he loved it here.
For the next few days, she would love it here, too. She would take some time to accept what had happened before she went home and figured out the next chapter in her life. If everything went as planned, she’d have her family to Nashville for Christmas and resume touring after the first of the year. That would give her plenty of downtime to come to peace with the past and map out a future that didn’t include the only man she’d ever loved.
She shook off that thought. If she went there, she’d lose the tiny bit of composure she was clinging to as it set in that there wouldn’t be anything more with him. All she had left were beautiful memories, and they were more than some people got in a lifetime.
Since she’d decided to stay a few days, she sent Levi a text to let him know.
Take your time, hon. This place is amazing .
Kate smiled, pleased that Levi was enjoying himself. They all worked far too hard and deserved some time off that didn’t include jetting to the next venue, sound checks, rehearsals, recording studios or screaming crowds.
She perused the room-service menu and ordered a bottle of wine, a salmon entrée and a tossed salad. “Wait,” she said as the operator signed off. “Toss in the chocolate mousse, too.”
“We’ll have it to you in thirty minutes, Ms. Harrington.”
“Thank you.”
While she waited for her dinner to arrive, Kate showered and changed into a pale blue silk nightgown and robe Jill had given her for her birthday. She was brushing her hair when her phone dinged with a text from Jill.
How’d it go?
Not so great, but I’m okay.
Really?
Really. I’ll tell you about it when I get home. What’re you up to?
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Are you relaxing?
Trying…
Try harder! Talk to you in a couple of days.
Call me if you need to talk. I’m always right here.
I know. That’s one of the many reasons I love you.
Kate put down the phone and stared out at the water until a knock on the door announced the arrival of her dinner.
Jill hated herself for knowing that Ashton drove a silver Jaguar with his AJM initials on the license plates. She hated herself for waiting for that silver car to come down the long lane to Kate’s estate. She hated herself for being excited to see him, for wanting to know where he was taking her, for caring more than she should about this whole thing.
For the thousandth time in the last hour, she ran sweaty palms over her jeans, wishing she’d never agreed to this date, or whatever it was. “This is ridiculous.”
To pass the time, she sent off the text to Kate to see how she’d made out in St. Kitts, and now she was worried that her sister really wasn’t fine but was acting like she was so Jill wouldn’t worry.
“You’re off the clock,” she reminded herself, though one could stop being an attorney and manager, but one never stopped being a sister. “She said she’s fine, and she’s a grown adult. If she wasn’t fine, she would’ve said so.”
Despite Kate’s assurances Jill had no doubt that her sister must be devastated, which made Jill want to cancel her own plans and fly to St. Kitts to be with Kate. She was reaching for her phone to call Ashton when a black stretch limo came down the lane.
Jill’s mouth fell open. “What the hell?”
The car came to a stop outside her home, and the driver alighted. Jill knew this because she was staring out the window. Even so, when the driver knocked on the door, she startled.
As she pulled open the door, she said, “I think you have the wrong place.”
“Are you Jill Harrington?”
Nodding, she stared at the car.
“Mr. Matthews sent me to pick you up.”
“And bring me where?”
“I’m afraid I’m unable to disclose that information. I’m told it’s a surprise.”
Jill stewed that over for a moment, unsure how she felt about him managing her this way. She was used to doing the managing.
“He said you
For the next few days, she would love it here, too. She would take some time to accept what had happened before she went home and figured out the next chapter in her life. If everything went as planned, she’d have her family to Nashville for Christmas and resume touring after the first of the year. That would give her plenty of downtime to come to peace with the past and map out a future that didn’t include the only man she’d ever loved.
She shook off that thought. If she went there, she’d lose the tiny bit of composure she was clinging to as it set in that there wouldn’t be anything more with him. All she had left were beautiful memories, and they were more than some people got in a lifetime.
Since she’d decided to stay a few days, she sent Levi a text to let him know.
Take your time, hon. This place is amazing .
Kate smiled, pleased that Levi was enjoying himself. They all worked far too hard and deserved some time off that didn’t include jetting to the next venue, sound checks, rehearsals, recording studios or screaming crowds.
She perused the room-service menu and ordered a bottle of wine, a salmon entrée and a tossed salad. “Wait,” she said as the operator signed off. “Toss in the chocolate mousse, too.”
“We’ll have it to you in thirty minutes, Ms. Harrington.”
“Thank you.”
While she waited for her dinner to arrive, Kate showered and changed into a pale blue silk nightgown and robe Jill had given her for her birthday. She was brushing her hair when her phone dinged with a text from Jill.
How’d it go?
Not so great, but I’m okay.
Really?
Really. I’ll tell you about it when I get home. What’re you up to?
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Are you relaxing?
Trying…
Try harder! Talk to you in a couple of days.
Call me if you need to talk. I’m always right here.
I know. That’s one of the many reasons I love you.
Kate put down the phone and stared out at the water until a knock on the door announced the arrival of her dinner.
Jill hated herself for knowing that Ashton drove a silver Jaguar with his AJM initials on the license plates. She hated herself for waiting for that silver car to come down the long lane to Kate’s estate. She hated herself for being excited to see him, for wanting to know where he was taking her, for caring more than she should about this whole thing.
For the thousandth time in the last hour, she ran sweaty palms over her jeans, wishing she’d never agreed to this date, or whatever it was. “This is ridiculous.”
To pass the time, she sent off the text to Kate to see how she’d made out in St. Kitts, and now she was worried that her sister really wasn’t fine but was acting like she was so Jill wouldn’t worry.
“You’re off the clock,” she reminded herself, though one could stop being an attorney and manager, but one never stopped being a sister. “She said she’s fine, and she’s a grown adult. If she wasn’t fine, she would’ve said so.”
Despite Kate’s assurances Jill had no doubt that her sister must be devastated, which made Jill want to cancel her own plans and fly to St. Kitts to be with Kate. She was reaching for her phone to call Ashton when a black stretch limo came down the lane.
Jill’s mouth fell open. “What the hell?”
The car came to a stop outside her home, and the driver alighted. Jill knew this because she was staring out the window. Even so, when the driver knocked on the door, she startled.
As she pulled open the door, she said, “I think you have the wrong place.”
“Are you Jill Harrington?”
Nodding, she stared at the car.
“Mr. Matthews sent me to pick you up.”
“And bring me where?”
“I’m afraid I’m unable to disclose that information. I’m told it’s a surprise.”
Jill stewed that over for a moment, unsure how she felt about him managing her this way. She was used to doing the managing.
“He said you
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