Page 44 of The Last Love Song
“She’s a very intelligent young woman,” Heather mused. “If she was hiding something, I have no doubt she’d be good at it.”
A prickle of unease tripped down her spine as it occurred to Heather how much alike they were. They both loved music. They both used it as an escape. They both dreamed of leaving Heartache—Heather withAmerican Voice, Megan with college.
What if they were both hiding a secret?
“You’re not telling me something.” Zach straightened, his focus intense as he looked at her. “What is it?”
Caught off guard, Heather was relieved when the crowd roared again. She glanced up in time to see a ball fly over the fence.
“Heather? What aren’t you telling me?” Zach persisted, taking a step closer.
“Nothing.” She swallowed hard, unwilling to let him get too close for myriad reasons. “I was just going through recent conversations with her to try to remember anything significant.” She narrowed her gaze. “I’m not as fast with my data analysis as your computer programs.”
“And? Anything come to mind?”
“Her goals shifted over the summer from wanting desperately to buy a new guitar to putting every penny toward a college fund. Which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise for a forward-thinking high school senior, but I was surprised by how much she seemed to want to get out of town.”
“Most kids feel that way at some point during high school.” Idly, he picked through a box of giveaway items with old peewee-team names and the logo for the Heartache baseball league. A flashlight. A key ring. Some toddler-size T-shirts. “When my father was indicted, I would have given anything to leave Tennessee. Hell, leave the whole country. Because that’s about how far I’d have to go to get out from under his shadow.”
A chant for the pitcher began. No doubt the game neared the final outs.
“I never would have guessed back in school.” She remembered well the image she’d always had of Zach in her mind “You seemed completely untouchable. Like nothing about the scandal could taint all the good works you did. All the ways the teachers liked you.”
When she realized he was staring at her curiously, her face heated. Had she just revealed paying way too much attention to him? Not that it mattered. High school was a long time ago. Still…
“I did all the good works because I couldn’t stand being around my father. And once he was in jail, I resented being around my mom since she stuck up for him like he’d been wrongly accused or something. So, yeah, I practically lived at the senior center, but it wasn’t because I was such an altruistic guy. It was just that life at home sucked.”
The rawness of that admission hinted at a hurt that had never healed.
She nodded. “A lot of teenage kids choose much less healthy outlets during tough times,” she offered quietly, sensing she should tread with caution. Her own niece had battled a problem with cutting herself last year, an issue that had terrified their whole family until the girl started seeing a therapist and got herself under control.
Leaning over the candy counter, Heather reached for the handle to pull down the metal door that would lock up the concession stand for the night. The slide and clang of the metal ended with a soft thud as it fell into place, sealing them in total privacy.
An intensified quiet.
“You’re right about that.” Zach’s eyes revealed nothing, yet she sensed he spoke from experience. “It’s a good thing Megan has her music. I want to make sure we don’t miss the signs if she’s struggling with issues she’s not telling anyone about. I’m going to talk to her father.”
Zach stepped closer now that they didn’t need to hide from any concession stand patrons. Heather heard fans’ excited chatter as they filed out of the bleachers and headed to their cars. Engines revved. A few tires squealed. The raucous bunch seemed hyped up on the fun of a good game.
She tried to keep one ear on the sounds outside to prevent herself from focusing too much on Zach. His eyes on her warmed her from the inside out. Her own gaze flitted lower, noticing the shape of his mouth that she’d once kissed with total abandon…
“Don’t do that,” she blurted, forcing her attention back to the conversation. Away from kissing a guy who had only approached her in the first place to convince her to take over his job.
“Don’t do what?” His hand lowered.
Had he been reaching toward her?
She was mixed up inside, and it was because of him. She didn’t understand what he wanted, didn’t know why he’d sought her out again. Had it really just been about seizing her father’s old computers?
“Don’t…” She struggled to hold a thought. “Don’t talk to Meg’s father. At least not yet.”
“What if she’s in danger?” The concern in his voice was obvious, making Heather wonder if part of his protective streak was rooted in his role as a big brother.
He’d been a stable force in his sister’s life, anchoring her during tumultuous teen years.
“Her father’s one of the most overprotective parents I’ve ever met.” Heather frowned. “He must have spent forty-five minutes on the phone with me once to discuss the blisters on Megan’s fingers from playing.” She tipped up her own hands to show him the calluses. “But everyone gets them. You can’t play without them.”
He brushed a thumb along the tips of her fingers, testing the calluses and causing a shiver to trip through her.
