A Guarded Love Read online

  A GUARDED LOVE

  Written by Adelia Burke

  Copyright © 2016

  All rights reserved

  No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are used fictitiously.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  A GUARDED LOVE

  Chapter 1

  “Are you ready to go?” Lexi asked.

  “Just a few more minutes,” Kristin answered, even though Lexi was going to barge into the bathroom anyway.

  Lexi’s gaze focused on the bruise on Kristin’s upper arm and she quickly pulled her sleeve down.

  “Have you been seeing Sam since you came back from Austria?” Lexi stood there with her arms folded, waiting for an answer.

  “I’ve run into him a couple of times.” Kristin didn’t want to have this discussion. This was her last year of college at Sacramento State and she didn’t want any drama.

  Lexie moved closer to Kristin. “I saw the bruise.”

  “A door hit me.” Kristin turned back to the mirror.

  “You know Sam will start following you again. He wouldn’t even let you go out with your girlfriends.”

  “I’m not seeing him.” Kristin tried very hard to be nonchalant. “How many people are going tonight?”

  “Amber and Melissa plus the two of us. I know you don’t like karaoke, but I think you’ll have a fun time.”

  “I don’t know Amber, do I?” Kristin kept brushing her hair.

  “No. She’s Melissa’s friend.”

  Kristin’s first week of school had been grueling, and karaoke wasn’t her thing. She was only going because her friends were insistent that she come along. The only thing about tonight she was looking forward to was a night spent not doing homework.

  “Where are we going tonight?” Kristin asked, trying to keep Lexi preoccupied so she could finish getting ready.

  “It’s some place Melissa picked because of the open mic night. I think it’s in Grass Valley.”

  The doorbell rang and Lexi started brushing her fingers through her brown shoulder-length hair as she went to answer the door.

  Kristin could hear Melissa’s enthusiasm as she asked, “Are you ready to go?”

  “Come on, Kristin,” Lexi shouted toward the bathroom.

  “Here I am. Let’s go,” Kristin announced. “Hi, Melissa. I’m surprised you’re so excited about tonight.”

  “I am. It’s a lot of fun.”

  “Kristin, Melissa’s more than a bookworm,” Lexi said with a chuckle.

  Melissa beamed. “I know I study a lot, but karaoke is one of my hobbies.”

  “Let’s go,” Lexi said.

  Kristin hopped in the back seat and noticed a pretty, curvy girl with a huge headband holding back her copper hair.

  “Hi. I’m Kristin.” She put on her seatbelt.

  “I’m Amber.”

  Kristin leaned over and asked Amber, “Have you ever sung karaoke before?”

  “Yeah. I like to sing. I’m not good at it, unfortunately, but that doesn’t stop me.”

  Kristin watched Amber’s green eyes twinkle. “I’ve never sung karaoke. But I’ll have fun watching everyone.”

  Amber turned to look at her. “Don’t you sing?”

  “I can’t carry a tune. Vocally, I’m a mess.”

  Kristin loved the carefree sound in Amber’s laughter.

  “Oh, you have to try it. Once you set your foot on that stage, you’ll be hooked. I’ll help you pick a song to sing tonight,” Amber offered.

  Kristin sat there quietly looking out the window.

  “Are you okay?” Amber asked.

  Lexi looked toward the back seat. “She feels exposed without a piano.”

  Amber’s eye’s widened. “Oooh. Maybe you could play the piano tonight. They do have one there.”

  Lexi cranked her neck again. “Kristin, you need to let go and have fun.”

  Kristin laid her head on the back of the seat and listened to the girls laugh. She watched out the window as they arrived at the club. “This looks like a rundown old saloon.”

  Melissa smiled. “This place is awesome.”

  Kristin scowled. As she got a closer look, she could see that the wood was cracked and the light-yellow paint was peeling.

  “Don’t judge the fun you’re going to have based on what you see,” said Melissa.

  “I’ll happily pay for us to go to another place,” Kristin offered.

  “No. We’re staying,” Lexi said.

  Kristin looked at the people standing in the parking lot. They were all wearing jeans and T-shirts. Her friends were wearing the same thing. They were so casual. She looked at her burgundy peasant shirt and taupe lace-up sandals. She could feel the flush starting at her ears that she knew would creep across her checks. She hated being overdressed for an event.

  The smell of sweat and beer assaulted Kristin as they entered the club. As she walked, her shoes kept sticking to the floor. She really didn’t want to touch anything. The waitress seated them in a booth. She felt what little joy she had being sucked out of her as she viewed the relentless sameness of the color. Pine wood logs made up the walls, floors, tables, and bench seats. There wasn’t one throw pillow or cushion to be seen. Plus, she had never seen so many animals hanging from the walls.

  Melissa pushed up her glasses. “It smells so good in here. It makes me want to have a juicy hamburger.”

  “I feel like pizza, but I don’t want to eat it all by myself,” Kristin said.

  Lexi looked over the menu. “I’ll share a pizza with you.”

  Amber picked up her menu. “Who’s going to sing tonight?”

  “I am.” Melissa waved her hand in the air.

  “Me too,” Lexi answered.

  The girls placed their order and listened to the music. Kristin felt the tension leave her shoulders as she started to relax. This was a much-needed break.

  “This singer isn’t too bad.” Melissa craned her neck to look at the stage.

  Amber was moving to the beat. “Yeah, I like this song, too.”

  “I’m not really a country music fan. Plus, he sounds pitchy.” Kristin rested her head on the back of the booth.

  Lexi looked her directly in the eyes, “Kristin, these people are having fun. They’re not professional singers, so don’t be too hard on them.”

  “I can’t sing either, so I’m not judging them, if that’s what you mean. I can tell they’re having fun,” Kristin said.

  Melissa tapped Amber on the shoulder. “Let’s go put our names on the list.”

  “Have you seen my phone?” asked Kristin.

  “It’s not in your purse?” Lexi started looking on the table.

  “No.” Kristin looked deeper in her purse.

  “Did it fall on the floor?” Lexi bent over to look under the table.

  “Let me go check in the car.”

 
; “Okay. I’m going to put my name on the list.”

  Kristin gave a heavy sigh as she trudged to the main door. She hated losing things, especially her phone. Pushing the door with extra force, she froze in her spot. Her muscles became rigid. Her heart started racing and her legs started trembling. Sam was getting into his car that was parked in the handicapped stall by the front door. She quickly hid behind the main door and listened to Sam peel out of the parking lot.

  Chapter 2

  “Did you see how close we were to getting hit by that car?” Austin opened the main door of the club.

  “That guy was crazy! He could have killed us,” Landon said. He watched the car drive away but couldn’t make out the license plate.

  “The headlines could have read ‘Country Music Star Killed By Mad Driver In Parking Lot,’” said Austin.

  Landon entered the club and almost ran over a slender blonde. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you there.”

  The blonde hesitated then looked at him. “It’s all right.”

  Austin followed Landon. He briefly looked at the pretty girl who was leaning against the wall. When they got far enough from her, Austin said, “She didn’t seem to know who you are. Hopefully, the rest of the night will be the same way.”

  “That would be nice. Folks around here don’t usually think of me as a famous country singer. Maybe tonight will be like the days before we were famous.”

  “We can never go back to those days. But I see what you’re saying. You want to sing for fun, with friends,” Austin said.

  “Well this place looks perfect.” Landon gestured at the empty seats. “Look around. No one is here.”

  “Man, I’m hungry. Let’s grab some nachos.”

  “I’m going to need more than that.” Landon grabbed a menu.

  “Order what you want. I’m going to see how long the lineup is. I want to sing first. Once word gets out that you’re here, no one else will get a turn.”

  Landon looked over the menu. He wondered if the waitress would recognize him when he placed the order, but his fear was unfounded. Lucy was in her late sixties and seemed bored, tired, and like she wanted to go home. He watched the blonde, the one he almost ran over, walk past him. She didn’t even turn to look at him. She walked to a booth and sat down. It looked like she was with friends.

  Austin had the biggest grin on his face when he came back to the table. “I’m ready to sing.”

  “I hope you’re hungry, dude. I ordered a lot of food,” said Landon.

  “Yeah, I’m hungry. I put both of our names down. There are four people ahead of us.”

  Landon looked at Austin. “I need you to keep singing if I’m not done eating.”

  “I got you covered.”

  It was finally time for Austin to sing. He took a quick drink of water to clear his throat and then ran on stage.

  Landon almost choked on his food when he heard the sound that came out of Austin’s mouth. He wasn’t actually singing. He was screaming, which made Landon laugh. He hadn’t laughed this hard in a long time. Austin looked like he was having the time of his life. His smile and two dimples were sure to win the girls, even if his song didn’t. Landon glanced around the room and his eye caught the blonde. She looked completely annoyed; her arms were folded across her chest and her mouth formed a straight, tight line. At one point she put her fingers in her ears. When the song was over, she didn’t even clap. It looked like she was having a terrible time. Maybe she was having a bad day.

  Austin bounded back to the table.

  “That was awesome! I didn’t know you sang like that.” Landon reached for a chili cheese fry. He was still laughing.

  “I chose screamo as my song because it’s the opposite of who I am. I had to get that out of my system. Man, my throat hurts.’” Austin reached for his drink with one hand and extended the other for a celebratory fist bump.

  “That was great. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time,” Landon said, wiping his eyes and trying to catch his breath.

  “Your turn,” reminded Austin.

  “Okay, wish me luck.” Landon was feeling very country tonight from his faded blue jeans, plain white-T-shirt, and a straw cowboy hat. He chose an old, country song called “Sure Feels Like Love.” It was an original song from Larry Gatlin. He watched people turn around in their chairs. People started watching and some were brave enough to move to the stage. He could see the looks of recognition. Others pulled out their cell phones and some pointed to the stage.

  Landon’s next song was one of his many hits called ”Only You.” The little crowd that had formed went wild. The girls that were with the blonde moved closer to the stage, but the blonde stayed at the booth and continued eating.

  Landon sang five songs that were on the karaoke list. The venue was perfect. The crowd was small enough to have a nice interaction. This reminded him of why he got into music—to have fun and connect with people. He was having a great time and it seemed like most people were having a good time. Except for the blonde. When he finally left the stage, a tiny, bubbly, brown-haired girl ran over to him.

  “Thanks for singing for all of us. Best free concert I’ve been to. You’re such a talented singer.” The brown-haired girl was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

  Landon thought her nervous giggle was adorable. Wasn’t she one of the girls that was sitting with the blonde?

  “Thanks. What’s your name?” Landon leaned forward so he could hear her.

  “Lexi.”

  “You’re welcome Lexi. Did you have fun tonight?”

  “It was wonderful!”

  “I’m glad you liked it.”

  Lexi grabbed her friends’ arms and pulled them close. “These are my friends, Melissa and Amber.”

  “It’s nice to meet all of you.”

  “Can my friends and I get a picture with you?” asked Lexi. All the girls, except the blonde, stood around Landon.

  “Sure.” Landon put his hands in his pockets.

  “Hey, Kristin, come take our picture,” the girl named Amber loudly shouted across the room.

  Landon watched the blonde—Kristin—make her way over to her friends. He didn’t realize how beautiful she was with her blonde hair and big blue eyes. As she got closer to him, he noticed that she had a few freckles across her nose and cheeks, like she had been kissed by the sun. Her skin looked like she had been enjoying the outdoors. Landon couldn’t stop staring.

  “Okay, give me the phones,” Kristin said. She sounded bored.

  All the girls gave her their phones. Landon let them figure out how to stand. He kept glancing at Kristin while he waited. It took some time to take the pictures. He didn’t mind, because it gave him time to look at her without being obvious.

  “I wondered what was taking you so long,” Austin said. “I hope you’re not hungry because there’s not a lot of food left.”

  The girls turned to look at him. “I know who you are,” Lexi said, “You’re Landon’s drummer, Austin.”

  “That’s me,” Austin replied. He smiled a big, warm smile.

  “Aren’t you the guy who sang screamo tonight?” asked Kristin. Landon could tell by the tilt of her head and the disdain in her voice that she was not impressed with Austin’s performance.

  “I am.”

  Austin’s charming smile was not working on this girl.

  “Kristin, why don’t you get a picture with your friends. I’ll take it,” suggested Landon. He wondered if she was ever going to smile. It was obvious that she didn’t want to be there. Maybe her friends forced her to come tonight. It was too bad that she wasn’t enjoying herself like her friends were.

  “That’s a good idea,” she said, handing him the phone.

  Landon reached for the phone and bumped into the table that was holding all the other phones, causing a few of them to fall to the floor. Landon quickly bent down to pick up the phones and elbowed Kristin on the upper arm as she was leaning down to help.

  “Ow.” Kristin sat on the
ground rubbing her arm. Her cheeks and ears were red.

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were there.” He felt his chest tighten as he glanced at her.

  Landon gathered the phones and helped Kristin up.

  “I’m sorry. Are you all right?” Landon asked, while rubbing Kristin’s arm. He quickly pulled away as he noticed how rigid she had become.

  “Yes, I’m fine. It was an accident.” Kristin moved back a little and rubbed her own arm.

  “Are you ready to get your picture?” asked Landon.

  “I’m ready.” Kristin joined her friends.

  Landon took their picture. It took every ounce of self-control not to gawk at Kristin. He wanted to talk with her but felt unsure of what to say. He was surprised by his insecurity. Everyone grabbed their phones. Lexi walked over to chat with Austin. The girls followed like lost sheep. Kristin turned on her heel and then plopped down at their booth. She looked tired. On the other hand, Austin seemed to be having the time of his life. The girl with the headband was leaning in, listening to every word, and the girl with glasses was giggling. In fact, it was actually annoying, but Austin didn’t seem to mind. The big grin on his face said otherwise.

  Landon chuckled and ran his hand over his face. He was feeling out of his element and needed to think of a plan to talk to Kristin. It was a crazy idea, but maybe Lexi was the answer. Maybe she was the one who could help Landon figure out a way to reach Kristin. He hoped the next time they saw each other, Kristin would want to talk with him. He decided to join Austin and the girls. Hesitating, he tentatively tapped Lexi on the shoulder. Her eyes widened as she turned to face him.

  “Hey, Lexi.”

  “Hey.”

  Landon took a big breath and blew it out. “I’ve been thinking. I have a concert in April in Sacramento. I can get all of you tickets if you’d be interested.”

  Her eyes twinkled and widened. “That would be wonderful.”

  Landon hoped, judging from her reaction, that he didn’t send the wrong message. “How many tickets do you want?”

  “Is four too many?” Lexi’s answer came quickly.

  “No problem at all. Where should I send them?” He was secretly hoping that one ticket would be for Kristin.