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  Chapter Three

  Traveling Band

  Kristin sometimes forgot how personable her best friend was, but as they stood in line to board the plane, she listened to LeAnn banter and laugh with other passengers, networking and exchanging business cards. Not a bad idea, considering the current employment situation. But Kristin couldn’t bring herself to get that deep into conversation with anyone.

  She didn’t know why her nerves were so on edge. This was going to be an easy time for her. She’d been a natural growing up, and working on a ranch was like riding a bike, something you never forgot how to do. And she’d flown plenty of times in her life; it wasn’t the air travel that bothered her. So why couldn’t Kristin just relax and enjoy being on vacation?

  “Excuse me, I’m sorry.” Kristin winced as the man in line in front of her hit her knee with a hard case he carried. She looked up into his youthful, blushing face. “I didn’t mean to hit you, miss. I’m just nervous, and that makes it nearly impossible for me not to twitch.”

  She gave him a cordial smile. “It’s alright, I’m not made of glass. What’s in that thing, anyway? Bricks?” She pointed to the hard case with a frown.

  “No, it’s my drum kit. Well, it’s the brushes and sticks and everything. I checked the actual drum set, which only makes me even more nervous about all of this.” He held out a hand in greeting, and Kristin shook it, finding his palm sweaty. “I’m Nate.”

  “I’m Kristin. I take it you’re in a band.”

  He nodded vigorously. “The rest of the band rented a van, but I had a final to take before I left, so I decided to fly. I should have sent the drums with them, but we’re playing our first big show, and I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I wanted to mess around a little more with a couple of drum solos.” His smile quirked crooked and boyish, revealing deep dimples in his cheeks.

  If Kristin had been seventeen, she would have been in love. He was an adorable kid, and she found herself regretting not taking advantage of her youth for something less structured, like playing in a band or taking acting or dance lessons. Hell, she could have spent more time crushing on kids like him, with silky brown hair falling over his forehead, reminiscent of the Beatles in the early days. If interest in the band was based on looks, and the rest of the members looked anything like him, they’d hit the Billboard Charts in no time.

  “I’m sure you’ll be amazing, Nate.” She rolled her eyes internally, realizing that being in marketing had created habits she would never break. Repeat names whenever possible; it makes the conversation more personal and shows interest, which creates a better environment for a sell. Kristin wasn’t trying to sell anything, but she couldn’t help her customary acknowledgements.

  They eventually moved forward, whatever blockade had obstructed the way removed, and she drew her small rolling carry-on behind her, while Nate lifted his case over his head. Kristin turned to see LeAnn flirting with the guy behind her, a man with broad shoulders and salt-and-pepper hair above light green eyes and a smile that was all about getting into LeAnn’s pants. Of course, he had on an expensive suit, the cut of which Kristin recognized as Perry Ellis, and LeAnn had a weakness for money, especially when it came to businessmen.

  “We’re moving,” she called to her friend, and this time, Kristin’s eye roll was external as the man carried LeAnn’s tiny bag for her. LeAnn batted her eyelashes and gazed up at him seductively without shame. Kristin didn’t understand, though there were times she’d been that obvious in her intentions. She hadn’t been interested in many men, but the two or three times she’d wanted action or at least attention, she’d clammed up irreversibly and been a prisoner of shyness. She couldn’t equate that to the woman who could give presentations to some of the most ruthless men in business, but nonetheless, it was true.

  Finally stepping onto the plane, Kristin filed slowly down the center aisle, watching the row numbers and stopping at fourteen to take her seat. She shoved her rolling bag in the overhead compartment and tucked her small ‘personal item’ at her feet, clicking the seatbelt around her waist. She was in the window seat, which meant no one needed to slide by her, so she could settle in quickly.

  It was better this way, she thought, as LeAnn took the aisle seat. Her best friend would be actively engaging with other passengers, while Kristin simply wanted to close her eyes and listen to music. She watched LeAnn giggle and tease people, thinking how miserable it would have been if she’d been in the center aisle, with LeAnn leaning over her and around her constantly. Relieved to be out of the line of fire, Kristin took her phone and her ear buds out of her bag, turned it on, and leaned back with her eyes closed as the music filled her ears.

  She laughed, the first song all too close to home. She loved classic rock, and Creedence Clearwater Revival was one of her favorites, but after meeting Nate, it was quite a coincidence that her randomizer chose ‘Traveling Band’ right away.

  With a smile still on her face, Kristin wasn’t pleased to feel someone nudge her elbow. She opened one eye and peered at LeAnn. “Can I help you?” She paused the song so she could hear the response.

  “Are you going to sleep already?” LeAnn pouted.

  “I’m not sleeping, I’m relaxing. I believe you were the one who suggested it would be a good practice for me.”

  LeAnn’s shoulders fell. “Well, here.” She passed over a business card, which Kristin considered with a deep scowl. “That guy’s looking for a marketing manager for his firm. I told him I had a perfect candidate and told him a little about you, so he wants your resume as soon as you have a chance to send it.”

  Feeling terrible for being so snippy when LeAnn was only trying to help, Kristin tried to let her gratitude show with a pleasant smile. “Thank you, LeAnn. I’ll email it over as soon as we land.”

  Satisfied, LeAnn turned away, and Kristin was left to her preferred solitude. She kept her eyes closed, concentrating on the music, as they ascended to cruising altitude.

  Kristin was awakened to the jerk and force of the landing. She gulped, realizing she was back in Texas, a place she’d avoided for the better part of five years. It wasn’t because she didn’t love home; actually, her love of the state was the reason she’d kept away. After college, she hadn’t gone back, with big dreams of success in New York. She’d followed that dream wholeheartedly, and she knew that, if she went home, she’d be torn. The heat in the air and the stretching plains with sharp winds and incredibly beautiful spring thunderstorms would have called her home and made it nearly impossible to leave a second time.

  The good news was, San Antonio was far enough removed from Dallas-Fort Worth to assure she wasn’t likely to run into anyone or anything that would be too much of a temptation.

  In Kristin’s opinion, the only part of flying worse than boarding a plane was waiting to exit. There was always some jerk in the back hollering for everyone to hurry up and some drunk guy in first class taking his dear, sweet time falling all over himself as he tried to collect his things and go. Stuck in the middle, Kristin sometimes just wanted to send out an electrical wave that would mute everyone’s thoughts and tongues, turning them into zombies who just followed instruction to file out so that it was organized and quiet. It wouldn’t cause permanent damage, only keep them in line until they got into the airport. Then, they could bellyache all they wanted while Kristin made her way in peace to baggage claim.

  LeAnn finally ended a conversation that sounded as if it had been going on the entire three-and-a-half hour flight and led them out of the row, down the aisle, through the jetway, and into fresh air that filled Kristin’s lungs as she breathed deeply of it. Now, though, LeAnn was in a hurry. “You’re crawling, Krissy! Let’s get our bags and get on our way!”

  With a patient grin, Kristin shook her head. “There’s no point. Our luggage won’t appear on the little conveyer belt for at least another fifteen minutes. At my pace, it’ll take about ten to get there. We’ll still have to wait. If I ‘hurry’ with you, I’ll be listening to
you complain about waiting the entire time.”

  LeAnn huffed but slowed down, her motions jerky as she fought to hold back. It made Kristin smile, and when they reached the conveyer belt, which wasn’t yet moving, she had to hold back a chuckle as LeAnn scowled, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. The impatience was adorable in some ways, annoying in others, and today, Kristin wasn’t going to let anything more bother her. She could almost feel the heat seeping into her bones already, the hot Texas sun beating on the roof of the airport. It was invigorating, and it incensed her own impatient reaction, making her want to get out of the air conditioned building and smell the air.

  The belt began to turn minutes later, and within half an hour, Kristin and LeAnn had their bags loaded on a luggage cart, headed to the curb to catch a cab to the ranch. A hint of a smile curved Kristin’s lips as they left San Antonio International Airport, took the 1604 loop west, and exited to leave town behind for the gently rolling hills of Central Texas.