"Funny how things work, huh? See you later." With a wave, Blaine took off.
When Matt entered the room, Kyra was awake. He stared at her messy hair, rumpled shirt, and wide eyed look, and his heart did a flip flop. She was a gorgeous woman, and he still had a hard time believing he'd spent a night in her arms. "Hey. I was just coming back to wake you. I hate to do it, but we should probably get back."
"I know," she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes. "I'm not looking forward to what's in store."
He flopped on the bed and gathered her in his arms. Holding Kyra close like this was perfect. Matt disliked having to be apart from her all day. He hadn't felt like this in... hell, since he was a teenager. It had been a long, long time. "Take it easy today."
"Yeah, we'll see about that," Kyra muttered. "Don't mind me. I'm so not a morning person, and having to face the world after last night isn't appealing. I don't mean to let it out on you. I want- I'd hoped our first date would have turned out different."
He toyed with a lock of her soft hair. "Well, it wasn't all bad. We can aim for a redo soon."
"What, the date or the sex?" she shot back, finally giving him that sweet smiled he longed for.
Matt shrugged, playing coy. "Both."
*****
The ride home was uneventful. Matt reluctantly dropped her off. He'd walked her inside the house, even though he was running late for work and there really was no need to. Kyra's father was awake and actually walking around a little, so they talked for a while before Matt finally had to go.
"Keep me updated if you find anything out, okay? I'll call you on my lunch. If you want me to, that is." Kyra loved it when he got that way, but kinda felt bad for him. Matt was still unsure of their relationship status, if there was a status. They were two people who were attracted to each other and wanted more, but circumstances kept them from putting one hundred prefect effort into saying they were in a relationship. Treading cautiously, she'd call it.
Now, a few hours later, Kyra had to finally talk to Mark.
"What the hell was that about? Do you know what everyone is saying right now?" Mark's voice was so loud and full of anger, Kyra had to pull the phone from her ear, and that warranted a look from her father.
"It was unexpected. I went to the concert just to have fun, and when the lead singer asked if I wanted to sing with them, I found no harm in doing so. Forget the anxiety attack for a second. Let's talk about the other attack! No one other than family and a few friends knew I was there, Mark. Where the hell were your guys you'd sent? They can interrupt me on a night where it was just Matt and I, but they aren't anywhere to be found at a rodeo and concert?" She stalked off into the other room as to not disturb her dad's show. Fury coursed through her veins, adding to her already agitated state.
"I'm making heads roll, believe me-"
"I don't believe you! Mark, this whole thing is getting to be too much. We're going to have to push back the tour. I can't handle crowds, and I'm afraid for my safety and for the safety of family and friends!" She almost let it slip about Taryn and what she'd said. Phew. Good thing she kept her mouth shut. That was a whole new can of worms, and she wasn't ready to go there yet.
"We can't just push these things back, Kyra. There's been so much already put into it-"
"You're my manager. Manage it. I'm telling you, it's not going to be pretty if I keep having problems like this. Throwing me to the wolves, as you want to do, will have more repercussions like last night, and that was pure accident. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go and do my own damage control. Call me when you have good news or something worthwhile to offer." Kyra didn't give him a chance to respond. She ended the call, silenced her phone, and plugged it into her charger. Back downstairs, she found her father in the kitchen.
"Good for you on stickin' up for yourself." He faced her, a glass of clear liquid, which she assumed was water, in hand.
"Sometimes I wonder what they want from me. The money I can bring them from my music, or the money from the drama. This comeback record is shaping up to be more trouble then I thought it would." Kyra hopped up on the swivel stool.
"I think it's the money in general," her father answered. "I never told you this, but Mark and other members of your management team called me many times during your hiatus to try and talk you into doing this CD sooner. I knew you weren't ready. If you couldn't even leave Nashville to come home because of your paralyzing fear, then I knew you weren't ready to get back on the scene."
"They actually called you?" She fumed. That one crossed a line.
"Me and your mother. They offered to pay for visits out there to talk some sense into you. I told them repeatedly if they actually cared, they'd back off. I remember trying to visit you in the hospital after your..." He cleared his throat.
"My breakdown. You can say it." She tapped her fingers on the countertop.
"Yes. That." Her father still couldn't say it. "Kyra, did they push you to do those last concerts after the accident?"
"Some of it was them. I thought I could handle it. I was wrong. I figured I owed it to the fans. I wasn't thinking clearly." Obviously.
"And the new CD and tour now? Is it them, or do you want this?" His eyes were intense as they studied her, as if he was trying to search for the truth in them.
"I want this. Yes, they're pushing, but I want it, Dad. I still have a love for music that I need to continue. The tour, that one I wish they'd let me push off. The crowds bring on anxiety and memories. That's what happened last night. Melody, the back up singer, wanted to sing Heartless with me, and when the tune started to play, I couldn't do it. Would it be bad if I walked away from it all? Would you still be proud of me? What if my music career is done for?"
"Honey, we took you to Nashville all those years ago because you had the biggest drive. It wasn't for our pleasure. We're all going to love you no matter what you do." He set the glass down, then moved to hug her.
"Thanks, Daddy. I'm in a limbo feeling and not sure what to do."
"Take it a day at a time. You've got the talent, the drive, and the motivation. You just need to let it lead you."
What if it led her to another downfall? Was it a good idea to try and push this CD and tour? She was already called a fallen idol, crushing the hearts of young followers everywhere. Did she have a chance at pulling this off? Or did someone have such a hatred for her that they planned on tearing everything down she'd worked hard to rebuild?
Chapter Twenty-Two
The all too familiar ring tone signaled trouble. Matt knew it the instant the phone rang. Regardless, this was Andrew's mother, so he had to find out what she had to say now. "Hello, Kendra." He kept his tone cordial.
"I see you found yourself a sugar mama. Much younger, too." His ex wife's tone was full of disdain and... slurring? Was Kendra drinking? Just what kind of things was she doing on tour with her boyfriend? What the hell was his name, anyway? Matt never heard the guy on the radio, and he couldn't remember, other than singing R&B, what was so special about him.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Little miss teen sensation. Kyra Sanders." Matt winced at the way she said Kyra's name.
"She's far from a teen, Kendra."
"I know that much! So she's your new girl, huh?"
Not that he owed her any kind of explanation. "Kyra's a friend. Andrew is friends with their family."
"A friend? Really? Why is it I'm seeing photos of her in your arms? What does she have that I don't? You support her music career, but never gave a damn about mine?" There was a clicking sound on the other end, then a deep breath. Kendra started smoking now, too?
"Is there a purpose for this call other than to comment about situations in my life that don't have a thing to do with you?" Matt snapped, losing his patience with her. He kicked at a slightly open cabinet door, regretting it when pain shot up his feet.
"Don't have a thing to do with me? Oh, Matt. Did you forget? Our son's birthday is coming up, and I'm coming home to see him. Why not re
member that the next time you're shacking up with your famous tweenie bopper. Or has she already bought everything Andrew could ever want?"
Matt's patience wore thin. "You know what, you're obviously out of your mind, and I'm not even going to give your comments a response other than to say I'm hanging up. Call me when you aren't drunk. Oh, and if you do come for Andrew's birthday, clean up your act, because our son deserves better than a mother who abandoned him and is now drinking, smoking, and landing in jail for what again? Possession of drugs with your new boyfriend? Yeah, I might be kind of dating a country star who happens to be a bit younger than me, but let me say Kyra has more class than I've ever seen from you in the entire half a lifetime I've known you!" Matt ended the call and almost hurled the phone across the room. So much for not commenting, but what the hell was that about? Calling him out of the blue just to comment about Kyra, and then act like he was supposed to know she wanted to come back for Andrew's birthday?
Damn that woman. What was she playing? Kendra was up to something.
"Everything okay?" Rhett rapped his knuckles on the open door, drawing Matt's attention.
"It's one of those days." He sighed. Time to get back to work. He was tired, frustrated, and worried. He hadn't spoken to Andrew this morning, and he wondered how his day was going. He worried about Kyra and her family. Now he had to figure out what Kendra's game was and how Andrew would react to his mother's sudden interest in his upcoming birthday. Andrew hadn't mentioned Kendra in a while, probably because he knew she didn't ask about him. He was a smart boy though and had it figured out that his mother felt she had better things to do with her life than to pay attention to her own flesh and blood.
Matt had a few choice words for her, but he kept those buried.
"I figured that when you showed up late today. You never do that," Rhett pointed out.
Cracking his knuckles, Matt leaned back in his chair. "You know, I'm finding myself doing a lot of things I don't normally do lately."
*****
"You sure you don't have a problem picking up David and Amy? I caught her sneaking out last night and she wouldn't tell me where, so Amy's pretty pissed about me grounding her from driving today. She pulled the 'I'm eighteen, and you can't do this' spiel, but I can. She lives under our roof," Dad said to Kyra hours later, not too long before school ended.
"I can handle it. Then I'll come back and get you, and we go bring Mom home. Easy peasy," Kyra said. "I thought Amy's attitude was aimed at me."
"Some of her resentment is, but she's been secretive for the past few months. Trust me, we've had a lot of arguments lately, and not just about you."
"I don't mean to cause problems."
"You don't, Kyra. I think Amy feels like she's in your shadow. We made the move to Nashville for you, uprooting her life. She doesn't tell us what her dreams and plans are, so how can we help make them come true? Music was obvious for you. You live and breathe it. Whatever Amy wants, she doesn't show it, so we can't do for her what we did for you. If she has resentment, that one is on her because she hides out."
"Is this what normal eighteen year olds are like?" She laughed. Attitudes, secrets, and school dances? At eighteen, Kyra had traveled overseas for the first time for a big concert tour.
"I guess so." Dad's eyes twinkled. "Every child is different. Not every eighteen year old had a handful of number one singles and top country records and awards."
"No, those are for the lucky few," Kyra said softly. "I don't know if I've thanked you and Mom in a while. You uprooted your life for my devotion to music, and then I let it all go because of one night. I don't regret the early life in music, but there are things I've missed, like dances, family time, and growing up. Is that weird? How many young hopeful singers out there long for the life I had, but I wanted a little of what they did?"
Dad reached out and covered her hand. "I don't think there's anything wrong with your dreams, or what you wished you had. Fame comes with a price not everyone realizes at first."
She glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes before she had to go pick up her siblings. "If I can't handle the scene any more, will you still be proud of me?" Kyra forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat. The fear of what was to come of her future was on the loose. She'd asked this once already, but the thought of what happens next weighed heavy on her heart.
"Of course I will! I'm proud of you no matter what!" Dad's eyes widened. "I told you this."
"Even after the crash?"
"Even after the crash. You made a mistake- a big one, but you've learned from it. I already know."
"How do you know?"
Dad smiled. "I've heard your songs for the new record, baby girl. You write from the heart, you always have, and those lyrics reflect your changes from the past six years. That's why I know this is going to be your best CD yet."
*****
Kyra picked David up first, then headed for the high school to get Amy. She listened to her brother chatter on about his day, and the excitement and relief about their mother coming home. Then the questions came.
"Are you going to leave soon after Mom gets home?" David's voice changed from happy to serious and somewhat sad.
A burning pain of regret slammed her chest. "Soon. But this time I won't stay away so long. I'll come back in between interviews, shows, and last minute recordings."
"I'm going to miss you."
Kyra almost stopped the car, but she was in middle of the road. Traffic zoomed all around her, and she had to keep her cool. Leaving was going to be hard. There were so many sacrifices to make when you followed a dream that never let go. Leaving her family was one of them. She'd only been here just under two weeks, but Kyra felt more at home in a strange town than she did in Nashville, a place she lived in for more than a decade. The people here weren't looking at her like she was their meal ticket. Even the members of Baby Stetson were genuinely friendly with her, especially when Kyra wanted to get them noticed by people in Nashville. They were still the same friendly band and hadn't continuously asked her about her Nashville connections.
Then there was Matt and Andrew, but especially Matt. In a short time, he'd become so much to her. A good friend, but also something more that neither were sure how to handle, due to the fact that she was leaving. Now there was a man with a big heart, because he did things that helped her succeed, even if it meant they'd be apart.
What's not to like about a man like that?
"I'm going to miss you, too," Kyra finally responded, pulling herself out of her thoughts and focusing on the task at hand. She pulled up in front of the school, but didn't spot Amy anywhere. "Didn't Dad say she was supposed to meet us out here?"
"Yeah. This is always where we meet Amy if she's in trouble from driving." David peered out the window. "I don't see her anywhere."
"Neither do I, and we're getting honked at now. Great. I guess we'll park and wait around. Maybe she's just running late." Or maybe her sister decided to play games because she was sulking about being grounded. With a sigh, Kyra drove forward and went to park. The last thing she wanted was a pissed off Amy when they had plans to go bring their mom home today.
"Should we wait here, or go find her? Do you know where she'd be?" Kyra asked her brother.
"We can go to the front office," David informed her.
Once inside, David showed her where to go. Kyra glanced around the front office of the school, making her recall her own high school days. She'd stayed in school until her junior year, when she decided that she wanted to home school the last year and a half, and graduate early. She'd graduated just after her sixteenth birthday. She used to walk the halls of her Nashville school and would get the looks, the whispers, and the questions. It became disruptive. Everyone wanted to know why famous, rich Kyra Sanders still attended school, even though her music career took off. It was a promise she'd made to her parents, and though the rough times, she'd made it.
"Kyra Sanders, standing in the hallway at the high school I teach choir in.
Wow." A woman's voice detracted her from her thoughts once again. She kept going off to another world lately.
"Umm, hi." Kyra smiled politely at the starstruck woman. She pegged her for late twenties. The woman's sandy blonde hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail. Bright blue eyes stared back at her in awe.
"I'm sorry. You probably get this all the time." The woman held out her hand. "I'm Debra Leo. Big fan and long time lover of music. Your sister has quite the talent, but she doesn't pursue it."
Kyra cocked her head to the side as she shook the woman's hand. "My sister?" Amy sang?
"Yes. She's an outstanding member of the choir. She's so passionate and full of talent. She must take after you. Do you sing too, David?"
"No, but I want to learn guitar." David was just as startled. Did anyone in the family know Amy sang? Was this why she'd been so secretive? Kyra didn't understand why Amy would hide such a thing.
"You know, Amy never told me she loves to sing," Kyra said softly. "This comes as a surprise to me."
The woman carried a sympathetic look in her eyes. "Maybe she doesn't want you to think she's copying you. Who knows with siblings and success sometimes."
"I'd have encouraged her if I'd known. Speaking of Amy, we're supposed to pick her up so we can go to the hospital and take our mom home. Have you seen her? We waited in front of the school for a while, but she hasn't shown up." Unless she was there now.
"Hmm. Last I saw she walked out of the choir room with Brandon." The teacher's brows rose.
Kyra hoped her confusion didn't show as an expression. Another thing that caught her off guard. Who the hell was Brandon? "Okay, thanks. I guess we'll go check outside again. It was great to meet you."
"I can't believe I'm standing in front of you. Hey, good luck with your upcoming CD. I've been hoping you'd make a return to the music scene. Your voice is so pure, and I love your songs. Can't wait to get the new one! Do you think... could I get your autograph?" A pink blush crept up in the woman's cheeks.
Fallen Idol (Love and Music in Texas Book 4) Page 19