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Chapter 12

Dax ran his hands through his hair in frustration as he paced in front of Seth’s house. Ginny was inside with Seth’s wife and sister-in-law. Over the past three hours, Dax had listened to the three women talk about love and relationships. Apparently she trusted them enough, or at least had drank enough Sangria, to tell them that she and Derek split because he’d heard her ask if the women knew any eligible men to set her up with.

Hearing her say those words were like a punch in the gut. It had knocked the wind right out of him. Thinking of her dating someone, of another man touching her, kissing her, made him sicker than the time he’d contracted food poisoning during a covert mission in Lebanon. But just like then, he had to keep going no matter how sick he felt. He had to keep doing his job.

When his phone had buzzed and he’d stepped out to take a call, he’d actually been relieved for the reprieve. But that relief had been short lived. He was now ten minutes into fielding the fifth call from his mother this week which was less than the number of times his sister Heather had reached out. Both of his family members were taking turns calling to voice their concerns. Each time he talked to one of them, their paranoia escalated more than the last. Nothing he said seemed to slow down the crazy train they had both hopped on. In fact, with each conversation it was more like they were throwing coal in the firebox of their insane locomotive and were barreling full steam ahead.

Infusing as much sincerity and finality as he could muster he spoke calmly and firmly. “Mom, I’m fine. Everything is fine. You don’t have to worry. Nothing’s going on.”

“I’m your mother. I know you.” She used the same argument she’d been rolling with since he was kid. Whatever she said was always supported with, I’m your mother. I know you. As if that was actual proof. “Something’s going on between you two and I just don’t want you to get hurt. There’s someone else in the picture and even though he might be fooling around they’ve been together a long time. I just don’t want you to get tangled up in a love triangle.”

Oh for the love of….

“First of all, you can’t believe everything that you read in tabloids, Mom. And even if everything that was printed was true, it wouldn’t matter because my relationship with Ginny is professional.”

“Do I need to remind you that she’s living in your house?”

“No. You don’t.” No one had to remind him of that. It was all he could think about. After the first night they’d spent together the only room that was “tainted” was the front room and that was mainly the couch. Now there wasn’t a single space he could escape to that she hadn’t left an indelible mark on. He might actually need to move when she returned to Nashville. There was no way in hell he was going to admit that, though. “But I obviously need to remind you that she is a client and she is sleeping in the spare room.”

“Spare room, shmare room,” his mom rhymed dismissively. “None of that matters. I see how you look at her and how she looks at you.”

“You’ve seen pictures. Like I said, you can’t believe everything you see in the tabloids.”

“I do think she can do better than that Derek St. Vincent. Don’t get me wrong, he is very handsome, but I think he has a wandering eye. She’s sweet and sensitive. She needs someone stable who will love her for who she is.”

“You don’t even know her,” he argued even though his mom was dead on, but that wasn’t the point.

The point was she didn’t know her at all. She was projecting who she thought she was. He’d had a Google alert set to his phone for the past week and over that time he’d found out a lot of people had opinions on Ginny and her life. He wasn’t naïve. He understood that she was in the public eye and the unwelcome scrutiny came with the territory. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t wanted to set every single one of them straight. He couldn’t do that, but at least he could set his own mother straight.

“Oh yes, I do know her. Not only do I have all of her albums, I’ve also watched all of her interviews on YouTube. Plus, you know me. I’m a very good judge of character. I can get a sense of someone without ever meeting them.”

His mom had always maintained that she had a gift of “reading people.” She didn’t take it quite as far as to claim that she could see their auras or anything like that, but she did insist that everyone had an energy that was either good or bad and she could discern which a person had instantly. Apparently without even having to meet them.

“Now, stop trying to get me off track. I saw you on TV today. I saw how you looked at her. How protective you were of her.”

“That’s my job, Mom. To protect her.”

“Well, it also looked like you wanted to tear those reporters a new one, is that your job, too?”

Today at the press conference that was supposed to be about the HCWS and the programs and services that they offer, all any of the “reporters” and he was using that term lightly had wanted to talk about was her love life, the fact that she’d fired her label and her manager, and if she had an eating disorder. She’d handled all of it like the pro she was, with grace and poise. Just like she had when the scum suckers were outside his house, camped outside the studio and even in the bathroom in the building the studio was in.

He on the other hand was not dealing with it as well. They hunted her, harassed her and wrote lies about her. She was so talented and he’d seen over the past week that her talent was totally ignored and overlooked.

“I’m really worried about you. You’re out there all alone, with no family. I think maybe your sister and I should come out and visit.”

“No!” he barked. He hadn’t meant to yell, but there was no way in hell he could handle his mom and sister being at his house, too. He was barely dealing with Ginny being there. He lowered his voice as he explained, “I’m fine. You really don’t have anything to worry about. I’m on the job, that’s all.”

The front door of the two-story house opened and he turned and saw Ginny in the doorway. One arm was in her coat and the other was flailing as she struggled to get it in the coat. Amber and Jamie were behind her trying to help.

“Mom, I have to go. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He disconnected the call and in three long strides he was standing in front of her.

She stilled and her arms fell to her sides. At first she just stared at his chest but then slowly her head fell back and she looked up at him. Her eyes widened. “Whoa. Where did you come from?”

He could smell the sweet scent of fruity alcohol on her breath. If he had to guess, he would say that she didn’t drink that often. She hadn’t drank either night she’d performed at The Plate or at all since she’d shown up at his door.

“I was outside on a call.”

Amber was still trying to help her with her jacket but he took over and was able to put her right arm into the sleeve. She didn’t make it easy for him and it took several tries. He wouldn’t have bothered but it was freezing outside. He doubted she would feel it, though.

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