“I heard you already met Jeremy Smith.”
“I met him.”
Randy flicked the guitar pick in his hand with his thumb. “You gonna do it? The show?”
“Clara thinks I should.”
“Wouldn’t hurt, that’s for sure.”
It would when Patricia Little got word of it.
Randy walked away and Clara moved in closer to him, her guitar already hanging in front of her.
“Ready?”
It would be a lie if he told her yes. “I will be.”
“Jeremy Smith is here.”
Randy looked out and saw him sitting at a table, there were others with him, their backs were turned to the stage. Knowing it was Jeremy Smith that was there to hear him put him at ease. He’d already met the guy and decided to work with him. Suddenly the set before him didn’t seem as daunting.
Though, he had noticed the entire table of Kellers waving up at him. He gave them a short wave back and moved out of sight of the audience.
He’d better not slip up and say anything about running away with his now fiancée. He’d better not even call her his fiancée.
The performer on stage ahead of them finished his set and the emcee for the night took the mic. A strange calm took over Warner’s body when he looked at Clara all gussied up and looking like a star. She was going to be his wife in a matter of days. That would be more wild than any performance he could ever give. The man in the audience wanted to have him on his TV show. That too was going to be quite an experience. His nerves kicked up when he looked out and saw Carlos looking up at him with his dark, stern eyes. The night had been fine until then. But Madeline reached over and had touched Carlos’s shoulder and he’d softened just as she’d spoken to him. That was what Warner wanted now, that kind of connection, and he had that with Clara.
“Okay, here we go,” Clara turned to him and said.
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Now let’s knock ‘em dead.”
Twenty minutes, that’s all they had to sell their goods and prove to this specific crowd that Warner Wright was worth showing off to the world. Randy had conveniently made himself nearly unnoticeable, but Clara shined like the star Warner thought she was.
They had killed it on Love Songs and his song Give It Up, which Clara had noted was his jaded song. When they started their finale with the song he’d written on the back of his eviction notice the crowd was on their feet.
It was only then that he noticed the woman at the table with Jeremy Smith was the platinum recording artist Savannah. A talent so big and a star so bright she only needed one name, just like Madonna or Cher.
Clara must not have noticed because her voice was solid and her chords were strong.
When he saw Clara’s father smiling and dancing with his wife, Warner knew they had a hit. The right person just had to hear it.
As they finished with the big finale he looked into Clara’s eyes. The curls she’d worried about had fallen limp and her hair framed her face. Her dark eyes were seductive and burning right there in front of God and the world—and they were meant for him.
They were a team and damn it felt good.
When the music stopped and the crowd before them was still on their feet and hollering their names he pulled Clara to him, as close as they could get with their instruments between them, and planted a kiss on her lips.
Thank goodness she’d been driving down the street singing at the top of her lungs. He was glad he wasn’t going to miss a moment with her.
They moved back stage and the electricity between the three of them was incredible.
“Did you see her?” Randy had a hand on each of their shoulders. “Did you see who was with Jeremy Smith?”
“Savannah!” Carla shouted as she jumped up and down. “Oh, Warner, when she heard Kick em’ Where it Counts did you see her eyes light up? To think you just threw that together the other day and she wants it. You could see it. She wants it!” She was jumping up and down and all Warner could do was smile.
“Did anyone notice she left the building?” Warner said calmly as the other two looked around the curtain.
“Doesn’t mean anything.” Clara shrugged. “Her people will call your people.”
“I don’t have people.”
“You have Jeremy Smith and he’s still out there waiting for you. So get your guitar stored and get out there and talk to the man.”
Warner nodded. He held his hand out to Randy. “Thanks for supporting me.”
“Hey, man, you have a great sound.”
That meant a lot coming from a man who was on his way to something big. Warner couldn’t wait to be that man too.
Clara went immediately to her family. Warner gave them a wave and walked over to Jeremy Smith. He knew Clara would fill them in and they’d forgive him for being rude and not saying hello.
When Jeremy saw him approach the table he stood and held out his hand to him.
“Warner, that was great. You sounded amazing.”
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.”
“Please, have a seat. Can I offer you a drink? Jack and Coke?”
Warner smiled pleasantly. “Just a Coke would be fine.”
Jeremy nodded and waved down a waitress to order drinks and then turned back to Warner.
“Have you given any thought to my proposal from yesterday? I have one space left and it’s all yours.”
Warner could feel his palms grow damp as his heart rate kicked up. “I have been thinking about it. And Clara and I were talking—and she thinks it would be a great opportunity for me to showcase my talents.”
“She’s very smart. That’s exactly what we want to do. I’ve seen you. I know a few artists that are making it big that don’t have as good a sound as you. And your writing style is fantastic.”
“Thank you.”
Jeremy leaned in over the table. “You did see who was here didn’t you?”
“I thought I saw Savannah.”
“You sure did. She’s looking for talent to open for her on tour. She had good things to say.”
That heat burned through his core again. His day was coming. He could feel it! Maybe when the ride was over he could teach again and no one would think twice of it.
He let out a breath. Where had that come from?
Well, no matter. This was the here and now. This was the life of a man who was going to elope with the woman of his dreams, be on a new TV show, and he was taking the comment as a sign that he’d be touring with Savannah. Now he just had to turn his body around and head to the Keller’s table and look Carlos Keller in the eye.