Rodeo Song

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

  “All the lighting makes everybody look pale.” Natalie swiped the tissue away from her. “Trust Kendra—she knows what she’s doing. It’s perfect for the camera. All you need is to undo a couple of buttons.”

  “No.” Jenna clasped a hand to her brown silk blouse, buttoned all the way to the throat. “I’m going for conservative.” She’d chosen the plain taupe suit on purpose. If she looked nothing like Garrett’s type, maybe she could pull this off.

  “But there’s conservative and there’s downright uptight.” Natalie fluffed Jenna’s hair. “All this brown will look blah on the screen.”

  “I’m fine.” Jenna spun the chair and stood.

  “I’m not finished.” Natalie aimed her hairspray can like a weapon.

  “I am. You’ll make me sneeze again.” Jenna blocked Natalie’s aim with both hands. “I appreciate your help, but I’m not used to all this primping. I’m sorry. I know y’all are only trying to help. But I’m done.”

  “Calm down.” Caitlyn laid a hand on Jenna’s arm. “The camera will love you.”

  Jenna huffed out a sigh and exited the bathroom with no clue where to go. But Garrett leaned against the wall, looking like one of those cowboy silhouettes people put in their yards. Only three-dimensional and downright dangerous in his olive Don’t mess with Texas T-shirt, worn jeans and his customary rattlesnake boots.

  “Ready to get this show on the road?” He took her hand in his.

  She trembled.

  “Don’t be nervous.” He squeezed her fingers. “You’ll do great. America already loves you.”

  If only he loved her, too.

  Where did that come from? If she let those thoughts run wild, how would she convince America they were only friends?

  Why oh why oh why had she gone to that concert? Yes, Tori had come to church with her, but it hadn’t seemed to do any good. And Jenna’s life had come unwound.

  “I can’t do this.” She stopped. “I’m a nervous wreck and we haven’t even started yet.”

  “Settle down.” Garrett ran his hands up and down both her arms. “Yes, you can. You want your life back, right? Just follow my lead.”

  Her nerves went into overdrive at his touch.

  “I’ll do all the talking. Natalie and my security guys will get you out of here before the questions start.”

  “So they won’t ask me anything?”

  “Some reporters are pros at twisting words, so I thought I’d spare you.”

  She made the mistake of meeting his gaze. Drowning in a sea of green—her brain flatlined.

  “Sorry to interrupt, lovebirds.” Natalie clapped her hands. “But if y’all go on camera looking at each other like that, we’ll never pull this thing off.”

  “Right.” Garrett let go of her and didn’t reclaim her hand.

  “Why are we doing this at Billy Bob’s?”

  “Garrett has news other than your supposed nonromance.” Natalie grinned. “You’ll see.”

  Garrett ushered her out into the Texas Club meeting room. An extended bar with etched glass behind it and stuffed wild-game heads mounted on the walls gave the room a saloon feel. A portable stage had been erected at one end of what was usually a dance floor.

  Reporters with microphones inscribed with all the local news stations’ call letters jostled for position as Garrett ushered her up the steps toward a podium. Her mouth went dry.

  She. Could. Not. Do. This. Jenna turned to bolt.

  Chapter 5

  Panic flashed in Jenna’s eyes and Garrett blocked the exit in case she got any ideas of escape. He shot her a reassuring smile and hung back to let Natalie begin the conference.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. I’m Natalie Gray, Garrett Steele’s new publicist.”

  “When did that happen?” Jenna’s gaze swung from Natalie to Garrett.

  “I’ll tell you all about it later,” he whispered.

  “Mr. Steele is here to make an important announcement and then he’ll take a few questions.”

  Garrett stepped up to the microphone. But Jenna stood as if rooted to the floor. He turned toward her and almost took her hand. No. He couldn’t do that if he was going to convince the world he didn’t love her. He waved her forward instead.

  Though she stepped up beside him, he knew she wanted this over. For her life to return to normal. For him to fade into her past. Not brighten up her future.

  “Thanks for coming, everyone.” He cleared his raw throat. “First, I wanted to clear something up. Y’all know Jenna Wentworth. Thanks to my antics, she’s now a household name and the media has conjured up a nonexistent romance between us.” His stomach twisted. How could he stand here and turn the way he felt about her into nothing? But he had to. For her sake.

  “So Jenna and I are here to set the record straight.” He paused. Five, six, seven seconds turned it into a dramatic pause. “Jenna and I are high school friends. That’s all.”

  Garrett’s throat closed up. He turned to face her and his gaze held hers a few seconds. More than anything, he wanted to tell her exactly how he felt. But he couldn’t. It wouldn’t do any good anyway. She was obviously over him. He focused on the reporters.

  “We’ve known each other since middle school, but Jenna’s life is in the Fort Worth area and mine is—” he laughed, hoping to break his own tension “—all over the place. Sometimes, I can’t even remember what city I’m in when I wake up in the morning.” And it was getting old. He looked forward to his upcoming break.

  If only he could spend his break with Jenna.

  “Jenna and I hadn’t even seen each other in eight years until she came to my concert as a friend, to support my career. I’m the one who saw her and dragged her onstage for fun.” Garrett pushed his hair away from his face. Should have ponytailed it. “But if you need a great interior decorator, Jenna has a store right here at the Stockyards—over on East Exchange—across from Cowtown Coliseum.”

  Laughter rippled through the sea of reporters.

  “Now Jenna’s going to leave because she has a business to run.” He gave her a quick hug. Like a friend would do. Oh, how his arms wanted to retrieve her as she waved to the crowd and turned away.

  “Now, on to my announcement.” Garrett scanned the crowd. “As y’all know, I’m wrapping up this tour. My final concert was supposed to be next weekend in Atlanta, but I’ve decided to add one more stop. On January eighteenth, I’ll be right here at Billy Bob’s for a special concert.”

  Applause and wolf whistles erupted. Hopefully, they’d forgotten all about Jenna. He wanted to turn and search for her, but he needed to let her fade into the background.

  Natalie stepped up beside him. “You heard it first here at Billy Bob’s, folks. Garrett has time for a few questions.”

  “Hi, Garrett.” A female reporter raised her hand.

  She looked familiar.

  “I have it on good authority since I went to high school with you and Jenna that you were in love with her back in high school. Everybody thought y’all would end up married.”

  Gasps and mumbles moved through the crowd.

  Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. Sammie Sanderson, he remembered now. She’d headed up all the gossip in their high school days. And now she’d gone pro.

  “Yes.” Garrett swallowed hard. “Jenna and I had a high school romance. Emphasis on high school. We were young.”

  “But neither of you have ever married. You sure there isn’t still a spark there?”

  “No spark. Jenna and I went our separate ways long ago.”

  “Well, if you’re friends—” Sammie’s tone was loaded with sarcasm “—will you keep in touch?”

  “Let me rephrase.” Please somebody other than Sammie come up with a question about anything other than Jen
na. “We were high school friends. We lead very different lives now. We’re both focused on our careers, which leaves little time for long-distance friendship. Or anything else.”

  “But your tour is almost over.” Sammie smirked. “Will you spend your break in Aubrey? Near Jenna? And your family, of course.”

  “If I told you where I’m spending a break, it wouldn’t be a break, now would it? My family and I are planning to travel.”

  Finally, another female reporter raised her hand. “Why did you decide to tack the Billy Bob’s concert onto the end of your tour?”

  Was she suspicious? Catching on that the announcement was geared toward getting the spotlight back on him instead of Jenna? Could this woman know his Billy Bob’s concert had only been set up last night?

  “Because it’s home. Billy Bob’s was one of the first places I appeared in concert. It seemed like a great place to end this tour. But I didn’t think of it until I spent a few days with my family in the area before my Dallas concert. And then it took some time for my publicist to get things set.”

  “Why the new publicist?” a man shouted.

  “Let’s just say you can’t believe everything you’ve heard about me over the years. I’m much tamer these days and I wanted someone with a fresh perspective on my career and personal life. I’ve also known Natalie since middle school and I ran into her at the car show in Aubrey last year. The wheels started spinning then.”

  His throat felt as if it were on fire and he gulped from his water bottle.

  “When does the next tour kick off?” a man yelled.

  If there was another tour with the way his throat felt. “Final details aren’t in place yet.” He bumped Natalie’s elbow, his signal to wrap things up.

  “I’m afraid that’s all the time we have.” Natalie took control. “Mr. Steele appreciates everyone coming. Tickets are on sale now for the Billy Bob’s concert.”

  Garrett turned away, thankful for the four security guys waiting. Had they bought his story? Would they leave Jenna alone now? Could he leave her alone?

  * * *

  Clutching a lacy pillow to her stomach, Jenna clicked the TV off. Utterly humiliated. Every local station had aired sound bites from the press conference. Garrett had belittled their high school romance for the whole world. As if their feelings for each other had been nothing.

  It hadn’t meant nothing to her.

  Wasn’t this what she wanted? Garrett would leave and her life would get back to normal. She was better off without him.

  So, why did she feel so lonely?

  The phone lay on the coffee table. Her fingers itched to pick it up and call him. She could thank him for the press conference.

  No. She needed to cut all ties. She had to.

  The phone wasn’t even on. Would the reporters stop calling now? She picked up the handset and flicked the ringer button on.

  Nothing. Maybe her siege was over. Only ten missed calls since she’d cleared it this morning before heading to the press conference. She set the phone back on the table gently, as if setting it down too hard would make it start ringing again.

  Now, if she could get back to normal. Forget her brief interlude with Garrett. His touch. His eyes. His lips.

  She buried her face in her hands.

  The phone pealed and she jumped, then checked the caller ID.

  Garrett.

  Her hands shook. Don’t answer. She pressed her hands underneath her thighs lest they betray her.

  Four rings. She grabbed it. “Hello?”

  “Jenna, I wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you at your store?”

  “No, I was a nervous wreck, so I came home.” She pressed a hand to her heart, willing it to slow. Why did the mere sound of his voice set her aflutter? “Tomorrow everything should be settled down. I’ll go in then.”

  “I’m really sorry about all this.”

  “I know. I think it’ll be okay now.”

  “Have you seen the footage?”

  “Yes.”

  “Jenna.” His voice did wonders with her name. “I told them what I had to—to get them to leave you alone. Remember what I said—you can’t believe everything you hear in the media. I couldn’t tell them the truth. Back then, you were everything to me.”

  Her breath caught. What about now? “I appreciate your help with this. You said you’d tell me how Natalie got involved?”

  “My former publicist had a skewed view of things.” Garrett sighed. “Any publicity was supposed to be good publicity. He leaked things to the press over the years. Some of it wasn’t even true. I put up with it too long. Giving the press your concert footage was the final straw.”

  Protecting her. Something in her stomach warmed.

  “Natalie loved the Stockyards job.” She curled her legs up beside her on the couch. “You must have made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.”

  “Actually, we compromised. She’s still the Stockyards publicist. I’m just another client.” He cleared his throat. “Speaking of the Stockyards, I’m attending the Hall of Fame induction the night before my Billy Bob’s concert. Are you planning to come?”

  No. No. No. Must he invade every corner of her life? “Actually, I am. As a guest of Clay Warren since Caitlyn married his cousin.”

  “Mitch and I keep in touch, but that one shocked me. Proof that high school romances can reignite.”

  Stop toying with my heart.

  “Then I guess I’ll see you at the ceremony. I can still call you, right?”

  She couldn’t take it. Not one more flirtatious statement. Not one more flash of those intense eyes. Not one more touch she couldn’t forget. “Look, Garrett, it’s been nice seeing you again, but I think it would be better if we go our separate ways.”

  “Why?”

  “We did the press conference to snuff publicity about us. I don’t want to get it started up again, and I’d appreciate it if you don’t speak to me at the induction ceremony since the press will be there.” Could she pull off ignoring him if they ran into each other?

  “No one will know if we talk on the phone.”

  I will. And her heart had already begun to hope. No. She was an adult. With a brain. She could be Garrett’s friend. This was an opportunity to remind him he still needed God.

  “Jenna, you still there?”

  “You can call me. But we’re friends. That’s all.”

  “Then I’ll talk to you later, friend.”

  Their connection ended, but a full five minutes passed before her pulse returned to normal.

  * * *

  Garrett reclined his chair as his private jet cut through the clouds. What state? Where were they headed? He wasn’t sure anymore. He rewound the concert footage again and pushed Play. Again.

  The only thing he had left of Jenna. Other than hearing her voice on the phone. He couldn’t live like this. Since he’d seen her again, touched her again, she was like a drug. He wanted more.

  Only a week since he’d seen her, but the longest week of his life.

  His phone rang and he dug it out of his pocket. Natalie. He paused the concert footage on a tight shot of Jenna’s face.

  “Is Jenna okay?”

  “She’s fine. Now, why is that the first thing you ask when I call?”

  “Just wondering if the reporters were still bothering her.”

  “Yeah, right.” Natalie laughed. “They scattered sniffing for their next story. Jenna’s back at her store designing her little heart out. And business is booming.”

  “Good.”

  “I got an interesting phone call, though. Do you know a Desiree Devine?”

  Her name twisted his insides into a knot of regret. “She called you?”

  “Please tell me she’s not some hooker from your pa
st. Her name certainly sounds like one.”

  “Believe it or not, that’s her real name. She discovered me. My first agent.” His first in a lot of areas. She’d offered her bed, comfort and alcohol when he was still grieving Jenna. And set him on a destructive path. But he couldn’t blame his bad choices and sins on her.

  “She wanted your number, so I told her I’d give you her number.”

  “I don’t need it.”

  “Okay. On to item number two. Why don’t you have a video for ‘One Day’?”

  “It wasn’t the projected hit for this album. But people started using it for weddings and it caught on.”

  “It’s past time for a video. I was thinking we could do a reenactment of the concert run with you dragging Jenna onstage.”

  “Brilliant.” His heart went double time. “Do you think we have any chance of convincing her to do the video?”

  “Hold on. I wasn’t thinking of Jenna. I was thinking an actress—she can look like Jenna.”

  “Why not Jenna?”

  “Because we just got her out of the spotlight.”

  “Let me at least ask her.”

  A sigh drifted through the line. “What are your intentions with my cousin?”

  “I love her. I’ve never stopped.”

  “So what was with all the women?”

  Garrett winced. “I’d love to say none of it was true. Not all of it was, but enough. I guess I was trying to forget her.”

  “You can’t hurt her, Garrett. Not again.”

  “I have no intention of hurting her.”

  “So say you talk her into the video.” Natalie’s tone took on a stern warning. “What happens after that? You start another tour and leave her behind. Again.”

  “Does she still love me?”

  “No way am I going to answer that. Answer my question.”

  He sipped his hot tea with honey. “What if there isn’t another tour?”

  “Is your throat that bad? Maybe we shouldn’t do a video.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be fine by then.” He put all the confidence he could into his tone.