Bourbon Harmony (Bourbon Canyon #5)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Rhys

“Dad!”

Awareness poked at the edges of my consciousness. A soft, warm body was pressed next to me, tempting me to fall back asleep. This was heaven and I hadn’t gotten to hold heaven in my arms in a long damn time.

“Dad!”

The doorknob jiggled.

I jolted awake. June. Her moans. Her heat. Cuddling.

She was groaning awake, rolling over to face me. Her dreamy smile almost made me forget what a mess we were in. Her hair was tousled. Bed head. My bed.

“Dad? Are you even here?” Bethany called from the other side of the door.

June’s eyes widened and she gasped.

I put my finger to her lips. “Yeah, I slept in,” I called through the door. “Do your chores and?—”

“They’re done. We’re ready for school.” The knob jiggled again. “Your door is locked.”

Shit. How late was it? I rolled out of bed and frantically searched the room for an extra pair of sweats. Looking down, I blew out a breath. I was wearing the sweats I was looking for.

I met June’s alarmed gaze. She was holding the blankets to her chest. Frowning, she glanced down. I wasn’t the only fully clothed one. She dropped the blanket.

I smirked at her, and she shot me a glare, then a smile curved her lips.

This was fucking ridiculous. Not even my mom had slept in with a stranger on a school day. The thought was sobering.

Ideas churned in my head. What should I tell the girls? They couldn’t know I was messing around with their music idol. The girls wanted June’s autograph. I wanted June’s climaxes.

Shit. I stuffed a hand through my hair. My obnoxious dick was awake and aware a woman was in my bed.

“I’m sorry,” June mouthed.

I shook my head. I’d fallen asleep and she’d done the same.

“Uh, Bethany...” What should I do? Plans were coming together as fast as I was brushing them off. I couldn’t let the girls see June in my room. That was out of the question. “Wanna get my coffee ready, and... and have Hannah start a load of laundry?”

“We’re going to be late.”

I usually drove them instead of sending them on the bus. Normally, it wasn’t an issue. Normally, I wasn’t hiding a woman in my bedroom. “I know. I’ll call the school. But I need to get ready. ”

“Okay,” she said dubiously. Her footsteps receded down the hall.

I crossed to June’s side of the bed. “Here’s what we’ll do,” I said on a whisper. “I’ll go use the bathroom, and after I make sure the coast is clear, you sneak to the guest room. I’ll tell the girls you slept over because you were so tired.”

She nodded and scooted to the edge of the bed. “I’m really sorry,” she whispered back.

Without thinking, I leaned down and kissed her, a quick, firm kiss. “I’m not going to make you sneak out the window.”

“I never made you—” At my knowing look, she grinned. “It was once.”

“And I had to pretend I was taking a late-night walk in my socks. Your dad didn’t buy it.”

Before I did something foolish and crawled back in bed with her, I crept out. The hallway was clear. The metallic thump of the washing machine lid flying open was loud and clear. Drawers opened and closed in the kitchen. I waved at June.

She snuck behind me down the hall.

“Don’t close the door,” I said under my breath. “Otherwise Bethany might realize we’re lying.”

She nodded. “I was awake and getting dressed in the closet.”

Almost believable. Good enough. We nodded at each other like we were departing for a mission. A new connection formed. She didn’t question why I was keeping her presence from the girls. She understood.

I dipped into the bathroom and cleaned up. When I emerged, I went to the kitchen instead of getting dressed .

The main concern with dating was whether the other party would respect my limits when it came to Bethany and Hannah. June did, without hesitation. But this was temporary for her too.

Bethany was charging out of the kitchen. She stopped when she saw me, confusion twisting her mouth. “Are you sick?”

I was usually up and had my chores done in the morning before I got them up to feed the chickens, goats, the barn cats, and the dog. I never took sick days, but then I was never still in my sweats when school was starting soon.

“No, I’m fine. Listen, June got real tired last night and I told her to crash here.”

Excitement lit Bethany’s eyes. “June’s here?” She frowned. “I didn’t see her.”

I shrugged. “Maybe she was getting ready.” Before Bethany could think too hard about open and closed and locked doors, I stuffed a thumb in the direction of the bedroom. “I’m gonna get dressed. Just, uh, watch TV until we’re ready.”

When I was rushing down the hall, June emerged. She hung in the doorway.

“I’ll be ready in a few,” I said, pausing next to her.

“Are we in the clear?”

Not if I didn’t get away from her. The urge to push her back and see if she’d let me sneak more of those tantalizing kisses was strong. I ordered my feet to move. “We’re clear.” Before I turned into my bedroom, I glanced back. “Next weekend?” I’d have the house to myself, and I wouldn’t think about my request any harder than that.

Desire filled her gaze. “Next weekend.”

June

I was in a chair on the porch, guitar in my lap, a coffee on the little table, and a notepad full of notes.

A sixth full song had poured out of me. From Monday to Thursday, I’d outlined the melody, then the chorus, and filled it all in with lyrics.

I was close to a full album.

Everything I wanted was within my grasp. A potential record-breaking album. Perhaps some chart-toppers. And a world tour.

I was on the cusp.

June Kerrigan, tragic homeless orphan, would headline a world tour. I pressed a hand against my stomach. Nerves were lighting up. Anticipation bloomed in my belly, mushrooming larger until I could vibrate with excitement. Fear was right next to it. Anxiety that the cloud would dissipate and my chances would vanish. The last tour had been... a lot. A lot of travel, a lot of work, and thanks to Finn, a lot of drama. But I wanted more. I hated leaving the stage after a handful of songs. I also delighted in hearing that concertgoers had bought tickets for me and not the headliner.

As long as I cranked this album out, I’d be ready.

But I also wanted the man.

How hard would it be to leave him behind?

This wasn’t the first time I’d asked myself that question. The answer was taking longer each time.

The morning had dawned beautiful and quiet. High on my writing, I’d queried a few managers. I’d started with the ones Lucy had detested. Two hadn’t called me back and one had told me she was full. But now word would be out that I was looking for a manager. People might think I was a diva and had fired Lucy as soon as I thought I was too big for her, but I didn’t care.

The longer I was in Montana, the less I cared about the politics in Nashville.

Another weekend was here, and I had a tune in my head for another song. Some lyrics even. Lyrics about secrets.

I had a secret. And he could do the most amazing things with his fingers.

My phone buzzed and Wynter’s name popped up.

I answered and put the phone on speaker. The birds wouldn’t share our conversation. “Hey, girlie.” I set the guitar aside.

“Hey, Junie. Got a minute?”

I tensed. If this was an I miss you all the way from Denver call, she wouldn’t sound so serious. “What’s wrong?”

“Ruby called. She thought you’d rather hear from me.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “What’s wrong?” My blissful social media hiatus was coming to an end.

“A picture of you and Rhys at Curly’s has gone viral.”

Cold washed over me, leaving behind fragments of panic as the meaning sank in. “What? How? I’m in Bourbon Canyon all the time and no one cares.”

“No one cares that you’re here to visit family. But when you’re cozy in a booth with your high school sweetheart? The public is quite interested.”

I groaned. “What are they saying?” I would have to download the apps again. I had to see for myself, read the comments, track the speculation. But Ruby had been correct. I’d rather have my sister, someone who cared about me, spill the dirty details.

“Well, it took a few days from when it was posted.”

“I was out with Autumn and Scarlett, and they basically dumped me on Rhys, but the girls were with us.” I gasped, horror somersaulting through my bones. “Were the girls photographed?”

“Nothing like that yet, but they’re named. A single dad who’s an old flame. Everyone’s wondering if you’re ready to settle down. They’re wondering if you’re retiring to have a family. Some comments are calling him... uh, a hot mountain daddy.”

“I can’t argue with that.” I fiddled with the ends of my hair. It needed a trim and a new color. The blue was fading and I wanted a new tint to put the old times behind me. New tour, new color.

Until then, I had a bigger issue. “So, his face is scattered all over social media?”

“Just that image, from what Ruby could see, and his graduation picture. Weird seeing him again without a beard,” she mumbled.

“And the girls weren’t in it?”

“No.”

That must’ve been when they had gone to the bathroom. “Good. At least there’s that.” But their names were out in the world. Rhys was so damn private. This wouldn’t go over well, and I couldn’t blame him.

“Tell Ruby thank you and to keep an eye on everything for me.” Maybe she had some ideas about how to deflect the situation. A just-friends post?

A friend whose dick I’d had my hand around last weekend .

What a mess.

After I hung up with Wynter, I called Rhys. As soon as the call connected, I didn’t wait for him to answer. “Did you see the news?”

“That gas prices are going up again? Or that you’re having romantic dinners with your high school sweetheart?”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “You saw it.”

“I’ve seen it, songbird.” His tone wasn’t light, but there was no longer an edge hard enough to crush diamonds.

“When? Why didn’t you say anything? Why weren’t you hammering on my cabin door, demanding answers?”

“Figured I already did that.”

And we’d kissed. But we’d done more together since then.

“The girls came home yesterday beside themselves and asked if we were dating. Then Hannah asked if that’s why you slept over—while Annette was trying to ask me about a playdate next weekend.”

I could high-five Hannah. I was a little too territorial around Rhys. Except her comment would only create more speculation.

“Don’t worry,” he continued. “I said that you were tired after they’d invited you to watch a movie. Then they argued that it wasn’t a movie and started to discuss whether two episodes of a TV show counted as a movie.”

The chill from minutes earlier diminished but didn’t recede. “Aren’t you upset?”

An exhale blew over the line. “I’m a little worried. Irritated too, but not at you.”

“Maybe a little at me? ”

“No. Someone posted what should’ve been a private moment. But whoever it was didn’t include the girls.”

“Their names are out there. People know you’re a single dad in Bourbon Canyon.”

“I think the term that they’re using is Hot Mountain Daddy Rhys.”

Surprised laughter bubbled out of me. “Are you serious? You’re okay with this?”

“I’ll take Hot Mountain Daddy Rhys if it means Bethany and Hannah’s name don’t get tossed around. The comments seemed more interested in me than the girls. And I think the town will rally around Bethany and Hannah’s privacy like they have with you.”

“Wait—what’s being said?” So much for inspiration. My muse would pace in the corners of my brain until I scoured the internet for hours to find every comment regarding Rhys and his kids.

“Just some bullshit about you getting sidetracked by a mountain daddy and delaying the album. You know, stuff they wouldn’t say about a guy. But I’m used to it. I’m an adult now and I can take it.”

The attention was on him and he was thinking of me?

What did he mean he’d been through this before? It likely had something to do with his mom and he wouldn’t say. Regardless, he shouldn’t have to deal with this nonsense because of me. “I can work with Ruby to mitigate?—”

“Let ’em wonder. Any light you shine on us is only going to turn into a floodlight. That’s how it goes with you. Your fan base can be kind of rabid.”

“How do you know? ”

“I’m just a simple rancher, but I might’ve looked at your feeds a time or two over the years.”

I smiled and cradled the phone to my ear. I’d never tire of hearing that I’d been just as hard to forget as he was. “Yeah?”

“I had to make sure you were still living your dream.”