by Jess Bryant
“Millie! Millie!” She tried to cut in and ended up shouting, “Millie, stop!”
Her assistant let out a little squeak and she immediately felt bad for raising her voice. Millie was the sweetest, kindest girl on the planet. She was only flipping out because she was worried about Lemon. She knew that so she softened her voice when she lied her ass off.
“I went to Mexico. I just needed to get away for a little while, catch my breath, find my muse.” When the line stayed quiet she gave the lie some extra details, “I was feeling stifled and I thought some sand and some beach and a mojito would be just the thing to loosen up my writing. I’m fine. There’s no need to worry.”
“Lemon, you can’t just disappear! There are protocols.”
She snorted, “I’m not really a protocol type of girl.”
“This is not funny. The protocols are in place for your protection. You left without Thad for God’s sake! What if something happened? Don’t you care about your safety?”
“Trust me, where I’m at I don’t need a bodyguard, Mills.”
“Where are you?”
“Mexico.”
“No, I mean, where are you? What resort? I’ll charter a plane and Thad and I can…”
“No.” Lemon cut her off sharply, “I’m not telling you where I am. That defeats the purpose of running away. Just know that I’m safe and I’ll be back as soon as I can and… I don’t know… take the week off or something. Enjoy yourself.”
“I am not taking the week off. Someone has to handle your schedule while you’re in Mexico.” Millie huffed.
“Fine. Handle it. Do whatever you want.” Lemon stifled a yawn, “Oops, looks like the cabana boy is here with my mojito so I’m gonna go. Talk soon. Bye bye.”
She heard Millie say something about drinking before eight in the morning just before she clicked the phone off and tossed it on the bed. Perfect. Now her assistant was going to worry she was an alcoholic on top of everything else. She shook her head at the stupidity of that last comment as she padded to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Her reflection in the mirror taunted her and she frowned as she took in the changes that proved she wasn’t the carefree girl that had lived in this room for seventeen years. The lines around her eyes and mouth were deep but they weren’t the things that showed her age most.
Her eyes didn’t shine like they used to. She wasn’t filled to the brim with shiny, golden dreams. She only had one dream left and she wasn’t sure she’d ever get it. In fact, the doctors had all but confirmed it and the cold hard truth of her lonely existence was what had sent her running back here.
Home.
She’d needed the comfort of the familiar. She’d needed a safe place. The town that had known her when she was just a trouble-making kid with a big voice and a big dream. The town she’d always thought she would come back to, someday, for good, when she had kids of her own. She’d wanted to raise them here, in the same safe, stable, nurturing environment where she’d grown up. She’d imagined coming back with a doting husband and a swollen belly but here she was, with neither.
With that depressing thought keeping her company, she went through the motions of washing her face and brushing her teeth. She combed her hair out and was just slipping into her robe to go downstairs and see if her mother had anything besides health food to offer for breakfast when she heard the phone ring.
Not hers. Not a cell phone. The house phone.
A knowing chill raced down her spine before she even heard her mother pick it up. Her voice drifted up the stairs as Lemon rushed down. She’d been hoping to reach it first. Not to answer it, but to screen it on the old-fashioned caller id her parents still used to block calls from reporters and fans that managed to get their hands on the number. She had a really bad feeling she knew who was on the other end of the phone and she winced when she skidded to a stop in the kitchen in time to hear her mother confirm her suspicions.
“Oh of course Millie. It’s not a bother at all. In fact, she’s right here.”
Lemon shook her head and stomped like a toddler, “No! No, I’m not supposed to be here.”
“I’m sorry. What was that, dear?” Her mother narrowed her eyes and her lips thinned as she spoke into the cordless phone, “No. She’s not. I’m looking right at her. Perhaps you two should discuss it.”
Lorna Kelly shook her head slowly as she held the phone out, “It’s for you, honey.”
“Yeah. I got that. Thanks Mom.” She pouted as she was forced to take the phone and the call that she’d been hoping to avoid and put it to her ear, “Hey Mills. Long time no talk.”
“You’re not in Mexico!” Her assistant shrieked on an ear-splitting decibel and since her mother raised her eyes Lemon chose to walk into the other room before responding.
“How’d you figure that out so fast?”
“Your passport is still in the safe, Lemon.”
The way Millie said her name, she thought what her assistant had wanted to call her was an idiot. She wouldn’t have been wrong in this instance. Lemon had given no thought at all to the fact that she’d have needed her passport to go to Mexico or that Millie was the only person in her life that knew where it was kept and the combination to the safe.
“Well, aren’t you just the resident genius.” She drawled as she paced the living room, “I knew you’d figure it out Mills but I thought I’d have a couple hours at least.”
“Why would you lie to me, Lemon? Why?”
The note of disapproval and disappointment made her feel about as big as an ant. Sometimes it was impossible to remember that she was the boss and Millie was the employee. Just like it was impossible to believe that she was six years older than the tiny, Polly Pocket sized dictator that ran her life with an iron fist and a smartphone. She hated that she’d let Millie down when even five seconds ago she’d been annoyed by the intrusion into her personal life.
“Sorry, Millie.”
“Don’t sorry, Millie me.” Her assistant sighed, “It’s my job to take care of you Lemon and I can’t do that if you go running away in the middle of the night and then lie to me about it.”
She thought about pointing out that it had been broad daylight when she dragged her suitcase out of the closet and had the valet help her load it into the SUV but she didn’t. She knew that wasn’t the real point Millie was making after all. It was taking off without telling a soul where she was going and then lying about it that had her assistant up in arms and she supposed if their roles were reversed she’d probably feel the same way.
“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was leaving…”
“Or where you were going.” Millie cut in.
“Or where I was going.” She reiterated, “But I meant what I said, I need some time away from Nashville to decompress.”
“Is this about your doctor’s appointment? The one you refused to let me attend? Did something happen?” Millie’s voice rose steadily and then cracked, “Oh my God, Lemon, you’re not pregnant are you? I mean, if you are, yay, babies, but dear lord you can’t just…”
“No.” She snapped, knowing it came out too harshly when Millie squeaked again and tried to soften the words that felt like knives in her throat, “I’m not pregnant. Definitely not pregnant.”
“Lemon…”
“I hear you need to be having sex for that to happen.” She joked but it sounded lame and half-assed even to her.
“Oh… is it… is it something else?”
She hated the hesitation in Millie’s voice almost as much as she hated this conversation. Millie might be young and sweet but she’d never hesitated in handling Lemon and her problems whenever necessary. The sudden walking on eggshells feeling of their conversation signaled that she needed to end the call, now, before her wise beyond her years assistant figured out that she was in no way okay and sent in the troops.
“It’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. I just needed to get away for a little while. I told you not to worry. I’m home with my family and I’m perfect
ly safe in Fate. I don’t have anything pressing on the schedule besides doing some writing and I can do that from here. I’ll be back as soon as I’m feeling more like myself. I need some time alone.”
“At least let me send Thad, if something happens…”
“Alone, Millie. Six and a half feet of overbearing male hovering over my shoulder isn’t alone.”
“But…”
“No buts. I’m the boss. You two stay in Nashville and handle things on your end. If you have any problems, call me, but otherwise consider this a long overdue vacation.”
She could practically hear Millie’s brain working overtime, trying to figure out what was going on when the girl sighed, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Never better.” She lied.
“Okay, well, I guess call if you need anything and I’ll check in regularly. Just…” Millie paused and then her voice softened, “Take care of yourself, Lemon.”
“I’m trying.” Her bottom lip trembled and she nodded quickly, “Okay, talk soon, bye now.”
She hung up with a heavy sigh and stared at the familiar living room around her. Everything in this house was exactly how it had been when she was a kid. The line of photographs on the mantle had changed and her mother’s collection of snow globes from all across the world, the ones Lemon had sent home from every exotic locale were the only new additions to the room. She stared at the spot on the wall where her wedding photograph used to hang and frowned at the old family photo that had covered it up as though it never existed.
Life would have been a hell of a lot simpler if it hadn’t.
“Everything okay, honey?” Her mother came walking into the room holding a glass filled with a thick green liquid and what looked to be a stick of celery poking out the top.
“Just fine.” She smiled though she wasn’t sure how reassuring it was when her mom’s brows furrowed.
She wondered momentarily if she’d ever get those same furrow lines along her forehead that her mother had. She’d inherited almost everything else from the woman. She had Lorna Kelly’s eyes and smile and build and hair color. She even had her same laissez-faire, life is a dance, open and loving heart. But those lines in her forehead were from years of worrying about her children and that was something Lemon would likely never have.
“Are you sure? Millie seemed awfully upset.”
“She’s always upset about something or another.”
“She didn’t know where you were?” Her mom raised a knowing eyebrow.
“I kind of took off on a whim. I told you. I wanted to surprise you and Dad.” She hopped up out of her chair, “Speaking of, where is Dad?”
Her mother’s lips thinned, clearly catching her attempt to change the subject, “He went in to work early today so he could leave the office early tonight. He didn’t want to miss dinner with you since you didn’t say how long you were staying.”
She winced at the flat out refusal to let it go. She hadn’t been all that forthcoming with her parents last night when she’d finally gotten in touch with them and they’d come home to let her in. She’d said she wanted to surprise them and she’d had some time off work so she came for a visit. They’d talked about nothing and everything for an hour or two and then she’d retreated to her bedroom to sleep, claiming exhaustion that she’d certainly been feeling, and they hadn’t pushed.
Clearly her reprieve was over though.
Her mother was her mother. She could tell something was wrong. Maybe it had been her evasiveness last night whenever they’d asked about her plans for the future. Whether it was her next album or what she was working on or just how long she was going to stay in town, she hadn’t been able to give them any solid answers and for people as steady and dependable as her parents that must have sent up red flags.
“I’ll definitely be here for dinner.” She shrugged, “After that, who knows. I told Millie I needed some time to decompress away from the bright lights of Nashville and I meant it. I just want to relax and spend some quality time with my family. Is that okay with you?”
“Of course it’s okay with me.” Her mother sighed and brushed her hair back softly, “I love you honey and I’m overjoyed to have you here for however long you can stay. I just hope you know that whatever sent you running here will mostly likely be waiting for you when you go back.”
She swallowed hard at the knowing look and words, “I know.”
“Okay. Just, whenever you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here.” Her mother smiled, “And Lydia is too. She was excited to hear you were back and said to tell you she’s giving you the day to do whatever you came for and then she expects to see her big sister.”
Lemon laughed, “You already talked to Lydia?”
“Of course. I had to invite her to dinner.”
“Oh jeez, we’re having an official family dinner tonight?”
Her mother beamed, “It’s not every day I have both my girls home where I can spoil them so yes, we’re having a family dinner.”
“All my favorites?”
“All your favorites.” Her mother shook her head, “Which I’m sure I’ll never hear the end of from your sister.”
“Can I help?” She offered.
“In the kitchen? Oh, dear, no. Not if we want it to be edible.”
“Hey!” She smacked at her mom playfully, “I’m not that bad at cooking.”
“I’ll refrain from mentioning the turkey debacle of 2010 but…”
“It’s not my fault I didn’t know brown on the outside didn’t mean done on the inside.”
“Of course not dear.” Her mother bit off more laughter, “Why don’t you go and grab the newspaper and the mail for me and then we’ll figure out something you can help with in the kitchen?”
“Yes, mom.” She rolled her eyes at the request but immediately headed to the door.
When she’d been young, getting the mail and newspaper had been her favorite part of the day. It had meant new magazines or new cd’s or sheet music. It had meant the lifestyle section with reviews of her performances in the school plays or recitals. She supposed her mother had asked her to do it now for nostalgias sake but Lemon couldn’t help but feel another pinch of hurt that her own family didn’t think she was adult enough, motherly enough, to help prepare a simple meal.
She could cook dammit. She might never gain entrance to the Ladies Guild with a homemade chocolate pie but she got by just fine cooking for herself. She’d never given anyone food poisoning which was a win in her book.
The mailbox was at the end of the driveway but she cut through the yard, getting her feet wet. She’d have to wipe them off really good when she went back inside or she’d never hear the end of it. Adults probably put on shoes before they went outside so maybe everyone had a point. Did little things like that make her irresponsible? It was shoes, not the end of the world.
She was mulling over that deep thought and sorting through the stack of bills and junk mail. She was trying to figure out if she could get away with paying the electric and water or if she’d end up getting another lecture from her parents about exactly what she could and couldn’t help them with. Gifts were okay as long as they weren’t too extravagant but paying their bills was not acceptable for some reason. That was why, when she heard her name, she jumped a foot into the air and dropped all of the mail as she shrieked.
“Hey! Lemon!”
She jerked upright and felt what little air was still in her lungs catch.
Shane Lowry was jogging towards her. Correction. She couldn’t be sure her eyes didn’t bug out like one of those crazy cartoon characters. A half-naked Shane Lowry was jogging towards her and not even the bright smile on his handsome face could keep her from staring at his sweaty, muscular, glorious chest.
Glorious. That was the only word for it. Her imagination might have tried to do it justice when she’d been imagining him naked last night but she’d failed miserably. The real thing was so much better than she’d imagined. Broad and strong and slicke
d with sweat, his muscles rippled as he trotted closer and closer.
The tattoo she’d known lurked beneath his clothes was clearly visible now. It was a tribal style sun that circled his left nipple, the rays twisted out in long black waves. A dated, out-of-fashion tattoo to be sure these days and on another man it might have looked silly. But not on Shane. Somehow he still managed to pull it off, make it look masculine and sexy. Because that was the thing about him, she realized as he slowed his pace and pulled a pair of headphones from his ears, his smile all but dazzling.
Shane was sexy.
He’d been a good looking kid. He’d been a handsome teenager. He’d been a hot twenty something last time she saw him. But this Shane, grown ass man Shane, was sexy as hell.
Everything about him turned her on. The muscles and the dimples and those intense green eyes should have been enough but it went further than that. The new scruff on his hard jawline. The way the lines around his mouth deepened when he smiled. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners. Literally everything.
Last night, when she’d finally been alone in her childhood bed, she’d found her thoughts drifting back to him, to their interaction, their conversation, to the way just being near him had made her feel. Alive. Electric. Teasing Shane had given her the same kind of high she got when she was onstage. Laughing with Shane had been… well, it was the first time since she saw the doctor and learned her life would likely never look the way she’d envisioned it that she’d felt the urge to laugh at all. She’d felt more like herself talking with Shane Lowry than she had in weeks, months, maybe even years.
The instant attraction she felt at the mere sight of him hadn’t surprised her. Not really. She’d felt the same instant chemical reaction to him when she’d been a teenage girl. And if anything Shane was even better looking now so of course she was attracted to him. But she also wanted to just hang out with him so she could feel that lightness that he’d given to her for those too brief minutes last night. In fact, she’d been thinking she might come up with a reason to go over to his house today just to see him again, to befriend him so he’d want to hang out with her.
