He was pulling his horse's cinch when she sighed beside him, wondering about his family’s ranch. He came over to where she was leaning against her horse’s shoulder looking out over the neutral landscape and glanced to where she was looking across the ranch yard to the bench on the other side, as she asked him, "If you were going to build a house here, where would you put it?"
He nodded to right where she was looking. "Right up there on that bench, back from the edge some, but out from the trees. The view is incredible from there and it's protected from the storms that come in over the ridge. You'll be able to watch the sun rise or set from the same rocker on the front porch. I actually bought that piece from my dad and have already had a set of plans drawn up and engineered. I just haven't ever gotten around to building yet." His voice was wistful as he ended and picked up the saddle to take it into the tack room. He paused beside her. "Why do you ask?"
She was still looking out toward the bench. "I'm going to build a house here too. Next spring, as soon as the snow's gone. Sean's going to build it for me. Your dad said he'd sell me a place to put one. I just don't know where I'd like it to be."
He took his saddle in and put it away and came back out to pick up hers, as she gathered up the blankets and bridles to follow him inside. He was quiet and didn't say anything even when she came out to stand beside him as he continued to look out toward the bench. Untying their horses, she led them off to put them away. She'd give good money to know what he was thinking behind those blue eyes. When she came back around, he was standing over against the corral, leaning on the top rail looking across the valley at the bench he'd been talking about. She wanted to go to him and ask him what he was thinking, but she knew he probably couldn't tell her anyway. Another one of those stupid rule things. She went inside to take care of Mimi, but her thoughts and her heart remained outside with him.
****
Kit was so busy that the days began to run together. Her life became a blur of school and dating and driving. The only things that even stood out and seemed to matter were her meager time at home with Rossen and Mimi, and the upcoming night as Nick's date for the Hollywood Awards show.
When she was at home she was more conscious than ever of the passage of time. The snows had come to the Wyoming mountains and the ranch was looking like the first time she'd seen, it almost a whole year ago. It was amazing how far she had come from that momentous night they'd picked her up.
Mimi was now six months old, had two tiny front teeth and could crawl and pull herself up to anything handy, usually Rossen's long, denim clad legs. She would reach up one little arm to him and say, “Dah.” Her hair was getting long, and Kit laughed the first time she came home to find he'd pulled it up into a tiny whale spout on top of her head with a pink bow around it.
Mimi had become far more attached to him than she was to Kit and if Kit thought about it too much, it made her deeply sad. She tried instead to remember how grateful she was that her daughter was so well loved and cared for. Every once in a while she would imagine what her and Mimi's lives would have been like if he hadn't picked her up off that dark Las Vegas street that night. It made her love him all the more.
This time home, she and Naomi had a long talk while they cooked, something they hadn't done in a while. Mimi was napping and the rest of the family had gone to feed and it was just the two of them making lasagna together. Kit was layering the noodles in the pans while Naomi added the final seasonings to the meat sauce, when Naomi said, "I know Rossen has been after you to eat more, but you're still pretty thin. Are you still working yourself to death at school?"
Kit shook her head. "I'm not working myself to death. I'm just trying to fit enough into this semester to keep Rossen from hassling me to death when I come home to stay next month. It's been pretty hectic. I think half the stress is trying to date a lot without leading a bunch of guys on. I don't have much of an interest in any of them really."
Naomi smiled a sympathetic smile. "And the other half of the stress?"
Kit gave her a sad smile as she said, "Trying to figure out how to let my rich and famous boss down gently when he asks me to move to LA and marry him."
Naomi gave her signature, "Oh my!" with a shade more enthusiasm than usual. "Joey told me she thought he liked you, but I had no idea he was that serious! Is he one of those rich and famous people who have been married seven times, or is it just that he's figured out what a keeper you are this quick?"
Kit sighed. "That's part of the problem. I almost wish he was one of those disposable wife kinds. It would be easier to blow off his attention. Actually, he's never been married even though he's almost thirty. Even knowing about Mimi doesn't matter to him."
She layered pasta and sauce as she continued, "I felt like I had to go out with him at first because of Rossen. I figured he could never say I hadn't dated enough when I wanted to come home, if I'd dated one of the most famous guys in the country, but now Nick has become a good friend who I have a great deal of respect for. He's a really nice guy. And he made me agree to at least keep his offer on the table. That's a hard one."
Setting aside the cheese grater, Naomi said, "Well, playing the devil's advocate, have you thought about what you're turning down?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he is very wealthy, and famous, and you'd have a relatively easy in if you wanted to become a famous star yourself. He's good looking, and apparently treats you well. That's a lot to walk away from"
With another sigh Kit said, "It is, but what about being a worthy priesthood holder? He's actually pretty open to gospel ideas, but I'd be like number two hundred as far as women he's been with. What about raising my daughter in the church? Could she and I ever be happy in the city after living like this? And I guess most importantly, I'm not in love with Nick. If I were, a lot of these other things would be non issues, but I'm not. And honestly, I don't see myself ever falling in love with him. Anyway, can you imagine me trying to separate Rossen and Mimi? I couldn't do that to either of them."
Kit spread the grated cheese on top of the finished pans. "No. If it's still okay with you, I'll come home, build a house here next spring and raise Mimi where she's loved. It's going to be hard enough on her growing up an only child with an unmarried mom. Dragging her off to the big city would be too much. If I'm still single when she's grown, I'll worry about getting married then."
Naomi was quiet, thinking for a moment. At length, she said, "I'm glad you've decided against marrying him. It is a lot to walk away from, but you're right. Raising Mimi Star in the church is more important than money or fame. And having the priesthood in your home, or at least next door, is important." She put her arm around Kit. "And I would miss you both terribly. But you need to do what you feel is the best decision for the both of you to be happy. Of course, it's still okay with us. You're one of us completely now. It will be nice to have you home and fatten you up again!"
Kit thought of that conversation again later that night when she watched Mimi climb all over Rossen as he lay on the floor in front of the TV. She pulled herself up against him and crawled right over the top of him. Even when she pulled herself up by grabbing a handful of his hair, all he did was turn her over on her back and make her laugh uncontrollably when he gave her zerbits on her little tummy. She continued to laugh and pull his hair as they played, until she finally wound down and crawled over onto him and went to sleep.
Kit lay on the couch above them watching. In some ways their love for each other made her heart full and in some ways she felt left out. Rossen openly adored the baby and there were no stupid rules. Kit closed her eyes to doze off, wondering if she was jealous of her own daughter.
Chapter 20
Finding fancy enough dresses in time for their red carpet Hollywood show was no easy trick; in fact they ended up flying back to California again just to find them. The consultant who helped them with their dresses helped them with shoes and arranged for jewelry to be basically rented from a local jeweler too. When
Kit realized how much the jewelry was worth she would be wearing that night, she considered renting an armored guard as well.
Flying back out for the actual show, Kit was so uptight she almost wished she'd told Nick no. At least saying goodbye at home had been easier this time. She'd been too nervous worrying about falling off her heels in front of millions of people to be as sad as usual about leaving.
Naomi and Rob came with them. Bryan had been able to get them tickets, so Naomi was there to help the girls get dressed in all their finery after having had a stylist come right to their rooms to do their hair. Nick and Bryan called from the limo when they got to the hotel saying there were so many people out there waiting for celebrities to show, that they worried if they came up they'd never get back in the car in one piece in time.
The girls went down the grand staircase of the hotel in all their glory on the arm of Rob dressed to the nines in a tuxedo of his own. Naomi came right behind. The chauffer opened the door of the car and Nick and Bryan got out to help them all in. The girls thought they'd gotten used to the crush and flash of cameras by now, but they were wrong. Kit was nearly blind by the time they were safely seated next to their famous dates and the limo pulled away. She felt so harassed that she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to live this way.
When she could finally see again, she realized Nick was watching her every move with deep brown eyes and an appreciative, satisfied smile on his face. She was almost a bit shy when he didn't say anything, just kept checking her out. When she couldn't stand it any more she asked, "Do I look all right?"
He gave her his famous drop dead gorgeous smile and said, "Oh yeah! Way more than all right! It's a good thing they'll have tight security tonight, because otherwise someone would be tempted to steal you away!" He turned to Joey and told her with a touch less enthusiasm, "You look awesome too, Jo. Don't you think so, Bryan?"
He answered the same, but with his typical cheerful southern Alabama drawl, "Oh yeah!"
Nick must have been aware of Kit's case of nerves because he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "You look great and you're gonna be just fine!"
She gave him a small grimace. "Coach me through this, okay. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing. I should never have agreed to come."
He slid over close to her on the leather seat. "Sure, I'll coach you. But honestly, all you need to do is be the same Kit you always are and you'll be great—like you always are. If you get uncomfortable, just take my hand and smile and you'll be all right. This is Kit, the woman who can handle anything with style, remember? That same girl who knocked my socks off the instant I met her." He leaned into her and kissed her temple. "Relax; it's going to be fun!"
She looked up into his smiling face and decided he was right. And if Nick said she could do this, she could. She'd trust him and relax and enjoy her one shot at fame. As the long limousine pulled up beside the red carpet, she got out, smiling like a princess and fairly floated up the walk lined with photographers and fans.
Nick held her hand and smiled and actually posed in front of a couple of the cameras with her as they made their way along. Everywhere she looked there were famous faces and press, and even though for a while she lost sight of Joey in the crush, she hoped she was having a good time too, enjoying the insane glitz.
They eventually made their way inside and were ushered to what turned out to be the head table, right near the front of the huge venue. There were tables toward the front, then only chairs, and then further back, stadium seating. Kit was a bit intimidated until she remembered that Nick thought she could handle anything. His belief in her helped her to have confidence in herself and she turned to him and smiled again.
The program began and Nick stood to address the audience with his usual dashing style, the diamond stud in his ear flashing lightning in the floodlights. Throughout the evening he went to the nearby podium between the different segments of the show to introduce the performers and speakers. At one point he stood and introduced Bryan, who also went to the microphone. Kit didn't know Bryan was part of the show, and she didn't think Joey did either. When Bryan began to speak, Joey's eyes filled with tears.
He looked at Joey and said, "This is the first time I've sung this song in front of an audience. It will be on my new album. I want to dedicate it to a dear friend of mine, Joey Rockland. She encouraged me to stick to my convictions, no matter the cost, and she’s helped me find something priceless that I'd lost somewhere along the way. So thanks, Joey. This song's for you."
With that, the lights went down. He began a song about all the things that made life great and how good it was to enjoy the everyday things that really matter. It was sweet and soulful, but with an engaging rhythm that fit his smooth voice and happy demeanor exactly and when he finished the crowd was on it's feet clapping and cheering wildly. When he left the stage to return to his seat, there were still tears slipping down Joey's cheeks. He stopped to bend down beside her chair and wipe gently at the tears, before sitting in his own seat.
Kit hardly had time to be emotional as Nick went back to his microphone and began to announce the next portion of the show. She nearly had a coronary when she understood what he was saying, "This next song is one I wrote for a friend, too. She's here with me tonight. I'd ask her to marry me in front of you all, except I think she'd turn me down in front of ten million people and my ego would never be the same. She is an incredible new talent in the music industry! I'd like to introduce to you tonight, musician extraordinaire, the beautiful Kit Star!" The crowd went off again as Kit realized he was strapping on a guitar, while a stage hand held one for her.
She walked up onto the stage too stunned to do anything but smile and take the instrument. She had to hear the introduction before she could even figure out what they were going to play. She looked up at him standing in the spotlight as the house lights dropped, wondering if she should kill him later or thank him for sparing her the knowledge and therefore the nerves. He winked, hit a plaintive guitar lick and she just had time to let her instincts kick in, before she began to sing Coming Home.
The guitar seemed slightly strange with the formal gown at first and she was glad it was a relatively mellow song. Then she was into the music, dancing smoothly alongside him as he sang in her ear like they'd done so many times in the studio. He was even more focused in front of this huge crowd, and his intense showmanship calmed her nerves so she could put her heart into the song. Their harmony was smoother and sweeter than ever, ringing over the speakers in the huge stadium and her first experience in front of a crowd became an incredible high.
She'd wondered how it would be to sing in a concert. Well now she knew! And he was right. She did love it! He could read all of this in her face as he sang to her in front of millions and she knew she needed to thank him later, not kill him, when he gave her his dazzling smile as they played the last notes.
She was just wondering what she needed to do next when the crowd came unglued. She'd never heard anything like it in her life. Standing on the stage in front of the audience gave a whole new meaning to applause. He took her hand and gave a nod to the roaring crowd as they both waved and smiled for the viewers and fans. It felt like an eternity of standing and acknowledging the appreciation. Finally, he walked her to the edge of the stage where an usher helped her back to her seat as he returned to the podium to introduce the final act of the night.
He walked back to their table with a wide smile on his face and he too bent beside her chair as the lights dimmed for the final singer. He just looked at her for a moment with open admiration in his eyes before he said huskily, "You were great up there." He touched her cheek with his hand and sat down in his chair.
Kit's heart had still not returned to its regular speed by the time they made it out of the crowded stadium and into the car. Even with hordes of security and walkways cordoned off, there were still incredible numbers of people to greet and be introduced to, or even just walk past, and Rob and Naomi chose to simply take a cab back to
their hotel. When the limo door finally shut behind the rest of them, the evening had become almost surreal. Kit's brain had a hard time even acknowledging the fact that she was indeed here and not watching all this happen to someone else on TV.
Nick sighed, pulled the tie of his tuxedo loose and tossed it onto the seat beside him as Bryan followed suit. Joey leaned back into the seat and took off one dainty high heel to stretch out her foot. Nick opened the mini fridge to pull bottles of water and sparkling apple juice out and offer them around. "I had the fridge stocked especially in honor of you two ladies tonight! There's not a drop of booze to be found. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever finished one of these things without drinking, but I won't tell you that."
Kit laughed at his ludicrous honesty, which was exactly what he had in mind and he went on, "There are approximately six thousand four hundred and twenty-three fashionable parties we could attend tonight. Or we could go back to my place and listen to music and relax where we won't be bothered by any drunken Las Vegas show girls. What do you say, ladies? What's your preference?"
Kit had had enough crowds for the night and apparently Joey had too, when she opted for the quieter private celebration at Nick's home. Had Kit been honest about her preference, she would have called it a night right then, but she felt like she needed to let Nick continue to celebrate; after all, he had been the Master of Ceremonies.
When they arrived, Kit was surprised to find that Nick lived in a condo in the foothills in the twentieth floor penthouse. It was luxurious, but she couldn't even begin to imagine coming home to this everyday. You couldn't have come up with a more opposite setting to the wooded bench of the Rockland Ranch if you tried.
Above Rubies (Rockland Ranch) Page 24