Reforming the Cowboy

by Marisa Cleveland

  “Ryman Auditorium.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Billy swallowed back his disbelief. “Concert venue?”

  Chip grinned. “Decker Conroy broke his arm, and Fishbowl Entertainment Group agreed to let you take his slot.” He slurped his soda. “Shawna got four songs, two big names have ten each, and a handful of other solo artists have been invited to perform one song each.”

  “Dustin’s the best.” Shawna’s sugary smile changed when Chip glared at her. “At some things.”

  “You can’t pass this up, Billy,” Chip insisted. “They’ve booked the Feder Orchestra for the solo artists, so we don’t even need to worry about you going acoustic-only like in Lacey’s.”

  “I don’t care if it’s career suicide. I’m not sharing the stage with her.” He hated that even while he was being presented with a dream opportunity, he wasn’t sure if it was still his dream. He had made good investments. Had a decent savings. He might have been washed up, but he’d never been broke. And right now, Simon was making Lacey’s dream come true while he argued with Chip over a two-song performance.

  “You wouldn’t have to. You’d sing your own songs by yourself. Two of them.”

  Shawna dramatically rolled her eyes skyward. “You’d think you’d be a little more excited. It’s not like I should have to twist your arm. A lot of guys would welcome this opportunity.”

  “And I’m sure a lot of guys wouldn’t mind paying your price.”

  “No price.”

  He didn’t trust her. She might say her offer was for free, but she also said she wanted him back in her bed. He wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t try to pull some stunt in front of twenty-five hundred fans. Then there was the whole, “show up here or I’m posting sex photos on the web.” Yeah, she really was a piece of work.

  Chip’s food arrived, and he shoveled fries into his mouth. “Why do you even have to think about this? It’s a no-brainer. Just do the damn concert and be grateful. I practically sold a kidney to Dustin for getting you in.”

  “You worked this out with Dustin? Not Shawna.”

  “Yes, Billy,” Chip said on a sigh. “Manager to manager, but you should know I wouldn’t have known about the opportunity without Shawna mentioning it.”

  That changed things slightly. It didn’t sound like it was solely a favor to Shawna. If Chip had to finagle with Dustin, the offer might be on the up-and-up.

  “Okay. I’m in.”

  Shawna opened her mouth, but Chip’s well-placed finger waggling in the air must have been enough to still her tongue.

  Billy’s curiosity got the better of him. “What? What were you going to say?”

  Shawna slid a sidelong glance toward Chip. He responded with his mouth full of chicken. “Nothing,” he mumbled. “She wasn’t going to say anything.”

  Billy seriously doubted that, but now that the idea of a concert venue had sunk into his brain, adrenaline seeped through his system. “Two songs?”

  This time Chip didn’t stop Shawna from responding. “Unless you want to sing ‘Better Days’ with me?“

  “Nope.” Though he did love that song. He’d written it as a duet for a couple falling out of love. At the time it reflected his nostalgia at the end of his relationship with her. But those better days seemed a million miles away, and even if he could get them back, he didn’t want them. He wasn’t even sure he wanted this.

  “So what two are you going to sing?” Chip chomped down the last of his fries.

  Billy rubbed his palms on the thighs of his jeans, and could barely believe he had this option so soon after making his comeback. He thought about Lacey and how she’d admitted she’d had a crush on him in college. If he did this—if he could prove to her that he was still someone that women loved—then he could… His brain stalled. Could what? Go be with her?

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted.

  Shawna cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at him. “You’ve really changed. Ohmygawd, would you look at you?” She cackled at him. “You look nervous.”

  Her flippant attitude aggravated him, but it also hardened his resolve. Let her think it was nervousness and not indecision about his future with Lacey. “I for damn sure won’t sing a single lyric from the old album.”

  Shawna shrugged. “Shoot yourself in the foot for all I care.”

  Her tune certainly changed from wooing him back to arguing with him. Good, because the last thing he needed was fending off her unwanted advances.

  Chip pointed a greasy finger at him. “That YouTube song, you got a name for it yet?”

  “Yeah.” He’d named it and reconstructed it nine times over. “’Torn in Two.’”

  Chip nodded his approval. “And what about the other one you sang this morning?”

  Damien had asked Billy if he had any other tracks he could lay down, and Billy had sang “Temporary Guest,” his first song for Lacey. He still had “On the Ledge,” but that one was private. More personal.

  “Temporary Guest.” He leaned back in the booth. Yeah, that was a great song. One he knew was a winner. A seed of an idea planted in his brain. “So okay, ‘Torn in Two’ and ‘Temporary Guest.’ Those are my two.”

  Chip clapped his hands and then rubbed them greedily. “Excellent.”

  Billy scratched the side of his jaw. “When do I have to be ready for this thing?”

  His manager’s gaze shifted to the side when he answered, “Tomorrow night. You hit the stage at about eight o’clock.”

  Shit. No way would that work. Chip knew he planned to be out of town, but he reminded him anyway. “I’ll be in South Beach tomorrow.”

  “Nope. I rescheduled your hospital visit. You’ll be at the Ryman Auditorium.”

  Shawna’s upper lip curled. “And unless you want to back out of the biggest thing to happen to your career in years, you’ll be at sound check at one p.m.”

  …

  “That’s the best idea I’ve heard in a long time.” Lacey smiled at James.

  He had shown up unexpectedly at the café and asked to speak with her in private. With his dark good looks and three and a half decades under his belt, her business manager certainly managed to surprise her early on in their business partnership. He gave her a shallow smile, his eyes devoid of emotion, and her mind wandered to his personal life. Certainly handsome and rich enough to have women clamoring for his attention, he seemed oblivious to the sideways glances he’d received the other night. No ring, no tan line, not even a hint of a woman in his life since he’d been in South Beach.

  He spoke in that no-nonsense clipped tone she associated with business. “I appreciate your discretion in this instance. I did wonder how you’d feel.”

  “I’m speechless.” First Billy wanting a long-distance relationship, and now James wanting to ask Beth on a date. Well, she’d already turned down one offer from Billy today. No way would she be dumb enough to nix James’s proposal, too. “And excited for her. For you.”

  James stood. “Right. Okay. Thank you.”

  “When are you going to ask her?”

  He shot her a shark of a smile. “Soon.”

  Soon. Her breath hitched in her throat. “Well, good luck. I know she’ll say yes.”

  James reached for the doorknob. “I’m sure she’ll call you either way.” His phone buzzed and he looked at the screen. “Simon.” He returned to his seat. “I’m with her now.”

  Lacey listened to the one-sided conversation, but her mind kept forwarding to the coming weeks. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but the cynical side of her wondered when the dream would disappear.

  James slid the phone into his pocket. “Harmony has the final numbers from your bank, and once she finalizes those loan documents, we’ll schedule an appointment with your loan officer to settle that debt. You’ll need to be there to sign the paperwork.”

  “This is really happening.”

  Staring into his clear gaze, she realized he didn’t display a whole lot of emotion. James Davis’s
clean-cut suit and level manners seemed mild. Stuffed shirt. Automaton when it came to business and probably relationships. No wonder he showed interest in Beth. On the outside, Beth probably fit his ideal mate perfectly. And that had Lacey laughing inside, because Beth was anything but tame.

  She hid her smirk. “Should I let Beth know about the paperwork?”

  “I’ll have Harmony contact your lawyer to keep her informed.”

  Before she could censor her actions, she stepped into his personal space and gave him a brief hug. “Thank you, James. This is better than I hoped for.”

  He tugged on his collar and cleared his throat. He stood and moved to the door, but turned to face her, one hand stretching toward the knob. “Simon’s already out of town, but I plan to bring some business associates tonight.”

  “Business? On a Saturday night!” He really was a workaholic. Of course, so was she.

  “Yes. So save us a table?”

  “Of course. I think you should have a permanent reservation!”

  He flung open the door, but paused and said, “Lacey, relax. This is really happening. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. You have a brilliant idea, and you would have succeeded without us. It just would’ve taken a little longer.”

  “Thanks for believing in me.”

  They exited the office to find Kira scrolling furiously through her phone. Lacey waited until James left before approaching her.

  “What’s going on?”

  Kira chewed her lower lip. “Nothing.”

  Lacey glared at Kira, and as she expected, her best friend relinquished her phone. Lacey turned it and stared at online photos of Shawna and Billy in what looked to be a three-way. This was none of her concern, but her blood boiled over how he’d texted her and raised her hopes with his whole I miss you texts. Why she ever thought they could continue the long-distance discussion when he arrived on Sunday was beyond her. A jagged tear ripped through her heart at the thought that he might show up with Shawna in tow. Or worse, not show up at all.

  “It doesn’t matter.” She shut off the screen and placed the phone facedown on the table.

  “He’s pond scum,” Kira snarled. “Doesn’t deserve the love of a good woman.”

  Lacey’s eyes widened. “I never loved him.”

  Kira tsked. “You could have.”

  “I’m fine,” Lacey whispered. “I’m fine.” The fact that Kira was absolutely right rocked her to her core. Love. As in…love. She choked on her own breath.

  Kira passed her a plate with miniature croissants. “I’m here for you.”

  Lacey inhaled deeply. These emotions were why she couldn’t allow a man to disrupt her focus. She folded her hands and stared at the discarded phone. “I hope we get a customer soon.”

  “It has been slow today.” Kira folded and unfolded a napkin. “Maybe once Trixie gets here.”

  “Yes. I need to focus on work. Not look at gossip sites.”

  Kira nibbled on the croissant. “I’m going to hate returning to the classroom at the end of the summer.”

  Lacey gaped. “You love kindergarten. You only agreed to help me out during the summer as a favor.”

  Kira agreed, “Yes, but this is way more exciting right now!”

  Lacey squeezed Kira’s hand. “So work here part-time after school. Grade in my office.”

  “I’m actually considering going back to grad school.”

  “Really?”

  Kira nodded. “I think it’s time I get my master’s. You’ve motivated me to go for my dream.”

  …

  The guitar arrived that afternoon. The delivery guy said one was for her and he had fifty more to take to the medical center. New and with a familiar brand name. Lacey took hers and placed it on the floor behind the bar. She knew he’d bail. Somehow, after seeing those photos of Billy with Shawna, she figured he’d find an excuse to finagle his way out of the hospital gig and disappoint the children. Lacey refused to admit he disappointed her as well. But the guitars would be appreciated by the tweens, even if the gesture was lost on Lacey.

  Kira tugged a manila envelope from the side of the guitar box. “Open this.”

  Lacey stared at the thick packet, pretty sure it was nothing more than the packing slips. Then she noticed the handwritten scrawl of her name in thick black Sharpie, and she figured if it had come from Billy, it would contain his excuse. She had no desire to read anything from him, including the four text messages still unopened on her phone, so she waved a dismissive hand through the air and said, “You open it.”

  From behind the bar, Lacey watched Kira’s lips move while she read from the pages in her hand, but as comprehension dawned, an echoey whooshing thumped in her ears. “Lacey, don’t be mad at me. I’m sending the guitars to the hospital, like I said I would. I am deeply sorry that I won’t be able to make it this week, but I’m rescheduling for next Sunday, and Chip already contacted the hospital.”

  “Like that makes a difference,” Lacey mumbled, though her heart sped up as Kira kept reading.

  “An opportunity to participate in a charity concert came up for Sunday night, and I’m hoping you can make it. I’m dedicating one of the songs to you.” Kira’s voice rose several octaves as she continued reading Billy’s note. “I’m attaching a plane ticket and confirmation slip for a room in the Renaissance.”

  Kira’s eyes bulged, while Lacey’s head spun. She placed her hands flat against the bar countertop. He wanted her to fly to Nashville to listen to him play in the concert. She couldn’t go. She wouldn’t be at his beck and call. She had to go. She couldn’t miss it. How could she pass up the opportunity to watch Billy Hardy playing live on a real stage? All her schoolgirl fantasies mixed with her real life experiences, and she sobered at the reality of the situation.

  “I can’t go.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  With a half smile frozen on her mouth, Lacey took in her surroundings. A couple of college kids sat in a booth by the stage, typing furiously on their laptops. An older couple sipped coffee at one of the café tables by the door. She had customers. She had bills to pay. She had a responsibility to her staff. She was in charge and couldn’t just up and fly away because someone mailed her airplane tickets.

  “I should be here. Not flying around the country for a guy.” There. She’d said it. Her greatest fear was that she would care about a guy more than her goals, and she never wanted that to happen, no matter how deep his voice or how soulful his eyes. “James is coming tonight. I need to be here.”

  “The ticket is for tomorrow morning. You’re closed on Sunday. If you don’t go, I will. If only to smack him upside the head for those pictures.”

  Those stupid tabloid photographs remained clear images in Lacey’s mind, and no matter how hard she tried to erase them, she still saw them with her eyes closed in the middle of the night. So what that he was dedicating a song to her? And what would happen if she did show up? Would they make a clean break of it, face-to-face? She repeated her earlier decision, “I can’t go.”

  Kira crossed her palms over her chest, her fingers still holding the note and ticket. “He’s dedicating a song to you.”

  She shrugged. “I’m sure I can YouTube it.” It shouldn’t be a big deal. One song. He’d told her he was going to write one about her.

  Kira opened her mouth, and after closing it, she huffed. “It’s a charity concert. With famous country singers. If you’re not going, can I have your ticket?”

  “Yeah. Of course.” Her head moved up as her brain finally processed what Kira said. “Charity?”

  Kira waved the pages. “Says so in his note.”

  Lacey swallowed. Charity concert. Damn Billy and his invite and his good intentions and his dedicated song. “I missed that.”

  “Does it make a difference?”

  “Yeah, I think it does.” Damn it, it shouldn’t matter. But he wasn’t blowing her off for any normal concert. For a better opportunity. It was for a charity. She didn’t even know whi
ch one, but he couldn’t lie about that. And he’d sent her tickets. One for the plane and one for the concert.

  “So you’re going?”

  With her heart pounding and her vision blurred, she nodded. “I think I might have to.”

  …

  Billy paced the terminal, checking the arrivals board for the hundredth time. Part of him hadn’t really believed Lacey would get on the plane. But according to her text, she was taxiing toward the gate.

  He swiped his palms down the hips of his jeans and hoped she understood why he’d chosen the concert. He’d sent the guitars. He’d dedicated a song to her.

  If being away from Lacey showed him anything, it was that he wasn’t meant to be away from her. He couldn’t write. He barely slept. He wanted her in his life, and he’d already decided this would be his final performance. His last hurrah before taking a final bow.

  Chip wasn’t ecstatic about the decision, but his manager had produced other options. Career-wise, he planned to find more stable work. Teaching. Performing locally. He didn’t know where local would be, but he hoped it would be in South Beach, and it scared the shit out of him that he still didn’t know Lacey’s feelings.

  His thoughts froze midstream as he caught sight of her striding toward him in her signature skirt and T-shirt outfit. His mouth dried as his lips parted to grab shallow breaths. His body shouldn’t have such a visceral reaction to her, but it did. Her bare legs. Her painted toenails. Her flip-flops. He’d always been a leg-and-foot guy, and hers had his groin tightening in his jeans.

  “Hi,” she whispered when she was ten steps from him.

  “Hi.” He reached out and tugged her into him.

  She placed a hand on his chest and stopped their hug. When he glanced down at what was pressed into his chest, he saw the printed pages of the press release announcing his participation in the charity concert hosted by Fishbowl Entertainment Group. He also saw the pictures that Shawna had sent to an online gossip site despite her promising not to.