No Going Back

Kate walked around the stage, silently acknowledging that it would more than suffice for Tenley’s band. She had brought her planner with her, and she jotted down notes as they surveyed the site.

“How far back will the audience be from the performers?” She measured off several paces from the front of the stage. “I don’t want them too close, and I’m going to insist on security personnel to keep the crowds back.”

Chase laughed softly and scratched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what kind of audiences your client performs for, but this isn’t a Texas roadhouse. This is the U.S. military, and they will be respectful.”

Kate frowned, wanting to believe him, but recalling at least one instance when Tenley had been accosted by a fan who had breached the security and climbed onto the stage.

“Look at me,” Chase said, and put his hands on her shoulders, dipping his head to stare directly into her eyes. “I will keep Tenley Miles safe, okay? You can trust me.”

Kate searched his eyes and realized that she did trust him. He was bigger than life, a guy who obviously took his job seriously. Knowing that she could rely on him was an amazing feeling. She’d always had to be the strong one; the person who made all the decisions and ensured everything went smoothly. That this man was willing to take that burden from her meant more to her than she could express.

“Thank you,” she said. “Tenley has already had one bad experience with a fan.”

“You have my word that nothing like that will happen here,” he said firmly. “But I’ll arrange to have military police positioned around the stage and throughout the audience.”

“Thank you. May I see the administrative building where the performers will stay?”

Chase preceded her through the large building directly behind the stage. Immediately inside the doors was a spacious auditorium where the band members could relax while waiting to perform.

“I’m not familiar with the exact details,” Chase said as they walked through the room, “but I understand the USO will set up food and drink stations for the performers, and they’ll have access to pretty much whatever they need.”

The space was more than generous, and Kate could easily envision Tenley relaxing here as she prepared to perform. Even with other entertainers using the room, there was little likelihood that Tenley would feel crowded. Kate nodded her approval and took some more notes. Once she left here, it would be easy to get the sites confused, and she wanted to go over everything in advance with Tenley, so that her sister would know what to expect.

Leaving the auditorium, Chase led her down a main corridor and showed her several rooms that were in the process of being converted to bunk rooms for the entertainers. Try as she might, Kate couldn’t find anything to criticize. Granted, the accommodations weren’t luxurious, but they were adequate for Tenley’s needs, especially considering they were on a military base in Afghanistan.

After snapping the lights off in the last room and closing the door, Kate fell into step beside Chase as they made their way back through the building to the parade field.

“Well, it certainly appears that the USO has thought of everything,” Kate remarked as they stepped outside. “Will I have an opportunity to meet with the USO coordinators tomorrow? Tenley has some, um, unique requirements that I’d like to address with them.”

Chase cast her one swift, questioning look. “Like what?”

“Well, she’s deathly afraid of buses, so I want to be sure that she won’t have to travel in one, not even from the flight line to where she’ll be staying.”

“Okay,” he said quietly. “Can I ask why?”

“Her parents were killed in a bus crash when she was just six years old. Tenley was trapped in the wreckage with them for several hours before rescue crews could free her.”

“Jesus,” he breathed. “Poor kid.”

Kate gave him a grateful look. “She claims not to remember anything about the crash, but some nights she has terrible nightmares.”

Chase nodded. “The USO would normally transport all the entertainers in a troop bus, but I can arrange for a private vehicle to pick her up at the terminal. Anything else?”

“Just that I need to stay with her, in her sleeping quarters.”

“Because of the nightmares?”

Kate nodded. “Something like that.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem.”

Kate glanced at him, surprised at how easily he accepted Tenley’s needs and agreed to accommodate them. In another place and time, Chase Rawlins was exactly the kind of man that she would have given anything to be with, even for just one night.

They walked in silence toward the tent where Kate would sleep, but she could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

“You’ve been great,” she finally said, breaking the silence. “About everything. And I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I had a lot of anxiety, not knowing what to expect, but so far you’ve managed to alleviate all my fears.”

They reached her tent and he turned to face her. “I hope so,” he said quietly. “I don’t want you to be afraid of anything while you’re here. That’s why you have me.”