Chapter 13
13
M ina said 'Cut' and Gloria let out a long-held breath. Her fingers were shaking as Mina let go of her hand. The urge to run and hide was strong. She couldn't, though. She wouldn't leave Mina and Sean to deal with this all on their own.
She stood woodenly and asked, "What about security at the hotel? We'll need it now, as the Crossroads event will certainly bring in gawkers and ne'er-do-wells who want to take pictures and cause problems. Chris certainly doesn't need or want that, and if we're using this to propel the show to prime time, we can't have that."
Mina stood and tapped on her phone as she stomped across the room. Gloria watched her daughter handle this with such professionalism she was awed. Sean stepped closer to her and his scent wrapped her in an aromatic cocoon. She tilted her head back to look into his eyes. He swallowed as their eyes met and her heart raced. She inhaled slowly to calm herself, her fingers still shook and her body was freezing. She crossed her arms in front of her and Sean softly asked, "Is that a protective stance, Gloria?"
"No. I'm freezing."
"It's eighty-seven outside, and it's not much cooler in here. The thermostat on the wall said seventy-two earlier."
"It's stress."
"I imagine. I can warm you up."
She jumped back. "No." She looked around the room, at the carpet, the furniture, the cameras. Anywhere but him.
To be completely honest with herself, she didn't trust her reaction to him. And she needed to keep her wits about her right now.
"I won't bite," he whispered.
"I didn't think you would."
His fingers lifted her chin so her eyes were once more on his. Hurt registered in her eyes and a lump grew in his throat.
His voice was husky. "We have a lot to talk through."
"I know."
"I did what I thought I had to do for both of us, Gloria. If you would have told me you were pregnant, things would have been different."
"But not better. You wouldn't be where you are and neither would I, most likely."
"Neither of us knows that."
"You've said it yourself. You spend every waking moment on your music."
"So I won't think of you. I learned that if I completely exhausted myself every night, I could sleep without crying first."
"Right. The pictures on the Internet show how you exhausted yourself."
"What?"
"Women. Groupies. Whatever."
He chuckled. "I would have preferred you."
"Right. That's why you broke up with me." She turned and walked over toward the door. Boon lifted his camera off its tripod, then stopped. "Is it safe for us to leave?"
She stopped and stared at him for a split second, then padded across the carpeted floor toward the windows. Pulling the curtains back just enough to peer out, she saw a police line and a group of reporters just beyond the yellow tape they used. Several officers stood guard inside the tape line to keep the reporters from crossing the line. She turned to Boon. "Where's your truck?"
"Out back."
She nodded and strutted toward the door; Boon was right alongside her. Keeping busy was better than wallowing in all of this emotion. She moved with purpose to the back of the BnB. There was a small sitting area overlooking the backyard and driveway. For the most part, it was empty.
She turned to Boon. "There are two reporters just beyond the landscaping. But, if you and Dylan go together, we can ask one of the police officers to stand by just in case."
"Naw. As soon as one of them moves, it'll alert the crowd something's going on. More importantly, how will you all get out of here?"
She pursed her lips slightly and crossed her arms. "Just like you."
"How about this? Let Dylan and I get our equipment to the trucks. Then I'll stand by and wait as you all get into your vehicle. We'll ride out together."
"That sounds like a great plan."
They strode to the sitting room together. She told Mina what the plan was for Dylan and Boon. Sean nodded. "We'll all ride in my SUV to the hotel. My guitars are in the back and the windows are tinted. It'll offer us some privacy."
She nodded, afraid to look into his eyes. Every time she did, her stomach lurched and her back stiffened. She'd done far worse to him than he did to her. She had no reason to be mad at him and every reason to be grateful he was even talking to her now.
She inhaled deeply as Mina came forward. "We have a private security company over at the hotel and surrounding the beach area where Dad and Chris will be playing tonight. I've also called Chris's assistant to give her a heads-up. She's informing Chris of the shit show so he isn't surprised, and security will escort him from his vehicle when he arrives to the stage on the beach."
"Is he staying in town?"
"No. He's driving in for the Crossroads performance. Your interview with him will be in two days. We're traveling back home to Tampa and will drive to meet him somewhere. We haven't decided. He's doing a concert in Tampa, though."
Sean inhaled. "Why don't we have the interview in the Barn? We have a nice lounge area and a studio inside. We can have the interview in the studio if you need echo resistant surroundings. Or, in the lounge, if you want your interview to be more relaxed. And it's less than an hour's drive from Tampa."
Mina nodded. "I like that. I'll arrange it with Chris's assistant. Thank you, Dad."
Sean chuckled. "Anything I can do to help, baby girl."
He used to call her that. Baby. She'd always been his baby. She made a mental note to listen to his song, “Born to Be My Baby”. Later, when she was alone, just in case it made her cry.