Knox (BBW Bear Shifter Moonshiner Romance) (120 Proof Honey)

by Becca Fanning

  But then, what do I know? she wondered. The performance “theater” in the House had once been a parlor. It had been enlarged, she’d been told, when the Manager had decided to add dinner and musical entertainment to the other nighttime entertainment. At least if Luke’s band was recording, there wouldn’t be an audience, and hopefully this Four Saints group would be too busy to pay much attention to her. The longer she was with them, the longer she was safe from the Manager’s minions, so she hoped they’d let her stay with them at least until she could figure out what to do next. She had no money, no identification, no real identity outside of the House, thanks to her mother’s deal with the Manager.

  Dear God, what am I going to do?

  But Luke was paying the taxi driver, and then he was guiding her to the front door. The sign beside the door said, “Grand Avenue Studios,” so at least Luke was telling the truth about their destination.

  Inside, the place was warm and inviting, with comfortable-looking upholstered chairs and a sofa in the entry. There was a front desk, manned by a young woman with unnaturally red streaks in her blond hair. She wore an incredible assortment of rings and studs in her ears, eyebrows and lip, and when she spoke, they could see she had a gold ball on the end of her tongue. Everything she wore was at least one size too small, and Candace was pretty sure this young woman’s assets were manmade. Candace suppressed a shudder. Some of the women in the House had similar adornments and enlarged breasts, but the Manager had never even allowed her to pierce her ears. It was the one restriction she hadn’t minded.

  “Hey, darlin’,” Luke greeted the young woman.

  “Hey, Luke! ’Bout time you got here. You’re uncle’s startin’ to pace the floor.”

  “He’ll get over it,” Luke said, quickly guiding Candace past the obviously curious receptionist.

  “Hey, I thought you’d give me a shot at singin’ with the band, and here you’re bringin’ in a stranger?”

  “Nah,” Luke said. “She’s just a friend—here to watch the session.

  “Don’t stop,” he whispered under his breath as he pushed Candace along. “Marley, there, will talk you’re ear off. She’s one of those Dolly Parton wannabes, but unfortunately, her voice doesn’t match her bra size.”

  Candace actually giggled. She couldn’t help it. Luke was that obviously relieved to have her there as an excuse to not talk to the Marley girl. His grin helped her to relax completely. Then he opened a door, ushered her in before him, and her ease turned to panic. There were four men and two women there, apparently waiting for Luke.

  “About time, bro,” one of the others said.

  The men were all clearly related to Luke. Each had the same size and build, the same dark, shaggy hair. Four more sets of the same dark golden eyes studied her closely.

  “I got delayed,” Luke said. “Get over it.”

  “Uh-huh,” the oldest of the group said standing and stretching. “You do know how much we’re paying for this session, don’t you?”

  “Sure. Look, you can take the overtime out of my pay, but I had something important come up.”

  The older man looked at Candace through narrowed eyes. “Uh-huh.”

  “Knock it off, Uncle Bart!”

  Candace knew there was something unusual about the way Luke had spoken to the man who was apparently his uncle by the way everyone else reacted to his sharp tone.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” one of the women said, quickly rising. “Everything’s okay, here. Nobody’s going to dock anybody’s pay, all right?”

  The least threatening of the group, the woman was a couple of inches shorter Candace’s own five-foot-six, with an attractive figure wrapped in a teal blue wool dress. Her otherwise clear, fair complexion was dotted with freckles, and she had pulled her shoulder-length curly auburn hair back into a low pony tail, which was wrapped in a matching teal scrunchie. The woman’s clear blue eyes matched Candace’s own.

  “I’m Mel,” she said, coming forward and offering Candace her hand. “I’m married to the one with the guitar. He’s Matt.”

  Her smile was open and friendly, and Candace allowed herself to relax a fraction.

  “I’m Candace,” she said, accepting the offered hand.

  “Geeze! I can’t believe I forgot to ask you your name!” Luke said, clearly disgusted with himself.

  Candace found a smile for him. “That’s okay. You were busy.”

  “Looks like you got soaked by the rain,” Mel said.

  “I’m afraid so. Luke was nice enough to lend me his coat.”

  “You should sit over here,” the other woman said, waving to the chair she had just vacated which was sitting in front of some kind of grid. “The heat’s on.

  “I’m Addy,” she added shyly. “The guy with the bass is my husband, Mark.”

  Candace could only stare at Addy, who was a couple of inches taller than she was. Her complexion was darker, as though she spent a lot of time in the sun, and her sandy-blond hair was styled in an artsy, feathery short cut. It was her eyes that caught, Candace’s attention, though, for they were the same deep gold as those of the men. Candace automatically took the other woman’s hand, but Addy must have felt her trembling, because she released it quickly.

  “No one here’s gonna hurt you, Candace,” Addy said, her voice soft and low. “Just take a seat and get warmed up. We have work to do, so relax and enjoy it.”

  Candace managed to return the other woman’s smile but was grateful to follow Mel to the other side of the room. The heat felt good, and it was just possible she would stop trembling, if she could only get warm. Then she caught the older man’s piercing gaze and knew it couldn’t be that easy.

  “Okay, then,” Bart said. “Let’s get started.

  “Can we assume you at least managed to buy new brushes?” he asked Luke.

  “Right here.” Luke smiled at Addy. “I think you’re gonna like the new sound, Addy.”

  “I’m sure I will.”

  “The short one is John,” Mel told Candace, joining her near the heat vent as the guys picked up their instruments and Uncle Bart entered the recording booth behind them. “And the big one is Uncle Bart.”

  Candace wanted to laugh. John was only small in comparison to everyone else, and they were all “big” as far as she was concerned. Still, “Uncle Bart” was broader than the others, and he looked as though he was a good ten years older than the oldest brother, Matt.”

  “Don’t worry,” Mel whispered. “Bart’s really not as scary as he looks.”

  “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it,” Candace murmured, though it wasn’t really necessary since the boys were beginning to rehearse.

  They warmed up with a quick, up-tempo number about a dog named Cecil. The lyric was hilarious, and Candace found herself smiling as she tapped a foot and hummed along. The boys all sang bass or baritone, and they blended beautifully. The brothers had all played and sung together for years—that much was obvious—but Addy seemed to fit right in, playing guitar, too, though she only joined in on the singing for the choruses. Candace wasn’t certain why—the other woman had a beautiful alto voice—then between numbers, Mel solved the mystery for her.

  “Addy sings beautifully, but she refuses to sing on-stage with the boys. They’ve talked her into adding her voice when they record, but she won’t sing in public. I’m still trying to convince her—my boss really wants to sign her—but it’s a work in progress.”

  Candace nodded her understanding. The studio was a safe place to perform. She herself had always been terrified to sing and dance in front of an audience, so she could relate to Addy’s hesitation.

  “All right then,” Bart said over the intercom. “Sounds good boys—and girl. Let’s try out those new brushes, Luke. Give me Addy’s “Love Me Always.”

  Candace heard Mel sigh. “She did perform this song live with the band one time—at our wedding,” she said. Her eyes had taken on a dreamy quality. “She made it a wedding present.”

&nb
sp; Candace sighed herself as the song began. It was a beautiful love song, slow and dreamy, about a man giving his heart to his woman and asking that she return it to him intact. Addy’s voice was lovely and pure, and one look at Matt and Mark showed both men were singing it to their wives—and always would.

  When it was finished, Bart spoke again. “Very nice, Addy darlin’,” he said, and even he sounded affected by the music this time.

  But Addy was shaking her head. “I have to fix the key change for the final chorus,” she said. “That final time through needs the female voice on top, but I just can’t hit those notes.”

  “I’ll bet Candace can,” Mel said, and Candace suddenly found herself the center of attention.

  “I don’t think so,” she stammered.

  “You were humming it just fine,” Mel insisted.

  “Really,” she added, looking at each of the others in turn.

  “Could you?” Addy asked, looking excited.

  “Well, I…”

  “Come on, darlin’,” Luke said, hopping up from his stool and crossing to take her hand to lead her to the center of the room. “Give it a try. Addy’s dyin’ to hear it the way she wrote it, the way it’s supposed to be.”

  “Please?” Addy asked, her voice a plea.

  “We can try it that way,” Bart said from the next room, though he sounded doubtful.

  His attitude was enough to push Candace over the edge, and she accepted the sheet music Addy was holding out to her.

  Singing is one thing I can do, she told herself, whatever he might think.

  “Okay, let’s do it this way,” Addy said. “I’ll do the first chorus solo then I want you to sing with me in unison the second time through, then the third time, you move to the top line. Okay?”

  Candace nodded. She wished she had had the opportunity to warm up her voice, but she could do this.

  The music started again, and Candace felt the tune as strongly as the first time. Singing in unison with Addy was easy—the other woman’s voice was that smooth. By the time they hit the chorus the third time, she was warmed up enough to open up fully, and the six voices blended beautifully, with Candace’s sparkling on top of the chord.

  The room was hushed for a long moment following the last ripple of chord then Addy jumped up and hugged Candace to her.

  “Yes!” she cried. “That is exactly what I had in mind for that endin’!”

  Everyone started talking at once, then Bart’s voice rang out.

  “Very nice. Let’s move on. Addy, add Candace in on the next few, wherever you think will work.”

  The next thing Candace knew, she was singing as though she had been a part of this band forever. There were times when both she and Addy sat out, but as often as not, Addy pulled her into the center, quickly told her what they needed, and they were off again. By the end of their scheduled time in the studio, Candace was exhausted but happy.

  “Well done, boys and girls,” Bart said. “I think we have some cuts that’ll be sure to get Ms. Konstantine’s attention.”

  “I know you did,” Mel said, knowing her boss at the Konstantine Talent Agency very well.

  The band packed up, and Candace realized she had dropped Luke’s coat along the way. She was finally dry—and even warm—though her clothes looked as though she had slept in them.

  “I’m starvin’,” John said on a cheerful note. “Tell me it’s lunch time.”

  “Yeah, it is,” Mark said, putting their youngest brother in a head lock.

  “We have the van and Mel’s car,” Bart said. “Where are we goin’?”

  Candace felt the return of her panic. “I can’t…”

  “Sure you can,” Matt said, putting one arm around her and one around his wife.

  “Lunch is on me,” Bart said, giving her a wink.

  “But…”

  “Why don’t I take Addy and Candace home,” Mel suggested, picking up on Candace’s discomfort. “Candace will want a shower after her drenching this morning, and I can eat lunch there before I head back to work.”

  “You’re sure?” Matt asked.

  “I’m sure.”

  Candace met Mel’s understanding gaze and felt tears threaten. These were very nice people, and she was certain they wouldn’t want anything to do with her, if they knew the truth about her, but she really didn’t have any choice but to go with them. She knew the Manager would have men combing the city, looking for her, and she couldn’t bear the thought of going back to that place.

  “Okay, darlin’,” Matt said, kissing Mel soundly on the lips.

  “I’ll put stew on for supper,” Addy said, “so you all get your business done then come on home.”

  “Will do, darlin’,” Mark said, kissing her.

  “Man, I got to get me one of those,” John said to his uncle with a grin.

  Bart laughed. “Come on, boy. Let’s get Luke packed up so we can get some lunch to carry us through meetin’ with Ms. Konstantine.”

  “Wait in my office, Bart, if you beat me there!” Mel said, taking Candace’s hand and heading for the door. “Do not—I repeat, do not—approach Kitty Konstantine, until I get there!”

  “Yeah, yeah…”

  Mel laughed, and Candace had a feeling that Mel was the mama bear in this odd clan. It remained to be seen just how protective she would be of her cubs when she learned the truth about Candace.

  Supper was lively, with the eight of them crowded around Addy and Mark’s dining room table. Candace had been told they often ate at home together, and it was usually at Addy and Mark’s apartment, because theirs was the biggest of the three apartments in the big Victorian house turned apartment building. Mel and Matt lived on the top floor, where Mel had lived since before she’d met them. The family had bought the entire house from the owner just before Addy and Mark had married. The two younger brothers and their uncle lived downstairs.

  Talk around the table mostly had to do with Bart’s negotiating with Mel’s boss, the head of the Konstantine Talent Agency. Apparently, Kitty Konstantine had been less than thrilled with the idea of Addy recording with the Saint brothers but not performing live with them on stage. Bart had out-negotiated her, and Addy had a new contract for her music and her singing. The entire family was delighted.

  Candace heard only half of what was said, because she was still somewhat groggy from her long afternoon nap. Addy had fed both Mel and Candace lunch, then when Mel went back to work, Addy had tucked Candace into the daybed in the second bedroom, which acted as both an office and a guest room. Candace had fallen asleep quickly, listening to the lovely sounds of Addy’s guitar as she worked on a new song out in the living room. She had slept soundly for a solid five hours, waking only when the rumble of deep male voices had penetrated her sleep. In spite of missing dinner the night before and breakfast this morning, she had eaten little at lunch and even less this evening. She was too nervous to eat, knowing how these kind people were likely to respond when they learned about where she had come from.

  When at last everyone had finished their last bite of peach cobbler—Addy had been busy with more than music all afternoon—Bart sat back in his chair and looked directly at Candace.

  “A fine supper, Addy. I thank you. Now, I think it’s time we figure out what to do about Candace’s little problem.”

  “I think I should go,” she said, pushing her chair back from the table.