Love Songs (14 page)

Randy hadn’t told her who was going to be there to listen to them. But she did wonder if Jeremy Smith had anything to do with the booking date.

She had told him to accept the TV show proposal, but she wondered how much that would just feed Patricia Little’s need to tear Warner down.

She wasn’t going to think about it. First she needed to get through the night. And then she needed to decide if she was going to tell her family that she was running away to get married, or if she should save that news for later.

Sunday night and the bar was packed. Warner had to wonder if the people of Nashville had a life.

Randy was already there and ready to back him up, but he hadn’t looked surprised when he saw Clara and gave her a big hug. Perhaps Warner had been the last one to know she’d be performing with him.

All the better, he decided. That way he hadn’t had too much time to piss her off by practicing over and over before the show.

“You ready, Warner?” Randy placed his hand on his shoulder.

“I suppose.”

“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.

Hard times were ahead.

When Jeremy Smith finished his drink he shook Warner’s hand again and said he’d be in touch in a few days. He strode out of the bar as if he owned the whole town and Warner turned and walked toward the Keller’s table.

Darcy jumped out of her chair and ran toward him throwing her arms around his neck. He had no choice but to grab hold and let her hug him.

“Oh-my-God! You were amazing. Just amazing. And you wrote all those songs. Oh-my-God!”

He laughed as he set her back on her feet and she smiled up at him.

“Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the set,” Warner said as Ed walked up and shook his hand.

“Enjoyed it? She was screaming like you were Dierks Bently or something.”

“That’s quite an honor to be compared.”

Darcy smacked Ed on the arm. “You were wonderful. And we saw who was here. Isn’t that exciting?”

“Very exciting.” Warner tried to keep a calm in his voice.

It was then he noticed Carlos stand and move toward him. His mouth went dry.

Carlos held his hand out and shook Warner’s. “That was a fine show you put on.”

“Thank you, sir. I couldn’t do it without Clara and Randy.”

Carlos nodded. “Oh, I think you could.” He placed his hand on Warner’s shoulder turning him slightly. “How about we step outside and get some air?”

He started for the door and Warner was sure he could feel his knees grow weaker. He turned to look at Clara, but she was deep in conversation with her mother.

Carlos was outside and already leaned up against the building when Warner made it through the crowd by the bar.

“Starting to get colder,” Carlos said looking up at the sky.

“Sure is.”

Carlos had his feet crossed at his ankles and his thumbs tucked into the front pockets of his jeans.

Warner stood there in the awkward silence and prayed for mercy.

“This kinda takes Clara out of her normal line of performing.”

“Yes, sir, it does. She was doing me a great favor by being here tonight.”

He nodded. “Must have meant a great deal to her to give up her last night on stage.”

“I never asked her to do that, sir. She said it was planned and she’d be here. I’d never ask her to give up anything for me.”

Carlos stood up straight, his thumbs still tucked into his pockets. “She’s a smart woman.”

“Yes, sir, she is.”

“She wouldn’t fall into the wrong crowd or follow something she didn’t have a passion for.”

“I agree.”

“She seems to have fallen for you and that scares me to death.”

The pain in Warner’s chest felt as if Carlos had shoved a knife into his heart.

“Sir, I don’t mean her…”

Carlos held his hand up. “I’m her father. It’s supposed to scare me to death.” He rested his hand on Warner’s shoulder. “Clara is thirty years old. She’s old enough to make her own decisions.”

Warner had no more words. He only nodded.

“I want her happy and taken care of.”

“Sir, I have every intention of taking care of her and making her happy forever.”

Carlos dropped his hand. “Forever, huh?”

“Yes, sir. I have no intention of just being someone in passing. I would like to spend the rest of my life with Clara.”

Carlos bit down on his lip and looked out to the street. “You’re saying you plan on a lifetime?” he asked and then looked back at Warner.

“Yes, sir. I do. And if I may, I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I’d love to have your blessing on that lifetime.”

Carlos rubbed the back of his neck. “It sounds like you’ve given this some thought.”

“I have.”

“I thought you moving in was a little fast. This seems even faster.”

“I wouldn’t have moved in had I thought it was short term.”

“That Little woman on TV doesn’t have anything nice to say about you.”

Of all the times for Patty’s opinions of him to affect his life, this wasn’t the time.

“Those are her own opinions, sir. I don’t have anything to do with her.”

Carlos smiled. “I know. You handle her criticisms very well.”

“Again, those are her own opinions. I continue to do what I can to build my career.”

“Warner, I think you’re going to do just great, career wise. And if Clara sees something in you then I know Ms. Little is wrong about you.”

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

“As for that lifetime thing,” Carlos blew out a breath. “It scares me to death.”

“Me too.”

Carlos laughed. “It should. Women are strange creatures, but worth it.”

“I think so too.”

“If Clara chooses you then you have my blessing.”

His limps went numb. “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

He wanted to hug him, but at this point he’d probably start to cry.

Carlos nodded. “Do you fish?”

“I haven’t fished since I was a young boy in Memphis.”

“Curtis and I are planning a trip in a few weeks before it gets too cold. I think we convinced Ed to come along. Why don’t you join us?”

“I’d like that.”

Carlos placed his hand back on Warner’s shoulder as they turned back for the bar. “We can have this discussion again when there is running water to throw you in,” he said with a laugh, but Warner wondered if secretly he already knew their plan.

Clara opened the back door to the house and turned on the kitchen lights as Warner cleared the last step.

“I’m not home for three days and you move a man in the house?” Christian’s voice rang out from the living room.

“Hey, my name is on the lease now, not yours.”

Christian limped into the kitchen, a bag of peas wrapped to his knee with an ace bandage. “Just saying it would have been nice to have been told.”

Warner walked through the door and shut it behind him. “Sorry. Did I interrupt?”

“No, man. I’m just busting her chops. How was your show?”

“It was good,” Warner said walking up to Clara, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Your sister was phenomenal.”

She slapped him on the arm and moved to the refrigerator, pulling out two bottles of water. “It wasn’t about me. It was about this very talented man. Did you know they want to put him on a TV show? That’s right. He’s going to be a huge star.”

Warner took the bottle of water she offered him and opened it quickly. He had a hard time hearing people brag about him. It certainly wasn’t something he was used to.

“TV? That’s cool. Sell any of your songs yet?”

Warner swallowed the water he’d just taken in. “I’m hoping the TV show will help me do that. Though, I think if I could get someone to sign me I’d really like to do that more than sell my music.”