Chapter Thirteen
LATE THAT EVENING, guilt and anticipation swirled inside Diana like milk in the hot mint tea in front of her as she settled in at a barbecue restaurant. Garlands and a Christmas tree near the entrance insisted on making the place festive, but she felt anything but.
She should be out there searching for her friend. Laredo had suggested canceling his gig, but she didn’t want him to fail his obligations. She’d followed up on the leads she already had, and their flight wasn’t until tomorrow, anyway.
Was it selfish to want to support him? Selfish to appear in public, considering she might be a target? More guilt pressed on her shoulders. Granted, as an experienced bodyguard, Rachel promised everyone they’d encounter top-notch security here, and she’d be watching the cameras. And Laredo’s family rallied around Diana in several senses, but she’d let her growing affection for him cloud her judgment. It could also be her only chance to hear him sing live. This was one of the rare times in life when she did what she wanted instead of what she was supposed to.
Would she pay for it dearly?
Her gut twisted for several reasons, and she took a soothing sip to calm down. If she was this nervous, she could only imagine how Laredo felt. The restaurant was filled to the brim. She craved the glass of liquid that would give her courage. How on earth did people do this sober?
“I’d never be able to sing in front of a crowd,” she said to Marina, Kai, Saylor, and Darius at the table. “Honestly, I’d rather die.”
Oops! What a thing to say! She flinched, then sent up a prayer for Pat. While her faith was as shaky as her voice right now and she’d been raised to be independent, she needed all the help she could get.
His family, who’d come to support Laredo, formed a protective circle around her in the seating arrangements. Marina and the others kept an eye out for any suspicious activity instead of watching the stage.
“Me, either,” Darius grumbled.
“I don’t know. I can’t sing to save my life, but I might make a good comedian.” Saylor twirled a string of her chestnut hair.
Darius’s face lit up as if Saylor turned an invisible switch. “You totally would.”
Diana had never had this many people supporting her . Her heart ached, and her fingers tightened around the warm cup.
The only person who ever did was her best friend. Who was still missing. Sweet tea soured in her stomach.
Laredo glanced her way from the stage, and her heartbeat increased. She ironed out her frown and managed a wobbly smile. His expression was apprehensive. Was he having stage fright again?
“You’ll do awesome,” she mouthed to him, then gave him two thumbs-up. She had no doubt about it. She’d found several of his videos online, by the looks of it recorded by patrons of this restaurant. Even from her amateur perspective, she could say he was insanely talented, and again, she felt inadequate.
No! She squared her shoulders. She’d lived in other people’s shadows for too long. She wanted to stand on her own now.
He nodded to her, then checked the microphone.
With his arm still in a sling, he wouldn’t be able to play the guitar, so the music was prerecorded, but the voice would be live.
“Thank you for supporting Laredo,” she said.
“Of course!” everyone echoed. “We’re family.”
Being family meant different things to different people. Her parents, for example.
Kai chuckled and saluted with his honey-smothered chicken wing. “Plus, the food is great.” How could he manage a plate of wings after their steak dinner?
Diana felt too nervous to eat, even if she hadn’t eaten much at dinner.
Laredo looked around, and the patrons’ humming stopped. “Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for being here tonight, and I hope you’ll enjoy your evening. I wish you a very happy holiday season. I’ll start with a Christmas song, a country favorite, and then I have a new song to add, as well.”
After a few whoops, many people clapped, though, surely, Diana was the most enthusiastic.
Then Marina’s eyes narrowed as she received some notification on her phone. “This is from Rachel. That’s not a good development.” She moved closer to Diana. “It’s going to be a logistical nightmare.”
Whispers rose among patrons. What was happening?
Darius frowned. “It can’t be her!”
“It is.” Kai’s jaw set tight. “The gall to show up here.”
“Whoa!” someone yelped. “We have a celebrity in the house.”
More shouts and cheers erupted as people jumped from their seats.
Her heart twisting, Diana turned. Just who was everyone looking at? Her heart dropped on the tiled floor.
Lolly beamed as she leaned against the entrance wall, giving out autographs. Two men built as cupboards in black suits flanked her. Her spectacular red hair flowed over her shoulders, and she’d tied a tight Wrangler shirt to expose her flat abdomen and pierced navel. How come she wasn’t cold?
Easy to guess who she was. Though after listening to Laredo’s first-love story, Diana looked up her videos, as well, and had grudgingly recognized Lolly was a good singer. But not as good as he was, though Diana might be partial here.
Oh no.
Her gaze switched to Laredo on the makeshift stage. She expected to feel jealousy, but instead, worry for him seared her well-bundled stomach with an acid touch. The music started, but he stood frozen on stage.
Then Lolly lifted her hand. “I’m just here to hear Laredo sing.”
Right. Diana suppressed a scoff. Then her insides went cold. This couldn’t be a coincidence. Was Lolly here to get back with her first love? Diana would never be able to compete and wouldn’t try to. A heavy loss nearly overwhelmed her, but what did she expect?
The gorgeous songstress took her place at a table with her bodyguards.
The music started again, a familiar Christmas song. People brought out their phones, some to record the celebrity, but some to film Laredo. No sound came from him. Was he still pining for Lolly so much that her sudden appearance left him speechless at the worst possible moment?
Diana’s worry escalated into panic.
No, no, no.
If people put a humiliating video online, he might never sing in public again.
She pivoted and sent Lolly a silent plea for help. If Lolly stepped to the stage right now and sang with him, she’d not only save his performance but also help him find a huge audience. It didn’t even matter much to Diana if Laredo and Lolly sang the duet for the rest of their lives right now. Diana was desperate for him to be happy.
Lolly flipped her spectacular hair that surely would look awesome on her social media feed and remained seated. She lifted her phone as if recording his silence.
Heat roiled Diana. Wasn’t ruining his life once enough? What games was that woman playing?
His family’s expressions became pained as the music started again and he remained silent. A few boos rang out, and people continued recording. These days, anyone’s embarrassment could be shared online for the world to mock.
Darius frowned. “I’d go up on that stage if all the musical talent in the family didn’t go to Laredo.”
“I heard you sing. You’ll make it worse. I don’t have a good voice, but something needs to be done. If I get booed, so be it. I’ll go.” Kai got up.
“I’ll go.” Who said that?
Diana was on the stage when she realized she was who said it. What on earth was happening? She had difficulty even talking to strangers. How was she going to sing in front of them? Not to mention, it wasn’t safe. With her heartbeat thrumming in her ears, she nearly shriveled back.
Instead, she channeled inner Pat and snatched the mike. Her friend would march onto the stage and belch out the song or something. They did sing sometimes on the karaoke machine at home, and Pat said Diana had a fantastic voice. But, of course, Pat would say so. Pat always loved and encouraged her.
“I’ll be joining Laredo tonight,” Diana said into the microphone. “I’ll do my best not to ruin your appetite.” Her stomach quivered like she’d never be able to eat again.
People chuckled while Lolly’s mouth twisted.
Laredo’s family clapped and hollered their approval, though several of them got up and moved closer, shaking their heads.
Right. What if someone took a shot at her? Yet that seemed way less scary than singing in front of all these people.
“What are you doing?” Laredo mouthed to her.
Hopefully singing without humiliating them both.
The first sounds she made more resembled mewling than singing, but then she found her groove. When she looked at him, somehow everyone else disappeared. She sang for him. Only for him, and the melody strengthened.
She even heard someone clapping. Might be his family who’d clap even if she wasn’t good.
Soon, he joined her. That made her heart sing.
He also only looked at her, and it made her tremble. Well, tremble more than she already had. It was a miracle her teeth weren’t chattering. It would be difficult to sing, then. Then it registered again that there were a lot of people. She couldn’t utter another word, but Laredo’s voice picked up and carried on, enveloping her in its beauty.
The moment the song was over, she stumbled from the stage, her cheeks burning— everything in her burning.
Laredo’s family crowded around her again as she took her seat. Applause erupted while her hands covered her face. Who’d ever believe she’d done that ?
“I want to thank the beautiful and talented Diana, a woman I admire with all my heart, for joining me tonight. For doing me the great honor of singing together.” Emotion caught in Laredo’s voice. “My next song is dedicated to her.”
Thunk!
A door slammed. Diana pulled her hands away from her face. “What happened?”
“Lolly left with her bodyguards.” Kai raised his cider glass in a salute, looking very much like a cocky pirate.
“You were awesome.” Darius grinned.
“Agreed.” Marina grimaced. “Though you shouldn’t have taken the risk.”
“I’m sorry,” Diana whispered. She’d put these people in danger. She hadn’t meant to, but it was a flimsy excuse.
“Don’t be.” Several of Laredo’s brothers rushed the words out together.
But then everyone quieted as Laredo started singing again. The song was beautiful, and so was his voice. Then he walked from the stage and stopped at one table, then another one, until he was near Diana.
What was he doing?
He took off his cowboy hat, dropped on one knee, and continued singing, his focus intent on her. Her jaw dropped. Was he... was he serenading her?
Her heart thumped, and all breath left her as she sat mesmerized. She’d never had anyone serenade her and never imagined anyone ever would. It had an even more significant meaning because the song was dedicated to her—she didn’t dare dream it was written for her, as well—and the singer was already winning her heart.
Even when he returned to the stage, she was afraid to breathe.
“Uh-oh,” someone at the other table said. “Lolly streamed the duet song live on her feed. With her huge number of followers, it went viral.”
Kai whistled. “Our brother just might’ve become famous.”