The stress of being on the road with Savannah and her crew were lessened when Clara stepped into her room and there was a bouquet of roses and the card simply said, I love you! Warner.

She was missing him like crazy and it had only been a few hours. But since the night he’d been beaten up there was a new feeling that had emerged from this crazy, whirlwind romance she was having. The feeling was love, but on a grander scale and respect like she’d never had for any other person.

Ten cities and they’d be back together. His show would be wrapping up their taping and then they could be together. And for the first time since he chased her down in the street, they could find out about each other and she could finally date her husband.

The thought made her laugh.

Thanks to modern technology Trent had given her a grand idea. He was going to Face Time with Warner tomorrow night so he could see and hear her perform live. It was almost as though he’d be there. She couldn’t think of a better plan—unless she flew him out.

***

Warner sat on the couch letting the feeling of home sink in all around him. Only a month ago he had lived in the worst apartment ever and now he had a home and a wife.

His wife. God, wasn’t she amazing? He’d just watched her perform live at a concert in California thanks to the guitarist from The Broke Tourists. She killed it. His music had never sounded sweeter than when his wife sang it with her guitar.

He let out a deep breath when the phone rang.

“What did you think? How did I do?” Clara was screaming into the other end of the phone.

“Oh, sweetheart, I cried. I actually cried.”

“I did good. I did really good!”

He could hear the excitement in her voice and it buzzed though him too.

“Jeremy said they had someone filming so they could put it on my show. You know, loser Warner’s wife performing his music on tour with Savannah.”

“First of all you’re no loser.”

“That’s because I have a smoking hot wife.”

“Well you do.” She laughed. “Oh, Warner the energy that buzzes through this place is amazing. I mean sure, half the seats were empty when I took the stage, but still.”

“They won’t always be empty.”

“Tom Wheeler says we need to get these recorded and soon.”

“I happen to agree with him.”

“Ten cities,” she reminded him.

“Nine to go.”

“I’ll be home to you soon. I miss you.”

“Not possibly as much as I miss you.”

They finished their conversation and Warner ended the call. If there was as much energy buzzing through him, as she’d said, he wondered just how high on life she was at the moment.

He stood and headed for the stairs. He needed to get some rest. Randy had offered to meet him in the studio the next morning and help write some new material. Jeremy was still being tight lipped about who wanted to work with him, but he didn’t care. Someone was taking note and he was going to impress them.

As he turned off the light and cleared the first few steps his phone chimed a new message in his pocket. He smiled. She was going to be up all night. He might never get any sleep.

But when he looked down at the message his heart rate kicked into an uncomfortable pace and his hands began to shake.

Today would have been her 33rd birthday. You killed my baby. I will make you pay.

It came every year in a letter, in an email, now in a text message. Patricia Little still blamed him for her daughter’s death and he didn’t have anything to do with it. But what did it matter? His life was in her hands as long as she possessed the power she had.

Warner slowly climbed the stairs to his room. His adrenaline and excitement from the night was ruined. Mindy had made her own choices in life and she chose to stay in Vegas when he came home. Her death was not his fault.

He fell onto the bed and closed his eyes.

It was never going to end.

Chapter Twenty

Clara stood on the side of the stage and listened to the band play after her. The lead female vocalists were amazing. They just had great sound together.

Trent looked toward her as they finished their song and smiled. He knew that feeling too, she could tell. There was electricity that just exploded inside of you when the crowd applauded.

Four more songs, then the four of them ran off stage as the crew began to tear down their set and set up Savannah’s.

Clara was there to hug each of them as they came off the stage. “You were fantastic. Absolutely amazing!”

Starla, the dark haired singer said, “You were great too. A hard act to follow.”

“I don’t know about that, but thank you.”

“I’m starving,” Cheryl, the blonde who was married to the drummer, said. “They have food back here, right?”

“I love a woman who can eat,” her husband said as they walked away with Starla.

Trent wiped a bead of sweat from his brow with his sleeve. “What did your husband think of your set?”

“He was thrilled. Thank you for thinking about doing that.”

“Hey, what are friends for?” He fanned himself with his hand. “So you going back to eat too?”

“I want to watch her take the stage. I want to see that magic from here.”

“Okay, I’ll make Starla save you some food.” He bent over and kissed her cheek then went on his way.

Clara certainly hadn’t thought she’d made friends on this tour. She’d already had her emotional walls up and ready for attack. But what she was finding was that no one thought little of Warner, it was Patricia they hated.

Warner and Randy worked for twelve hours in the studio which Jeremy Smith had arranged for them to use.

Warner had to admit that doing the show had some perks. Of course Randy had to sign a million waivers to work with Warner and to acknowledge that he’d be videotaped for the show. That, Warner thought, was a pain in the ass.

As they wrapped up their day and put their instruments in the cases, Warner looked up at Randy.

“Thanks, man, for helping me out.”

Randy closed his guitar case and looked at him. “I was really pissed at you. You’re lucky I chose to do this.”

Warner shook his head. “What?”

“I had it in my head you were moving in on Clara and using her. Then you run off and get married. That isn’t like her.”