Risky Replay (Country Stars Forever #1)

Chapter 25

Twenty-Five

EMILY

I considered all the risks, made the wrong decision, and now I’m laid out on the floor of Derek’s kitchen. I put my arm out to stop my fall when I slipped and heard a pop as I went down. And my ankle throbs.

“What the—?” Derek comes around the island. His eyes ping pong to the capsized stool on the floor, the screwdriver I found in a closet still in my hand, and my other hand gripping my elbow.

“I was going to fix it.”

“By taking it off the ceiling?” He scoops his arms under me, helping me to lean against the counter and then settles next to me. “Did you hit your head?”

“No, but this needs medical attention.” I glance down at my elbow.

“Emily.” He breathes out and starts typing on his phone.

“I wanted to help. It’s my fault.”

Derek rubs an eyebrow. “I wish you would have waited for me to come home.”

“I know.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “I don’t know how to stop.”

He ambles up and retrieves an ice pack from the fridge, placing it on my elbow. “Can you stand? ”

I shake my head. “Got another one of those for my ankle?”

Derek places another ice pack on my ankle. “Don’t move. Charlie shouldn’t be far.”

“Can’t go anywhere.” I aim for humor, but his jaw ticks. I pinch my eyes closed from the worsening pain in my elbow, and a different ache blooms in my chest. “Thought maybe I could make up for the damage I’ve caused.”

He stops what he’s typing on his phone as the crease between his brows deepens. “Damage?”

“Keeping James from you.” Ugh, now my eyes sting. “I convinced myself I was doing the right thing. Ryan and I would argue over it all the time.” I think the pain is making me loopy because I don’t stop. “He would bring it up, and then once Victoria came along, everything changed, and he stopped pushing. I shouldn’t have though. I should have tried again. I’m sorry.”

Derek mutters something before landing on his knees in front of me and swipes at the wetness under my eyes with his thumb. “I wasn’t at my best then. I scared you away. And when you told me, I reacted the way you expected. I should apologize to you.”

“This isn’t on you.”

“I know I didn’t make it easy.”

“I’m sorry.” My voice cracks. “I’m sorry for everything and for thinking I could fix the stupid light by setting a barstool on the island and climbing up it in boots. Luckily, I didn’t stab myself with the screwdriver.”

Derek tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I don’t know what I would have done.”

Derek’s phone pings.

“That was fast.”

He moves faster, wrapping his arms under me and carrying me out the door, down two flights of stairs, and sits in the back of Charlie’s car with me.

Later that evening, I call my grandparents and tell them how I, trying to take care of things myself, ended up with a torn ligament in my elbow and a sprained ankle. According to the doctor, keeping my arm in a sling, and rest is what I need to heal both.

“I’ll be home tomorrow,” I say to my grandmother. I promised James and Victoria I would be home then.

“ Cómo vas a volar así ?” My grandmother asks, “ Quedate con él .”

Stay with him . Does she know the many ways I could interpret the statement?

I’m propped against the headboard on Derek’s bed, while he fixes a late lunch in the kitchen.

“I’ll fly out tomorrow like I planned. I’ll be fine.”

Derek enters the room carrying a tray with a steaming bowl smelling like spice and ginger, wearing a frown. He sets the tray in front of me. My stomach growls. I’d only had the coffee and pastry in the morning and a packet of crackers and water before leaving the hospital.

“They will understand,” Nana says. “It’s okay. We’ll postpone our trip.”

“There is no way you’re postponing anything because of me. I’ll be fine.”

The groove in Derek’s brow deepens, just like it did several times when we were at the hospital.

“You and Papa are getting on that plane on Wednesday.”

“ Terca .” My grandmother accuses me of being stubborn. We go back and forth until she relents, and Derek and I talk with the kids but don’t tell them I’m hurt so they won’t worry.

After we hang up, Derek watches me in silence as I dip the spoon in the pale broth with noodles and cilantro.

“Nothing will happen.” I don’t know if it’s how hungry I am or if my body is weak from all it’s gone through, but the soup tastes like a party in my mouth. Cinnamon. Star Anise. Ginger. “You made this?”

He smiles as if I’d pried a guilty secret from him. “Tim brought some over. The one who gave us the champagne.”

“Your superpower,” I tease before sipping another spoonful of soup. It took me months to even notice Ryan living next door. James needs Derek to teach him how to disarm everyone around him and make friends who bring the injured girlfriend—no, that’s not who I am—baby mama some soup.

The V on Derek’s forehead relaxes. “Doctor said no flying.”

“He urged against it, but didn’t forbid it.”

Derek rubs a hand over the back of his head. “How will you manage getting everyone ready for the day with your arm in a sling?”

“I’ll be fine.”

A tentative smile appears on his lips. “I carried you up here and had to go back down for your little unicycle.” The doctor sent me home with a knee walker to keep weight off my ankle, but it’s difficult to steer with one arm. Derek was forced to carry me up the stairs bridal style.

With my good hand I bop his nose. “You didn’t mind.”

His hand lands on my thigh and squeezes. “I’ll take care of you, James, and Victoria, if you let me.” He studies me and pecks my lips. “You need me, and it’s killing you that you can’t run off.”

His words hit a deep dark spot inside me.

“Tomorrow, we’re moving into Tyler’s house, and I’ll fly to San Diego and bring Victoria and James here.”

His eyes stay on me, waiting for a reaction. I wouldn’t change plans on James and Victoria because of a silly injury – okay, two little injuries.

“Move into Tyler’s house? What about Santos and Saddles?”

“I’ve already let Amanda and Mark know. They’re on it. And Saddles is already self-sufficient. Charlie will be here in the morning to take care of everything,” Derek says, and his eyes narrow like he dares me to challenge his plan. “I’ll be back Wednesday afternoon. It’s the soonest I could get the tickets back here.”

I settle against the headboard. “You’re going to fly to the west coast, wake up the next day, go to the airport, get through security, wait at the gate, change planes who knows where because there is no direct flight, all with a six-year-old and three-year-old and all by yourself?”

“I can handle it.”

“It would be easier to help me fly home.”

“I don’t know if you’ll be easier to handle than a toddler and a first grader.”

I bite my lip keeping the humor out of my voice and fail. “One point for Anderson.”

“Oh no, it’s a win. I already cancelled your ticket.”

He what? The spoon clatters onto the floor. The ticket was my way home. My way to keep my promise to James and Victoria. He can’t take it away. I promised. James and Victoria can count on me to be there when I said I would. I pick up my phone from the nightstand and type with one thumb. Ugh. I bring it down to the hand peeking out of the sling.

Derek’s big hand covers the screen. “We’ll go to Tyler’s early. If you think the kids will hate spending the rest of the summer here, then I’ll move you to Maryland.”

“What’s this house got? Disneyland in the backyard?”

“You’ll see.”

“There’s a horse?” Stupid wheelie thing doesn’t roll well in the grass. “Is that a pig?”

My neck doesn’t stretch far enough for me to take in the rest of the property. I can see the pig and the horse around the side of the house. The house, with its peaked roof, stone chimney, and giant wrought iron front door, sits on top of a hill of rolling green. We’d driven less than half an hour from Derek’s place, and the world changed around me. Derek said we were between Nashville and Franklin. I’d been used to living in cities my entire life, but this place might as well have been set atop clouds of green .

“There’s a horse, a pig, three goats, and there’s a creek past the tree line on the south side.”

How could I not let James and Victoria spend time here? Derek punches a code on the door and as soon as the door swings wide, I roll myself in. The entry opens to a large formal living room decorated with cream-colored furniture, tasseled brown pillows, and wood and glass tables. I wheel myself to the far wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the green hills and the barn.

“Want to see the rest or do you want to go back to San Diego?” Derek asks with a tilt to one side of his lips.

“I hate you.” Yes, this place is perfect. For now.

“You won’t have a problem getting around since its only one story.”

Warm, and kind, this house begs to be lived in. “It’s like it’s waiting for a family to move in.” A pang of longing hits me as I think of our house in Maryland, waiting for its family to come home.

“He hoped Amy would have the same look you have when he showed her the house.”

“Once they have babies, it will be perfect.”

Derek’s smile fades. “They’re staying in San Diego. Amy wants to raise the baby there. He’ll probably sell it.”

I can’t imagine pouring so much love into creating a cozy home and letting it go, unseen.

“He’s—” Derek audibly swallows, and I whirl around and face him. His hands slip into his pockets, and I move closer at his worried expression. “He resigned from the band. He doesn’t want to be on the road and leave Amy alone to raise the baby.”

“He’s leaving the band?” I repeat like a dumbass. “But it’s all you ever wanted. Apparently,” I wave my good hand in the air, “the band is doing incredible to afford this. For you to open a restaurant. You’re headlining.”

“I understand his choice.” Derek closes the gap between us and cups my face with his hands. “It’s not enough. ”

Ice water courses through my veins. He understands giving up the band?

His eyes drift over mine as if he’s searching for an answer to a question I’m too scared to consider. If he asks, the answer is no. He’s not giving anything up for us. I’m not asking him for anything. Ever.

“If I?—”

“Your knight in shining armor is here,” Charlie bellows from the entrance.

Derek steps back and releases me.

The heaviness of the moment dissipates as Charlie walks toward us. I glance over at Derek who stares at me as if he were considering his options. I would do everything to keep him from making the same decision as Tyler.

“I brought all the essentials. Including all the fixings for a bubble bath.” Charlie reaches me first, wrapping an arm around my waist. “I’ll take care of scrubbing all your bits clean, gorgeous.” He kisses me on the forehead.

I return the embrace with my good arm. “This house is big enough for me to hide and you wouldn’t find me.”

“That’s kinky.” Charlie rubs his jaw as if this is some sort of game.

“Why did I think this was a good idea?” There’s no heat in Derek’s voice.

“You know I’ll take such good care of her, she won’t remember you.”

Derek scowls. “I better go.”

When he kisses me goodbye, it’s possessive and primal, rooting me to the very spot in the living room as if I’d wait for him there forever. I hum my approval as he breaks from me.

“I’ll call. All the time.” He offers me a gentle smile I can’t help but return.

When he’s out the door, Charlie rubs his hands together. “Want to play hide and seek?”

“Be a good manservant and bring me some ice cream. ”

“Oooh, I like this game, too.” Charlie disappears and reappears a few minutes later with an ice cream sandwich.

“Good boy. I could get used to this.” I admit as I take in more detail around me. “I can’t wait to see the rest of it.”

“I always thought this house was too much for Tyler and Amy,” Charlie says as our fingers grow sticky with chocolate sandwich wafer. “Derek found it and convinced Tyler it was the place for his family.”

“Derek found this?”

Charlie nods as he takes another bite. When he finishes chewing, he adds, “You know Derek. If he wants something, nothing gets in his way.”

“What if whatever he’s after isn’t right for him?”

Charlie snorts out a laugh. “Like that would stop either of you.”