“Wow,” Winter said when it was done. “I wish I could clap for you.”
“We have to do that onstage,” Jake said, his eyes shining. “We just have to. It’s too good.”
“I’m doing this for fun, remember?”
He didn’t look as if he believed her. “That’s what I call fun,” Jake insisted. “Man, I wish we could record this.”
Aurora played for another hour, catching on to a new song that Jake wanted to rehearse. And she teased him with the opening to “Orange Blossom.” She’d learned it, just to see if she could.
Piece of cake, compared to the Chaconne. Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D Minor was a killer, fourteen minutes of the most intense music ever written for the violin.
Later that morning, after Jake walked her home, kissed her and hurried back to his daughter, Aurora carefully removed her violin from its case and tried the Chaconne. Just the beginning. Just to see if she could still do it.
She couldn’t.
Which didn’t seem to matter anymore. The night she was to perform it, the night she collapsed onstage, had not been the worst night of her life. The miscarriage at nineteen weeks of pregnancy had been much worse. And the death of her parents the month before? The loneliest time she’d ever known.
Sean’s leaving her had seemed to be inevitable and not the crushing, shocking blow of death she’d had to absorb before that. She’d been relieved, perhaps. Because she no longer had to live up to his expectations for her. She no longer had to carry on each day as if she wasn’t eaten alive with grief. As if she wasn’t strong enough or smart enough to put the grief aside and continue to play. She’d been expected to carry on. And she’d failed.
But that had been five years ago. And she hadn’t died. She’d bought a bar. And met a man, who had a child.
She was in love with both of them, the father and the daughter.
Jake had no idea who she was or what experiences brought her to this point in her life. She was a prickly, outspoken and independent person who feared no one.
But he liked her. He liked her very much.
And that was good enough. For now. She would create a fancy blue bedroom fit for a Lady Mary. She would accompany Jake in his country songs. She would smile for the tourists and promote the show and welcome one and all to her town. The construction was on schedule, and the weather was holding.
The party atmosphere in Willing continued. And the tourists kept coming.
* * *
“I’M NOT SURE how much more of this I can take,” Jake complained. He and Sam surveyed the interior of his house. Most of it was finished. Lucia had to decide between stainless steel and marble for the counters, but Jake thought she was leaning toward stainless. There had been endless discussions.
He wiped his sweating brow with his sleeve.
“We’re almost finished,” Sam assured him. “And I can do the rest by myself, don’t worry. The bedroom is finished, and that was the most—”
“Not this,” Jake clarified. “Aurora.”
“Ah.” Sam perched on a sawhorse. “You’re spending a lot of time together.”
“As much as she’ll let me, which isn’t a lot.” He grimaced. “Winter spends more time with her than I do. And I hate to say this.” He paused. “I’m jealous. Of my own daughter.”
Sam snorted. “You’d better stop fooling around and get serious about the woman, then. All this father-and-daughter dating isn’t working.”
“No, it’s not working.”
“So, take the lady out on a date. Without Winter.”
“The lady works constantly. That damn TV show has taken over her life.”
“And you’re playing music three nights a week,” Sam reminded him. “Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays.”
“Yep.” He loved it, and the guys were improving to the point where he didn’t have to direct them so much. They’d all stepped up their game, and the crowd appreciated the effort. They were drawing more people every night they played. Jake got a big kick out of it.
“Do you miss being on the road? On the big stages?”
“Sometimes. Not as much as you’d think.” Jake took a sip from his bottle of water. Lucia was always bringing over food and drinks. Meatball sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies were his favorites so far. “I’d like to spend time with Aurora without either my daughter or the whole town around.”
“Something’s gotta give,” his brother declared. “If you’re really interested.”
They stood there staring out the window at Janet Street for a long minute. Theo drove by and waved.
“Is this serious?” Sam asked. “Or just something to do while you’re in town?”
“I don’t do serious.”
Sam glared at him. “Then stay away from the Dahl.”
Jake cleared his throat. “I, uh, might be changing that,” he said. “I like that woman. I, uh, really like that woman.”
Sam shook his head. “You and Aurora, who’d have thought? But I don’t know, it could be a match made in heaven.” He eyed his older brother. “Just say the word and Winter can stay here. You know, while you take Aurora somewhere nice and decide how serious you are.”
“Thanks.”
“She might not be serious about you at all,” Sam declared cheerfully. “I’d be afraid if I were you. You could end up like roadkill, bloody and flattened like a pancake right there on Main Street.”
“Yeah,” Jake said. “I’ve thought that myself. She could hurt me.”
“Yeah, she could. Real bad,” Sam added. “But I have a feeling it’s already too late.”
* * *
“NOTHING WOULD HAVE prepared me for this,” Lucia said. She motioned toward the crew of shirtless men parading around Aurora’s construction site. Some were on scaffolding; others strode across the new roof erected above the addition. “They’re preening.”
“It goes on every day. You should see what happens on karaoke nights, when the Dahl is full. The construction guys end up staying in town to sing, and some of them are pretty good. Even when they can’t sing they get a lot of applause.” She stood with Lucia on the sidewalk and watched the female tourists watch the construction workers. Friday mornings were no different from any other mornings now that the show had been on television for five weeks, with three to go. Curious women from all over the West had come to see if the men in Willing were available. Facebook fan clubs had been established. Pete had become an expert tweeter. Iris was leading tours, and Owen had had to put a gate on the ranch road to prevent strangers from driving right up to their house.
“I didn’t know. Why didn’t I know?”
“Between Sam, baking and kids, I’m surprised you ever get out of your house. Speaking of your house, how’s the new bedroom coming along?”
She rolled her eyes. “Not as quickly as Sam would like, but it was his idea to wait for the house to be perfect before getting married.”
“And he’s regretting it?”
“I think he thought it would be finished by now. I’ve suggested a nice little ceremony at the county courthouse any morning, but so far he’s not taking me up on it.”
“How little a ceremony? Could your friends come?”
“You’d better,” Lucia said. “I don’t want a huge wedding like Meg had. Just the family. You and Meg. And Mama. This won’t be easy for Mama, so I’d like to keep it simple.”
“No, but she’s happy when you’re happy.” Marie’s son had been killed when Lucia was pregnant with four-year-old Tony. She’d supported her widowed daughter-in-law with all of her heart, and she’d grown to love Sam Hove for taking over as a father to her beloved grandsons.
“What about you and Jake? You two have been dancing around each other for weeks and you both look a bit starry-eyed.”
“We were s
upposed to go out,” Aurora admitted, waving to Janet Ferguson who had stopped on the other side of the street. She looked as if she was giving directions to two elderly women and their poodle. “On an actual date.”
“When?”
“The day after Winter broke her arm. Of course, that didn’t happen. Which is probably for the best.” Janet disappeared into the recently revived clothing store, where the window advertised a cowboy hat sale.
“She could have stayed with me any day, any night,” Lucia said. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Jake wouldn’t have left her,” Aurora said. “He’s been blaming himself for letting her ride.”
“That’s silly. It’s not his fault. She loved it, and she couldn’t have had a safer horse.”
“And look what happened.”
“But she was over here this morning and seemed fine. She’s bouncing around with that cast as if it’s not even on her arm.”
“It’s been two weeks,” Aurora said. “He hasn’t said anything about going out again, so I think he’s changed his mind. I think I’m in the friend zone.”
“Idiot.” They both knew she was referring to Jake.
“No, I’m the idiot,” Aurora admitted. “I shouldn’t have fallen for him in the first place.”
Lucia’s eyebrows rose. “Fallen?”
She shrugged. “Well, maybe just a little.” And then she pretended she didn’t care. He’d turned out to be more than just a charismatic musician stopping in town to entertain his new daughter. The man loved his music, was devoted to a daughter he barely knew and committed to doing the right thing by her, even giving up what must have been a lucrative summer tour. He’d settled here, for the time being. He’d been kind to the Wild Judiths and other amateur musicians in the area.
He’d completely charmed everyone in town, except for Hank Doughtery’s brother, who’d deserved to be told to be quiet.
That memory made Aurora smile.
“I hope they’re careful up there,” Lucia said, squinting into the sun at the two men on the roof. “The women are distracting them.”
“The whole town is feeling the effects of a matchmaking television show,” Aurora said. “There’s a strange vibe around here.”
Lucia grinned at her. “Well, my friend, you would know.”
* * *
HE STOOD ONSTAGE, played his guitar, sang his songs. He cued the band, kept track of the set list and nodded approvingly as more and more couples took to the dance floor.
Jake also kept an eye on the silver-haired owner with the blue T-shirt and skinny black jeans. She moved in and out of the crowd with ease, and yet spent most of her time behind the bar with Theo Porterman, a jack-of-all-trades here in town and a neighbor of Sam’s. Theo, Jake noticed, kept a careful eye on the customers, the alcohol and the cash register. Aurora needed the help, what with the crowd in the bar on a Friday night.
He had it bad. She’d been there for him when Winter got hurt, she’d stayed and comforted his daughter, she’d created the blue bedroom of Winter’s dreams in the modest little apartment above the newspaper office.
And she was an international star, a world-class violinist, an heiress and the owner of one of the finest musical instruments ever created.
Jake Hove was out of his league, all right.
At the end of the song, Jake removed his guitar and told Hip to take over.
“I’m gonna dance with my lady,” he said, which made two of the Wild Judiths within hearing distance laugh.
“See if she’ll sit in on a couple of tunes,” one of the guys said. “We could do some old-fashioned Western swing and get the crowd goin’.”
“I’ll try,” he said. “Play a waltz, will you?”
“Sure,” the keyboard player said, hitting the opening chords to “Tennessee Waltz.” “Good luck getting her attention.”
He needed more than luck. He needed a crowbar to get through the crowd to the bar, and then he needed a bullhorn to call Aurora’s name.
He didn’t have either, so by the time he reached her and asked her to dance, the intro was over and Bob Carmichael was singing the first verse.
“Dance?” she repeated, looking harried.
“Dance,” he said, pointing to the dance floor. “With me.”
He might have sworn he saw her blush, but it was hot in the room and she’d been working nonstop since he got here. She said something to Theo, placed three bottles of beer on a tray and stepped around the end of the bar into his waiting arms.
“At last,” he said, steering her into the crowd of dancers. “Have you been avoiding me?”
“No,” she said simply. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
He looked down into those calm blue eyes. She looked serious and formidable and altogether adorable, in her prickly Aurora way. “I’m sorry.”
She didn’t say anything, but she was in his arms and they were waltzing and he was so pleased with himself he wanted to break into song.
“I really am,” he repeated. “Very sorry. I missed our date. And I’ve been acting like Super Dad ever since.”
“Understandable.”
“I might not be as crazed now,” he said. “Though I’m putting a stop to future riding lessons.”
“O-kay,” she drawled. “Good luck with that.”
“Will you go out with me tomorrow night? A fancy dinner in Lewistown? We’ll get dressed up and hold hands under the table.”
“It’s Saturday. I can’t.”
“Sunday, then.” He willed her to look at him instead of the other dancers. “Come on, sweetheart. Say yes.”
Her cheeks reddened even deeper, but in a pretty way.
“You’re killing me,” he muttered, holding her closer to him. “You’re going to make me beg, aren’t you?”
“Begging can be attractive in a man,” she whispered against his ear.
“I will get down on one knee, if that’s what it takes.” But he couldn’t help laughing as he spun her around the room.
“Desperation is also kind of appealing,” Aurora said. “I like that in a man, too.”
“Then I must be looking pretty good to you tonight.” He let his lips touch her ear lobe and felt her shiver.
“Possibly,” she conceded, her body warm against his.
“Dinner? Sunday?”
“Mmm.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said, smiling down at her again.
“People are staring,” she whispered. “Get that look off your face.”
“What look?”
Aurora sighed.
“The I-want-to-kiss-you look?” he asked. He dropped his mouth to her cheek and paused.
“Stop teasing,” she said, but he heard the laughter in her voice. “You know this will never work.”
“This?”
“You’re such a flirt.” She sighed, but she made it sound like a compliment, so Jake didn’t protest.
“What won’t work?”
She laughed again. He wondered if she had been drinking her own wine tonight. “I’ve decided,” she said, “not to encourage you.”
“Too late,” he said, tucking her closer against his body as they crossed the dance floor. “I’ll pick you up Sunday at five o’clock.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“YOU’RE WEARING that dress,” Jake said when Aurora opened her apartment door to greet him.
“This dress?” She looked down at the purple-and-yellow floral dress she’d worn for Meg’s wedding. Tonight she wore cream heeled sandals instead of boots. She’d treated herself to a pedicure at Patsy’s salon and had her toes painted a delicate shade of pink. She had, she admitted to herself, primped all day. And she’d loved every minute of it. She smiled to herself. His reaction had b
een worth the effort.
“I like that dress,” he said. “It’s the one you were wearing when we first met, when you thought I was going to rob the bar.”
“I’m a suspicious person.” Aurora sniffed. “And you acted odd, you know. Not knowing where your brother was and having a daughter who called you Jake.”
He surprised her with a quick kiss on her mouth. And then said, looking down with a frown, “I feel like I should have brought candy and flowers.”
“Why?”
“To woo you properly.”
She could feel herself blushing, something she only did when she was around him. “Wooing? That’s an old-fashioned term.”
“You have me flustered,” he confessed. “I changed my shirt three times.”
She eyed the one he had chosen. It was an ivory oxford shirt, with a button-down collar, and meticulously ironed. Tucked into dark brown slacks, it was a totally acceptable shirt. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”
“Thank God,” he said, exaggerating his relief. “This seems so official.”
“Official?” She locked the door and led him downstairs, where they left from the back door of the bar. “What do you mean?”
He didn’t answer her until they stepped out into the small parking lot behind the building. He helped her into his truck and went around to the driver’s side. He didn’t answer her question until they were headed south on the road to Lewistown.
“It’s an official date. I need to impress you,” he said. “I could have taken you to Meg’s. Marie Swallow is cooking an Italian feast.”
“Really?” Just the thought made her mouth water. Marie made an eggplant parmigiana that rivaled anything she’d eaten in Rome or Milan, but Aurora had only tasted it once. “I didn’t know she was cooking at Meg’s.”
“I understand it’s going to be a Saturday-night tradition, to give the newlyweds more time together. Lucia told me that Marie is thinking about opening her own restaurant.” He slowed the truck. “Would you rather go to the café instead of Lewistown?”
The Husband Show Page 19