by Jewel Allen
Frank returned. “Badger, or somethin’,” he said.
Madison hesitated just for one moment. His guns were in his backpack. This was her chance. She heaved her legs, swiping at Frank’s. He fell with a thud on his back. She scrambled to her feet, pulled off her gag, and ran.
A gunshot zinged past her ear, and another.
She kept running.
***
At the sound of the gunshots, Luke raised his head. He instructed his men and Sgt. Wilson’s to fan out.
Luke wasn’t the praying kind, but he prayed so hard now: Please, don’t let Madison get hurt. Please.
Jumping over a ditch, Luke landed on all fours. Then he was running again. Adrenaline and a sense of desperation fueled his body. He raced against time, against Frank Dell—the pathetic excuse of a human being— and against losing the only woman he had ever loved.
Luke saw movement in the trees. Blonde hair flowing—a woman in a gray hoodie and skirt.
Madison. Luke covered his mouth to keep himself from crying out with relief.
A man followed her like a faster version of Frankenstein. His legs weren’t very coordinated.
Frank Dell was limping.
***
Madison had gained enough distance between her and Frank, but now she was stuck. There was a hill ahead of her, too steep to climb. She heard someone running behind her and she scrabbled up, desperate to get away.
“Madison, sweetheart,” Luke said.
She turned, a joyous, sobbing noise bubbling up her throat. He opened his arms and she ran into them. He kissed the top of her head and held her close.
“Wilson’s here,” Luke said. “I’ll leave you with them and I’m going to go after Frank, ‘kay?”
She nodded, fear making her eyes grow wide.
Luke hugged her again, then motioned for Sgt. Wilson and his men to come and get Madison to safety. Once they escorted her away, Luke straightened up and scanned the trees for any sign of life. The foliage parted some fifty yards away, then was still.
Luke took cover behind a giant tree trunk, leaning forward a little to see if he could glimpse Frank. The forest reverberated with the sound of birds and insects.
There was a rustling in the trees. Was it just the breeze or could it be his target? Luke watched and waited, then took a few steps towards the sound.
He heard a dragging noise and threw himself to the ground for cover, just as another gunshot rang out.
At least he knew now where the coward was.
There Frank was, fleeing and stumbling behind a rock. Luke strode decisively to the base of the moss-covered boulder. He circled it, prepared to duck if Frank were to ambush him yet again. He took one step, another, and then…
He sensed movement above.
In a split second, he saw Frank aiming the gun at him with intense hatred in his eyes.
Luke fired first.
Frank fell forward with dead eyes and tumbled off. On the ground, he lay still, a shell of an old man.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Luke stood beside Madison’s hospital bed in Nashville and gazed down at her sleeping form. She didn’t have any serious injuries, but the doctors recommended that she be observed overnight just to be on the safe side.
He touched her cheek and she stirred in her sleep, saying his name.
His chest tightened. “I love you,” he whispered.
The hospital room door opened. Sally rushed in, taking one look at Madison. Her brow furrowed. “Is she—”
“She’s okay,” Luke whispered.
Putting a hand to her chest, Sally breathed a sigh of relief. “I didn’t know what I’d come to…I was so scared…” She covered her mouth with her hand.
He gestured for her to go out to the hallway. They took a seat on a bench just outside Madison’s room.
“What happened to Frank Dell?” she asked.
“I shot him,” Luke said. “He’s dead.”
Sally patted him on the back. “That Sgt. Castro wouldn’t tell me anything.” The pat turned into a fist against his arm. “Madison was supposed to have a relaxing getaway, Luke.”
“She did get away,” he said.
“I wish I could say I find that funny right now, but I don’t. I’m just plain exhausted, like I’ve been on too many roller coasters.”
He nodded. “I think the roller coaster ride has stopped. For now at least.”
“Good. I can’t take any more stress.”
“Can I tell you one more thing? Just to clear the air?”
Sally leveled her gaze at him. “Is it bad news?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
“Okay, what?” Sally crossed her arms akimbo.
Sally raised an eyebrow. “Not just date, but marry?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m not surprised. She thinks you’re her diamond in the rough.”
“Yup, that’s me.” He gave her a sheepish smile.
“Why wouldn’t she want you?”
“I haven’t exactly talked to her about this since we’d set up this trap for Frank Dell.”
“What trap?”
Luke winced at his slip of tongue. “The trap where we set up Madison as our bait.”
“You did what?” Sally yelled. When the nurses at the station looked up, Luke waved at them.
“It was the only way we could think of to finally trap and get rid of Frank,” he explained.
“Okay,” Sally grumbled. “Makes sense. But I still hate the fact that you put Madison at risk.”
“I hated it, too. It was definitely a risk.”
“That paid off, fortunately.” Sally sighed. “The question is, are you going to do something about your thing for Madison?”
“I hope so.” He rubbed his nape. “If she’ll have me. And if we have your blessing.”
“Are you kidding?” Sally said. “The fans will lap it up.”
“So you don’t object?” Luke felt a weight off his shoulders.
“I’ll be honest. When I first met you, I would have thought that was a bad idea. But since getting to know you, and seeing her with you, I think you’re good for her. Whatever makes Madison happy makes me happy. So there—you’re an all-around good egg, hon.”
Luke grinned. “Thanks.”
Sally poked his chest. “But of course it all depends on Madison.”
***
It was afternoon of concert day. The nurses had helped Madison get ready to be discharged.
Someone knocked on her door. She looked up excitedly, thinking it was Luke, but it was Sally.
“Luke said to tell you he had errands to run.” Sally said. “He’ll see you later.”
“Okay,” she said in a small voice.
Sally strolled over. “You missing him already, hon?”
“No,” Madison said in a hurry, but Sally was just smiling to herself.
Madison’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Oh, nothing,” Sally sang out.
“Tell me,” Madison begged.
Sally glanced at the door. “Okay. Promise not to tell Luke I told you.”
Madison waited.
“He’s at the jewelry store.”
Madison stared at Sally for a minute, then lowered her eyes to her lap.
“Well,” Sally said. “Why the long face?”
“He’s going to propose.” Madison said it as a statement.
“That’s usually what men plan to do when they get a piece of bling from Tiffany’s. Isn’t that what you want?”
“He’s just going to sweep ten years under the carpet, is that it?” Madison muttered to herself.
Sally raised her hands. “Listen, hon. Sounds like you and he had better do some talkin’.”
Madison nodded. “Yup.”
It was about time to break up all that serious talk, anyway. Thelma breezed in with hair gadgets, makeup and shower stuff. In no time, she had Madison all dolled up.
But the eyes that stared at her in the mir
ror were full of sadness.
“Where’s that man of yours?” Thelma asked.
“Out ring shopping, I guess.”
Thelma froze, then squealed, jumping up and down. “Chica, it’s a great day!” She looked at Madison quizzically. “Isn’t it?”
“It’s hard to explain.”
Thelma finished putting on Madison’s makeup. “Mmm. I have a feeling that Lucas is in for something.”
With Renny’s and Miko’s help, they all went down to the limo. A Corvette pulled across two parking spots, the driver’s door opening dramatically.
“Get mad, then kiss and make-up,” Thelma whispered, pinching her.
Madison playfully swatted at her hand, then sobered as Luke came running up to her. He gathered her bags and put them in his trunk. When he opened the door, he paused as though wanting to steal a kiss, but his eyes just twinkled. He tucked her in then went over to his side of the car, humming.
Madison’s stomach churned.
“Did you have a good morning?” he asked.
“Yes, did you?”
His eyes gleamed. “Uh-huh.”
“Great.” She looked out the window.
“Hey babe,” he said, jolting her with the endearment she hadn’t heard him say in so long, “something wrong?”
She looked at him without saying anything.
He cast a quick glance at her eyes. “Hospital tuckered you out?”
“Life, I guess.”
He covered her hand with his. She extricated hers and folded her arms across her chest.
“Something is wrong.”
“We can talk some more when we get to the Riverside,” she said.
She could feel his eyes on her the whole length of the drive. When they got to VIP parking, he turned off the ignition and turned to her.
“What’s up?” he said. His voice was guarded. Fearful.
Madison swallowed. “Sally said you’d gone to get me a ring.”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “Way to spoil my surprise, but yes.”
He gave her a hopeful smile that faltered. “Do you not want me to give you the ring?”
“Luke, you had a chance to make me yours ten years ago, and yet you didn’t fight for me. Why should I believe you now?”
“I didn’t fight for you?” He frowned. “You went off to Nashville. You didn’t answer my phone calls.”
“I have a confession to make, Luke,” Madison said. “I had been ready to give up Nashville for you.”
“You—what?”
“Yes. I had a letter ready for my mother. I told her I loved her, but I loved you, too. And I wanted to walk away from Nashville. But I saw you with Gretchen. I was so mad, I shredded the letter.”
Luke sat there, stunned.
“What were you ready to give up for me, Luke? A date with Gretchen?”
He didn’t answer.
“I know you tried calling,” she said. “A grand total of three times, I counted. And then…that’s it?”
Frustration tinged his voice. “What did you want me to do?”
“I wanted you to fight for me,” she said, her voice cracking. “I wanted you to apologize. I wanted you to not take me for granted.”
“That was ten years ago!”
“If you don’t see why this matters to me now,” she said quietly, “then you must not really know me, Luke Parker. How about you do those things first, before you assume that I would be all fine and dandy with a marriage proposal?”
“You know what I think this is about, Madison Kay?” Luke finally spoke up. “You’re running scared.”
“Me!”
“You;re just looking for any excuse to get out of marrying me because deep down, you don’t want to give up your ambition. Not that I will demand you to give it up.”
Madison wanted to fight him on this. Tell him how wrong he was. Put the blame on his feet. But the thing was…
He was so….right.
Madison’s phone rang. It was Sally, checking to see where they were. “We’re heading in,” Madison assured her, before hanging up. “It’s time to go,” she said, but he gripped her arm.
“Are you telling me you don’t want to marry me?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“We just need to clear some things first. We’re kind of skipping a step.”
He frowned. “Help me here a little. I don’t speak ‘woman.’” He tried smiling, but she just shook her head.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Luke was mad. Incensed. After escorting Madison backstage, he left without a word.
What was there to talk about? She obviously didn’t want to make their relationship work, flinging all those accusations at him.
After Nashville, good riddance, Madison.
He probably held the record of the fastest rejection ever. She could go on with her superstar life, and he could go on with his company.
But was that what he really wanted?
From behind his shades, he gazed at her. He thought back to her words.
You didn’t fight for me.
Was love about fighting? Or was love about loving?
With a sinking feeling, he knew it involved both. Until Madison knew he would fight for her, she couldn’t really take him seriously.
He pictured himself from ten years ago. He had been immature and selfish. Maybe he had a legitimate reason for all his knucklehead actions.
But today, he was older and wiser. He had no excuse, really.
He got light-headed, all of a sudden. Was that what she was trying to tell him?
Thing was, Luke had changed. His love for Madison had deepened, more than ever, and he wanted to assure her he was ready to commit this time.
She could still reject him, but at least he would know that he fought for her.
And yes, Luke Parker, you owe the woman an apology.
He slid his hand into his pocket and felt the velvet box, his heart thudding slow and hard in his chest.
***
Thousands of fans got to their feet and danced to Madison’s first rock number. Now Madison recognized the wisdom of the stage being turned away from the river…and the setting sun. Even in the shade of the stage roof, she still felt the humid heat of Nashville. Sweat trickled down her back and her hair clung to her neck, but she’d never felt as good as she did at that moment.
After a couple of fast numbers, she launched into her ballad “Back When.” Fans held up their arms and swayed to the song’s sweet beat. During the refrain, a little kid was raised by his dad with a sign that said, “Madison, will you marry me?”
Madison laughed. “You’re a little too young for me.”
Before their next number, her composition Diamond in the Rough, one of the band members spoke into the microphone. “Can we please call up Mr. Luke Parker?”
Madison’s head swiveled towards the guitarist. He just smiled cryptically, and now Luke was approaching her.
Madison’s heart thundered.
Luke stood within arm’s length of Madison and faced her, holding the microphone to his mouth. “Ten years ago, I fell in love with you, Madison Kay. I knew that you loved me, too. But we let our bigger worldly ambitions get in the way. You, with your music career. Me, with the Army. And then I made the biggest mistake of my life.”
His voice quivered. “I let my one true love go. I didn’t fight for you enough.”
Madison gazed into his eyes, transfixed.
“And by the time it was all said and done,” he said, “we parted ways. God has led me back down this way to you, Madison. We’re still the imperfect people we were, but I was convinced, as the days passed, that we are perfect for each other. Will you forgive me for not taking care of your heart back then?”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
He smiled. “I know it’s scary, Madison. We can’t see into the future. But I sure as heck can’t see a future without you.”
Wolf whistle
s erupted from the audience.
He knelt. “So I am asking you today, Madison, in front of God and all these thousands of your fans, if you will take me, your diamond in the rough?”
The concert venue fell silent. Everyone was watching and waiting for her answer.
With tears flowing freely down her cheeks, she leaned towards him and peered at the gorgeous diamond solitaire nestled on velvet.
She took the mic. “Before I answer, I have to tell you something real quick.”
“You’re killing me,” he whispered. “Okay.”
“I gave up on you too soon, too. I walked away when I should have given you a chance. I’ll have you if you’ll have me, Luke Parker.”
Luke grinned and grabbed the microphone. “What do you think, folks?”
The applause was deafening, as were the shouts, “Kiss! Kiss!”
“Can’t disappoint the fans,” Luke whispered, his eyes shining. He stood up, dipped her backwards, and kissed her.
EPILOGUE
Eighteen months later
Snow covered the tops of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Luke held Madison against him as they snuggled under a warm throw, admiring the winter scenery through the wide expanse of their cabin windows. Snow also dusted evergreens of pines, and spindly branches bare for the season. Even in the bleakness of that time of year, there was an undeniable peace. A fire in the fireplace crackled nearby.
As he often did, he couldn’t believe this beautiful woman was his. And that she was safe. He kissed her temple and she melted into him like butter.
“Told you this place was fantastic in the winter,” he said.
“It’s even better than how I pictured it in my mind.”
“Funny, I’ve usually come here in the winter, but it’s never been this cozy.” He hugged her tighter. “Thanks for making your concert schedule work.”
She kissed his palm and put it against her cheek. “Thanks for being patient.”
Since their wedding, Luke and Madison had learned to balance both of their successful careers. He worked remotely from her vacation rental when she was on tour. Or at Luke’s house in the cities where they owned property. Madison scheduled tours in the summer and focused on composing and producing an album during the rest of the year. Her playlist had matured into her own brand of ballad songs and still, her fandom continued to burn strong. Sally vowed that she would be Madison’s manager until she was old and decrepit.
