Page 45 of The Last Love Song
Heather swallowed. “A year ago, she wanted to play soccer in the rec league with some friends, and her dad wouldn’t sign off on the permission form after reading the concussion stats.” She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her sweater, unwilling to get caught in the spell of Zach Chance again.
“Concussions and sports is a combination that makes plenty of parents nervous,” he reminded her.
“This was after he let her come to the first practice with headgear. The kind a professional wrestler wears.” She outlined the shape of it with her hands, including the extra padding around the forehead. “She was mortified. She didn’t think anyone would see her when he dropped her off and she could ditch it afterward, but he stayed to watch for the first ten minutes.”
“Really?”
“It was a community team, so it wasn’t all high school kids, thank goodness. There were some good-natured guys from the sheriff’s department who tried to help her have fun with it, but I could tell she was…”
“Miserable.” Zach seemed to understand at last.
“Right.” Heather hated to be the kind of person who pointed fingers at a good parent, especially one who obviously loved his kid as much as Mr. Bryer seemed to. But there was such a thing as overdoing it. “Why don’t you let me talk to Megan first? See if I can get anything more out of her. I’ll ask some more pointed questions about the research she’s been doing and why the sudden interest in cyberbullying.”
His jaw flexed as he stared at the ground, seeming to think it over. When he glanced up, his eyes fixed on hers in a dark stare.
“If I keep a lid on this for another day, will you do something for me in return?”
A shiver leaped from one shoulder blade to the other. Still, she felt damn defensive, considering the way he’d kept quiet about the investigation of her family.
“I don’t think I owe you any favors. If anything?—”
He laid a hand on her shoulder and cupped it, the touch releasing a pent-up sigh she’d been unaware of.
“Let’s get out of town tonight. Far from Heartache.”
She was already shaking her head, despite her love of driving at night and the rush of the wind from the open windows. Especially in that convertible of his.
But that was foolishness talking.
“I don’t think so.”
“Just for a few hours. You can sing, even.” His lips curled up on one side. A half smile. “Come to karaoke night with me.”
Chapter Eleven
“Thanks for coming tonight,”Zach said. Music from the honky-tonk rib shack vibrated the wooden floor beneath his feet as he sat across from Heather in their booth. He still couldn’t believe he’d talked her into it.
She’d hemmed. She’d hawed. She’d been rightfully worried about how a relationship—or being perceived as having a relationship—might have implications for the investigation. But he could tell she was ready for a night out. Zach had won her over by describing the little hole-in-the wall bar in Franklin, Tennessee, where they’d never run into anyone from Heartache. He’d hidden out here plenty of times when he needed to be anonymous.
Charlie Ray’s Rib Shack was a backwoods place on the town line. Live music played on weekends. Tonight, the crowd was small as the karaoke singing got under way. An older couple crooned a country duet to one another, while the smokehouse scent of cooking meats and burning hickory chips filled the air.
“I’ve needed a change of scenery ever since Erin’s wedding,” Heather admitted. “You remember how fast I ditched town after my sister’s reception.”
“You didn’t even bother changing out of your dancing dress,” he teased. He had fond memories of that dress, but he tried to be careful about flirting with her tonight. A careful, measured approach was more likely to win him a second chance with her.
She might be sitting at the small table across from him, but there wasn’t a chance she’d forgotten about the investigation he’d ordered, implicating her dad. Would she be able to get past that? The possibility she wouldn’t bothered him more than it should.
“I had hoped if I timed it right, I’d be able to catch the sunrise while I was crossing the Smoky Mountains.” She pulled a saucy rib free from the basket they shared while the duet onstage reached a crescendo. “Not one of my better-laid plans.”
“Selfishly, I’m glad you stayed in town. Because no matter what you think about my motives for this investigation, I genuinely wanted to get to know you better.” He hated that she seemed wary of him. Hated that he’d given her any reason for the mistrust in her eyes. “But for your sake, I’m sorry you didn’t get to see that sunrise.”
She set her rib aside to applaud the older couple as they finished their song. Then she put her fingers between her lips and whistled. The couple grinned and a few heads turned toward their table.
As the clapping died down, Heather took a sip of her water.
“I know it sounds cliché—leave town and watch the sunrise to start my new life. But some things are cliché because people enjoy doing them. You know? Like singing in the shower. Or taking a family photo at the Grand Canyon.”
“Or a kiss to seal a deal,” he offered.
