Frank leaned closer. “Let’s keep that between the two of us.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” Trista looked around the crowded restaurant. It seemed like more and more people were showing up the later it got. Tables were overflowing with patrons, and the walls were lined with people holding their drinks while they waited for the band to start. “Have you seen Savannah? She said she needed to go up to the room for a minute, but she hasn’t come back.”
Frank nodded. “She’s with Seth.”
“Seth? Our Seth?”
Frank smiled. “She showed up at his room just before I called my wife.”
“Oh, boy. I need to go get her. This isn’t going to be good.” Trista grabbed her purse and stood up.
“I’ll walk you up,” Frank said, standing up and pushing in his chair.
She placed a hand on Frank’s shoulder. “That’s sweet, but I’m sure I won’t be gone long.”
“You’ve got that right,” Frank said, looking over her shoulder. “Looks like she’s back. And she’s brought someone with her.”
Trista followed Frank’s line of sight and saw Savannah entering the restaurant with a smile big enough to light up the room. And behind her was Seth. He wore a black button-down shirt, faded blue jeans, and a pair of worn-looking Converse. And he had his guitar with him. She looked at Frank, a question in her eyes.
“It looks like he’s going to put on a show after all,” Frank said, taking his seat.
Savannah continued walking toward her while Seth made his way down the aisle. One person after another noticed him carrying his guitar, and a wave of clapping began. Seth didn’t so much as smile or look at another person. His eyes remained fixed on the ground as he headed toward the stage. Deana pushed her way through the crowd of people, stopping Seth a few feet from the stage. Trista couldn’t hear what they were saying through all the talking and clapping, but she saw Seth smile as Deana wrapped her arms around him.
“Mom, can you believe it? Seth is going to sing a song.”
Trista hugged Savannah. “I really didn’t think he would do it.”
Deana walked away and came back with a stool. Seth took it and set it in the middle of the stage. He adjusted the microphone to fit his height and gave it a tap. People continued to clap, and Trista noticed young women smiling and whispering. She didn’t have to hear them to know what they were saying. Seth Storm was in his element. If anyone had ever been made for the stage, it was Seth.
Seth leaned over, unlatched his case, and opened the lid. He pulled out his guitar and set it on his lap. Trista thought he looked nervous, yet natural. The lights dimmed except for the ones right above him, and the crowd quieted.
Seth leaned toward the microphone. “Hello, everyone. I’m Seth Storm and…” The crowd interrupted him with a roar of cheers and clapping. He waited a moment for the noise to settle and then continued. “Is everyone here staying warm tonight?” Again the crowd cheered. “I’d like to give a big congrats to the bride and groom, Mr. and Mrs. Deebles.” Everyone turned to the wedding party table where the bride sat in her new husband’s lap. People whistled and cheered, and even the Deebles clapped.
“I know you were supposed to have a band here tonight, and I’m sorry they weren’t able to make it due to the crazy weather we’ve been dealing with. Every couple should have a song on their wedding day, so if ya’ll don’t mind, I’d like to give you that song. It’s one I’ve never played in public before. I hope ya’ll like it.” The crowd cheered loudly enough to be heard in the next county. Seth found Trista and nodded at her. Then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The crowd went quiet. He adjusted the guitar in his hands and then plucked a few musical notes that sounded as beautiful as anything Trista had ever heard before. The few notes turned into a melody, and his eyes opened.
His fingers plucked each string with precision and grace. Just when Trista thought she hadn’t heard anything so beautiful in all of her life, Seth started to sing.
When the wind is blowin’,
And darkness is growin’,
I reach out to hold your hands.
I want you here with me,
Your touch is all I need,
But life has stolen our plans.
Seth paused and his eyes closed, but his fingers never stopped playing.
When I close my eyes,
Nothing feels the same.
Can’t hide from the storm,
No one else to blame.
When I pound my fist,
All that’s left is pain.
Tears fall from my eyes,
As cold as the rain.
Trista looked around and found the crowd in a trance, everyone caught up by the melody and Seth’s sweet voice.
You showed me how to feel,
You made my life seem real,
Now I feel like I’m insane.
This world doesn’t seem fair,
Spinning without a care,
I wish I could stop this train.
When I close my eyes,
Nothing feels the same.
Can’t hide from the storm,
No one else to blame.
When I pound my fist,
All that’s left is pain.
Tears fall from my eyes,
As cold as the rain.
The pain in his voice echoed the hole in his heart and the darkness in his soul. The same darkness Trista had just seen in those cool blue eyes.
I try to run but fall,
Can’t climb over this wall.
Your ghost is walking away.
I try to stop you now,
I try to scream out loud.
But I can’t get you to stay.
When I close my eyes,
Nothing feels the same.
Can’t hide from the storm,
No one else to blame.
When I pound my fist,
All that’s left is pain.
Tears fall from my eyes,
As cold as the rain.
Seth stopped singing. His head fell and his eyes closed. His fingers stopped playing. Silence filled the room, and time seemed to slow. Trista’s heart pounded inside her chest like a sledgehammer, breaking more with each second he left her hanging. Finally, his fingers plucked a string, sending a soft note across the room, filling it with all the pain he felt. Then came another and another until the haunting melody of his song returned, leaving her wanting more and more. His lips opened as he sang the last chorus with everything he had inside of him.
When I close my eyes,
Nothing feels the same.
Can’t hide from the storm.
There’s no one else to blame.
Tears fall from my eyes.
They reveal my shame.
The only thing I know
Is that I’m just too late.
The only thing I know,
The only thing I know
Is that I’m just too late.
Chapter 27
Trista
The last string on Seth’s guitar had been plucked, and the entire room was silent. Seth opened his eyes and looked around. Trista thought he looked nervous. Then the clapping started, followed by a series of cheers and whistles. A smile formed on Seth’s face, and Trista saw the Seth Storm so many had loved. Seth Storm: Musician, country singer, superstar.
He put away his guitar and came down from the tiny stage. The wedding couple was the first to greet him. Next in line was Deana, who hugged him like he was her own son. Harvey stood next to her and extended a hand of gratitude. And then the rest of the place lined up. Seth either hugged or shook the hand of nearly every person in Cupid’s Corner as he made his way to the back table where Trista, Savannah, and Frank waited for him.
“That was—”
“Oh my gosh, that was so awesome!” Savannah interrupted Trista, running around the table to give Seth a huge hug. “That is my new favorite song.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Like it? I love it. And I can’t wait to tell everyone about today.”
“It was a wonderful song,” Trista told him.
Seth turned to her and smiled. “Thank you.”
“Now I can say that I’ve been to my first country concert. You’re a talented man, Seth.” Frank extended a hand.
Seth shook it. “Thank you, Frank.” He held his hand a bit longer. “For everything.”
Frank smiled and nodded.
Trista heard another commotion start up over by the restaurant’s entrance, drawing everyone’s attention. A group of guys wearing coats, scarfs, and hats and carrying instruments walked in.
“Looks like they made it,” Seth said, clapping.
“Is that Lightning Strikes?” Savannah asked.
“It looks like it.”
“This is amazing.” She pulled out her cell phone. “I’m going to see if I can get a picture with them.” She ran from the table and joined the mob.
Trista turned to Seth, who appeared to be completely unaffected by Savannah’s quick change in hero. “Sorry about that.”
Seth shook his head. “Don’t be. That’s the life of a musician. One minute you’re hot, and the next you’re not,” he said with a grin. “I completely understand her excitement.” Seth sat down. Trista and Frank joined him.
“That really was amazing,” she said. “I figured you must be talented to have had the success you’ve had, but I had no idea how good you really were.”
“So you were serious all along about not knowing who I was.”
She nodded and smiled. “Sorry. Like I said, country music isn’t my thing.”
Seth placed a hand on his chest, feigning an ache. “Now I’m hurt.”
“I haven’t been much of a follower either,” Frank said.
Seth turned toward Frank and slid back in his chair. “Now you guys are just gangin’ up on me.”
“You know it,” Frank joked.
“Excuse me,” said a male voice from behind them, “but I heard Seth Storm was in here tonight.”
Seth turned around and stood up. A young man stood in front of him. He held out his hand, which Seth shook. “Hey, brother. What brings you all the way out here?”
Seth drew in a deep breath. “Makin’ a trip to my hometown up north. It’s good to finally meet you guys. I’ve heard a lot of great things about you.”
“I’m Leonard.” The man turned to the side so that the rest of the band could shake Seth’s hand. “That’s our bass player, Dallas; this is our drummer, Flint; and this is our lead guitarist, Ned. We’re huge fans of your work. You’re like legendary, man.”
Seth smiled. “I don’t know about that, but thank you.”
“Seriously, man. You’re one of the reasons we decided to go for it. Your story about how you struggled for years, never givin’ up until you were standing on a stage in front of thousands…man, that’s some good stuff.” He turned to the rest of the group, and they nodded. “We just knew that we weren’t going to stop until we made it.”
“Well, from what I’ve been hearing, you’re there. Congratulations.”
“Thanks, man, but we have a ways to go to catch up to the famous Seth Storm. Hey, man, would you mind playin’ a set with us?”
Seth turned to Trista with a questioning look. She had been staring in awe at the star power in front of her, but she shook herself out of it. “Oh, he definitely wants to play with you guys.”
Seth rolled his eyes. “Give me a bit and when you guys are warmed up, I’ll come up and play with you.”
Leonard shook Seth’s hand again and slapped him on the arm. “Thank you so much. This is going to be great.”
*****
It didn’t take long for the band to get set up and play a few songs. The crowd loved them, and in a few cases, some of the fans were allowed to get up on stage and sing along with the band.
Trista found herself caught up in it all. “Do you miss it?” she asked Seth as they watched the band together.
“I don’t think about it much,” he admitted. “Lately I’ve been more focused on other things.”
“But you looked so…natural up there.”
“I’ve had some practice.”
“Hey, everyone,” Leonard’s voice boomed from the speakers. “It’s time to slow this party down. After all, this is the night of love. The lovely Deebles had their wedding, and it’s Valentine’s Day, so I want to see everyone out on this dance floor with their arms wrapped around the one they love.” The restaurant went quiet as the Deebles stepped onto the dance floor. They were followed by two sets of older-looking folks. Trista guessed they were the proud parents of the young married couple. The lights in the restaurant dimmed once again.
Trista turned to Seth, who was watching the couples with unblinking eyes. She wondered if he would ask her to dance. Probably not. It wasn’t like they had gotten along through much of their trip. She smiled and shook her head, amazed at the turn of events over the past few days. When she had first seen Seth in the airport, she had pegged him as a jerk. A jerk who probably couldn’t even sing. She had kneed him in the groin—twice, and poured her drink on him. All it had taken was seeing him on stage and hearing him pour out his heart for her to see how very wrong she had been about him. And now? Now she was thinking about the two of them dancing. She was as bad as her lovestruck daughter.
“Would you like to dance?” Harvey interrupted her daydream, holding his hand out to her.
She took his hand. “I’d love to.” He led her to the dance floor and placed his left hand on her waist. She stood closer and waited for him to move. It didn’t take long for them to find their way into the rhythm of the music, and Trista couldn’t help but feel like a girl at a school dance. In fact, it may have been that long since she had danced with a boy she barely knew. And she enjoyed it, even if the boy was a man old enough to be her father. “You’re a good dancer,” she told him.
“Thank you. Deana and I have been dancing for years. She likes to keep me on my toes.” Harvey looked over Trista’s shoulder and nodded. “Looks like I’m not the only one she likes to keep on his toes.” He spun Trista around, and she laughed. Deana had somehow coaxed Seth into dancing with her.
“I can’t believe it,” Trista said.
Harvey spun her around again. “She can be a very persuasive woman. When she’s got somethin’ in her head, there’s just no gettin’ it out. Kind of like buying this place.”
“It appears that her gumption has paid off then?”