“Right. I’m going to call the house and see if anyone answers. That will tell us everything we need to know. I’ll dial the number and you ask for some fictitious person. They don’t know your voice. Just say it’s a wrong number.”
Nellie rolled her eyes but did as instructed. “A man answered, and I could hear other men in the background. I didn’t hear the dogs, though. My goodness, you are twitchy tonight. You do love him, don’t you? I need a name, Sara.”
Sara took a deep breath. “I’m in love with Dallas Lord.”
Nellie clapped her hands. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“No. The hard part is what if he isn’t in love with me? He said he wasn’t. I said I wasn’t either, but I was lying to myself. I almost had myself convinced I didn’t love him. Do you think he was doing the same thing?”
Nellie didn’t know what she thought. “I’m sure of it.”
“You are so full of it, Nellie, but thanks for saying that. God, I feel giddy.”
“Then we better get you home before you do something that isn’t in your game plan.”
“Tomorrow is another day. I have a lot of tomorrows on my horizon, Nellie.”
“Yes, you do, Sara.”
“Let’s go home, Nellie. I love this truck and you’re right, it does run like a top. What would you say, Nellie, if I told you I wanted to get out of this truck right now and dance down this canyon road?”
“I’d say do it. I’ll pick you up at the bottom.”
“I’m going to do it. I am doing it. I really am. First I’m Mata Hari, then I’m Ginger Rogers, and God alone knows what I’ll be when I get home.”
“Try a woman in love,” Nellie called over her shoulder.
“A woman in love is good,” Sara shot back.
Adam watched his brother through the kitchen window, his heart swelling with pride. The change in Dallas was so overwhelming he was having a hard time dealing with what he now called the new Dallas. His brother was assertive, opinionated and he was no longer shy and withdrawn. If anything, he was in his face from morning to night, saying over and over, “I feel like I’ve been reborn.” The rocker clothes and stringy hair were gone. The earring and the heavy gold chain he used to wear constantly had never been replaced. He wore Brooks Brothers loafers with tassels, creased trousers, and crisply ironed shirts. On any given day he could have passed for a relaxed Wall Street broker. The dog he’d rescued from the pound was healthy and fit and was always at his side. What Adam was seeing was a wonderful picture, something he never thought he’d see in his lifetime. If Dallas could just get his act together where Sara Killian was concerned, the picture would be complete.
Adam leafed through the mail. Release forms for Dallas to sign. In just a few days Dallas would rise from the dead and go in front of the cameras on prime time to tell his story. At the end of the live interview, the program would go to the prerecorded segment of the Canyon River Band playing “Sara’s Song.” It was going to be Dallas’s swan song before he announced his retirement.
“How’s it going, Dallas?” Adam asked, the screen door banging behind him.
“Not bad. Did anything important come in the mail?”
“Just the release forms and the water bill. You have to sign them now, so I can FedEx them back to the station. You’re sure you’re okay with this?”
“Adam, I can’t live a lie. That’s not who I am or what I’m about these days. I can make a life for myself doing whatever I want to do. I’m not saying I’ll never record or write music again. I burned out three years ago. I don’t know how or why I kept on going. Sometimes it’s just time to hang it all up. This is my time. Hell, I might even go to college one of these days.” He scrawled his signature in six different places. Adam scooped up the papers and slid them into the return envelope.
“I’m going to take these to town. I want to make sure they get out today. Can I get you anything while I’m there?”
“No. I made up my mind about something, Adam. After the broadcast, if I don’t hear from Sara, I’m going to my ranch in Montana. I’m going to put down some roots and go on from there. I know where I want to go now, and I think I know how to get there. You found your niche in Charleston. Mine is in Big Sky country. Lots of space, fresh air, and peace. I want to hear the silence and the birds in the morning. Half my hearing is gone, so I need to hear these things now. The doctor called with the results of my physical. Aside from my hearing loss, which I knew about, I’m in good shape. I did have to get glasses, both for distance and up close. What do you think?” he asked, sliding on the wire-rimmed glasses. “They’re bifocals,” he said proudly.
Adam laughed. “You look more like a professor than a professor does. They make you look . . . bookish.”
“I like that word. Bookish, huh?”
“Uh-huh. Dallas, about Sara. Have you tried to locate her? I told you before, she won’t be hard to find.”
“That’s what you think. She quit her job at that New York hospital. She walked out on her lease at her apartment. I hired a private dick. She didn’t leave a forwarding address.”
“Jesus, Dallas, go to the sister or that old nurse. They’ll know where she is.”
“I can’t find the sister. I left a message this morning on the nurse’s answering machine. She hasn’t called back.”
“This came in the mail today. My cleaning lady sent it on with some other unimportant stuff. Sara made the first move, Dallas. It’s your turn now.” Adam watched as his brother’s face turned white. He also noticed the way his hand trembled when he held the voided check. “Well, what are you going to do?”
“Why didn’t you give it to me right away, Adam?”
“I don’t know. I think I had this cockamamie idea that I could go out and find her and drag her back here. Then I realized that I was doing what I always did where you’re concerned. I don’t want to make any more mistakes.”
“It’s okay. I understand. I need to think about this a little. Hey, if you’re in town pick up my suit, okay?”
“Suit?”
“Yeah, you know, suit. White shirt, tie, the whole works. Threads. Here’s the ticket.” Dallas rummaged among the papers on the kitchen table. “It’s paid for.”
“You’re wearing a suit for the interview?”
“And my glasses and my new hearing aid.”
Adam clapped his brother on the back. “Way to go, Dallas.”
“Bookish, huh?”
“Yeah.”
Adam could hear his brother laughing all the way to the garage. The sound felt so good and so right.
Sara dressed for the occasion; lunch with Nellie. This was her first real outing, as Nellie called it, since returning to Los Angeles two days ago. “Sara Killian, you look positively . . . flirty.” She wondered if there was such a word. Well, there is now. A giggle escaped through her lips. The sound pleased her. So did the skinny minidress. High-necked, long-sleeved, and short. The smoky panty hose made her legs look sexy, as did the shoes that were nothing more than a few straps glued to a sole and a thin heel. A white bolero jacket and envelope purse completed her outfit. Today the voluminous black bag was being left behind because it was empty. She might even throw it away at some point. Her shoulders felt physically and mentally lighter.
Sara gave her reflection one last glance. Earlier she’d gotten her hair cut and highlighted. She’d spent a whole hour on her makeup and had agonized for fifteen minutes over which perfume to spritz on herself for her first foray into the outside world she’d shut out for so long.
Nellie smiled her approval when Sara entered the restaurant. “I like your metamorphosis. I think it calls for a large carafe of wine that we will consume in its entirety. Is that okay with you?”
“Absolutely.”
“Every man in this restaurant is looking at you.”
Sara smiled. “I know.”
Nellie laughed as she opened her menu. “I think we should order something absolutely decadent to go with the wine.
”
“You choose, Nellie, but not too decadent. It took me a whole year to lose fifteen pounds, and I don’t want to put it back on. One pound, and this dress is history.”
“How about a crabmeat salad?”
“That sounds good. Oh, God, Nellie, there’s Adam Lord. My heart is beating so fast I can’t breathe. What if he comes over here?”
“That’s the guy who wore my sweater. You’re right, orange isn’t his color. So what if he comes over. Don’t you want to know about Dallas?”
“Of course I want to know, but I don’t want him to know I want to know. Look where they put him. He’s going to be looking straight at me all during lunch. I don’t think he recognizes me.”
Nellie’s voice was dry and droll when she said, “I didn’t recognize you.”
“He’s staring at me. I don’t think he knows it’s me. God, I feel giddy. What should I do?” she asked out of the corner of her mouth.
“Smile. Wave. You know, do that thing with one finger. Invite him over. I should thank him for that very generous check.”
Sara took a deep breath. She lifted her index finger and wiggled it. She managed to work at a sickly smile at the same time. He mouthed her name. Sara nodded. He was off his seat and standing at their table before she could blink.
In a jittery-sounding voice, Sara introduced him to Nellie, who invited him to join them for lunch. He accepted. Nellie kicked her ankle under the table.
“It’s been a long time. Almost a year. How are you?”
“Good. I’m here on business. I’ll be leaving on Monday.”
“How is, ah ... how is Jack?”
“Jack’s good. Real good. Fit. He’s taking life real serious these days. He keeps busy. Fit. Did I say that? He exercises a lot. You know, to keep fit.”
“Is he here in LA?”
“Here in LA? Well, yes, as a matter of fact he is. Business. There’s always business to take care of. How about you? My cleaning lady forwarded your note. I’m sorry we missed you.”
“I was . . . ah ... passing through. Actually, it was out of my way, but I had all the time in the world. I just thought . . . it would be nice. You did get the song, didn’t you?”
“Yes. It was nice of you to return it. Did you go back to that little town?”
“Yes. I stayed for seven months. I could never live there again. You can’t go home again.”
“I’ve heard that. Did you go to New York?”
“That didn’t work either. I’m here now.”
“At loose ends?”
“Yes and no. I have . . . plans.”
“I see. Will you be here long? If you are, why don’t you come up to the house. I’m sure Jack would like to see you. He would really love to see you. He’s ah . . . making changes in his life. What that means is he’s going public. You might want to tune in on Tuesday evening. Eight o’clock.”
“That’s very interesting. What made him decide to do it?”
Adam closed the menu. “Look, this is all bullshit.”
“Well, good for you, Mr. Lord,” Nellie piped up. “I was just going to say the same thing. Let’s cut to the chase here. My friend has been waiting for your brother to make a move in her direction. As you can see, this is not the same old Sara Killian we all used to know. Now, why is your brother dragging his feet? It’s obvious to me the two of them could use some help.”
Adam grinned. “He’s been waiting for Sara to make a move. He’s not the same old Dallas either. I’m not sure I like these new improved models. He’s in love with you, Sara. He thought because of his . . . problem, you could never be interested in someone like him. You being a doctor and all.”
“My friend here thought the same thing but in reverse,” Nellie chirped. “My friend has disavowed medicine as her life’s work. She’s going into the pottery business. What’s your brother got up his sleeve?”
“He said he was going to Montana. He’s thinking of going to college. I think you should say something, Sara.”
“Listen, Adam, I can handle my own affairs. I don’t think Dallas will appreciate your . . interfering.” She was so lightheaded she was seeing two of him. Maybe it was the glass of wine she’d gulped.
“We sat in your driveway the other night. For an hour,” Nellie chirped again.
“Nellie, for God’s sake!”
“Sara, you are forty years old. Mr. Lord Jr. is almost forty years old. You two need to get it together. You can’t play mind games with one another, and you need to stop acting like teenagers. You told me you were in love with him. Mr. Lord says his brother is in love with you. What is our problem here?”
“Nellie, don’t say any more. She’s getting on in years, Adam, don’t pay attention to anything she says. He should have stopped me before I got on that plane you chartered for me. Did he do that? No, he did not. I wasn’t that hard to find. A thank-you note for the song would have been nice. Did I get that? No, I did not. I rest my case.” She downed the second glass of wine in two gulps.
Adam looked at Nellie. Nellie looked at Adam. “I think I’m going to skip lunch,” Adam said. “Thanks for inviting me to join you. Make sure you tune in on Tuesday. Dallas will be leaving for Montana right after the broadcast. They’re doing it live from Dallas’s house. That’s in case you have the urge to sit in the driveway again.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Sara snapped.
Adam leaned across the table. “No, Sara, I’m not. It just seems very foolish to me that the two of you wasted so much time and are in danger of losing one another all over again. I’ve watched Dallas this past year. He has worked so hard, accomplished so much. He’s ready to go prime time to bare his soul. He’s not doing it for himself or for me. We made our peace. He’s doing it for you, Sara. Then he’s going to wait just long enough to see what you do. An hour, two at the most, and then he’s gone. You think about that for the next few days. Have a nice lunch, ladies, on me.” He tossed some bills on the table before he walked away.
“If you cry, Sara, all that gunk on your face is going to run, and you’ll look like a ghoul. The man is right. More wine?”
Sara held out her glass. She felt miserable and wondered if she looked the same way. In between bites of the tasty crabmeat salad, she talked about Dallas. “I can’t believe he’s going public. Why would he do that with his whole life ahead of him? He could rock into the twenty-first century. Look at Mick Jagger. He’s going to be prancing around until his legs give out. Performers like Dallas and Mick never retire. Dallas is thinking about going to college. That blew my mind.” Her monologue continued until she wound down with, “Prime-time television means the world is going to see and hear everything. Everyone will be passing judgment. Forget damage control.”
Nellie placed her knife and fork across her dinner plate. She leaned across the table, her gaze locked on Sara. “I guess he isn’t the wishy-washy person you thought he was. He’s taking responsibility for what he did, and he’s going to let the chips fall where they fall. You were always afraid to do that, Sara. I’d say Dallas has guts. Did you see how proud his brother looked? People are very forgiving of their idols. Time will make everything okay. You’re on the same road, Sara. I hope you aren’t judging or condemning.”
“No. I just don’t understand how he can walk away from all that . . . what’s the word I’m looking for? Stardom? Adulation? Money? Probably all of the above.”
“Didn’t you just do the same thing? God in heaven, Sara, you’re a doctor. You’re giving up all those years of sacrifice and schooling. You’re going to ride into the sunset and what was it you said you were going to do? Make pottery? What’s the difference? I wonder what the odds would be in Vegas of two people like you and Dallas doing something like this and then getting together again? One in a million, two million? The big question is, what are you going to do now?”
“Do?”
“Yes. What are you going to do? Adam said Dallas wasn’t going to hang around after the broadcast.
You talk a good game, but are you going to follow through? For some reason I don’t think you’re going to get up to bat again if you flub this up.”
Sara gulped at the rest of her wine. Had she had three glasses or four? “You know, Nellie, a girl likes to hear the words firsthand. Just because Adam said what he said doesn’t mean it’s so. For all I know, he just wants to be rid of him.”
“That’s a crock, and you know it. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going home. I think I’ll take a taxi. Neither one of us should be driving. Whoa, that wine was strong,” Sara said when she stood up. She tugged at the skinny dress and almost lost her balance.
A voice behind her said, “Sara, is that you? Nellie, it’s nice to see you again. How’s life in the private sector?”
“Dr. Granger. Drinking your lunch again,” Nellie snapped as the tipsy doctor ogled Sara.
“Your colleague looks like she had a little too much herself.”
“Stuff it,” Nellie snapped again.
Sara tried to focus on the handsome doctor who was now standing in front of her. “Brian, I am going to report you to the hospital. You’re drunk. Do you know how I know you’re drunk? You look like I feel. The only difference is I’m going home. In a taxi because I’m not fit to drive. You’re going back to the hospital to take care of patients. I can do what I said. Nellie is my witness. I resigned from the medical profession. I’m going to be making pottery from now on. I’m also going to call the police and tell them you’re going to be driving that Mercedes-Benz while under the influence. They might even give me a reward for turning you in. You’re a disgrace to the medical profession.”
“You do that. You just go ahead and do that,” Brian Granger blustered.
“Don’t think I won’t. Where’s my cell phone, Nellie? Damn, I think it’s still on the bed with my black bag. Maybe it’s in the bag. Maybe I lost it. Oh, who cares. I’ll call when I get home.”
“People are staring, Sara,” Nellie hissed. “Everyone who is anyone eats here. There’s a man with a camera pointing at us.”
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