Leigh smiled widely. “Speaking of rodeos…”
Chapter Ten
‡
JASE WATCHED THE end of the team calf-roping competition from his vantage point at the corner of the stage. He felt just like that damned calf right about now. Leigh had been the header, and his parents the heelers. They roped him and had him down in record time. He was here, but he wasn’t happy about it. As soon as he sang the last note, he was going to his apartment at the barn and he was getting drunk.
Considering he found out the headliner he was singing behind tonight would be none other than Wade Lawson, the man who stole his song, he thought he’d deserve one when he finished here. Leigh swore it had been someone else on the bill when she got the gig for him, but they canceled and Lawson had replaced them.
Jase had a hard time believing that. These kind of things were booked a year in advance. If he could manage to keep from throat punching the arrogant punk when he saw him, Jase would consider the night a success. Leigh insisted Jase was going to be the one to sing his song, but he wasn’t so sure of it. The backup band had the music, but the odds were that Lawson had it included in his set too. Jase was not getting into a sing-off competition with him, and he told Leigh that, so she was in Lawson’s dressing trailer right now making sure it didn’t happen.
The first act was a woman named Heather something, who he’d heard warming up earlier today. She was good, but she needed someone to give her some tips on dressing. Jase wasn’t a fashion critic, and he was a man who appreciated a woman’s assets, but somehow he didn’t think blue jean booty shorts and a sports bra were appropriate attire for a public performance, unless that performance was in a strip club.
For her sake, he hoped she changed before her set or her music wouldn’t be what the crowd focused on. They would be too busy taking bets on when the first wardrobe malfunction would happen. That was a shame, because she really was a good singer.
The crowd roared, as the winner was announced in the roping event, and Jase knew that signaled intermission had arrived, and the half-time show. He pushed up off of the barrel he’d been sitting on and walked backstage to get his guitar.
Heather was back there looking irritated, and he smiled at her, figuring she was just nervous. He noticed she had indeed changed outfits, but what she wore now was even worse than the booty shorts for a performance. The heavily-rhinestoned costume made her look like a poor imitation of Loretta Lynn. She was probably thirtyish, but in that getup she looked older, harder.
Jase kinda felt sorry for her and cursed himself for judging her. There could be a reason why she had no idea how to dress, and she seemed to be a very nice girl. Maybe she just couldn’t afford better, but that rhinestone outfit had to cost her a fortune.
“You ready for the big show?” he asked, walking over to stand beside her.
“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” she replied, then her black brows pinched down over her eyes. “If that bastard hits on me one more time, though, I might get thrown out for macing him, before I even get to perform.”
She looked back over her shoulder as if she expected to see the man who was harassing her, and Jase looked that direction too. Jase knew he shouldn’t get involved, but he had to ask, because he knew if the guy showed up and harassed her the odds were he would get involved. “Who’s bothering you?”
“Wade Lawson,” she growled, and Jase’s blood ran cold hearing the name. He almost hoped the man would come over here to harass her, because then he’d have a valid reason to punch the bastard’s lights out.
“What’s he doing to you?”
“He wants me to have sex, and that man is the skeeviest bastard I’ve ever met,” she said with disgust. “I also think he’s drunk.” Heather’s eyes slid down Jase’s body to the toes of his freshly-shined boots then she looked back up with a smile. “I wouldn’t mace you though, cowboy, or kick you out of bed.” One of her black eyebrows lifted. “But you’re not my type, are you?”
“What type is that?” Jase asked.
She walked over to lean her black guitar on a chair beside the huge speaker, then turned back to him. “The kind who would hang out with a woman from the Crazy Cowgirl when they’re off.”
“I’ve hung out with a lot of crazy cowgirls in my time,” Jase replied with a grin. “But somehow I don’t think that’s what you mean.”
“The Crazy Cowgirl is a cowgirl strip club,” she informed, with a laugh. “I dance there, when I’m not singing.”
That explained a lot about this woman, but again, who was he to judge? He sang songs to women in his underwear for money. He didn’t suppose there was too much difference between those two jobs, but Jase hadn’t really thought about that before. Maybe he shouldn’t take gigs from Tune In A Bucket anymore. But this woman had to have a reason for working there, other than money. “Why do you work there?”
She shrugged, and looked down at the toes of her high-heeled boots. “Girl has to earn a living until she makes it. That job feeds me and more than pays my bills. The only drawback is I have to deal with men like Lawson, but I can take care of myself.”
“I don’t doubt that at all,” Jase replied, noting the wariness in her blue eyes. “But if you worked somewhere else, you wouldn’t have to.”
“You’re on the radio, so I know you wouldn’t understand me working a job like that. I love your song by the way,” she said with a beautiful smile that showed every one of her perfect, white teeth.
“Thank you,” he replied, uncomfortable with the compliment.
This was the first time someone had mentioned hearing him on the radio, and it felt very strange. He hadn’t even heard the song himself, because since he walked out of Leigh’s office, he hadn’t turned on the radio. Right then he decided he was making a clean break, and music was no longer going to be a part of his life, because he knew if he heard Wade Lawson sing his song again he might just have a breakdown.
“There’s a packed house tonight. You nervous?” He knew he sure as hell was. Even if his parents weren’t in the audience, he’d still have the brick in his stomach. The dive bars he was used to playing, when he could get gigs, held maybe a hundred people tops. There were at least ten thousand in attendance at this rodeo.
She laughed loudly. “I dance in front of men half-naked five nights a week. No, I’m not nervous one bit.” Looking over his shoulder, her smile faded. “Shit, if it’s not one thing it’s another.”
“What?” Jase asked, turning to look that way, curling his fists, because he expected to see Wade Lawson. Instead, a tall blonde cowboy, who, from the number on his chest, was obviously a rodeo rider, strode toward them with purpose.
“That’s Zack Taylor, my best friend’s brother. I do not want to deal with him tonight,” she said, as she turned to grab her guitar and scurry up the stairs to the stage.
The man stopped beside him and glared up at the stage. “I need to talk to you, Heather!” he shouted angrily. “Don’t you leave this arena until you talk to me!”
When she got to the front of the stage she smiled back at him and flipped him her middle finger. The cowboy removed his hat, and beat it on his chaps. “Damned woman,” he grumbled, as he turned and walked off.
The back door behind the stage opened and the band members walked through. They nodded as they filed past him to climb the stairs. Jase heard the crowd roar when they walked onto the stage and it was deafening. His heart sped up, his palms began to sweat and he felt a beat trickle down his spine. Not good, he thought, heading toward the back door to get some fresh air. He pushed through the metal door and saw Leigh engaged in a heated argument with Glen Parsons and a man who had to be Wade Lawson.
The veins in her neck stuck out as she leaned into his face, stabbing her finger near into his chest to emphasize whatever she was saying. Smelling trouble about to break out, Jase took off running toward them, and tried to stop beside Leigh, but he skidded past and accidentally put a shoulder into Lawson. The prick stumbled backwa
rd several steps, before he fell on his ass looking stunned, then angry as hell.
“You are not letting him sing that damned song, Glen!” Leigh shouted. “You got the court order today! If he sings it, the judge will throw your ass, and his,” she hissed, pointing her finger toward Lawson. “In jail for contempt!”
“My attorney is handling that,” Glen Parsons said with a smug smile. “Wade is singing the song. If Sutter sings it, I’ll sue your ass for copyright infringement.”
“That’s a bullshit bluff and you know it since Jase wrote the fucking song. You stole it and you’re going to pay him for it!” Leigh shrieked.
“I did not steal anything—he gave it to me,” Parsons replied, pointing at Jase. “Didn’t you, Smith?” he asked with a wink. Moving back to Leigh, he patted her cheek. “Now, you be a good girl and go back to work for your daddy. You’re way out of your league here, babycakes.”
That was the last straw—the leash on Jase’s control snapped, adrenaline surged through him and with his fist curled he charged Glen Parsons, landing a punch to his jaw that snapped his head back on his shoulders. Lawson scrambled to his feet and charged Jase, knocking Leigh down in the process. Jase figured he was already in jail, so he might as well make this worth it. With a growl, he cocked his fist back and it shot forward to land squarely on Lawson’s nose. Lawson howled as he fell back with blood streaming down his arm. Both Lawson and Parsons lay on the ground moaning, as Leigh scrambled to her feet.
“Holy shit, Jase…what did you do?” she asked, her hand on her throat.
“I took care of the trash, and it felt damned good.”
“You didn’t have to hit him. I was handling him, and he only patted my cheek,” she grumbled under her breath, casting a glance back the Parsons.
“It sure looked to me like Parsons was assaulting you, so I had no choice but to defend you,” Jase said calmly.
Leigh threw up her hands. “What about Wade?”
“He pushed you down, didn’t he?” Jase countered.
She looked back at the men, then at Jase. “Think we can sell that?” Leigh asked, tongue in cheek.
“That asshole is drunk,” he said with a nod at Lawson. “And the other asshole definitely hit you in the face. Yes, I think we can sell it—because it’s the truth.”
The back door of the arena burst open and two guys in security shirts ran over to them, followed by two other men who looked to be rodeo officials. “What the hell is going on back here?” one of the officials demanded.
“Your headliner is drunk as a skunk. He assaulted my, ah, girlfriend, and harassed Heather, the other opening singer,” Leigh’s head snapped around to him and her eyes held all kinds of questions. Jase knew what they were, but he had no answers for her. The word just slipped out, and it seemed to lend weight to his right to defend her. They needed all the help they could get to avoid jail tonight.
“Assaulted how?” the official asked, his eyebrows slamming down over his eyes.
“Glen Parsons slapped Leigh in the face. The other drunk bastard knocked her down. They need to go to jail, because we’re pressing charges.”
“But he’s got to sing!” the second rodeo official shouted, pointing at Wade.
Jase wasn’t sure if it was from the nose blow or the alcohol, but it looked like Wade Lawson was down for the count. “I think he passed out, so I doubt he’ll be singing anything but the Jailhouse Blues tonight.”
The men looked at each other, then at the security guards. “Get them up and in the office until the cops get here.”
The guards helped Glen up first, but Wade wasn’t getting up. “Might need an ambulance for this one,” the guard said.
“What the hell are we going to do for entertainment now?” the second official asked.
Leigh stepped around Jase. “I’m sure my artist can fill in for him. Just tell Heather to extend her set, and he’ll get some songs lined up.”
“I only gave the band five songs,” Jase hissed, with panic tightening his chest.
“I’ll get Wade’s playlist. I’m sure most of what he has is just cover songs and you can sing them much better,” Leigh replied with a wide smile.
“Well, if you think he can do it, I’m game. I’m not paying Lawson, so I’ll just send you a check for the extended set. I’m never booking that drunk bastard again,” he grumbled as he turned to stomp back toward the arena.
“And isn’t that too damned bad for Lawson?” Leigh whispered, squeezing Jase’s arm. She turned and tiptoed to kiss his cheek. “Break a leg, baby.”
With a growl, Jase grabbed her and dragged her outside the range of the security light, and away from the guard who was with Lawson. “That’s not a good luck kiss.” He tilted her head back and said, “This is a good luck kiss.”
Jase’s lips touched hers and her sweetness filled his mouth. He sucked them, his tongue danced with hers and in seconds, Jase was intoxicated, hard as a rock and he wanted nothing more than to take her somewhere, and love her all night long. But he had a show to do and it must go on. But pulling away from her was the hardest thing he’d ever done. “I have to get ready, but hold that thought, because when I’m done we’re finishing this.”
“I’ll get the playlist,” Leigh said, running hand through her hair, making it messier, wilder than it was before the gesture. He loved her wild, wild hair. Jase loved more than that, but he needed to think on that more.
He’d never had a woman defend him, anyone defend him like she had. It had to mean something that she did that, and he was going to find out.
“I’ll meet you inside. I, ah, need a moment,” he said with a laugh, adjusting himself.
She stepped up and tiptoed to kiss his lips a final time. “Seriously, Jase, relax. You are going to be fantastic.” Her eyes told him she believed that, and the fact that she did touched him. It felt damned good to have someone in his corner.
He just wished he believed it himself.
This was so damned quick, and he hadn’t prepared. So many things could happen. Like he could get up there and freeze, because he was so damned nervous. “I sure hope so, baby. If not, have the car ready so we can exit stage left, before they give me the hook.”
“Hope is not an option. As Nike says, just do it!” She laughed and patted his chest, before backing away to give him a finger wave as she turned toward the arena.
*
AFTER HIS SECOND encore, Leigh watched Jase take a final bow and she didn’t think a nuclear attack could take the smile off of her face. In all likelihood it would be there two weeks from now. And so would this feeling of pride in her chest. She was so damned proud of him she could spit. And of herself. They had done it. Together.
The crowd was still pounding on the metal bleachers in the arena when he faded behind the drums to get to the stairs, but they turned up the lights. The rodeo must go on, and because of the two encores they were forty-five minutes behind.
Jase reached the stairs, their eyes met and his smile lit up her insides. His shirt was stuck to him with sweat, and he looked exhausted, but she could feel the excitement buzzing off of him in waves, all the way over where she stood. He double-timed it down the steps to walk over and grab her up in a big bear hug before he spun her around in dizzying circles.
“Jase, put me down,” she mumbled into his shirt, and he stopped to put her on her feet, but grabbed her chin lifting her face to his for a soft, sweet kiss.
“Thank you, baby,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. “This night has been the best night of my life.” But then his eyes widened, and he corrected, “With the exception of that night in Bobby’s apartment, or maybe the day I broke up with you in my drawers.”
“Yes, that was memorable, and the night at Bobby’s was great too,” Leigh agreed, putting her hand on his chest. “But this one ranks right up at the top of my list. As of tonight, you, sir, are well on your way to becoming a country music superstar.”
The metal stairs rattled as the band members exi
ted the stage. They looked up, saw him and all walked over to his shake his hand, saying “Good job, man, or killed it, or that rocked, dude.”
Leigh sighed, watching them leave through the back door. “I’m going to be a busy lady next week.”
“Why is that?”
“My phone will be ringing off the hook for bookings for you.”
Jase’s hands dropped from her shoulders, and he looked away. “I don’t know if I want more,” he said.
“Don’t start that again, Jase,” she growled with frustration. “This is what you were born to do. Your mother said so!”
A sexy grin kicked up the corner of his mouth, when he looked back at her. “She did, didn’t she?”
“Yes, she did—and you promised her you wouldn’t ever stop singing. You wouldn’t lie to your momma, would you?”
“Not in a million years, baby,” Jase replied, pulling her to him to kiss the top of her head. “How long are you going to use that card now that you have it in your hand?” he mumbled into her hair.
“As long as it takes to convince you she’s right—we’re right.”
He sighed deeply. “That could take a helluva long time.”
“I’m single, so all I have is time.”
Jase pushed her away and with a fierce look, said, “You’re not single, you’re my girlfriend, remember?”
Leigh’s heart melted to hear him repeat what he’d said earlier, to confirm it hadn’t been an accident, but it scared her too. A few weeks ago, Leigh decided that if Jase Smith ever decided he was interested in her, she would consider trying an unofficial committed relationship with him, because he was a man worth the gamble.
But she wasn’t there yet. The idea would take some getting used to, and a lot of trust building between them to get her there. Leigh knew what would probably speed things along though. “I’m not your girlfriend until you make love to me, remember?”
Jase pulled her to him and stared down at her. “I say we skip the drive back to Dallas and find a No Tell Motel in this town. But I really want one with a mirror on the ceiling, so I can show you how things are done.”
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