Chapter Five
Smoke looked up at the sound of a knock on his office door. “Come in.” He smiled when Piper poked her head around.
“Hi.”
“Hey. I’m glad you decided to stick around. Come on in. Take a seat.”
“Thanks.” She looked around nervously.
He wondered how she must feel being out here by herself. Laura had left for Nashville this morning. He’d flown her to the San Francisco airport, but he didn’t have time to take her all the way. She’d had to go commercial. “How are you doing?” he asked. “What do you think of the place so far?”
“I love it. I won’t lie; it’s very different from what I’m used to.”
“I can imagine. Flying cargo isn’t a glamorous gig, is it? I’m surprised you stuck with it so long. Most people go to the airlines as soon as they get enough hours in the cockpit. Laura said you stuck around so you could be close to your mom.”
Piper made a face. “Kind of. I could have flown for the regionals and stayed close, but I never got the opportunity.”
Smoke raised an eyebrow.
“I applied. I interviewed with them all, but I was never hired.”
Smoke frowned, wondering what he was getting himself into.
Piper let out a nervous laugh. “I know what you’re thinking; I can see it on your face. You’re wondering what issues I must have to have been passed over. Well, I can tell you. I’ve flown everything from crop dusters up. I’m a good pilot—a damned good pilot. I have a perfect safety record and a great attitude. I’m good with passengers, I take my responsibility in the air very seriously, I’m responsible for people’s lives up there. I take that seriously, even though my passengers are usually boxes and parcels. But,” she blew out a sigh, “I do have one major flaw, and it’s not one I can do anything about. So, if you don’t like it, we may as well forget we ever had this conversation. I won’t be offended, and I won’t say anything to Laura.”
Smoke waited. He had no clue what the hell she could be talking about and even less clue what Laura might have to do with it. “What is it?” he asked when it became evident she wasn’t going to tell him till he did.
“I’m a woman.”
He let out a short laugh. “I had noticed.”
She sighed. “I know, and it’s fine that I’m a woman when I’m just Laura’s friend, but is it still fine, or does it become an issue when I’m a pilot?”
Smoke pursed his lips. “Jesus, Piper! What century are we living in?”
She looked shocked. “The twenty-first, last time I checked, but the aviation world doesn’t seem to have caught on to that fact.”
“Maybe not in Texas, but gender? That is so not an issue here. I’ve never even encountered it as an issue. I know plenty of women who fly for the airlines. Okay, they’re outnumbered by the men by a long way, but I’ve never run into any kind of discrimination before.”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly serious. I’m kind of pissed to think that kind of thing still goes on. I mean, you want the best person for the job. The best pilot. I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman, if you’re gay or straight, if you’re young or old. I just need to know that you’re medically sound to fly and that you can fly the shit out of a plane.”
She laughed. “I can sure as hell do that.”
Smoke smiled, glad to see her relax. “I figured as much as soon as you talked about flying crop dusters. That’s real flying; that’s instincts. You can’t learn that in a classroom or on a simulator.”
“No, you can’t, but when you take instincts and then train in the classroom and on a simulator, then you get a good pilot, and that’d be me.”
“So, how about when we get done here, we take up one of the Cessnas, and you can show me?”
“I’d love to, but I think we ought to talk more first. I need to know what you’re looking for and you need to know if you think I’m a good fit. I don’t want to be discounted because I’m a woman, but I don’t want you doing me any favors because of it, either, or because I’m Laura’s friend. I don’t work that way.”
“Neither do I. If anything, I’ll give you a harder time because you’re a friend.”
“Good. So, what are you looking for?”
~ ~ ~
Laura looked out of the window as the plane touched down at the Nashville airport. She shuddered. She really needed to get over her dislike for this town. It was silly. She didn’t know the first thing about the place. Her reaction to it was all about what had happened to Kenzie here. As she’d told Piper, she was hardly likely to be going anywhere near Kenzie’s old neighborhood. She was staying at a very nice hotel and had meetings lined up with some big names in country music. She wished she knew more about it. Country wasn’t really her thing, though she’d been listening to it more lately—since she knew she’d be coming here—and she was starting to like it.
Once she’d collected her bag, she made her way outside and smiled when she saw the driver holding a sign with her name. Normally when she went to visit clients, she found her own way around and simply set up meetings to suit. This time the client had insisted that he’d take care of everything. She was staying at the Hermitage, and the car and driver would be at her disposal all week.
When she reached him, the guy greeted her with a smile. “Miss Benson?”
She nodded and let him take her bag.
“Please follow me. Mr. Fuller said to take you straight to your hotel, and once you’re settled in, I’ll be outside waiting to take you wherever you want to go.”
“Thanks.” Laura followed him to the limo. Lawrence Fuller didn’t spare any expense. Though she already knew that from their conversations about what he was looking for in an engagement ring. She wasn’t worried about his budget—even if she did have some reservations about just how extravagant he’d want the ring to be. She was known for understated elegance in her designs. Lawrence seemed to lean more toward overstated—which could also be perceived as gaudy.
Once she was settled in her room, she started to sketch. She kept drawing and redrawing something that might meet Lawrence’s expectations. It was all about what the client wanted, after all. Still, she had to be true to herself.
Three o’clock rolled around before she knew it and she hurried down to the lobby where the driver, Carson, was waiting for her.
“Miss Benson.”
“Please, call me Laura?”
He grinned, and for a moment she could imagine what he’d be like out of his uniform. He’d probably be more at home in jeans and a T-shirt, and with his looks, she wouldn’t be surprised to see him up on stage with a guitar. “Thanks, Laura. It’s nice to meet you.”
She smiled. “You too.”
Once they were on the road, he started pointing out places of interest that they passed. This town was full of musical history, and she felt bad that most of it was lost on her. “Do you sing?” she asked. She could tell by the way he talked that he cared about the music industry.
He laughed and met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “This is Nashville. Everyone sings, everyone comes here with that dream. Most of us end up working in bars or driving a limo.” He shrugged and returned his attention to driving, obviously feeling that he might have overstepped the mark.
“But lots of people make it, right? You just do those other jobs while you learn your craft and learn the industry until you get your big break?”
He chuckled. “That’s the dream. Very few ever make it. Most leave and go back to where they came from.”
“You never really fail until you give up, though.”
“Yeah, that’s my theory. If I keep at it long enough and hard enough, I’ll get there one day.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“Thanks.”
A few minutes later they pulled off the road and into the driveway of what could only be described as a mansion.
“Wow!”
“Impressive, isn’t it? Mr. Fuller has earned it. He came from a small town in Georgia twenty years ago with nothing but his guitar and the clothes on his back. Chasing the same dream that brings us all here.”
Laura smiled. “It sounds like a country song.”
He smiled back. “It is. Every writer draws on their personal experience.”
“I guess so. Maybe someday I’ll hear a song on the radio, and you’ll be singing your own story.”
Carson smiled. “Someday you will.” He brought the car to a stop in the driveway and came around to open her door for her.
Laura looked up at the huge, imposing brick façade. For a moment, she felt nervous. She felt like the barefoot Texas girl she’d been all those years ago. Then she drew in a deep breath. That wasn’t who she was anymore. Just like Lawrence Fuller, she’d come a long way from her humble roots.
Carson trotted up the steps at her side. “He asked me to bring you right in. He had a meeting with Clay McAdam and wasn’t sure if he’d be done in time. I’ll show you through and get you a drink if they’re running over.”
Clay McAdam? He was a country legend even Laura had heard of. She followed Carson inside, marveling as she did at the way her life had turned out.
“Laura!” A rich, deep voice with a distinctive southern twang boomed from the other end of the dimly-lit corridor. This place seemed more like a castle than a mansion on the inside.
Two large figures came toward them, and Laura smiled as she recognized both Lawrence Fuller and Clay McAdam. “Lawrence. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
He came and wrapped her hand in his huge paw. “You, too, young lady. I’d like you to meet a good friend of mine, Clay McAdam. Laura is the lady who’s going to help me make a ring for Shawnee,” he explained.
Clay shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His eyes twinkled when he smiled, and Laura liked him immediately. “Can you do me a favor and keep him in check?”
She raised an eyebrow, not understanding.
He laughed. “I mean, Lawrence isn’t known for doing things small, or being subtle—about anything. I don’t think Shawnee’s going to want to wear a chandelier on her finger.”
Laura smiled through pursed lips. It wasn’t just her then.
Lawrence frowned. “It’s what women want. The bigger, the better, right?” He turned to Laura.
“Not always. It’s often more about style than size.”
Clay winked at her. “You’ve got that in spades; I’m sure you’ll be able to steer him right.”
“Thank you. I’ll try.” She looked at Lawrence. “Though at the end of the day, it’s all about what you want.”
Lawrence laughed. “No, it’s about what Shawnee wants. Are you going to be able to kick my butt if I get off track?”
“Oh, yes. I assure you, I’ll have no qualms about telling you what I think.”
Clay smiled. “I need to get going, but now I can relax that you’re not going to let him mess this up.”
Laura nodded as Clay turned away and made his way to the front door. He turned back when he reached it. “How long are you in town, Laura?”
“Until Friday.”
“I’m having a few people over for drinks on Thursday if you’d like to join us?”
She looked at Lawrence. He was the reason she was here, and she wanted to be available whenever he wanted her.
He smiled. “I’m going, and Shawnee is, too. You should join us.”
“I’d love to, thank you.”
“I’ll see you Thursday,” said Clay before he let himself out.
Later that evening, Laura sat on the bed in her hotel room and turned the TV on. She wasn’t normally a big TV watcher, but it helped her relax when she was traveling. She was flicking through the channels when she spotted a couple of familiar faces. It was Chance and Hope. She smiled at the sight of them. She’d liked Chance since she first met him at Missy’s birthday party a couple of years ago. He was a good guy, although he’d always seemed so distant and broody until he met Hope. Hope was awesome. She and Laura had hit it off when they’d all had dinner at Missy’s place a couple of months ago.
She knew they both hated media attention, and she felt bad for them as she watched them battle their way through a crowd of reporters. It seemed Hope’s cousin, Oscar Davenport was throwing a party to celebrate the opening of his new night club in Beverly Hills. Laura shook her head, she could hardly see Chance feeling at home there.
“This is a new departure for tech billionaire, Oscar Davenport …” Laura zoned out what the reporter was saying as she focused her attention on the man standing by the waterfall outside the club, getting ready to cut the ribbon.
“Wow!” That was one sexy guy! Laura smiled. Smoke would not be happy if he could hear what she was thinking right now, but it was okay to look; at least it was when he was on TV. He’d made a very brief appearance at Chance and Hope’s wedding, and all the girls had been drooling over him then. She wasn’t interested, of course, but she could admire a thing of beauty. And damn, that man was a thing of beauty. He had dark hair, designer stubble and a wicked, sexy smile. He wore a very expensive looking dark suit and white shirt, open at the collar with no tie.
Her phone rang, and she reluctantly muted the TV before picking it up. The reporter had just asked why he’d named his club Six, and she was curious to hear his answer.
“Hey, Mom,” she answered. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Don’t you worry about me. I’m calling to see how you are and to see if you want me to do anything to help with the wedding? I went out to the mall on Route Twenty today with Aunt Chris. We found you a bunch of ribbons that we think will work. I’ll email you the pictures when I figure out how.”
“Aww, thanks, Mom. Did you take the pictures on your phone?”
“I did. Aren’t you proud of me?”
Laura smiled. Her mom had very reluctantly agreed to have a smart phone just a couple of months ago, and she didn’t have the hang of it. “I am, and I’ll be even prouder if you can figure out how to text me the photos from there. It’d be much easier for you than emailing.”
Her mom laughed. “If you say so. I’ll ask Dan to show me how. Chris and I are going to have dinner with them tomorrow.”
“Good, though maybe ask Missy? She knows how to do it, and she explains things more simply than Dan does.”
“Oh, good thinking. I will. I want to ask you something, but I want you to say no if you don’t like the idea.”
Laura frowned. “What do you need?”
“I don’t need anything. I just, well, I talked to your Aunt Cindy today, and I didn’t even tell her that you’re getting married. I wanted to, but I didn’t want to tell her and not invite her. “
“So, why didn’t you invite her? I’d love her to come.”
“You would? I wasn’t sure. I know you and Smoke want to keep it small.”
“We do, but that just means we only want our family and close friends there, not a bunch of people that we barely know. I’d love it if Aunt Cindy came. I haven’t seen her for far too long, and she was more like family than a neighbor when I was a kid.”
“I’ll call her back then and tell her.”
Laura smiled. She’d love it if her aunt could come. “If she wants to come, tell her I’ll get her plane ticket. It’ll be expensive this close to the date.”
“I don’t know if she’d let you do that.”
“Neither do I, but if it makes the difference between her coming or not, then I hope she will.”
“Okay. I’ll tell her that. And what about you. What’s it like in Nashville?”
“It’s good. Lawrence is much nicer than I thought he was going to be. Oh, and Mom, you’ll be so jealous. You’ll never believe who I met today.”
“Who?”
“Clay McAdam.”
“You did? You’re right. I am jealous. Isn’t he dreamy?”
“He is.” He might be a silver fox, but Laura could still appreciate just how attractive he was. “And get this, I’ve been invited to his place on Thursday for drinks.”
“Just you? I don’t like the sound of that, Laura.”
Laura laughed. “Only because you’re jealous, but no, not just me. He’s having a whole bunch of people over and invited me to join them. Lawrence is going and Shawnee.”
“Oh, I love her. Do you think you could get her autograph for me?”
“I’ll try.” Laura didn’t particularly relish the idea of asking, but she’d do anything for her mom.
“Only if it’s not embarrassing for you. I mean, you’re one of them now, aren’t you? You probably shouldn’t be asking. Never mind, don’t bother.”
Laura smiled. “I will if I can, okay?”
“Thanks. I forget that you’ve come so far. I still think like I always have, as though famous people, rich people are somehow different from us, but you don’t. You don’t think that way, and you don’t live that way.”
“It’s not that, Mom. I’m not turning into a snob or anything, it’s just … I don’t know.”
“Oh, I’m not saying that honey. I’m saying I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’ll let you go now, and I’ll see if I can figure how to send you these pictures. You let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“Will do. Bye.”
Once she’d hung up, Laura stared at the TV again, but she was no longer seeing Oscar Davenport and his new night club; she was seeing herself, as she used to be.