“There's going to be a lot of photographers, reporters, fans, and other singers asking a lot of questions,” Kyra warned, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“I know. You told me before.” Matt turned away from the window to face her. Beautiful eyes full of excitement met his. Tonight was a night he'd get to see Kyra shine as a star, like the bright, stunning woman she was. The anticipation of her comeback had been a long time coming, and he couldn't wait to see her revel in how well everything turned out to be.
“And I'll probably say it again a few times. I know you're not comfortable with-”
Enough of her doubts because of his. Matt kissed her, gently cupping her neck as he pulled her toward him. She returned the kiss, a soft whimper escaping her lips. Right now would be a great time to pull out the ring, sink to one knee right here in this limo, and ask Kyra to be his wife. He carried it in his pocket ever since buying it, in case he found the perfect spontaneous moment. But instead, he offered her words of encouragement straight from the heart. “You're a shining star, Kyra Sanders. Tonight is your night, and that's what matters. I will handle any situation thrown our way, because I'll be holding hands with the most wonderful woman in the world.”
“I'm telling Taryn you're porning out in front of me! She said if she was right, she'd buy me-”
“Son, you're grounded,” Matt growled.
“What for?” Andrew folded his arms over his chest.
“Ruining the moment!”
Kyra giggled again. “You stop. Andrew's only enhancing the moment.”
“Can you get me ungrounded?” Andrew's tone was hopeful.
“I'll do my best. Here's our stop. Time for the red carpet.” Kyra flashed a nervous smile at Matt before clutching her handbag.
*****
“Kyra Sanders is walking down the red carpet, dazzling in a long, navy blue dress that shimmers from head to toe. This short sleeved piece suits Miss Sanders very nicely. The former teen sensation is all grown up, and she's absolutely beautiful. Sanders' new album is set to release next week, but two singles have already hit number one, and Bare My Soul, one of the few bonus tracks, is on fire. She's joined tonight by her boyfriend and his son. After a six year hiatus, it's nice to see the country superstar happy and back on top with her music. Kyra is up for several awards tonight, including Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year with Bare My Soul.”
Lights flashed. Fans chanted her name, many reaching out in hopes to touch her or shake her hand. Kyra held on to Matt and Andrew, one on each side of her, as they continued their path inside the building, stopping here and there for conversations with reporters. Her nerves were all over the place, but the one thing she knew was she had so much to look forward to.
“Hey, there's Tucker and Quinn!” Andrew pointed a few feet ahead of them. The couple held hands as they spoke into a microphone thrust in front of their face. Both waved when they spotted them. Quinn's dress resembled Kyra's, but in a red color.
“Great minds think alike!” Kyra called before they were ushered away! “Good luck tonight, Tucker!”
“You, too! See ya inside!” Tucker and his wife disappeared through the crowd.
“Ok, I gotta ask. Do you ever get starstruck?” Matt whispered in her ear. “Or is it another casual day for you?”
Kyra laughed. “I don't get starstruck that often. I was earlier with Tucker, but you saw that. And it's not that it's another casual day for me. I've just learned that most everyone here is a regular person leading dreamworthy lives. I'm nervous tonight, since it's my first time back here in years, but I have two of my favorite people with me, so my confidence is boosted.”
“I heard tickets for the awards are like hundreds of weeks worth of my allowance!” Andrew exclaimed, still holding her other arm.
“They're pretty pricey,” Kyra admitted, stealing a glance at Matt. Some days, she worried probably too much about what he thought of all this. A silence fell over the three as they were escorted to their seats. A mix of emotions rushed through her. The last time attending the awards show was the year before the accident, but the reception of her comeback and appearance tonight had been more than enthusiastic. “You never know when the cameras will be on you tonight,” she told Andrew and Matt. “No picking your nose or any other weird stuff like that.”
Andrew scrunched up his nose. “You used to be funny. I think Dad's lame humor has rubbed off on you.”
“Hey! I work hard at that humor!” Matt peered over Kyra's shoulder to scowl at his son.
“Life doesn't get much better than this,” Kyra mused. “I love you two.”
“Yeah, feeling is mutual.” Andrew grinned. He straightened in his seat when the lights dimmed. “It's about to start!”
Kyra held Matt's hand as the first part of the show began. Four performances in was Tucker and Quinn's song Queen. The chemistry the couple shared on stage matched that of Tim and Faith.
“Now that's the second best declaration of love if I've ever seen one,” Matt whispered in Kyra's ear, sliding an arm around her shoulders.
“Oh yeah? Which was your first?”
His eyes met hers. So much love reflected in them. “Ours. The day you sang Bare My Soul live, looking in my eyes as the words flowed from your lips. I knew I'd do whatever it takes to make you see how much I love you.”
His words touched an inner part of her soul, filling her with warmth. “Matt...”
A flash blinded her. Whirling around, Kyra spotted Andrew with his phone. “Evidence, for Taryn.” He grinned.
Just as Quinn and Tucker's song ended, the next presenter was announced. Andrew's photo forgotten, Kyra paid attention to the stage. If she recalled right, this was where the special presentation for the award she and Tucker were getting would happen.
“Tonight, we're pleased to present a Milestone award to Kyra Sanders and Tucker McGinnis.” The crowd went wild.
Kyra's heart raced. This was the moment. She'd finally know what this was about. Matt pulled her closer, and when the camera spotlights landed on her, she smiled, then raised her hand in a wave.
“Kyra Sanders started her chart topping days at only fourteen years old. Between the age of fourteen and twenty, Kyra put out five records, had twenty-two singles, which all hit the top 10. Out of those twenty-two top tens, fourteen of them went number one. She had several multi-platinum albums and traveled the world with many tours. She won the New Artist of the Year award at the young age of fifteen, and Female Artist of the Year three years in a row. She may only be twenty-six, but Kyra is a class act in country music. Up for several awards tonight, her return to music has been highly anticipated. Here to sing a medley of Kyra's biggest hits is debut singer Tasha Reddington.”
Photos of Kyra from her younger days, on and off stage, flashed across the screen as the young singer took the stage, belting out the notes to the songs that made up Kyra's highlights.
“Hell, I'm in tears. What a tribute.” Matt leaned close.
“This is seriously cool, Kyra!” Andrew's excitement warmed her heart.
“Another young artist who made an impact in country music recently is Tucker McGinnis. At nineteen years old, he auditioned for Sing It!, winning the show by a landslide. Tucker went on to produce a debut album with sales numbers that haven't been seen in recent years. Eight million sales within the first two years, and that number continues to rise. Tucker's second album, while remarkable, didn't fare as well as the first. Recently opening up about his long time struggle with Tourette Syndrome, Tucker is back in the studio working on new music for a third album. His latest track, a bonus song on Remorse's re-release, is soaring up the charts, a beautiful tribute to his wife, singer/songwriter/former actress, Quinn. At twenty-five years old, Tucker is dubbed as the next King of Country Music. Here to sing a medley of Tucker's biggest hits is Dylan Westfield!”
“I think the two of you teaming up for music and a tour is going to be a hit. You'll be sure to win Entertainer of the Year then!” Matt's gri
n would forever hold a piece of her heart. He was so proud right now. Kyra could see that easily. He offered up so much support.
“And now, please welcome Kyra Sanders and Tucker McGinnis to the stage for a special medley and to accept their milestone awards!”
The roar of the crowd as her guide, Kyra climbed to her feet, kissed Matt passionately, hugged Andrew, then made her way to the stage. Tucker met her at the first step and held an arm out for her. The music began for War Within Me. Kyra stood a few feet away from him, belting out the words to his powerful tune. About halfway through, just as it did in rehearsals, the tone changed, and they launched into her song Frequent.
You always tell me
I'll never be enough
You're pretty damn certain
I'll never find a love
Your words are a weapon
Sharp, painful and deep
I'm walkin' along this road
but the incline is pretty damn steep
Voices are shoutin'
The battle lines are clearly defined
It's me against the world
I feel I'm always undermined
Wherever I go you always seem to follow
There's an ache in me
a heart which is always hollow
I haven't learned to break free
Left to die, I fight alone
There's a war within me
Everybody wants to be number one
a frequent rise to the top
Never to fall, never to fail
The more you get it, the more you want it
The more you miss, the higher you climb
It's a constant battle
My heart beats a mile a minute
standing in the middle of this crowd
You beg for more and I try to fulfill
It's a frequent trip
a habit I can't break
A need to stay above it all
But what happens if I fall
She'd definitely made the right choice with her idea to tour with Tucker next year. The arena blew up with thunderous applause, leading everyone to jump to their feet in an overwhelming standing ovation. Dylan and Tasha handed over their trophies. Tucker removed his hat and gestured for Kyra to speak first.
“I don't even know where to begin. Thank you to everyone for making me feel welcome again. It's been a long time coming, and I'm glad to have new music out. I've learned a lot from the first album to the latest. There's been a lot of hardships and successes in the past twelve years. All I know is I love what I do. Thank you to the fans, country radio, my manager Landon, my label, my band mates, new and former. Thank you to my family, and a big special thanks to Matt. I wouldn't be here without his help.” Tears rolling down her face, Kyra stepped back and let Tucker speak.
When the time came up for Female Artist of the Year, Kyra held her breath. She'd already won Single of the Year, while Tucker and Quinn sweeped the award for Song of the Year. Running through the nominees, the presenter had a hard time opening up the envelope. “The award goes to … Kyra Sanders!”
“Get up there and accept your award! It's well deserved. This is just the start of things to come for you, Kyra,” Matt whispered, a promise of forever in his eyes.
Read Tucker and Quinn's story in Queen Of My Heart, available now.
Other Titles by Nikki Lynn Barrett
Life Won't Wait Series
Queen of My Heart
About Damn Time (Fall 2016)
Save It For a Rainy Day (2017)
Keep You Forever (2017)
The Love and Music in Texas Series
Baby Stetson
The Melody In My Head
The Key To My Heart
Fallen Idol
Offbeat
Skyrocket: A Love and Music in Texas novella
In Perfect Rhythm (2017)
The Masterpiece Trilogy
A Masterpiece Of Our Love
A Masterpiece Unraveled
A Forever Masterpiece
Reconnected Series
(A spin off from The Masterpiece Trilogy)
Better Version Of Me (2016)
Halfheartedly (2017)
Uprooted (2017)
The Secret Santa series
The Secret Santa Wishing Well
On the 12th Date of Christmas
'Tis The Season For Forgiving
Complicated Christmas
Dear Christmas (Fall 2016)
Stand alone titles
We Wish You a Ferret Christmas
Scrooge You!
Enchanted In Time
About The Author
I'm an avid lover of books. I've been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first "book" by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I'll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.
Places to find me on the web:
FaceBook : https://www.facebook.com/NikkiLynnBarrettauthor
Nikki's Book Stormers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NikkisBookStormers
Twitter: @nikkilynnbarret
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6583655.Nikki_Lynn_Barrett
Email: [email protected]
I love to hear from readers!
Offbeat (Love and Music In Texas Book 5) Page 35