Rock and a Hard Place (27 page)

At this close distance she could feel the
energy glowing off Peter. She screamed inside at the thrill of
being so close and knowing he wanted to find her.

# # #

Peter couldn’t see a damned thing. The
intense stage lights limited his vision to about four feet past the
stage. All he could do now is hope Roger would catch a glimpse of
her on the monitor as she came through. He’d given up believing in
the security personnel. They were more worried about kids sneaking
in booze than finding a lone girl in the crowd.

They finished their first five songs. The
energy in the amphitheater would have shot through the ceiling had
there been one. Now that the storm passed, the sky shone crystal
clear, and stars dotted the heavens. Peter signaled Adam to start
the next number, then noticed his parents next to a waving Roger at
stage right.

Peter ran to them, his heart pumping in
anticipation, while Adam and Garrett vamped the opening of their
next song. Please let this be good news. He looked hopefully at
Roger, not daring to ask.

“
She’s here!” Roger
shouted.

“
Yes!” Peter
shouted.

“
But we don’t know where,”
he continued. “Security didn’t get her seat number and she
disappeared into the audience.”

“
Yeah, but she’s here!” He
could dance on air.

Roger shook his head. He wasn’t having
nearly as much fun as Peter.

“
So how do we find her? Any
bright ideas, Romeo?” Roger crossed his arms over his
chest.

Garrett kept vamping on stage as Adam joked
with the crowd. He could always count on Adam in a pinch. His Dad
looked frustrated that Peter delayed the show.

“
Yeah, actually I do. All
the ticket winners had seats from row ten to row forty. Get a
couple of spotlights and start shining them on the crowd. See if
you can spot her. If you don’t find her in the next two songs,
we’ll send Adam and Garrett out while I do my solo. The crowd will
never expect to see them roaming the aisles. They’ve both seen
Libby up close and might find her.”

Roger looked doubtful, but Peter spun away,
ran across the stage and slid into place between his brothers. Adam
hit the chord and the next chart topping song erupted from the
speakers. Now that he knew Libby was in the house, he could barely
contain himself. He gave it his all. He could see the spotlights
roam over the crowd but the stage lights made it impossible for him
to see anyone clearly. He wasn’t worried though. She was here and
they’d find her.

Between songs, he called Adam and Garrett
over and explained the plan. Garrett smacked him on the back. Adam
gave a thumbs up. Oh how the brotherly love flowed.

# # #

Peter performed on stage like the
magnificent god she remembered. His tall lithe body moved with
amazing power and grace. She’d almost forgotten his impossible good
looks. Giant screens illuminated his every step. She nearly cried
as she watched his familiar movement. How could she get to him?
Maybe if she waited until after the concert?

The song ended and the lights softened.
Garrett and Adam left the stage. A single light shone on Peter. He
picked up a guitar and softly strummed. The audience cheered as
they recognized the song.

He looked introspective as he spoke to the
crowd.

“
You may have heard that
I’ve been trying to find a special someone from my
past.”

Her heart beat wildly. He was talking about
her. She wanted to yell ‘I’m right here!’ but the fans roared. They
all knew about his search.

A huge smile filled his face. “Well, she’s
here tonight.”

The masses thundered their approval.

“
Libby, I know you’re out
there. I can feel it. Where are you?”

The sound of Peter speaking her name nearly
brought her to tears. She wanted to shout out, but the cheering
audience made it pointless. Peter laughed at the crowd’s response,
the sparkle in his eyes clear even from where she stood.

“
I had a feeling that
wasn’t going to work.” He continued to strum his guitar. “Tell you
what, while I try to figure out how to find her in this huge
audience, you sit, oops I forgot about the wet seats. Okay, stand
and enjoy this next song. It’s called Angel Kisses, and I wrote it
for Libby.”

As the hoard of admirers delivered another
deafening roar, Libby watched transfixed. She didn’t realize he
wrote a song for her. Her love for him skyrocketed as she watched.
His beautiful baritone voice caressed each word. She remembered
that day so long ago at Parfrey’s Glen. Goosebumps covered her arms
as he sang of a tender love that no one understood, and how Angel
Kisses could wash away the scars of life.

Spotlights continued to wander over the
crowd, but to Libby, she and Peter stood alone among the red rocks.
The thousands of onlookers evaporated into the night.

Oblivious to her surroundings, Libby was
surprised when halfway through the song someone tapped her on the
arm. A young guy wearing a baseball hat and hoodie peered at
her.

“
Libby?”

He knew her name? She looked closer at his
face. “Adam?!” She couldn’t believe it. He’d changed so much. He
stood taller and looked older. He responded with his familiar shit
eating grin. Perhaps he hadn’t changed much after all. He took her
by the arm and pulled her toward the aisle.

“
Excuse me, pardon me.”
When they reached the aisle he waved to a couple of techies. “Clear
the way boys.”

“
So, you’re Libby?” one
asked.

She nodded, embarrassed at the attention.
The tech guys lead a path through the fans who stood in the aisle.
Adam took Libby by the arm and guided her as they approached the
stage.

Suddenly a wave of fear struck her. The
moment was here. Her reunion with Peter was about to happen in
front of this mass of fans. As they walked down the final steps,
she glanced up and saw the image of her and Adam appear on the
screens. A camera followed their progress toward the stage. The
crowd caught on. She was the girl in the pictures. After all the
promotion and news of Peter’s ‘search for Libby’, his fans knew she
and Peter were about to be reunited and they would all enjoy front
row tickets. Before her pulse simply raced, now it beat a staccato
rhythm faster than a snare drum.

The tech guys pulled out a set of steps from
under the stage and hoisted her up. She glanced back to Adam,
scared.

“
It’s okay,” he said, a
relaxed, happy expression on his face.

She climbed the last stairs alone. Excited.
And terrified. She stepped onto the stage. Peter stood at the other
end, singing with his heart and soul.

Peter looked across the stage and saw her.
He stopped singing and froze. Emotion clouded his eyes. He seemed
to move in slow motion as he set down the guitar and walked toward
her. The spectators erupted in cheers.

Libby’s legs felt weak. She feared she might
faint.

He searched her face and as he came closer.
Anguish filled his eyes. She could see all the pain and heartbreak
they both had suffered. He rushed to her.

Her surroundings forgotten, she ran into his
arms, oblivious to the roar of the audience, the lights and the
cameras. He pulled her into a tight embrace and swung her in the
air. Finally. Her world felt whole again. He held her as if he may
never let her go and she wasn’t sure she would let him. He moved
with her and rocked her to the beat of the back up music. She
remembered his strong solid body and reveled in the joy of feeling
it once again. Their eyes met and spoke volumes of love and
longing. The past hadn’t changed. They were back in Wisconsin alone
at Parfrey’s Glen. Tears trailed down her cheeks. He held her face
and kissed her in front of all those people and with the concert at
a stand still. He kissed her for the long months they’d been apart
and the promise of a future together.

Chapter 26

Peter wouldn’t let her out of his sight.
She’d never felt so pampered in all her life. Everyone was so nice.
Suddenly she turned into a VIP on the Jamieson tour. The biggest
surprise was Peter’s mother. After being introduced, she welcomed
Libby with open arms and hugged her close.

Security brought DarLynn back stage. The
parking attendant eventually believed their story about Libby being
“the girl” and he got DarLynn inside to see the concert. Together
they left Red Rocks in the Jamieson tour bus.

Libby had never seen anything so fancy in
her life. Plush carpet covered the floors. The back of the bus
featured a large screen TV and comfy seating for a small crowd.
Guitars were secured to the walls as décor and for easy access. The
rolling reunion bus took them to an upscale hotel in downtown
Denver. Jamieson occupied the entire executive floor. Peter’s
parents were kind enough to give a suite to Libby and DarLynn.

Libby and Peter talked late into the night.
She dredged up all that happened to her from the drug bust, the
horrors of the group home and her eventual escape. Peter relived
the experience with her as she recalled the painful memories. She
shared stories about the kind people of Pebble Creek, how Jerrold
helped her navigate the legal system and her plans for college in
the fall.

DarLynn stayed up late watching them, but
eventually climbed into her plush king bed. She left the door open
to the sitting area to remind them of her presence.

Peter told Libby about their new album and
that most of the songs were about her. He shared news that he
planned to buy his own place. While he loved his family, he needed
more independence and time away from their constant intrusion. He
even convinced his parents to agree on a second tour bus so they
all could enjoy more privacy. Late in the night they fell asleep,
snuggled together on the sofa.

Morning arrived too early with the sound of
DarLynn filling the whirlpool tub. Libby woke and snuggled into the
comfort of Peter’s arms, unwilling to leave his side. A loud knock
and the sound of the suite door opening forced them upright.

“
Good morning,” Peter’s
mother said brightly.

“
Mom, this is child abuse.”
Peter groaned. “I should have you arrested for waking us up so
early.” He tossed a throw pillow at her.

“
Doesn’t look like you two
got much sleep.” She gave them a pointed look, bustled into the
room and returned the pillow to the sofa. “You kids don’t need to
use up all your words the first day.”

“
See what I mean.” Peter
leaned into Libby and rested his head on her shoulder. “I get no
privacy. Nothing is sacred.”

“
I don’t mind.” She turned
and inhaled. Peter smelled like their warm sleepy bodies and her
faded perfume. Sleeping in Peter’s arms felt like pure heaven, but
now his mother pretended not to watch them. Libby sat up straighter
and smoothed her rumpled clothes.

“
Bring it right in.” His
mother held the door to the hotel suite open.

Two waiters wheeled in carts filled with
food. As they set up a breakfast buffet on the table, the aroma of
bacon, pancakes and mini quiche filled her nose. On the road trip
to Denver she only ate fast food, Cheetoes and red licorice.

“
Lordy, look at all that
food. Are we having a party?” DarLynn wandered into the living area
wrapped in a fluffy robe embroidered with the hotel
logo.

“
Good morning, DarLynn, did
you sleep well?” Peter’s mother asked sounding chipper.

“
The bed sure was comfy,
but I barely slept trying to stay awake and keep an eye on these
two. Let’s just say I’m not looking forward to all the late nights
chaperoning my boys.”

Libby’s face warmed. “Oh my God.” She said
under her breath to Peter. Chaperoned? How humiliating. “You didn’t
need to stay up? We were just fine. Plus Peter’s eighteen.”

“
Now, now, I’ll hear
nothing of it. He may be eighteen, but you’re not. If your mother
were here, do you think she’d leave you alone all night with a boy
and a hotel full of beds?” DarLynn crossed her arms, a gesture
Libby’s mom often used when irritated.

Heat crept up her neck again. No doubt, Mom
would have done exactly that. Peter squeezed her hand.

“
By the way, something’s
wrong with that tub in there. It’s all sparkly and pretty, but the
darn jets are so strong they kept shooting me from one side to the
other. I’m surprised such a fancy schmancy place would have a
faulty tub.”

Peter winked at Libby and grinned. Little
tingles shot down to her toes.

“
DarLynn, why don’t you and
I fix a plate and visit while the kids wake up and plan their day.”
Peter’s mom said. “Plus, I can’t wait to hear more about your
darling boys. I have experience on how to handle three head strong
youngsters.”

“
What’s that?” DarLynn
asked. “Put ‘em in a band?”

“
Exactly.”

While the women chatted like old friends,
she and Peter filled their plates. They huddled together at the
granite counter and ate. She had never expected to see him again,
and sitting so close was a fantasy come true. He seemed to agree as
he picked that moment to kiss her. She knew their time would go
fast and parting wouldn’t be easy.

They spent the day hiking beautiful Granite
Peak just outside of Denver. Roger found a trail off the beaten
path, free from hoards of hikers. Thankfully he stayed in the
parking lot so Libby and Peter could spend the day alone.