Song of the Heart

By Tina Louise

A panic attack on an airplane headed to Montana sent Shelby MacIntosh into the arms of a music star she didn’t know. She’s content on her own but enjoys Dawson Scott’s company and his kisses. Dawson’s drawn to her and insists on a relationship with her, even though she doesn’t want to be in the spotlight.

As they face vandalism and threats, they fall in love and make Shelby long for a content family life she knows she can’t have. But Dawson and Shelby have many songs to write, if they can stop the threat before it destroys them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tina Louise
• Release date: Jul 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9780692167106

Tina Louise

After all these years of stories taking shape in my head, I've decided to sit down and write them into books. My children are grown and have children of their own, so now I have the time to do what I've always wanted to do = write. I love to read as well; there's nothing better than a great book to take you away from the hustle and bustle of life.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Fall, present day

Shelby MacIntosh reached down and nervously checked to make sure she still had her purse and her carry-on bag for possibly the twentieth time. She tried to appear calm and poised but her stomach was coiling in anticipation as the time for boarding the airplane was now at hand. She was sure that if there were not already a few beads of sweat on her forehead there soon would be; for it felt like a heat wave was rolling over her body.

Shelby frowned as she mentally berated herself for being scared to take a simple plane ride. I bet good money there are not many forty-one-year-old women who have never flown on an airplane. Girl, you need to get a grip on this fear! You can handle a little airplane ride when your grandbabies are waiting to see you, she thought to herself.

Normally, Shelby considered herself a strong woman not afraid of much, but when it came to flying, she was terrified. Shelby took a steadying breath and pushed the anxiety to the back of her mind. She worked to focus all thoughts to her four-year-old granddaughter and three-month-old grandson she was headed to visit in Montana.

Following the line of boarders down the gangway and onto the plane, Shelby easily found her seat and stowed away her carry on. She shakily lowered herself into her seat and cussed mentally as she fumbled trying to fasten the seatbelt. Once fastened and tightened as tight as she could get it, Shelby fished out her favorite picture of her grandchildren, Marie and Caleb.

The picture was of Marie holding her little brother the day they brought him home from the hospital. Marie was so excited to hold her baby brother. Marie even asked her parents if she could take him to preschool the next day for show and tell. Shelby could hardly wait to see their smiling faces, to soak up every hug and kiss and enjoy some quality time spoiling them. She would use this to fill the void of never having been blessed with having the joy of giving birth to a child of her own.

Shelby grew up being raised by her mom and grandfather. Her father left when she was two; never to be heard from again. Shelby’s mom worked two jobs to make sure Shelby had the material things she needed while Shelby’s grandpa took on the job of being the one to raise her.

Shelby actually had a happy childhood all due to the efforts of her mother and grandpa. The first real pain came when Grandpa passed away after she had just turned sixteen. As if that wasn’t heart wrenching enough, two years later, she was in a car accident and lost the baby she was carrying. The doctors told her there was too much damage and she wouldn’t be able to have children.

Shelby got past the trauma and shock of that, with the help of her mom. When Shelby was able, she got a part-time job and took writing classes at the local college. A couple years later, her mom died of cancer.

Get past this, woman, she quietly said to herself. Shelby turned thoughts to remembering how many times her late husband Brad had tried to get her to fly. He wanted to take her to Hawaii for vacation and, sadly, she never had the courage to step on a plane. Now, just three years after his death, Shelby had herself on a huge airplane, flying from Nashville, Tennessee to Montana.

Thinking back now, Shelby wished she had been stronger so she and Brad could have flown somewhere together. Perhaps she wouldn’t be so nervous right now. To be honest with herself, Brad and Shelby didn’t really have much free time to be traveling in the twelve years they were married. Brad owned his own business and was always tied up with work. They also had their hands full raising his two teenagers.

Shelby closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer asking Brad to watch over her plane ride. Feeling a little more centered, Shelby reached into her purse and pulled out her Kindle. Reading the new book she downloaded from one of her favorite authors is just what she needed to take her mind off her problems.

Shelby barely gets past the opening sentence of the book when, from the corner of her eye, she notices someone standing in the aisle with their body turned toward her. Her eyes shifted from her Kindle up to the face of a handsome young man with deep blue eyes smiling down at her. Shelby shifted beneath her tight seatbelt, somewhat uncomfortable at his perusing.

Even though the smiling man still had not spoken to her, he already had Shelby warming from the inside out. Somewhat startled by her body’s sudden awakening, Shelby could not recall the last time she had felt this sensation, but she definitely had not experienced it in a very long time.

Hello, he said to Shelby, still giving her a smile that would definitely send the stoutest of hearts into palpitations as he sat down in the seat next to her. Shelby barely managed a partial smile and nod before he put earbuds in and began looking at his tablet.

Dawson had to pry his eyes off this beautiful woman. There was something about her that drew him to her. He had never felt the pull toward a woman like this before and he was out of his league with the new sensations going through his head, heart, and body. Thinking he needed to get a grip on himself, he tried to get into the music playing on his tablet. But he noticed her movement out of the corner of his eye.

Shelby closed her eyes and tried to visualize her grandkids again, she imagined playing on a beach. When a voice came over the speaker and the anxiety sets in again, her stomach felt like it had a knot in it, her hands started shaking. Oh God, please don’t let me pass out! Shelby prayed silently.

The voice on the speaker continued. Shelby leaned forward so that she could place her elbows on her knees, taking slow deep breaths. I knew I should have driven, she whispered to herself as she fought back the wave of panic that was rising up inside her.

Shelby jumped slightly when she felt the handsome man sitting next to her put his hand on her thigh. His simple touch sent electricity through her from head to toe. She had never felt anything like this in her life.

Are you okay, ma’am? he asks.

Shelby shook her head, unable to form words as she felt her control over her fear break apart as her body started to tremble. He gently put his arm behind her and pulled her close to his side, while he caressed her arm with his other hand.

Through the blinding fear, Shelby could hear him continually whisper into her ear, Shhh, and I’ve got you, as he held her close. Not sure how long he held her this way, gradually Shelby felt herself relax enough to turn her head and look out the window next to her.

The blue sky and clouds were all she could see at first. It was a beautiful sight to behold. As she let her eyes travel farther, she noticed the beautiful fall colors; bright red, orange, and yellow starting to make their way into this late September day.

Shelby felt like her insides had melted into a puddle of goo. She was so relieved her handsome seat mate had helped her through her panic attack. Shelby took a deep breath and sheepishly turned her head to look at him.

Thank you, she quietly says. I’m not normally like this, not much scares me anymore, but I don’t know if I could have gotten through this without you.

Before she knew what was happening, he tightened his arm around, her leaned in and placed a barely-there kiss on her forehead, then released her from his comforting embrace.

Shelby gave him a small smile. She was puzzled on how this handsome stranger had just consoled her through a panic attack and now…what? Her insides were churning again, but not from fear; no, this time from heat and want.

I take it flying is not one of your favorite things? he asked Shelby with a heart melting grin.

Little did Shelby know that this handsome man beside her was fighting a rise in desire for her. What was that, he wondered? He never kissed a woman that he didn’t know like that and certainly had never been drawn to a woman the way he was to the woman beside him. He was drawn to her. He already missed the feel of her pulled in tight to his side.

His eyes were glued to her lips. He watched her take a couple deep steadying breaths and waited for her to answer.

I guess you could say that, Shelby answered as she settled back into her seat. This is my first time on an airplane.

He smiled at her and lifted his eyebrows in disbelief.

Crazy, I know in this day and age, Shelby continued. "I just never really