by Regale, Rhea
Heidi bounded into the living room, her cheeks glowing pink, and took a seat on the floor beside the table. She was humming a soft tune, her foot tapping on the rug.
“You’ve got somethin’ boilin’ in that blonde head of yours, Heidi,” Mandy said, a note of warning lacing her voice.
“Nothin’ girl. Stop bein’ paranoid,” Heidi scolded, threading a needle. She started her strand of popcorn and cranberries. “I’ve been itchin’ to hear this song.”
Mandy’s heart leaped. Brody’s secret song, the one Heidi believed was about her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get Brody to divulge anything about that song.
“Tonight on Country Stars, our very own Helen Goodridge will be having a special one-on-one with Brody Allen, country’s fast-rising heartthrob.”
“Come on.” Craig led Mandy to the sofa and handed her a mug of cider after she was settled. He dropped into the corner beside her and slung his arm around her shoulder. “Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two about my own brother.”
Mandy drew her knees onto Craig’s leg and got comfortable, seeking an extra dose of security from his strong body. Watching Brody on TV injected her with a heady sense of pride, but at the same time, left her empty when she thought about how that time spent elsewhere could be spent with her. She signed up for this knowing what the Craig and Brody package contained, but it didn’t mean the long stretches of not seeing Brody didn’t hurt.
The screen finished rolling through the glimpses of past shows and events. The camera focused on a smiling brunette host seated in a plush armchair, cue cards with the show’s emblem on the back held between her hands.
“Welcome everyone to this special edition of Country Stars. I’m Helen Goodridge, and I can’t express how excited I am to be sitting here with none other than Brody Allen in one of his first exclusive interviews. With his fast-growing popularity among the entertainment industry and fans alike, it comes as a shock that the spotlight star is actually a very private guy. Tonight, we’re in for a treat as we learn a little more about the man beneath the Stetson and behind the guitar. A warm welcome, Brody Allen!”
The live audience clapped in the background as the camera shifted and focused in on Brody, making his entrance from the side of the stage. Mandy’s heart squeezed as she watched him walk with confident strides and a Ryder smile, dimple and all, waving to the crowd. Mrs. Ryder clasped her hands together and sighed. Mandy lifted a hand to her mouth, hiding the sudden quiver of her chin. The sight of her handsome cowboy reminded her how cold his absence left her at times.
Now was a time she desperately wanted him with her and Craig, and he wasn’t here.
Brody took up a seat across from Helen and propped an ankle on his knee. Helen, who looked about ready to swoon, straightened up and waited until the crowd died down.
“Brody, thank you for joining me tonight.” A new influx of cheers and whistles erupted. The camera panned to Brody, who continued to wear his pleasant smile, soaking in the crowd’s greeting. He lounged back in the chair, looking at something off camera. The camera shifted back to the host. “Well, it seems our audience can’t get enough of you, not that that comes as a surprise. You’ve exploded across the music world this year, starting with your first single and first hit, ‘Hittin’ Sticks.’ How does it feel to be a promising figure for the upcoming year?”
“First, thank you for havin’ me here tonight. I’m, well, wow,” Brody started. “What a greetin’. Thanks, everyone.”
Another wave of shouts started and died. Brody rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous gesture Mandy had become aware of after watching him on TV. The man hid his nerves behind that bone-melting smile, except from those who knew him best.
“I’m very excited for the new year. This year has been an amazin’ experience. I’ve met lots of artists who’ve helped me along the way. Greg Handler pulled me onto his tour in May, and words can’t express how incredible it’s been with him. When things hit fast, they can sweep you away, but I’ve been appreciatin’ every minute of this dream ride,” Brody said. “As far as next year, I’ll be seein’ where god leads me.”
“I understand you’re working on a new album set to come out in February. What can we expect to hear climb the charts?”
“I can only pray they climb the charts,” Brody said with a soft laugh. The crowd cheered. Mandy swallowed the knot that kept bobbing up in her throat. “Fans’ll get more of that upbeat tune I enjoy singin’ to, as well as some slower songs.”
“Do your songs hold any significance to you personally?”
“I think any artist will agree that they sing what they feel, what they relate to. Many of the songs on this new album are written by me. One song particularly is very special to me.”
Helen leaned forward, her foot swinging back and forth. “Are we going to get to hear that special song this evening?”
Craig squeezed her shoulder for a brief moment before his fingers began a lazy up-and-down motion along her arm. Brody laughed, rapping his fingers on the arm of the chair. The crowd was hooting for him to play the song, forcing him and Helen into a long pause.
Mandy looked up at Craig. “You’ve spoken to him about this interview, haven’t you?”
“Shh, sweetheart,” Craig whispered, ignoring her inquiry. He kissed the tip of her nose and went back to watching the interview. Mandy reluctantly lowered her gaze to the television. Right now, she wanted Brody beside her, hugging her, too. She missed the scent of his cologne and the feel of his strength. She listened to the interview go on. Helen asked him about his past, his musical influences, and other trivial things. Mandy allowed the sound of his voice and Craig’s body to soothe the raw wound on her heart.
“There’s talk about a solo tour in store for your fans. When does that take off?”
Brody covered his mouth with his hand and pinched his chin, another nervous motion. But that smile kept blazing. “Right now, we’re not entirely sure when the tour’ll be startin’. There’ve been a few complications—good complications—but I have no intentions of going on the road if I can’t follow through with my promises to my fans. After many talks with my manager, we’re keepin’ the tour under wraps. It may end up bein’ pushed back to late summer or the followin’ year.”
The camera caught an exaggerated pout from Helen, and a consecutive sigh from the crowd. Brody shifted, pushing straighter in his chair.
“Helen, I think we all mistake our priorities at some point. I always dreamed of this, envisioned this as my life. I want to be that artist up on stage thankin’ my fans and my family for everythin’ they’ve done to get me to where I am. I want to thank god for givin’ me this gift, this opportunity, to make a difference in the world through music. I know there will be disappointed fans, but in the end, it’s my family that comes first, as it should with everyone. Where would I be without them? Not here. Where would I be without a special person who helped me see this? In a far worse place. I owe it to them, to her, to focus my time and effort on reestablishin’ roots, but that doesn’t mean I’m walkin’ away from my music. My energy will be focused on the very support beams who got me here to begin with.”
“So, you have a special person in your life,” Helen concluded. Mandy held her breath.
“Yes, I do,” Brody said directly into the camera.
For the briefest moment, Mandy felt his gaze sink into her soul and cinch her tight. The world slowed as the camera held steady on Brody, those brown-green eyes staring at her through the lens and screens, feeling as if he stood in the room with her. A tingling warmth crept along her face, pouring down her neck and her arms, settling low in her belly. Not arousal, but something more, something deeper.
Lost in his statement on national television, the rest of the show went by in a blur. He never mentioned her name, but he acknowledged her publicly, in front of millions of viewers. She was happy he kept her name quiet. She wasn’t one for the big time, and rather liked her quaint way of life. Brody had protected he
r identity this far, and if she asked him to, he would protect it forever.
“Well, folks, our time is about up for this edition of Country Stars. We’ll be leaving you tonight with the premier of Brody Allen’s newest song, ‘Heart Ain’t Blind.’”
Mandy pressed off Craig’s side and scooted to the edge of the sofa. Heidi glanced back at her and then Craig before her attention turned fully to the television. The camera switched over to Brody standing on the studio stage, the band in the shadows behind him starting his new song. He moved up to the mike, the band’s slow, emotional tune stirring her love to swelling proportions. With her hands against her mouth, her tears finally let loose, creeping down between her fingers.
“This one’s for my woman back home,” Brody said into the mike.
He strummed his first chord, and the sound resonated throughout the entire living room. When he brought his mouth to the mike and sang the first line of the song, she heard it all around her.
She blinked once and licked her lips. Brody sang on the television, but his voice came at her from behind. She caught Mrs. Ryder and her momma look over their shoulders. Heidi turned around and faced the archway into the living room.
“A week of love brings a lifetime of happiness. My heart has found its home in warmth and tenderness, a blossom from once dry roots to flourish into this new man,” Brody sang. Slowly, Mandy sucked in a breath and climbed to her feet, her legs weak and wobbly. She pressed her lips together, staving off the urge to sob. Three weeks of missing Brody, three long weeks of phone conversations and talks about their future together, brought her to this day, this hour, this very moment.
“You’ve patched up this broken stranger, led him to the path of life and love.”
Mandy turned. Brody, the real flesh-and-blood Brody, leaned against the living room archway, strumming his guitar and singing along with the television Brody.
“I want you, I need you, can’t live without you. Baby, my heart ain’t blind no more, not since you came along.”
“Brody?” she whispered. She looked to Craig for reassurance. He smiled and nodded, guiding her by her hips around the sofa.
“Go,” Craig said quietly. Mandy’s hand dropped to his as she took one step closer to Brody, and then another. Brody followed her with those loving eyes, not missing a beat as he sang about her, to her.
By the time she stepped in front of him, the song was ending on the TV. Brody slipped his guitar strap off his shoulder and laid the instrument against the wall at his side. A small curl started at the corner of his mouth, lighting his eyes and stopping her heart.
“Hey, baby,” he murmured.
“You’re home,” she said. That curl grew. “Did everyone know?”
“They helped me set this up. I wanted to surprise you.” Brody sank his fingers into her hair and pulled her flush to him. “Don’t make me wait another minute for your kiss. I’ve been dying inside without you.”
A whimper escaped her lips, and he slanted his mouth across hers and claimed her in a powerful kiss that shook her down to the marrow. His arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off her feet. She clung to him, her arms tight around his neck, her fingers fisting the messy spikes of his hair.
“You surprised me, Brody Ryder,” she whispered, tapering off the kiss when she remembered the audience watching them. Brody lowered her to her toes, and she rolled onto her heels. “That was your secret song?”
A light pink brushed his cheeks. Keeping his arm around her waist, he brought her back to the sofa and handed her to Craig. Brody greeted the women with hugs and kisses on the cheek. Heidi blew him a kiss from her place on the floor and he ruffled her hair.
“My secret song to one Amanda May Pearson,” Brody finally said, dropping to the sofa and angling toward Mandy. She sank into Craig, draping her legs over Brody’s knee wedged against her hip, unable to take her eyes off her traveling man. He was so handsome, and so real, just like Craig. Two warm, loving cowboys she could call her own sat together once again, sandwiching her, which was perfect. Brody traced her bottom lip. “Everyone knows that song is yours.”
“Not by name.”
“I can easily make that happen.”
“No.” Mandy laughed, brushing the tears from her lashes. “Absolutely not. That spotlight’s all yours.” She covered his hand with hers and kissed his fingertips. “You hangin’ around town for the holidays?”
“I plan on hangin’ around more than that now. After a long, hard week of thinkin’, I’ve decided to push the solo tour back to summer. I want to be here.” His gaze shifted to Craig. Mandy tipped her head back and looked up at Craig. “We both need to be here.”
“Yes, you do,” Mandy agreed, closing her eyes as Craig’s fingers skated down her neck.
“Hey you guys, we’ve got popcorn stringin’ to get done,” Heidi interrupted. Mandy threw her hands up over her face as popcorn came flying at her. Mrs. Ryder laughed, brushing a fluffy piece from her lap. Heidi scrunched her nose and jutted her chin toward Mandy. “We’ll clean up, Mrs. Ryder. Promise.”
“You’ll clean up,” Mandy corrected, flinging a few pieces back at Heidi. Brody grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl and threw it at Heidi.
“Oh, you damn Ryder!” Heidi screeched. Brody fell back against the sofa and laughed. Craig shot forward and grabbed for the bowl the same time Heidi did. Mandy tugged at Craig’s hand. Her momma sprang up from the sofa and shuffled away from the melee, her airy laughter chiming in with Brody’s and Craig’s. “I’m gonna get you back for that one!”
“Come on, you three,” Mandy scolded, knocking Brody’s hand away from the bowl as he went for his piece of the tug-of-war object. She brushed popcorn off her lap and groaned. “At least let me out of the middle!”
Heidi suddenly released the bowl. It snapped back toward Mandy, dumping the contents of fluffy white corn all over her. She shrieked, covering her head, feeling something solid knock against her elbow and fall into her lap.
“Oops,” Heidi said. When Mandy shot her eyes up to her friend, she caught the excitement glittering in their bright blues. Craig dropped the bowl on the table and began plucking one piece of corn from her at a time. Brody popped a few pieces into his mouth. Heidi pointed to her lap. “We were lookin’ for that.”
“Girl, you’ll be swimmin’…” Mandy’s words faded when she caught sight of the small box nestled on the mountain of white popcorn. Craig combed back a curl, tucking it behind her ear. Mandy picked up the box, her hands trembling and her brow wrinkling. “What is this?”
“Not sure. It came from the popcorn,” Brody teased. Mandy narrowed her eyes on him before examining the box. It was small and wooden with a tiny gold latch on the front and tiny gold hinges at the back. Nothing was inscribed on the surface.
Mandy took a shallow breath. Her stomach was a bubbling mess of anxiety. She flipped the latch up and slowly lifted the lid.
Heidi ran behind the sofa and leaned over her shoulder. “Holy hell.”
Mandy stared into the box. Twin diamond bands twinkled up at her from the black velvet lining.
“Hm. Guess it’s a good thing we found them,” Craig said, shaking her from her paralysis. She looked up at him as he took the box from her shaking hand. He plucked the bands from the box and handed one to Brody. Mandy shook her head, disbelieving what was happening. Craig pinched the band in his fingers and scrutinized the diamonds. He brought the ring closer to her and held it on an angle. “Look inside.”
Mandy took the ring and turned it until the light caught the inscription. Perfect love forever. C. & B. R.
“Both rings have the same inscription with our initials,” Brody said. Craig took the ring back. Together, Craig and Brody took her left hand, both men sliding to their knees in front of her. Mandy let out a soft sob, dropping her face into her free hand. This was all too much. One surprise after another came to her tonight when only a few hours ago she was trying to figure out what the future held for Craig, Brody, and herself
.
“Amanda,” Craig said, his rich, gravelly tone forcing her to peek at him through her fingertips.
“You’re proposin’ to me,” she mumbled behind her hand.
“Yes, baby. We are,” Brody said. Taking a deep breath, Mandy lowered her hand. She stole a side glance at Mrs. Ryder and her momma. Mrs. Ryder’s fingers were knotted by her chin, an elated smile on her mouth. Her momma’s eyes glittered with excitement. Heidi stepped up to her side, her own eyes sparkling.
“Amanda May Pearson, Brody and I would be honored if you would consider spending your life with us. It’s been a tough road these past few months, but we love you so much and can’t imagine our lives without you.”
Brody rubbed her knee. “Craig hit it on the head, baby. There ain’t no one we want to share our lives with more than you.”
“Yes, of course,” she said thickly, not trusting the full strength of her voice. Craig slid his ring on first. Brody slid his on second, fitting the two bands together. Mandy wiggled her fingers, the diamonds catching the firelight in a brilliant spray of color. “They’re beautiful.”
“Like our sweet Mandy May,” Brody said, climbing next to her. Mandy caught her momma disappearing into the kitchen. Mrs. Ryder pulled Heidi from the living room, leaving her with her sons. Brody pinched her chin and tilted his head to kiss her. “Damn, Mandy, I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you, too.”
She ducked her head and grabbed Craig’s arm, urging him to come off the floor. He climbed along her legs, creeping up her body until his mouth came over hers. He forced her back into the cushions, wedging a knee against her thigh. Mandy tangled her hands in his soft hair and moaned into his kiss.
He ended the kiss and threw a dangerous smile at Brody. “I don’t know about you, but I’m thinkin’ we need to take a ride. There’re too many chances for interruptions here.”