Triple Beat-nook (3 page)

So…she ran. Somehow she’d managed to survive on her own for three weeks. When Dani looked back on that time, it all seemed like one giant blur. She had been a homeless runaway with less than a hundred dollars in her pocket and no idea where she was going.

During those few weeks, she had succeeded in putting some serious distance between her and her father. She didn’t have a clue how far she’d walked when she had stumbled into an all-night diner just off the highway one night.

***

Dani was running on empty, sleeping sporadically and for short periods at a time. She’d eaten the last of the peanut butter and crackers and other food she’d taken from Mama Lewis’ house two days earlier. Since then, she’d only had some fruit she had stolen from an orchard. Her stomach ached with emptiness.

She was dirty and tired and she needed somewhere warm to sit down for a little while. She’d only been in the diner a few minutes before she found herself regretting the decision to stop. The waitress was eyeing her suspiciously.

The last thing Dani needed was for the woman to call the cops, so she painted on a friendly smile as she sat down and perused the menu. She quickly scanned the list, looking for the cheapest thing. She didn’t dare dip too deeply into her money. There was hardly any in her pocket as it was. As she ordered an egg and toast, her stomach growled loudly.

An older woman turned around in the booth next to hers. Dani was actually surprised when she saw the face. She’d thought it had been a man sitting there at first.

“Is that your stomach making that god-awful racket?” the woman asked, her voice gravelly and deep. Dani pegged her for a two-pack-a-day gal.

Dani nodded and glanced toward the door. She’d been stupid to come out in public. For three weeks, she had avoided main roads and public places, staying hidden as much as possible.

“Egg and toast ain’t gonna help that.”

To Dani’s surprise, the woman rose from her seat, picked up her cup of coffee and shifted over to Dani’s booth.

“You alone?” she asked, even as she plopped down across from Dani.

Again, Dani nodded, not sure what to do. She was too tired and hungry and her voice was rusty from lack of use.

The woman chuckled, the sound morphing into a light cough at the end. “Don’t talk much, do you? I’m Stella.”

She stuck out her hand, so Dani shook it. “Dani.”

“Well, Dani. I’m at the end of a cross-country run.” Stella pointed her thumb out the window, directing Dani’s attention to the tractor-trailer parked outside. “Had only myself for company for weeks. You mind if I join you?”

Dani shook her head, afraid to kick up a fuss about anything in case it caused a scene. Stella reminded her quite a lot of Mama Lewis. Thinking of the dear woman sent a pang of homesickness through her.

Not that it mattered. The judge had believed her father when he said he’d climbed on the wagon, that alcohol had been his downfall, and he had kicked that demon out and seen the error of his ways. He swore he’d been a good and loving father before his wife’s death sent him to the bottle. And because he’d had no previous arrests or complaints prior to the night he’d tried to rape her, the judge had decided she’d be better off with the sexual molester rather than the loving woman who’d treated her like a beloved daughter. God bless the court system.

Stella raised her hand to call the waitress back. “You drink coffee?”

“I’ve never tried it.”

Stella’s eyebrows rose. “Really? Well, maybe I shouldn’t be the one to start you down that path. Shit is addictive.” She looked at the waitress as she pointed to her coffee cup. “I’d like a top-up on the high octane. And get my friend here a Coke. Oh, and add a cheeseburger and fries to that order of hers. You eat meat, right?”

Again Dani nodded, mentally calculating how much money this meal would cost her. “Yes, but—”

Stella winked. “My treat.”

Tears sprung to Dani’s eyes as the waitress turned back to the kitchen. Mercifully, she didn’t see them, but Stella did. She reached across the table and squeezed Dani’s hand. “Steady, girl. It’s just a burger.”

Dani laughed and sniffled. “Thank you.”

Stella pointed to the guitar by Dani’s seat “You play?”

Grateful for the distraction, Dani shrugged lightly. “A little. I love music.”

Actually, she’d played the instrument nonstop since Mama Lewis had given it to her for Christmas the year before last. After so many years spent listening to music as a form of escape, it had felt amazing to Dani to be able to sing out loud. Mama Lewis told her she had the voice of an angel. A compliment she wondered if the kind woman regretted, since it had encouraged Dani to sing even more.

Stella gave her an approving look. “I live in Nashville. That’s where I’m heading now. Lots of musicians there. Pretty sure I’m the only person in the city who can’t carry a tune in a bucket.  Figure the only reason they let me stay there is because I’m out of town more than I’m in it.”

Dani found herself envious of Stella’s life, her freedom to come and go as she pleased. “You must’ve seen a lot of the country.” This past month was the first time Dani had ever stepped foot out of New Orleans. Her world had been so small for so long.

Stella shrugged. “Seen about as much as you can see from a highway. Don’t get many chances to stop and play tourist. Even so, I’ve seen some pretty cool stuff.”

The waitress brought their food and Dani let Stella carry the conversation as she dug into the first real meal she’d had in weeks. Twice, Stella placed her hand over Dani’s to encourage her to slow down so she wouldn’t get sick.

As they ate, Stella told her about some of the places she’d seen, and then had her cracking up as she told funny stories about other truckers she’d met on the road. Stella was a born storyteller.

Once the waitress had cleared their plates and Stella paid the bill, the conversation winded down. “Where you headed?” Stella asked.

Dani clenched her hands in her lap, hoping Stella wouldn’t notice her nervousness. They’d been having so much fun, Dani had almost forgotten about her predicament.

“Um…” She searched for an answer, but the abundance of food had only intensified how exhausted she was. It was all Dani could do not to curl up in a ball on the floor and fall asleep.

“You got anywhere to be, Dani?”

Dani shook her head. She’d probably pay dearly for that honesty, but she could read the concern in Stella’s eyes.

Stella didn’t talk for a long time. Instead, she simply studied Dani’s face. If eyes could plead, Dani’s were begging.

Please don’t call the cops.

Please don’t ask me any questions.

Please don’t make me go back.

Finally, Stella said, “Seems like a girl with a guitar belongs in Nashville. Want a ride?”

***

Dani wiped away another tear as she recalled that night. Stella had given her so much more than a ride. She’d opened her home to Dani, helped her find a job and, when Dani really thought about it, Stella had probably saved her life. She wasn’t sure how long she would have survived living on the street before something bad happened. When she looked back now, Dani was shocked she’d made it three weeks on her own.

Stella had been right. Dani
did
belong in Nashville. The city gave her new hope, inspired her, helped her find her voice. She’d needed a fresh start and Music City had given it to her.

Now she was standing at another crossroads, very much like she had been the night she met Stella. If she could make it through the next week, she might have a fighting chance at a real future. One with no roadblocks in her path or cinderblocks weighing her down.

All she had to do was stand up to the devil.

“Oh, hell no. Are you kidding me?” Dani picked up her guitar, grabbed the handle to drag her rolling suitcase, and made it one whole step away when Aiden followed out of the room and caught her arm and stopped her.

“Wait. Dammit, Dani. Just hold on.”

“What are you doing here, Aiden? Why are you in my room?” Then, because she knew he’d be there, she glanced over Aiden’s shoulder. Sure enough, Bryson was leaning against a nearby wall. He looked casual and relaxed, but she didn’t doubt for a minute he’d chase her down if she got away from Aiden.

“Bryson,” she said in cold acknowledgement. The bastard had the temerity to grin and wink.

She took three steps into the room, ready to coldcock the fucker before she realized her mistake. The door closed behind her.

Dani spun angrily. “Open the door or I’m screaming.”

Aiden leaned against it and crossed his arms. “Go ahead. We’re in the penthouse suite. There’s no one else on this floor.”

She’d spent the entire night on the road, memory after memory bombarding her. Now she was worn out and on edge. Her nerves were tattered and her emotions riding way to close to the surface. Finding Bryson and Aiden in New Orleans was the last thing she needed. “I don’t want you here.”

“Tough,” Bryson said, approaching them.

“How did you know where to find me?”

“Marco called to see if we’d be joining you in New Orleans this weekend. Lucky for you, I think pretty damn quick on my feet. Said of course we were.”

Bryson’s smug smile had her fist clenching again.

She’d been a fool to accept Marco’s offer of a place to stay in New Orleans. She hadn’t meant to tell anyone she was leaving town, but the record producer had called to set up a planning meeting during the time she’d intended to be away. She had asked if they could postpone it a week, as she needed to make a quick trip to Louisiana. Marco had been more than happy to offer her the use of the record company’s penthouse apartment for her visit.

She had been tempted to ask Marco to keep her trip a secret, but hadn’t wanted to rouse her new boss’ suspicions. The ink was still wet on Closing Time’s contract. She didn’t want the CEO to freak out with news that she had a skeleton in her closet that had decided to poke its head out and wreak havoc.

“What’s up, Dani?” Aiden asked. “You’ve been acting strangely for a few weeks. At first we thought maybe you were just fighting some nerves about the deal and the new album. But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”

Bryson huffed out a hard, frustrated breath. “You left town without telling us. You never do that. If something is bothering you, just tell us and we’ll fix it. I can’t stand how you’re acting all distant and secretive these days. And now there’s this sneaking around crap. What’s wrong?”

She smiled sadly. Bryson and Aiden had been her best friends for six years. During that time, she’d gotten closer to them than anyone in a very, very long time.

But Dani hadn’t told anyone in Nashville about her past. Not even Stella. She’d walked away from it all and had genuinely believed if she didn’t talk about it, it didn’t exist.

Then Jett and her dad had found her and doors she’d thought were locked forever flew open.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Bryson took a quick step toward her, angry at her response. She stiffened her spine. It wouldn’t be the first time Bryson had tried to play knight to her damsel. The only problem was she never let him see her distress. “Goddammit, Dani. I thought we were past this.”

She knew what he referred to. When they’d first started writing music together, she’d held both men at bay, working hard to remain aloof. It had taken the better part of a year before she’d trusted them enough to share little bits of her life with them. Meanwhile, Bryson and Aiden had been open books from day one. How many times had she wished she could be more like them?

Aiden put a hand on his best friend’s shoulder, holding him back. “We didn’t come here to fight, Dani.”

Dani wasn’t sure if Aiden’s quiet comment was to reassure her or to remind Bryson. Either way, it worked. Bryson visibly relaxed. She walked over to a couch in the sitting area and sank down tiredly. Then she took a few moments to study her surroundings.

“Swanky place. Awfully nice of the label to let us use it.”

Aiden ran his finger along the top of a baby grand that stood in the corner. “I think this is going to be the norm for the next little while. We’re their rising stars and as long as we don’t blow it, it looks like we get to live the good life.”

The idea of the “good life” would have sent her soaring a month ago. Now all she could hear was the “if we don’t blow it” part. How would MC Records react if the details of her past came out? She wasn’t sure they’d be pleased to hear words like “sexual molestation”, “incest” and “runaway” hitting the media about one of their newest artists.

Her chest tightened as she tried to recall if there was something in the contract that would allow them to dissolve it. She was fairly certain there was. What if her father went public, made some sort of big stink, and MCR dumped them? It wasn’t just
her
future success she’d be destroying. It was Aiden and Bryson’s as well. And the worst part was…they’d be completely blindsided by it.

Bryson sat next to her on the couch, leaning against the soft cushions, his arm resting along the back. She giggled when he tickled the back of her neck. “I could definitely get used to this. Which is why it’s upsetting when the third member of our trio splits without saying a word.”

“I was going to email you as soon as I got here,” she said.

Bryson scowled. “Gee. That’s big of you.”

Dani rested her head against the cushions, Bryson absent-mindedly playing with her hair. “How did you get here so quickly?”

“We knew you were leaving before you left, so we booked flights,” Aiden replied.

She frowned. “When did you find out?”

Bryson stretched out his long legs and crossed his ankles, looking far too pleased with himself. “Marco called about an hour after you picked that damn fight.”

Dani didn’t respond. She didn’t know how. She had felt guilty ever since she’d stormed out of the recording studio a few days earlier. The return trip to New Orleans had been looming before her and she still hadn’t figured out how to tell Aiden and Bryson she was leaving.