Chapter Seven
Jeremy—Mason TX.
MY GOD, MY RIBS HAVE got to be broken, the X-rays are wrong. I’m laying on the table as the Doctor tapes up my ribs. She pats my leg and helps me to sit up.
“Now you will have to take it easy for a few days, unfortunately no traveling until your ribs are better.”
“It’s not like I can go anywhere anyways, my rental car is totaled and from what your daughter says there isn’t a rental company in town. I just need someone to take me to a hotel, so I can rest until I can get another car and I can fly home.” I sat there for a few minutes and tried not to think about how much pain I was in.
“Nonsense, you can stay with us. We have a room in our house that you can use.” I shook my head and realized I really shouldn’t have done that. I don’t need a headache on top of everything else.
“I will be fine at a hotel, but thank you.”
“No, he can stay with me. I am alone in that big house and there is plenty of room for him to rest. I will be out working the horses, so the house will be quiet and he can rest. Plus, he came to see me so it makes no sense for him to stay with you.” Kennedy said from the door. I just looked at her. Huh, maybe she felt the connection too.
“Well if you’re sure?”
“I’m sure mom. We can set him up in my old room since it has a bathroom.” I just sat and watched as these two women decided where I was staying.
“Do I have a choice?” I asked as I looked between Kennedy and her mom.
“No.” Kennedy said as she walked over and helped me off the table. Once I had my footing I walked out of the room.
“I’m calling in a prescription of pain meds for you. We can pick it up on the way back to the ranch.”
I nodded and walked into the waiting room. I just wanted to lay down. I don’t care where.
“Jeremy, I just talked to Dusty.” My dad said. “She picked up your car and said that she knows it’s a rental, so you just need to let her know what you need to do.” I sat carefully into a chair.
“Thank you for letting me know. I guess I need to call the rental company and tell them what happened and hope that they will send me another car.”
“Take care of that tomorrow. Dusty said she has plenty of room to hold onto it until you feel up to talking.”
“Did you say She?” I must be hearing things.
“Yes, Dusty was raised in that garage and took over when her dad retired. She is a close family friend. Your car is in good hands.” Her dad said.
I must be in the twilight zone, cowgirls and female mechanics.
“Alright Jeremy let’s get you back to the ranch, so you can rest and get some pain meds in your system.” Doctor Sharon said, I nodded and walked very slowly out to the car.
***
Why is the room so dark? It took me a minute to figure out where I was and then I moved and it all came back to me. This has to be the worst idea I have ever had. There is no way she wants to come back to Nashville with me. I slowly get up and use the restroom before putting a pair of gym shorts on and slowly walking to the door. I realize the house is dark but there is a light coming from under the door next to mine. I knock on the door and she opens it, in a pair of skimpy shorts and a tank top, and she isn’t wearing a bra. Her nipples are tight against the fabric. Damn. I try again to will my erection into submission, she isn’t the kind of girl that I would just sleep with and then leave, and I’m not the commitment type.
“Hi, umm how long have I been asleep?”
She licks her lips and smiles. “About four hours. I saved you some dinner. Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“Do you feel like you can sit at the table or do you want me to bring it back into your room so you can lay back down.” She walked into the kitchen and I stood there for a moment and watched her walk down the hall. I had to adjust myself. I looked down and told my erection to behave.
“Are you coming?” She turned and asked. Oh there is so much I could say.
“Yep.” I walked slowly into the kitchen and sat at the bar. I don’t remember my ribs hurting this bad the last time this happened. But, the last time I was in the hospital and heavily sedated for a week.
“I hope chicken sandwiches are all right.” she placed the plate in front of me with potato salad and a pickle. I looked up at her and smiled. “I would offer you a beer but my mom said no alcohol with the pain medications.” I touched her hand and felt it again. It felt like an electric shock.
“This is fine, thank you, for dinner and for letting me stay here when you didn’t have to. I know I showed up out of the blue and my reasons were something I’m not proud of.” She sat a bottle of water in front of me and stood across from me. Arms crossed protectively over her chest.
“Why did you really come here?” She asked as she watched me.
“Truthfully part of me thought I could convince you to come back with me and record a demo because you are that good. But another part of me just wanted to see you again.” I took a bite of my sandwich. Damn this is good.
“Even after I told you in the studio that I didn’t want to be a singer? You still thought you could talk me into it?” She looked at me, and I couldn’t tell if she was mad or annoyed.
“Look, I have been in this business for years and I see something in you. I also see that you’re different. You don’t even seem to care about making it big.” I looked into her eyes and noticed she looked sad. “Hey, what’s wrong, did I say something to upset you? I didn’t mean to, I was just trying to apologize.”
“It’s not you, really.” she took a breath. “So, you said you wanted to see me again? After only a few hours together?”
“I sat and looked at your CD for days before making the choice to jump on a plane, fly to Texas, and drive to the middle of nowhere. Only to have a cow run out in front of me and then run me into a tree. Up until the cow, I thought it was a good idea.” Her face lit up as she laughed. Wow, her eyes sparkle when she laughs.
“You did? Why?” She really has no idea.
“Because I wanted to get to know you and I couldn’t concentrate on work because you were all I thought about.”
“You only met me for a few hours, how could you know in that short of time?” She licked her lips and the sight of it went right to my already hard cock.
“Truthfully? I have no idea, but the thought of never seeing you again really wasn’t something I wanted to experience so I found someone to work for me for a week and I came here.” She got really quiet but her cheeks turned rosey red. I took another bit of my sandwich and watched her.
“Did I shock you?”
“Umm yeah.” She turned and put her glass in the sink.
“Why? Haven’t you done anything impulsive before?” It’s not something I normally do but that doesn’t mean I don’t want something like what my brother has. Wait, what am I thinking? Where did that come from?
“Not willingly. Singing in front of you was the only impulsive thing I have ever done.” She shrugged and took my plate to the sink. I think I need to change the subject.
“Did I thank you for letting me stay here?” I got up to throw my water bottle away and gingerly stood against the counter. My ribs were killing me but I didn’t want to take another pill yet. I don’t want to sleep and miss any chance of getting to know her better.
“No, I think it was my mother you thanked when she said you could stay with them.”
I walked over to her and cupped her cheek in my hand, brushing her smooth skin with my thumb. “Thank you, I really didn’t want to stay in a hotel for a week or longer.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek, a fleeting kiss, softly. I felt the sting as soon as my lips touched her skin. I pulled back and looked into her eyes and saw a single gold fleck in the sea of chocolate that was wide with shock. I removed my hand and leaned back against the counter. Just watching her.
“Umm you’re welcome. I umm don’t want to sound rude but I need to get up early tomorrow, so I umm need to go to bed. Feel free to make yourself at home. I’ll um see you in the morning.” She backed out of the room and disappeared down the hall. I smiled and thought about the look on her face after I kissed her cheek. What would she look like after I kiss her lips? I can’t wait to find out.