“Really? You didn’t think I was just another woman coming on to you?”
“Nah, darlin’, you made it pretty clear how you felt about my type.”
“I still feel that way.”
“That’s why I’m going to do my best to change your mind.” His lips found mine. And like always, they danced together, nice and slow.
“Keep kissing me like that and you may succeed.”
He kissed the corner of my mouth. “That’s the plan.” He sat straight up and let me get back to work. “I have another plan I want you to be part of.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m going to volunteer at a teen rehab center on Sunday teaching music lessons. I would love it if you would join me.”
“I told you, I’m not good with anything music related.”
“But you’re smart and they could use some volunteers to help with tutoring.”
I would love to help, but that meant being in public with him.
“No cameras. I’m not doing this for publicity.” He must have been a mind reader. “Please, Jillian?”
“Why is it that every time you say my name like that, I want to give in to you?”
“I’ll try not to use that to my advantage, but please say yes.”
I released a large breath of air. “I would love to help.”
He kissed the side of my head. “Thank you. Then afterward we can go buy some John Deere green material and you can start on my quilt.”
“How about I see what my mom has at her store?” I wasn’t ready to shop with him out in the open.
“You want me to meet your parents? I like that.”
“I said me.”
“I’m pretty sure you said us.” He grinned.
“They’re leaving next week for several days, so I guess—”
“Are you embarrassed by me?”
“Not at all, but meeting my parents seems like a big deal. We haven’t known each other that long.”
“You keep saying that, but I feel like I’ve known you all my life. Like you were always there just waiting for the right time to make your entrance.”
“That’s another good line, cowboy.”
“I mean every word of it.”
And somehow I knew that was true. “Okay. You can meet Alan and Joyce, but please don’t tell them I made out with you on a plane after only knowing you for a few minutes.”
He laughed. “It will be our secret.”
“Call and Beck know, too.”
“I’m still trying to convince your friend to sing on my new album.”
“She’s afraid.”
“That’s a common theme with you two.”
I turned toward him to gauge his reaction. “Aren’t you scared about where this is all going?”
His aqua eyes looked like a pool I wanted to swim in forever. He took my hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it with the lightest of touches. His eyes fixed on my own. “The thought of not trying scares me more.”
~*~
“I’m in trouble.”
Call looked up with a wrinkled brow from her taco salad, the same thing she always ordered on our weekly lunch date. “What happened?”
“He happened.”
She grinned. “It’s going that good, huh?”
I stabbed a shrimp with my fork. “Yes.”
“Don’t sound so happy about it.”
I set my fork down. “I am happy, but I don’t want to be.”
She laughed. “Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?”
“Of course I do. But I promised myself I wasn’t going to get involved with him or anyone like him, and look at me now.”
“You’re glowing. I’ve never seen you look so fantastic. Cole’s a good look for you. I say don’t take him off.”
“It’s all good now, but what happens when he starts being him again, you know, touring and being in the spotlight?”
“Breathe.” She grinned. “I thought you were taking it a day at a time?”
“I am, we are. But every day I like him more and more. Do you know what he did this morning?”
“What?”
“He made breakfast for me and dropped it off at my house before I left for work.”
“That’s awful. I mean, how could he do such a thing?”
“Okay, smart aleck. I know I sound insane, but what am I thinking?”
“Maybe try not to think. Enjoy the ride.”
“You know you’re a hypocrite, right?”
“Me? I’m totally in love with Charles. I let him buy the stupid airline tickets and we’re trotting off to jolly ole England together.”
I laughed at her. I smiled inside, knowing I was meeting Beck tomorrow during my lunch hour to pick out her ring. “I wasn’t talking about your prince of England, I was talking about Cole’s offer. You should take it. See where it goes, enjoy the ride.” I grinned wickedly.
She rolled her eyes. “Using my own words against me?”
“Whatever it takes, honey. You’re too good not to try. And Beck is on board with it.”
She rubbed her face in her hands. “What if I do and everything goes wrong again?”
I reached out for her hand. “Then Beck and I will be here to pick up the pieces with you.”
She squeezed my hand. “I love you, Jilly. What would I do without you?”
“Let’s not ever find out.”
“Deal.”
Chapter Thirteen
I had a jam-packed weekend. My Friday afternoon was spent helping Beck pick out a ring for the best friend a girl could have. It proved to be a little more difficult than I imagined. The problem was Call was a flashy kind of girl and she needed a ring that fit her personality, but flashy comes with a high price, which Beck was willing and wanting to pay, but we both knew that wouldn’t sit well with our dear Call. We finally found the perfect pear-shaped diamond ring that came with a band of smaller diamonds. I had to talk Beck down on the carats. I did it to save him some grief. I couldn’t wait for the proposal. Even though Beck was doing it in London, he promised to FaceTime me in.
Saturday arrived and I got a peek into Cole’s world, or at least his home. He drove all the way to my house to pick me up and then he drove us all the way back to his place. I offered to drive over, but he said the sweetest thing ever. “Nothing makes me happier than looking over and seeing you sitting next to me. It reminds me of that first moment I laid eyes on you.” Trouble was an understatement. I was in deep.
Cole owned a couple hundred acres off the Cumberland River. When we drove through his gate, I thought this must have been how Elizabeth Bennett felt when she saw Pemberley for the first time and realized all that she had given up when she rebuffed Mr. Darcy. To know it could have all been hers.
I’m not saying Cole and I were anywhere close to getting married, but when we pulled through the gate to his ranch, I fell in love with it on the spot. The magazine spread in Southern Living didn’t do it justice. It was green and lush. The white-cross buck rail fence only enhanced the vibrant color of the pastures. Add in the bright blue sky, and it was breathtaking.
“Wow.” I gazed out the car window.
He took my hand in his. “You like it?”
“Love is more like it.”
“I’m happy to hear that. I was nervous about bringing you out here.”
I turned toward him. “Why?”
“I thought it might be too much for you. A reminder of my life that you seem to be so against.”
“I don’t want to lose myself in it. Does that make sense?”
“I understand that. Every day I remind myself that I was a poor boy from Mississippi. Things only change you if you let them.”
“I’ll try not to let them get to me.” I smiled.
He kissed my hand and grinned back. “Good, because you and I, doc, are going to have the best day yet.”
He wasn’t lying. We spent a lazy day horseback riding around his property and along the banks of the Cumberland
. During the heat of the day we slipped into the river to cool off. There was nothing like being in his arms as the water flowed around us. I loved running my fingers through his wet hair and kissing him until my head swam. It was almost as wonderful as lying in his arms on a blanket off the bank, drying off and watching the clouds roll by.
I fell asleep under the sun’s rays to the touch of his hand gliding across my bare arm.
I wasn’t sure how long I slept, but the sun was in a different position and the temperature had dropped when I woke. I hadn’t rested so peacefully in months. I stretched and opened my eyes to find him awake and staring at me. “I’m sorry I fell asleep.”
“I’m not.” He stroked my cheek. “You are so beautiful.”
“Why do I believe you when you say that?”
“Because I mean every word of it.”
“Do you think we could just stay like this?”
He grinned but shook his head. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I have too much music left in me.”
“I would never ask you to change for me.”
He kissed me once. “And I don’t want you to change for me.”
“So what do we do?”
“Right now, I’m going to hold you and kiss you. I’m going to trust that we’ll figure it out.” He pulled me closer until our lips and bodies melded together. He took every care with me. His kiss was soul-deep. His tongue slid across my lips and they easily parted. He took the invitation and pulled me closer. As the intensity increased, so did my heart rate and breathing. I had to pull away before I completely lost myself in him. I took a deep breath and rested my head against his chest.
He ran his fingers through my hair. “I didn’t mean to get so carried away.”
“It was perfect. But slow and steady wins the race, right?”
“I think I might want to sprint.”
“Me too.”
Doing our best not to run away with our emotions, we spent the rest of the day and evening doing mundane things like brushing out his gorgeous quarter horses and watching movies on his expansive widescreen in his theater room. His house was as lovely as the grounds. I could get lost in it, literally.
“Can I ask why you own such a large house for only you?” I snuggled into him on the leather reclining chair we shared while we watched one of his favorite movies, Die Hard.
“It’s an investment.”
“Does it get lonely?”
“Yeah. It’s one of the reasons I like being on the road so much.”
“Doesn’t Brooks come to visit?”
“Not as much as I would like.”
“Maybe you should get more people.”
“I’m working on it.”
I hoped I was one of them.
The crowning jewel of the weekend was Sunday. I didn’t think Saturday could be topped, but I was beginning to learn not to underestimate this man that I was letting into my life. I invited my parents to join us at the rehab center. I figured they could volunteer, too, and maybe if they saw Cole in that setting, they wouldn’t think I had lost my ever-living mind falling for another country singer. Yes, I was falling. Fast. How could I not? Especially after watching him on Sunday.
Cole and I drove down together. The center was out in the country away from any sort of civilization. My parents met us there. I was nervous how this would all go. After all, I had been seeing this man all of a week, though we had been inseparable except during working hours and a few sleeping hours.
“Relax,” he kept reminding me on the drive over.
“I’m trying. Don’t take it personal if my dad is offish. He’s protective in light of what happened with Danny. He felt like he let me down in some way, which isn’t true at all.”
“As a dad, I can understand that.”
“It’s kind of weird for me that you are. I’ve never dated anyone with kids before.”
“Is that a turn off?”
“Not at all.”
“Will you panic if I ask if you want children?”
“Why would I panic? You aren’t asking to father them. Or are you?”
He chuckled. “I’m checking to see what options are available.”
“Ah. In that case, yes, I’ve always wanted children.”
“I’m happy to hear that. And we’ll just leave it at that for the time being.”
One more thing to add to the list of why I liked him.
My dad was a big believer in being early, so they were waiting for us in the parking lot, standing next to the car with the trunk open. I shook my head at my mom. The trunk was filled with quilts. I should have known. She believed quilts had medicinal properties. I knew I felt better a time or two wrapped up in one.
“Are you ready for this?” I turned to Cole as soon as he parked.
“They’re going to love me. Don’t worry.”
I hoped so. I had prepped them, or at least told them we were dating and taking it slow. At least I was trying to. My feelings for him were growing like they were being fed a steady diet of Miracle-Gro. I watched the way he hurried to my door like he missed seeing me in the tiny amount of time it took him to walk around his car. He was making it hard not to rush.
We walked hand in hand toward my parents. Maybe he said he wasn’t worried, but his palm was perspiring. My parents were unloading the bags of quilts when we approached.
Cole immediately tried to help. “Please, let me get that.”
My parents parted and let him through to help.
“Mom, Dad, this is Cole Pendleton.”
My mom was a fan and giddy. “I know. It’s so nice to meet you. I loved that concert you did in The Plaza on the Today Show. You looked so good.”
“Mom.”
She turned toward me. “What? You said he did, too.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Anyway.” She reached for him and hugged him like she couldn’t wait to get her hands on him.
My dad cleared his throat. He looked stately standing there tall with his salt and pepper hair. My mom squeezed Cole one more time for good measure before backing off and standing by my dad.
“Mr. Jones, it’s nice to meet you, sir.” Cole held out his hand.
“You as well.” My dad returned the handshake.
“You can call him Alan, right, Dad?” I had a feeling my dad purposely left that part out.
“Yes.”
“Joyce and Alan, it’s sure nice to meet you. I appreciate you helping us out here today.” He looked around at all the bags. “And for the donations. I’m sure they will make good use of them.”
The center was situated among the trees on a forested lot a ways off the main road. I’m sure privacy was important to the patients.
With hands full of bags of quilts, we walked in together. My dad and Cole ended up in front of us and my mom and I followed behind. She was wagging her eyebrows and trying to mouth her approval of Cole. To top it off, she mouthed, “He’s got a nice butt.”
I rolled my eyes. My frisky sixty-five-year-old mother killed me sometimes, but I loved her more than anything. She was one of those moms who loved being a mom and her kids were her world. And she was right, he did have a nice butt.
We had to go through security to get guest passes before we were allowed back. They also took the quilts to search them before they would be distributed. It was pretty formal, and made me wonder who or what they were worried would get in. I thought a lot about the fact this was a facility for minors. So young to deal with what seemed like adult issues. Cole had told me the youngest resident there was thirteen. I don’t think at thirteen I would have known how to get drugs. I guess I could have snuck into my dad’s liquor cabinet, but that was never a temptation. My dad actually dumped all the alcohol in their house after what happened with Danny. We all started looking at those kinds of things differently. Except for the one time I drank vodka on a plane and kissed a stranger.
As we walked back to their recreation room, I first noticed the look of wonder and awe o
n some of the kids’ and staff members’ eyes as they recognized their famous guest. But I also couldn’t help but notice some of the sadness and fear in a few of the younger patients’ eyes. What stories they must be able to tell. I had to wonder why ones so young would get involved in such things. Maybe out of peer pressure, but I doubted that was the case for most. My heart ached for them and their families.
I held onto Cole’s arm as we walked. I could feel him tense. I took his hand and felt him relax some. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him being in a place like this. It made me like him all the more.
The facility director met us in the recreation room. You could tell she was a fan, too, but she did her best to not act like my mother had in the parking lot a few moments earlier. “Mr. Pendleton, thank you for coming today, and for your donations. They arrived yesterday. Our residents are anxious to use them.” She waved over to the corner where several new keyboards and guitars were placed.
“I’m anxious to get to teachin’. I also brought some helpers.” He moved me forward. “This is my lovely Jillian.”
Warmth filled me when he called me his. I shook her hand and she appraised me. She probably wondered how someone like me met someone like him.
Cole introduced my parents and then we were given directions to stay in the recreation area only. My mom and dad walked over to a table where there were a few kids playing a board game. They joined in. Cole and the director walked toward the instruments and most of the kids gravitated that direction. I wanted to as well, but I noticed a girl off by herself at one of the tables. She looked troubled as she pored over a textbook. I took one more look at Cole, who with ease drew the kids in. He took the time to introduce himself to each child individually and asked their name. I noticed some of the girls blushed.
I sat across from the pretty girl with electric blue hair. “Hi, I’m Jillian.”
She barely lifted her eyes to look at me. “Deidre.”
“What are you working on there?”
“World history.”
“Not your thing?”
Her gaze flicked upward and she frowned. I was guessing I wasn’t her thing either. “Did you come with the tool?”
“The tool?”
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