Following Trouble (17 page)

“
Yeah,” Rob agreed. “That’s when I installed the cameras and made sure we were doing visual checks at the gate.”

“Apparently, this Vanessa is a model wannabe or something?” Celeste
shrugged. “Anyway, Catherine got her a meeting with someone important. I don’t know who.”

“Michael Kors,
” Rob chimed in.

“Right. Of course, the meeting happened to be at the same time Rob was picking up the puppy. So Catherine told Vanessa not to worry, she’d take care of it.”

“She took care of it all right,” Tyler muttered.

It all made horrible, perfect sense, except one thing.

“How did she know whoever came to pick up the puppy wouldn’t recognize her?” I asked. “It could have been Jesse or Tyler or someone who knew her, right?”

The room grew quiet.

Finally, Celeste spoke up. “She didn’t. From what Vanessa says, she thought Rob was coming.”

“
She planned to kill me there,” Rob said softly.

“Oh my God.”
The blood drained from my face at the thought. I remembered Catherine, that twisted smile and the evil look in her eyes when she pulled the trigger. Had she decided to shoot me because she couldn’t get to him? Or had she changed her mind on the ride over? Then something occurred to me. “What about the hair? The wig?”

“I called her on the way.” Katie flushed
, sounding miserable as she spoke. “I called to say I was running late.”

Oh no. So of course Catherine knew Rob wasn’t coming, and when she found that out, her whole plan had to change.
And she just rolled with it,
I thought.
Like a steamroller, right through the middle of my life.

“She knew Katie probably wouldn’t recognize her.”
Tyler gave Katie an extra, comforting squeeze. “And it gave her enough time to raid Vanessa’s wardrobe and come up with something else.”

Something else. Like killing me. Or all of us.

Then I remembered.

“Oh my God, the puppy.
How is she?”

“Oh she’s fine,” Katie smiled, sliding out of Tyler’s lap and heading toward the door. “I’ve been taking good care of her.”

“How are you feeling now?” Sarah asked. I think it was the first time she’d spoken since we all said hello.

“Better.”
I smiled at her, knowing she meant well, but I couldn’t answer her honestly. No one wanted to hear about my broken heart. Besides, they all knew. “Getting better.”

“Here she is!” Katie appeared in the doorway, carrying the puppy. She was enormous, a good twenty pounds already, twice the size of a newborn, and she flopped onto the bed when Katie put her down, tripping over her big paws on her way over to say hello.

“Easy!” Rob cautioned, but I didn’t care how much my shoulder hurt when the puppy hurled herself into my arms.

I buried my face in her fur and let her lick me and smelled her sweet puppy breath.

“Such a feisty girl,” I laughed as she nipped at my hands. “You’re a fighter, huh? I’m gonna call you Pepper.”

I looked up at Rob, realizing I’d named a baby and a puppy in the same week, except we only got to keep one of them.

“There’s just one thing… I don’t know, maybe I dreamed it. My memory is pretty fuzzy.” I pet Pepper, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as she panted in my lap. “Catherine said something… it’s all muddled… something about
your
brother.”

I looked at Sarah, frowning.
“Do you have a brother?”

“No.” She shook her head, glancing at Rob and shrugging.

“And then she said something about…” I hesitated, looking at Rob, and then laughed. “Okay, it’s crazy, I must have dreamed it or hallucinated or something. She said something about you killing a man, Rob. When you were… twelve?”

No one said anything. The silence hung there as I looked around the room at their faces. None of them met my eyes.

“Yeah, it’s crazy.” I shook my head. “It must have been all those drugs they gave me.”

“Sounds like they were good ones,” Tyler said with a grin, making everyone laugh “Can I have some?”

“None for you!” Katie punched him on the shoulder with a laugh.

“Okay, you guys.” Rob stood, stretching. “I think it’s about time we let the patient get some rest.”

“Do you want me to take her?” Katie asked, nodding at the puppy in my lap.

“No.” I scratched her neck, smiling. “Let her stay.”

“Celeste, will you tell Daisy to bring our girl up some food?” Rob asked. He winked at me. “No more hospital food. Daisy made homemade ravioli. And chocolate cake.”

I smiled, even though I didn’t have much of an appetite.

They all filed out, one by one, giving me gentle hugs before going.

When they were gone, Rob joined me in bed, putting his head in
my lap next to the puppy and let her lick his face. I stroked both of them.

“Glad to be home?”
he asked.

“I’m glad to be with you.”

“Are you?” He tilted his head to look up at me, eyes searching. “Cuz I’ve been nothing but trouble since you met me.”

“You are trouble.” I laughed at his little pun.
“But I’m the one who followed you.”

“I’m sorry.”
He sighed, closing his eyes.

“I’m not.” I ran my hand through his hair, wondering if Esther’s would have been so dark and thick. Wondering if our next baby would have my chin, his eyes. Because I knew, no matter what, I didn’t regret it, not a moment of it.

“I’d do it again.” I whispered. My heart had been broken in innumerable pieces and yet here it was, beating in my chest, put back together in this moment by this man. “I’d follow you anywhere.”

I was glad we had her cremated, because some raw, surreal, animal part of me wanted to steal her away and bring her home with me and never let her go. I had a hard enough time giving her up at the hospital. I couldn’t believe it was the last time I would see her face. I put her pictures in my nightstand and I kissed her every night before I went to bed. My therapist—Bill Williams, who had a name I always snickered over but Rob said he came highly recommended and so far, he’d been good—said it was all healthy. It was all a part of grieving the loss.

Now her body was nothing but ash and dust, her
name a memory engraved on a rose colored tombstone.

“It better not rain.” I frowned up an errant cloud through tinted windows as Jesse drove the car through the winding paths, rows of headstones on either side.

Rob laughed. “It never rains in California.”

The day we held the memorial had been beautiful too. I could have used some of my dingy, gray Detroit sky that day. I couldn’t believe it had been six months already. It seemed like yesterday. And a million years ago.
I had her ashes in a heart-shaped urn at home, but I wanted her to have a headstone too, a marker that said, “I was here.” She had lived, her heart was beating in this world, if just for a moment. For a long time, I didn’t know which was worse, the shock of what had happened, or the sorrow of what never would. We would never see her first step, hear her first word.

Jesse stopped the car and opened the door for us.

I lifted my face to the sunshine as I carried my guitar toward Esther’s grave. The clouds had moved out of the way. The world was bright again.

“Hi baby.” I traced the letters
as I sat, cross-legged on one side of her stone, waiting for Rob to situate himself on the other. “Sorry it’s been so long, but Mommy and Daddy have been busy.”

Rob just rubbed his thumb over her name. He didn’t
talk to her, not like I did, but I know he thought about her, remembered her.

“
Let’s play her song.” I pulled my guitar around front, strumming, making sure it was in tune.

We were on our way to the recording studio, but I’d suggested this little detour first, and Rob had agreed. It just seemed right that Esther heard it first. We’d been busy for months writing two sets of songs—one for Trouble to record for their new album, and another set for the two of us. Rob’s record company had been thrilled when he told them he was doing a solo album, which would include several duets.

With me, of course.

Rob strummed the beginning chords, the sound floating in the afternoon air, a song that always made me cry. I didn’t know how in the world we were going to get through recording it.
Our song for Esther—
Midnight Light
.

Rob sang:

Morning shines through your hair - and I rise - to the sight - of the dawn in your eyes—

You woke my heart in a burst - that first time - all I saw - was a light-flooded night—

Only promises to come - all we had - was everything - between kisses and sighs—

Undressing as we dressed – perfect day - diner breakfast – love like art on the walls—

Knowing that we’ll never die—

Then it was my turn, my eyes
on Rob’s, feeling tears slipping down my cheeks, my voice a little husky:

Waking wide in your gaze – without guile – state of grace – small and wild in your arms—

I felt so safe to be free - surrendered heart – frayed de
sires - wanting only for more
—

Unshaven chin brushing my skin – down on my knees -your
poetry – a symphony of guitars
—

Love deep inside unfolds alive – lightning strikes – thunder roars - b
ursting my skies like a storm
—

Knowing that we’ll never die
—

And then it was the two of us, my voice following his in each sad refrain:

Then the hard came – like a hard rain – like a night train – and the hard pain – to watch your light fade—

You watched my light fade – darkening your flame – and your heat was – so
far away – and my heart broke
—

And your heart broke – and her heart stopped – and my heart stopped – I was helpless - and the night came
—

And the night came – and the darkness – it was heartless – and our heart
s stopped – and the light died
—

And we began to die—

And in the end, it was both of us
singing together, our voices lifted in sweet harmony:

Then I found your hand – reaching out in the darkness – and I felt you touch me inside – holding my heart in your hands—

And then I saw your eyes – through the river of blackness – burning flames in the darkness – you were my midnight light—

You are my midnight light – through the pain and the anguish - you cannot be extinguished – you are my midnight light—

You are my midnight light – through the pain and the anguish - you cannot be extinguished – you are my midnight light—

You are my midnight light—

You are my midnight l
ight.

We sang the last few notes, our voices carrying together on the wind. Our gaze met and locked, and I saw all the sadness and love and pain and joy in his eyes. We had loved and lost the world. We had held our own beating heart in our hands for one brief moment.

Rob got to his feet, holding his hand out to me, and I took it, letting him help me up.

“It’s time,” he said.

And it was.

It was time to share her light, and ours, with the world.

Emme Rollins is
a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of New Adult/Mature Young Adult fiction. She’s been writing since she could hold a crayon and still chews her pen caps to a mangled plastic mess. She did not, however, eat paste as a kid.

She has two degrees, a bachelor’s and a master’s, one of which she’s still paying for, but neither of which she uses out in the “real world,” because when she isn’t writing, she spends her time growing an organic garden to feed her husband and children (and far too many rabbits and deer!) where they live on twenty gorgeous forested acres in rural Michigan.

She loves tending her beehives (bees are wonderful pollinators and Hello!? Honey!) and keeping up with her daily yoga practice and going for long walks in the woods with her boxer, Rodeo, who loves chasing squirrels almost as much as Emme loves writing!

Emme loves hearing from fans, so feel free to use the contact page to connect with her.

DEAR ROCKSTAR

Look for the sequel – LUCKY GIRL!

Sara is obsessed with rock star Tyler Vincent, and as she works to complete her senior year, she’s determined to find a way to meet him—although her best friend, Aimee, keeps telling her to find a different escape from her desperately violent home life.

Complications arise when Dale, the mysterious new transfer student, sets his sights on Sara, and she falls for this rock-star-in-the-making in spite of her better judgment. When Sara wins a contest, she is faced with a choice—travel to Tyler Vincent’s home town to meet him, or stay and support Dale in a Battle-of-the-Bands hosted by MTV.

Their triangulated relationship is pushed to its breaking point, but there is another, deeper secret that Dale’s been keeping that just may break things wide open...

Turn up your collar, feather your hair, and splash on some Polo, because we’re going back to the ‘80’s when MTV played music videos, there was no such thing as American Idol, and becoming a star meant doing nothing short of crazy for that one, big break.

Excerpt:

“I dropped out in my senior year. Three years ago.” Dale sipped his Coke too, looking at me over the rim. He had a way of seeing into me that was disconcerting. I felt naked in front of him.

“Let me guess? You wanted to make it in the music business?”

“My parents were having problems.” He sat back in his chair, picking at his food. “My dad left my mom. We moved to Seattle. That’s when I really started getting more serious about music.”

“And your dad was okay with you quitting school?”

He snorted. “No. But he I didn’t give him a say. I moved out.”

“So, how did you end up here?”

“I told you. He got a job at Rutgers.” He seemed far away now, distant. I didn’t like it.

“But you weren’t living with him?”

Dale shrugged. “He asked me to come with him. He said he’d pay for everything, let me live with him, and I could pursue my music as long as I was working on getting my diploma.”

I nodded. “So the Academy is your compromise.”

“Well, I knew about the battle of the bands before we moved.” He flashed me a brief smile. God, that dimple. “MTV did them last year in New York, and I had it on good authority they were going to do them again this year. I figured I’d have time to put a band together and give it a shot.”

“Well now that I’ve seen you, I think you’ve got a pretty good one,” I said honestly. That was an understatement. I couldn’t imagine anyone beating them.

“You think so?”

I nudged him with my knee under the table. “I think you know it.”

“I still like to hear it.” He turned to look at me, his eyes searching. “Especially from you.”

I smiled, reaching over and taking his hand, giving him exactly what he’d asked for. He deserved it. “You’re very good. You’re an amazing singer. You’re an incredible performer. I’ve never seen a crowd go crazy like that for someone they’d never seen before. I mean, celebrity takes time. Exposure. I think you’re one of those people who draws other people in. Like a magnet. You’re going to have people following you around, no matter what you do. For the rest of your life.”

He was actually blushing. “Why do you say that?”

“Because that’s how you make me feel,” I confessed, biting my lip, almost wishing I hadn’t said it.

“Hm.” He made a little noise in his throat, turning my hand over in his, tracing the lines in my palm with his fingertip like he was following a road map. “How do I make you feel?”

“Like I would follow you anywhere,” I whispered.

He lifted my hand and pressed his lips to my palm, closing his eyes briefly, and I noticed how long and dark his lashes were before he looked at me with that intense, blue gaze, telling me more with one look than either of could ever say in words.

“When I saw you in the audience today, I don’t even know how to tell you what it did to me.” He shook his head, twining his fingers with mine.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were performing?” I asked softly.

“Because I didn’t want that to happen.” He gave a short laugh. “I didn’t want to be distracted. I wasn’t supposed to let myself get distracted…”

He met my eyes, the emotion in them so strong I felt it before he even said the words. “Sara, I don’t think you understand what you do to me.”

“What do you mean?” Now it was my turn to ask him.

“I couldn’t think,” he confessed. “Thank God the song was over, because the minute I saw you… I was done for.”

“Oh please.” I smiled, teasing him. “All those screaming girls. I’m surprised they weren’t throwing panties at you.”

“Sometimes they do.” He grinned. “But that never mattered to me.”

I blinked in surprise. “What does matter to you?”

“Now? You.” He squeezed my hand in his, that was all, but the sensation shot up my arm with a jolt that nearly knocked me off my chair.

“Dale, do you realize how crazy that sounds?” I whispered, glancing around like someone might overhear us. “We’ve only known each other for a week.”

“Sometimes the best things in life are crazy.”

I laughed. “I can’t argue with that.”

It was crazy.

It was all crazy.

Me and Tyler Vincent.

Me and Dale Diamond.

But somehow the latter had fully eclipsed the former in my mind—and my heart—at least in the moment.

BURIED SECRETS

Should some secrets remain buried?

Dusty has always been a hothead, far more impulsive than her twin, Nick, the calm, cool and collected one of the pair. But Nick is dead, found murdered in their local cemetery, and Dusty simply can’t rest until she finds out who—or what—has killed her brother.

Sure the local authorities aren’t being straight with her—or anyone else—about what’s been going on in their little upper Michigan town, Dusty delays going off to college for a semester, defying her father and stepmother and taking a job in the local bar to start doing some digging.

Her focus soon fixes on Shane, her brother’s best friend and the town bad boy. The tension and rivalry between Dusty and Shane has always been palpable and sparks fly as the two collide. Dusty finds herself sinking in deeper with Shane and the mystery of what happened to her brother—and a lengthening list of victims—grows even stranger.

When everything comes to a head, Dusty focuses on one thing: What happened the night her brother was killed in the cemetery? She’s sure Shane is keeping a secret and she’s determined to find out what it is, one way or another.