Shadows in the Curtain (Destination Billionaire Romance)
Page 14
Dang. She kicked the side of the fence and listened to the stupid, whiny country music.
The feel of her phone vibrating pulled her from her dark thoughts. Brad. Clearing her throat, she stuck her ear to the phone and plugged her other ear with her hand. “Hey.”
“I take it you got there safely.”
The relationship had developed in an office setting, long nights working on cases. Although she’d been reluctant to get close to anyone, Brad was fun. “Yes.”
“You said you’d call,” Brad accused.
It wasn’t in her nature to be responsible for her time to anyone. This part of any relationship she didn’t care for. “Oh, sorry. Yep, I’m here.”
“So, you’re watching the concert?”
“I’m not watching,” she insisted. “I’m waiting for it to end.”
The crowd got louder, and it was impossible to carry on a conversation.
“Sorry. I’ll call later!” she yelled, and pressed end.
Shutting off her phone, she flung back to stare at the big stage. Smoke flooded the stadium, and Montana appeared on a lift in the center of the stage. He wore a black hat, his head tilted down; a black muscle shirt with the sleeves cut off, showing off his tan, muscled biceps; dark jeans; and black boots. A screen played various moments of various country music videos he’d been in.
When Montana had made it big, she’d vowed never to listen to his music, and she’d made good on her promise. Every time it came on the radio, she turned it off. If she went to a club and it was playing, she left. By all accounts, Lily had taken great care to scrub her life free of ever knowing Montana Crew.
For a second, as she watched Montana bring the mike to his lips, her mouth went completely dry. He was gorgeous. And she recognized the song: the one he’d played the first night she’d known she was in love.
* * *
She remembered sitting next to Jason the bonfire hot against her skin. Jason’s mother insisted Montana play a song on his guitar for them. At first Lily had only listened because Montana was so cute. His slow, sweet smile, the way his blue eyes lit up when she entered a room, and the magnet-like pull she felt for him got her attention.
But when she heard him play and then sing, she’d been lost.
He was good. More than good. It was like one of the times she’d been in art class and seen a picture of Starry Night by Van Gogh for the first time. Immediately, she’d recognized greatness. Montana had it.
The indescribable quality of greatness, even at sixteen, singing a song she’d never heard before—one he’d made up. The words had been so raw, so vulnerable, so everything. They’d made her feel like the first time she’d tasted peach ice cream when she was five at her grandmother’s house—surprised, delighted, wanting more.
When he’d ended, two of her friends had sat on the ground staring up at him, completely star struck. The same look they had when they watched MTV and Bon Jovi. But it didn’t matter, because the only one Montana looked at…was her.
The music ended and the crowd went wild, bringing her back to the present.
Finally, she let out a sigh of relief. She would give him the envelope and be done with Montana Crew—forever.
Watch for Almost Everything in May of 2016.
About the Author
CAMI CHECKETTS IS A WIFE to a daredevil husband, a mother to four future WWF champions, an exercise scientist trying to make her corner of the world healthier, and a writer hoping for more time to write.
Please refer to her website, http://www.camichecketts.com, for more information about her books.