He’d given her the perfect opportunity to tell him the truth, but when Clare opened her mouth, nothing came out.

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that, but there is one other thing I really need to know.”

“What?” she asked.

“Are you still in love with him?”

Clare thought for a moment. “No,” she said, startled to realize it was true. “Not anymore.”

That night, Aidan carried Clare up to bed after she dozed off while watching a movie. Hours later he was asleep with her in his arms when the phone woke them up. He reached for the extension next to his bed and sat up when he heard his brother Colin’s voice.

“Aidan,” Colin said. “Da’s had a heart attack.”

Chapter 25

Buddy Longstreet was grumpy. He and Taylor were enjoying a rare lull in their schedules before rehearsals started for their summer tour. Other than a joint appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show next week, they were free and clear for the next little while. He’d rather be home in bed with his gorgeous wife than trucking into Nashville to be fawned over at Mabel’s.

Back in the day, Buddy would’ve sold his soul to be famous. Now it was just a pain in the ass. They couldn’t go anywhere without the three-hundred-pound hunk of meat who was driving them into the city in Buddy’s Cadillac Escalade. Buddy tolerated the meat only to keep Taylor safe from the crazies. When he was by himself, he usually left the security at home.

He reached for Taylor’s hand, and she rewarded him with the hundred-watt smile that still turned him to mush after ten years together. She’d insisted on coming with him tonight to keep him company, and he was glad she had. He hated going anywhere without her.

No one but Reid Matthews could have gotten Buddy to Mabel’s tonight to see some unknown singer. But Reid was the one person from his life before stardom—other than his mother—who’d never asked him for a goddamned thing after he struck it rich. In fact, Reid had given Buddy the money to record the demo that led to his first record deal. There was nothing Buddy wouldn’t do for that son of a bitch.

Buddy also had to admit he was curious about this girl singer after the way Reid had talked about her. There was definitely more to the story than Reid was letting on, which was just one more reason Buddy was on his way to Mabel’s.

“What’s the matter, baby?” Taylor asked. “You’re all tense.”

“I’d rather be sweet talking you into bed than going to town.”

When she leaned over to kiss him, her silky dark hair brushed against his face and sent a jolt of desire straight down to where he lived. “Don’t start anything, sugar, we’re almost there.”