He sighed. “You might be right. I’ll think about it.” He took her hands in his, looking her in the eye. “I need your help.”

  She took a deep breath, afraid of her answer as much as his question. She knew how difficult it was for him to let his guard down and ask for help. It would be difficult to say no, even for the sake of self-preservation. “Go on.”

  “Sierra, I really need your help on this album.”

  She let out the breath she’d been holding, relieved that he hadn’t asked for a favour of a more personal nature. “I don’t understand. How could I help you with that?”

  “We wrote some amazing songs together for my debut album.”

  “So?”

  He looked away, glancing at the minibar. “I haven’t been able to write anything since the accident.”

  She gasped before she could rein in her reaction. “Are you serious?” She knew Trey’s writing was his therapy. She could only imagine how tormented he must be now, having all of his creativity locked in the prison of his mind.

  He scrubbed his face with his hand. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to get it back.”

  “I thought I heard you were due to release a new album soon?”

  “I am; that’s the problem.”

  She hated to suggest it, knowing how much he would hate the idea. “Have you thought about using another songwriter’s material?”

  He feigned a smile. “You’re kidding, right? I just signed with a new label. If they found out about this, I’d be history.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t believe that. You’re at the top of your game. Everything you touch turns to gold, Trey.” She grinned, trying to lighten the mood. “Make that platinum.”

  He looked her in the eye, exposing his vulnerability. “Tell me you’ll collaborate with me on this album. It might help me to get the creative juices flowing if I have someone like you to feed off. Please say you’ll do this for me. I’ll make it worth your while, financially.”

  She thought about what that kind of money would mean for the foundation and was tempted to accept his offer, but when she thought about the effect it would have on her relationship with Eric, she knew she would have to decline. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

  “I know you don’t owe me anything, Sierra. But I think this could be win-win. You help me and I could help you with your charity.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I could be your spokesperson.”

  The air drained from her lungs. A spokesperson of Trey’s status would make her charity a household name. It was everything she’d ever hoped for, but never dreamed possible. Dare she accept? How could she not? Those families were counting on her. “I’ll do it, on two conditions.”

  He grinned. “Just name it. Anything you want.”

  “I want you to promise me you’ll stop drinking.”

  His smile fell. “Damn it,” he whispered.

  “I know it won’t be easy, but I can’t work with you otherwise.”

  He shook his head. “Fine, I’ll do it, whatever it takes. What’s the other condition?”

  “Our relationship has to remain strictly professional. You need to respect the fact that I’m engaged to another man. I don’t want you to think of me as your ex-wife; I want you to think of me as your partner on this project, nothing more.”

  His hot gaze travelled the length of her body. “I think it’ll be easier to give up the bottle, baby.” She glared at him and folded her arms over her chest. “I’m serious, Trey.”

  His gaze finally settled on her eyes. “Okay.” He extended his hand. “It’s a deal.”

  Chapter Five

  Trey woke up the morning after his talk with Sierra feeling better than he had in years. He’d finally been able to share his secret. He had Sierra back in his life and a reason to feel hopeful for the first time in a long while.

  He wandered down the expansive hallway, admiring the original oil paintings Sierra had chosen when they built their dream home. Most of the time, her cherished possessions had served as a bitter reminder of the fact she was gone, but today it kindled the hope that had started to stir last night.

  He may have made countless mistakes during their last year together, but nothing could erase the ten amazing years they’d had before that, or the amazing chemistry that still burned hot enough to ignite a raging inferno between them.

  He smiled at the sight of his live-in housekeeper, Valerie, squeezing orange juice into a crystal pitcher at the kitchen counter. She had been the one constant in his life for the past fifteen years.

  She had been with him soon after the release of his first album, throughout his marriage and divorce, the loss of his daughter, and his bouts with alcohol. She had also been one of the few people brave enough to call him out this past year when he’d been hiding from the world. He couldn’t imagine his life without her.

  He bent over to kiss her wrinkled cheek and she giggled like a schoolgirl. “Morning, beautiful.” He sat down at the huge mahogany table, anxious to share his news. Val loved Sierra fiercely and was devastated when they gave up on their marriage.

  She glanced over her shoulder. “What put you in such a good mood this morning? It’s been months since you’ve hauled your behind out of bed before eleven o’clock.” She set fresh blueberry muffins in a basket and turned the oven timer off.

  “I ran into an old friend last night.” As he said it, he realized it was true. Sierra had been his best friend for eleven years and he missed having her as his confidante almost as much as he missed having her as his lover.

  Val snorted as she set the muffin basket on the table. “Must be a woman to put a smile like that on your face.” She looked down the hall toward the master suite. “Is she still here?”

  Trey grinned and snagged a warm muffin. “I wish I could say she came home with me last night, but she didn’t.”

  Val turned back to the counter to retrieve the butter dish. “You must be losing your touch.”

  “We’ll see about that.” He checked his watch. “She should be here in about half an hour.”

  Val turned toward him, her hands fisted on her ample waist. “When are you going to grow up, Trey Turner? How do you expect to get your life together if you continue to waste your time with these money-grubbing airheads?”

  Trey placed his tongue firmly in cheek. “This one’s not an airhead, Val. In fact, she has a master’s degree in social work.”

  She fluffed her grey curls and snorted. “Is that what she told you?”

  He laughed as he stirred a lump of sugar into his coffee. “It’s true. She’s amazing. She’s even started a charity for families who’ve lost a child. It’s called The Rainbow Fund.”

  Val sank into the seat across from him, her face ashen. “You saw Sierra last night? She’s coming here?”

  He pointed his butter knife at her. “Ah ha! I knew you’d kept in touch with her after the divorce.”

  Val dismissed his accusation with the wave of her hand. “Of course, we all have.”

  Trey set his knife down carefully. “What does that mean?”

  “Me, Jimmy, Edna, Marisa, your folks.” She shrugged her shoulders. “We loved her too, Trey. Why should we cut all ties just because you were too thick to know a good thing when you had it?”

  Trey laughed and took her hand, kissing the back soundly. Val didn’t pull any punches and it made him love her all the more. “I still can’t believe my folks have maintained a relationship with her. They never said a word to me about it.”

  Val frowned. “I don’t see why that should surprise you. They loved her like she was their own daughter. Hell, we all felt that way. Sierra always tried to be so strong, but there was this sad, vulnerable quality that made you want to protect her.”

  “Tell me about it,” he muttered.

  She glared at him, swatting his hand when he reached for another muffin. “You were the one who vowed to protect her and keep her safe. You let her down.”

  Trey looked his old friend in the eye, feeling ashamed he’d disappointed her. “I’m sorry for all the mistakes I’ve made, Val. I want to try and make up for it.”

  She passed him the fruit platter. “It’s too late for that. She’s got a new man in her life. They’re getting married.”

  He dipped his head, concentrating on the colourful platter. It still felt like a blade to the chest whenever he thought about her marrying another man. “She told me.”

  “You’d better not have any ideas in that fool head about trying to break them up.”

  Busted. Damn, she knew him too well. “What makes you think that?”

  She pointed a chubby finger at him. “You get that idea out of your head right now, young man. That girl has been through enough. If she’s found happiness with this new man in her life, then you owe it to her to wish her well.”

  He propped his elbows on the table and folded his hands. “I don’t think I can do that, Val. I still love her.”

  She touched his arm. “If you love her, prove it. Let her go, son.”

  Trey strolled along the flagstone walkway connecting his sprawling ranch bungalow and music studio. He’d tossed and turned all night thinking about what it meant, having Sierra back in the home they’d shared, making music in the studio where so many number one hits had been born. It had been a magical place for him before the accident and he was confident he and Sierra could make magic there again. His friends and family thought he was crazy to keep the house after the divorce, but to sell it would have meant letting go of the only thing he had left from their marriage, that and the diamond wedding band he still wore.

  He wondered if she’d noticed the ring last night, understood the significance of it. It was more than a band of gold to him. It represented a life he hadn’t been able or willing to relinquish.

  Trey stopped short at the sight of the unfamiliar car parked in front of his studio. A dark blue Mercedes sedan didn’t seem like the kind of car Sierra would drive unless he was sorely mistaken. A social worker didn’t make enough money to afford the rims on one of these cars. Even when they’d been married and he offered to buy her the wheels of her choice, she’d opted for practicality in favour of flash. So, who did the expensive car belong to, and how did its owner get past the security guard at his gatehouse?

  Before he could approach the car, Sierra was getting out of the passenger’s seat. A distinguished-looking man in a dark suit walked around the rear of the car to claim her hand. He smiled down at her and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm before turning toward Trey.

  He extended his hand. “Trey Turner, I presume.”

  Trey acknowledged the man, taking the hand he offered. He sized him up: late fifties, well built, designer suit, Rolex watch, none of which bothered him. What irked him was the fact that Sierra was looking up at the man with a familiar affection that she used to reserve for him.

  “And you would be?”

  The older man chuckled, looking down at Sierra. “I’m Sierra’s fiancé, Judge Eric Cortright.”

  Trey didn’t know whether to be amused or concerned. He imagined Sierra’s fiancé would be someone much younger, maybe a social worker who shared her passion for helping people. He could have handled a man like that. The judge, on the other hand, looked like a man ready to be reckoned with.

  Not that Trey could blame him; he would have done the same in his situation. Hell, he would never have allowed Sierra to agree to this cozy working relationship with her ex in the first place.

  “Trey, was that Val’s car I saw when we drove up?” Sierra asked.

  “Yeah, she’s in the kitchen.” He crooked a thumb toward the house. “You should go on up and say hello before we get started.”

  Sierra grinned. “I think I will.” She looked up to the man at her side. “Eric, would you like to come? I’d love for you to meet Val.”

  He glanced at Trey. “I think I’ll give you ladies a chance to catch up. I’ll join you in a few minutes, sweetheart.”

  She squeezed his arm. “Okay, I’ll see you soon.”

  Trey watched her walk away. Damn, taking things slow was not going to be easy. Not when he wanted her even more than he had when they met all those years ago. Only then, she was single. Now she was engaged and he had a lifetime of sins to atone for.

  “I know what you’re up to, Turner.”

  Trey turned to see the judge glaring at him. “What do you mean?”

  Eric folded his arms across his chest. “You’re trying to make inroads with my fiancé and you’re using that damn charity to do it.”

  He considered his response. Should he tip his hand or was it too soon? “I admire Sierra’s commitment to The Rainbow Fund, Eric. I’d like to help if I can.”

  “Is that why you offered to donate $100,000 to the cause? Or was that a pathetic attempt to impress your ex-wife?”

  Trey struggled to repress his raging temper. He hated this situation, hated being called to task by this arrogant jerk, but if he fought with Sierra’s fiancé, their working relationship would no doubt end before it began. “I don’t owe you an explanation.” He stalked past him and opened the door to the studio.

  “The hell you don’t. She’s my fiancé. Anything that affects her, affects me.” Eric pushed the door open and followed behind him. “Can’t you see that she’s moved on with her life?”

  Trey chuckled. “If that were true, you wouldn’t be here.”

  The judge’s cell phone rang, but he chose to ignore it. “Excuse me?”

  “Why the hell are you here? Sierra’s capable of making her own decisions, and she’s already decided to work with me.”

  “I need to know more about this project before I can allow that.”

  Trey laughed. He knew Sierra well enough to know she wouldn’t allow anyone to make decisions on her behalf. He claimed a stool, hooking his cowboy boot over the rung. “Sierra and I are going to be co-writing songs for my new album. In exchange, I’ve offered to be a spokesperson for her charity. End of story. Are you satisfied?”

  “You’ve got a smart mouth, boy. I can’t say that I care for your attitude.”

  Trey smirked. “I can’t say that I care what you think.” He propped his elbows up on the bar top behind him. “Now, it’s my turn to ask a question. Why are you marrying Sierra? I mean, you must have twenty years on her.”

  Eric glared at him. “I don’t give a damn about the age difference, and neither does she. Sierra is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. But I don’t have to tell you that now, do I?”

  Trey was well aware of his former wife’s attributes, which is the reason he’d never been able to get over her. “Have you ever been married?”

  “For twenty-three years. My wife died of cancer seven years ago.”

  Trey lowered his head in deference. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “She was a good woman, gave me four beautiful children. I never thought I’d fall in love again, but then I met Sierra and everything changed. She gave me a new lease on life.”

  Trey understood how that could happen. Sierra had come into his world and turned it upside down. “How’d you two meet?”

  “I’m something of a philanthropist. I attended a fundraising event for her charity. I was awestruck when I saw her, even more so when I heard her speak about the cause.” He smiled at the memory. “I knew right then and there that I wanted to make her my wife.” He chuckled. “Of course, it took me almost two years to convince her.”

  Trey had fallen in love with her at first sight, too. It had taken only a year to convince her to be his bride.

  “I wanted to marry her right away. She wanted to wait,” Eric said.

  “Why?” Was she having doubts about the relationship?

  “She has a lot of benefits planned for the charity this year and the idea of planning a wedding seemed like a daunting task. Of course, I offered to hire a wedding planner, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Hell, I offered to fly her to the island of her choice, whatever it takes to make her my wife.”

  Trey thought back to their own wedding, simple and elegant, with their closest friends and family. She had fussed over every detail for months. It was a magical day and she’d been happier than he’d ever seen her. What a fool he’d been. He should have done everything in his power to make her that happy every day. If he had, she would still be his wife.

  “Why the rush to get married?”

  He scowled. “I’m not getting any younger, boy. I know what I want. Why wait?”

  “Perhaps there’s a reason Sierra’s not in a rush to walk down the aisle again.”

  The judge chuckled. “Given the way your marriage ended, I can certainly understand why she would feel that way.”

  The man had a pair; Trey had to give him that. “You don’t know anything about my marriage.”

  “I know everything I need to know. Sierra and I were friends long before we were engaged. She told me about the lonely nights she spent in this house while you were busy promoting your career. She told me about the partying, the drinking, and the women.” He looked at him pointedly. “You were a damn fool. You sure as hell didn’t deserve a woman like Sierra.”

  Trey folded his arms across his chest. “If you think I cheated on my wife, you’re dead wrong.”

  “Maybe you did. Maybe you didn’t.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It doesn’t matter what I think. What matters is that your wife was sitting home alone every night, reading about your escapades in the tabloids.”

  Trey glanced at the carefully arranged bottles of liquor. Day one and he was already itching for a drink. “Look, I know that I made mistakes with Sierra, but I loved her more than anything.”

  Eric walked to the window, his hands in his pockets. “If you’re holding out hope for a reconciliation, you can forget it. Sierra’s committed to marrying me.”

  “Is that why she hasn’t been willing to set a date?”

  Eric walked toward him, giving him a look that probably intimidated defendants and lawyers alike. “If you think that means she’s having second thoughts about marrying me, you’re dead wrong, boy.”