“That’s what I thought.” Tori frowned. “I
was you not so long ago, but I was lucky. I found a man who gave up everything
to let me have my dream.”
Elle had met Mike Cooper a few times and
knew he was as devoted to his wife as she was to him. “I’m sure he didn’t see
it as a sacrifice,” Elle said, trying to restore the light in Tori’s eyes.
“We’ve both made sacrifices so I could live
my dream.” She sighed. “We never had children of our own. That was a conscious
choice, but it’s one I wonder about often. Now that I’m getting older, I wonder
if I gave up too much for my career.”
Elle knew what Tori was trying to say.
Don’t
make the same mistakes I’ve made.
“I’m sure you have a very rewarding life,
with or without children.”
“I do.” Tori smiled. “Believe me, I’m not
complaining about the things I don’t have. Mike and I fostered kids for a long
time. We still do. That’s enriched my life more than I ever could have
imagined.”
Elle’s heart expanded when she thought of
the displaced children Tori and Mike had touched with their love and
acceptance. Had it not been for her adoptive parents, she would have been one
of those kids, shuffled from home to home. At least she’d grown up in one
house, surrounded by one family who’d promised to take care of her until she
could take care of herself.
“You were adopted, weren’t you?” Tori
asked.
Elle cleared her throat. “Yes.”
“Were you ever in the system?”
“No, my parents adopted me as a newborn.”
“Thank God for that.” Tori watched the crew
on center stage breaking down equipment. “Some of the kids who came to us were
so broken. It’s a hell of a life for a kid.”
“I can imagine.”
“Can you?” Tori looked her squarely in the
eye. “I remember reading in an interview that you’re estranged from your
family. Do you mind if I ask why?”
Elle hadn’t expected their conversation to
take that turn. “They had a biological child after they adopted me. I always
got the feeling they wished they could send me back.”
“I don’t know your situation, and I don’t
have first-hand experience as a biological parent, but I do know kids don’t
come with an instruction manual. Sometimes it’s really hard to be the influence
you want to be.”
Elle suspected Tori was trying to lead her
to understand and forgive her parents because Tori knew what it meant to invite
children into your heart and home. “I guess.”
“Is it possible your parents were just
under a lot of stress, trying to figure out how to raise two kids without
screwing them up for life?”
Elle smiled. “I guess so.” Her adoptive
parents weren’t bad people; they were just more emotionally detached than she
would have liked. Sometimes she needed a hug or someone to dry her tears, but
they were rarely there.
“Sometimes we hang on to anger and
resentment, and it shapes who we become.”
“You think that’s what I’ve done?” Elle
asked. But Tori wouldn’t be talking to her about this unless she saw something
that concerned her.
“I think you have a hard time trusting
other people and yourself. I think you question things when you should just
have faith, trust, and let go. I think you’re a workaholic because music fills
a hole in your soul, but also because you think you have to be. You have to
tour all the time, put out new music as often as possible, hit every radio
station in the country, because if you don’t, people will forget about you.”
Elle was shocked that Tori, a mere
acquaintance, could read her so easily. No one else had been able to see past
her confident façade.
“You’re unforgettable, honey.” Tori smiled
as she rubbed Elle’s shoulder. “You have something special, that intangible
quality most performers wish they were born with. It doesn’t go away. It’s
always a part of you. Even if you slow down, fans will turn out in droves at
your concerts and buy your music because they want to feel that magic you
possess.”
Elle didn’t think anyone had ever paid her
a higher compliment, and the fact that it was coming from one of her idols was
overwhelming. “Wow. Thank you.”
“I just wanted to give you something to
think about.” Tori stood, grinning. “It’s my turn to get out there and show
these old-timers how it’s done.”
Elle laughed through the tears blocking her
throat. “Can’t wait to see that.” Tori stepped away, but Elle reached for her
wrist. “I’ll think about what you said. I promise.”
Tori winked. “I know you will.”
Saying good-bye to Caleb that morning
had been torture, especially since Elle still hadn’t found the words to tell
him she wanted to marry him more than anything. He hadn’t asked, and she feared
he may be having second thoughts about his impetuous proposal, so she kept her
thoughts to herself. Now she was home alone, in the house she hated, listening
to every creak and worrying about whether Ricky would show up to silence her
for good.
When the doorbell rang, she squeaked. The
remote hit the ground at her feet. She reached for it and turned to the
security channel on her big screen TV. Breathing a sigh of relief when she
spotted Drake, she jumped up and made a mad dash for the door. She could really
use his company tonight.
“Hey there,” he said, smiling when he took
her in her appearance.
“Get in here,” she said, grabbing his
wrist, “and spare me the smart-ass remarks. I know I look like hell.” She was
wearing an oversized terry-cloth bathrobe, multi-colored slippers she’d knitted
on her tour bus, and a dishevelled ponytail on top of her head. Drake had seen
her at her worst plenty of times.
He laughed. “I’ve been married too long to
think about commenting on a woman’s appearance unless it’s to tell her how
great she looks.”
“Smart man.” Elle grinned, feeling better
already. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Just water would be great. Thanks.”
“Coming right up.” She gestured toward the
couch. “Have a seat. I challenge you to find something half decent on the tube
tonight.” She grabbed two bottles of water out of the fridge and hurried back
to find Drake frowning at the screen.
“Any particular reason you were watching
the security channel?” he asked.
She tossed him a bottle, feeling more
self-conscious than she had when she opened the door. She didn’t want anyone,
not even Drake, to know how edgy she was about Ricky. “I wasn’t watching the
security channel. I was watching
Forrest Gump
. I switched it over when
you rang.”
He settled into a chair, watching her as
she curled up on the couch and pulled a blanket over her. “Caleb told me he was
leaving today. He asked me to check in on you. He said you seemed kind of upset
when he left.”
“Of course I was,” Elle said, trying not to
sound defensive. “We’re only going to have one night together when he gets
back, then I have to hit the road.”
“Is that the only reason?” Drake fixed her
with a stony stare intended to make her squirm. “You still haven’t told him
about Ricky, have you?”
“He knows about Ricky,” Elle said, taking a
few small sips before meeting Drake’s eyes again. “He just doesn’t know about
Ricky cutting my brake lines, or threatening me, or sneaking around my house in
the middle of the night.”
Drake leaned forward. “How long do you
think you can keep this from him? This is serious, Elle. This guy could be
dangerous, but you won’t go to the police. You won’t even tell your boyfriend.”
“I told you, I don’t want to worry Caleb
with this.”
“Yeah, well, I’m losing sleep worrying
about you, and Cassidy’s starting to ask me what’s going on. I told you I’m not
going to lie to my wife, so we’d better figure this out. Now.”
Elle hated that she’d put Drake in this
position. She had needed someone to turn to after driving her car off the road,
and she knew she could trust him to keep her secret. “I’m sorry.” She peeled
the label off her bottle one small piece at a time. “I didn’t mean to—”
“Forget about me. It’s you I’m worried
about. Not only am I keeping things from Cassidy, but I’m keeping secrets from
one of my best friends.”
“I’m going to tell Caleb, I promise.”
“When?”
“When Ricky’s no longer a threat.”
“When will that be?”
Elle was in an impossible situation. If she
went to the police, it would be all over the news by morning, and that would
detract from the reunion tour. She couldn’t do that to Trey, Ty, Nikki, and
Tori. This was their moment, their tribute to the fans who had supported them
for decades. She couldn’t detract from that. Besides, going to the police may
set Ricky off.
“I don’t know yet.” She sighed. “I think
he’s just trying to scare me. It’s a game to him. Eventually he’ll tire of it
and get lost.”
“Are you listening to yourself? This man
cut your brake lines. He tried to kill you. Now he’s been spotted creeping
around your property late at night. He’s not going away quietly!”
“Settle down.” Elle tried to control the
fear building inside her. “I hear what you’re saying, but I know Ricky better
than you do.”
“You thought you knew him,” Drake
corrected. “Obviously you didn’t know him, or you wouldn’t have befriended him,
given him a job, let him live in your house—”
“Okay, you’ve made your point.” Elle pulled
her hair loose from the elastic and rubbed her scalp. “But I’m going out on
tour soon. There will be plenty of security there to watch my back, and Ricky
won’t risk getting caught like that. Believe me, he’s not the type who would do
well in jail.” She wondered how he was surviving without the weekly manicures
and shopping trips she’d paid for.
Drake set his water bottle on the coffee
table with a thump. “I can’t believe you’re willing to take this kind of risk,
especially now. Caleb deserves better than this. He’s a great guy, and he
clearly loves you.”
“I know how special Caleb is. That’s why
I’m trying to protect him from this mess. It’s the last thing he needs right
now.”
“That’s true.” Drake chuckled. “Just the
thought of going away with Vana on this business trip had him—”
“What did you say?” Elle asked, dropping
her water bottle. She cursed when she realized the cap wasn’t on tight and
water was trickling all over her expensive couch.
“He didn’t mention she was going with him?”
Drake asked, looking uncomfortable. “I just assumed you knew.”
“Why the hell would she go with him?”
“She… uh… works for him,” Drake said, his
face paling. “Caleb didn’t mention that?”
“No, he didn’t.” Elle was trying to remain
calm. She would have plenty of time to scream and throw things when she saw
Caleb. How could he keep this from her? Didn’t he think she had a right to
know?
“Shit.” Drake ran a hand over his mouth.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start anything between you two. I swear, I thought
you knew.”
“How long has she been working for him?”
Elle asked, trying to keep her voice steady. “What does she do?”
“His assistant introduced them a couple of
years ago. She’s an independent business consultant, does contract work.” Drake
twisted his wedding band, looking as if he’d rather crawl under the couch than
answer her question. “She’s been consulting with him on his business expansion
plans ever since. Whenever he opens a new location, Vana goes with him to make
sure things go according to plan. It’s no big deal, really.”
“No big deal?” Elle asked. “No big deal?
Would you think it was no big deal if your wife was going on a business trip
with her ex-boyfriend?”
“If this is going to work, you have to
trust him, hon. Not just with his ex, but with your secrets.”
“I need to get out of here.” Elle ran down
the hall. She didn’t know where she would go, but she wasn’t going to wait at
home like the dutiful little woman.
“What are you talking about? Where are you
going?”
“I’m getting out of town.” She had one more
rehearsal tomorrow, but everyone would understand if she couldn’t make it. They
would have to. “I’ll meet everyone in North Carolina on opening night.” She had
already packed most of her things, so she just had to throw her toiletries and
a few changes of clothes in an overnight bag. She would send someone for the
rest of her things, including her guitars.
Drake grabbed her arm when she walked into
her dressing room in search of her smallest Louis Vuitton bag. “You can’t run
away. You need to talk to Caleb, let him explain why he didn’t tell you Vana
worked for him, and you have to tell him about Ricky.”
Angry tears spilled down Elle’s cheeks as
she shook Drake off. “I’m tired of everyone telling me what I have to do. I’m a
grown woman, and I’ll do whatever the hell I want to do. I don’t give a damn
what you or Caleb thinks about it.”
“Damn it, Elle.” Drake stepped back when
she pushed him out of the way. “Would you stop being so goddamn stubborn and
just listen for a minute? I’ve known Caleb a long time. He’s not a liar, and he
sure as hell isn’t a cheat. If he didn’t tell you Vana was going with him,
there has to be a good reason.”