THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

creative with the concert shots, even perching high among the lights in Austin, Texas.
    Cody had been right. She couldn’t have followed along in her RV, even if the tour stops had been on the east coast. The pace was too fast, the crowds intense. Women cried when they saw Cody Tuggle on stage and swooned when he grabbed the mic and sang. Traveling with Cody turned out to be easiest for Kasey because they were gone before the crowds finished cheering, miles away while the fans still held lighters in the air, begging for an encore.
    Within a week, they’d played Nashville and three cities in Texas. They’d drawn a full house in Beaumont, Austin and Corpus Christi, but tomorrow night’s show in San Antonio had sold out in record time. They added a second show the following night to accommodate the demand. The added date meant a tricky travel timeline as they moved east, but the road manager assured them they could squeeze in another show.
    In each city, Cody used his stardom to get the word out about Jake. The radio and television stations were open to helping out. Kasey had never felt safer with so many people on her side working to find her son. In San Antonio, the local radio show even put Kasey on the air. They activated their Country Super Star Alert system. The 800-line had received some calls, and Von and a team of specialists ran down all the leads. So far, nothing had panned out, but at least they were trying. Riley kept Kasey up to date with daily reports.
     
    After the final song at the second San Antonio show, Kasey and Cody were whisked away to catch the jet. There was no time for any of them to wind down after this show. Even the band had to move out in a hurry.
    On the private jet, Cody sat in his usual spot—a large reclining seat that had been supersized to fit his huge frame. She strapped herself into one of the seats in the front of the plane where Annette and the road manager liked to go over their plans.
    After a smooth takeoff, Kasey stared out the window as the lights of the city dimmed beneath them. Cody strummed his guitar. She could just barely hear him humming over the white noise of the plane.
    The flight from San Antonio to New York was long compared to the little hops they’d made over the past week between the Texas cities. Kasey downloaded images to her laptop and worked on them for a while until Annette stretched out on the couch. Afraid the clicking and typing on the computer would bother her, Kasey shut it down for the night. She took a novel out of her bag, moved to the other side of the plane, turned on a single overhead light, and pulled a plush velour blanket over her legs. She snuggled into its warmth and read while Cody strummed a soft melody behind her.
    Lost in the novel, she never heard Cody put down his guitar or move through the cabin until he sat in the seat next to her.
    “Can’t sleep?” he asked.
    “Winding down. You?”
    He reclined the seat and rested his hands on his stomach. “I’m always geared up for a while after a show. Music is what I always wanted to do. Even as a kid. It’s like living a dream every time I set foot in front of those folks and share my songs. Sometimes I think my heart will just burst from the happiness I feel.”
    “They sure love you.”
    His blue eyes narrowed. “No news yet? About Jake, I mean.”
    She shook her head, holding her raw emotions in check. “No. They’ve had some calls, but nothing that’s turned into a lead. Yet.”
    He patted her arm. “It’s still early, and we have a lot more towns.”
    “Needle in a haystack. That’s what if feels like sometimes, but I can’t give up,” she said.
    “You’ve got your head on straight. If you still feel he’s out there, he is. Go with your heart. God’ll let you know when it’s time to do otherwise.”
    It was the first time she’d heard him reference God, but she could tell by his tone it wasn’t the first time he had.
    “I’m sure you miss your husband, too.”
    A tumble of emotion assailed her. “You can’t begin to imagine.” She’d never forget a single detail of Nick’s face, the love in his eyes. “We were soul mates. We hadn’t even known each other long when he asked me to marry him.” Kasey paused. “Why am I telling you all of this?”
    Cody shrugged and leaned back. “I have that effect on all the girls.”
    “I bet.” Kasey laughed and continued, “He married me even though I was pregnant with another man’s child. He loved that