Lonely Road to You (Class of '85) Read online

  Kate heard the shower running after she pushed open the motel room door. Setting their dinner on the table, she bent down to pet Lucy and dropped her purse onto a chair. The water stopped just as she opened the container holding her sandwich. The smell of bacon made her stomach growl. She took a bite and glanced up when the bathroom door opened. Tyler stood in the doorway wearing nothing but a thin white towel wrapped around his waist. Toast and lettuce lodged in her throat, nearly strangling her.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  She made an effort to control her coughing fit and wiped her streaming eyes. “Fine.”

  Holding the towel in place, he limped out of the bathroom. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were back. I’ll just get something to wear.” He reached into the open duffel bag, grabbed a handful of clothes, and retreated.

  Kate stared at the firmly closed bathroom door, gasping for breath. At her feet, Lucy whined and licked her ankle. A vision of a broad chest covered with a nice sprinkling of hair was burned onto her retinas. Tanned arms hard with muscle, long toned legs, and an endearingly sexy smile completed the picture. When he’d bent over to grab his clothes, the towel molded his backside in a way that increased her heart rate to dangerous levels. Slowly she let out her breath. Sharing a room with Tyler North was a huge mistake. The man was positively lethal.

  Praise for Jannine Gallant

  VICTIM OF DESIRE

  “This was a fantastic, romantic suspense novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and the characters felt like old friends….The settings are beautifully described and the plot moves at a perfect pace. The mystery itself was great and I’m happy to say that I never fully knew who the bad guy was until it was revealed. I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy their suspense with just the right amount of affection."

  ~The Romance Studio

  Lonely Road

  to

  You

  a Class of ’85 Reunion story

  by

  Jannine Gallant

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Lonely Road to You: Class of ’85 Reunion Series

  COPYRIGHT © 2010 by Jannine Gallant

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: [email protected]

  Cover Art by Nicola Martinez

  The Wild Rose Press

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0706

  Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

  Publishing History

  First Last Rose of Summer Edition, 2010

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  To my husband, Pat.

  With you, life is always an adventure.

  Chapter One

  Kate Abbott hung up the phone and pounded her head against the refrigerator door. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!”

  “Hey, Mom.”

  Slowly Kate turned, her cheek sliding against the cool stainless steel. She stared at her son lounging in the kitchen doorway, six feet two inches of ungainly male in sagging jeans and a Mariners T-shirt. Amused brown eyes watched her from beneath a thatch of blond hair. Josh needed a haircut. Again.

  “What?”

  “Don’t hurt the refrigerator. It’s my favorite appliance.”

  She straightened and flipped her hair over her shoulder, still as blond as her son’s, thanks to the efforts of her hairdresser. “Funny boy.”

  “I try.” He ambled across the cool tile floor and plucked an apple from the fruit bowl sitting on the speckled granite counter top next to a loaf of garlic bread. After wiping it on his shirt he took a huge bite and chewed energetically. “Who was on the phone?”

  “A friend from high school. You remember Chelsea. I get a Christmas card with a picture from her every year.”

  “The lady with the hot daughter?”

  “Meg is twenty-four and on the verge of an engagement. She’s a little old for you, don’t you think?”

  “Hey, I’ll be eighteen next week.”

  Kate rubbed her temples. “I haven’t forgotten.” His size alone was a constant reminder that her baby was all grown up. Her heart ached just thinking about it.

  “So, what did Chelsea say to make you pound your head against the refrigerator?”

  “It’s not what she said. It’s what I agreed to do. I promised her I would go to our high school reunion.”

  “Cool.” Josh opened the trash compactor and dropped the apple core inside. “When is it?”

  “The end of June, and it's not cool. I had no intention of going.” Kate wasn’t sentimental about her childhood, and she hadn’t lived in Summerville long enough to form any emotional attachments to the school or the community. Of course that could be said of all the towns she’d lived in while growing up.

  “Then why did you agree to go?” he asked with unswerving logic.

  “Because there are reasons Chelsea should go to the reunion, and she wouldn’t consider it unless I agreed to be there for moral support.”

  “So, what’s the big deal? Why don’t you want to go?”

  “To begin with it’s in Summerville, New York. That’s clear across the country.”

  “Duh, Mom, but it’s not like you have to walk. This is the twenty-first century. We have planes, trains, and automobiles now-a-days.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It just seems like a waste of time. I only went to high school in Summerville my senior year, and I hardly knew anyone. The only person I care about seeing is Chelsea.”

  “No old boyfriends to check out?”

  Fleeting thoughts of a dark haired boy whose smile turned her legs to limp noodles flashed through her mind. She turned and stirred the spaghetti sauce simmering on the six burner stove, the newest acquisition in her ongoing kitchen remodel. The smell of basil and oregano made her stomach growl. With care, she wiped a spot of sauce off the gleaming surface. “Not a one. I was the new girl in town and painfully shy. The boys didn’t know I existed.”

  Josh slung his arm over her shoulders and sniffed deeply. “They didn’t know what they were missing. You’re an awesome cook and not bad looking for an old lady. Hey!” he said, jumping back after she poked him in the ribs.

  “I’m not that old.”

  “Forty-three in August. I hate to break it to you, Mom, but that’s ancient.”

  “I suppose it is. I certainly feel ancient at times.”

  He stared at her, his eyes narrowing. “Maybe you’ll meet someone at the reunion. You really should make an effort to date more. How many months has it been since the last time you went out?”

  “Dating is overrated.” Kate stepped away from the stove and studied her son. “I thought you had homework.”

  He groaned. “I have a paper due tomorrow, and history is not my favorite subject.”

  “I always liked it.” She shooed him toward the doorway. “Get busy. Dinner will be ready in an hour.”

  “I don’t see why I have to write the paper at all. I already have my acceptance letter from Stanford.”

  “Josh!”

  “Fine. I’m going.”

  Kate walked into the dining room, pausing to flip the stereo to a soft rock station. She stuck her hands in the pockets of her wool slacks and stared through the window at the steadily falling rain. The city spread out
below her, drenched by the late April downpour. The Pacific Ocean was a gray blur on the horizon. She loved Seattle, but she was sick of the rain.

  Perched on a bluff above Lake Ontario, Summerville would be beautiful in June. Warm and lovely with nary a rain cloud in sight. She picked up the square of white card stock she’d tossed on the table along with the rest of the mail. The embossed SHS at the top jumped out at her as she began to read.

  Dear Fellow Alumna,

  Hard to believe it's been 25 years since we last walked the halls of Summerville High. Wouldn't you like to know what's going on with former classmates?

  She snorted and dropped the invitation. The answer to that question was not really, but it looked like she was going to find out anyway. Chelsea would need her support when she faced her old boyfriend after all these years, and Kate couldn’t turn her down. She took her obligations to her one true friend from Summerville High seriously. Throughout childhood, her father’s career saving failing corporations dragged their family from one town to the next. By the time Kate reached high school she’d given up making close friends, but Chelsea had been persistent.

  The last strains of the Eagles' Desperado faded; a slow, sexy baritone took their place. Goose flesh broke out on her arms as Tyler North sang Her Sweet Smile, his final number one hit. For ten years he sang to sold-out concerts across the country. His killer smile graced the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine. Then he’d simply disappeared.

  Maybe there was a member of the class of ’85 she was curious about. The quintessential bad boy from the wrong part of town, Tyler North made fathers sweat whenever he smiled at their daughters. Of course he’d never smiled at her. She would have remembered.

  Scooping up the mail, she dropped it on the big mahogany buffet then pulled two place mats from the top drawer. There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in, well, Summerville in summertime that Tyler North would show up at the reunion. But thinking about the possibility of seeing him again after all these years put a bounce in her step as she finished setting the table.

  ****

  Kate opened the front door and found her ex-husband standing on the doorstep. She stepped back and waved him inside. “You’re early. Josh is still upstairs, but he should be down in a few minutes.”

  Ben Abbott smiled, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners. “That’s fine. It’ll give us a chance to talk.” He followed her into the living room and dropped into an easy chair, his bulk squeezed between the leather arms.

  Ben wasn’t fat. He was simply big. He stood six feet five inches and weighed over two hundred pounds, or at least he had for all the years they’d been married. And Ben never changed. He was still the same easy going, affable man she’d met in college. He was still a rock. He just wasn’t her rock.

  “I can’t tell you how excited Josh is about your trip to Alaska. It will be great for the two of you to have some quality father-son time before he leaves for college. Not that you don’t usually. I mean—”

  “I know what you mean, Kate.” He leaned forward, his elbows planted on the knees of his khaki pants. “Sit down and relax, and for God’s sake, stop fidgeting with that pen. What’s wrong?”

  She dropped the pen onto the coffee table then sat on the couch facing him. “Nothing’s wrong.”

  “Josh is moving to California, not Siberia. We’ll still see him all the time.”

  She let out a breath. “I know.”

  “But you’ll miss him. So will I.”

  “At least you have Ellie and Melissa.”

  Ben’s eyes lit up. “Did Josh tell you? Melissa can write all her letters now. Four years old and already smart as a whip.”

  She smiled. “He mentioned it. He’s very proud of his little sister.”

  Ben pushed up out of his chair and crossed the floral area rug to sit beside her. The couch sagged under his weight as he gave her shoulders a squeeze. “You won’t be alone. You have Lucy for company.”

  Kate glanced across the room at the love seat. Lucy, an Irish setter-cocker spaniel mix, rolled to her back and stuck all four paws into the air. Silky red fur cascaded across the cushions. “That’s something.”

  “You love that dog, and you spoil her rotten. Of course, you wouldn’t have to rely on a dog for company if you’d go out once in a while. It might sound weird, but I know a couple of guys who would love to date my ex-wife.”

  She sighed. “Let’s not go there. I date when I feel like it. I’m happy with my life, and I wish you and Josh would quit nagging me.”

  “We worry about you.”

  “I’m perfectly content with my own company. Anyway, as you pointed out, I have Lucy.”

  Ben shook his head. “I can’t believe you let her sleep on the furniture.”

  “Rules don’t have much of an effect on her.” She stared at the dog and stiffened. “Oh my God, I forgot all about her.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “You’re the most organized person I know. What did you forget?”

  “Lucy. What will I do with her while I’m at that dumb reunion? You and Josh will still be in Alaska, and she absolutely hates the kennel.”

  “Ellie would take her, but with her allergies—” His voice trailed off. “Maybe one of my sisters could dog-sit for you.”

  “No, I’ll figure out something.” Kate stood and turned as thundering footsteps sounded on the stairs. “Here comes Josh.”

  “Our son or a rampaging wildebeest? That boy couldn’t walk quietly if his life depended on it. With him around, we won’t be sneaking up on any grizzlies while we’re backpacking.”

  Josh skidded to a stop in the doorway. “Hey, Dad. I just need to find my shoes, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  “No rush,” he said, rising to his feet.

  Kate frowned at her son. “I think you left them on the front porch. There’s a pile of stuff out there you need to put away.”

  “I’ll take care of it later. I promise.”

  She didn’t believe him for an instant. “Shopping with Josh should be interesting. Don’t let him talk you into buying anything crazy.”

  “The trick will be finding a tent we can both fit into that isn’t too heavy to carry in a backpack.” He touched her arm. “You’re really okay with me taking him for two weeks?”

  “Don’t be silly. Of course I’m fine with it.” She walked with Ben to the front door and stepped out onto the porch. Josh sat on the top step, tying his shoes. Beyond him the flower beds that lined the brick walkway burst with May blooms. Across the street, her neighbor pulled out of her driveway and waved through the open car window.

  As Kate waved back, her hand stilled in midair. “You know, I just had a terrific idea. Instead of hanging around here for two weeks while you’re away, I think I’ll take a road trip and drive back East to the reunion.”

  Ben stared at her in disbelief. “Why would you want to do that?”

  “Actually, it will be perfect,” she said, her enthusiasm growing. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner. My next series of contracted books is about mountain animals. I can take my time and plan several stops in the Rockies for photographs and sketches. Maybe I’ll get a few ideas for prairie animals while I’m at it. This will be great,” she said, her imagination soaring. “You know I always visit the areas I’m writing about before I begin a new project.”

  Ben pulled his sunglasses out of his shirt pocket and twirled them by the stem. “Did you finish the last book in the swamp animal series?”

  She nodded. “I just sent in the final galleys for the alligator story. My editor has been nagging me to get busy with something new.”

  He frowned. “I don’t know, Kate. I don’t like the idea of you driving so far alone.”

  “Driving where?” Josh asked, jumping to his feet.

  “Back to New York. I think I’ll drive to the reunion instead of flying. That way I can take Lucy with me.”

  “Lucy loves riding in the car.” He bent down and scratched the dog’s ears as she wandered out
onto the porch.

  “Forget about the damn dog,” Ben said. “I’m more concerned with your mother’s safety.”

  “I’ll be fine. The car just had a tune-up, and I don’t have to worry about a snowstorm in June. What could possibly go wrong?”

  ****

  Tyler North shut the mudroom door against the brisk wind outside then pulled off his boots. Carrying the stack of mail he’d picked up in town, he padded into the kitchen and dropped his load on the counter.

  Turning with a wooden spoon in her hand, Libby North tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear and smiled at her son. “That’s quite a pile of mail.”

  “It’s been a while since I went into town. What smells so good?”

  “Beef stew. I know it’s the end of May, but it’s cold out today, and I was in the mood for comfort food.” She stepped around Tyler and pulled a canister of floor off the pantry shelf. “I think I’ll bake cornbread to go with it.”

  “Sounds good to me. Is Woody joining us for dinner?”

  “No, he promised to take me out tomorrow night, so it will just be us this evening.”

  Tyler crossed his arms over his chest and stared at his mother. “Are you ever going to put that poor man out of his misery and marry him?”

  “You know I like my independence. Now—” she said with a wiggle in her brows, “—if you were to bring home a wife, I might reconsider.”

  He snorted and rubbed his hand across his prickly jaw. “Don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Do I have time to take a shower and shave before dinner?”

  “Plenty. Did anything interesting come in the mail?”

  “There’s a packet of stuff from the Los Angeles post office box my manager forwarded. I haven’t looked at it yet.” Swinging his leg over the leather seat of a bar stool, he pulled a fat manila envelope from the stack and ripped it open. A shower of smaller envelopes fell onto the counter. Fan letters. After all these years he still received them from fans begging him to go on tour again. He looked over at his guitar propped in the corner of the room where he’d left it. Sometimes the need to perform was an ache in his gut.