Love's Road Home Read Free Page A

venues." Tom rubbed his hands over his face and shook his head. "I get nervous just thinking about singing to a crowd of more than a few hundred people. This really is going to be a big step up for Roadhouse if we can pull it off."
    "I’m sure you’ll be great." Bethany lifted her half-empty glass of beer. "Here’s to a successful tour. May you enjoy every second of your celebrity."
    "Let’s not rush things. Let’s take it one day at a time." Tom lifted his own drink. "To Jacksonville ," he said, and touched his glass to Beth’s.
    She smiled. "To Jacksonville ."
    •
    In a stone mansion on the edge of Savannah ’s Historic District, a young woman ran up the stairs to her west wing bedroom. She was ecstatic, barely able to contain her excitement.
    Pulling up the candid photos she’d loaded onto her PC, she sat down in front of the machine and let out a long sigh. It seemed like each passing minute was an hour.
    But soon she’d see him on stage. Live and in person.
    She’d been waiting for this moment for a long time. Okay, a year—but it had seemed like forever. And now she didn’t have to wait much longer to meet him.
    He was going to be in a public arena. A huge theatre. She didn’t have to worry about getting a fake ID in order to gain access to a local bar. There was no age limit for admittance to the upcoming concert, and she was going to be there. Not quite in the front row, but close enough that he would see her while he played.
    She was so proud of him. He was on his way to the big time now, and she intended to be by his side as he finally got all the recognition he deserved. He was so gorgeous and talented. And he was hers.
    At least he would be, once they finally met face to face.

Chapter Two
    Beth put down her bottle of lemonade and looked around. The stage was all set for Roadhouse’s performance later that evening, and the crew of roadies and local stagehands were taking a well-deserved break.
    Her job had been decided right after she’d been hired. Laying electrical wires meant less heavy lifting for her to do, and it freed other guys for jobs she couldn’t necessarily do as a rookie. Or as a woman. As the final equipment was being broken down and packed up in Savannah yesterday afternoon, Mike had given her a brief rundown on how the lines had to be arranged and connected.
    Beth had traveled down to Jacksonville in the same van as her father and Cole. Although she was quick to pick up new skills, she had to admit that the onslaught of electrical terminology Mike had thrown at her earlier had been a bit overwhelming. She’d been glad to have the opportunity in the truck to ask the two men a few additional questions.
    Upon their arrival in the area early this morning, the crew had proceeded to check out the accommodations in the Florida Theatre. They needed to verify where all the equipment was to be arranged, where the stage exits and dressing rooms were, and other technical information that could change from one venue to another. Beth had enjoyed taking part in those activities, which added to her understanding of the many aspects of a roadie’s job. Once the initial inspection had been completed, everyone got right to work on the load-in and set-up of equipment.
    Now, as she looked at the job she’d just completed, Beth was satisfied. Mike was still going to look over her wiring connections to be sure they were correct, but she thought they’d be fine. Her confidence was high even though her hands-on experience was low. And once she mastered this part of her job, hopefully more duties would be assigned to her.
    Because Beth was really hoping that additional work would keep her mind off Tom Crowley.
    The other night in Savannah , at Gregory’s bar, she had really enjoyed talking with Tom. Maybe too much. He’d treated her with respect and spoke in a very cordial manner, yet subtle glances he’d sent her way had conveyed his attraction to her. And Beth was sure he’d probably gotten the