by Unknown
Shelley smiled crookedly. “I’ll try.”
Chapter 4
Her phone buzzed and Shelley put it to her ear. “Hey Vera, what’s up?” Her agent was a no-nonsense type of woman and Shelley admired that. She preferred someone straightforward. Her first agent had been full of promises and reassurance, but had achieved little in the way of results.
“Sweetie, are you sitting down?” Vera asked in her gravelly voice.
Shelley squirmed in her seat. “Errr … yeah?” Vera’s tone gave nothing away; it was equally likely to be good or bad news.
“Well,” Vera paused dramatically, “with the success of Dixie Dog, you received an invitation to appear on an awards show.”
“What? Are you kidding?” Shelley was a huge fan of award shows. She loved them all and was known for her annual Oscars party.
“Not. Kidding. The show is the 18th. They want you to perform. They can’t guarantee your segment will be televised, but you’ll get to play and, if time permits, it will be broadcast.”
Shelley’s pulse raced. “Wow. I’m in shock. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll be booking a ticket to New York. It’s at Radio City.”
“Oh, no.” Shelley’s elation crashed to earth with a silent thud.
Blissfully unaware, Vera breezed on. “You’d probably need to go on Wednesday to be safe. Rehearsals are on Thursday and the audience taping is Friday.”
Shelley slumped down into her chair. “But Vera, KC’s Kidz has a charity event that week. It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year. I can’t miss that.”
Vera’s sigh came over the line. “This could be career-changing. It would take you to the next level. I don’t recommend you bypass this. When they pull out a chair at the big table, you sit down.”
“But Vera—”
“No buts. I knew this day was coming. Your commitment to KC’s Kidz is admirable, but you have to think of your own career as well. Plus, visibility for you is visibility for KC’s Kidz.”
“I suppose that is true,” Shelley murmured.
“Surely, you have someone there who can take over the host duties at the dinner. If you don’t, find someone. It’s high time you let someone else pick up some of the load.”
Shelley bit her lip. Vera was right when she said Shelley didn’t delegate much beyond menial tasks. The charity was her baby, and she’d always been in charge of every aspect.
“You know what? I’m having my assistant book the ticket. I don’t want to debate this any further. You can’t pass this up. Do you want to return on Saturday?”
“Yeah.” Shelley agreed before she could think it all through.
“You need a hotel?” Vera asked.
“No, I’ll call my cousin. I can probably stay with her.” Her mind raced through the list of possible hosts for the charity event.
“Perfect. It’ll be great. You’ll see. Once you’re on the radar, you’ll be the one receiving awards, not just presenting them,” Vera predicted.
“Presenting?” Shelley turned her attention back to Vera.
“I didn’t get to that part yet. Not only do they want you to perform Dixie Dog, you’ll get to present an award.”
“I don’t know, Vera.” When she performed live, Shelley could hide in the music. Patter wasn’t something that came that naturally
“Don’t give it a thought. They have a teleprompter and they tell you exactly what to say.”
“I don’t have anything appropriate to wear to this.” Shelley’s discomfort reasserted itself.
“What were you wearing to the fund-raising dinner?” Vera asked.
“The same black silk dress I wore last year.” Paired with some nice jewelry, the dress worked fine since Shelley’s dress wardrobe was limited.
“Take it along with a few other outfits. I’m sure there will be a stylist who can help you out. You might want something different for your performance.”
The enormity of the opportunity washed over Shelley and her stomach flipped.
“When I have the flight information, I’ll email you. Don’t be nervous. Be excited.”
Shelley hung up and sat motionless at her desk. She was stunned. She’d always wanted success. She’d worked toward it, but she realized a part of her never expected to achieve it. She’d never imagined a future beyond a small apartment, an old dented car, and a never-ending battle to help children through KC’s Kidz. She’d never let herself be open to the disappointment. She’d seen so many talented musicians beat themselves up over “making it.” What was that, anyway? If you had food on the table, clothes on your back and could keep the phone connected, did that count? Were you only relevant if you sold a million albums or played sold-out shows before thousands? Shelley told herself she hadn’t wanted to subject herself to constant disappointment, but maybe that was just another way of selling herself short.
A knock sounded on her door and Liam stepped inside.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Shelley’s slumped posture gave her mood away.
Shelley took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “Yes. I’m fine, I just have a conflict.”
“When it comes to conflict, I’m your boy. What’s the problem?”
“I’ve been invited to perform at an awards show.” Shelley still couldn’t believe it. Vera’s words echoed in her head.
“Oh hey, that’s fantastic! Congratulations.” Liam hugged her tight.
“Thanks, but it’s the same night as the KC’s Kidz annual fund-raising dinner.” Shelley bit her lip.
“Oh, that’s a problem.” Shelley and her volunteers had been meticulously planning the event for months.
“Yes, it is,” Shelley agreed.
Liam lifted his hand. “It is a problem for which I have a solution.”
“You do?” Shelley played with her bracelet, turning it around and around on her wrist.
“I do,” Liam replied.
“What?” Shelley hadn’t figured out a solution yet. How had Liam?
“I’ll stand in as host for you,” Liam suggested.
“Liam, I don’t know about that.” He hadn’t even been on the list of people she’d been formulating.
“I can be your special surprise host. I can do this,” Liam assured her.
“I’d been thinking about asking my sister.” Kate would be nervous, but she cared as much about KC’s Kidz as Shelley did.
“Have her do it, too. We’ll be co-hosts. I’ll be the surprise special guest.”
Shelley took a deep breath. “It might work.”
“It will totally work. Why wouldn’t it work?” Liam asked with complete confidence.
“Liam, you’re … I mean, I’m the face of KC’s Kidz and I have been a long time.” Donors expected her presence at the event.
“Everyone will understand. It’s a tremendous opportunity. It could bring KC’s Kidz even more attention. Who could argue with that?”
“I could, but I guess I won’t.” KC’s Kidz was strong enough to get by without her for one night, even if it was their biggest fundraiser. There were lots of dedicated volunteers and most of the attendees would be former donors.
“Plus, you’ll owe me big,” Liam added with a satisfied smile.
“I will?” Shelley tried to imagine where Liam was going with this.
“Of course you will. I’m doing you a favor, right?”
“I suppose so.” Shelley couldn’t hide the suspicion in her voice.
“I even have something in mind—for how you can repay me.”
“What?” Shelley said cautiously.
“Let me take you out to dinner.”
“Take me out?” Shelley thought he might ask her for a kiss and shook herself when she felt a twinge of disappointment.
“Yeah, for a nice dinner.” Liam grinned as if he knew her thoughts.
“How is that me doing you a favor?” Shelley asked.
“Because you are gracing me with the pleasure of your company,” Liam res
ponded, as if it were perfectly obvious.
“Liam, that seems unwise.” Shelley was trying to back away from Liam, not get closer.
“What? Eating dinner?”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I really don’t know what you mean. If I didn’t think you liked me, a tiny bit, I wouldn’t ask you. But I like you, a tiny bit, and I think maybe you like me, a tiny bit, so why not get to know each other better?”
Shelley liked Liam more than a tiny bit, but she wasn’t going to give him more ammunition. He was a heartache waiting to happen and that was something she didn’t need. “Liam …”
“Come on, seriously? Dinner?”
Her objection seemed petty in light of his generous offer to host the fund-raising event. “Okay, fine.”
“Wow, such enthusiasm. It might go to my head.”
Shelley laughed.
“So, tonight?”
“Not something fancy, though.”
“No problem. I’m on a budget, anyway.” Liam winked. The idea of Liam needing to be on a budget was laughable, but it was possible to overspend, even if you were a multi-millionaire.
~ * ~ * ~
The driver pulled to the curb outside the latest hot spot, and Shelley was tempted not to get out of the car. “Liam, I said no place expensive. Plus, I’m not dressed for this place.” Her cotton skirt and matching top weren’t going to cut it.
“I reserved a private table in the back, so don’t even worry about what you’re wearing. And this place is less expensive than flying you to Paris for dinner.”
“Paris. For dinner.” Shelley shook her head with disbelief.
“It’s a long flight, so maybe more like breakfast,” Liam teased.
“Liam …” He always shot down all her objections, but maybe she wanted him to.
“This is much cheaper.” Liam pointed inside.
“I’m sure it is,” Shelley responded dryly.
Liam took Shelley’s hand. “I’d like to buy you a nice meal. Please let me.”
“All right.” Did anyone refuse Liam when he turned on the charm? She didn’t think so.
The hostess led them through the restaurant to a high-backed booth out of the view of other patrons. Shelley tried to ignore the stares and did to some extent. Did this mean she was getting used to the crazy attention Liam garnered?
“I hope it’s cool with you, but I arranged for the tasting menu for both of us.”
“Okay.” Shelley was relieved she didn’t have to try to figure out the menu.
“That was easy.”
“Liam, I’m not being contrary on purpose. I just don’t know what you want.” Well, maybe she did, but she wasn’t sure it was what she wanted.
“What I want is to get to know you better. Seriously. I mean it.”
“I believe you.” She’d gotten past thinking Liam was some kind of player. He wasn’t. But he could have his pick of women.
“I know you don’t get it yet, but I hope you will. I don’t come from a privileged background. I’m not going to lie and say I don’t like my house or I don’t like buying cool cars, but I like to spend my time with people who are real. You’re real.”
“By LA standards, I suppose so.” She’d met her share of fakes and phonies, especially in the music industry.
“By any standards.”
The hell of it was, she enjoyed Liam’s company. She didn’t want to resist him.
Their server appeared at their table. “Wine for the first course.”
Liam swirled the wine in his glass and raised it for a toast.
Shelley tapped her glass to his and took a sip. As the smooth, dry flavor of the wine saturated her tongue, she decided to simply relax. She would allow herself to enjoy this evening—good food and good company.
~ * ~ * ~
Liam walked into Shelley’s office right as she finished her phone call.
“Vera tells me I need to get back into the studio. Release new stuff while Dixie Dog is hot.”
Liam nodded. “She’s probably right. Do you have any songs ready?”
“I’ve been working on another Dixie song. Vera suggested doing children’s classics, but there are a million albums like that.” Shelley preferred original material, but songwriting was a slow process for her.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean yours can’t be different or have some kind of twist to it,” Liam suggested.
“Maybe.” What kind of a twist did one add to Old MacDonald?
“Why don’t we go to my studio? You can try a few things out.” One of the first things Liam did after buying his house was add on a recording studio and practice space.
“That’s very generous of you, Liam, but …” Shelley knew Liam had work to do on his own album. She wasn’t comfortable with taking up his time.
“No buts. What’s with the buts? I’d love to listen to you.”
His statement disarmed her. “Really?”
“Really,” Liam confirmed.
“You love to listen to children’s music? That seems unlikely.”
“I want to listen to you. You have a great voice.”
“I … what? Why do you say things like that?” Shelley was stunned. She’d never learned to take compliments well and she found Liam’s particularly difficult. His talent had made him famous and wealthy. She recognized the hard work it took to hone natural ability into something more. A compliment from him regarding her music really meant something.
“I’m serious,” Liam said.
“Okay then. Let’s do it.” Working at Liam’s house would be much more pleasant than booking time at a busy studio.
~ * ~ * ~
The last note hung in the air. “Liam, how many instruments do you play?” As she finalized her new song, Liam accompanied her on the guitar and then the piano. At one point, he even kept the beat for her on the extensive drum in the corner.
“I dunno. Six maybe?” He shrugged as if it were no big deal.
“Six maybe?” The more she learned about Liam, the more impressed she was.
“I can play a few others a bit, but not that proficiently.”
“I’m jealous. I only play piano and guitar.” Shelley always wanted to pick up another instrument, but never made the time.
“I’d be happy to teach you something. What do you want to learn?”
“I’ve always thought the dulcimer would be fun. I love the sound.” She was drawn to the interesting history of the instrument as well.
“Oh, you would have to pick something I don’t know. We could learn together, though.”
“Maybe.” Without meaning to, she was agreeing to spend more and more time with Liam. Perhaps that was his goal.
“We should make a few recordings. Your song is in good shape. What do you think?”
Declaring a song finished had never been a strength of Shelley’s. Usually, she refined and tweaked until she had a deadline. “All right. Maybe a demo that I can send to Vera.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
~ * ~ * ~
Liam’s voice came through the intercom from the control booth. “That was great. I think you nailed it.”
Shelley nodded. “Yeah, it felt good. I think that’s the one.” Shelley placed her guitar on the stand and exited the studio. She stared at Liam and a thread of want spread through her. What power did this man have over her? Was it the same spell he wove around every other woman or was it something more?
Shelley pushed the thought from her mind. “Liam, I can’t thank you enough for your help.”
He spun around on his chair. “I’m glad to do it. It’s a nice change of pace.”
“In what way?” Shelley asked.
“Talent without ego,” he replied.
“Oh.” Liam’s compliments never failed to disarm her.
“If you really wanted to show your appreciation, I wouldn’t turn down a kiss.” Liam tapped his cheek.
Shelley pointed her finger at him. “You’re a rogue. You know that, ri
ght?”
“I do.” Liam stood.
His smile enticed her. Shelley’s feet brought her toward him as if an invisible line were reeling her in. Her fingertips brushed his shoulder as she pressed her lips to his jawline and pulled back.
Shelley’s lips tingled and she couldn’t resist swaying toward him. His hands grasped her shoulders and he leaned in. Their lips met, warm against each other. Liam growled in his throat and wrapped his arms around Shelley, molding her tightly to him. His hand roamed down to her hips and his growing arousal nudged against her.
“Liam … Liam …” Breathless, her hands reached up and stroked his hair, combing the silky strands through her fingers.
“I want you,” he whispered in her ear. “I want you so much.”
“Oh, Liam, I …” Shelley wanted him, too. She didn’t want to resist the attraction between them anymore.
“Shhhh.” He pressed his fingertip to her lips. “If you can’t say yes, at least don’t say no.” He stepped back from her.
Shelley averted her eyes and smoothed her hands over her clothing. “I just—”
“It’s okay. You don’t owe me any explanations. Not yet, anyway. I don’t want to rush you, but there’s no getting around that you are a beautiful, desirable woman. You think on it. In the meantime, why don’t we have lunch? It’s a clear day. We can eat on the deck.”
“Sounds good. I’d like that.” The reprieve both relieved and disappointed her. She didn’t want more time to talk herself out of being with Liam.
Liam held Shelley’s hand loosely and led her through the house to the kitchen. “I should have planned ahead a bit better. I’m not sure what there is.”
“Maybe I can make something?” Shelley opened the refrigerator. Condiments and a few stray beers were the only occupants. “Looks a little bare in here.”
“Ummm. I eat out a lot?”
Shelley laughed. “Anything in the cupboard? I see you have bread.” Shelley pointed to the package on the counter.
“Peanut butter and jelly? Jam, really. I have strawberry jam in the pantry.”
“Okay, peanut butter and jelly it is.” The idea of using a fancy chef’s kitchen to prepare a sandwich amused Shelley.
