Chapter 22 #2
“Put these on,” Dusty said, handing them two lanyards. “Come with me, folks.”
Layne was baffled at where they were going as they followed Dusty inside the arena. The halls were busy, full of people scurrying about. Everyone moved with purpose.
Dusty stopped at a door and opened it, motioning them in. They walked through the first room and into a second one, filled with sofas. A long table laden with food was along one wall.
“Get yourself a drink. Something from the buffet,” Dusty suggested. “Case’ll be out when he can.”
“Thanks,” Keaton said as the older man left them.
Grabbing his arm, Layne asked, “We’re going to meet Case Wellborne?”
“I think. I hope. I sent him a message that we were coming to the concert tonight. He said his manager would get us in. That’s who Dusty was.”
Others now joined them, and they met the band’s drummer, a bass guitarist, and the keyboardist. All three had women with them and were friendly.
Layne learned two were wives, while the drummer had been with his girlfriend eleven years.
While she would never push Keaton into marrying her, she hoped they would tie the knot sooner than that.
Then Case Wellborne emerged from another door, followed by a woman with fiery red hair. He looked around and broke out into a smile.
Keaton and Layne both came to their feet, and Case shook hands with Keaton.
“Good to see you, brother.” He glanced to her. “And this is Layne?”
“Yes,” she said, her heart beating quickly. “So nice to meet you.”
Case slung an arm around the redhead who joined them. “This here’s Janine. My way better half. You know Keaton. This is Layne.”
“Nice to meet you,” Janine said. “Your guy made a cradle for us before we had our first baby. We were dirt poor. Ready to use a drawer in the dresser as a crib. Keaton carved up a sweet piece of maple and sanded and painted it. We’ve brought home four babies from the hospital, and every single one of them has slept in that cradle by our bed for their first few months. ”
Layne felt her throat swell with emotion. “That’s wonderful.” She looked to Keaton, who seemed embarrassed by Janine’s praise.
“Glad you’ve gotten good use out of it,” he said humbly.
“Let’s sit,” Case suggested, and they moved to open spots on the sofas.
“I’ll fix you a plate, hon,” Janine said, bustling off.
“She’s always taking care of me,” Case said.
“We’ve been together since eighth grade.
Janine believed in me when no one else did.
She’s the one who found the early gigs for me.
Booked me into bars and dive joints on the weekends.
The places became a little larger. The turnout grew.
She told me to quit painting and start writing more music, so that’s what I did. ”
Case turned his gaze to Keaton. “Always listen to your woman. Because they’re right—even when they’re not.”
They laughed at his joke, and Layne thought how down-to-earth the singer was.
“You’ve really had a great career,” Keaton said. “I still remember you singing while we painted. When I heard Drinkin’ Makes Me Drink You In on the radio, I couldn’t help but smile because you’d sung it enough while we were working together.”
“You haven’t done so bad for yourself,” Case said.
“I don’t know nothin’ about art, but Janine looked you up after I told her I’d heard from you.
You’re a painter now, Keaton. Not of houses.
Of real pictures people hang on the wall.
” He grinned. “And you charge a pretty price from what Janine says.”
Keaton shrugged. “You know those Highland Park wives. They’ll pay whatever you ask if they like it enough.”
“You’re being modest,” Janine said, handing her husband a plate and setting a beer down in front of him. “You’ve gone from painting rooms to producing gorgeous landscapes. Mountains. Woods. The sea.”
“Whether he knows it or not, I drew inspiration from this guy,” Keaton said, indicating Case.
“I was painting every Sunday back then. Honing my talent. When Case left the construction crew—and then I started hearing his songs on the radio—I thought if he could make it, so could I. Took me a little longer, but I’m happy with what I do now. ”
“Are you still living in Dallas?” Case asked.
“No. I moved to the Gulf Coast back in the spring. Near Corpus. I own a gallery in Driftwood Bay. We have a house there, right on the water.” he added, entwining his fingers with hers.
“Layne’s just inherited a B&B in the Bay from her folks.
You should come stay sometime. The beaches are pristine.
The fishing is good. Lots of great places to eat. ”
“Oh, Lordy. The kids would love that,” Janine said. “What’s it called?”
“The Bay Breeze,” she said. “We’d love to have you come and stay. It’s got four guestrooms, all with en suites.”
“Maybe when this tour finishes,” Case said. “We go through the end of July. Have to be finished because the two older ones are in school. Janine doesn’t like to tour without the kids, and I don’t tour without her. I focus more on recording now during the school year.”
“Then you’ll need a vacation,” Layne declared. “Come stay at the Bay Breeze. Or even with us. Our house is large enough for your whole family.”
“You do not want that zoo, honey,” Janine said, laughing. “But I’m thinking Mama and Daddy could come and stay with the kids for a few days in early August. We could sneak down and have some time to ourselves.” She smiled up at her husband. “Maybe make another baby?”
Case laughed. “You see why I have to keep making music? This woman’ll keep popping kids out as long as she can.”
“You love every one of them, Case Wellborne,” Janine chided playfully.
The singer grinned. “Not as much as I do you.”
Case kissed his wife, and Layne felt Keaton squeeze her hand.
“Give me your number, Layne,” Janine said, handing over her cell. “I’ll text you about when we could come stay at your B&B. Just the two of us this time around.”
She input her number and returned the cell. “Text me so I’ll have your number, and I’ll send you the website. You can choose whatever room you like, free of charge.”
Dusty appeared. “Case, you need to go warm up your voice.”
“Excuse me, folks,” the singer said, rising. “Gotta go earn a living. Babe, get them settled, would you?”
Layne learned that they wouldn’t be using the tickets Stacy had given Keaton. Instead, they would be sitting in the front row. Janine took them to the seats on the floor, just a few feet from the stage.
“It was great meeting you, Layne,” she said. “I’ll be in touch.”
Keaton grinned at her after Janine left. “Front row. All I can say is—wow!”
“You certainly know how to treat a lady,” she said, kissing him. “And Case and Janine are really nice. That’s so sweet, you building a cradle for them.”
He looked sheepish. “I’d forgotten about doing that.
I knew they were strapped for cash. We’d ordered some wood for a project, and the customer changed her mind halfway through.
My boss let me buy what was leftover at cost. By then, I wasn’t painting much anymore.
I’d moved into cabinetry and found I had a real talent for it.
I built the cradle and gave it to them. It wasn’t long after that when Case left. ”
“Well, I think it’s terrific they’ve used it for all their kids when they were babies.”
The lights blinked, signaling that the concert would be starting soon. Layne had gotten online and read where Case didn’t have a warmup act.
Two minutes later, the lights dimmed considerably, with stage lights coming up. The crowd began buzzing, and the air filled with electricity. The band took the stage and began playing, and she recognized the tune. When Case came walking out, she sprang to her feet, squealing like a teenager.
For the next hour, the country singer and his band rocked the house. Layne danced and sang, her heart light.
“He’s played so many of my favorite songs,” she told Keaton. “I’m having a wonderful time.”
“We’re gonna slow things done a touch,” Case said, taking a seat on a stool, a microphone in front of him. He picked out a tune on his guitar strings, and she knew what song would be played next.
In a husky voice, Case said, “This here is a song for my old buddy Keaton. He wanted it dedicated to Layne, his lady.”
Tears stung her eyes as Marry Me Before Sundown unfolded.
She turned to Keaton, who slipped an arm about her waist and took her right hand in his, swaying back and forth with her as Case sang the ballad.
Keaton’s gaze never left hers, and in it, Layne could feel all the love he had for her pouring from him.
When the last note sounded, he dropped to one knee, holding her hands in his.
“Marry me, Layne. Make me the happiest man alive.”
“Yes,” she told him. “You’re the only one for me.”
He came to his feet and took her in his arms as thousands of fans cheered the proposal.
Keaton broke the kiss. “Sundown has already come today. And we can’t get married tomorrow by sundown.
I’ve already checked. We need a license and have to wait seventy-two hours.
But I want to marry you, Layne. Soon. I’ve never wanted anything more than to be your husband. Whatever sundown we choose.”
“Then let’s go home and get us a license,” she told him. “I’m ready to be Layne Maxwell.”
They kissed again, the concert happening all around them.
Keaton broke the kiss and waved at Case as he took Layne’s hand and led her from the arena. She wasn’t like Piper, who devoured romance novels. Layne had never really believed in a true happily ever after.
Until now.
She was going to get one.
With Keaton Maxwell.
The love of her life.