“Penny for your thoughts? You look a million miles away.” Laura smiled at him as she reached for a French fry and dunked it in the tangy barbeque sauce.
He laughed. “They’re not worth that much. Just enjoying the food. What do you think of it?”
“It’s as good as you said. I can see why you like it here.”
“Are you doing any more sight-seeing tomorrow? I can suggest a few places.”
“No, I have to head back early tomorrow. We actually have a gig tomorrow night. I was hoping to move the date, but it didn’t work out.”
Cole was disappointed that she was leaving so soon and she didn’t look happy about it either.
“That’s going to be a long day. What time is your gig?”
“We’re not going on until nine. If I get an early start, I should be fine.”
“I’ll be heading back myself in a few weeks. I still need to line up a place to stay. Let me know if you hear of any short-term rentals?”
“I will. How is Chelsea feeling about everything? Do you think she’ll come visit you in Nashville?”
Cole wasn’t sure if Chelsea had ever actually been to Nashville, but he knew she had no desire to go there anytime soon—even if he was there.
“No, I don’t think so. She’s busy with work.”
“Maybe for a long weekend even?” Laura sounded hopeful and Cole guessed that she couldn’t imagine not wanting to see her husband on the weekend. At first, it had bothered him that she didn’t seem to care about seeing him. Now he just shrugged it off to Chelsea being Chelsea.
“It’s not really her thing, the whole music scene. She tolerates it, barely.”
“I’m sorry. She doesn’t know what she’s missing!” Cole saw the sympathy in her eyes and appreciated it. Their waitress came by to clear their plates and they decided to have another round of margaritas for dessert.
“How’s Dylan? I wasn’t sure if he might come to Charleston with you.” He was surprised actually that Dylan had let Laura go without him.
Laura took a slow sip of her drink as a cloud darkened her eyes.
“We broke up actually. I gave him his ring back. It was the night I saw you at the pub.”
Cole was shocked and glanced at her ring finger, which was bare. He hadn’t even noticed it before.
“I’m sorry to hear it. I hope I didn’t make things difficult for you?” It was obvious that Dylan didn’t like him.
“No, not at all. This was a long time coming. I should never have accepted his proposal. It was too soon and ultimately, it just became apparent that he wasn’t the one for me. He was too controlling, too jealous. It was exhausting.”
Cole nodded. “Well, I’m glad you ended it before things got too ugly.”
Laura smiled and looked relieved. “I am too. I’m content to be very single for a while.”
“Well, cheers to that.” Cole tapped his glass against hers. A few minutes later, two guys in the corner of the room started playing some blues music. They were really good, and they enjoyed listening to a few songs while they finished their drinks. Cole paid the check and saw that there was a line of people waiting for tables. The restaurant and bar area were both packed.
As they walked out, he saw a familiar face out of the corner of his eye and took a step back for a better look. Laura didn’t see him stop and kept walking while Cole stood for a moment, watching his wife sitting in a booth, drinking a glass of wine and laughing at something her co-worker, Austin was saying. It was just the two of them.
Cole pulled his phone out and checked it. There was no new message from Chelsea. Just the earlier one about working late. He started to take a step in their direction to say hello. Maybe they’d just finished earlier than expected and went for a bite to eat. But, then he saw Chelsea rest her hand on Austin’s wrist and something about their body language made him hesitate. He decided to wait until later and see if she mentioned it herself.
Laura stepped outside and was surprised that Cole wasn’t right behind her. She stepped to the side of the door and waited for him to come out. A few minutes later, he joined her and looked liked he’d seen a ghost.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He paused for a moment and it seemed like he was about to tell her, but instead, he ran a hand distractedly through his hair as he led the way to his truck.
“Nothing. Sorry I kept you waiting. I thought I saw someone I knew, but I was wrong.”
Laura still sensed that something was on his mind as he was quieter than he’d been all day during the drive back to her bed-and-breakfast. When they reached it, he parked and walked her to the door.
“Thank you so much for showing me around. It was a wonderful day, and it helped, so much!” Laura hugged Cole hard and after a moment, he hugged her back and she could feel his energy, his need to be comforted. She didn’t want the hug to end, but when it did, she was happy to see that he looked himself again.
“It was a great day. I’m glad it was helpful too,” Cole said. There was something so warm and caring in his eyes that it touched her and she felt a sudden rush of sadness. She couldn’t help but wonder, if Chelsea wasn’t in the picture, if they might have found their way back to each other. She felt a bit guilty for the thought though because he was very much married. She and Cole could be friends, good friends even, but nothing more.
“Good night, Cole. See you soon in Nashville.”
Chapter 31
Cole got home a little before eight. His original plan was to confront Chelsea as soon as she got home, but the more he thought about it, he decided to wait. He thought it would be a conversation best had in the sober sunlight of morning. Plus, he had no idea what time she would even get home. He changed into an old t-shirt and sweats and headed out for a run. He was too wide awake to just sit around waiting for her.
He ran for a good six or seven miles, his mind racing the whole time. He thought about Chelsea and he knew in his gut that something was going on with that Austin guy. Or if it wasn’t yet, it looked like both of them wanted it. What surprised Cole the most was that he wasn’t as upset by the idea as he’d thought he would be. He was more irritated than upset and oddly enough, he wasn’t all that jealous. He wondered if it would be different if he’d been with Laura and saw her having an intimate dinner with someone other than him, and he realized when he looked down and saw his hands clenched into a fist that it would be.
He ran until he was exhausted and his mind finally calmed. After a quick shower, he settled in to watch the news and around eleven, he made his way up to bed. He fell asleep around midnight but slept lightly and woke when Chelsea finally climbed into bed. A glance at the alarm clock glowing on the nightstand showed that it was almost two am.
Chelsea was still asleep when Cole woke the next morning and went downstairs. He made a pot of coffee and scrambled a few eggs while he waited for her. About an hour later, she came down, showered and dressed for work. She looked ready to rush out the door.
“Coffee?” he offered as he topped off his own mug.
“Can’t today, running late. I’ll see you later.”
“Not just yet. Sit down.”
She looked irritated but also startled at the tone of his voice and joined him at the kitchen table. She sat on the edge of her seat, poised to run as soon as they were done.
“What is it?”
“Where were you last night?” Cole asked calmly. He took a sip of coffee as he watched her reaction. She didn’t give him one, not right away.
“I told you where I was, working late.” The irritation at being questioned was evident.
“It was nearly two before you got home. You were at the office the entire time?”
Something flashed across her face. Surprise perhaps that he’d been aware of what time she got in.
“Yes, of course. We were all there trying to meet a deadline. It was intense.”
“I’m sure it was. What did you do about dinner?”
She was taken aback
by that. “Dinner? We got takeout as usual.” She was flat-out lying to his face now.
“Are you sure about that?” he asked quietly and could immediately see her wheels turn. Chelsea wasn’t stupid.
“This week has been a blur. I got my nights mixed up. You’re right, we didn’t get takeout last night. We ran out for a quick bite to eat. We went to that place you and I used to go to.”
Cole nodded. “Yeah, I saw you there actually, as I was leaving. You and Austin looked pretty deep in conversation so I didn’t want to interrupt.”
A range of emotions flashed across Chelsea’s face—surprise, guilt, nervousness and curiosity.
“Who were you there with? I didn’t see you.”
“Laura was in town. I showed her around and since you said you weren’t going to be home for dinner, she was kind enough to keep me company.”
“Laura Scott? Your ex-girlfriend? And you’re giving me grief about having dinner with a co-worker?”
“Laura and I are friends. Nothing more.” Cole paused before adding, “I got a very different vibe when I saw you with Austin.”
Chelsea’s cheeks turned pink. “That’s ridiculous!”
“Is it? You’ve been distant lately. Ever since I first went to Nashville.”
“And now you’re going back to Nashville for God knows how long! I just didn’t expect it to be like this.”
“Like what?”
“I thought you’d give up on the music thing and we’d have a nice life here,” Chelsea said dramatically. “Austin and I are just friends. There’s nothing going on. But I do enjoy his company and he’s going places here in Charleston and maybe even on the national political scene someday. It’s exciting.”
“I’m sure it is. I don’t really know what to say to that. What do you want to do?”
“What do you mean do?”
Cole sighed. “You’re obviously not happy with me. With where I’m going. Do you want a divorce?”
She looked shocked. “Of course not! That’s ridiculous. Every marriage goes through ups and downs. We’ll get through this. Go do your Nashville thing and get it out of your system. You’ll be back full-time after that right? In a month or two?”
“I don’t really know. It depends how things go. I’ll be back after that, but I’ll be back and forth to Nashville as needed.”
“Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. So, are we good? I’m going to be really late if I don’t go now.”
“Go ahead and go.”
“I’ll be home early. We’ll have a quiet night in.” Chelsea smiled big and then bolted for the door.
And Cole was left feeling more confused than ever. He wanted to believe her, but he knew what he’d seen and sensed at the restaurant. Maybe it was completely innocent? A quiet night in might be good for both of them.
But Chelsea called later that afternoon to say that she wouldn’t be home early after all.
“The client didn’t love our proposal. We have to start over from scratch and present something new tomorrow. I’m afraid it’s going to be another late night.”
Cole hung up the phone and sighed. He felt the urge for another long run as the long night stretched ahead of him. Maybe he’d work on songwriting for a while too. An idea had come to him as he’d drifted off to sleep the night before, something about a marriage in trouble and the lies and affair that ended it. He wasn’t sure how it would go but he sensed that it would have a bittersweet ending. He was also strangely excited to get it down. He had a feeling that he was onto something good.
Chapter 32
Laura made it back to Nashville with just about enough time to shower and change before heading out to meet the rest of the band. They were playing at one of the bigger clubs in the city and one Laura had only been to once before but as a customer. There was a good crowd already there when she arrived. The guys were there getting set up on stage and she joined them. Dylan nodded when he saw her.
“We can go on in ten if you’re ready?”
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
They played two sets, with a short break in between. Everything went smoothly, and the crowd was great. Laura closed the night singing her new song, the one she’d written in Charleston and since the other guys didn’t know it yet, it was just her and her guitar. And the crowd loved it.
“That new song was amazing. You wrote that?” Dylan asked when they were walking off the stage. Laura was relieved that he was being friendly and normal. The tenseness that had been there seemed to be gone.
“Yes, just yesterday.”
“It went over really well. I think you may have another hit on your hands.”
“Thank you.”
“Want to grab a quick drink? I’d love to catch up.”
Laura hesitated, but then she figured why not? The other guys in the band would probably be joining them and they’d all have a drink together.
“Sure, I could stay for a quick one.”
They all walked to the bar, but after Dylan handed her a beer, he led her to a quiet table in the corner and it was just the two of them.
“Oh, I thought we’d be joining the others?” Laura was beginning to regret her decision to stay.
“We can see them any time. I really wanted to talk to you. I’ve missed you.”
Laura didn’t know what to say to that. She hadn’t missed Dylan at all. She stayed quiet, trying to think of what to say. But Dylan kept talking.
“So, now that we’ve had some time apart, I’m hoping we can give this another shot? I really think we could be great together. I love you, Laura.” He put his hand on hers, and Laura knew he was trying to show his feelings but the only thing she felt was trapped. She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms in front of her.
“I’m sorry, Dylan. I think you’re great. I really do. But I haven’t changed my mind.”
His expression instantly changed from calm to stormy. He was holding his beer and set it down so hard on the table that people around them turned at the sound. But he didn’t seem to notice.
“So, what then? Are you with him now? That guy you met at the pub?” A muscle flickered in his jaw and Laura could see the whites of his knuckles, he was gripping his bottle of beer so hard.
Laura shook her head. Dylan clearly couldn’t accept the fact that she just didn’t want to be with him. He assumed there had to be another man involved.
“No. I’ve told you before. Cole is married. I’m sorry Dylan. Really sorry that it didn’t work out with us. But I’m not going to change my mind.” She took a sip of her beer, which was still more than half full and set the bottle down, then stood up. “I’m going home now. Have a good night.”
Dylan said nothing as Laura quickly walked away. She couldn’t wait to get home. A half hour later, she was curled up on her sofa, watching a sitcom and trying not to think about anything. She did feel bad about Dylan, but she was sure of her feelings that it would never work with him.
And her thoughts kept going back to Cole. She’d been floored when her memories came flooding back when they were together. It was overwhelming, and she’d tried not to show shaken she was. She hadn’t felt right about telling Cole that she remembered everything, especially how in love they were. Not now that he was happily married.
The drive home from Charleston had been a painful one as her many memories fought for her attention. She alternated from feeling the joy she’d experienced with Cole to the devastating sadness when she thought about her mother and then all the years that Cole’s father had stolen from them.
And now she understood why she hadn’t fallen seriously in love with anyone since. She’d always held back and been hesitant to get too serious. How could she? Cole had set a very high bar, and it was confusing now that she had her memories back because she felt that love again. And she knew it was wrong, and that she needed to move on. But she also knew that wasn’t going to be easy, and it wasn’t going to happen any time soon.
Chapter 33
<
br /> Cole decided to head back to Nashville a week early to give himself time to find a place and settle in. And also because he didn’t want to stay in Charleston another day. It was becoming increasingly clear that his marriage was over. Nothing changed with Chelsea. They hadn’t slept together in weeks. She was always too tired, and he was often in bed by the time she got home. She never worked these kinds of hours when she started at the firm. It seemed to start around the time she first mentioned her new co-worker, Austin. And he was tired of hearing about him.
Chelsea talked about him non-stop, about what they were working on and how impressive Austin was. Cole wasn’t impressed. He was sick of it. He wanted a divorce, but he decided that he was going to go to Nashville first, keep his focus on putting together the best record he was capable of and then he’d come home and deal with Chelsea.
As soon as he drove into Nashville, he felt his mood lift. It already felt like coming home to him. He booked a room at the same hotel he’d stayed at before and checked his calendar for the next day. He’d gone online before he left Charleston, made some calls and had three different rentals lined up to look at the next day. Hopefully one of them would work and he’d be able to settle in by the end of the week.
His stomach rumbled, and he pulled out his cellphone to check the time. It was a quarter past six. While he was debating what to do for dinner, his phone rang and he smiled when he saw that it was Laura.
“You must be psychic. I just got into town about a half hour ago. How are you?”
“You’re here already? I didn’t think you were coming for another week?” She sounded surprised.
“I decided to come early. Long story. What’s up?” Cole picked up something in her voice that he couldn’t place. Concern maybe? Laura never called him just to say hello.
Nashville Dreams Page 18
