Prologue
Celeste and Jodie stood shocked and amazed, staring at the huge stage in front of them. “I can’t believe it, front row seats.” They had been sitting in the lawn, they knew about the contest being ran by a local radio station, they just didn’t care. They were having fun singing and dancing to the opening act and didn’t need to waste their time and miss the show to try and get up front.
Of course that’s why they were chosen. They were just there to have fun, not impress anyone. Once the opening act was finished they were led to the front row.
“Look, we are going to be close enough to touch him.”
Celeste laughed, granted Kenny Chesney was one of her favorite artists but Jodie was obsessed. Of course, seeing that smile and those arms up close, wouldn’t be a bad thing.
As the lights went down they, along with 20000 other screaming fans, jumped to their feet.
Backstage.
As much as he loved performing, this was his favorite time. Those few minutes before he went out on stage. Getting all pumped up, listening to the crowd go crazy. Once those lights went off those couple of minutes were a pure adrenaline rush.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, GM Card is proud to present…KENNY CHESNEY!”
As Young started to blast through the speakers, Kenny ran out onto the stage in his trademark hat, sleeveless tank, and just tight enough jeans. Celeste was quickly realizing just why and how Jodie was so obsessed. “Oh my…look at that man.” she yelled over the music.
“Trust me, I am.”
Celeste and Jodie sang and danced to every song and every beat. Tonight was theirs and they planned on living tonight for tonight. Tomorrow they would have to go back to reality, a reality that no one should have to suffer through.
Chapter 1
After the show was over the girls decided to head to one of their favorite karaoke bars. They use to go every weekend, they were regulars and everyone knew them.
“Hey it’s my too favorite girls. Haven’t seen you in a while, you guy’s still drinking the same things?”
Celeste smiled, “Yeah Al it’s good to see you again. I wish I could get in here more but…”
“I know darling. I will keep an eye out tonight.” he said handing them the drinks.
“Thanks Al.” Jodie said leading Celeste to a table in the front. They sat and watched a few people get up and sing, it was mostly bad karaoke but they had fun none the less.
Celeste jumped up on stage, “Ok folks, so in honor of the great Kenny Chesney concert tonight I am going to try and not put this song to shame.”
What Celeste didn’t know was that Kenny, his band and some of his crew had snuck in the back and were sitting quietly in the back of the bar. He smiled when he heard the familiar beats of Big Star, his smile grew when he saw the face singing it.
“That’s her.”
“Who?”
“The girl from the front row tonight.” he watched her noticing how confident she was on the stage.
Al had wandered over to make sure they were taken care of.
“Man, she can sing.”
“Celeste?” Al asked.
“You know her?” Kenny looked at him hopefully.
“Yeah, she use to be a regular in here. Loved to see her walk in, the place just came alive when she stepped up on that stage. She doesn’t get in as much as she use too. Hold on I will introduce you.” Al looked around before heading up to their table.
As Celeste exited the stage Al grabbed her and Jodie, “Come on there is someone who wants to meet you.”
“Meet us?”
“Oh my God.” Jodie said.
“What?” Celeste didn’t wait long for the answer when she turned back around she was face to face with Kenny.
Al did the introductions, “Celeste, Jodie, this is Kenny. Kenny, Celeste and Jodie.”
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Uh, same here. Man I should have done Shania.” Celeste laughed only half kidding.
“No, it, you were amazing.”
“Thanks.” Celeste said taking the seat Kenny held out for her next to him. Jodie sat across from them talking to members of his band.
They spent the next hour and a half talking and getting to know each other.
“Shouldn’t you guys be headed to the next town?” Jodie asked.
“No, I have a vacation planned for the next 2 ½ weeks down at my place in Cancun. Time for some R and R on the beach.” Kenny said.
“Wow, sounds great.”
Al brought another round of drinks and asked when Celeste was singing again. So as she walked on the stage all eyes were on her. That’s why no one saw him walk in. For one night Celeste let her guard down, for one night she allowed herself to have fun, to be free and young. One night that would change all their lives forever.
As she was finishing her song something to the left of the stage caught Al’s eye. “Oh God no.” He yelled at his waitress to call 911 and he ran towards the stage, as did Jody when she saw what he was after.
Celeste didn’t see it coming, she just felt the pain, the pain of the sharp steel sliding into her stomach. When she opened her eyes she was staring into the face of the one man she hated and feared more than anything else in the world. “I told you one of us would have to die for me to ever forget about you.” He pulled the knife out and watched her fall to the floor.
“That sounds fair.” Al said as he swung a baseball bat at him. He hit him but not enough to knock him out only down.
Kenny didn’t know what was going on all he knew is that he heard Jodie scream, saw people running and as he got closer to the stage he saw her. The white tank that had shown off her tan was now crimson red from her own blood. The next thing he knew he was on stage trying to help Jodie stop the bleeding.
Everyone was so concentrated on Celeste that they didn’t see the man disappear out the back.
“I guess…we knew…this …was coming. He…always…said he would…win.” Celeste said with a ragged breath.
“Stop it. He isn’t going to win. You are. You are going to be fine.” Jodie was choking back tears now. You are going to get through this just like all the rest.”
“All the rest?” Kenny asked.
Jodie just looked at him and shook her head.
Jodie waited in the waiting room alone terrified that Celeste might be right. Maybe he had won. All of a sudden a bagel and a cup of coffee were placed in front of her. She looked up to see a very pale Kenny standing in front of her trying to look upbeat.
“What are you doing here?”
“I stuck around at the bar answered a few questions then got a ride over here. How is she?”
“Don’t know. They took her into surgery a while ago, no one has been out since. What time is it?”
“4:30am.”
“Man, you don’t have to stay. I know you have a vacation to get to and this isn’t your problem. I appreciate all you have done but you really can go.”
“I am fine. You need to eat something though.”
“Thanks.” she said taking the bagel and coffee. They sat mostly in silence for an hour before the doctor came out.
“How is she?” Jodie said jumping up.
“She is doing very well actually. The surgery went good. The knife missed all major organs she had some muscle damage, which we have taken care of, and her vitals are looking strong. She did lose a lot of blood and we had to do a transfusion but she is in recovery and it looks good.”
“Can we see her?”
“Once she is out of recovery I will let you know.”
“Thanks.”
A police officer walked up to them, “Jodie Miller?”
“Yes.”
“I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Oh, sure.”
“I understand the guy who did this is the victims ex boyfriend and that complaints had been filed before?”
“Yeah, his name is Joshua Watson. Celeste has a restraining order against him for what good that did.”
“Do you believe he will come after her again?”
“If he finds out she isn’t dead, yes, he will. He always has told her that he won’t forget her till one of them is dead.”
“Do you have an address for him?”
“No, he moves a lot. The last I knew he was living with a friend somewhere on Olive but that’s been a while and I don’t know who the friend was.”
“She had a restraining order against him, so I know he had attacked her before but were they this violent?”
Jodie laughed “Her record here at the hospital is longer than his police file. He has beat her up numerous times, pushed her down a few flights of stairs, and the last time was when he tried to hit us with his car. That was when she was granted the restraining order.”
“How long have they been dating?”
“They met each other and started dating a year and a half ago but broke up after 6 months. She realized he was crazy and left but he never let her go completely. They have been broken up for a year now. She has moved from house apartment, friends to friends, but he always finds her.”
“Thank you Jodie. I will keep you posted on what we find out.”
“Thanks.”
Kenny looked at her is shock. “I don’t get it.”
“What?”
“Well, my God, she was so happy. At the concert, at the bar, I mean how, why?”
“That is Celeste, ‘I will live my life while I can cause when I am dead I won’t be able too.’ she refuses to run, refuses to hide.”
The doctor came back and told them they could go in to see her. They headed upstairs to the ICU floor. Kenny said he would wait out in the hall for her.
“No, it’s ok you can come in.”
Celeste looked so peaceful laying there she was a little pale from the blood loss but she looked pretty good otherwise.
“We have her pretty drugged up, she won’t wake up anytime soon. Figured let her stay unconscious while the muscles start to heal. I will check back in a little while.”
“Thanks.”
“We have to get her out of here.” Jodie said.
“You really think he would come here?”
“He attacked her in a crowded bar. Yeah, I think he will come here. The problem is she won’t leave town.”
“Why?”
“She is stubborn. Say’s she won’t let him win.”
“Fiery lil thing ain’t she?”
“Oh yeah.”
A little while later the doctor came back in to check her vitals.
“How long till she be able to be moved?”
“Normally, I would say a day or two but I know her circumstances and well…she is stable and as long as a nurse traveled her, I would say she could go tonight.”
Kenny looked at Jodie “Go pack a bag of stuff you guy’s will need right away.”
“Ok, why?”
“Just go do it and meet me back here as quickly as you can.” Kenny filled the doctor in on his plan and grabbed his cell phone to make a call.
Chapter 2
Celeste felt a warm breeze on her skin and could swear she smelled coconuts. When she opened her eyes she was laying in a bed with a thin sheet pulled over her. The room was very tropical and the breeze was coming through the open patio doors. From her bed she could see the beach and ocean through the shear white curtains blowing in the wind.
“Well, apparently I am dead, cause this ain’t no hospital.” she tried to move to get up and felt the sharp pain in her stomach. “Heaven has pain, not cool.”
“Don’t you dare try and get out of that bed.” Kenny said handing her a glass of water. “And you are not in heaven you are in Mexico. Although a lot of people would say they are one in the same.”
She looked at him a little concerned as to why she was here and how she got here.
“It’s ok, don’t panic.” He walked over to the patio doors, “Hey, she’s awake.”
A few second’s later Jodie came running in the room “Hey girlie, I am so glad you are awake.”
“I will let you two talk. You hungry?” Kenny asked Celeste.
“Yeah, a little.”
“OK.”
Celeste just looked at Jodie for an explanation.
“It was all his idea.”
“What? Kidnapping me?”
“No, they didn’t catch Josh and we knew we had to get you out of there. He set up everything.”
“How long have I been out?”
“Just a little over 24 hours. We moved pretty quick. They were giving you pretty strong pain meds and it knocked you out. We got here this morning and stopped giving them too you right away.”
“What about my stuff?”
“I packed us each 2 bags, clothes, shoes, makeup, and some other stuff I knew you would need. We can buy anything else and we have 2 weeks to figure out what to do when he has to go back on tour.”
“I don’t know what to say, this is unbelievable.”
“Yeah, Kenny’s great. He is so down to earth and he has been amazing with you making sure everything was perfect.”
Celeste wasn’t sure why she felt the twinge of jealousy over a man she didn’t know but Jodie’s gushing about Kenny was more than she could take.
Kenny came back in with a tray of food.
“I said a little hungry.” she laughed.
“Well I got down there and realized I didn’t know what you wanted or liked so I brought a little of everything. Eat what you want leave the rest.”
“Thanks.“ Celeste said picking at the bowl of fresh fruit.
“I called the nurse she is going to come over to see you this afternoon. You need to take these antibiotics and here is a pain med that you can take when you feel you need it.”
“Ok, thanks, for everything.”
“My pleasure, why don’t we leave you alone and let you get some rest.”
“Yeah, I am a little tired.”
“Ok, if you need anything I will be out on the beach, just yell.” Jodi said heading to the patio doors.
“I will.” She watched Kenny follow Jodie out the door and listened to them laughing and talking. “Great 2 weeks of watching them carry on like teenagers.”
Celeste spent the next few days in bed with the nurse checking on her daily. She had given Celeste the go ahead to get out of bed but just to take it slow. On the 4th day in paradise Celeste decided it was time to get her toes in the sand. Jodie had gone shopping and she could hear Kenny out on the beach playing guitar. She called for Kenny to come in.
“Yes malady?”
She smiled, “I was wondering if you would like some company. I have to get out of this bed and as nice as this room is…”
“It’s not the beach.” he said finishing her sentence.
“Exactly.”
He gently put his arm around her waist and helped her stand. He supported most of her weight trying to take some of the pain away but she flinched anyway. “You alright?”
“Yeah, I’ll live. You know cuts and bruises heal eventually.”
He was amazed by her strength and couldn’t understand how anyone could hurt someone so sweet and beautiful. He helped her into a beach chair and bent down to remove her sandals. “Want a drink?”
“I want a strawberry daiquiri but I will settle for a water.”
He returned a few minutes later with sunglasses, drink and fresh fruit in hand.
“Kenny, I am on antibiotics, I can’t drink.” she said taking the daiquiri from him.
“Virgin.”
“Excuse me?”
“The drink.”
“Oh, yeah, of course.” They both laughed.
Kenny grabbed his guitar. “Sing with me.”
“What?”
“I know you can, I have heard that voice. Sing with me.” He started playing one of his songs and after a few seconds Celeste joined him.
They spent the next couple of hours singing and talking about their lives and Celeste really opened up about Josh and all she had been through. She looked at her watch “Man didn’t realize it was that late. You haven’t gotten to work on your songs at all. I am sorry.”
Kenny leaned over and took her watch off her wrist.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“No watches. no working, no worries you can have it back when you leave paradise.”
“What if I don’t want to leave?” she looked him in the eye.
He smiled, “That’s ok too.”
Jodie walked out to the edge of the patio with bags in hand and called for them to come in and look at all the great stuff she found.
“Go ahead, I am gonna stay out here for a little while longer.”
“You sure you will be ok by yourself?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok, just yell when you are ready to come in don’t try and get up by yourself, ok?”
“Will do.” Celeste smiled and watched him walk to Jodie. She handed him a box and Celeste couldn’t see what was in the box but apparently Kenny really liked it. The next thing she knew his arms were around her waist and they were hugging.
“Man, it really is going to be a long couple of weeks.” she muttered to herself.
“What?”
Celeste looked up to see Jodie standing there bag in hand. “Oh nothing just thinking out loud. What you got there?”
“Presents.” She handed her the bag.
Celeste pulled out a beautiful tropical print dress. “Wow, it’s gorgeous.”
“Well, I knew you wouldn’t be up to shopping right away so I decided you had to have it. Hopefully, you will feel like going with me before we leave. There are some great little shops out there.”
“Thanks, hopefully I will get a chance to wear it out before we leave.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better, a little sore when I move but not too bad. You know me, getting pretty use to it at this point.”
Kenny yelled from the patio, “What do we want for dinner?”
Jodie looked at Celeste “Oh, whatever is fine with me. Not real picky.”
Jodie walked into the kitchen with Kenny leaving Celeste alone to listen to the sound of pots and pans clanging together and both of them laughing.
Celeste really was happy for her friend she wanted Jodie to be happy but she was sick and tired of having to look over her shoulder, tired of hurting, tired of being alone. Why couldn’t she be happy too. She couldn’t lie she was very attracted to Kenny and she thought he was interested in her, at least that night at the bar he seemed to be flirting but now he was just being nice.
She didn’t hear him walk up behind her. “Hey, dinner is …” he saw her tears and got a sick feeling in his stomach. “What’s wrong?”
She quickly wiped at the tears, she hated to let people see her weak. “Nothing, I am fine.” she said quickly trying to stand. “Ow, shit.” She doubled over and Kenny caught her.
“Come on, take it easy. Let’s get you inside.” He headed towards the kitchen.
“I want to go to my room.”
“Ok, “he said half carrying her in the room. “I will bring you a tray of food.”
“Don’t bother, I am not hungry.” she said shortly.
“You need to eat…”
“I said I am not hungry.”
Kenny just looked at Jodie who was now standing in the doorway. “Sorry, just trying to help.”
“Celeste, what’s going on?” Jodie asked after Kenny walked out of the room.
“Go away.”
“Celeste, what is it?”
“Just leave me alone. Please.” She was crying again. Jodie knew now wasn’t the time so she left.
Celeste finally cracked, all the pain, all the fear, and all the lonliness of the past year hit her all at once and she couldn’t stop the tears that fell uncontrollably now. She ignored the pain and curled up in the fetal position and cried herself to sleep.
Out in the kitchen Kenny and Jodie sat down for dinner in silence. Kenny finally broke the silence only picking at his food. “What was that all about?”
“I don’t honestly know. I haven’t ever seen her like this before. She never loses it like that, she never yells at anyone.”
Kenny looked at her “Maybe it’s time she did.” He got up from the table and headed into her room with a plan. A plan that went out the window when he saw her. She was curled up in a ball, her face tear stained, Kenny’s heart went out to her and all he wanted to do was take her pain away. He pulled the blanket up over her and sat down in the chair next to her bed and watched her sleep.
A few hours later Kenny was wakened by someone yelling, “No! No, stop please! Help me!”
Kenny jumped up and realized the yells were coming from Celeste who was still asleep. “Celeste, come on darling, your dreaming.”
“NO, please don’t.”
“Celeste, come on, wake up.” he sat down beside her and gently shook her.
“No!” she sat up and pushed at Kenny trying to get him away from her.
“Hey, it’s me, it’s Kenny. It’s ok, it was all a dream.”
“No, no it wasn’t it’s was all real and it will never stop.” she started crying hysterically and fell into Kenny’s arms.
Kenny just pushed himself up on the bed next too her and held her while she cried, “It’s all over now. No one will hurt you again, I promise.” Kenny pulled the sheet up over the two of them and they stayed that way for the rest of the night.
Chapter 3
The next day Celeste awoke in Kenny’s arms and it felt good. Way too good. She snuck out of bed and out to the beach. Jodie found her a little while later.
“Hey.”
“Oh hi.”
“So what was up last night?”
“I am sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, be ok. What’s going on?”
Celeste started crying “I am sorry. It’s just…”
Jodie sat down next to her “What is it?”
“I am sick and tired of it all. I am sick of being scared, acting like I am strong and in control all the time, sick of being alone. I don’t want to have to watch my back. I don’t know anymore. I sometimes wish…”
“Wish what?”
Celeste got quiet, then, “I wish Josh would have succeeded, he has taken everything else from me already, so what is the point.”
“Don’t say that, don’t ever say that again. You don’t mean it.”
“I don’t want to be alone. I want someone to love me, I don’t want to be scared to let someone love me. That’s what happened last night. I got jealous. I am sorry. I am happy for you two, I just can’t stand to watch it.”
Jodie looked at her confused “What? Happy for who…for…what are you talking about?”
“You and Kenny. I think it’s great, I just…”
Jodie cut her off, “Me and what? There is nothing between me and Kenny.”
“Jodie, it’s ok, you don’t have to lie. It’s obvious.”
“Not to me and Kenny. Celeste there is nothing between us. He is so into you he doesn’t see anything else. Haven’t you noticed we have been here for 5 days and he hasn’t left this house once. Why, because of you. Come on Celeste, he is asleep in your bed right now because he was too worried about you to leave you last night.” Celeste looked at her in disbelief. “Give him a chance to love you, I know he can and so can you.”
Jodie’s phone was ringing in the kitchen she ran to grab it leaving Celeste alone to think about all she had said. What neither of them knew was she wasn’t alone. Kenny was standing on the patio listening to everything that was said. He was fighting the tears threatening to fall over hearing Celeste would rather be dead. He knew everything Jodie had said was true, Celeste already had his heart, he just had to prove to her that he would never let anyone hurt her again.
He headed into the kitchen to start breakfast, Jodie was sitting at the table on her phone and Celeste joined them both a few minutes later. She couldn’t make eye contact with Kenny. Jodie hung up her phone. “I have to get home today.”
“I can have the plane fueled and ready to go ASAP.” Kenny said.
“What’s wrong?”
“Mom’s sick and dad needs help.”
“I will call my pilot and get the plane ready.”
“Thanks I am going to go pack.”
“I will too.” Celeste said. Kenny looked up he hadn’t thought about Celeste leaving with her.
“No, you need to heal. Let me go, it will give me a chance to check out what’s up with Josh. If they found him then you can come home. You need to rest still.”
“I can’t run forever.”
“No, you can’t but you aren’t strong enough to go home yet.”
Celeste sat down starting to feel the pain from being on her feet too long. “You ok?” Kenny asked setting a glass of water and her pain meds next too her.
“Yeah, thanks.” her hand brushed his as she reached for the water. Their eyes locked and Celeste thought maybe she was right. A little more time here wouldn’t be bad.
After saying their goodbyes and watching the plane leave the airport Kenny and Celeste headed back to the house. “Do we have to go back so soon? I am feeling a little cramped having been in the house for over 4 days now.”
“No, we can do what ever you want. If you feel up too it that is.”
“Well, I don’t think I am up for cliff diving but something?”
Kenny slowed the car down and thought for a minute. “Well, we just ate so…” He looked at the sky. “That’s it.” he turned the car around and headed back towards the small airport. They pulled over a few miles past the airport and Kenny came around to help Celeste out. They walked through a wooded area and when they got through it Celeste gasped.
“Oh my, it is absolutely gorgeous.” They were standing on a cliff, that she was sure cliff divers loved, overlooking the ocean. Kenny lead her to a spot near the edge where they could see the waves crashing against the rocks below and sat down.
Celeste slowly kneeled next to him. “Wow.”
“You think this is beautiful give it a few more minutes, the sun will start setting and then the show really begins.” Celeste shifted trying to ignore the pain in her stomach. “Oh man, I didn’t think about you trying to sit on the ground.”
“It’s ok, just hard to support my weight.”
“So don’t.” He moved so he was sitting behind her and he gently pulled her against his shoulder. “That better.”
“Yes, much. Now I know why you vacation here.” She looked at the sky which was turning marvelous colors of blue, red, purple and pink.
Maybe it was the sunset, the scent of her hair, he didn’t know what, all he knew was that he couldn’t stop himself anymore. He had waited long enough. He shifted so that she gently fell backwards in his arms. Before she could ask what he was doing Kenny’s mouth was covering hers. She resisted and Kenny eased up for a moment, he knew the hesitation she was feeling and he didn’t want to push but he also knew how easy it would be for him to lose control in her taste. As she pulled away from him he didn’t try to stop her, he rested his forehead on hers his eyes still closed. She studied his face and noticed how he seemed to be trying to control his breathing.
Kenny opened his eyes to find Celeste staring into them. He smiled, “I am sorry, I just couldn’t control myself anymore.”
“Anymore?”
“Been wanting to do that for awhile.” He pulled back and looked at her.
“How long?”
“Since the concert.”
“The concert? You mean the bar after the concert.”
“No, I mean the concert. I walked out on that stage and before I ever sang a note you are what I saw. I wanted you then and I want you now.”
“Kenny, I can’t…I am not…”
“Shhh. Nothing is all I expect. I know you are scared but you don‘t have to be alone. Someone wants to love you and they are right in front of you. So let them.” He leaned towards her and gently kissed her again, this time she didn’t pull away. He still didn’t push things pulling away from her and just wrapping her in his arms.
They sat and watched the sunset until it disappeared into the water and still they sat there listening to the waves crash against the rocks below. They finally decided to head back to the house, the drive was silent, a million things rushing through both their heads.
Kenny was trying to figure out how to prove to this woman that he wasn’t Josh. He wasn’t going to hurt her and he just wanted the chance to show her how a real man would treat her. To think of what she has gone through angered him and he didn’t want that anger to show and scare her even more.
Celeste knew that Kenny wasn’t Josh but her heart wasn’t ready to trust anyone yet. Josh didn’t seem like the monster he was in the beginning. She wanted to love someone and be loved back but she honestly didn’t know how. She felt like a child who couldn’t stay upright on her bicycle. No matter how hard she tried, she always seemed to crash.
When they got back to the house Celeste turned to him, “Thank you for tonight. I really had a lot of fun.”
He stepped closer to her “I’m glad, so did I.”
“I am a little tired, I am going to head to bed.”
“Ok, you need anything?”
“No, I’m good. I will see you in the morning.”
She smiled at him, “Night.” She turned and headed towards her bedroom.
“Celeste?”
She stopped and turned to him. He crossed the room and pulled her into his embrace. He dropped his mouth to hers and gave her a very quick but sweet kiss. “Goodnight.” he smiled and walked out the patio doors into the darkness.
Celeste stood just inside her patio doors watching Kenny, she wanted to go to him but something stopped her and she wasn’t sure what it was.
The next few days Kenny and Celeste spent sightseeing. Kenny took her to all his favorite places and she did some shopping. She was feeling a lot better. Her stomach still hurt and she had to be careful to not pull anything but she felt a lot better. Her and Kenny were getting closer and closer and she was feeling like she could really fall for this guy.
She walked into the kitchen one morning to the smell of breakfast being cooked. She wrapped her arms around Kenny’s waist.
“Morning beautiful.”
“MMM morning, smells great.” Celeste heard the sound of kid’s laughing and wondered who they were. She turned to look out the window and that’s when she noticed 2 people sitting at the breakfest bar in the corner. On a closer look or maybe she was just waking up, she realized who the two people were. “Oh crap.” she tried to duck out of the room but Kenny wouldn’t let her.
Kenny laughed, “No you don’t.”
“Kenny, let me go.”
“Nope, come on.” he pulled her over to the bar. “Faith, Tim this is Celeste, Celeste, Faith and Tim.”
Celeste was embarrassed “Hi” she shook hands and wanted to go crawl in a hole and die.
“Hi, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Faith said.
“Finally?”
“Yeah, this boy’s been talking about you for day’s now.”
Celeste just looked at Kenny who pulled her to him and kissed her gently before returning to the skillet of bacon.
Celeste smiled and excused herself so she could go change clothes. When she returned there was a plate made for her sitting on the table.
They ate breakfast and headed out for a day on the water. The next few days were the same, hanging on the beach, partying in local bars, shopping and just having fun. Celeste watched Kenny’s reaction to the girls and wondered why some gal hadn’t snatched him up yet. Tim and Faith headed home and left Celeste realizing her time left with Kenny was short. She hadn’t heard from Jodie which she thought was odd but assumed she was busy helping with her mom.
One night after dinner Kenny and Celeste went for a walk on the beach. The moon was full and there was no one around. They picked a spot and sat close enough so that their feet were in the water when the tide came in.
“I can’t believe we have to leave here in 2 days.”
Kenny looked away from her not wanting to think of it.
“How do you leave here and go back to traveling all the time?”
“I know it’s always here but…” he paused looking at her “this time is a lot harder.” He ran his hand up her bare shoulder sending goosebumps out covering her body. “You cold?”
“No,” she looked at him.
He followed his hand up her arm, her shoulder, her neck, her jaw with his mouth.
Her breathing quickened, “Kenny?”
He lifted her chin to meet his and he kissed her gently at first then pulled away resting his forehead on hers. He saw the same passion in her eyes that he had in his. She didn’t like the distance he put between them so she pulled him to here and deepened the kiss. She laid back in the sand and pulled him with her. They laid that way for awhile kissing each other, holding each other, suddenly Kenny rolled over pulling her on top of him.
She winced “Ow” she said grabbing her stomach.
“Shit, I am so sorry. I forgot.” he said quickly sitting up.
“It’s ok.”
“No it’s not,” he eased her into his lap. “That was so stupid of me, you can’t do this.”
“Kenny, I am fine. Just a little sore still. No biggie.” she kissed his neck, then his cheek, all the way to his mouth. He kissed her back then pulled away, standing up and taking her with him.
“Come on.” he said heading to the house.
Celeste had to think quick she couldn’t let him walk away from her not yet. “Kenny please.”
“What?” Celeste looked at Kenny then at the ground. “What is it?”
“I…”
Kenny looked at her, “Hon what is it?” He moved closer to her lifting her chin to meet his stare.
“I don’t want to leave here, leave you and not be with you. I can’t leave here feeling the way I do without making…” she paused and choked on the word. She had never actually said it out loud and meant it before. “Kenny, make love to me.”
He knew how hard that was for her and his heart went out to her, “Celeste, I want to. God there isn’t anything in this world that I want more right now.” he ran his hand down her cheek. “But Celeste you are still hurt and I swore to you I would never hurt you.”
“It’s not the same, Kenny.”
“It is to me.” He pulled her into his embrace “I care about you and want to make love to you but I can’t, baby, I am sorry.” He tried to look at her and he could feel her tears on his shoulder but she held him and wouldn’t let him pull away. “God don’t cry, baby, please.”
“How am I suppose to leave here, leave you? You are the first man to make me feel like I am worth something. When I first woke up here I was actually mad at you two for saving me, I wished Josh would have killed me. I wouldn’t have had to live life like I have for so long now. You changed that, you gave me a reason to go on.” Celeste was getting angy now. Mad an Kenny, mad at Josh, mad at the world. She pushed him away. “Now you are leaving me, going on your way. You should have left me there, let me die, I would have been better off.”
She ran to the house and Kenny thought about leaving her alone but he couldn’t. He found her in her room face down on the bed her sobs tearing through her body and his heart. He sat down on the bed next to her. “Don’t you dare say that. You are an amazing woman, your strength alone is…God Celeste why can’t you see that.”
“Leave me alone.”
“No, you don’t have to talk to me but I am not leaving.”
“Not yet anyway.” she cried.
He sat there staring at the wall for several minutes listening to her cry. Finally, he pulled her up on the bed and crawled in next to her. She knew she should push him away but she couldn’t. She let him wrap his arms around her and she fell asleep in his arms.
The next morning they woke to the phone ringing. Kenny slid out of bed to go get it. Several minutes later he came back looking like he saw a ghost. He sat down on the bed, “I don’t know how to do this.”
“What is it?” she said coldly.
He looked at her and then the ground not able to look her in the eye. The tears fell from his eyes.
Celeste felt sick, “What is it?”
“It’s Jodie, she’s gone.”
“No,” she cried, “God no, how? Why?” she fell into his arms.
Kenny knew he had to tell her, “Baby, it was…” he choked, “it was Josh. He kidnapped her and tried to get where you were from her. The police couldn’t get there in time. He shot her they tried to save her but it was too late. Josh was shot in the shootout. He’s dead.”
“No! No! It should have been me, see I told you it should have been me. Jodie would be alive right now.”
“Shh.” There was nothing he could say so he just held her. She finally cried herself to sleep a few hours later. Once she did Kenny started packing and called to make sure the plane would be ready.
When Celeste woke she noticed her stuff was gone and the windows and doors were locked. She wandered out to the kitchen to find it completely clean and locked up. She finally found Kenny in his room bags in hand. “What’s going on?”
“The funeral is in two days, we are flying back tonight.”
“Oh. I will call and get a rental car for me to drive back from the airport.”
“Already done and it’s for us to drive back.”
“No, you have places to be things to do. I will be fine on my own, Josh is gone, no reason for me not to go home now.”
“Celeste.”
“Come on we are going to be late.” she grabbed her bags and walked out of the house not looking back.
Several hours later they were at the airport Celeste stood and grabbed her bag. She turned to Kenny, “Thanks for everything.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, your not.”
“Yes, I am.” He grabbed his bags and walked off the plane.
He made it clear she didn’t have much choice so she stopped fighting. An hour later they were pulling the police line off her apartment door. “What the hell?” she opened the door. “Oh shit.”
The small apartment had been ransacked. Celeste’s neighbor came over. “We heard him over here and called the police but he ran off before they got here. We didn’t know how to reach you.”
“That’s ok. Thanks though.” she walked into her home and looked at everything shattered and broken. There wasn’t much left he pretty much destroyed everything. “Kind of fitting huh?”
“What?” Kenny asked quietly.
“It’s official, he has destroyed everything. Every part of my life is gone. My belongings, my house, my best friend, my faith, my hope, my trust, it’s all gone.” she walked into the bedroom.
Kenny stood there helplessly. She had come so far was moving on, was doing so well and now it was like the past two weeks hadn’t happened. He heard her gasp and ran into the room. On the wall spray painted in bright red was “this isn’t over bitch.”
“It never will be, he’s dead and still running my life.” Kenny wrapped his arms around her.
“Let’s go to a hotel, you don’t need to be here tonight.”
“Yes I do. I need to see what I can salvage.”
Kenny wasn’t about to fight her on this so he went back to the living room and started clearing the floor. He then drug the mattress from her bed in and made a makeshift bed for them. “Fine, but you are not sleeping in there.”
She just nodded her head. He pulled her down on to the mattress and she didn’t fight him. “Do you want me to sleep on the floor?”
She shook her head and pulled his arms around her. Kenny laid next to her and held her all night.
The next morning they woke up still in each other’s arms. She was crying already. “What is it, baby?” he asked.
“I hate myself.”
“Don’t say that. None of this is your fault.”
“How can I face her family at the visitaion tonight. They must hate me.”
“I am sure they don’t hate you. You are not to blame for this. We will get through this together.”
She looked up at him. They layed there for awhile then started cleaning. By late afternoon they had cleaned most of the apartment, most of it getting thrown away.
That evening they were standing outside the church and Celeste was shaking so hard Kenny wasn’t sure she would make it. “You can do this. You have to say goodbye.”
They walked in and got in the line. They were a couple people away “I can’t do this.”
“Yes you can, I am right here.” She walked up to Jodie’s parents tears rolling dow
n her face.
“Celeste, dear. Thank God you are ok. We were so worried about you.” Jodie’s mom said hugging her.
“What?”
“We never heard from you and didn’t know if you were going to make it.” her father said now hugging her.
Celeste cried even harder. “Shh, dear, it’s ok.”
“No, no it’s not. I am why she is laying there. How can you be so nice to me? I am the reason your daughter is dead.”
“No, honey, you are not. Jodie told us everything that ever happened to you. You did all you could to get rid of him. This was Josh’s doing not yours. Don’t you dare blame yourself for this. Jodie loved you and so do we.”
Kenny just stood to the side, smiling. They had amazing strength, all 3 of them. Celeste just needed to get it back. And he planned on helping her do that.
When Celeste was done they took a seat for the memorial. After they said their goodbyes they headed back to the car. “I don’t get it.”
“What?” Kenny asked leaning on the door to the car.
“Them, how they can be so forgiving.”
“They care about you and know this isn’t your fault.”
“Yeah.”
They rode back to the apartment in silence, when they got there Celeste finished cleaning.
“What am I going to do? I have nothing left.” she said not really to anyone.
“Yes you do.”
“What is that? Look around I have nothing, it‘s all destroyed.”
“You have me.” He said swinging her around to face him.
“Knock the crap off Celeste. You have been cold to me ever since the beach yesterday.”
“Well, can you blame me?”
“Yes, I can. You have this whole idea in your head of what was going to happen when we left, when we never even discussed it.”
“But…”
“NO, no more buts and you got your say yesterday, now it’s my turn. You decided that we were going our separate ways, I never said that. I was able to walk away from you and not make love to you that night because I knew I would have plenty of opportunities. You never gave me the chance to tell you I never had any intentions of letting you go.” He looked at the tears falling down her cheeks and slowly wiped them away. “I am completely falling in love with you and want nothing more than to spend everyday showing you how much. That is if you are done yelling at me?”
“Kenny.” He pulled her to him and not giving her a chance to get a way covered her mouth with his.
He pulled away, “What do you say?”
“You still want me after the way I treated you the past couple of days?” she asked scared of the answer.
He kissed her again “More than anything. Celeste leave all this come with me. We can start over just you and me.”
She looked at her still packed bags from Cancun sitting by the door. “I need to grab some things.”
He nodded and let her go, he took their bags back to the car. She had salvaged two boxes of stuff from the apartment which he took from her in the bedroom. “You ok?”
“Yeah, I will be out in a minute.” She looked around the room and focused on the spray painted wall. “Yes it is Josh.” She walked to the door and picked up a photo off the floor, the frame was cracked but she removed the photo of her and Jodie. “It is over.” She looked at the apartment one more time. As she closed the door behind her, she saw Kenny open the car door for her. This felt right for the first time in her life. Before getting in the car she kissed him gently “Thank you.”