Love Song [Instrumental] (Hidden Springs #1)

19. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Callie woke to the chirp of a text message. She groped for the phone on her night table, found it, and checked the screen. Of course it was from Brian. Who else would text her at five in the morning?

She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes, wanting more than anything to ignore him. After the emotional roller coaster of the last few days, the last thing she wanted this morning was another wild ride.

Groaning, she rolled onto her side and read the message.

Check your email. Now.

She sighed. What could possibly be that urgent? She had already blown yesterday making copies of all the band’s legal documents. The morning’s surprise visit from Adam, followed by their headlong plunge into complication, had left her in a generous frame of mind, more than happy to spend her afternoon taking care of band business. She had made a copy of the documents for herself, just in case, shipping the originals back to Brian and the first set of copies to the record-company lawyers. She had emailed Brian the tracking info. What else could he possibly want?

Callie gave up hope of falling back to sleep, despite the fact that the sky outside was still dark. There would be no rest until she followed through and checked her email. She sat up, grabbed her sweatshirt from the foot of the bed, and pulled it on over her pajamas. Then she leaned back against the pillows and switched over to email on her phone.

She found a message from Brian right at the top of the list, followed by a bunch of junk mail. She opened his message.

This is unacceptable.

Below the words were a link to a web page. Callie’s heart sank when she saw that it led to a Nashville gossip column. This could not be good news.

Did she really want to know? Maybe if she deleted his message, the problem would go away. Waiting out the gossip cycle was usually the best way to handle these things, anyway. Because, realistically, what could she do about online gossip? She couldn’t care less what some Nashville gossip columnist said about her. It was unlikely to affect her life in a meaningful way.

Then again, why would Brian bother to forward it?

She touched the link and her phone brought up the web page.

Under the headline ‘Splitsville for Deep Trouble?’ was a slideshow. Callie’s stomach twisted. The first image clearly showed Callie and Adam kissing in the canoe. Her finger twitched, swiping reflexively through the images. The second showed the two of them dripping wet, heading up to the house. The next, taken later, after they had warmed up, showed them kissing at her back door. Her stomach twisted tighter as she understood what the next photos might reveal. As she flew through the rest of the slideshow, her stomach began to churn and she realized that she was going to throw up. She bolted for the bathroom. Luckily, her stomach was empty, so after a few dry heaves, she sank slowly to the bathroom floor and curled into a ball.

The idea that someone had been watching them—photographing them—during those intimate moments ripped away the hazy afterglow and left only the taste of bile behind. She felt naked and exposed and angry. This was her home. The safest place in the world.

Or at least it had been, until now.

As the sky outside began to turn pink, she brushed her teeth and crawled back into bed. She read every word of the article, stared at every picture, checked every caption. It was bad. There was no denying it. But it wasn’t as bad as she had first thought. The photographer—no, the stalker—had been so far away yesterday morning that the shots of her and Adam in the summer house were grainy. The storm windows had distorted his view enough that readers could see her breasts, sure, but they couldn’t see her nipples. She choked, realizing that she was trying to find a bright side in all this. Really? The best she could do was ‘no nipples’?

The columnist flattered her, in his sideways fashion, implying that the band would collapse if she defected. She couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. He had clearly never met Brian or felt the force of his ambition. He also had no clue that their romantic relationship was purely fictional now, a poignant storyline for the PR machine. As far as the media were concerned, she and Brian had founded the band together, they wrote all their songs together, and without the foundation of their partnership, the band would fall apart. Brian’s history of infidelity, contrasted with her own steadfast loyalty, gave the talking heads something to talk about. These photos showing her own indiscretion might screw up the agreed-upon storyline, but they also might sell more records.

Brian wasn’t angry because she had slept with somebody else. He didn’t care. He was angry because he could feel her slipping away. More than anything, Brian valued control.

She sighed. If she defected, Brian would have some story-spinning to do, and he would actually have to pay a songwriter, but none of it would stop him from achieving his goal. The question was, would he take her down? It would be all too easy for him to paint her as a psychotic harpy, and to scare off anybody who might consider working with her. He would do it just to teach her a lesson.

More important than her own uncertain future was the fact that there was no mention of Adam by name. The last thing he needed right now was his name in an online gossip column. In the images, only the back and side of his head were visible. If someone knew Adam, and knew about her connection to him, then they could certainly guess his identity. But thankfully her stalker had not bothered to find out, and it was unlikely anybody in Nashville would feel the burning need to know. To them, all that mattered were the implications of her affair for an up-and-coming band.

Brian could be as angry as he liked, but she had made it clear that things were over between them long ago. If she wanted to have a wild fling with her next door neighbor, that was her own business. If they needed to adjust the PR storyline, so be it.

Perhaps she needed to make their relationship more clear to him.

Callie searched the site for the older article. Similar in format to the one about her and Adam, this one showcased the naughty ‘caught in the act’ photos of Brian and the three new girls in the band. And he thought her discreet affair with Adam was unacceptable? She copied the link to the article and pasted it into her reply.

So is this.

My life is my own.

Deal with it.

Callie held her breath and hit send. As the email whooshed away into cyberspace, she stared after it, amazed at her own daring. Something about the distance made it easy for her to say exactly what she wanted to say, and screw the consequences.

And there would be consequences.

Kat rapped sharply on the kitchen door of Adam’s cottage. Danny should be off to school by now, so she could talk with Adam privately. What they had to discuss was not suitable for Danny’s ears.

“Kat, what are you doing here?”

She had caught him in sweats and a t-shirt, unshaven, barefoot. It didn’t matter how rumpled and appealing he might look. They had business to discuss.

“May I come in?” she asked, not bothering to keep the edge out of her voice.

“Of course.”

Adam ushered her inside, then poured two cups of coffee and sat at the kitchen table. He even remembered that she took cream in her coffee, but she didn’t let that soften her up. She couldn’t bring herself to sit down across from him, so she stayed on her feet, keeping the table between them.

“We need to talk,” she said tersely, fanning out a stack of pictures on the table in front of him. Then she stepped back, crossed her arms, and waited.

She saw the flash of recognition in his eyes.

He flipped through the images, but she kept her eyes on his face. She didn’t need to see the pictures again. She had memorized them. Adam and Callie kissing, in a canoe of all places. Adam with a hand on Callie’s cheek, his fingers starting to slide into her hair. The two of them locked together in the doorway of her house, her leg wrapped around him. And worse. Much worse. She had no desire to see them again.

Thinking about it was making her sick all over again.

“Where did you get these?” he demanded.

“On the internet.” It figured that he would go on the offensive.

Adam sat heavily in one of the kitchen chairs and rested his head in his hands, kneading his temples. Kat pressed her lips together, refusing to ease this moment for him. He was the one with the explaining to do.

“I don’t understand. Why would there be pictures of me on the internet?”

“It’s not about you, Adam. It’s about Callie. These pictures showed up on a country-music gossip site.” The ‘I told you so’ was implied.

“But how did you find them?”

“I set up an internet alert on your name and another one on Callie’s name. I get an email whenever something new pops up about either of you online. I found this little gift in my in-box this morning.”

Adam sighed and leaned back, meeting Kat’s eyes. He had screwed up and they both knew it.

“How bad is this?”

Kat relented a bit, uncrossing her arms to pull out a chair across from him. She could be professional and pissed off at the same time. Adam might be an idiot, but that didn’t mean she needed to be one, too. She stacked the photos neatly and turned them face down.

“Look, Adam, I can’t ignore the photos. Even if I could, you can be sure that the attorneys for Danny grandparents will bring them to my attention. You’re not named in the captions or the article, but that doesn’t make them go away.”

“Understood.”

“So now I need to figure out what this means for Danny,” she said, “and how it changes my understanding of you.”

“You were the one who said that I didn’t need to sneak around,” he challenged.

“If you recall,” she bit the words out, “I have consistently recommended that you have an open, above-board relationship with someone local and stable. Callie is the opposite of those things.”

“She’s local,” he objected. “She grew up here.”

“Does she live here now?” asked Kat. “Will she be a part of Danny’s day-to-day life?”

He didn’t answer. No surprise there. She pressed her advantage.

“And what happens when it all falls apart?” she asked. “Does that mean no more music lessons for Danny, even when she’s back in town?”

Adam’s jaw tightened. At least he was listening.

“I need you to think about what you’re doing, because this isn’t about what you want. It’s about Danny. You need to be sure that you handle your personal life in a way that doesn’t hurt him.”

“I would never—” began Adam.

“You already have. You put your own needs ahead of his, both by interfering in Danny’s relationship with Callie and also by flaunting what can only be a temporary fling. Only time will tell if you’ve done any damage. ”

She waited while he thought about the implications of what she had said.

“Is there anything I can do?” he asked.

“I would say ‘keep your pants on,’ but it’s a little late for that, isn’t it?” she replied.

Was that unprofessional? Frankly, she didn’t care. Nor did she care if she made him angry. Judging by the look on his face, she was doing a good job of that.

“I’m sorry,” he said curtly. “I’ve complicated things. It was…unintentional, and I’ll do what I can to mitigate the damage. In the meantime, I’ll be sure to keep you posted on Danny’s progress.”

It wasn’t quite groveling, but she would take it.

“Of course,” she responded, keeping her tone crisp and professional.

She stood and headed toward the door, leaving the photos behind. God knows she didn’t want to touch them again. Maybe he would check the facts, do the Google search on Callie to see what turned up. Maybe he would admit that he was an idiot for getting involved with her. At this moment, however, she would bet that his only regret was getting caught.

“By the way,” Kat said as she paused in the doorway, “it looks like the hearing will be on June first. You should get the official notice tomorrow. That’s in two weeks. I’ve already asked Doc Archer to do a re-evaluation of Danny in light of his breakthrough.”

Before Kat could leave, Callie appeared at the back door. Kat gave her a tight smile. How perfect. Really. It was the perfect way to cap off a perfect morning.

“Oh, hi. Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I had a quick…never mind. It can wait. I’ll come back—”

“No, don’t leave,” said Kat, neatly swapping places so that Callie now stood in Adam’s kitchen and Kat could escape. “I need to run. Oh”—she paused— “Callie. I saw an ad for your band’s summer tour. Congratulations. Looks like you guys are finally breaking into the big time.”

“Ah, yeah, thanks.”

“Do you think you’ll be around for the next few weeks, or will you need to get back?”

“I should be here for a few more weeks,” answered Callie cautiously. “Why?”

“Just curious. Danny’s doing so well with his music lessons. We’ll have to find him another teacher after you leave.” Kat shut up, leaving the best parts unsaid.

Enjoy him while you have him, honey, because it won’t last forever.

“See you later.” With a cheery wave, Kat slipped out the door, leaving Callie and Adam to sort out the mess they’d made.

Callie stared after Kat, wondering what the hell was going on. The room swirled with undercurrents. She turned to see Adam leaning back in his chair, his face inscrutable. Gone were the openness and vulnerability of the last two days.

He knew.

That would explain the undercurrents.

“Did Danny get off to school okay?” she began. “Because we need to talk.”

“He did,” answered Adam, “and yes, we need to talk.” He turned over a stack of photos on the table. She slumped into the chair opposite him.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“So am I.”

She stared at the stack of photos, hating the fact that her career could taint the waters here in Hidden Springs.

“In two weeks, there’s going to be a hearing,” he continued. “A judge will decide whether or not I’m doing a good job with Danny. His grandparents want custody, and they’re going to bring forward as much evidence as they can to show that I’m doing a terrible job.”

Callie looked up at Adam’s face, and felt even worse. Adam had mentioned a custody issue, but she had no idea things were this bad.

“The judge will rely heavily on the recommendation of Danny’s guardian ad litem . That’s Kat. If I can’t persuade her, then I lose him.”

More than anything, she wanted to reach across the table and squeeze his hand, but the kitchen windows were large, the blinds open. A simple gesture could end up being another incriminating image on the internet.

“It’s not like I would never see him again, but it wouldn’t be the same.” He took a deep breath. “I want to make this work. For Danny. For my brother. For me. Danny’s the only family I have left.”

“Adam, you’re doing a great job,” she protested. “Danny has finally started talking, and now he’s writing music. Why would the judge agree to a change right when things are getting better?”

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “But the photos are certainly a complication.”

“I understand,” she said, staring down at her hands. “And I really am sorry.” She took a deep breath and held it for a second, looking up as if the ceiling could take away her tears, then exhaled on a big sigh. “This is my fault. I thought we were far enough from Nashville that I could relax. I let down my guard. I was wrong, clearly, but don’t worry. I’ll stay away. There won’t be any more pictures. And if we need to stop the music lessons, I understand.” She swallowed. “I’ll hate it, but I understand.”

He reached across the table and took her hands in his. When she glanced meaningfully at the windows and tried to tug them away, he held on tighter.

“You have done so much in such a short time,” he said. “You’re making a difference with Danny, which is the most important thing.”

“But the pictures—”

“What’s done is done.” He squeezed her hands. “We can’t make the pictures go away. Even if they come up during the hearing, I’ll simply argue that I’m entitled to my personal life.”

Callie quirked a smile. “That may be true, but I’m not exactly Marian the Librarian.”

“Who cares?” he shrugged, cradling one of her hands in his and turning it palm up so he could trace circles on the inside of her wrist. He smiled when she shivered, cocking one eyebrow. “The whole ‘sexy librarian’ thing has never been a turn-on for me, anyway.”

“Really?” A wave of relief crashed over her. They were going to be okay.

He pulled her hand and close to his face and kissed it, his unshaven skin rough against her palm.

“I’d be happy to demonstrate.”

Callie melted. She struggled to remember why she shouldn’t crawl across the table and into his lap.

“But the photographer—”

“Can go screw himself.” Adam stood, tugging her up to her feet as well, and pulled her toward the hallway. “Come on. I have something I need to show you.”

“What?”

“My bedroom.”

Later, they lay entwined in Adam’s sheets. He traced lazy circles on her back, and she imagined the song she would write about him. Most of her ideas so far were not appropriate for younger audiences—much like those pictures.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“The photos.” She grimaced. “I wish I could shrug them off the way you have, but I hate the feeling of being stalked. It’s bad enough in Nashville, where I know I need to be on best behavior in public, but to have this follow me home is excruciating.”

He kneaded her lower back, erasing some of the worried tension, and replacing it with a pool of heat. She stretched, content to let him clear her mind, and turned his own question back on him.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“The hearing,” he admitted. “Would you mind talking to the school psychologist this week? He needs to revise his report on Danny for the judge, and I think he should hear about the lessons from you.”

“Of course.”

“Thanks.”

She nodded, enjoying the odd contrast between good manners and naked skin. They lay quietly for a few moments before he broke the silence.

“What happens when you go back to Nashville?” he asked softly.

“What do you mean?”

“Will you stay with your band? Even after everything that’s happened?”

“Of course,” she responded, surprised by the question. “I don’t have a lot of other options.”

“Why not?”

She shrugged.

“The usual reasons. We’ve made commitments, signed contracts, recorded an album. Someday, maybe, I’ll have the connections to strike out on my own, but that’s years away. ”

“You’ve never thought of getting out of the business completely?”

She stilled, turning the familiar question over in her mind. At some point they had all asked her this: her mother, her sisters, even her father. It always made her sad. Didn’t they know her? Only Brian had never asked.

“It’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she said simply. “It’s who I am.”

He absorbed her answer, silent for so long she thought she had lost him. Then before she realized what was happening, he rolled her over onto her back, pinning her against the mattress.

“We’ll have to make the most of our time together, then,” he said.

“I know,” she laughed, once again swimming in relief. “So what are you waiting for?”