Sing Me Home
Belle Calhoune
Copyright 2017 by Belle Calhoune
All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher and author, except where permitted by law.
Cover art created by Elizabeth Mackey.
http://www.elizabethmackeygraphics.com/
About the author:
Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts as one of five children. Growing up across the street from a public library was a huge influence on her life and fueled her love of romance novels. Belle is the author of ten Harlequin Love Inspired novels. She has Indie published the popular and best-selling inspirational romance series, Seven Brides, Seven Brothers. Secrets of Savannah and Pelican Bay are both spin-off from her debut series. Belle loves writing romance and crafting happily-ever-afters. When she’s not wrangling her toy poodle and black Labrador retriever or spending time with her family, Belle enjoys traveling, classic films and exploring new things.
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Dear Reader:
Thank you for joining us on this Road Trip to Love. It’s my supreme pleasure to work with Angel, Leah, Pat and Kristen again. Road trips are such amazing experiences. My husband and I have driven from Connecticut to Florida with our girls on a few occasions. During these trips, we’ve stopped along the way and stayed in interesting places such as Baltimore, Myrtle Beach and my favorite—Savannah.
My heroine and hero, Rain and Luke, have gone through some rough times over the past few years. Once a loving couple, they were torn apart by Luke’s success in the world of country music and Rain’s own insecurities. Now, with a week-long stay in Nashville during a road trip with Rain’s besties, they’ve been given an opportunity to connect. But with Rain still harboring bitterness about the past, she may not be open to seeing Luke in a new light.
Nashville is such a wonderful city to use as a setting. It’s a mecca for country music and it has some of the best restaurants and music venues in the United States. Steeped in history, Nashville offers a multitude of landmark places to visit.
I hope you enjoy Rain and Luke’s second chance love story.
** A few details about the Blue Bird have been changed for storyline purposes.
Blessings,
Belle
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Epilogue (eleven weeks later)
“Life is a Highway”
Rascal Flatts
Chapter One
“Nashville, here we come!” Rain Santos triumphantly raised one hand in the air while managing to maintain a tight grip on the steering wheel with her free hand. The large SUV they’d rented back home almost felt like owning a new car. Not that she knew anything about brand new cars. She’d never owned one in her life. Her excitement didn’t totally mask her nervousness about being in Nashville, but she was putting on a brave face for her friends. She didn’t need to wear her emotions on her sleeve.
There’s nothing to fear but fear itself. Right?
She, along with her four best friends—Lark Morgan, Bridget Vaughan, Cassidy Frey and Jessica Stinson were in the middle of a road trip along I-40. They’d left Treasure Harbor, North Carolina behind in their rearview mirror and were planning to be on the road for a period of ten weeks. Each woman was responsible for picking a destination along the way where they would stay and explore the locale for a week. It was the trip of a lifetime, a way of seeing the country and spending valuable time with one another. And by some happenstance, they had all been able to clear their work schedules to go.
Life got so busy. It was their chance to stop and smell the roses. An adventure!
“How soon will we be there?” Jessica asked. “I’m getting a little stir crazy.”
“Already? We’re going to be on the road for weeks,” Cassidy said with a laugh. “You better get used to the open road.”
“I’ll be fine,” Jessica said with a grin. “I just need a soda or something to give me a boost.”
Excitement pulsed inside the SUV. Not only were the women the best of friends, but they encouraged each other to live out their dreams. Each woman had convinced Rain to make Nashville, Tennessee their first destination. The very thought of pursuing her singing dream caused her pulse to skitter like crazy. Was she out of her mind to venture down this path? Or would she kick herself for the rest of her life if she didn’t reach out and grab for the brass ring? Most likely it wouldn’t amount to anything, but it was exciting to fantasize about making a splash in Nashville—the center of country music.
“Thank goodness for GPS,” Lark said. “It makes navigation so much easier.”
“We need maps, just in case. Relying on the GPS alone might be a mistake. Haven’t you heard those stories about people driving straight into a lake thanks to their GPS instructions?” Rain asked.
Bridget wrinkled her nose. “I definitely don’t want to end up in a swamp.”
Laughter filled the car. Rain was delighted to be in the presence of her best friends. The idea for the summer road trip had been sheer perfection. Since she didn’t have a full-time job at the moment, the timing was perfect. Once she returned to Treasure Harbor, Rain would buckle down and look for a full-time, permanent job instead of taking assignments from the temp agency. Each assignment was something different—receptionist, assistant, clerk—but it left her feeling as if she had no specific profession.
Rain turned up the radio and began to sing along with the bluesy country ballad by her favorite country singer, Royal Jennings. In her wildest dreams, Rain couldn’t imagine being as famous and talented as Royal. The beautiful singer had won every award imaginable, from a Grammy to a Country Music Award to a Billboard award.
“You sound better than her,” Cassidy said in an encouraging tone. “Your tone is much richer.”
“She sure does. Once they hear you sing in Nashville, you’ll be signed by a big record label,” Bridget added.
“I wish. Those dreams got sandbagged,” Rain said in a soft voice. “Remember?”
The women went silent. Tension hung in the air. Rain knew without a shadow of a doubt her friends didn’t know what to say. No words were necessary. They all knew that four years ago, the rug had been pulled from underneath her. Her high school sweetheart, Luke Avery, had betrayed her in the worst way possible. For countless years, they’d dreamed of making it big in the country music scene with their duo act. When their big break came and a talent scout attended their performance at a local festival, Luke had been offered a solo deal. He’d promised to help her establish herself as a singer once he made it big in Nashville. But all that had fallen apart. Luke’s career had taken off like a rocket. She’d been left in the dust. In her heartbreak, Rain had given up singing. It reminded her too much of Luke and everything she’d lost.
“It’s never too late,” Cassidy reminded her.
Rain nodded her head. “You’re right about that! Dreams only die if we allow them to.”
“Thatta girl!” Jessica said in a spirited voice.
“You’ve got this!” Bridget added.
Somehow when the girls said it, Rain tended to believe it. Their friendship meant the world to her. Without it, she would have been lost. Her own family, although they loved her very much, thought her singing aspi
rations were nothing but a pipe dream. Her parents, Rod and Amy, wanted her to settle down and focus on home and hearth. Of course, Rain wanted those things for herself. But not right away. Not before she reached her own personal heights. Her older sister, Shannon, who was married to her college sweetheart, Tim, and was currently pregnant with her third child, also viewed Rain with a skeptical eye.
Rain let out a sigh. It hurt not to get the encouragement and support she craved. When things were darkest, Rain always turned to the Lord and her four best friends. They never failed her.
She had no business feeling sorry for herself, particularly since she did have one family member who served as her biggest cheerleader. Her uncle, Zeke, had been advising her to come to Nashville for ages. He’d lived in Nashville for almost twenty years now. Thanks to him, Rain and the girls had a very elegant place to stay during their week-long stop in Nashville. Zeke was the manager at an upscale hotel called the Tennessee.
There was no way they could have afforded to stay at the hotel for a week without Uncle Zeke’s assistance.
As the GPS alerted Rain to get off at the next exit, she put her blinker on and said, “We’re almost at the hotel, ladies. Let the adventures begin!”
Excitement rang out in the car with whoops of joy and celebration.
Rain followed the signs leading them to the hotel. As they pulled up, Rain let out a gasp of awe. She slowed the vehicle down and pulled over toward the curb.
“What’s wrong?” Cassidy asked.
“Look!” she said, pointing toward the sign five feet away from them. “It’s the Grand Ole Opry,” she explained. Goosebumps broke out on her arms.
Everyone began to crane their necks to see the building.
“I’ve been dying to see this place again ever since the last time I came here,” Rain said. The memories of visiting Nashville as a kid washed over her like a welcoming spring rain. That summer had been one of the most idyllic of her entire life. At ten-years old, Rain’s heart had been filled with dreams of someday stepping on the Grand Ole Opry stage and wowing the crowd. As a kid, it had seemed like an attainable goal. As an adult, she knew it was as unlikely as being hit by lightning.
“I can’t believe you haven’t been back,” Bridget said, surprise evident in her tone. “Especially since your uncle lives here.”
“Luke and I always talked about performing here together.” She made a tutting sound and shook her head. “He’s performed here dozens of times, I imagine. After what happened I’ve avoided Nashville like the plague.”
“We know how hard it’s been,” Lark said in a soft voice. “He didn’t live up to any of his promises.”
“He broke your heart,” Jessica said. “And shattered your belief in him. I can’t believe my cousin treated you like that.”
Cassidy began to mutter under her breath. “If you ask me you’re better off without him. He really showed his true colors.”
Rain couldn’t ignore the tightening sensation in her chest. Although Cassidy was one hundred percent correct about Luke, it still hurt to hear her say it out loud. Even now, after all these years, a part of her still wanted to protect Luke. Old habits die hard. A part of her would always love Luke Avery. And that was her cross to bear. She prayed God would lead her heart in another direction one day soon. She didn’t want to give up on her dreams of happily-ever-after.
Through a sheen of tears, Rain pulled away from the curb and got back on the road toward the hotel. She’d known full good and well that coming here would result in a maelstrom of emotions. It was best to focus on the future and on this wonderful road trip rather than resurrect her painful past with Luke. She put all thoughts of her ex-boyfriend out of her head and stuffed them down into the little black hole where she’d stored all her memories of her years with Luke. She was better off this way. It wasn’t healthy for her heart to continue to wallow in the past. She was going to make the most of her Nashville experience, starting with tonight.
**
“I don’t know what we ever did in this life to deserve this sort of treatment, but I sure could get used to this.” Jessica sat on the love seat in the living room area with her hands placed behind her head. Her eyes were firmly closed.
“Let’s not get too spoiled by this,” Lark teased. “Not every stop is going to be so plush.”
The Nashville Grand was a luxury hotel. Rain had never imagined she might be staying here in any capacity. The room rates were through the roof.
“Uncle Zeke really came through for us,” Rain said, looking around her at their luxurious surroundings. Not only had her Uncle Zeke placed them in the VIP Presidential suite of the Nashville Grand, but he’d sent up a welcome platter with all kinds of fruit, chocolate and a variety of cheeses. A bottle of chilled sparkling cider was sitting in an ice bucket. Glass flutes sat nearby. Bouquets of fragrant flowers had been strategically placed all around the suite. Since there were three bedrooms the girls had insisted upon Rain getting the single room with the Queen-sized bed and Jacuzzi. If she was being honest, Rain couldn’t wait to unwind later tonight with a bath and a serious date with her pillow. The ride had been a long one.
“What’s on tap for tonight? Are you ladies up for dinner out and some music?” Cassidy suggested. “After all, we are in Nashville.”
“I’m game for whatever you ladies want to do,” Rain said. Despite her fatigue, she knew their time in Nashville was limited. She wanted to make the most of the experience, not just for herself, but for her friends as well. “Uncle Luke said he was going to stop by. Maybe he’ll join us for dinner.”
“Our treat,” Bridget said in a forceful tone. “After all of this,” she said, waving her arm around the room, “we owe him big-time.”
A sudden knocking on their hotel room door heralded the arrival of Uncle Luke. Rain rushed toward the door. Once she saw her uncle’s smiling face, Rain threw herself against his chest. Her uncle’s strong arms held her in a welcoming hug. With his dark head of hair threaded with white and a round, cherubic face, Uncle Zeke was a gentle giant. His large size made him look intimidating, but he was the sweetest person Rain had ever known. And the most loyal.
“Let me look at you, girl,” Uncle Zeke said, stepping away from her so he could get a good look. He let out a low whistle. “You’ve gotten even more beautiful if that’s at all possible.”
Rain grinned at him. “And you still know how to flatter a girl, Uncle Zeke. Keep it coming.”
They both began to chuckle. “I speak the truth, niece. I’m a little worried about the men of Nashville. You might leave some broken hearts in your wake.”
Rain shook her head, then wagged her finger at her uncle. Ever since she was a little girl he’d filled her head with all kinds of compliments. He was her biggest cheerleader in every way. “Come on in and meet the girls. We owe you a debt of gratitude. You really spoiled us with this magnificent suite. It’s pretty incredible.”
“You’re welcome. I wanted to make sure you gals enjoyed Nashville to the fullest. Having a great place to lay your head at night is important. Everyone deserves to feel like a VIP from time to time.”
Rain led him toward the living room area where her four friends were still gathered. Rain introduced Uncle Zeke to the girls and they all profusely thanked him for their accommodations and exchanged pleasantries.
Rain turned toward Uncle Zeke. She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thanks for the warm welcome to Nashville. I’m not sure how we could every repay your kindness.”
He grinned at her, showcasing pearly white teeth.
“It was my pleasure. All I ask in return is that you come out with me tonight, just the two of us.”
“Is that all?” she asked. “I love to spend time with you, Uncle Zeke, so it’s a win-win situation for me. I told the girls I’d go to dinner with them, but I’m sure they’ll understand.” She winked at him. “After all, you’ve been so incredibly generous to gift us with this suite.”
He winked at her. “T
hat’s what family is for, Rain. If I can’t spoil my niece, then what good am I?”
Rain grinned. She didn’t have much family to speak of, but Uncle Zeke made up for it with his gigantic heart and thoughtfulness.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby at six. How does that sound?”
“Wonderful. I’ll be there.” Although Rain hadn’t envisioned going out on the town this evening, there was no way she could say no to Uncle Zeke. Not after all he’d done for them with regards to providing complimentary rooms for their stay. Rain didn’t even want to imagine how much this suite cost per night. Way out of their league, she imagined.
It would be nice to have dinner with Uncle Zeke and catch up on things in each other’s lives. The ladies were all understanding about her dinner plans with her uncle. They were fine with going out as a foursome. Rain was excited about hitting the town.
**
At six o’clock sharp, Rain arrived in the lobby. She’d dressed in her nicest pair of dark blue jeans, a flowing white top with a Native American motif and a pair of red cowgirl boots. Her purse was suede with fringes.
Uncle Zeke was standing in the lobby waiting for her. He looked festive and sharp. He was wearing a black cowboy hat, a pair of jeans, a plaid shirt and a dark jacket.
“Hey, girl. Thanks for not keeping me waiting. It’s a pet peeve of mine,” he said in a teasing manner.
“I know. My daddy is the same way,” she said with a chuckle. “It must be in the DNA.”
“My car is waiting right outside,” he said, placing his hand on the small of her back and guiding her outside.
Rain walked out into the warm Nashville evening. The sun was still shining brightly and there wasn’t the hint of a breeze in the air. Uncle Zeke led her to his baby blue Lincoln Continental. He graciously opened the door for her and she slid inside. The air conditioning had been put on blast. It felt like an ice box. Once her uncle saw her shivering he turned the air down.
Sing Me Home: Road to Love Page 1
