CHAPTER TEN
Roper glanced out the tinted window of the car Amy had hired to pick him up and take them for lunch. He still didn’t understand why he couldn’t have just met her and Yank at the restaurant for this sudden meeting, but she’d insisted. Now, as he sat beside her, she remained eerily quiet.
“What restaurant are we going to, anyway?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I’m new in the city and I’m bad with names. I can’t remember,” she murmured. Her gaze strayed out the window and she drummed her fingertips on the hard leather armrest beneath the window.
Taking her cue, he sat in silence, watching as the scenery changed from the luxury shops on Madison Avenue to more eclectic scenery as they made their way farther north.
It wasn’t until the driver turned right onto 102nd Street and merged onto FDR Drive that he spoke up. “We’re leaving the city?”
“Looks that way.” She didn’t meet his gaze.
His gut churned with anxiety. He braced his hand on the seat in front of him and leaned forward so the driver would know he was talking to him. “Excuse me, but where are we headed?”
“Upstate,” he said.
“Upstate.” Roper placed his hand on Amy’s jeans-clad thigh.
Faded-jeans-clad thigh, he realized now. Warm, tight, yet supple. He shook off those thoughts, reminding himself he was annoyed. He looked her over, from the top of her ponytailed hair to the bottom of her Converse sneakers. Her outfit wasn’t exactly business casual.
“Dammit, Amy. Don’t make me guess.” Because he didn’t like the direction his thoughts were going.
She turned toward him, her knees nudging against him as she moved. “We’re going to the lodge, and before you blow up at me, hear me out.”
He stiffened in shock. “What gives you the right to kidnap me and take me somewhere I explicitly told you I did not want to go?” His anger simmered on low boil. If he’d been with anyone but Amy, he’d have lost it by now.
She straightened her shoulders and met his gaze head-on. Now that he’d been clued in, she was no longer hesitant around him, but was the determined Amy he’d grown to admire.
“Correct me if I’m wrong here, but you have a goal. You want to be ready for spring training as close to the beginning as possible, right?”
He inclined his head, unwilling to give her more than that for the moment.
“In order to get ready, you need not just to be physically ready, but mentally ready.” Her eyes blazed with certainty.
When he didn’t reply, she nudged his leg with hers. “Well?”
“Right,” he muttered.
“Well, as far as I can see, you’re far from being ready either way. If you stay in the city with your mother pulling you into her problems every five minutes, and your sister needing help planning her wedding, and your couch-potato brother hanging over your head and shit arriving at your door—and I mean that literally, as well as figuratively—you’ll never have five free minutes to focus on you.” She poked him in the chest as she spoke.
He shifted in his seat, finding it difficult to argue the point, yet unwilling to concede to her tactics. “So you took it on yourself to bring me to a place where I could get tough for the season.”
“Yes.”
“Care to tell me where you get off manipulating me?”
“I’m paid to make sure you’re ready. Both Yank and Micki agreed we had no choice.”
His phone rang and he grabbed it from his pants pocket.
“Who is it?” Amy asked before he could take the call.
He glanced at the screen. “My brother.”
Taking him off guard, Amy reached out and swiped the phone from his hand. In an instant, she opened the window and threw the device into thin air.
“What the hell?”
Amy’s heart raced a mile a minute. She truly couldn’t blame him for being angry. But with the act of throwing his phone out, her heart pumped faster and more furiously in her chest. She’d scared herself while his face flushed red with anger.
“The Hot Zone will replace it,” she said, repeating what Micki had told her last night when she’d called to support Amy and her plan.
They agreed that given the chance, Roper would use his phone to call and check on his family or let them know where he was. Both women were convinced, though, that once he had the opportunity to unwind and he saw how focused he could be on his career, he’d willingly go along with their plan.
“I don’t believe this.” He ran a hand through his hair.
“Believe it.” Amy turned back toward the window, intending to ignore him.
Reverse psychology. She couldn’t think of another way to work around Roper’s anger. She curled her hands into fists and looked out the window, not really seeing the passing scenery.
“What’s going to stop me from picking up a phone at the lodge and calling someone to come get me?” he asked.
“Nothing except your own common sense. I’m counting on the fact that you want to get healthy enough that you’ll give this experiment a chance. See what relaxing without pressure does for your frame of mind.”
He’d soon discover that his suite had been stripped of a telephone and the staff had been instructed not to give him access to either the house phone or anyone’s personal phone. He could definitely find a way to leave or call home if he was downright determined, but it wouldn’t be easy. And Amy hoped that by the time he found the means, he’d no longer have the desire.
She drew a deep, calming breath. “I’m betting that after a few days, you’ll be thanking me for this.”
“Not likely,” he muttered.
“You don’t need to worry about your family,” she reassured him. “Micki is making herself personally available to them for any emergencies. You trust Micki to handle them, don’t you?”
He didn’t reply. Instead he shifted in the seat beside her and exhaled hard. Reverse psychology, Amy reminded herself, pushing aside the gnawing guilt.
Then she followed his lead and ignored him for the rest of the long car ride upstate.
* * *
A woman who introduced herself as Lisa, the assistant manager, escorted Roper to his private suite. He wasn’t surprised to see he had a dresser and closet full of his favorite brand of workout clothes, T-shirts and a note assuring him anything else he needed would be provided by the concierge—whom he had to walk downstairs to reach since he had no phone in his room.
The suite had a fully stocked kitchen, including a refrigerator and pantry, along with a set of dishes and utensils for him to use. A quick glance told him the coffeemaker was state-of-the-art and his favorite flavored beans were sitting beside the appliance along with a note.
Relax and enjoy. You need it and so does your career. Courtesy of Athletes Only and the Hot Zone.
On the nightstand, there was a list of restaurants on the premises, a room service card and a printed schedule of activities specifically put together for him. From the daily physical-therapy appointment to the orthopedist on call if there were any problems, to the gym hours and scheduled masseuse, every one of his needs had been taken care of. Despite the fact that it was already past lunchtime, even today had been booked. He had a full afternoon of rehab and relaxation waiting for him.
Obviously, he could find someone with a cell phone or grab a ride to town and use a phone, but something stopped him. Maybe it was the niggling feeling in the back of his mind that Amy had a point.
Though at the moment he was loathe to give Amy credit for anything.
* * *
Amy left her suitcase open on the bed and pulled out a swimsuit. She hadn’t had a real swim since leaving Florida, not that she considered an over-chlorinated indoor pool the equivalent of what she was used to, but she’d have to make do. She had a lot of frustration and, yes, guilt, to work out and she knew no better way than a swim.
She changed and headed for the spa and gym area where the pool was located, deciding to leave her captive to his own devices for a while. And since it was winter and most of the guests were skiing, she had the pool to herself.
She dove in and swam laps, taking the length of the pool with the crawl stroke she’d perfected as a teenager living down south. She made her way through the water, up one end and back down the other, over and over until exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her. Satisfied she’d burned calories, as well as nervous, excess energy, she drew herself up and out of the pool.
But she wasn’t ready to head back to her room just yet, so she settled on a chair and relaxed, planning to wander the area and get familiar with the other amenities before going back up to shower and face Roper’s anger over dinner.
As it turned out, he didn’t show up for the reservation she’d booked at one of the lodge’s most exclusive restaurants, nor did she see him for the next three days. She kept track of him via the staff and by checking up on him with the physical therapist and others around the resort, so she knew he hadn’t escaped her so-called prison. She caught glimpses of him wandering the grounds or working out in the gym, but she left him to his own devices, grateful he hadn’t attempted to borrow a phone or hitch a ride home.
She had to admit she was impressed. Even if she was growing increasingly upset and frustrated by his refusal to talk to her at all.
* * *
Three days had passed since Roper arrived at the lodge. He’d relaxed for the first time in ages, though it had taken a while. He had no idea unwinding from the reality of life could take so long or be so difficult. Hell, he hadn’t even realized how physically and emotionally taxed he’d been until his first massage.
At first, being out of touch from his family had been difficult. He’d worried constantly about his mother and how she was dealing with Harrison Smith. He wondered how many expenses she’d incurred without his sister’s permission in planning the huge wedding. He didn’t worry much about Ben, since without money, his brother was unlikely to get into too much trouble.
After a while, though, a funny thing happened. He stopped thinking about his family’s problems and he started focusing on himself. Not on the negative things, like not returning in time for spring training, but on what he could do to work harder and smarter in order to get back to the game he loved. Without his time being divided, he started to get into the routine set up for him, and he began to see how distracted he’d been before. How much he’d needed this escape.
How right Amy had been.
At first he’d deliberately avoided her, missing planned meals out of spite, wanting to make a point that he might have chosen to stay here but he was still in charge. He justified his actions by telling himself that he was just doing as she’d instructed, thinking only of himself for a change. Which he was. Yet he’d catch her watching him through the gym windows or eating with some of the guests she’d obviously met during her time there. He knew she was giving him space just as he knew he was being childish by avoiding her.
He waited for her at lunch at her normal time. When she didn’t show up, he asked Lisa about her. The woman told him Amy wasn’t feeling well. She was laid up with a cold and said she’d be in her room if he needed anything. He didn’t need anything, he was just starting to miss her.
Hell, he’d missed her from the minute he’d shut her out. But if she wasn’t feeling well, he doubted she’d want to see him, so he had chicken soup sent to her room with a Feel Better note that he signed himself.
The next day, she was still out of commission. When he called, she told him that she felt awful and didn’t want to give him her cold, so it was better he not stop by. He sent the doctor over instead, but respected her wishes and stayed away. Her cold lasted another three days.
In the meantime, he worked out, relaxed and fell into bed exhausted at night, earlier than he was used to. He woke each day feeling refreshed and ready to start over again. And he began to sense that his body was responding to routine, consistency and lack of stress.
Everything was progressing well. The only thing missing was Amy, and he figured by tomorrow, she’d either come out or he was barging in. After this past week, he’d come to the definite realization that if he was going to remain here next door to the woman he wanted more with each passing day, he was damn well going to do something about it.
His scheduled routine was finished for the day and he eased his aching body into the warm, bubbling water of the hot tub, soaking and unwinding. Every time he began to wonder how his family was doing or what their reactions were to not being able to reach him on demand, he pushed the thought out of his mind. He’d become an expert at it, and with each passing day, the guilt lessened. Amy was right—he trusted Micki to handle them. If a true emergency had cropped up, he’d have heard. He closed his eyes, tipped his head back and thought about absolutely nothing.
Much too soon, a female voice broke into his blessed silence.
“Mind if I join you?” she asked.
He forced his heavy eyelids open to see a gorgeous woman in a tiny string bikini sinking into the tub as if his answer was a foregone conclusion. Since he didn’t own the rights to its usage, he supposed it was.
Her chocolate-brown hair screamed perfect dye job and her wide smile indicated perfection. Celebrity-like perfection. Everything about her seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place her name.
“John Roper, pleased to meet you.” He extended his hand in greeting.
She grabbed it for a surprisingly strong shake. “Hannah Gregory,” she said.
He snapped his fingers in the air. “‘Lies Lost,’” he said, suddenly remembering her Top 40 hit. “I’m a fan.”
Her smile grew wider. “Thanks. Since I have three brothers and I was born and raised in New York, I’m a die-hard Renegades fan. Nice to meet you, too,” she said. Leaning back, she let herself grow more comfortable in the water.
He waited for a negative comment on his season, but it never came.
“So, what are you doing here at the lodge?” he asked.
“The band wanted to get away, so here I am.” She waved one arm in the air. “They went skiing. Brr,” she said, her distaste for the outdoor sport obvious. “How about you? What brings you to Greenlawn?”
He contemplated how to phrase his kidnapping diplomatically. “R and R,” he finally said, opting for discretion.
“That seems to be what this place is known for.”
“So I hear.”
She began to hum, a pleasant sound that didn’t disturb him, and he shut his eyes once more.
After a few minutes, her voice once again broke the silence. “Listen, the boys and I are having a small get-together in our suite tonight. Why don’t you join us?” she asked. “They’d love to meet you. Especially Mike, my drummer. He’s also a fan.”
Roper opened his eyes to see she wasn’t even looking at him. In fact, her eyes were shut and she was enjoying the bubbling water. Clearly she wasn’t flirting with him, just extending an invitation. One he appreciated, since he was ready for some human companionship here in Greenlawn.
He was surprised to realize that he was relieved the beautiful Hannah wasn’t showing any interest. Though there might have been a time when her perky breasts and pretty face, all probably molded by a plastic surgeon, might have appealed to him, it was the lightly freckled Floridian who held his interest now. Despite the fact that she’d tricked him into coming up here.
Damn Amy, even out of sight she wasn’t out of mind. She had obviously spoiled him for anyone else, which only served to convince him he had to act on his desire.
And what better way to break the ice after a week of not speaking than at a small party? “Sure. I’d love to come,” he told Hannah. It wasn’t as if he had someplace else to be tonight. He was on his own in this little slice of seclusion.
“Great.” She still didn’t open her eyes. “I’m catering food up to my room. That’s why we love this place. We can really keep to ourselves.”
He nodded. That suited his purposes just fine. He glanced up at the ceiling, then asked Hannah the question circling in his head. “Mind if I bring a friend tonight?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. The more the merrier.” She rattled off her suite number, then began to chat with him about the season in a way that told him she was one of the minority—an understanding fan who knew even a million-dollar player could have a bad stretch.
By the time he climbed out of the water, he realized that despite Hannah’s celebrity, she was as down-to-earth as they came. She even reminded him of Amy.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll see you around eight?” he asked.
Hannah, who’d also come out of the tub and had begun to dry herself off, nodded. “Come earlier if you can’t find anything to keep yourself occupied,” she said.
“I might just do that.”
“Do what?” a familiar female voice asked.
He jerked around to see Amy staring at them. He wondered what she’d overheard, and worse, what she thought was going on between them.
“Hey, there,” he said to Amy, trying not to look or feel guilty when he had no reason.
“Hi.” Amy lifted one hand in an awkward wave. The other pulled tighter on the towel that covered her one-piece bathing suit. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just thought a sauna would be a great way to finish off this awful cold. And it’s through there. The sauna, I mean.” Her gaze darted from Roper to Hannah, then back again. She took a step back, and then another one, clearly intending to escape.
“Don’t go.” Her obvious discomfort tugged at something inside him and he wanted to reassure her. “Hannah was just inviting us to a party tonight. Hannah Gregory, meet Amy Stone. Amy, Hannah is—”
“I know who Hannah is,” Amy said, extending her hand. “Nice to meet you. I love your music,” she said with genuine warmth.
More warmth than she was shooting his way at the moment.
Hannah beamed at the compliment, suddenly looking even younger than she really was. Given the frosty look Amy turned his way, and considering she had walked in on the tail end of their conversation, it was obvious she thought the events at her cousin’s wedding were repeating themselves. She believed she’d witnessed John Roper picking up a woman while he had another one waiting in the wings, hell, while she was upstairs sick.
Apparently, Amy didn’t know him as well as she thought she did. It was time he enlightened her as to the man he really was.
He looked forward to the challenge and to ending the night exactly where he belonged. In Amy’s bed.
* * *
Back in her room, as Amy showered to get ready for Hannah’s party, she knew there was no way she could compete with a music pop star who was gorgeous, impeccably groomed and much more worldly than Amy could ever be. Again, it wasn’t that she lacked self-esteem, she just understood what it took to keep up in Roper and Hannah’s world. They exuded star quality without effort, and even as young as Hannah was, Amy had no doubt she’d had plastic surgery of some sort to keep that perfect body and face. So Amy wasn’t even going to put herself in that league. As her mother had taught her, she should always just be herself.
Still, Amy was human and she couldn’t help but wonder what Roper had thought when he’d turned from Hannah in her itsy-bitsy teenie-weenie bikini to face Amy in her Speedo one-piece racing suit.
It shouldn’t matter.
But it did.
Just like she shouldn’t be personally interested in Roper.
But she was.
And that truth had been driven home to her when she’d heard the sound of Roper’s deep, familiar laugh coming from the whirlpool and she’d walked in on him making time with a gorgeous woman who, true to form, hung on his every word.
Amy knew she ought to have expected it, but since she hadn’t talked to him in a week and their last real encounter had been an argument, she hadn’t been able to laugh it off. Instead, unwanted and unbidden jealousy had swamped her and remained with her, even now.
Four days with a respiratory virus had nearly killed her, and Amy had dragged herself out of bed for the first time in days to take a sauna and visit the outside world. She hadn’t expected to run into Roper, and she sure as heck thought she’d look better the first time she did. But her nose was still red, her eyes sunken and tired-looking and her choice of bathing suit wasn’t exactly sexy.
She stepped out of the shower and towel-dried her hair, then used a diffuser to air-dry the curls. The one benefit to being in New York was the lack of constant humidity, but there was no getting away from the fact that she wasn’t a model-thin, glossy-haired starlet. She picked clothes that suited her, but at times like these it was hard to remember that she liked herself just fine.
Drawing a deep breath, she headed over to the room number where Hannah was staying. She’d told Roper she’d meet him there, knowing she’d need time to pull herself together before seeing him again.
Voices, laughter and soft music sounded from inside. Amy knocked once and the door eased open, so she let herself inside. She took in the small group of people, immediately noticing they were dressed as casually as she was in her jeans and a loose-fitting cotton long-sleeved T-shirt. One hurdle over, she managed to relax.
Then she zeroed in on Roper sitting beside Hannah, along with a bunch of other guys who joked and talked while she strummed on her guitar. Although he was laughing and enjoying himself with the guys, Roper didn’t look particularly hung up on the pretty musician. In fact, he seemed more mellow and relaxed than she’d ever seen him.
A sudden sense of peace settled over Amy as she realized she’d done the right thing by bringing him here. At that moment, he seemed to sense her presence. He turned her way, his gaze locking on hers. A welcoming smile eased the corners of his mouth upward in a grin that told her he was genuinely happy to see her.
She walked over and joined the group.
“Hi, there,” Roper said, light sparkling in his eyes.
“Hi,” Amy said, not wanting to interrupt the ongoing conversation.
“Join us,” Hannah said.
“We’re just listening to Hannah and her favorite relaxing music,” one of the guys said.
The other woman rolled her eyes. “They are not. They’re being guys, making crude jokes and basically ignoring me,” Hannah said.
“Who’s this pretty lady?” A big, dark-haired, tattooed guy asked. His easy laugh was at odds with his rougher appearance, and Amy could tell he was a teddy bear in wolf’s clothing.
“I’m so bad at names.” Hannah blushed. “But I remember your first name. It’s Amy. Amy…?”
“Stone,” Roper said, rising and stepping over to join Amy, placing a protective, possessive arm around her shoulders. “Amy Stone, meet Mike Morris, the drummer.”
“Hey, don’t forget about us,” another of the group said.
Amy glanced over. Two identical faces, both blond-haired men, stared back at her.
“Joe and John Glover, Amy Stone.” Hannah gestured between all involved. “You can see how rough it is. I’m surrounded by guys all the time. I’m glad to have another girl here.” She placed her guitar beside her and jumped up. “Me and the guys, we tour together all the time, but sometimes it gets a bit much, if you know what I mean.”
Amy laughed, glancing at the men she found herself suddenly surrounded by. “I can imagine.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Mike said. “She loves us.” His gaze caught Hannah’s for a brief second before he quickly glanced back at the other guys.
“Like a brother, baby.” She made a face at her drummer, but the stare and the connection lasted long enough to tell Amy there was something between them. Something they both fought to deny.
Hannah turned to Amy. “Come on, let’s get to know each other,” Hannah said, pulling her away from Roper and to the far side of the room.
She handed Amy a can of Coke and grabbed one for herself, another thing that surprised Amy. No drugs or alcohol. Everyone here seemed high on just hanging out and enjoying life.
“So how do you know Roper?” Hannah asked Amy.
“I work for his PR firm.”
“Publicist?” Hannah asked, drinking her Coke directly from the can.
Amy nodded. “But on this assignment, I’m more like his handler.”
Hannah nodded. “I’m ducking my handler-manager at the moment,” she said, sounding way too wise for her years.
Amy was intrigued. “Mind if I ask why?”
Hannah strode to the window and looked out. Amy joined her, struck by the beauty of the falling snow. White and full flakes dropped against the backdrop of the inky night sky. So different from Florida and yet so magnificent it took her breath away.
Hannah sighed. “My manager likes to keep me in the headlines even when I don’t have a CD currently out. You know the expression, no publicity is bad publicity? Well, she lives by that mantra and frankly, it exhausts me.”
“How so?” Amy wanted a point of comparison for Roper’s life. The two sounded similar.
“I can’t go out for dinner without the press finding out about it. If I call a guy friend just because I need a shoulder to cry on, the next thing I know I’m reading about how we’re an item. I know this sounds selfish considering how fortunate I’ve been, but I need some downtime and it’s been hard to get it lately.” She glanced around the room at the guys in the band. “They understand and feel the same way. So we came up here without telling her where we are.”
Amy placed her soda can down, unopened. “Boy, we all have a lot in common.” She didn’t know why she thought she could trust Hannah, but she did. Something about the sincerity she sensed in the other woman’s demeanor and personality spoke to Amy. “I basically dragged Roper up here kicking and screaming for the same reasons. Nobody knows where he is and I really need to keep it that way.”
Hannah turned toward Amy, her eyes full of understanding. “He’s had it rough lately, hasn’t he?”
“He has. Much more than he deserves. I want him to have time to regroup without personal issues pulling at him. Every day he gets here is a bonus as far as I’m concerned.”
“He won’t be outed by any of us, that I can promise you.” Hannah crossed her heart.
Amy glanced across the room and her gaze met Roper’s. He held the stare for a long moment before he winked and turned his attention back to whatever Mike was saying.
They hadn’t had a real conversation since the car ride up here one week ago. Her cold had sidelined her, but watching him now, maybe it was for the best. He’d had a chance to come to grips with what she’d done and why. He’d needed to be here and he understood that now.
Amy refocused on Hannah, realizing Roper’s emotional health depended on everyone’s discretion, but apparently Hannah felt the same way. “I believe you’ll keep his location secret.”
“I will. We’re in seclusion, too.” Hannah leaned closer. “You care about him, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. He’s my client and this is my first big assignment. I can’t afford to have him dissatisfied with the end result.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t talking about liking him as a client. I saw the way you were looking at him. Not just now, which was pretty intense, but earlier at the pool. You didn’t like finding him hanging out with me.”
“I…” Amy opened her mouth, then shut it again. She thought about denying the other woman’s words but what was the point. “Was it that obvious?” Amy asked.
Hannah nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
“It wasn’t personal.” Amy raised her hands to her hot cheeks, embarrassed at being found out. And here she thought she’d managed to seem professional.
“I know that.” Hannah waved a hand, dismissing Amy’s concerns. “Want to know how I know? I mean, can I share a secret so you’ll understand?”
“Absolutely,” Amy said.
“I figured it out because I have the same problem with Mike.” She tipped her head toward the drummer, who still stood talking to Roper. “I’m head over heels,” she said with a sigh. “We spend so much time together on the road, we know each other really well. I know he finds me attractive. I see how he looks at me, but he won’t act on it.”
“Why not?” Amy shot a covert look at the big man who looked as if he could handle himself with this or any woman.
“He says he doesn’t want to screw with the chemistry of the band if something goes wrong. But that isn’t it.” Hannah shook her hair out of her face. “It’s the age thing. There’s ten years between us. That’s an issue for him, not me. Age and Big Mama.”
“Who?” Amy tried not to laugh at the name.
“My mother,” Hannah said, wrinkling her nose. “And the band’s manager I was telling you about earlier. I think Mike’s afraid of her,” Hannah whispered. “Not that he’d ever admit it.”
Amy understood Hannah’s situation. She wouldn’t exactly say she was head over heels for Roper, at least, not yet, but the damn attraction was there and strong. But she didn’t want it to interfere with her doing her job. She didn’t want her private life to become public, either. Still, she couldn’t deny how much she desired him or the fact that the feelings weren’t going away.
Maybe she just ought to sleep with him, get it out of her system and be done with it, she thought wryly.
And then she wondered why not.
Although the idea had come to her suddenly, the yearning between them had been building since they’d met at the wedding and the feeling had only grown stronger since they’d begun working together. She swallowed hard and glanced his way. She took in his strong presence, his sexy body, his handsome face, and suddenly she couldn’t think of anything else.
“What do you think?” Hannah asked her, drawing Amy’s attention back to their conversation.
“About what?” She’d obviously missed everything the other woman had just said.
Hannah rolled her eyes, obviously realizing what Amy was preoccupied with. “I said I was thinking of just seducing Mike. Slipping into his bed and daring him to throw me out.” She laughed, but Amy could see Hannah was serious.
“Not a bad idea,” Amy said, wondering if she could pull off such a stunt herself.
“That’s what I’ve been telling myself. We’re here, we’re alone except for the twins—but they don’t care about anything except their music—and there’s no Big Mama to interrupt.” Hannah’s eyes flashed with anticipation.
“I like it,” Amy said, her mind already wondering how she’d manage it herself.
“As for Big Mama, I’ve thought about hiring another manager and cutting out the nepotism, but she really means well. She’s pushed and pushed and helped us get where we are. But honestly, she needs to back off sometimes. And if things work out between me and Mike, her interference would be a make-or-break point between us.” Hannah nodded decisively.
Amy knew Hannah meant what she was saying, but as she knew from watching Roper deal with his family, it was one thing to talk a tough game, another to execute it against a well-meaning but interfering parent. “You need to be blunt and tell her to let you live your life.”
Hannah sighed. “She thinks it’s her job to direct my life. Tell me, is it possible to prevent a steamroller from doing its job?”
“I wish I knew,” Amy said, thinking of Cassandra Lee.
Amy had spoken with Micki earlier and Cassandra had given her hell for sequestering her son and refusing to discuss his whereabouts. Micki had assured Cassandra that Roper was fine and taking care of himself for a change. She’d offered the woman anything she needed from advice to reservations. She just wouldn’t give Cassandra the one thing she wanted. Her son’s current address.
Amy looked into Hannah’s eyes and said, “Just remember, it’s your life. If you don’t take control of it, everyone else will.”
“Sound advice,” Roper said, coming up behind them.
“It is. It just isn’t easy,” Hannah murmured. “I should go talk to Mike. We’re supposed to go over some things for this summer’s upcoming concert. We’ll talk later,” she said to Amy.
Hannah worked her way over to her band and, with great finesse and a lot of sex appeal that included swaying hips and a full pout, managed to extricate Mike from the rest of the guys.
Impressive, Amy thought.
And when Roper strode over and cornered her, she hoped she had the nerve to act as boldly as Hannah had. What a difference a week made. Now Roper glanced at Amy with a devilish grin, all evidence of his anger at being tricked gone. So when he turned his sex appeal her way, it wasn’t hard to believe in herself and her ability to act on her feelings.
Because Amy was finished fighting the attraction between them.