Love Songs
Page 9

No—he wasn’t supposed to be thinking about his hair.
God, she was killing him.
Clara couldn’t help herself. Her brothers and Randy were right—Warner Wright was just her type.
He had a sob story, but who didn’t.
He had eyes of blue she could drown in and sandy hair she could bury her fingers in.
His mouth was soft and gentle, but when he’d finally started to kiss her—oh Lord, she could faint.
It was completely understood, in her own mind at least, that she might have just screwed up everything. Warner might think she’s just out to use him, but she couldn’t stop what she was doing.
Oh, she would stop. She wasn’t the kind of woman to let things go too far, she wasn’t ready yet.
When she finally did pull back they were both breathless. “I couldn’t help myself,” she said. Certainly she wasn’t going to say she was sorry.
“I had just been thinking about doing that myself.”
She laughed at that. “Good.”
“This changes things a bit, doesn’t it?”
She sat back in her seat. “How about we agree that we don’t let it?”
He nodded. “Agreed.”
“In fact, meet me at the theater tomorrow around lunch and we’ll finish off these leftovers.”
“You have to rehearse?”
“I have auditions.”
“You’re auditioning for another show?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m directing it.
He smiled. “I think that is extremely cool.”
Clara chuckled. “Would you like to audition?”
“No.”
She sighed. Oh, her heart was gone. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
He opened the door. “Maybe tomorrow you can tell me your story.”
“My story?”
“Yeah, I was extremely sure that your parents were married by the way they acted tonight.”
“They are married.”
He was smiling. “You said they were divorced.”
Clara nodded. “I suppose that does need some clarification, huh?”
“Tomorrow.” He stepped out of the Jeep. “Goodnight.”
Clara watched him walk toward his beat up truck. She sure hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed if they didn’t sell his songs. He had a lot of faith in her that she didn’t have.
Sure, she could belt out a tune and she loved the work she did in the theater. But singing had just been a love—a passion. It was never supposed to be relied on.
She’d do her best and she only hoped her best was enough.
Chapter Four
Clara pulled into the driveway and put her Jeep in park. Her presence didn’t seem to bother her brother any. Christian continued to kiss his girlfriend Victoria goodbye at her car.
She laughed as she climbed from the Jeep and reached in for the carry out bag of barbeque. Christian was happy and that meant a lot to her. But it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to do all she could to razz him about it.
Victoria raised a hand in a wave as she climbed into her car and Clara walked up the front steps to the house her Aunt still owned and she now occupied.
Christian limped toward her.
“Why don’t you go home with her?” Clara asked as he neared her.
“She’s a very, very good girl. We’ve been discussing our future and it seems that perhaps sleeping in the same bed just might work out for her…soon.”
Clara laughed. “She’s in her mid-twenties and works with athletes and is a virgin?”
Christian’s face hardened. “I didn’t say that. I said she was a very good girl. Sometimes that means changing how you think about things and taking another path.”
Clara nodded slowly. “She’s not going to sleep with you.”
He huffed out a breath and walked past her into the house. “You know, Mom would appreciate and approve of us waiting until we’re married.”
“You’re getting married?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
That did something funny to Clara’s stomach. She followed Christian into the kitchen and touched his shoulder. “Is that why you’re having a house built and you’re sleeping in my spare room?”
“I’m not going to be a ball player much longer. In fact, have you seen me even play in a year? No, because I’m benched and can’t even walk the freaking plates.”
“Chris…”
“I’m washed up and I never got the chance to even be someone.”
“That’s not true.”
Christian shook his head. “Listen, I don’t have business sense like Ed. I don’t have talent like you. I could play ball and now I can’t.”
She didn’t like when he got like this and if she kept pushing he’d fall down a pit of depression and she’d seen him do that too much in the past year. Victoria was the one person who kept him from hitting rock bottom.
“I’m happy for the two of you. I think she’d make a wonderful wife.”
His face softened. “I do too.”
“I bet you’d have real cute kids too.”
This time he smiled wide. “Her sister and Dave—our pitcher,” he said looking at her for confirmation that she did indeed know who he was talking about. “They have the damn cutest kids I’ve ever seen.”
Clara laughed. “Christian Keller, I think you’re a goner.”
“Yeah, I think I am.”
Clara moved past him to the refrigerator. She made a space for the bag of barbeque and pulled out a bottle of water. She twisted off the cap as she heard footsteps moving up the back stairs toward the kitchen.
“Hey, Tyler.”
“Hey.” He stood before her jean clad and barefoot with no shirt. She noticed he’d gotten a new tattoo on his arm. The welts were still fresh.
“New ink?”
“Yeah. Kinda felt like I needed it.”
She smiled. It was the infinity symbol that she had on her wrist and each of her brothers and Darcy had too.
“I like it,” she said before taking another sip of her water.
Tyler nodded as he rested against the wall, his thumbs tucked into the front pockets of his jeans.
“Listen, I’m sorry I wasn’t there tonight to hear you sing. I was told it was amazing—as usual.”