Authors: Amanda Renee
“Nothing wrong with waitressing.” Adam gave Bridgett’s hand a reassuring squeeze, one that annoyed her more than comforted. “You live a simple life here in Ramblewood and I’ll be the first to admit I’m jealous of it.”
He must be kidding!
Bridgett held her tongue as the waiter set a dessert plate of churros between them. “There’s simple and then there’s boring.” She was stuffed from her chicken enchilada but the scent of cinnamon sugar and fried dough became impossible to resist. She broke off a piece of churro and popped it in her mouth. “Oh my stars, this is good.”
She wiped at her fingers then glanced up at his handsome face. If only she could make him understand. “The Magpie’s the only job I’ve ever had. I’ve learned a lot about catering and restaurant management from Maggie, and Mazie’s taught me some of the finer techniques she learned in Paris. She’s also gone into more depth on small business finances. I’ve always pictured myself running my own place—American food, small and quaint... Wow, I really am boring. My vision doesn’t stray very far from my reality.” She sighed inwardly. “I guess I might as well just stay in Ramblewood and buy The Magpie from Maggie one day.”
Adam bit into a piece of churro, sugar speckling the fiesta-stripe tablecloth. “You’re far from boring. Don’t put yourself down. Expanding on what you already know is how people get ahead in business.”
“I’m in dire need of new experiences. I’ve never been anywhere.” Bridgett shrugged. “I’ve certainly never been as far east as Katy. Well, I did go to Vegas but we flew, so I didn’t get to see much of the country. I’d love to travel the world and really see what’s out there. I want to experience life instead of just living it.”
Adam reached across the table and wiped a dusting of sugar from Bridgett’s chin. The gentleness of his touch sent a flush of heat through her body. “Maybe you haven’t done those things because it wasn’t your time yet.”
She used to believe things happened for some greater purpose, but now those beliefs seemed naive. If she wanted her life to change she’d have to take action. “I may never be able to afford to travel all the places I want to see, but I’ll certainly try. I don’t have a destination in mind, although your cross-country trip does have some appeal. I wouldn’t mind seeing the biggest ball of twine.”
Adam flagged their waiter for the check. When it arrived he released her hand, removed a couple of twenties from his wallet and slipped it into the restaurant billfold. “Well, maybe you’ll stay long enough for us to take that trip together.”
“Maybe.” Bridgett removed a hand-sanitizer sachet from her bag to wipe away the remainder of the sticky sugar residue from her fingers. “I wish I knew what drew you to this town, though.”
From the other side of the room, a woman shrieked. They both looked in her direction as a man knelt down on one knee and held a ring box open in front of his girlfriend.
“Yes!” The woman shrieked again. “Of course I’ll marry you.”
Bridgett turned to Adam and found him studying her. “I’m looking at the answer.”
“Excuse me?”
“You asked what drew me to Ramblewood.” Adam cupped her chin. “I’m looking at her.”
Chapter Five
Back at the Bed & Biscuit, Adam walked Bridgett to her door. It was almost midnight and the inn was silent except for their whispers in the hallway. Adam hated to say good-night, but it was too soon to ask Bridgett to stay with him. He kissed her softly, loving the feel of her lips beneath his, her body pressed against him. Then she slipped out of his arms and sagged against the doorjamb.
“How do I know this is real?” Bridgett’s pupils dilated in the dim light. “You had a whole other set of plans before you arrived here. And I sense there’s something more, something you’re not telling me. I’ve been through enough of my own crap to recognize that you’re in the middle of something major.”
A floorboard creaked across the hall, shattering their attention. They needed somewhere private to talk, because what he needed to tell her required a lot of explanation.
“What’s below my room—the sitting area?” Adam kept his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes, why?” Bridgett asked.
“Come to my room,” Adam said, lightly tugging her to him. “To talk, nothing more.”
For a moment, Adam thought Bridgett would follow. His palms immediately began to sweat in anticipation of her reaction to the truth. She hesitated again, and lowered her eyes to the floor.
“Not tonight.” Her voice was timid, almost shaky. “We both know it won’t end with talking. I’m not sure we’re there just yet—not because I don’t want to. I do, and I realize I’ve been sending you mixed signals, but I need to be sure. I don’t think I can face any more heartache.”
“Shh, I understand. I’m in no hurry.” Adam kissed Bridgett again and watched her disappear behind her door. Twice he’d tried to tell her the truth and failed miserably.
In his own room, Adam paced the floor. Why was the truth so difficult to admit? He knew the longer he kept it from her the more betrayed she’d feel. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he didn’t want to lose her, either. He needed to come clean before he wounded her beyond repair.
It may have been late in Ramblewood, but by Los Angeles standards, it was still early. Pulling his old cell phone out of his bag, he turned it on and ignored the voice-mail messages. He needed to call his manager before he lost his nerve.
Roman hadn’t been completely blindsided by the news thanks to Phil softening the blow. The rumblings amongst the band members that this would be their last tour had grown louder in recent months, as well. Roman had probably seen it coming.
“I’d rather see you end things now than have the four of you destroy yourselves. Plus, there’s always the possibility of a reunion tour a few years from now. Fans will pay good money for that.”
“That’s pretty much how we saw it, too. I spoke with Phil earlier today and he told me he plans to focus on his family. I can’t blame the man. We all need a break.”
“You especially,” Roman agreed. “I’d like to go a solid year without seeing your name in the news. I’m fine with you taking a break and everyone figuring out what they want to do next. I hope you realize you’re not just a paycheck to me. We’ve all become friends through this crazy ride and I’m always here if you need me.”
Adam had grown to think of Roman as family. He couldn’t count the number of holidays and birthdays they’d spent together. “I appreciate it. As far as announcing this publicly, I’m torn over the best way to handle it. I’d like a little time before you do because I need to prepare things on my end. I think my remaining corporate sponsors should know ahead of time. I’m assuming they’ll want to prepare their own statements. My family will probably be mobbed by tabloid reporters camping out on their doorstep.” Adam rubbed his temples. He hadn’t considered that possibility before. It was the last thing he wanted or they needed. It certainly wouldn’t help his relationship with them any. He tugged a notebook out of his duffel bag and added to his to-do list, which had tripled in length over the last twenty-four hours. He’d have to put security in place to help shield his family from the fallout. “We need a collective statement from the band along with a personal one from me. I’ve already prepared mine. I don’t even know if JP and Dave want to be in the country when the news breaks. Phil already told me he’s planning to stay with his wife’s family in Ireland for a few weeks.”
“Absolutely. Send me what you have and I’ll have a talk with your publicists. There isn’t much to do on this end.” Roman’s reassurance helped calm Adam’s nerves. “We’ve fulfilled all your contractual obligations and we’ll stop the promoters from booking any further dates. I hate to say it, Snake, but after the way this last tour ended my phone isn’t exactly ringing with offers. To be honest, if you hadn’t decided to do this, I probably would have told you to anyway. Clear your head.”
Adam eased into the wingback chair near the window. As much as he wanted this to be over with, he knew the timing was crucial.
“Thank you. I need to right quite a few wrongs, but I’m afraid I’ll hurt many people in the process. I’ve already destroyed my relationship with my family and their faith in me. They were the ones who nurtured my desire to be a musician in the first place.” Adam had rejected every value his parents had instilled in him and it sickened him to know he’d allowed it to go on this long. “And when I attempt to correct that damage by telling everyone where I really came from, I’ll lose the respect of my fans. Once they learn I’ve lied to them, they’ll want nothing more to do with the band or me. I’m not only obliterating my own reputation, I’m effectively killing Phil’s, Dave’s and JP’s, too.” The ripple effect had the potential of reaching far beyond the band. Adam couldn’t even remember how many fan letters he’d received from battered and broken kids who looked to him as their role model. If he could survive and make it off the streets, so could they. But he was a fraud. “The only reason why I lived with the lies so long was because I was greedy. It didn’t matter what the label said. It was my life and I should have stood up to them. The money wasn’t worth what it cost me in the end.”
Adam was ashamed to speak the words. For far too long he’d passed the blame on to everyone else. It was all him.
“I know I’ve told you before how I wished I’d represented you in the beginning, but you have to admit—The Snake was a global success. It’s hard to turn back the clock. It’s time to focus on the future now. What’s next for Adam Steele?”
“I want to open the music school I’ve told you about over the years.” Adam wished he could have told Bridgett about his ideas earlier in the evening. After years of planning, Adam finally had a chance to see those plans through. Not only would people of all ages be able to take lessons on every instrument imaginable, but he wanted to have a recording studio within the school, as well. His students would have the ability to record and learn all aspects of the industry from song writing to sound engineering and mastery. Telling Bridgett would lead to questions about his background and the more she asked or told others, the bigger the risk they’d discover who he was. He had to keep it to himself for a little while longer.
“I hope it works for you,” Roman said.
Adam stood and walked back to the bed where he’d left his notebook. He flipped it open and removed a wrinkled sheet of paper with a sketch of the floor plan. “Once the news breaks people will know my real name. Either it will help me get students or I’ll have none. Regardless of the lies, I’m a damn good songwriter and musician. My musicality doesn’t fade with the lies. I hope people realize that, but I’m prepared for the worst.”
“Do you want it worked into the press release?”
“No.” Adam shook his head knowing Roman couldn’t see him. “It makes me sound less sincere if I’m hyping a new business in the middle of apologizing for duping the world.” Adam refolded his school plans and added another line to his list. “I do want to issue a personal apology to the crew though. I hate letting them down along with everyone we’ve worked with on tour. But it’s time. I need to put The Snake behind me and live my life as Adam Steele again. I’m enjoying the anonymity. I won’t give you all the details because I need to keep this to myself for now, but trust me when I say it feels good.”
“What do you need me to take care of for you?” Roman asked.
“I’m going to need my house discreetly packed up and I don’t know who to call. I want to put it on the market immediately, but once I do, it will create a media nightmare. The vultures will start spinning stories the instant they see a moving van pull through my gates. That’s one of the reasons why I’m hesitant to do it today.”
“Your neighbors will probably throw you a huge going-away
bash. Maybe you should wait a bit.”
Adam winced. “I don’t think I understood how many people I’d pushed too far until this past week. I kept convincing myself as long as I created music, and people bought and enjoyed it, then who cared what I did.” He’d fooled himself into thinking he created more joy than misery.
“It’s been years since I’ve heard you this levelheaded. You lost that spark of excitement for what’s next a long time ago. However you’ve found it again, I’m just glad you did.”
Adam finished his conversation with Roman and sat outside on the balcony for a long time afterward contemplating what his manager had said. Roman was right. He had lost interest in everything, going through the motions of the day. He’d done what his handlers told him to do, not thinking much on his own along the way. When thoughts did start to fill his head, he’d throw a party or spend exorbitant amounts of money on the most frivolous crap...because he could.
Adam cringed at how horrible he had become. He wanted to make up for it now, if he could. And the first place to start was with the wonderful woman down the hall.
* * *
T
HE
FOLLOWING
MORNING
, Bridgett paused outside Adam’s door before she headed downstairs. She listened, but didn’t hear a peep from inside his room. Slightly disappointed, she knew she couldn’t expect Adam to greet her this early every day. Considering he’d be moving to the Bridle Dance Ranch soon, she supposed she shouldn’t get used to seeing him in the morning.
Sighing, she turned to walk toward the stairwell, but Adam’s door swung open and he pulled her inside.
Pressing her against the wall, he brought his mouth down firmly on hers. “You didn’t think I’d let you leave without a kiss, did you?” Adam whispered against her lips.
“I wasn’t sure if you were awake.”
“Exactly what I wanted you to think.” Adam grinned. “I knew the minute your feet hit the floor.”
“What did you do, camp outside my room for the night?” Bridgett asked.
“Did you know there’s a loose board in your room? It’s not loud, but sound definitely travels in this place when everyone’s asleep.”
“I’ll have to mention that to Mazie. We wouldn’t want her guests being disturbed in the middle of the night.”
Adam slanted his mouth over hers again, his kiss warm and inviting.
“I—um—better head to work.” Bridgett forced herself to slide from his embrace. “I’ll see you later.”
Still in a daze from Adam’s kiss, Bridgett almost slipped down the stairs. Gripping the railing tighter, she inwardly laughed at herself. A broken leg was the last thing she needed on her birthday.
“Are you okay?” Mazie peered around the corner.
“I’m fine. When are you getting a new runner anyway? You’re lucky it was me and not a guest.” Bridgett inhaled the aroma of fresh coffee and chocolate chip pancakes.
“They’re coming to install it this afternoon.” Mazie steered Bridgett to the kitchen’s bistro table where a stack of pancakes awaited her. “Happy Birthday! I’m not making these for the rest of the house. This is special for you only.”
“Thank you.” Bridgett poured warm maple syrup over her breakfast. “You didn’t have to do this, but I definitely appreciate it.” Bridgett lifted the fork to her mouth. “Mmm. Much better than that pancake chain in Kerrville.”
“That’s quite a compliment.” Mazie joined Bridgett at the table with her own plate. “Do you have any other plans for today besides work?”
“None.” Bridgett sipped her coffee. “Mom texted yesterday and asked me to a joint party for Abby and me at Slater’s tonight, but I’d rather not. I have to give her credit for texting rather than calling or coming to see me. She’s kept her distance like I asked.”
“Isn’t there something you want to do after work rather than come back here?” Mazie asked. “I’m surprised Adam doesn’t have the afternoon planned?”
Bridgett shook her head. “Adam has no idea it’s my birthday.”
“What?” Mazie almost dropped her fork. “Why not?”
“Because I don’t want him to fuss over me. And don’t you tell him, either.” Bridgett waved her fork at Mazie. “It’s better this way. Besides, he bought me a scarf on Saturday and that’s gift enough for me.”
“I think you should tell him, but far be it from me to get involved.”
“Oh, sure.” Bridgett rolled her eyes. “Far be it from you to ever get involved in someone else’s life. Definitely not your style.”
“What are you implying?” Mazie straightened and frowned at her.
“Nothing.” Bridgett knew Mazie wanted the best for her friends and family, taking on a role way beyond her years. She may be Lexi’s younger sister, yet she acted more like her mother than their own mother did. “I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
* * *
“H
OLD
UP
A
MINUTE
,
STUD
.” Mazie called from the kitchen. “I need to talk to you.”
Adam slowly turned to face her, uncertain what to expect. “Good morning.”
“Good morning. Listen, today’s Bridgett’s birthday and I am putting together a little celebration dinner for her here tonight.”
“I had no idea. She never said a word.” Adam chastised himself for not asking Bridgett when her birthday was after she had mentioned it was coming up the other day. “Are you asking me to join or stay away?”
“Why would I ask you to stay away?” Mazie tilted her head.
“I get the impression you don’t exactly like me,” Adam replied.
“I have nothing against you.” Mazie poured Adam a cup of coffee and handed it to him. “I don’t want to see Bridgett hurt any more than she already has been, that’s all. Of course, you are invited. Lexi and Shane will be joining us, too. I’ve already arranged for my inn guests to enjoy dinner on me at one of the local restaurants, leaving the night clear for us to celebrate her birthday without me having to worry about this place.”