Page 16 of Born To Be My Baby

She pursed her lips slightly and crossed her arms. "Just like you."

"How about this? Let Dylan and I get our equipment to the trucks. Then I'll stand by and wait as you all get into your vehicle. We'll ride out together."

"That sounds like a great plan."

They strode to the sitting room together. She told Mina what the plan was for Dylan and Boon. Sean nodded. "We'll all ride in my SUV to the hotel. My guitars are in the back and the windows are tinted. It'll offer us some privacy."

She nodded, afraid to look into his eyes. Every time she did, her stomach lurched and her back stiffened. She'd done far worse to him than he did to her. She had no reason to be mad at him and every reason to be grateful he was even talking to her now.

She inhaled deeply as Mina came forward. "We have a private security company over at the hotel and surrounding the beach area where Dad and Chris will be playing tonight. I've also called Chris's assistant to give her a heads-up. She's informing Chris of the shit show so he isn't surprised, and security will escort him from his vehicle when he arrives to the stage on the beach."

"Is he staying in town?"

"No. He's driving in for the Crossroads performance. Your interview with him will be in two days. We're traveling back home to Tampa and will drive to meet him somewhere. We haven't decided. He's doing a concert in Tampa, though."

Sean inhaled. "Why don't we have the interview in the Barn? We have a nice lounge area and a studio inside. We can have the interview in the studio if you need echo resistant surroundings. Or, in the lounge, if you want your interview to be more relaxed. And it's less than an hour's drive from Tampa."

Mina nodded. "I like that. I'll arrange it with Chris's assistant. Thank you, Dad."

Sean chuckled. "Anything I can do to help, baby girl."

He used to call her that. Baby. She'd always been his baby. She made a mental note to listen to his song, “Born to Be My Baby”. Later, when she was alone, just in case it made her cry.

14

Sean walked behind Mina and Gloria as they neared the back door. Boon and Dylan went out ahead and loaded their equipment into the back of their truck. Boon then turned and nodded toward them.

Gloria huffed out a deep breath and stepped through the back door, Mina close behind. He crowded in close to both of them. If anything started to go down bad with some of these reporters, a mob scene or something, he would protect them to the best of his ability.

He unlocked his door, and Mina climbed in the backseat. Gloria in the passenger seat. He turned around in the driveway in the back so he wouldn't have to back out in front of the crowd. He wasn't sure if they would surge onto his vehicle or if the police would be able to keep them at bay. He turned his head slightly toward the backseat.

"Mina, call the police station, and tell them that we're leaving so that the police officers can be aware and clear the driveway."

"Okay, good idea, Dad." Mina tapped on her phone and Sean continued to turn the vehicle around.

Boon and Dylan were in front of them, waiting. Gloria picked up her phone and tapped it. Someone on the other end could be heard saying, "Yeah."

Gloria said, "Hold tight, Boon. Mina is letting the police station know that we're coming out of the driveway. Let's give the officers a moment to secure the driveway and make sure no one gets hurt as we leave."

"Will do," he said. Gloria ended her call, huffed out another breath, and stared out the windshield. He reached over and touched her hand with his. He squeezed her fingers. And if he'd said he didn't enjoy how her hand felt in his, he'd be lying. Electricity shot right up his arm. It was almost as though these last twenty-six years had never existed. He was transported back to when he and Gloria were together. All the times they had, they spent every waking moment with each other.

He skipped so many college classes, he was surprised he could graduate. She was more studious and attended every single one, laughing at him when he said, "Skip today. Stay with me. Let's play."

She shook her head. "Sean, we've got to get through college. It's important for both of us."

His courses weren't as important as hers. His courses were in business management. He just wanted to get his degree, get out of college. And then he and Jami were taking their band and trying to make it big time. All he ever wanted was to be a musician. He'd done his due diligence. He'd done everything that his family wanted him to do. He joined the military, did his time, came back to college. And good thing he did. That's how he met Jami. A thrill ran up his arm when Gloria squeezed his hand back.

He glanced over at her and stared into her beautiful brown eyes. In the sunlight he saw the fine lines around her eyes, a few around her lips. They were faint. They added so much character and he wished he could have been there for every single line. And he sadly wondered how many of them were caused by him. At the time, he really thought he was doing the right thing for both of them, giving them both a chance. And he'd always thought if life wanted them back together, they'd get back together. He didn't realize it would take more than twenty-six years.

Mina's phone rang. "Hello? ... All right, I'll let them know."

She tapped the end call on her phone. The beep signaling to him the call was over. She looked at her dad in the mirror. "All right, we can go. The police have the driveway secured."

Gloria called Boon one more time. "Hey, Boon, go ahead. Police are waiting for us." She ended the call and stared out the window. He saw her shoulders pull back tightly, her fingers squeezed his hand. And he was loathe to let go. He probably should have had both hands on the wheel just to make sure things were okay as they drove through. But my God, he didn't want to let go of her hand.

She made that decision for him, though, as they started to move. She pulled her hand back, looked into his eyes. A soft smile appeared on her lips.

"Better to play it safe," she said.

---