Rocking the Trucker (Trucker Love #3)

Chapter One

“H ard to believe I’m a washed-up, has-been, rock star at twenty-nine,” Gabriel Park slouched deeper into the chair across the desk from his agent.

Alan Farrell was one of the few people to have stuck with him over the two years since his career imploded due to his own stupidity. Even his parents had turned their backs on him when he was convicted and sentenced to a year in jail for drug charges. At least he got the help he needed and had been clean and sober for the last eight months.

Now he just needed to rebuild his life and his career. His favorite actor had done it, so why couldn’t he?

“You’ve been out of the business for two years. People don’t know who you are. And I can’t find a band that is willing to take a chance on you. But I do have an idea, if you’re willing to listen,” Alan said, opening a folder on his desk.

“Of course I’m willing to listen, Alan. I’m not sure I could get a job, not even at that fast food burger place who used the band as spokesmen.”

“Well, they’ll want you back if my idea works,” Alan said, smiling like a man who had just won the lottery.

“What’s the idea?” Gabriel asked, out of patience and ready to do something other than feel sorry for himself. After all, it was his own stupid choices that had put him on the downward spiraling path that had led to him here.

“You’re going on tour.”

Alan’s announcement sent an icy shiver of dread through him. “On tour? Without a band? Or a CD to promote?”

“You do have an album. The songs you sent me while you were ... away. It will be the perfect fresh start. I saved them and put together an album. It’s all edited and ready to drop whenever you’re ready.”

Gabriel stared at his most ardent supporter, wondering if Alan had been doing drugs in his absence.

Alan did not seem to notice and continued, sounding as excited as an eight-year-old getting a new puppy. “The album and tour will be called Redeemed . You’ll do a solo tour with you and your guitars. You won’t be playing stadiums, but I can book you a tour and get you back in front of people.”

“But I only sent you a dozen songs. I can’t do a tour with only a dozen songs. And where do I live in the meantime? And how do I travel between gigs? I can’t drive.”

“You’ll move into your tour trailer. I had it repaired and renovated while you were away. It might need a good cleaning, but then you can move in.”

Gabriel sat back, overwhelmed at all that Alan had accomplished. “I guess all we need now is a driver.”

“I’m working on that. For now, all you need to do is work on a ninety-minute playlist and get back in shape. We’ll also need to design the album cover and figure out what kind of swag you want to sell at the concerts. T-shirts and CDs for sure, but what else?”

“I have no idea.”

“That’s okay. We can figure it out and get the stuff ordered in the next few days. I’ll set up a meeting with Angela and her team to talk about covers and promotion and everything.”

Gabriel nodded his agreement, feeling like he had entered some kind of crazy time warp where everything moved at lightning speed while he was a turtle still trying to catch his breath.

The fact that the songs he had written while in prison were more inspiration than hard rock would find him a new audience, but if he tweaked a few of his older songs, he could use them to fill out a concert length play list.

He had always been uncomfortable with the hard rock style his band had been so popular for. Maybe this would be in line with what he wanted his new life to be.

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel nodded. “All right. I’m in. Let’s do this.”

****

S ix weeks later

“You’re going back on the road,” Brogan Myles said as he walked into the office of Three Myles To Go Trucking with Shepherd, his brand-new husband, draped over one shoulder.

Not sure what game his brother was playing, Sam closed down his computer before folding his hands together on top of his desk.

“And why would I do that? You and Harry are doing great on the road without me behind the wheel.”

“Shepherd starts driving school next week,” Brogan said simply, as if that explained everything.

“You can go out without Shepherd. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“You’re going to fulfill a special contract I signed last month. The client asked for you and only you. It’s a six-week, nationwide run, and he’s willing to pay double our going rate.”

“Who’s the client?” Sam asked as the spot between his shoulder blades began to itch like a motherfucker.

Even before Brogan spoke, Sam knew who the client was.

“Gabriel Park.”

The man who had caused him to hang up his trucker hat more than two years ago and settle in here to run the office and book the trucking loads for his brothers.

“No,” Sam said sharply. He pushed out of his chair and began pacing around his desk as he always did when things were not going the way they should.

“Sam, yes. He asked for you specifically. I’ll take over here and you’ll take my truck. You’ll be back in time for Shepherd’s graduation and then he and I will start driving as a team. We won’t be out any time or money with me off the road for six weeks. And his agent is willing to pay double.” Brogan repeated the last as if it were an incentive.

Sam wiped a hand down his face as he tried to keep from throwing himself at his brother with the dark intent of killing the man who was making deals involving his life behind his back.

“I can’t,” Sam admitted. “I can’t drive again for him.”

Brogan stepped in front of him, forcing him to stop moving. His brother dropped his hands on Sam’s shoulders and held tight when he tried to pull away.

“You can. You will. It’s just what you need to break the bonds the past has on you. You have to do this.”

“Why? Why would he ask for me? He’s the one who forced me to quit driving.”

“And he paid his dues for that night. He spent two years in jail. Maybe he wants to make amends for the shit he put you through back then. Once upon a time you loved him, and you’ve been a broken man ever since you came home from that run.”

“I’m not broken,” Sam growled, even though he was. Gabriel had broken his heart and his ability to trust when he made him feel he could no longer drive an eighteen-wheeler.

And in the twenty-six months since he’d walked out of the courtroom after listening to Gabriel plead guilty, Sam had not heard a word from the man. After the first few months it became obvious that the rock star had not been as committed to him, to their relationship, as Sam had been.

Could he spend six weeks driving the man around the country?

Taking a deep breath, Sam sighed. He would do it for the money. Not because he wanted to see Gabriel again. He would pack his heart on ice and not let the musician see that the separation had affected him in any way.

“All right. I’ll go. But if I kill the man, you’d better bail my ass out of jail.”

“Of course we will. Now, go get packed.”

As Sam started out of his office, he turned back with a question. If he was but one of a crowd of roadies, assistants and other crew that had always traveled with Gabriel and his band, it would be easier to avoid spending time with the man. “What about the rest of the band?”

This time Shepherd answered. “He’s doing a solo tour with just him and his guitars. Smaller venues, mostly churches and family-friendly festivals, if you can believe it. No bars or big stadium shows. He’s supposedly written new music, and rewritten some of his older stuff. The tour, and his new album, are called Redeemed .”

“Uh-huh,” Sam grunted as he turned and walked out of his office.

After two years in prison, the former hard-rocking, hard-living Gabriel Park was hoping for a new beginning at churches and festivals. Other celebrities had done it, maybe he could as well.

But why did he want Sam there with him?