by Piper Stone
“I love it,” she replied quietly. When she pointed to the bay window, he smiled. “That’s where the tree goes, right?”
“How did you know?” It looked like they were still in tune with each other. Their tastes had always been similar.
“Because that’s where I would put it,” she replied, returning his smile.
He nodded smugly. “Want to see the rest of the house?”
“Does a fish fart underwater?” she quipped. Then she blushed as she caught herself and realized she’d reverted to an old taunt she’d used years ago. A shadow crossed her face and her smile faded. “Sorry,” she muttered, embarrassed as if she had no right to have fun anymore.
He quickly crossed the room and turned her face up to his with a finger under her chin. “Don’t be sorry. I like it when you smile and have a good time.” He ran his thumb along her bottom lip, wanting badly to taste it without anger. But she wasn’t ready for that yet. “You deserve to be happy, Madison. Just because Tom let you down doesn’t mean everyone will.”
She tried to smile but failed miserably. “Did you know he stole my cowboy song?” she finally asked as if she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I didn’t until a short time ago,” he admitted truthfully. “I don’t listen much to music and such, you know that.” Especially since she and Tom had left together. If they had made it big together, he hadn’t wanted to know about it. “Are you going to sue him?”
She shook her head and Drake realized once again just how much she’d been hurt. The old Madison would have gone after him with everything she had. “There’s no way to prove it was mine,” she replied sadly. “And now it’s been taken over by Priss Parks and she’s turned it into a hit.”
“While Tom made a fortune off it,” he drawled. “But he didn’t get another one did he? They call him the One Hit Wonder.”
“He never knew I was working on any others,” she admitted. “And I never completed another one until he was gone. Maybe someday I’ll get to sing it, even if it’s down at the local bar. One thing for sure, he won’t be stealing any more.”
She laughed sadly and the sound hurt Drake’s heart. He took her in his arms, unable to resist hugging her. “Don’t worry about that asshole, baby. You’ll sing it one day, just wait and see. Now, how about getting that tree?”
She pulled away and Drake let her go, albeit reluctantly.
When he dropped her off at home that afternoon he was satisfied with the progress of their relationship that day. They had a long way to go and for all Drake’s determination, he didn’t intend her to push her into anything she didn’t want. But at least he had a second chance to make her fall in love with him and he was going embrace it with both arms.
A week had passed since getting the tree for Drake’s house and the two of them had been spending a lot of time together. They had fallen back into some of the easy camaraderie they used to share and he had fallen in love with Christa. He remained aloof though, and Madison was glad for that. A torrid affair with him right now would just confuse them both and she didn’t want to be used like that.
Today she was helping her dad out in the mercantile when the bell over the door tinkled. She looked up with a smile, half expecting to see Drake, but his familiar face wasn’t the one looking at her from across the floor. This one belonged to Roxanne McClanahan and she looked furious. Madison’s smile faltered as the girl approached, looking ready to bite nails. “Can I help you, Roxie?” she asked, reverting to the nickname of their high school years.
“So, you really are back in town,” snarled Roxie, her green eyes flashing. “Clarisse told me you were, but I didn’t believe it. Now that I see it for myself, I’m guessing that’s why Drake broke it off with me. Why did you have to come back?”
“Y-you and Drake are dating?” Madison finally managed to croak out the question. She’d figured he might have moved on and Roxie had always liked Drake. Still, it was shock to have it confirmed.
“We were going to get married,” snapped the redhead. “I was expecting a ring for Christmas. I know he bought one from Manny at the jewelers because my brother works there and he told me.” Tears gathered in her eyes. “You just had to come back and spoil it for me, didn’t you? Why didn’t you just stay in Nashville?” She whirled and left the store, leaving Madison stunned and shaken.
“Don’t let Roxie upset you, honey,” her dad soothed, putting his arm around her shoulders. “She’s been chasing Drake for years but he’s obviously never proposed.”
“It sure sounds like he was going to,” she whispered painfully.
“You only have her word for it. That doesn’t make it so.”
“I guess I’m just ruining everyone’s life, aren’t I?”
“Stop that,” he scolded. “Drake is a grown man, capable of making his own decisions and dating whomever he wants. Roxie isn’t the only girl I’ve seen him with since you were gone but I don’t know that he’s dated anyone steadily. It’s none of my business either way and I never asked.”
Madison hated herself for being glad that Drake had broken up with Roxie. She was trying so hard to be fair and make Drake feel like he owed her nothing, but it was getting harder all the time. And of course he didn’t owe her anything, but the more time they spent together, the more she realized how stupid and immature she’d been.
And what she had walked away from.
Maybe she hadn’t been mature enough back then to realize she had actually been in love with Drake, but as a woman now she recognized it. She’d let the idea of him spanking her cloud her judgement and hurt her pride. Now that it had actually happened, it wasn’t nearly as bad as she had built up in her mind. She’d just expected him to give in to her every whim and when he didn’t, when he threatened to spank her, she hadn’t liked it. Her heart ached for what she’d lost and she felt sorry for Roxie. She felt sorry for herself too, because Drake wasn’t interested in marrying her anymore either.
And she didn’t blame him one bit.
When the bell tinkled again over the door, she looked up and saw it really was Drake coming in this time and she smiled tentatively.
His face was alight with eagerness and he clutched some sort of flyer in his big hand as if it were a prize. “Look at this, Madison. Guess who’s making a guest appearance in Amarillo on Saturday night? It’s Priss Parks and they say she will be singing your song.”
“You mean Tom’s song,” she replied dryly.
He grinned at her. “I took the liberty of purchasing two tickets for us to go and bought guest passes for her dressing room after the show. I thought you might like to meet her.”
Madison gasped. “Drake, that must have cost you a fortune. You shouldn’t have done it. I can’t go, that would be taking advantage of you.”
Drake’s eyebrows raced towards his nose. “Now see here, little girl, no one takes advantage of me. I did it because I wanted to. Now all you have to do is say yes or I’m going to bend you over that counter and paddle your little butt for being so rude.”
Madison blushed and quickly looked around for her father, but he was nowhere in sight. “Don’t say things like that,” she hissed. Then she teared up. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long time. But shouldn’t you be taking Roxie?”
His face took on a guarded look. “Now why would I want to take Roxie?”
Her fingers played with the inkpen on the counter as she hesitated. “She was in here earlier and accused me of breaking you two up. She seemed sure you were going to ask her to marry you.” She searched his face, looking for the truth. “Were you? And did me coming back have anything to do with you breaking it off with her?”
Drake reached into his jacket pocket and took out a small box that looked suspiciously like a ring box. “Are you sure you’re ready for the truth?” he asked calmly. “Because if I tell you the truth, and you don’t like it and you run from me, I’ll come after you and spank your little butt until you can’t sit down at the
concert.”
Madison stared at him and then down at the box he was fiddling with in his fingers. It certainly looked like a ring box, but she couldn’t be sure. She licked her lips and finally turned her gaze back on his face. “I’m ready,” she replied, her breath ragged. She braced herself because this was where he was going to tell her that she’d ruined his life.
Again.
“I did buy a ring thinking I would ask Roxie to marry me. It was time for me to move on, Madison. It was obvious you weren’t coming back and I couldn’t wait forever to have a wife and children of my own.
“I knew it,” she whispered, her hands shaking and her eyes tearing up. She turned to leave, but he grabbed her hands and wouldn’t let her.
“Let me finish,” he added grimly. “I bought that ring with you in mind the whole time, just like I bought that house because you had said you liked it. Yes, I told myself I needed to move on, but when it came time to do so, I knew I wouldn’t follow through with it because it wouldn’t have been fair to Roxie. Not when my heart belonged to you.” He rubbed the back of his neck when she didn’t say anything. “I admit this isn’t a conversation I was ready for just yet, but now that you brought it up, we might as well finish it. I don’t want there to be any lies between us. I went back and exchanged that ring for this one just so you wouldn’t feel like you took hers.”
“So, I did ruin your plans,” she offered quietly.
Drake groaned and pulled her close to his body. “I was still angry with you when you showed up. Angry with you for leaving in the first place, and furious that you’d had a child without me. It only took one look at you to know that my feelings had never changed, in spite of my so called plans.”
“I’m sorry, Drake,” she snuffled in the front of his shirt. “How you must hate me.”
“Of course I don’t hate you,” he admonished, pushing her back so he could look into her face. “I’m still in love with you.” He opened the lid and took out the chocolate diamond ring that matched those beautiful brown eyes. “This is a hell of a time to make a proposal,” he said huskily, “but you belong to me, Madison. You’ve always belonged to me, admit it.” He lifted her left hand and began to slide the ring possessively onto her finger.
“Did anyone ever tell you your love vocabulary is greatly limited? You said the same thing to me three years ago.” She smiled up at him through her tears, accepting the ring on her finger. “How can you still love me after all this time? After what I did to you? And how did you know I love chocolate diamonds?”
“Admit you belong to me,” he demanded huskily, ignoring her questions.
She framed his face between both her hands then. “Okay, I admit it, I belong to you. I’ve always belonged to you. I was just too immature and spoiled to realize it back then.”
“Finally,” he replied smugly. “Now say you love me.”
Her eyes turned wary. “You first.”
He sighed. “You know I love you, you stubborn brat. I’ve never stopped loving you. I. Love. You! How many ways do I have to say it?”
She squealed and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh Drake, I love you too.” She pulled his head down for a kiss and he took over. As Madison allowed all her feelings from three years ago to come rushing back, she put her heart and soul into that kiss. Finally she broke away with a gasp when she heard her father returning.
“It’s getting too crowded in here,” he growled in her ear. “Can you leave with me or do you have to help your dad?”
Madison turned to her father and saw a huge smile on his face. “Dad, do you need me for the rest of the afternoon? Drake and I would like to spend some time together today.”
“If that ring on your finger means what I think it does, take all the time you need,” he assured her.
Madison blushed shyly. “Yes, Drake has ask me to marry him and I’ve accepted his proposal.”
“It’s about damned time,” he boomed in a loud exultant voice, enveloping her in a bear hug. Then he turned to pump Drake’s hand. “Congratulations, son, I know Sharon will be ecstatic and want to start planning a wedding right away.”
Planning a wedding? Madison’s heart raced like a horse getting ready to leave the chute. “W-we aren’t planning on getting married right away, Dad,” she stammered shooting a quick glance at Drake. “We still have a lot to talk about.” The last thing she wanted to do was rush Drake into anything. She’d done enough damage to their relationship and she wanted him to take the lead. She’d rushed into marriage with Tom and look what had happened. Drake seemed perfectly clear about his feelings but was she ready to be totally trusting again? After all, he’d been planning on asking Roxie to marry him barely two weeks ago!
She was glad when Drake finally chimed in and supported her. “We are planning on taking our time, Jason. Like Madison said, we still have a lot to talk about. There’s no need to rush.”
As Drake ushered her out the door, she could see Roxie in the diner across the street, her tear stained face staring accusingly at her through the glass. Guilt for the young woman’s pain gnawed at her stomach when she saw Drake turn grimly away from the window. Her bruised heart began to have doubts again. Why should she be happy when she’d caused so much misery?
“Stop it,” growled Drake in her ear.
“Stop what?” she asked breathlessly as he pushed her up into the truck cab.
As he put her seat belt around her body, he leaned in close. “Stop doubting me and stop doubting yourself. You’ve been through hell, Madison, and you’ve paid for it many times over. You didn’t deserve what Tom put you through, even if it was what you thought you wanted at the time. He stole you from me, he stole your song from you, and he left you with a child that he wants no part of. If he was here right now, I’d bash his face in.”
“What about the hell I put you through?” she whispered, her face flushed with guilt.
“You were going through worse than me at the same time,” he responded gruffly. “I have enough guilt of my own because I didn’t check on you.” He slammed the door shut, leaving Madison with an aching heart. How had their lives gotten so screwed up?
The concert in Amarillo was packed. Excitement fluttered in Madison’s breast as Drake led her through the crowd to their seats on the floor. The seats must have cost a fortune and she hated him spending that kind of money on her. She’d refused to even check the internet for the price because she didn’t want to know. If she had, she might have refused to come and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Or get herself spanked, which he threatened at least six times a day, maybe more. She didn’t know if he really felt like she needed a spanking or if he was looking for an opportunity to see her half naked again.
Ever since proposing to her last week, they had been on pins and needles around each other. It would be halfway funny if it wasn’t so serious. Neither one wanted to misstep, make a mistake, or create a misunderstanding between them and it was getting hard to keep up the pretense of extremes. Especially when all she wanted was to tumble into bed with him and renew their relationship. But there was no way she was going to initiate that and he didn’t seem in any hurry.
On Madison’s part, she was still having a difficult time letting go of her guilt. Drake said he was too, but she felt his guilt was self imposed so she wouldn’t feel alone. Although she hadn’t actually accused him of that. She wondered if there was such a thing as trying too hard to do the right thing? Did that turn you into a completely different person? These thoughts had been mulling around in her head for days.
“Here’s our seats,” yelled Drake, leaning in close to her ear because of the loud music and people laughing and talking all around them.
As they sat down, the lights actually began to dim around them and someone walked out to the middle of the stage and picked up a microphone. Soon the opening act was over and the introduction to Priss Parks began. When they announced the song, Give Me a Cowboy Any Day, they also introduced the artist, Tom Johnson.
“He’s such a thieving bastard,” muttered Madison, not caring who might hear. It made her feel slightly better that Tom didn’t look that great on stage. His color was pasty looking and he’d put on weight. Or that’s the way it appeared anyway. “Serves him right,” she muttered.
Drake leaned over with a smile. “Karma, baby, remember karma. It always comes back around. I have a feeling Tom’s karma is going to hit him pretty soon.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll see,” he replied mysteriously.
Madison studied his mocking smile, wondering suspiciously if he’d been up to something. She put her hand inside her bag to make sure her notebook with all her old notes, songs, scribbles, etc, was still in it. For some reason known only to himself, Drake had insisted that she bring it with her to the concert.
She focused her attention back on the stage. Her song was fun and rolicking, and soon everyone was tapping their feet, clapping their hands, or jumping up to dance in place. She was actually thrilled to see it performed in person, but she would have loved to do it herself. To see that snake Tom get the credit for it really burned her ass. Once he left the stage, she tried to forget about him and enjoy the rest of the concert.
When the show was over, those with backstage passes were directed to a waiting room to take their turns with Priss Parks. Her excitement mounted. “I can’t wait, Drake,” she squeaked, jumping up to pace the floor. It looked like they were the last couple or group to get in and she was getting impatient.
“Calm down, baby,” soothed Drake, a huge grin on his face. “Here comes the usher now, it’s our turn.”
As they approached the dressing room, the door was open and Madison could hear a male voice. When she realized it was Tom, she froze in her tracks and stared at Drake, her face turning white.
“Just who is this friend of Michael’s that insisted I be here tonight?” The tone of Tom’s voice was whining and irritable.
The reply was soft and muted and they couldn’t understand what was said. The usher motioned them forward and Drake had to take her elbow and practically push her into the room. The usher closed the door behind them and Madison found herself face to face with Priss Parks and Tom.
