Scarlett and Gavin finally pulled apart. Both appeared a little dazed.
Jack shook his head. “Can’t take them anywhere.”
“You’re just jealous,” Gavin shot across the table.
“Hey.” Luanne stood and rubbed her baby bump. “We do just fine, rock star.”
“Oh, Lord, it’s contagious.” Hailey hooked her finger at Hank and Charlie quietly making out at the end of the table.
The couple ended the lip lock and grinned at their audience, their expressions and swollen lips completely unrepentant. Clearly, his friends had no trouble with PDA.
“Well, I guess I better go check on the band.” Beau started to stand, but Jack placed a hand on his arm and stopped him.
“One more thing.” Jack shared a conspiratorial grin with his partner in crime. “You want to tell him, Lou?”
Luanne, who looked far too pleased with herself, grinned. “I guess I have to.”
“Tell me what?” He knew that look. Luanne had something up her sleeve. The woman had the worst poker face.
Her hand went up like she was making a pronouncement. “Shayla Rae and Xavier Duke are here for your show.” She snapped her fingers and cocked her head. “What do you think about that?”
“You’re shittin’ me.” He jerked his head around trying to find the pair. “Where?”
“Somewhere in the crowd soaking up the energy. Or at least that’s what they said when I invited them to join us.”
“Who are these people?” Hank asked.
Charlie wiped lipstick from Hank’s lower lip with her thumb. “Only the biggest social media influencers in country music. They have millions of followers on YouTube and Instagram. Way to go, Lulu. If I were still in the business, this would be enough to convince me to hire you.” She raised her drink in a toast. “You are a badass, woman.”
Luanne struck a pose. “That I am.”
Hank glanced around the table. “So it’s good they’re here, then?”
“It’s more than good. It’s amazing.” Beau laughed. “Just a mention from them can change the course of a country musician’s career.” He rested his elbows on the table and held his head in his fingers. “I can’t believe this.”
Of course, a negative review from them could tank his career, but he refused to let that possibility into his mind for more than a second. This was his night and nothing and no one would ruin it for him.
“How in the world did you get them to come to Zachsville, Texas, Luanne?” Charlie asked.
Scarlett, who was still sitting in Gavin’s lap, pointed at Luanne. “Cause my girl is ah-maze-ing!” she sang.
“I can’t take all the credit. They were coming to Austin for an Austin City Limits filming. The timing was perfect.” She grinned. “Plus, Charlie’s right. I am a badass.”
Everyone laughed again and congratulated Beau.
Jack squeezed his shoulder. “You ready for this?’
Beau glanced at Hailey.
She pointed a finger and stared him down. “Don’t.”
There was no stopping the smirk fighting its way onto his face. “Jack, I was born ready.”
There was a collective groan from the table. He didn’t care, he was just so damn glad that Hailey was joking around with him. Maybe their friendship wasn’t over.
“Born ready? Okay, Captain Cliché.” Charlie snorted.
Hailey shook her head. “He says he’s bringing it back.”
Everyone laughed.
“I am.” He wagged his finger at the bar owner. “You wait and see.”
“Besides you and Lottie, I don’t know of anyone else saying it.” Hailey chuckled and stood. “You’re on in twenty minutes. I’ll come to the green room once I check on my staff.”
He rose and pushed his chair back under the table. “I should get backstage and let the band know. Or maybe I won’t. I don’t want them to be nervous.”
Luanne raised her glass of water to him. “Break a leg.”
He kissed her cheek. “Thank you, for everything.”
“No need to thank me.” She shoved his chest. “Just be brilliant.”
He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
The band was sitting backstage on the sofa in the green room. Sam, twirled his drumsticks, and Tom, was glued to his phone. But his backup singer was nowhere in sight. “Where’s Tabitha?”
Sam shrugged. “We thought she was with you.”
A chill zigzagged up his spine. “No. She’s not with me.” He dug his phone from his pocket to call her. His heart froze mid beat when he read the first sentence of her text.
Hey, Beau, I’m not coming tonight.
His butt hit the arm of the chair next to the couch. “What the hell?”
I’m sorry to tell you so late, but my ENT worked me in at the end of the day today, and I’m just getting out of the appointment.
He checked the time of the text and saw that it’d come in at six p.m. Damn it, he’d had all his notifications turned off because he’d been working in the studio with Gavin, and hadn’t reengaged them.
The pain in my throat has gotten worse, so I thought if I could see my doctor, then he might be able to give me something to help before tonight. Instead, he found two nodules on my vocal cords. I’m texting you because I’m not allowed to speak until after my surgery, which is next week.
I’m so sorry, but this can’t be helped. I’ll touch base with you after my surgery. Luckily, you’re only playing at Boon’s, so I probably won’t even be missed.
He cradled his head in his hand. “Are you kidding me?”
Tom glanced up from his phone. “What?”
“Tabitha’s not coming. She has nodules on her vocal cords. She’s having surgery next week.”
“Shit.” Sam’s whispered curse said it all.
Hailey entered the room through the door leading to the dance floor. “You guys ready?” She scanned their faces and came to stand next to them. “What’s wrong?”
“Tabitha’s not coming.” Beau knew he sounded shell-shocked, but couldn’t seem to help it.
“What? Why?” Hailey asked.
“She has nodules on her vocal cords and is having surgery next week.” Beau shook his head. “Damn it.” He bent forward with his hands on his knees and tried to get his emotions under control. “Our set is built around having her harmonies.” He straightened and tore his fingers through his hair. “I’m so screwed.”
“Nah, man,” Sam said. “We’ll just wing it.”
He wanted to hit the guy even though the drummer had no idea what was on the line. “You don’t understand. Shayla Rae and Xavier Duke are in the audience.”
“Oh, shit,” Tom said.
“Yeah.” Too many emotions and nothing to punch had him pacing with his hands on his head.
He glanced at Hailey—his only hope of making this work. But he knew she’d never get on stage, and he cared too much about her to put her in the position of having to tell him no.
Get your shit together and be a leader, Callen.
“Okay, everybody calm down. We won’t worry about the harmonies. It’ll be fine.” It would, because there was no other alternative. He’d come this far, and this wouldn’t beat him. He manufactured his signature grin. “Now let’s go kick some ass.”
“You’re the boss,” Tom said, and he and Sam exited through the green curtain that hung over the opening that led to the stage. The crowd began screaming as soon as they hit the band stand.
“Beau…”
He shook his head. “It’s going to be fine.”
She wrung her hands. “I’m so sorry.”
Was she apologizing for Tabitha or because she couldn’t step up and help? Didn’t matter. It wasn’t her responsibility. It was his, and he’d make this work. “Not your fault.” He tried the same grin on her that he’d used with the band, but he could tell it didn’t work when she looked away and began gnawing her lip. “I’m going to do my job, Hailey.” He took her shoulders and turned her toward th
e entrance to the stage. “Now you go do yours and introduce me.”
Her smile had far less wattage than it had at the table earlier, but then again so did his.
The volume of the audience went from loud to deafening as soon as Hailey passed through the curtain. He let it wash over him, infuse him, and give him the courage and energy to do what needed to be done.
He would make this work, or die trying.
If you looked up the word schmuck in the dictionary, Hailey’s picture would be next to the definition. She had the power to help Beau, and her feet were rooted to the spot where she stood.
“Thank you, folks,” Beau’s voice only intensified her guilt. His normal flirty tone was gone. The rigid, stiff, dipped-in-starch quality of his voice cut hard edges into his words. She didn’t want to consider why she was so in tune with him that she could tell the subtle nuances of his voice. She had enough to handle with her conscience beating the hell out of her.
The side door to the green room swung open, and Jack, Luanne, and Gavin barreled into the space.
“Where’s Tabitha?” Jack asked.
It took Hailey a moment to make her own vocal cords work. “She’s not coming. She has nodules on her vocal cords.”
“What?” Luanne’s hand went to her mouth. “Oh, poor Beau.”
“He says he’s fine.” She didn’t know who she was trying to convince, them or her. Either way, it wasn’t working.
Jack’s fists went to his hips. “Are you kidding me?”
Hailey shook her head, afraid that if she spoke, the truth about being able to help him if she weren’t such a coward would spill from her mouth.
“Damn it to hell. Shayla and Xavier are out there.” He pointed beyond the curtained-off stage door.
“I know.” Luanne took his hand. “He’ll be fine. Maybe he won’t be as amazing as we know he can be. But I still think he can pull it off.”
Jack glanced at Gavin, who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. The rock star shrugged. “He’s a pro, so he’ll make it work, but it’ll be tough for him to get the sound he wants.”
Jack closed his eyes and shook his head.
“Let’s get back out there. We’re not doing Beau any good in here.” Luanne pulled Jack toward the door, and Gavin followed.
They left Hailey with her self-condemning thoughts in the small dingy room. Beau sang through the speakers. He sounded good, but she’d been listening to the man rehearse for months, and she didn’t need to see him to know he wasn’t as relaxed and playful as he usually was.
The second song started. Hailey instantly recognized the melody of his next single. Without the harmonies, it would only be a good song. But she knew it could be more. She’d nearly cried the first time she’d heard Beau and Tabitha sing it. The slow, soulful ballad had transformed Boon’s from a dirty old honky-tonk into a reverent, magical cathedral. She couldn’t stand by and let him fall flat.
The emotional cocktail pumping through her body soured her stomach. Her extremities turned to blocks of ice, and she’d lost feeling in her hands.
This was it. Somehow, she knew everything would change if she walked onto the stage. For better or worse? She wasn’t sure. But she knew she had to do this. For him? For her? For Lottie? It didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting on that stage.
Her shortened breaths and stampeding heart kept time with her quick steps.
One.
Two.
Three.
She was on stage.
Four.
Five.
Six.
She stepped up to the mic.
Her eyelids blinked rapidly against the glaring spotlight. She resisted the urge to block the blinding beam with her hand. Thankfully, the only people she could see were her friends. If she hadn’t been about to pee her pants from abject terror, she would’ve laughed at the stunned looks on their faces. She couldn’t blame them. Nobody was more surprised than her.
Beau kept singing. He hadn’t noticed her, since she was standing to his right and behind him. It was better that way. If he looked at her, she might lose her nerve.
She glanced at Rusty, who was standing to the side of the stage at the sound board, and pointed to the microphone. He gave her the thumbs-up, letting her know it was on, just as Beau got to the chorus.
Don’t think, Hailey. Just sing.
Like a jump from a cliff, she closed her eyes and leaped. But instead of plunging to her death, the song caught her. She found purchase with each note, until her voice and instinct took over, and she began to soar.
The second he heard her, Beau snapped his head in her direction. His expression matched their friends’, but only for a second. The smile that bunched his cheeks and caused the little lines next to his eyes to wrinkle was just for her. And she wanted to bathe in everything it communicated.
You did it.
You’re amazing.
I’m so freakin’ proud of you.
She made a turnaround motion with her finger to remind him of his audience, but couldn’t keep the glow of happiness off her face.
He played.
They sang.
And something magical happened over the next forty-five minutes. It was like there’d been a Hailey-shaped spot on that stage made just for her. For the span of time she blended her voice with his, the leash that tethered her to this small-minded town unraveled, and she was free.
The bar, Derek, her dad, the town’s opinions of her, all her cares fell away, and she found her home.
Chapter Twenty-One
Hailey hated the closing duties she had to do every night at Boon’s. It wasn’t that it was so much, but it was hard keeping everything straight at two a.m. It was the job, though, the part she hated. Her guilty conscience wagged a long-crooked finger at her. She should be ashamed of herself. This had been her mother’s life for more than thirty years, and she never complained.
A smile snuck onto her face. Her mom would’ve loved seeing Boon’s packed to the rafters like it had been tonight. It’d been a sight to see. And it was all because of The Heartbreaker.
Beau hadn’t disappointed. He’d played with and teased the crowd, seducing them with his voice and songs until he owned the room. Her job had been easy, with one hundred percent of the attention on him.
Yeah, which job is that, Hailey? Your make-believe job as a singer or your real job running this bar?
Reality smacked her in the face. She wasn’t a singer. She was a bar owner, plain and simple.
It’d been thrilling, though. Singing with Beau and the band was like nothing she’d ever experienced. She’d been sure she’d collapse on the spot, but as soon as the notes began to flow from her mouth, all of her nerves vanished.
The playfulness between her and Beau on stage hadn’t sucked either. Well, at the time it hadn’t sucked, but now that the night was over, and she was there alone, it all kind of sucked.
After the show, Shayla and Xavier wanted to talk with Beau, so they’d gone to the twenty-four-hour diner on the interstate. All her friends left too, needing to get home to their respective babysitters.
And she’d gone back to work.
The thrill and excitement of being on stage quickly disappeared, as most make-believe things did. She’d gone back to being plain old Hailey Odom, schlepping drinks behind the bar.
She tucked the receipts into the safe. The spreadsheets would have to wait until the morning when she wasn’t dead on her feet. The money would go with her so she could make a morning bank deposit. A twist of the handle and the safe was secured. She turned around and almost had a heart attack. “Oh, my gosh! You scared me.”
Beau leaned against the door frame. Good Lord, but the man sucked the air from the room. His arms and legs were crossed, but his features weren’t near as relaxed as his posture suggested. “You got on stage for me.”
The kick of her heart thundering through her chest made every step back to her desk unsteady. She moved the money bag and
straightened a stack of folders. For some reason, it was imperative that all the edges line up correctly. “It’s not that big a deal.”
“It is to me.” He pushed away from the door. Four long strides brought him to her, and he wrapped his fingers around her upper arms. His sincere gaze locked with hers. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” His hands on her skin turned her vocal cords to mush, making her reply nothing more than a whisper.
“You were amazing, Hailey.”
“Thanks.” She couldn’t tear her eyes from him. A world of emotions played across his intense face, each coming too fast for her to understand. Her expression probably mirrored his because there was a boatload of confusing thoughts careening through her mind.
His tongue slid across his bottom lip as he stared at her mouth.
Her eyes followed the movement like life’s secrets were held in that one small motion.
He stepped toward her.
She stepped toward him.
They stood inches apart with his palms burning a brand against her arms. Her body begged for him and bargained with her to do something, anything to relieve the pent-up sexual tension between them. But they were caught behind some self-imposed line that neither was willing to cross.
Finger by finger, he broke the contact between them. As soon as his hands fell away, all the oxygen rushed back into the room. She filled her lungs like she’d been about to suffocate.
He took one of her stray curls between his fingers then slipped his hands into his front pockets. “Hailey…”
She hooked the stray hair behind her ear and dipped her head. “I know.”
“It’s not that I’m not…but we…”
“Decided it was a bad idea.” She tried like hell to keep the sadness from her voice. There was no excuse for the sorrow, but it was there nonetheless. Needing distance between them, she moved to the other side of the desk. “It’s all good, Beau. We’re on the same page.”
He nodded and glanced around the office. “So are you about to head out?”
She pretended there weren’t pheromones still dancing between them, around them, and all over her sensitive skin. “I am.”
Running After a Heartbreaker (Brides on the Run #4) Page 16