Worst day EVER, but I think I'll sleep well knowing I have a part of you here. I know, this is weird, right? You're in my thoughts. You have been ALL DAY. I miss Texas already, and that includes you.
Matt stared at her selfie and laughed. He hadn't expected her to actually send him a picture of her with his clothes on. He'd only joked about it that night because he had no idea what else to say. She had leaned against the bathroom door, one hip right up against the frame. Her smile was sweet, but he could tell she was tired and nervous. Where was she at, anyway?
He should respond. But what the hell did he say?
Then another text appeared.
Okay, this is awkward. Now that I've sent that, I wonder maybe I shouldn't have? Did I cross a line? Ugh, Matt... this in between zone is killing me!
He laughed again and started to type out a response, but the phone rang.
It was Kyra.
"I don't want to text this conversation, if there's even a conversation. I can't unsend that picture," she started.
"Kyra, I'm glad you did. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out by not responding. I was trying to figure out what to say." He chuckled. Oh man, wrong move. He couldn't stop laughing over it, though!
"Oh my God, you're laughing at me!"
"No! I mean, yeah. I guess I was. If you were here, you'd smack me for this next comment, because I'm about to do the you're-famous-and-I'm-just-me comment."
She groaned. Yeah, he knew she hated it when he did that. Matt couldn't help it.
"I love it that you're all flustered over sending me a picture like that. It's sexy, funny, and amazing at the same time." He rushed the words so she wouldn't get her own in until he'd finished.
Her breath hitched on the other end. "Matt-"
"It's more than you being famous. It's the idea that someone as gorgeous and talented as you could be interested in me. I don't like admitting it, but it's been a long time since a woman has been shown a true interest." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Tell me about your day. I kept thinking all this afternoon that I needed to find a reason to drop by your house, but then I remembered you weren't there." Hell, he just kept opening his mouth and saying stuff.
"It was tense." Something clattered in the background on her end. Kyra cursed. "My apartment is a mess. The thing is, this wasn't a random target. It was meant for me. When Mark set me up to live there, it was right after my breakdown. I was supposed to be safe there, so someone leaked information. The words in blood red paint on my wall chilled me. All of a sudden, a city I call home feels like the enemy."
If only he could be there with her.
"I think they were looking for my master tracks for the CD. Not that they'd ever stay in my apartment, but that's what it seems like they wanted. Broke stuff like awards and trashed the place. It's horrible, Matt. Oh, and Mark wants to just throw me out to the crowd and have me get over my anxiety that way."
Anger surged through his veins. He remembered the night of the dance. Kyra had been so afraid! How could the man even think that? "What the hell!" he snapped. "And he's supposed to look out for you?"
"I don't know who to trust right now. I don't think anyone has my back here. They want my comeback CD, and all the press that goes with it, but no one cares that I might not be ready." Tears filled her voice, and it tore Matt up.
"Where are you staying, anyway?" The thought of her alone in Nashville when she was unsure of the people she thought she knew there concerned him.
"At Mark's. I should be back by tomorrow evening. I told the police what they need to know. The rest I can do from out of town."
"Who's going to pick you up from the airport?" He'd dropped her off. The airport was a half hour away from Sunset Hills.
"I haven't figured that out yet," she admitted.
"I know this man who would be willing, but only if you bring his clothes back," he teased. He really didn't want them back. They looked way too good on her.
Kyra giggled. "I'll bring them back, but they're mine now. Tell that man he has to fight me for them."
"I can think of much better things to do than fight for them." Matt fell onto the couch, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder.
"Hey. Thank you for calming my crazy butt down tonight. I'd love it if you could pick up from the airport. I hated to leave, but this needs to be settled. I should probably go to bed. It's been a long day."
"You're welcome, Kyra. Take it easy and sleep well. I'll be there when you need me." He meant that in more ways than just picking her up.
"That means a lot. Good night. Tell Andrew I said hi. I'll bring y'all something back."
He wanted to tell her he didn't need anything else other than for her to come back, but she wasn't coming back for him. She was returning for her family.
He'd do well to remember that.
"Night." There wasn't anything else to say. Matt hung up the phone with her and dropped it on his chest.
*****
With the hellish two days over, Kyra stepped off the plane and breathed a sigh of relief. Just a week or so away from Nashville, and already the place felt different. She was the one different, but the feeling didn't sit right with her. She'd packed up a few important things from the apartment and put them in a small storage unit.
Maybe after this record was done, she'd move to Texas and be near her family. If the CD did well and she got over her anxiety, she could travel the occasional time to Nashville for recording, but after being here in Sunset Hills, the idea of living out here sounded appealing. It was all good in theory, but she'd have to play it by ear.
Seeing her achievements broken and shattered on the floor really hurt. This was serious. Someone meant business. Hardcore. It made the danger more real. Not that it wasn't before, but another sign of it in her own space was an even bigger eye opener.
Rounding the corner of the terminal, she spotted Matt on the other side of the gates, waiting. His eyes lit up, and he waved.
Was it bad that her pulse quickened, her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't contain her own grin when she saw him? What did that mean? She barely knew this guy, but something about him made her feel good. Calm. Safe. With all the untrustworthy people around her, Matt was a good solace.
Carefully dodging other people doing the same thing she was- trying to get out of the way and to their family members, Kyra clutched her purse and carry-on bag close to her chest, hunkered down, and forced herself to not freak out. The crowd wasn't out to get her. They just wanted to get to their families, as well. She zeroed in on Matt and made her way to him.
"Hey. How was your flight?" His voice soothed her. Almost instantly, the slight wave of panic eased, and she knew she'd blown past the worst of it.
"Good. A little bumpy due to some rough weather, but hey, I made it." She flashed him her best warrior smile. "No Andrew?"
"He's working on a class project with some other boys." Matt reached out and touched her shoulder gently. "How are you, really? Do you have any more luggage we need to go get?"
"No, I've got everything. I wish I could have packed up everything in my apartment and taken it all back with me." Pain burned deep in her chest, tightening in a big knot and making it hard to breathe. "Get me out of here, please?"
He brushed her hair away from her face. The touch was gentle, beautiful. She longed for the little things like this. Maybe it was because of the past few days and needing to feel like somebody cared, maybe it was feelings developing for Matt, she didn't know. At this moment, she didn't care. She just wanted more. "Let's go then."
Hand in hand, they walked through the airport. Neither said anything. Kyra kept her head low. Though she wore a pair of glasses and a cap, she didn't trust someone not to recognize her. She'd been good on the plane. No one figured out who she was, and she wanted to keep it that way.
"I have an idea." Matt broke the silence once they were in his car. "I know you want to get home to your family and that they're waiting, but I've already talked to your d
ad."
"Oh?" She shifted in the seat to face him, curious.
"Yep. This is silly, right? Like I was asking for permission to date you." Matt laughed. Kyra detected plenty of nervousness. "I was thinking about what you said about your fear of crowds. What if we drove to a hole in the wall place that has an open mic night and start there? Get some food, if you're hungry, and then sing a song. I have your guitar in the trunk in case you agreed."
Kyra gaped at him. Unsure of what to say, she closed her eyes, taking in what he'd just offered her.
"Kyra? I'm sorry. Is this too much?" His warm hand landed on her knee.
"No, no. This is amazing. I'm just letting your offer sink in because I can't believe you'd- well okay, I can believe you'd do this, but-" Kyra nodded, trying to gather her words. "Yes. Thank you. That's all I can muster right now."
"I'll take it." He moved his hand from her knee and reached for her hand. They spent the rest of the ride that way. Matt's other hand rested on the wheel as he drove them to their destination.
Chapter Sixteen
"So, did you plan this ahead of time? Is that why Andrew is doing a school project tonight?" Kyra asked as they settled in a booth at a place called Granger's Cafe. It was a place about twenty miles north of the airport. Some might still recognize Kyra, especially if she sang, but it wasn't in town.
He laughed. "No. I came up with the idea because Andrew had this project to do. I kept thinking about your manager and his comment about throwing you to the wolves, so I thought if we did this a few times, you might start feeling better." And he had a few other plans up his sleeve, but he wouldn't bring one up to Kyra until he finalized them with Blaine and Randy. A smile spread across his face just thinking about it. That would also depend on how the rest of tonight goes. After a talk with Kyra's father, they'd done something he wasn't sure Kyra would be happy with.
"You've got this 'I-know-something-I'm-not-telling-you' look right now," Kyra accused. She narrowed her eyes, but she still had a smile.
"Maybe." Damn. She caught on quick. Maybe Mr. Sanders should have told her instead of their crazy plan.
A male voice boomed over the loud speaker. "Come on down and sign up if you want a spot for open mic night!" Matt and Kyra turned at the sound of his voice. In the corner of the place was a small makeshift stage with a microphone stand. "Do you have a hidden talent? Can you sing? Play an instrument? Then this is the showcase for you."
Matt nudged her. "I think that's your cue."
"Should I put my real name?" she whispered.
"Sure, if that helps you feel better. This is just to ease you into a crowd. We'll go bigger each time." He squeezed her shoulder affectionately.
She was nervous. Matt paid close attention to her movements as she headed for the stage to sign up. A woman in a wheelchair followed. Kyra signed up and then headed back.
"Okay, here goes nothing." She slid in next to him.
"No, here goes everything." He ran his fingertips in circles over her hand. Kyra faced him, her eyes full of question and a passion he'd only seen there when she got lost in her music.
"If this works, I'll owe you everything." She leaned close and kissed his lips. Just a soft, brief kiss that tantalized him and made him ache for so much more.
"You won't owe me a thing." He just wanted her to succeed.
"Know what I find amazing?"
"What's that?"
"You were hurt by your ex because she abandoned your family for music, but you're going out of your way to help me keep the love of music in my life." She ran a hand along his face. "Now that is something I'm blown away by."
Kyra was right to be surprised. It was unlike him, considering he'd been so jaded against the music scene. He'd kept his own son from playing when Andrew showed a big interest. So what changed? How could it change so quickly? And would she forgive him if everything worked the way he'd hoped it would tonight?
*****
For the first hour, Kyra heard a comedian who was semi-funny once he got past his nervousness, a guitar player with a low baritone voice trying too hard, a poet who was angry at the world, and a couple of decent singers. Her name was called, and the nerves settled in her stomach. She just went with a first name and left it at that.
"Go wow em." Matt flashed a grin. The excitement was evident in his eyes.
He really believed in her! She picked up her guitar case and headed for the stage. The room was full. She guessed about a hundred people. Not a huge crowd, but enough to make her very aware of all her senses. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and she wiped them away with her free hand.
Settling on the stool with her guitar, Kyra cleared her throat. Everyone had their eyes on her. The room went silent. A smoky haze made it difficult to see everyone, so she focused on Matt. The reason she was here. "This is a new tune I've been playing around with. I'm totally winging it here, so please bear with me." Then she lowered her head and strummed some chords. At first her voice wavered, not coming out strong at all. This was the first performance in front of a crowd this size in years. About halfway through the song, she finally found her voice. Kyra stopped looking at the floor. The room was still, and everyone had their eyes on her. She met Matt's gaze. Did he know these lyrics were about him? She finished the song. As the last guitar note played, the room fell eerily quiet.
Then the audience, lacking in size, made up for it with thunderous applause. Matt jumped to his feet and clapped. His smile was wide and excited.
She'd done it! She'd played for a crowd with a very low anxiety level. She could still do this!
"Thank you, Kyra. That was amazing!" The host gave her an approving nod with a smile.
Matt met her halfway. He opened his arms and wrapped her in a hug. "You nailed it! Those lyrics-"
"They were about you. Told you I had you on my mind. I never went to sleep after we hung up, not immediately. I didn't think I had the whole thing down until I sang it."
"How do you feel?" He set her down, keeping her close.
"Better than I imagined. This was a small feat, though."
"This was the perfect start," he insisted.
"So, Kyra Sanders is making her comeback."
Kyra froze. She knew that voice. But how was she here, right now? "Taryn." She faced her former bandmate. Familiar eyes studied her.
Taryn wheeled closer. Kyra had to sit before her wobbly legs gave out from beneath her. "You forget I'm from Texas. I came back years ago."
"How did you find me?"
"Actually, the question is how did you find me?" Taryn glared at her. "I've been playing different open mic nights for years."
"You're still playing the drums?"
"Yeah. Surprisingly, considering everything taken away from me, I am. It took adapting, but I can still play the drums. In fact, I'm playing tonight, which I guess your boyfriend figured out, because he contacted me."
What? Matt set this up? She glared at him.
"Kyra-"
"I'll deal with you later," she snapped, unsure of what to think. She'd wanted to meet up with Taryn again, but not blindsided like this.
"So you didn't know? Hmm. Interesting." Taryn cocked her head to the side.
"No. I thought... Well never mind. How are you, Taryn?"
"Now that I'm making music again, good." Steely, cold eyes bore into hers. "I hear you're back at the music again with a new record. Took you a few years though, huh?"
"A lot has happened."
"I bet." What did that mean?
Oh Matt, what did you do this for?
"I tried contacting you about three years ago. You came to see me right after the accident, but I hated you then. So why did you refuse to talk to me when I called?" Taryn folded her arms.
The singer on stage now sounded good. Kyra had to keep from being distracted when Taryn's question came flying at her. She'd never known! "What do you mean you contacted me three years ago? I never heard a thing!" Kyra racked her mind, trying to recall. Three years ago.
No, nothing came up.
"Mark said you weren't taking calls or visits from anyone."
"I wasn't, to a point, but he knew damn well I'd see you!" To calm down, Kyra reached for the drink the waitress had brought over during her performance. Why did Mark not let her see Taryn? He knew damn well she wanted to! She'd have to call him in the morning and find out.
The current performer finished up. After the audience's applause died down, the host stepped up to the mic. "Up next we have Taryn on drums!"
"That's my cue." Taryn wheeled away in a rush, leaving Kyra dumbfounded.
What the hell just happened here? So many questions swirled in her mind. Then she whirled around to face Matt. "I don't know what to make of this right now."
"I know, and I'm sorry. Your dad and I were talking about it while you were gone. We probably shouldn't have done this. We'd hoped you'd get some closure. I don't like that your team doesn't want you to deal with the past and the accident." He cast his eyes down. "I have a habit of pushing sometimes. Just ask my son. Well, I guess you don't have to, because look what I just did."
Now Matt and her father were teaming up together? Interesting. Kyra lifted the glass to her lips again, still in shock about this new revelation.
Taryn's voice coming through the microphone interrupted the conversation. "Thanks for having me back again. It's been a while. Tonight, I dedicate this to an old friend." Her gaze landed on Kyra before she picked up her drumsticks and pounded out the most amazing beat.
Holy crap! Taryn nailed it. They'd worked the drum set to where she could still do everything without having to move as much. Amazing. It was good that her old friend could still do something she loved so much.
"Wow," Matt whispered.
"Yeah. My sentiments exactly. She's still as amazing with the drums as she was when we played together." Kyra was entranced.
"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"
Fallen Idol (Love and Music in Texas Book 4) Page 14