Part Two: Man of My HeartJasmine Grey took off her signature white Stetson, ran a hand through the tumble of her auburn curls and gave a sigh of relief. "Done for the night." She grinned at Gary Lockwood, her tour manager. "But it rocked, didn't it?"Gary gave her a smile a mile wide. "It sure did. You were hotter than a pistol. Carson's gonna be real excited at the response you're getting.""It's hard to believe a year ago I was still playing any club in Austin where I could get a gig and sending out demos to anyone and everyone.""Then one night Carson dropped into that club where you were filling in," Gary reminded her, "and the rest, as they say, is history."Carson Wagner was one of the hottest managers in the business. Unlike many others in the business, he chose to make his base of operations in Austin, Texas, rather than Nashville. He told people Austin was rich with talent they hadn't even discovered yet. He'd grown up a big Willie Nelson fan and loved to tell people
"Hey. What about us?" Cobra asked."You know the score," Gary told him. "She succeeds, you succeed. And that could mean another album and more studio money for you guys." He paused. "And Cobra? Behave yourself.""Man." He laughed. "That's no fun.""It would be less fun to get kicked off of this gig.""Yeah?" The bass player's features were arranged in a sneer. "I'm the best fucking bassist you can buy, man. I'm not going' anywhere." ""Just behave. You ready, Jas?"Jasmine grabbed her little cosmetic bag and did a quick repair job, fluffing her hair and checking her outfit. She slapped her Stetson back on and turned to Gary."Okay?""We think you look gorgeous," Tony Baez, her lead guitar player called out. "Forget about him."There was another knock on the door."That'll be your cue," Gary said. "Let's move it, people."Jasmine tried to still the flock of butterflies swarming in her stomach. It's just another song, she told herself. She was glad she knew a lot of the Sweet
"Fuck." His voice was still slurred but now it was edged with anger. "You bitch. Okay, I wanted to make it nice for you but that's out the window. I'm gonna take what I want and fuck you blind."Jasmine could hardly breathe with his weight on top of her, and fear had nearly paralyzed her vocal chords. His fingers closed around her wrists in a painful grasp and he held her in place while he kneed her legs apart. When he grabbed the top of her sleep pants and yanked, tearing the fabric, she found her voice and screamed and kept on screaming.Suddenly the pressure of his body was gone. Voices surrounded her and she tried to focus on what was happening. There were people in the room, a lot of people, Gary and Hondo and some others she didn't even recognize. She curled onto her side, trying to hide herself. Oh god, oh god, oh god.Her breasts still hurt where Cobra had squeezed it so hard and she felt sick to her stomach. Then Gary was there."Ssh, ssh," he soothed. "It's okay. We've
"Libby, I'm fine, really."Jasmine leaned back in her chair and lifted her glass of sweet tea. She took a long drink of it, pleased to see that her hands weren't shaking. Her cousin, Liberty McCoy, was sitting across from her giving her the fisheye."You sure don't look fine to me.""But I am. Look." She held out her hand, forcing it to remain steady. "Not even a tremor.""You can't fool me, Jasmine Grey. I've known you too long. You always put on a good front."Jasmine leaned forward. "I'm doing as good as I can, Libby, and that's the truth. I get better every day."The women were sitting out on Jasmine's back patio, one of the few places in her new home that had any furniture. A soft breeze was blowing, tickling the leaves in the big oak tree whose branches hung over the patio. Two jackrabbits raced through the tall grass and in a grove of trees white tailed deer munched on the wild shrubs growing there. The scene was so peaceful she wondered if she'd ever want to leave it agai
Caleb Branam sat in the booth in the coffee shop and tried to smile at his friend."You trying to be a do-gooder, Aron?"Aron McCoy just looked at him. "I'm trying to help you get your head out of your ass."Caleb ran his hands up the sides of his face and across the top of his head. "Hmm. Seems like it's still in the right place."Aron snorted. "I should have known. A wiseass, just like at the University of Texas."Caleb chuckled. "Is that better or worse than being a smartass?" The smile disappeared. "You have to stop trying to 'fix' me, buddy. Some people are just permanently broken.""So that means what? You'll just hide away in your cabin up in the hills, relying on your disability funds to pay for your beer and skittles?"Caleb managed a chuckle. "I might if I knew what skittles were."Aron leaned forward. "I'm serious, Caleb. Everyonehas disasters in their lives, but they deal with it. There are a lot of people much worse off than you are."Last night when Libby told
"So how are you doing? Really?"Carson Wagner sat across the table from Jasmine on her patio and studied her with that analyzing look she knew so well."Good. Really. All things considered."She wasn't about to tell him she still woke up in the middle of the night with the feel of Cobra's hands on her. This was a battle she was determined to fight herself."Are you sure? Because we have stuff to talk about, good stuff, but I want to make sure you're ready to move forward.""Carson, it's been three weeks. I'm okay. The best part of the whole episode, if there is a best part, is the band and Gary broke into the room and yanked him off of me before he could do any real damage.""And thank the lord for that. Okay, if you're sure, take a look at what I have here." He reached into his briefcase, pulled out a folder, opened it and set it on the table before her.Jasmine's eyes widened as she read the information. This was the next step in her career and it was a really big one."Wow, Carson,
Caleb grumbled to himself as he drove down the two-lane country highway headed toward the address Carson Wagner had given him. He still couldn't figure out how this happened so fast. Or how it even happened at all. One minute he was happily miserable in his self-imposed isolation. He'd even learned to live without sex except for the occasional connection with his hand. The next Aron McCoy had turned his life upside down. He thought it was the fickle finger of fate that they'd bumped into each other in Kerrville and nothing would do but they have coffee together. As if that wasn't bad enough, Aron managed to connect with him again on the one day he came into town to do some grocery shopping. He'd been happy not having to talk to people. Be with people. He could wallow in his misery up in his isolated cabin and feel as sorry for himself as he wanted to. He should have flat out told Aron "No" when the subject came up, but the man just wouldn't take that for an answer. He'd said yes mostl
"Well, what?" Caleb asked. "I just met her. I don't know exactly what this job requires or even if she could stand to have me around.""Don't throw those scars in here," Aron warned. "She barely looked at them. I want your gut reaction."Caleb folded his arms. "She seems okay. At least for all of the ninety seconds I've been with her so far."Aron threw back his head and laughed. "So I should forget that you practically had your tongue hanging out of your mouth?""Okay, okay," he grumbled. "She's attractive. I'll give you that. But you're not hiring me to be her stud."Aron's face sobered. "No, I'm not. But I also don't want you to stand around with a stick up your ass. She's not what you expected, is she.""Exactly what did you expect, Mr. Branam?"Both men startled. Neither of them had heard the screen door open and close or her footsteps on the concrete. Caleb felt a hot flush rise on his cheeks. He stood up, trying not to favor his leg, and took the tray with mugs on it from