“Hello, Tulsa!” he yelled, driving the noise level higher.
His engaging smile drew her in, like a moth to a flame. She loved the royal blue, western-cut shirt that covered his wide shoulders and a narrow waist. Black jeans encased his long, muscular legs down to his black cowboy boots. Oh, how she loved those thighs. When she looked back at his face, her breath caught.
Then she heard Justin sing, and her heart skipped a beat as everything and everyone faded away. His slightly rough, sensual voice drew her into the performance, the music’s perfect rhythm pounding as she absorbed every note.
“Breathe, Sil,” Becky said loudly in her ear.
Silver couldn’t take her eyes off Justin Rivers, and she knew the moment he saw her when he winked and gave her a little wave before moving across the stage.
Becky leaned close. “Wow, he noticed you!”
“He winked. I hate winking.” Silver turned to her friend. “That’s the guy.”
“What guy?” Then Becky’s eyes widened. “The one who fixed Buddy?”
Nodding, Silver stared at Justin, thinking the Fates must have a crazy sense of humor. Her gorgeous, car-saving knight had traded in his cargo shorts for a cowboy hat. And didn’t he make a good case against her prejudice toward cowboys?
When he finished the song, he waved and ran off the stage, giving her another delicious view of that backside.
Her hormones were screaming, I want him! “I need something to drink. You want anything?”
“No, thanks. Did you forget to eat again today?”
“Too much going on to stop for food. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” After Becky handed her one of the ticket stubs, Silver eased her way through the dancing crowd in the aisles to the nearest exit, where she leaned against the wall.
Trouble at the school, the problem with Buddy…the only good part of the day happened to be Justin. He’d made her smile for the first time in hours. And she’d felt a whole lot of things that had been absent from her life. Longing, excitement, attraction…scary to admit, but she wanted to get hold of those feelings with someone again. Or get a hold of someone. Maybe someone tall and dark haired who knew his way around engines.
No, that wouldn’t happen. Now she knew why he’d looked so familiar earlier in the parking lot. His face had been displayed all over every social medium she knew about as the up and coming sound of country music. Naturally he had a beautiful someone waiting somewhere. So what if he waved from the stage? Men like Justin Rivers didn’t notice women like her, unless it was to massage their male egos.
“Hey, is that you, Silver?”
Speaking of egos.
She stiffened when she heard Chase Richard’s voice behind her. Of course he’d show up here, since he ruled as the King of Wannabes. Turning, she saw her ex-fiancé grinning in a way that made her stomach roil. Dressed in a pea green western shirt with a pencil tie, skinny jeans with a sleek chrome belt buckle, and designer cowboy boots with heels a drag queen would envy, Chase was the epitome of everything she despised.
“Hello, Chase.”
“Have you missed me, darlin’?” he asked with a smirk that said he knew it would irritate her.
“Almost as much as cleaning up vomit in a classroom. Are you still working for your daddy?” she asked in a sweet voice.
His jaw tightened. “Not that it’s any concern of yours, but yeah, I am. In the loan department now.”
“How’s that over-the-garage room at your mother’s place?” she replied, not really caring if he answered.
“I’m back, sweetie.”
A tall redhead walked up and possessively linked her arm in his as she stared at Silver. What happened to the brunette who’d been in bed with him a week before their wedding? Feeling more than a tad catty, she gave the woman what she hoped was a look of pure innocence. “And this must be DeeAnn, right?”
The redhead turned and frowned at Chase. “DeeAnn? Who’s DeeAnn?”
Clearing his throat, Chase gave the woman a smile. “Nobody, baby. You’re the only one for me. Darcy, this is Silver, an old friend of mine.”
Old friend? Actually, they’d never really been friends, had they? “Hi, Darby, nice to meet you.”
“Darcy, not Darby.” The woman huffed, not even trying to hide her jealousy.
“My mistake, Darcy. Good to see you, Chase.” She turned to leave, but his words stopped her.
“Who are you seeing these days, darlin’?”
And there it was. The Moment.
Did she lie or tell him the truth? The last thing she wanted was to tell him she’d been alone these past months, and honesty was always the best policy.
“He just finished performing.”
But honesty took a backseat to the satisfaction of seeing both their mouths drop open. Darcy was the first to find her words.
“You’re seeing Justin Rivers?”
When Silver nodded, Chase frowned. “How long have you been dating?”
“I haven’t known him long at all.” Which was the truth…technically. And she would see him after the show. “I need to get back to my front row seat,” she said, emphasizing the seating arrangement. “Nice to meet you, DeeAnn.”
Darcy stomped her foot. “Who is DeeAnn?”
“Forget it. Uh…see you around, Silver.”
“I hope not,” she mumbled.
Guilt nibbled at her conscience. She shouldn’t have lied, but it felt good to see that two-timing cowboy squirm a bit. As she walked away, Silver heard Darcy say she was hungry and wanted to eat. Chase mentioned Tangled Saddles, a new barbecue place not far from the arena. Maybe he’d choke on a French fry.
At the concession stand, she bought a sweet tea, then headed back to her seat. She scooted by the press corps on the front row as the announcer came back onstage carrying a large envelope and a trophy, which he set on the stage. Justin followed and stood beside him.
“Let’s bring out our contestants. Didn’t they give us a great show?” All the performers walked onstage as the arena erupted into applause. “Justin Rivers will present the trophy and cash prizes.”
As Justin smiled at the audience and waved, one word came to mind: scrumptious.
The emcee continued. “Great job, wonderful show. Now it’s time to announce the winner. Our esteemed panel of judges, headed up by the mayor of this great city, has reached a decision.” He ripped open the envelope and stood reading for a few moments, dragging out the suspense. “Please remember, all profits go to benefit Tulsa schools.”
All the runners up were given their awards. The winner was announced and Justin stepped forward with the trophy and an envelope. Silver jumped to her feet and cheered with everyone else. She hoped with every fiber of her being that Creepy Chase could see her.
“I definitely won’t mind interviewing Justin,” Becky yelled in her ear.
“And I won’t mind watching,” she replied.
“I wonder what his family thinks about his success in country music.”
Silver shrugged. “Why would they care?”
Becky started to answer, but Silver held up a finger to stop her when Justin took the microphone from the emcee.
“Thanks, everyone, for coming out tonight and helping a great cause. It’s up to each of us to make sure kids get the education they need to be successful. Earlier tonight I had a grammar lesson from a teacher.” He grinned and winked at her when the audience laughed. “To show how much I believe in a solid education for all children, I’m making a donation matching whatever funds are raised tonight. Thanks again.”
Silver joined the rest of the crowd in screaming their approval.
He waved, shook hands with the announcer, and walked off stage with the other performers.
“That’s it for tonight’s show. Drive safely!” yelled the emcee as the house lights came up and music poured out of the speakers.
Silver pulled on Becky’s arm. “Let’s go so you can start the interview.”
Becky yanked her arm away
and refused to move. “Grammar lesson from a teacher? And now you’re excited about the interview? OK, spill. You hate this kind of music and cowboys.”
Come clean or lie again? Well, technically, it wasn’t a lie. “What can I say? He’s cute.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Becky cocked her head to one side and waited.
Silver relented with an embarrassed sigh. “Fine. I ran into the cowboy I hate most in the world and I kind of…sort of…told him I’m dating Justin.”
Becky’s eyes widened. “You lied to Chase? Why would you do that? You hate liars.”
“He was with a cute redhead named Darcy.”
“What happened to DeeAnn?”
“Exactly,” Silver responded.
Shaking her head, Becky turned and began walking toward the backstage area. “I hope this one doesn’t come back to bite you, Sil.”
Silver followed and whispered, “Me, too.”
Chapter Two
Justin stood in the dressing area with the contestants, offering congratulations and posing for pictures. As the last one walked out of the room, the stage manager said the press was ready to talk with him.
“Can I have one minute, please?”
“Sure thing, Justin.”
Standing in front of a mirror, Justin tousled his hair in a futile attempt to get rid of hat head. He paused and took in a deep breath.
Sometimes the reality of fame overwhelmed him. Despite all the warnings from his older brother, his dream was happening. No more rodeos. No more smoke-filled bars or trying to convince local radio stations to play his self-produced CD. No more hopeful YouTube videos. The screaming fans and record sales were proof that this was real.
And still he found himself wondering if something would get in his way or keep him from reaching the top. The emcee had mentioned ACMA’s Best New Artist, and damn, he wanted that award, no matter what it took. Although his manager had done a good job of getting him noticed, Justin had signed with a fairly unknown label, and he wanted top billing, the kind of exposure that would make him a household name.
More than anything, he wanted his family to be proud of him…to respect him again. Time to move past the year of stupidity that had nearly destroyed everyone he loved.
“Hey, Justin!”
“Almost ready for the press,” he answered, smoothing his shirt.
“They can wait.”
Justin turned to his manager, Sam Fletcher, a short, slender man with a friendly smile standing at the door. His brown hair was combed straight back and he wore a brown, western cut suit with dark brown boots. The man rubbed his hands together as he walked into the room.
“Great show. Listen, I have some news. You’ve heard of GramMer in Nashville?”
Justin nodded. “Who hasn’t? They’re the top talent agency in country music.”
“They want to talk.”
Justin’s heart pounded with excitement. The holy grail of representation and they wanted him. “Did they say when?”
“I told them to give me a call tomorrow and we’d set up a meeting.”
“Good, good.” He fake punched Sam in the stomach. “This could be it, Sam. For both of us!”
His manager laughed and dodged the punch. “Hell, it’s about time, right? Now all we gotta do is keep you in the news. Make sure your face is everywhere. I’ll handle that part.”
The stage manager knocked on the door frame. “Time to go, Justin. The press is getting restless.”
He smiled. “Right now, I’m ready for anything.”
Thirty minutes later, Justin’s face hurt from smiling for the photographers and answering what seemed like hundreds of questions. Next thing on his agenda was food. He picked up his cowboy hat and set it on his head. A woman’s voice stopped him.
“Mr. Rivers? Becky Sinclair with Tulsa People magazine. I have a few more questions if you don’t mind.”
Letting out a deep breath, he turned to ask if they could reschedule. The words died on his lips when he saw the women standing behind him. One had auburn hair, a bright yellow shirt, and a beautiful smile that made it hard to say no as she extended her hand.
He glanced at the woman beside her and his breath caught. Blonde hair framed green eyes and a delicate face, one he knew because they’d already met. There was no way he’d forget that pretty name or beautiful lady. “Silver. How’s Buddy doing?”
“Still working when I came in, so thanks again. Wow, you did a great job out there.”
“Thanks.” Realizing Becky’s hand was still extended, he shook it but spoke to the beauty beside her. “Tulsa People wants to talk to me? I’m nothing special.”
Becky stepped closer. “My editor disagrees and, after that fantastic song you did tonight, so do I. Can you spare a few minutes? I hope you don’t mind if Silver sits in with us.”
“Listen, I’m on my way to Tangled Saddles. If you ladies want to join me, I’ll answer your questions over dinner.”
Silver smiled at him. “That sounds great.”
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. “It’s a new barbecue place down the road a bit.”
“I’ve heard the food is delicious.”
“Meet you there?”
The reporter tapped his shoulder. “Uh, hello…party of three here.”
“Oh, right. Sure, no problem.”
Sam walked over to stand beside them. “Hey, Justin. Ready to go?”
“Sam, this is Silver. And Becky is with Tulsa People. Ladies, this is Sam Fletcher, my manager.” He put a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “I’m giving an interview over dinner at Tangled Saddles, so I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
His manager crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t I need to be there?”
Becky frowned. “Not unless you’re afraid of what he might say.”
Sam narrowed his eyes. “Just thinking about my client, that’s all.”
“Same here,” Becky replied with her head tilted. “I’m a professional, Sam, so I’ll do right by Justin.”
The manager watched Becky for a moment before giving her a tight smile. “Hey, it’s free publicity, right? Justin, call me and I’ll give you an update on that matter we discussed earlier.” He left the room, stomping down the hall.
Justin thought Sam had overreacted, but they’d talk tomorrow. Right now a beautiful lady waited for him. He turned to Silver. “Ready to go, darlin’?”
“Don’t call me darlin’.”
That was the second time she’d chastised him for the nickname. Why the hell didn’t she like it? “No problem, Silver.”
Becky motioned them both toward the doorway. “Still a party of three. Now that the apologies are out of the way, can we please eat?”
* * *
Silver hadn’t prepared for the media fiasco waiting outside Tangled Saddles. Members of the press blocked the door to take pictures of Justin, and reporters called out questions, asking who she was and why she was with him.
“How did they know where to find us?” she asked while trying to avoid the cameras.
“Looks like Sam tipped them off.”
Justin waved and worked his way through the crowd, but getting past them wasn’t easy. Finally Becky wormed her way into the mess and took control.
“Hey, listen up. Mr. Rivers is here to relax, and he’d appreciate some privacy.”
One man yelled out. “But who’s the girl?”
Silver ducked her head as Justin answered, “She’s a friend. Good to see you all and thanks for the hard work you do.” He put one arm around her and followed Becky who made a path through the crowd.
Once they were inside, fans cheered and rushed to greet him. She had to admit, he handled it like a pro. Glancing around the room, she saw Chase and Darcy sitting in a booth near the front. Now that cheater would see she wasn’t sitting at home, crying over him. While Justin finished with the fans and spoke to the hostess about getting a table, Becky gripped her elbow and pulled her back toward the door.
; “You knew Chase would be here.”
Silver couldn’t look at her. “I heard him mention they were coming here, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to rub it in his face a little bit.”
“OK, I get it.” Becky leaned close to whisper as she cracked her knuckles. “But please let me do my job. My editor is counting on this article and I have a deadline tonight.”
“I promise. Just being here is enough, trust me.” She bit her lip. “Am I a terrible person?”
“Now that you’ve started this game, you have to play it. Like I said earlier, Sil, I hope this doesn’t come back to bite you.”
Justin motioned them forward, and they were seated at a table right across the room from Chase and Darcy. She pretended to not notice the redhead waving or Chase’s frown as she checked out the western décor.
Heavy wooden tables and chairs filled the room. Red leather booths lined two sides by the windows. Children’s booster chairs were shaped like small saddles. Each table had a blown glass centerpiece with a small votive candle inside and encased in rusty barbed wire; western paintings of cattle roundups and campfires were framed in weathered wood, and horseshoes held hurricane lamps on the walls.
It wasn’t her favorite kind of room, but it could be worse. At least there were no glassy-eyed, stuffed animals guarding the place.
“Ladies, what’s your pleasure?” Justin asked.
Wasn’t that a loaded question, especially when he raised one eyebrow at her and grinned?
She pretended to study her menu. “I’ll have what you’re having.”
He laughed and shook his head. “I don’t think so, dar…um, Silver. The hot sauce would probably make you faint.”
Irritation bubbled to the surface but she smiled at him. “You think I’m that delicate?”
Leaning forward, he studied her face. “Like a beautiful rose.”
Her breath caught at the softly spoken words, and she shivered as if he’d touched her. His dark blue eyes challenged her. “Roses have thorns, Justin. Bring on the hot sauce.”
With a resigned shrug, he ordered for the two of them, then Becky ordered a smoked chicken sandwich. After a server delivered their drinks, Becky pulled out a small notebook.
Midnight Diamonds Page 2