SHE SHOULD HAVE known her mother would send Nick and Rick after her. What she hadnt expected, though, was that theyd start at the bus station. Why not the airport?
Oh, yeah, it would be easy to trace her movements at the airport. Thats why. And she didnt have a drivers license so a car was out of the question. The only way for her to get out of town without leaving a paper trail was by bus. Maybe she should have found a hotel room and holed up for a few days. Then again, shed have to register and show I.D. The train, she muttered. I should have tried the train.
Of course her mother could never allow her just the slightest bit of freedom. God, shed been under her mothers thumb for years, doing exactly what was expected of her. But after this tour, shed had enough. Now that shed sung her last show on the calendar, she was going to start living her life in the way she wanted.
Maddie West, award-winning country singer-songwriter, had been transformed from a talented teenager into a multi-national corporation in the course of ten years. A multinational corporation who couldnt get up onstage without a double dose of Xanax and a few hours of hypnotherapy.
But the drugs werent working anymore. And the hypnotist her mother had hired for this tour was sleeping with her make-up artist and no longer cared about solving Maddies problems. No one really cared about her needs anymore. Making money was all that mattered and touring was where all the money was made.
Maddie pulled her knees up to her chin and sighed softly. Maybe she ought to go back. There were a lot of people depending on her. And she was scheduled to head into the recording studio next week to start her new album. Theyd booked the time with her favorite producers and there were meetings scheduled with her record company in Nashville.
She closed her eyes, brushing aside her doubts. A single image lingered in her mind. What was his name? Kieran. Kieran Quinn. Such an odd name. And yet, it suited him. From the moment she spied him at the food court, she sensed that hed be sympathetic to her cause. He had very kind eyesand a face that made a girl want to tear off all her clothes and find the nearest bedroom.
A shiver skittered down her spine. How long had it been since shed felt that kind of chemistry? Maddies love life had always been the stuff of tabloid stories and never, ever lived up to the hype. Shed dated a few actors, a few singers, a smorgasbord of up-and-coming males who looked good on paper, but didnt excite her in or out of the bedroom. But lately, shed grown cynical about ever finding love, especially amid the pressures that the press exerted on romantic relationships.
My life is a mess, she murmured. There wasnt one single element that she could point to as normal. Her mother was overbearing and unrelenting, running her career and her personal life as if Maddie were some prize racehorse. She was carefully groomed and trained, watched over twenty-four hours a day, told what to eat and when to sleep, when to practice and how to relax. Maddie wasnt even sure she knew how to run her own life, given the chance.
A sliver of fear shot through her. What if she couldnt do it? What if she finally made her escape and couldnt exist on her own? She drew a ragged breath. For now, she had a protector. And maybe, she could convince him to stick around until she figured out her next move.
Maddie pulled her cell phone from her pocket. Shed shut it off when shed snuck out of the hotel, but now she wondered whether they could track her using it. She glanced around the luggage room, wondering if she ought to leave it behind. Was that how Rick and Nick had found her?
As she weighed her options, Maddie heard the announcement for her bus. If she tried boarding too early, shed be caught standing in line, a sitting duck for her two shrewd bodyguards. But if she waited too long, she might miss the bus entirely. Maddie took a deep breath. Shed just keep her head down and keep walking, no matter what happened.
She slipped out of the door and headed back into the waiting room of the terminal. You can do this, she murmured. Just a few more minutes and youll be free.
Where have you been?
She felt Kierans hand on her arm before she realized he was behind her. Go away, she whispered.
Theyre outside, he said. Theyre watching everyone who boards the buses, but thats a lot of people to watch. If youre careful, you should be able to get by them.
She stopped. I cant let them take me back. You have to help me.
Kieran considered her, then nodded. All right.
Wait right here. Im going to see if I can distract them. As soon as I do, you sneak out and get on the bus. Just make sure you get on the right bus. And save me a seat.
Thank you, she murmured. She reached into her pocket and withdrew another wad of money. Here, take this.
How much cash do you keep in your pockets? he asked.
I dont know. A couple thousand, maybe three.
Dont go flashing that around, Kieran warned, pushing her hand back in her pocket. Youre going to get mugged. He shook his head. Just get on the bus.
Maddie nodded. She watched him through the window as he strode outside. When he approached Nick, she held her breath. Between Nick and Rick, Nick was the smart one. He was naturally suspicious and very loyal to her mother. What was Kieran going to tell him? And what would she do if one of them stayed and watched the buses?
A few seconds later, the two men took off running, racing through the doors of the terminal, right by her. She waited until they headed toward the ticket counter, then slipped through the doors. She walked directly to her bus, handed the driver her ticket and got on. Maddie found a seat halfway to the back and slipped into it, sinking down and watching the activity outside the window through her dark glasses.
Kieran had disappeared. When the bus driver stepped onto the bus and reached out to close the door, Maddie stood up, ready to shout for him to stop and wait. But then, at the last moment, Kieran came bounding up the steps.
He handed his ticket to the driver, then made his way down the aisle to Maddie. With a grin he nodded at the space next to her. Is this seat taken?
I was kind of saving it, she said. But you can sit here. For now.
Kieran stowed his bag on the overhead rack, then dropped down next to her. As the bus pulled out of the station, Maddie closed her eyes and sighed deeply.
And the adventure begins, Kieran murmured.
Thank you, Maddie said. I couldnt have gotten away without you.
Are you going to tell me what youre running away from? he asked.
Can we just wait on that one? she said. Id really like to enjoy anonymity for just a little bit longer.
Kieran nodded slowly. All right. But there is one thing you have to do for me.
Whats that?
He reached out and gently removed her sunglasses. Folding them neatly, he tucked them into his jacket pocket. Then, he pushed the hood from her head, his palms smoothing across her face. Maddie closed her eyes and turned into his touch.
It was such a simple gesture, but in an instant, she felt a flood of warmth rush over her. When she opened her eyes, he was watching her, his gaze fixed on her mouth. Maddie waited, wondering what was going through his head. Kissing him would complicate everything, but then, it could also make a boring bus trip much more interesting.
Why did you help me? You dont even know me, Maddie asked.
I dont know. I guess I figured there was no one else who was going to ride to your rescue.
No one ever does anything for me without some kind of motive.
Well, you did give me money, and Im broke. So, I guess I did it for a sandwich and the half-eaten candy bars. And I was hoping for some fascinating company on the rest of my trip.
He really was a nice guy, Maddie thought to herself. And he was sexy as hell, too. Shed made so many bad choices when it came to men Then again, shed never dated an ordinary guy.
Maybe that was her problem. When she slept with celebrities, there were so many expectations to live up to. They were supposed to be heroic and larger-than-life and she was supposed to be the ultimate bad girl.
But shed always been disappointed. Her lovers were never as strong and gallant as she imagined. And she was never as uninhibited as theyd undoubtedly imagined.
It was difficult to allow herself any type of freedom when the end result might be splashed all over the covers of the tabloids a few days later. Shed lived her life paralyzed about what the press would say, always suspicious of strangers and wary of friends.
It had been simple for her mother to maintain control. After all, she was the only one that Maddie could truly trust. But lately, Maddie had begun to notice that her mother had motives of her own. More money, more fame, more of everything that shed come to enjoy. And when Maddie had mentioned that she might want to give up performing and just focus on songwriting, her mothers true feelings had burst forth.
Why couldnt she have had a normal life? A childhood filled with friends and school, a world where there was still so much opportunity laid out in front of her. Maddie felt as if shed already lived a lifetime. She felt old and tired, cynical and unhappy with life.
I guess I owe you, she said softly, brushing aside the urge to kiss him. Maddie reached into her pocket and counted out one hundred dollars. Here. This is for buying the ticket.
He shook his head. Thats all right. You hang on to it. I know where to find you if I need it.
Im really tired, she said with a soft sigh.
Kieran patted his shoulder. Here, you can lean up against me. Close your eyes and take a nap. Weve got a long ride ahead of us.
Youre a really nice guy, she murmured as she wrapped her arms around his. Pressing her cheek to his sleeve, she drew in a long breath. You smell good, too.
Kieran chuckled. I wouldnt breathe in too deeply. Ive been on a bus for twenty-four hours. I could use a long, hot shower and some clean clothes.
Me, too, she said. A shower would be perfect. Maddie closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift. But they didnt wander back to the life shed run out on, her mothers angry face or her managers warnings that her career would be over if she didnt perform. Instead, they focused on the man who had rescued her from certain discovery.
It sure was nice to have someone in her corner for once.
2
FOR THE FIRST time since hed boarded the bus in Seattle, Kieran slept. Not just a half-conscious, restless nap interrupted by the slightest noise or jolt. He was out, completely unaware of his surroundings, lost in a deep, satisfying slumber.
Afterward, he and Maddie chatted, learning a little bit more about each other as the Kansas landscape passed by. Chatted, he thought to himself. That was a benign word for what theyd done. Full-on flirting was a more apt description. Theyd laughed and teased, injecting tiny sexual innuendos into the conversation at every turn.
And when the teasing wasnt enough, there had been the casual, almost accidental physical contact. A touch here and there, her warm hand on his arm or his face, his shoulder bumping against hers.
When theyd grown bored with silly stories, theyd found a discarded book of crossword puzzles in the overhead bin and had filled in the empty spots on the half-finished puzzles, arguing over the answers playfully.
It was the most fun hed had with a woman inwell, ever. He could be himself with her, not afraid to reveal the flaws he kept secret from others.
She found his obsession with financial matters charming and his constant checking of the schedule strange. Shed called him a stuffypants and a human calculator, not to mention a few other things that he might have taken as insults coming from anyone else. But Kieran liked that she spoke her mind.
And yet, they hadnt talked about anything serious, or anything real. He still didnt know the circumstances that brought her to the bus station or why she felt the need to run. All shed said was that the life shed left had become too much for her.
The lunch stop had been at a small diner along the interstate and once again, Maddie had ordered four or five entrees from the menu, then picked through them until she found something that piqued her interestthis time a grilled cheese sandwich and a strawberry shake. Kieran hadnt even bothered to order. He simply enjoyed the dishes she rejected. He was getting to know her faults as well, and didnt mind them a bit.
They pulled into Topeka at a quarter after eight in the evening, fifteen minutes earlier than scheduled. He thought about getting out for something to drink, but Maddie was dozing beside him, her arms wrapped around his, her cheek resting on his shoulder.
As he stretched his other arm over his head, he noticed two young girls standing in the aisle staring at him. Hi, there, he murmured.
They giggled and pointed to Maddie. Is that Maddie West? they asked.
Kieran frowned. He should have suspected his Maddie was using an alias. Who is Maddie West? he whispered.
The country singer, one of the girls said. Can we have her autograph?
This isnt Maddie West, he said calmly. Sorry. She gets that all the time. Her name is Alice. Alice Smith. But Ill tell her you thought she was Maddie West. Shell get a kick out of it.
The girls walked down the aisle and out of the bus, disappointed. Kieran looked at the woman sleeping beside him. So she was Maddie West, country singer? Now, suddenly, the reason shed had the two goons looking for her made perfect sense. They were probably her bodyguards. And for all he knew, they believed shed been abducted. Maybe it was about time for some answers.
Kieran turned and shook her gently. Maddie, he whispered. Maddie, wake up. She groaned softly. Maddie, they need you onstage.
Maddies eyes flew open and she jolted upright, scrambling to pull her hood over her tousled hair. What? Now? Rubbing her eyes, she looked around the bus, then groaned. What are you doing? Why would you do that to me?
I think maybe its time for you to tell me the truth. The whole story.
There is no story.
Then maybe I should tell those little girls out there that they can come back and get Maddie Wests autograph. Because they seemed pretty damned impressed that they were on the same bus as a big country-music star.
With a low curse, she sank down in her seat. Oh, great. Theres nowhere I can go in this world to get away from it. It follows me everywhere.
Not everywhere. I didnt recognize you. But then, Im really not a fan.