Love Song: A friends-to-lovers rock & roll romantic suspense Read online

  “Casey, sweetheart. I’m home.” He knelt beside her and brushed a stray hair away from her face. Her long lashes fluttered as she she stirred, before she focused in on him and sat up with a start.

  “Oh my God! I must have fallen asleep!” She rubbed her eyes quickly and threw her arms around his neck. “Hi!”

  Sam stumbled back from her embrace and stood up bringing her with him. “Hey. Are you okay?”

  Her warm lips lingered with the taste of sweet wine as she kissed his neck and his cheeks before landing on his mouth. “Yes, I’m fine,” she said breathlessly. “I made a terrible mess of your kitchen, though.”

  He laughed. “I don’t mind. It’s the thought that counts.”

  “I went to the store and got all the ingredients to try to make you chicken parmesan. It’s a simple recipe my sister uses, but I guess I wasn’t used to your kitchen and your oven and…. Oh, God! I meant to clean everything up before you got home but I was so upset that I drank a little too much wine and felt sleepy. I thought if I took a power nap, I could finish up, but I guess that didn’t happen.” She pulled back from him with glistening eyes. Sam pressed his lips together trying hard not to smile.

  Noticing his smirk, she poked him in the chest. “It’s not funny, Sam!”

  “Oh, I think it’s hilarious.”

  She raised her eyebrows at him, surprised. When he started to laugh, she rolled her eyes and laughed with him. “You know, you could have just made me another peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Did you go to KFC to redeem yourself?” he asked, wiping the moisture from his eyes.

  Casey continued to giggle and nodded. “Yes. I stored it in the microwave so it wouldn’t get ruined.”

  Sam shook his head, taking in her disheveled look. Obvious food stains doted her t-shirt, and her hair was in a haphazard ponytail with errant wisps framing her face. Her gorgeous lips were pink and ripe, making him want to lean in and suck on them. Putting his arm around her, they made their way downstairs to eat. Casey gasped when she reentered the mess in the kitchen and erupted in another bout of giggles.

  “Oh, wow! I really messed up. I’ll clean everything after we eat some safe food.” Pulling the plate of fried chicken out of the microwave, she held it out to him. “Bon appetite!”

  ***

  Donny Tanner sat in his car scrolling through Google on his phone while tipping a conspicuous brown-bagged bottle up to his lips. The whiskey burned his throat going down but settled in his core, providing a warm calm, easing his tension. He was mad as hell and more than ready to get even. Calling several numbers listed for a “Sam Wildner”, he came up empty-handed, hence the Google search. He had no idea where this guy came from, where he worked or what kind of relationship he was involved in with Casey. If he could get in touch with the dude, perhaps he might have information leading him to Laura and Gwyneth. It was worth a shot.

  The screen from his ancient I-phone illuminated his tired face with two days’ worth of beard making him itch. He landed on a story involving a Sam Wildner at the Forsythe County High School in Cumming, GA. He scanned it, realizing it was a welcome article in the local paper announcing the school’s new marching band instructor from the previous year. A black and white picture of Sam with his arms around some of the teenaged students smiled back at him from the screen making him grimace. Knowing Casey was a musician, this guy Sam looked like he could be her type and age. He took another swig from the bottle and knew in his gut he’d found his man. It was time to do a little investigating and find out where this Sam fella lived. But first, he needed to get back home, get some sleep and a change of clothes. He figured he might come back to the apartment complex again to do one last check before heading to wherever it was this guy lived. Maybe Laura might even come back to her apartment if he laid low and stayed off her radar for a few more days. He’d be back, that was for sure. His bottom lip curled up into a smile. He was playing a game of cat and mouse with her. And he couldn’t wait to pounce.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Casey adjusted the strap to the car seat and harnessed her niece in with a click. She offered to give her sister a break and take GG for a weekend of adventure at Sam’s farm. He thought it might be a fun idea to include his eight-year-old nephew, Dylan into the mix as well. GG was so excited she could hardly stop talking.

  “And he has a doggie?” she asked as she leaned her strapped-in body forward, straining to communicate with Casey as she drove. After a week away from her home where all her toys and familiar belongings were, the three-year-old had become agitated, having several meltdowns with Chloe who was also weary from the week having to share. Laura admitted a weekend with her favorite aunt might just be the remedy she needed; a distraction from the stress of being uprooted from her normal routine. They were trying to figure out their next steps knowing full well they couldn’t stay with the Roberts forever. Donny hadn’t made any contact with them and Laura learned from a lawyer she finally hired that if he did come back around, he’d be arrested.

  Sam never gave Casey any indication she had overstayed her welcome, even after her kitchen fiasco. They had a few laughs about her cooking attempt, and she purposefully banned herself from using his gas stove and oven, opting to play it safe making sandwiches and using only the microwave. Completely and comfortably settled into his home, the thought of leaving him troubled her. If she had worn out her welcome and he wanted his space back, he was going to have to tell her so.

  “Yes, he has a doggie. He’s a big doggie,” Casey accentuated the word “big” adding more excitement to their conversation.

  “Oooo! What’s the doggie’s name?”

  “Bleu.”

  “Blue? That’s a funny name,” GG giggled. “Does he have blue fur?” she asked innocently with wide eyes.

  “No sweetie. He’s big and brown and he’s a very nice doggie. He just happens to be named Bleu.” She couldn’t help but smile thinking about Sam humorously explaining his dog’s name to her. Apparently, the name came to him as he watched a football game while eating hot wings with bleu cheese and celery. He was a huge fan of bleu cheese and when it came to naming the canine, it seemed like the perfect choice. His dog was named after a cheese.

  Casey looked in the rearview mirror and watched GG mull over this information, trying to imagine what was going through her little pigtailed head. The little girl stuck her thumb in her mouth and squinted as she looked out the window at the Friday traffic whizzing by. Casey couldn’t help but feel sorry for the little girl, her short life with her mother always on edge because of her volatile father. She deserved so much better. It was unfortunate GG was skittish around grown men, a defense mechanism she adopted before she could even speak. The loud, obnoxious way her father would treat her mother was a poor example of a man in her formative years. Casey was glad her sister finally found the strength and courage to walk out on the relationship and start her life over. If only Donny Tanner would completely disappear, leaving them in peace forever.

  Sighing, she realized how lucky she was, thankful to finally be experiencing what true love was meant to be. Thank goodness GG was smitten with Sam earlier in the week when he gave her the snow globe at their first meeting. When Casey ran the idea by Laura to spend the weekend with them, she enthusiastically agreed. After GG met Sam, she talked about him all week—an indication the little girl was fond of him. It was his idea to have the kids over and once the plans were solidified, he dove into planning mode and came up with some fun activities for them to do on the farm to keep them occupied and engaged. Sam held an obvious soft spot in his heart when it came to kids, probably because he was a big kid himself and she was sure it was going to be a great couple of days.

  Casey pulled onto the gravel drive that led to the farm. “Look in that field GG, there’s a horse!”

  GG gasped and pulled her thumb out of her mouth, sitting up straight. Her eyes followed her aunt’s finger pointing out the passenger side window into a pasture where two horses leaned their long neck
s to the ground and munched on dried grass. Casey slowed the car down so GG could take it all in.

  “Isn’t that cool GG? Those are real, live horsies out there!”

  “Wow…,” she whispered as she stared out into the field.

  The sound of a dog barking could be heard in the distance, which interrupted her transfixed gaze at the horses. “Is that the blue doggie?” she asked excitedly. Never having a pet of her own, Casey knew she was anxious to meet him. The big dog bounded down the gravel road, and raced to the car. When GG saw him, she squealed with delight.

  “Yep! That’s Bleu. He’s so happy to see us!”

  Sam and his nephew, Dylan came out of the house and waited for her to park. Casey quickly unsnapped GG’s harness and she wiggled her way out of the car in record timing. She stayed close to her, timid at first, unsure how to approach the animal. Casey patted Bleu on the head and showed her how to touch him gently. GG giggled and petted his fur cautiously with her fingers splayed and he offered her a sweet lick on the face, making her erupt in another bout of laughter.

  Casey’s heart leaped as Sam approached them. She enjoyed having him all to herself during the week but was really looking forward to the kids joining them. His eyes drank in her appearance. She was dressed casually wearing tight jeans and a simple black turtleneck, and her long hair was braided to one side hanging over her shoulder. When he looked directly at her and smiled, she thought she’d died and gone to heaven.

  “I think she likes him,” Casey said as he approached and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

  “Hey, darlin’. He sure does.” He winked, stepping back and putting his hand on Dylan’s shoulder. “I’d like you to meet this young man right here. This is my nephew, Dylan.”

  A shy, eight-year-old boy with blond hair that hung lopsided across his gorgeous green eyes mumbled, “Hi.” He was wearing blue jeans and cowboy boots similar to what his uncle wore and by the look on his face and the way he rolled his eyes, it was obvious he did not want to be there.

  Casey extended her hand to shake his. “Hey, Dylan. It’s so nice to finally meet you.” She patted Gwyneth on the head who was still stroking Bleu. “This is my niece, GG.” Hearing her name, GG glanced up before she hugged Bleu around his neck with both arms as if lost in her own doggie heaven. The big golden retriever sat stoic, allowing the little girl to gush all over him. “I think she’s a little preoccupied meeting Bleu for the first time,” she laughed.

  Sam grabbed a pink backpack out of the backseat of Casey’s car and the four of them started toward the grill area where he’d set up a fire pit. As the two guys walked ahead of them, Casey could hear Dylan whisper to his uncle, “I don’t want to hang out with a baby.” Sam chastised him quietly, reminding him to behave in front of their guests. The fire was already going and Dylan begrudgingly threw a stick into the flames, as if accepting his fate for the weekend.

  Casey quietly mumbled in Sam’s ear, “Is he okay with us being here?”

  He smirked. “He’s an eight-year-old boy. He’ll get over it.”

  The sunset was glorious against the backdrop of the red barn and the autumn leaves in their full peak of color. The air turned chilly and even though they were by the warm fire, Casey made GG put on her coat. Bleu stayed by the little girl’s side throughout the evening as if protecting her, which tugged at her heart. Dylan finally relaxed and was a big help, innocently showing GG how to roast a hotdog over the open the flame without burning it. He made sure to let everyone know he learned this important task while camping with his Cub Scout troop. There was laughter as they told jokes and funny stories, and the kids were more than happy to break apart chocolate pieces and graham crackers so they could make s’mores for dessert.

  Sam brought out his acoustic guitar and lazily strummed while the kids roasted the last of the marshmallows. Melted chocolate was smeared on their hands and faces, and GG leaned against Bleu to find a warm spot and stared into the fire, sucking her thumb. Dylan was diligent, keeping the fire going, adding sticks and small logs to the flames. The boy never complained again and seemed to enjoy the simple pleasure of listening to his uncle play guitar and tend the open fire.

  Casey thought her heart would burst from the bliss she felt while watching their little domestic scene play out. She was in love with Sam and wondered what it would be like to have children of their own someday. She’d never pondered having a family of her own before, with anyone. For most of her adult life she partied and performed, never really giving it much thought.

  Watching his strong jaw line relax in the orange glow of the firelight, his rugged hands gently stroked the strings of his guitar softly sending wafts of music into the night air. When she started to hum to his melody, he looked up at her and smiled, his blue eyes reflecting the dancing flames. As she caught on to the changing chord progression, his handsome face emulated adoration while they created an impromptu melody together in three-quarter time.

  Her smile was radiant as she hummed, lifting her face toward the dark sky during some of the higher notes. Standing, she walked over to him as she continued to hum. Dylan watched their every move, stoking the fire with a long stick. Bobbing her head to the rhythm, she sat next to Sam, and as the song came to an end, he put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. There were no words said, just the crackling of the burning wood and the lingering melody of the song echoing in their ears.

  “You’re a good singer,” Dylan said, breaking the silence.

  “Thank you, Dylan,” she answered with surprise. “I sing professionally in a show band. Your uncle sometimes plays with us too. That’s how we met.”

  “Yeah, he told me.”

  Sam leaned the instrument against the bench and pulled Casey into his arms, the warmth of his body seeping into her skin. They stared into the fire, mesmerized by the flames that climbed and reached toward the night sky, perfectly content. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she stifled a yawn.

  Dylan pointed at GG and Bleu who were both sound asleep against one another. “Looks like those two are out for the night.” The boy giggled, revealing his young age.

  “Yeah, it’s about that time to turn in. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.” Sam released his arm from Casey and stood up, holding his guitar out for Dylan to take. “Do you mind putting this back in the case in the studio?” Dylan’s face immediately lit up and he clutched the guitar cautiously. “Be careful buddy.” Sam explained to Casey about his nephew’s admiration for his studio, always ready to help with any of the instruments, especially the drums. He, too, wanted to be a musician some day and Sam was his first teacher, giving him basic drum lessons in the Red Barn Studio. Sam said they would need to spend some time up there over the weekend so the boy could get his fix. It was obvious he was fond of his only nephew and happy to show him the ropes.

  Casey watched him walk to the barn and smiled. “He’s a good kid. It’s obvious how much he adores you.”

  Sam nodded in agreement and rubbed his hands up and down her arms before he leaned in and kissed her, his warm tongue slowly circling hers. Heat pooled in her belly as they continued to kiss. When they heard Dylan’s footsteps on the gravel coming back, they immediately broke their lip lock and stole a longing glance.

  As Sam gave Dylan some instructions to put the lid on the fire pit to extinguish any rogue flames, Casey attempted to pick GG up to take her inside. She struggled to lift her, the dead weight of her niece too much.

  “Sam, can you help me please?”

  Coming to her aid, he grinned, and lifted the little girl off the ground as if she were light as a feather. “Come on sweetheart,” he said hoisting her over his shoulder. Bleu stood, stretching and yawning, before following his owner obediently to the house. The sight of Gwyneth asleep over Sam’s shoulder was precious, her tiny body resting in the crook of his neck on his strong frame. Chocolate was smeared across her cheek and her hair was coming out of her pigtails. The fresh air had probably done her wonders and Casey knew
they’d all sleep well that night.

  “Need any help Dylan?” she asked, waiting for the boy to finish his task.

  “Nope. I got it.” His gait was slow, evidence he was tired too.

  Casey put her arm across his small shoulders. “This was a fun night. Thanks for having us.” He looked up at her and she swore she saw a boyish grin creep across his youthful face.

  Upstairs in the guest room, Casey stood in the doorway and watched Sam turn down the comforter while holding her sleeping niece in his arms. She’d managed to take off her shoes and coat, and ran a warm washcloth over her dirty little face and hands before he laid her on the soft mattress. GG shifted on the pillow and found her thumb to stick into her mouth. Sam put his hands on his hips and watched Bleu hoist himself up onto the end of the bed and settle himself at the little girl’s feet. “Well, I guess Bleu found his spot for the night,” he said, scratching his head.

  “Good night,” Dylan said as he walked into the bedroom headed to the other twin bed. Dressed in plaid pajamas, he smelled of soap and mint toothpaste.

  “Did you brush your teeth?” Sam asked.

  “Yes.” Dylan yawned and shimmied under the sheets.

  Sam put his hand on the boy’s head and tussled his blond hair. “Good night. I had a really good time with you today. Love you, buddy.”

  Dylan’s eyes were already closed and he mumbled, “Mmhummm.”

  Kissing the top of his nephew’s head, he was about to turn off the light when he heard a tiny mumble from the other bed. GG was attempting to say good night to him with her thumb still in her mouth. Casey put her hand over her lips so she wouldn’t laugh out loud taking it all in. She watched Sam kneel at the side of the bed and brush GG’s bangs out of her eyes. Her eyes were scrunched closed and her little brow was furrowed.