

  Ty laughed as he sat in one of the chairs in front of the stone fireplace.

  The studio also consisted of a small office and sitting room with a big screen TV. According to his brother, downtime was an essential part of the creative process. J.T. wasn’t sure he believed that watching football helped Ty write music, but since it was a shared passion, he wasn’t about to argue.

  “What’re you doin’ here, man?” Ty asked, setting his feet up on the oversized ottoman as he laced his hands behind his head.

  “I need to bend your ear about somethin’, man. You got a few minutes?” J.T. realized it was true; he did need his brother’s advice. At first he thought his visit was about Nikki, but it was more than that. He had some tough decisions to make about his future, and no one knew him better than Ty.

  “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

  J.T. started pacing, too restles
s to sit still. “I’ve been doin’ a lot of thinkin’ about where I go from here, ya know?”

  “You mean professionally?”

  “Yeah, I mean I always knew I couldn’t do this forever, and I want to go out on top. I don’t want to be one of those guys who hangs on, just tryin’ to relive his glory days, when everyone else knows his best days are behind him.”

  “That makes sense. You give any thought to what you want to do?”

  J.T. shook his head, wishing he had the answer. “Not a clue, man. That’s the problem. I’ve made enough money over the years, especially with all the endorsement deals. I could buy a house, invest in a small business… I could have a good life when I retire, but ridin’ bulls is the only thing I’ve ever known, the only thing I’ve ever been good at, ya know?”

  Ty nodded. “I get it, man. That’s your identity; it’s who you are. You’re wonderin’ who you’ll be without it, right?”

  He knew his brother would understand, even though he couldn’t relate. Ty, like Nikki, had a lot of good years ahead of him. “Yeah, that’s just it. I mean, most guys who do what I do are ranchers too. They love the land almost as much as they love the rodeo, but…”

  “But not you.”

  J.T. looked his brother in the eye. “No, I mean I loved livin’ on the ranch growin’ up, wide open spaces, the smells, the animals, the…”

  Ty held his hand up. “Man, you don’t have to explain it to me. Ranching’s not for everybody. It doesn’t have to be your thing. The question is what your thing is, aside from the circuit, I mean.”

  “That’s just it. I have no idea.” J.T. sighed, lowering himself down on the leather sofa. “I’m an idiot not to have a game plan; I know that. Truth is, I never wanted to think about it. Now, I don’t have much choice.”

  “You really thinkin’ this is gonna be your last season?” Ty asked, looking skeptical. “I just can’t see you packing it in while you’re still winning.”

  He sighed before scraping his hands over his face. “I’ve always imagined myself going out a winner. Some of these kids who’re comin’ up are good, real good. It’s only a matter of time before one of them takes the top spot from me.”