This kiss was much different than the one they’d shared on the bus. The newness was gone, and the mystery of who they were had been solved tonight over the simple, playful act of building a castle out of sand. A new bond had strengthened between them.
Josie tilted her head back, tasting his lips and drawing him closer to her.
When they parted, he brushed away a strand of hair the wind had blown against her face. “No regrets?” he said softly.
“No regrets.”
And she meant it. There wasn’t anything about tonight she would change, from building their sandcastle to kissing Brock.
“The moon is gone,” Josie said, lifting her head to the sky. Clouds that had been teasing them all evening had now filled the sky. “I don’t think we’re going to get a chance to see the sun come up this morning.”
“There’ll be other sunrises. I promise you that. I want more nights like this with you, Josie. Holding you just like this.” Brock sighed. “I don’t really want to go back to the bus. I wish I could find a way to hold back the morning.”
The sky was changing from black to blue. As disappointed as she was to see the night end, it didn’t take away from the new hope that filled her heart. Their relationship was growing and it felt good.
“Do you think anyone is up?”
“Probably not, but I’d guess that if anyone is, it’s Will. In about an hour, Miles and Roy will probably be arguing again.”
She quirked a smile. “Forget the sunrise. I’ll make us some scrambled eggs. We can sit back and watch Miles and Roy argue. You can be the one to keep score this time.”
They walked hand in hand back to the bus. The blanket was filled with sand. They each took a corner and shook it out before folding it and climbing on board. The smell of coffee already filled the bus. As suspected, Will was up, seated at the dining table as he nursed a mug of coffee and poured over paperwork.
“A little early for a walk. Where have the two of you been?” he grumbled sleepily.
Brock glanced over at Josie and gave her a sleepy smile and her heart exploded with emotion. One night of playful fun had given her an enormous view into what this man was all about. As frightened as she was of another broken heart, she couldn’t just walk away. She’d give it a chance and let fate play out-with no regrets.
The band had played a long set at a local hot spot in Memphis the night before after spending the day walking around Graceland. Memphis was a music town with an excitement and a charge all its own.
The big test for them would be Nashville.
In each town they played, the crowd was bigger than the last, the press more interested in Brock Gentry. Josie knew there’d come a day when simply walking down Main Street would be a major event. But for right now, she was enjoying the fact that Brock Gentry was hers and hers alone.
They’d only been scheduled for the one show in Memphis and were due to leave this morning for a fourhour drive out to Nashville. Brock said he couldn’t leave Memphis without at least seeing a little of the city, so they snuck out of the bus just as the sun was rising and walked the streets, hand in hand, until they found an open door.
“Let’s get out of here before Will promises my time to some reporter,” he’d said, and just as the sun rose they’d both run from the bus like two kids sneaking out of the house for some fun.
They found a small, hole-in-the-wall diner in downtown Memphis that was filled with the smell of fresh coffee and baked bread. She pulled Brock through the door and sat in the quiet of the morning before the rest of the world started milling around the streets, going about their days.
As the waitress dropped the Sunday breakfast special of fried grits, eggs over easy, and buttered whole wheat toast in front of Brock, Josie nursed her coffee and played with her napkin. She’d only ordered a bagel with cream cheese, but didn’t feel like eating.
“Not hungry?” Brock asked, motioning to her untouched plate.
“It’s too early for me to eat. I’ll wrap it up and take it back to the bus.”
“You’d better hide it from Roy.”
She chuckled at his teasing.
Most of their meals were spent with the band, which was fine by Josie on most days. But in the time since they’d spent that precious night building their sandcastle together, Brock had taken her seriously when she said she didn’t want their relationship to only be centered around the band. He made a noticeable effort to pull her away so they could share time alone.
“It almost doesn’t seem real that the next stop is Nashville,” she said, ringing her napkin and then tossing it to the table with a sigh.
He swallowed his food and took a sip of coffee. “I think I’m looking forward to sleeping in a real bed instead of in that small bunk.”
“Yeah, I guess you boys have it rougher than I do. I don’t think I could stand one more night of Roy and Miles going at it.”
“It hasn’t been all that bad, has it?”
She shook her head. “When I decided to come, I figured I knew pretty much how things would go. I didn’t count on you though.”
Brock lifted an eyebrow. “Didn’t you?”
“Well, you haven’t exactly kept your feelings from me. But right from the start you treated me as a professional. It’s a hard road for a woman surrounded by men.”
“You deserve your place in this just like the rest of us.”
“Thanks. Brock, what are you hoping will happen when we get to Nashville?”
He looked surprised by the question. “I’m hoping to catch the eye of one of those A&R reps Will’s been talking to for the last few weeks.” He reached his hand across the table to squeeze hers. “I’m also hoping to catch my breath a little so we can spend more time together. Isn’t that what you want?”
She smiled, her chest filling with emotion. “Absolutely.”
“What’s troubling you then?”
Josie chuckled as she rolled her eyes. “Nothing really. I guess I’m just a little fearful. I don’t want to screw up this time.”
In those stolen moments together, their relationship flourished, and Josie found it easy to confess her secrets when she was with Brock. He had a way of digging into her soul with just a smile, unearthing a part of Josie she hadn’t known existed. It was hard to put all that into perspective when the end result would mean they could be going their separate ways in Nashville.
“Things could change, you know,” she said, looking him straight in the eye.
“Nothing’s going to change.” He flashed her one of those Brock Gentry look-at-me smiles and she almost believed him.
Of course, he was right. It didn’t have to be that way. In the quiet hours alone, Josie could dream about the two of them, building a life and sharing their dreams-together.
It was dangerous, she knew. So many uncertainties lay ahead of them in Nashville. The studio executives became the new dogs of their world and their lives could change in an instant.
Josie refused to let that possibility mar what little time they had now. If all they had was this moment, then she was determined to take it and enjoy it for what it gave her.
As they finished breakfast and left the diner, the quiet peace that surrounded her at the diner remained. No thoughts of an uncertain future intruded on them as they walked the streets of Memphis, hand in hand.
“That is so you,” Josie said, laughing as she peered into a storefront window. The black suede cowboy hat sat perched on a stand under white lights to show off its beauty.
“You think so?”
“Definitely. Let’s go take a look,” she said, pulling him into the store.
The Cowboy Strong was only one of many specialty stores that had just opened, their doors for the day. The salesman greeted them and Josie pulled Brock over to the window where she’d seen the black suede cowboy hat.
Brock raised an eyebrow in jest. “No blue sequins?”
“Thank you, God,” she said laughing. Carefully, she lifted the hat from the stand and p
laced it on Brock’s head. The smell of the suede filled her senses and it felt smooth and lush on her fingers. She could imagine how fabulous Brock would look up on stage wearing it. When he stood up straight and looked at her, she realized she was wrong. Her imagination did no justice to how commanding a man Brock looked wearing the hat. Or maybe it was simply the man himself, Josie thought.
“What do you think?”
He actually looked shy as he waited for her approval, cocking his head to one side.
“I don’t know how you’ve lived your whole life without that hat,” she teased.
He laughed. “Well, that settles it. I can’t put it back on the rack after you put it that way.”
“Let me buy it.”
His brow creased.
“Come on,” she said. “My gift to you.” It seemed so small a gift when she compared it to how Brock had changed her world so completely in the short time since he’d walked into the studio back in Houston.
Her heart bursting, she moved to the counter to make the purchase and caught the time on the iron clock on the wall.
“What time did Will say the bus was leaving?” she asked.
“Five minutes ago.”
“Oops, guess they left without us.” If it weren’t for the fact that Dexter was stuck on the bus, Josie would revel in the idea of having that bus roll down the highway without them.
Pulling her into his arms, Brock bent his head and pressed his warm mouth against her lips in a kiss that left her dizzy.
“Thank you,” he said.
“You’re very welcome, cowboy.”
Brock sighed and reached for her hand, squeezing it. “We’d better get back.”
“You’re late,” Will said, glaring at them as they boarded the bus. The air conditioning was on, and it immediately bathed Josie’s face with cool air as she made her way down to an empty seat. Brock picked up his guitar and dropped down on the seat next to her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
“We went shopping,” he said, seemingly unfettered by Will’s disposition.
“Nice hat. We can roll,” Will called out to the bus driver before lowering his head to concentrate on his paperwork.
“Me and my back can’t wait to get to Nashville and check into that hotel,” Miles said.
“I can’t say I’m not glad to be sleeping in a real bed again, even if I still have to bunk with the likes of you.”
“Just four more hours, boys. The hotel has all the luxuries-Jacuzzi, heated pool, mini bar, you name it. It even has those thick, terry cloth bathrobes and a towel warmer.”
Brock smiled and put down the guitar. “I hope there’s a Jacuzzi for two,” he said, pulling Josie into his lap. She laughed as he waggled his eyebrows at her.
“Sure does. It’s even big enough for you, Miles,” Will said with a laugh. “I want you all rested for the shows at the Wild Horse Saloon. It’s going to be a big string of nights, with lots of big names there.”
Josie was sitting next to Brock and he gave her a squeeze. “It’s pet-friendly, Will, isn’t it?” Josie asked.
Will didn’t look up from his paperwork at her inquiry. She had the feeling his expression would be a bit frosty if he had. Ever since that night on the beach in Galveston, she and Brock had grown closer. It was nice not to have to hide their feelings like she had when she’d been dating Grant years ago. Brock proved to be openly affectionate, pulling her to his lap and giving her a hug and kiss no matter who was around to witness it.
At first, she’d felt a little self-conscious. But the feelings Brock evoked in her quickly lessened any fears she had. She loved the unabashed affection he had for her and the fact that he didn’t seem to mind that anyone might witness it.
“Don’t worry,” Will said. “The hotel has room for your cat.”
She smiled, anticipation racing through her. They’d all been waiting for this day to come. Glancing at Brock, her heart tumbled. Many new beginnings awaited them in Nashville. She only hoped it didn’t mean an end to what she’d found with Brock.
hatever anxiety Josie had left over what lay ahead for her and Brock in Nashville changed to excitement the moment the bus pulled into the hotel parking lot.
“You only have about two hours to settle in before we head out for sound check. Oh, and by the way,” Will said with a Cheshire cat grin. “We’re riding in style too. The limo will be waiting out front at five o’clock sharp.”
They all stumbled from the bus, duffle bags in hand. Josie put her duffle down under the large hotel awning and arched her back to get the kinks out.
“That comfortable bed isn’t coming too soon,” Brock said, picking her bag up and holding it in the same hand he gripped his guitar case.
“I can take it,” Josie said.
“It’s okay,” he said, smiling. “You’ve got precious cargo.”
Josie couldn’t help but chuckle at his teasing her about Dexter. Where Will liked to jab her, Brock had actually gotten used to Dexter. In fact, Dexter was even warming up to Brock.
They all rode the elevator up to the top floor in silence. Josie leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.
“I could use a nap, too,” Brock said, breaking into the silence just as the elevator door swooshed open.
They reached her door first. After inserting the card key and waiting for the green light, she pushed the door open. The smell of lavender filled her nose. The room was cool and everything smelled fresh and crisp like a spring day.
“This is heavenly,” she said, carefully placing Dexter’s kennel on the soft floral bedspread. There was only one queen-sized bed, but it looked enormous after sleeping in a small bunk for the last month. By the window was a small table with two cushioned chairs and next to that sat a sofa in perfect position for viewing the television.
Josie fluffed a pillow on the sofa. “Wow. This place is nicer than my apartment back in Texas.”
“Yeah, Will really outdid himself.” Brock peeked inside the bathroom and made a mocking grimace. “Bummer. It’s a whirlpool bath, but it’s only big enough for one. I’ll have to speak to him about that.”
Josie shot Brock a wry grin. “Don’t get cute.”
“But I am cute. You even think so,” he said, waggling his brows.
She laughed as she dropped onto the sofa. Reaching over to the bed, she opened the kennel door, but waited for Dexter to feel comfortable enough to emerge into his new surroundings.
The hotel door closed. She lifted her head in time to see Brock pull the chain to lock it.
“Aren’t you going to check out your room?”
“I need a nap,” he said in a deep voice as he dropped down to the sofa next to her. With his hands, he gently coaxed her back against his chest as he leaned back on the pillows. “Now this is heaven.”
“What are you doing?” Her slight protest was feeble, even to her own ears. Her body melted against Brock’s and she felt all the tension in her muscles ease.
“Lady, I’ve been dying to get you in my arms like this all day,” he whispered against her forehead, giving her a warm kiss that made her head spin.
His hands stroked her hair, teasing her. As he spoke softly, she felt his warm breath against her skin.
Placing her hand against the wall of his chest, she allowed herself to relax. “Hmm. I like that thought.”
“I’ve been dreaming of holding you like this and drifting off to sleep for as long as I can remember. Now that I have the chance to do it without any eyes on us, I’m not going to pass it by.”
“That’s a nice dream,” she murmured, her eyes filling with tears. It had been hers too. But in her dreams, the words he spoke were that of his love for her. She’d said the words back a hundred times herself. Only in her dreams.
“We should set the alarm or we’ll never make it down to the lobby by five o’clock.” Josie started to move toward the clock, but Brock held her back.
“You’re not going anywhere. If we don’t wake in time, someone w
ill come get us.”
With that, she settled against his chest and started to drift off to sleep. She couldn’t be sure if it was a dream, but she swore she heard him say, “I love you, Josie.”
His guitar was gone.
At first, Brock searched the band’s dressing room at the Wild Horse Saloon, assuming he’d forgotten where he’d placed it or that perhaps someone had draped a jacket over the case, hiding it from his view. But that never happened. Brock never forgot where he put his guitar. Backstage, he didn’t allow it out of his sight for more than a few minutes.
He’d already pulled all the jackets and clothes from the sofa and chairs in the room three times. His guitar was definitely gone, and panic, as strong and painful as a heart attack, was setting in. Beads of sweat popped up on his forehead as he continued searching to no avail.
“The house is packed, Brock,” Will said, charging into the room without knocking and dropping right down to the sofa, not caring that he was sitting on someone’s jacket.
But the words Will spoke didn’t evoke any calm in Brock. In fact, it only made matters worse.
“Do you have any idea who’s out there tonight? Huh?” Will raised his eyebrows, his eyes bright and gleaming with excitement. Brock already knew how to read Will. His expression was that of a man who’d just hit the jackpot in Vegas and was ready to horde his stash. Will didn’t get this charged over little things. This was big.
“Who?”
“Rick Beckley. He does A&R for Sentry Records. He loved that demo I sent and heard about the trail we’ve been blazing to Nashville. He called us. Can you believe it? He called me to tell me he’d be here tonight.”
“That’s great.” Brock said the words but didn’t feel any of the excitement. His eyes crawled around the room, searching again, already knowing he wouldn’t find what he was looking for, but unable to stop himself.
“I think he would have signed you right on the spot, but he wants to see how you perform live. Most artists make the bulk of their living from live performances and those live shows move record sales. You give the performance of your life tonight, kid, and you’ve got the gold.”
Brock forced a smile. The air in the room was like a vacuum, sucking the fresh air out of his lungs. Will kept talking, but all Brock could think about was his guitar. Someone had taken his guitar.
Gypsy Hearts Page 9
