Run Rose Run(103)

Any of the words of comfort that Ethan could think to say seemed so small and empty. So he just stood there, rocking her gently in his arms. Her tears dampened his shirt and her thin shoulders shook.

He hated those men. When he thought about what they’d done, his teeth clenched so hard that pain shot deep into his skull. He wished he would’ve done worse than break Hobbs’s jaw, and he wondered how hard it would be to find D—

“You’re squeezing me really hard,” AnnieLee whispered.

“I’m sorry,” he gasped. “I was thinking about…” He didn’t finish the sentence; he didn’t have to.

“I know,” she said. “I could tell.”

Ethan let his arms drop and then reached out and took her small, cool hands in his. He bent his knees so that his head was level with hers and he was looking right into her blue eyes as he spoke. “Listen to me, AnnieLee, please, because this is important. I told you that when you walked into the Cat’s Paw that first night it was the best thing that had happened to me in a long time. But I lied.” He paused. His throat ached with emotion. “It was the best thing that had happened to me ever in my whole damn life. I love you, AnnieLee. And I promise, I won’t let anyone hurt you ever, ever again.”





Nine Months Later





Chapter

96


AnnieLee Keyes and Ruthanna Ryder in four,” came the voice through AnnieLee’s earpiece.

Her heart did a somersault and she reached out to squeeze Ruthanna’s hand.

The country star squeezed back. “Take a big ol’ deep breath, firecracker,” she said. “Release all those butterflies.”

“Butterflies, hell,” AnnieLee said. “I feel like I’ve got an entire flock of pigeons in my stomach.” She gave a nervous bounce on her toes and then nearly toppled over, thanks to the crazy-high heels she’d let Ruthanna talk her into wearing.

“It’s the CMAs,” Ruthanna had said, “and you can’t show up in jeans and cowboy boots when Nicole Kidman’s going to be swanning around in head-to-toe Versace, and yours truly’s going to be sporting more sequins than all the contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race combined.”

AnnieLee had laughed and agreed, not even reluctantly, to have a dress made for the occasion: a form-fitting, floor-length sheath so golden and shimmery that she felt like an Oscar statuette come to life. Her hair had been pulled into an elegant chignon at the base of her slender neck, and diamond drop earrings—on loan from Harry Winston—brushed lightly against her shoulders.

Really, the only problem was the damn shoes. She bent down and fidgeted with the thin leather straps.

“You look great,” Ruthanna assured her now, “but more importantly, you’re going to be great.”

Ruthanna was wearing an ombre gown whose scarlet neckline sequins faded into the palest pink by the bottom hem, and her hair floated like a red-gold cloud around her beautiful face. She looked, AnnieLee thought, like a star-spangled angel.

“Are you nervous?” she asked. “You haven’t performed live in years.”

“Haven’t you heard what they say?” Ruthanna asked. “It’s just like riding a bike.” She smiled. “Or maybe a Harley-Davidson.”

She leaned in close and whispered, though there was no one nearby to overhear her, “Did you know that Jack bought us matching motorcycles? I told him I’d sooner ride naked down Lower Broadway on a horse than get on one of those. And what does he do? The fool buys me three months of motorcycle lessons.” She rolled her eyes theatrically. “And I’d always thought he was so sensible!”

Ruthanna might pretend she was scandalized, but AnnieLee could tell that she was thrilled—maybe not about the Harley itself, but about her relationship with Jack. It was a match made in country music heaven.

AnnieLee was thrilled, too. Back in Caster County, Officer Danver had built a strong case against D and put him in jail. As D awaited trial, AnnieLee gained the confidence she needed to recall her darkest days. Ethan listened to every word with patience, love, and understanding.

At that moment, the black curtain in front of them began rising into the air.

“Here goes nothing,” Ruthanna said.

Still holding hands, the women stepped forward into the blazing spotlight. On the other side of it, the entire Bridgestone Arena was packed, the front rows occupied by nearly every big name in the music industry.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” intoned the emcee, “Ruthanna Ryder and AnnieLee Keyes!”

The applause that greeted them was thunderous. When it died down, AnnieLee and Ruthanna looked at each other, smiled, and let go of each other’s hand. The drummer gave the count, and the band began to play. AnnieLee closed her eyes as the music filled her. The sound was so big and loud she could feel every note ringing in her body.

Ruthanna sang, “Put on my jeans, my favorite shirt…”

“Pull up my boots and hit the dirt,” sang AnnieLee.

Then their voices rang in harmony: “Finally doin’ somethin’ I’ve dreamed of for years…”

Even before the first chorus, the crowd was on its feet, singing so loudly AnnieLee could hardly hear the band in her earpiece. But it didn’t matter; the song pulled them along, weaving their voices together the way it had when they’d practiced it beside Ruthanna’s pool, in her studio, and even at the Cat’s Paw, late at night after everyone but Billy had gone home. It had become the song of their friendship, a symbol of the indomitable spirit they shared.