the outside world—before it all came crashing in on them. The bar was busier the night before, even though it was the middle of the week, and Erin had enjoyed the response of the crowd as much as she was mesmerized by Grady’s music. She thought she could probably sit night after night and listen to him forever, soothed and seduced by his songs. It was turning into the best time of her life.
This morning they’d stopped at a fast food restaurant to grab a late breakfast before heading to a music store. Grady wanted to get some new strings for his guitar then head to Walmart to pick up a couple new pairs of jeans. Erin had spotted a rack with newspapers just outside the door on the way in and when they left she tried to hustle Grady past it as quickly as she could. But he stopped to put away his change, looked down, and every line in his body tightened.
Erin was almost afraid to see the newspaper, knowing what she’d see. And sure enough, there it was. A head shot of her, her engagement photo that her father had insisted on, and a huge headline. “Hunt Still On For Missing Heiress.”
Grady fished a quarter out of his pocket, stuck it in the slot and retrieved a copy of the newspaper. Then he took Erin by the elbow and hustled her firmly to the truck.
“Grady,” she began.
“Not now.” His fingers tightened on her as he opened the truck door and boosted her inside. “Not out here.”
She was terrified to look at him, terrified to see his face. On the ride back to the motel she gripped her hands together in her lap, shaking inside.
I should have told him. I should have let him know. Why did I think we could just keep going and it wouldn’t catch up with us until I was ready? Would I ever be ready?
She was still having internal dialogue with herself when they pulled into the motel parking lot and into the space in front of their room. She had barely unbuckled her seat belt before the truck door was yanked open and Grady all but pulled her out, hustling her into their room and slamming the door.
“Sit.” He pointed to one of the chairs at the round table.
“Grady,” she tried again.
“Not yet. Just…sit.”
Erin bit down on her lip to keep from saying anything else while Grady sat on the edge of the bed and read the story in the newspaper. Then he clicked on the television, searching for local news. It was the noon hour so every station was up with its broadcast. And sure enough, there was her face all over the screen. And some on-air reporter blabbing the details of her life.
At the moment she was sure she couldn’t just sit there any longer, Grady finally turned to her. She recoiled at the expression on his face.
“Am I going to be arrested?” he asked, his voice flat, his face expressionless. “I guess they figured out you took off with me. The newspaper said everyone from the local sheriff to the Texas Rangers is after my ass.”
She shook her head violently. “No, no, no, no, no. I’d never let that happen. I swear to you.”
“Erin. You don’t seem to understand the power involved here. Your father owns half of Texas. He’s personal friends with the fucking governor, for shit’s sake.” A muscle jumped in his jaw.
“Y-You know him?”
“Are you kidding me?” He snorted. “Anyone who even passes through this state has heard of Rance Braddock. When you begged me to take you with me, you forgot to mention the little detail that he’s your father.”
“I-I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I never thought…”
“Never thought.” He rubbed his face. “What exactly did you think? That you could tag along with me and no one would be the wiser? Was this just some little-rich-girl rebellion and I was the handiest fall guy? A little trip to the lower classes for you?”
“No.” She blinked back the tears burning her eyes. “It wasn’t like that at all.”
He smacked the newspaper. “It says here you’re engaged to some rich lawyer.
What happened? Did you have a fight?
This morning they’d stopped at a fast food restaurant to grab a late breakfast before heading to a music store. Grady wanted to get some new strings for his guitar then head to Walmart to pick up a couple new pairs of jeans. Erin had spotted a rack with newspapers just outside the door on the way in and when they left she tried to hustle Grady past it as quickly as she could. But he stopped to put away his change, looked down, and every line in his body tightened.
Erin was almost afraid to see the newspaper, knowing what she’d see. And sure enough, there it was. A head shot of her, her engagement photo that her father had insisted on, and a huge headline. “Hunt Still On For Missing Heiress.”
Grady fished a quarter out of his pocket, stuck it in the slot and retrieved a copy of the newspaper. Then he took Erin by the elbow and hustled her firmly to the truck.
“Grady,” she began.
“Not now.” His fingers tightened on her as he opened the truck door and boosted her inside. “Not out here.”
She was terrified to look at him, terrified to see his face. On the ride back to the motel she gripped her hands together in her lap, shaking inside.
I should have told him. I should have let him know. Why did I think we could just keep going and it wouldn’t catch up with us until I was ready? Would I ever be ready?
She was still having internal dialogue with herself when they pulled into the motel parking lot and into the space in front of their room. She had barely unbuckled her seat belt before the truck door was yanked open and Grady all but pulled her out, hustling her into their room and slamming the door.
“Sit.” He pointed to one of the chairs at the round table.
“Grady,” she tried again.
“Not yet. Just…sit.”
Erin bit down on her lip to keep from saying anything else while Grady sat on the edge of the bed and read the story in the newspaper. Then he clicked on the television, searching for local news. It was the noon hour so every station was up with its broadcast. And sure enough, there was her face all over the screen. And some on-air reporter blabbing the details of her life.
At the moment she was sure she couldn’t just sit there any longer, Grady finally turned to her. She recoiled at the expression on his face.
“Am I going to be arrested?” he asked, his voice flat, his face expressionless. “I guess they figured out you took off with me. The newspaper said everyone from the local sheriff to the Texas Rangers is after my ass.”
She shook her head violently. “No, no, no, no, no. I’d never let that happen. I swear to you.”
“Erin. You don’t seem to understand the power involved here. Your father owns half of Texas. He’s personal friends with the fucking governor, for shit’s sake.” A muscle jumped in his jaw.
“Y-You know him?”
“Are you kidding me?” He snorted. “Anyone who even passes through this state has heard of Rance Braddock. When you begged me to take you with me, you forgot to mention the little detail that he’s your father.”
“I-I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I never thought…”
“Never thought.” He rubbed his face. “What exactly did you think? That you could tag along with me and no one would be the wiser? Was this just some little-rich-girl rebellion and I was the handiest fall guy? A little trip to the lower classes for you?”
“No.” She blinked back the tears burning her eyes. “It wasn’t like that at all.”
He smacked the newspaper. “It says here you’re engaged to some rich lawyer.
What happened? Did you have a fight?
Similar Books
