By Request Collection April-June 2016. Оливия Гейтс

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СКАЧАТЬ 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.”

      His words caused her imagination to surge, and suddenly she wanted to know what it would be like to have him—to really have him. For one night, or for as many nights as she might be here. But she also knew she lacked the courage required to make any kind of move on him. He didn’t wear a wedding band, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t already committed to someone else. So she just nodded, acknowledging the small promise he was able to give her.

      “I do have a question, though,” he said, watching her closely. “I’m pretty good at reading people, and there’s something I just can’t figure out.”

      “What’s that?”

      “I don’t know anything about Tenley Miles, but I do know that your devotion to her seems to go beyond that of other entertainers and their publicists.” He paused. “Am I wrong?”

      Few people knew that Kate and Tenley were even related, never mind sisters. They didn’t share the same last name, nor did they look at all alike, so no one made the connection and it wasn’t something they publicized. Kate had no problem with anyone knowing about their relationship, but much of Tenley’s popularity stemmed from the fact that she was the orphaned child of two famous entertainers. The fact that she’d been left alone in the world yet still managed to overcome her personal tragedy to fulfill her musical destiny was like a fairytale. If people knew that she’d actually had an adult sister who had dropped everything in order to be at her side and raise her, that fairytale would lose some of its luster. So when Tenley had first shown signs of being musically gifted, Kate had decided to present herself as Tenley’s publicist, rather than her sister.

      “No,” she said, looking at Chase. “You’re not wrong. Tenley is my sister. Well, my half sister, actually. If I’m a little overprotective, it’s because she’s been through so much.”

      His face registered his surprise, but he quickly schooled his features. “That makes sense. So did you also lose a parent in that bus crash?”

      Kate nodded. “My mother. But I was eighteen at that point, and accustomed to being on my own. Her death hit Tenley a lot harder.”

      Chase looked at her for a long moment, and Kate wondered what he was thinking. Finally, he stepped back.

      “Well, she’s lucky to have you,” he said. “You look beat, so I’m going to let you turn in.”

      “Okay,” she said, nodding. “Thanks again. For everything.” Kate turned toward the tent and then looked back at him. “So I’ll see you in the morning?”

      “If not sooner,” he said, and closed one eye in a conspiratorial wink.

      Kate knew her mouth opened, but before she could ask what he meant, he turned and walked away. Slowly, she entered the tent and got ready for bed. His words echoed in her head, and she knew she’d never sleep.

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