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Her words shocked me, so I rose to my feet and walked over to the cell bars. “You sure? I thought you’d be mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you, Leah?”
She crossed her hands over her chest and tilted her head to one side. Danielle’s face stayed innocent, but I knew she was joking with me, so I swallowed hard and tried to touch her through the iron bars.
“Careful,” she said and backed away from me. “Your hand might get stuck.”
“I’m sorry, Danielle. I tried to stop, and this is not what I planned, but I fell in love with him, and I hope that you can be happy for me.”
She stared hard at me, and the paleness in her cheeks worsened. “You know, Leah. Hearing that you’re in love with my father is not shocking to me. I see the way he looks at you, and you’ve been trying hard to act like you don’t feel it too because of me. What bothers me is the fact that you’re willing to throw away your singing career and stay in Lakewood. I mean we’ve dreamed of this since we were in high school, remember?
“It was supposed to be me and you taking on the entire continent of Europe and singing our hearts out.”
“That was our dream, Danielle, but that was nearly seven years ago, I think. It’s been such a long time ago; I have forgotten our dream.”
Danielle gasped, and I shook my head before rushing to her. “I mean, look, I know this is what we always wanted, but I don’t think it’s what I want anymore. I’m a different person when I have fame and everything else that goes with it—the drinking, the one-night stays in hotel rooms, and the temptations of all of it. I don’t want to live like that anymore.”
“And you decided this since when? Two months ago, when you moved back to Lakewood? Come on Leah, just spill. All of this is because of my dad. You’re in love with him and now you want to give everything up so you can stay here and play housewife.”
“Danielle ...”
“But don’t forget that he was married once and that didn’t end well.”
She spat the words right out, and just then I saw Tommy standing behind her. Danielle followed my line of sight and saw him too then she cast a glance at me and shook her head.
“I always dreamed of doing this with you, Leah,” she said. “Just make sure you’re choosing the right thing.”
Danielle stormed off before I could say anything else, and Tommy gave me an apologetic look before he hurried out with her. The churning in my stomach worsened, and I feared I would get sick all over myself.
Tommy
Daniellewasquiettheentire drive to Nashville two days later, and even the song playing in the background could not get her to smile a little bit.
“Danielle,” I called, and she glanced over to look at me. “You shouldn’t worry too much about Leah. Peter’s a great lawyer and he’s going to get her out of jail.”
“I’m not worried about Leah,” she said, but that was an obvious lie, and that made me shake my head and sigh. “You know Danny, you can tell me what’s bothering you so much.”
“Why, so you two can talk about it during pillow talk?”
The sharp comment came out the instant I asked the question, and she rolled her eyes before looking away. The thing about Danielle is that she has always had that sass, and I don’t think a make-up movie and a few good laughs would take that away. I want to assure her that being in love with Leah won’t change a thing between us, but I don’t know how to say that because things haven’t been exactly great between us.
“Danny,” I finally say after a long time. “Leah and I will never talk about you during pillow talk that’s for sure, but that’s not the point here. You feel alone because Leah’s backing out on the dream you both shared as little girls, but that was a long time ago, Danielle, and I think if you love Leah then you should let her do what she wants to do now.”
“You say that because she’s gonna be here with you,” he said.
“You kidding me?”
She sighed and folded her arms over her chest as I continued. “I love Leah, Danielle. I haven’t been in love with anyone in years, and that means I’ll do whatever makes her happy. If she wants to go on a tour to Europe then I’ll support her. If she wants to stay here and start something new no matter what that is, I’ll support her. I don’t care what it is, as long as it’s safe and it makes her happy. That’s what love is.”
Danielle was quiet now, and she stared at her thighs without saying a word to me. The drive to Nashville was a long one, and I knew we had all the time in the world to talk while on the way there, so I turned down the radio and waited for her to say anything.
We arrived in Nashville without Danny saying a word to me the entire trip, and when we got to the address where the cops had transferred Leah too, we found out that she had a court arraignment in an hour.
Danielle seemed composed, but I was a mess inside because I worried about Leah. She didn’t feel well the other day and I wondered how she was feeling now. Worrisome thoughts about Leah stayed on my mind while we located the station, and we walked in just before the hearing started.
Leah kept her head bowed the entire time, and I spotted Trevor too. He was on his stand. He wore a triumphant grin, and I longed to wipe it off his face with my fist. There was no way I would let him get away with keeping her locked up.
Peter was standing in front of him at the stand so I couldn’t ask him for an update on the Delgado case, but when he announced that he had another witness to present, that shocked me, Danielle, and even Trevor’s lawyer.
