Sing Like Nobody's Listening Page 8
“You mean like, be his friend?”
She looked so hopeful he didn't want to say no. He didn't want to risk saying that he was hoping for a lot more than friends. “Yeah, do you want to be my friend? See where it goes?”
She stared at him for a long moment. “Why would you want to?”
Chase let out an exasperated sigh. He already knew her cynicism, but he wanted her to let go of it with him. “Because I like you, Kenzie. And by that I mean I like who you are, the person that you are. I'm not talking about sex...” She raised her eyebrows in such disbelief that he had to laugh. “All right, I'm not talking about just the sex. You told me yourself that you are one-of-a-kind. I have to agree. You are the only woman I've ever wanted to be there for like this. I don't know you well enough to care as much as I do. You've gotten to me, okay?”
She nodded. It seemed she didn't have any words in response to his honesty. He was glad. He'd probably said too much anyway.
~ ~ ~
Kenzie opened her eyes when she heard Smoke's voice all around her. It took her a minute to realize that she was on a plane, that she'd fallen asleep with her head on Chase's lap.
Smoke's voice filled the cabin. “Okay guys. We'll be taxiing to the FBO building. Megan is waiting to pick you up and take you home.”
Chase smiled down at her. She stared back at him, not knowing what to say. Facing Megan was going to be tough. She was going to want to know what had happened. Kenzie didn't want her to know what a mess she'd made of her life. She was already wondering how quickly she’d be able to leave Summer Lake. She couldn't stay here.
She took a deep breath, wishing she hadn't let Chase persuade her to come. At the same time, she knew it had been her only option.
He was still smiling at her. “You'll be okay. You did the right thing coming back with us, you know.”
She nodded, but said nothing—what could she say?
Smoke came through the cabin and smiled at them. Laura peeked over his shoulder as he opened the door and let the steps down. She smiled at Kenzie. “Welcome home!”
Kenzie felt tears prick behind her eyes as Chase held her gaze and nodded. They were all being so kind to her, but this wasn't home. This was a good place, where good people lived. She was a royal fuckup and didn't belong here. She didn't deserve to live in a place like this and she knew it.
As she stood up, Chase took her arm. She shook him off and immediately regretted it when she saw the look in his eyes. She smiled apologetically and leaned against him. “Sorry. I'm just not used to....I don't know how....”
He put a finger to her lips and then led her to the steps. “Me neither. We'll just have to make it up as we go along, huh?” He gave her that sexy smile of his and then went down the steps ahead of her.
She clung to the rail as she made her way down. She could see Megan standing just outside the building waiting for them. She looked so worried. Kenzie forced a smile onto her face. She didn't want Megan to worry. She sure as hell didn't want to be a burden to her. She'd get on her feet, physically and financially, as quickly as she could. Then she'd get out of here and let Megan get on with the lovely little life she was making for herself.
Kenzie loved Megan even more when they reached her and Kenzie watched her force a bright smile of her own as she deliberately didn't look at Kenzie’s bruises. She came to hug her, careful to keep it gentle. Kenzie hugged right back and swallowed the lump in her throat.
“I was trying to scheme up ways to get you to move here. I wish we could have found a nicer way to do it though.”
“Me too. I'm sorry about this.” Kenzie wasn't going to push the fact that she wasn't moving here—she planned to leave as soon as possible.
“There's nothing to be sorry for! I wish it hadn't happened this way, but I'm still so glad you're here. Now let's get you home.”
Smoke and Chase took the golf cart back out to the plane to collect Kenzie's few belongings. Once they had packed them into Megan's car, they came back to where the girls were sitting. “You're all taken care of now, and we need to get out of here,” said Smoke.
Kenzie turned to him and Laura. “Thank you both so much.”
Smoke nodded. “Anytime.”
“Thank you for coming back with us.” Laura smiled at Megan. “But be warned, I'm going to be joining the campaign to make you stay.”
Kenzie smiled but said nothing.
Chase put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned against him gratefully. “So am I,” he said.
Kenzie was surprised when Smoke smiled at her as he took Laura's hand. “And me. You may as well give up the fight and just admit you live here now. There's something about this place. Once you get here, you end up staying.” He turned his smile to Laura. “It's true isn't it, lady?”
Laura smiled back at him. “It is, but it takes a while for some of us to accept it.” She looked back at Kenzie. “I'll call you later to see how you're doing. We'll hang out as soon as you're feeling up to it.”
“Thanks, I'd like that.” Kenzie liked the two of them. She wasn't going to tell them how wrong they were about her staying here. They'd get the idea soon enough. For now she was just grateful to them for coming all the way to Nashville for her. She'd never had friends who would cross the street for her before, and these guys had flown clear across the country. She looked at Smoke. “Thanks again.”
“I told you. Anytime.” Smoke tugged on Laura's hand. “But for now we need to be out of here. See you soon.”
“Come on,” said Megan, once they'd gone. “Let's get you home to bed.”
Kenzie leaned against Chase as they walked through the building and out to Megan's car. When they got there, Megan looked up at him with a smile. “I told you that giving you Kenzie's number felt like the right thing to do. I had no idea what that would mean though. I'm so grateful to you.” She gave Kenzie a dark look. “If it weren't for Chase I'm sure I wouldn't even know about this, would I?”
Kenzie shrugged. Her head was pounding again, all she want to do was lie down. “Don't start, little sis. If Chase hadn't called me, you and Michael would still be screwing things up by yourselves. Thanks to him, I believe you have an engagement ring to show me.”
Kenzie loved the way her sister's face lit up as she held her hand out to show off her ring. “Thanks to both of you. But come on. Let's get you home. I'll show it to you properly when you can see straight.”
Chase opened the passenger door for her. She slid into the seat, grateful to sit down. He squatted down beside her as Megan climbed into the driver's seat. “You get some good rest.”
“Aren't you coming?” Disappointment settled like a heavy weight in her stomach. She didn't want him to go.
He shook his head. “Megan wants to get you home to bed. You need to sleep. I know the doctor said it was okay to fly so soon after a concussion, but I'm glad you'll have your own doctor at home to keep an eye on you. Call me when you feel up to it?”
“Okay.” This was ridiculous! She could feel tears pricking her eyes yet again. So he'd done his Good Samaritan thing and now he was just walking away. Why would she expect anything else? Why would she want anything else? She slumped down in the seat. “Thanks again. See you.”
He took hold of her hand and squeezed it before bringing it to his lips. “You will see me, and soon. I just know you need some rest. If you don't call me, I'll call you.” He smiled that smile, making her smile back at him.
“And if you don't call him,” said Megan, “I will.” She smiled at Chase. “Michael and I want to invite you over to dinner to thank you for helping us straighten out the mess we'd made.”
Kenzie looked from Chase to Megan and back, the way they were grinning at each made her relax a little. He wasn't just walking away. She rested her head back against the seat. “I guess I'll see you soon then.”
Chase closed the door and waved as Megan pulled away. What did he want though? Why would a guy like him have come all
that way to get her? And what might he want from her now that she was here?
“I'm not going to bombard you with questions.” Megan kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead as she spoke. “Not yet anyway. But there is one question I have to ask right now.”
“What's that?”
“Now that you're here, will you please stay?”
“I can't Megan. You know that.”
“Give me one good reason why not.”
“I don't have a job. I don't have a place to live. There are two very good reasons.”
“No. They're not good reasons at all. Wherever you go, you'd have to find a job and a place to live. And anywhere else you won't have your sister or your new friends.” Megan shot her a quick look. “Or Chase.”
Kenzie sighed. “I don't have Chase. I don't even know what that means. I slept with the guy that's all.”
Megan laughed. “That is soo not all! You think he would have gone to Nashville to get you if that were all?”
Kenzie didn't have an answer for that. She couldn't figure out why he had come to Nashville. She wouldn't have thought a guy like him would have given her a second thought after she'd left. She couldn't allow herself to think about the effect he'd had on her after spending just one night together. Nor could she think about what effect she’d had on him that would make him come all the way to Tennessee. She didn't know what to say, so she kept quiet.
Megan took her silence as victory. “See!”
“No, I don't see. But it doesn't matter. If you don't mind, all I want to do is get back to your place and lie down for a while.”
“Of course.” Megan's tone changed completely. “I got one of the spare rooms set up for you. We'll get you settled right in. I'll have to go and collect Ethan from his grandma's in a little while and then Michael should be home by six.”
“Thanks. I hate that I'm doing this to you. You guys just got engaged. You don't need me landing in the middle of things. Michael really doesn't mind? I'll get out of your hair as soon as I can.”
“Michael doesn't mind at all. In fact, he said the same thing I did. He's really glad you're here and he hopes you'll stay. He just wishes it was different circumstances that brought you back.”
“I can't stay. You two are just starting to play happy family.”
“You can stay with us until you're on your feet. Then we'll help you find your own place. In fact, I already have something in mind.”
Kenzie's head was hurting too much to argue.
Megan pulled into the long driveway at Michael's house. It was quite a place. One of the big beautiful two story houses on Main Street that fronted on the lake. Right now though, Kenzie didn't have the energy to admire it. She just needed to get to a dark, quiet bedroom and lie down.
Megan opened the front door and her dog Ollie came bounding down the hallway to greet them. Kenzie had heard so much about him but had never met him. He nuzzled his head into her hand and whined. Then he sat up and offered her a paw. She smiled, grateful that he didn't seem to be a barker, her head couldn't stand that right now. She stroked him. “Hey, Ollie. It's good to meet you.”
Megan looked at her nervously. “You don't mind him? I was surprised when Chase said you thought he was great.”
“I only gave you grief because I was worried about you having to take care of a stray when you first found him. It soon started to sound like he was the one taking care of you.”
“Oh, Kenz, he does take such good care of me.”
Ollie pawed at Kenzie's leg and she rubbed his ears. He was a good dog.
Megan smiled. “I think he's saying he'll take care of you, too.”
Kenzie rubbed his ears some more. “Well, he can start by showing me to my room before I fall over.”
Megan smiled at her when Ollie trotted off up the stairs. “You'd better follow him then and we'll get you settled in.”
Chapter Nine
Chase wandered back to where he'd parked his truck. It was hard to believe that was just this morning. Five-thirty this morning, when he'd met up with Smoke and Laura. Hard to believe that they'd been all the way to Nashville and back since then. He climbed in and sat there for a few moments, wondering what he'd done. He knew he'd done the right thing for Kenzie, in terms of getting her out of that motel where she'd been living—getting her away from the guy who'd done that to her. He had no doubt about that. He wasn't so sure about where it might lead though. He'd wanted the chance to get to know her. Now that she was here he might have that chance. But what would that look like? Where could it go? And would she even stick around long enough for them to find out?
He pulled out of the airport and headed back toward the resort. He'd never been one to get involved with a woman. There were too many of them to limit himself. In Chase's mind, a long-term relationship was one with a woman who was staying at the resort for a whole week. Even in college he hadn't been one to date any girl for too long. So what was he thinking with Kenzie? He had no idea, but surprising as it was, he wanted her to stick around to find out.
He pulled up in the square at the Boathouse instead of going on up to the cabin. He'd promised to let Ben know how Kenzie was, what had happened in Nashville. Plus, if he was honest, he wasn't ready to face the barrage of questions he knew he'd get from the guys. He took a seat at the bar and waved at Renée, who was mopping the floor back there.
She nodded at him. “Be right with you, Chase. I made another mess.”
Chase smiled and shook his head. He'd already seen her drop three bottles of liquor when she'd reached them down from the shelves. It looked like she'd just scored number four. “Take your time. I'm in no hurry. Is Ben around?”
Renée nodded. “He just ran up to the lodge, but he should be back any minute. I'm going to have to tell him to deduct a bottle of vodka from my paycheck. Slippery little suckers they are.” She laughed, but Chase could see she was upset.
“You'll get the hang of it.” Chase wanted to reassure her, but he wasn't entirely convinced. She seemed to be getting more accident prone the longer she was here.
She shook her head sadly. “I think I'm going to have to give Ben my notice. I'm just not a bartender kind of girl.” She pushed a few strands of red hair away from her face and squeezed out the mop. “It was good of him to give me a try, but...”
“But nothing,” said Ben as he appeared out of the back. “You'll get there. Just give it time.”
Chase noticed that even Ben didn't look quite so sure anymore.
“How's Kenzie? How’d it go?”
Chase nodded. “She's gone home with Megan. She took a pretty nasty knock to the head, she's pretty banged up, but she's here.”
Ben raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Chase knew Kenzie wouldn't want him to talk about what had happened to her. He made a face and nodded slowly.
Ben shook his head. “That's too bad. But at least she's here now. Do you think she's going to stay?”
“She says she's not, but I don't see what other choice she has. She doesn't have a job here, but then she doesn't have a job anywhere else either. At least here she's got Megan.”
Ben grinned. “And you.”
Chase shrugged. “We'll see.”
“I'm going to grab a beer and go sit out back, want to join me?”
“Sure.” Chase was in no hurry to get back to the cabin and he enjoyed hanging out with Ben whenever he got the chance.
Renée gave Ben an apologetic smile. “I'd offer to bring them out, but I'd probably only drop them on the way. I really think it's time you accepted my resignation you know. I'm getting worse instead of better.”
Ben put a hand on her shoulder and smiled kindly. “I've told you before, and I'll tell you again, I am not accepting your resignation. We'll work something out.” He reached into the fridge and grabbed a couple of beers then turned back to her with a grin. “I will take these out myself though.”
Renée laughed. “See? Wise m
ove.”
Once they were settled out on the deck, Ben took a long swig of his beer and then turned to Chase. “What kind of work has Kenzie done before? Do you know? Maybe we could find her something for the winter, make it more difficult for her to leave.”
Chase nodded. He thought Ben might offer her something. “She was waiting tables in Nashville. She sings, but I haven't heard her. I don't think she'd want to sing here though.”
“Why not?”
“She doesn't think she's good enough. Though I suspect she probably is.”
Ben smiled. “Well, that's okay because I'm really happy with the band we have anyway.”
“Thanks. I'm glad it's working out so well. Would you mind though if it comes up, if I get her up to sing with us?”
Ben shook his head. “Not at all. I trust your judgment.”
“Thanks, Ben.” Chase doubted Kenzie would ever get up on stage with them from what she'd told him, but he wanted Ben's approval in advance, just in case the opportunity ever arose.
“No worries. Oh, and I talked to my friend, about that little house?”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. They'd be very interested in talking to you if you want to take over the lease.”
Chase couldn't help but smile. He'd been wanting his own space. He was hoping that he might actually need it, now Kenzie was here. “Great. Do you want to give them my number then and I'll arrange to go take a look?”
Ben gave him that odd half-smile of his. “Oh, I'm sure you'll be talking to them very soon.”
~ ~ ~
Kenzie hadn't really slept. She lay in the darkened room listening to the sounds of the house. Megan had gone out and brought Michael's son, Ethan, home a little while ago. She'd heard them talking and laughing in the kitchen. She hadn't met the kid yet, but she knew Megan adored him. Hopefully, he wouldn't be too bad. She heard a car pull up in the driveway and the front door open and close. Even though she couldn't make out the words being spoken, she could make out Michael's Australian accent as the three of them talked in the kitchen. She really shouldn't be here. They sounded like a proper little family, they didn't need her invading their space. She'd have to figure out a way to leave as soon as she could.