The car slowed and turned into a circular drive. “Get your game faces on.” Marissa pointed to the photographers lined up outside the arena. “You’ll move down the red carpet and stop on the black Xs marked along the way. Pose for a minute or so, then move on. If one of the reporters calls you over, have a quick chat, and move on. Remember, less is more. Only answer what they ask you, don’t elaborate.” She looked at both of them. “Got it?”
Beau pulled Hailey to his side and kissed her temple. “We’ve got it. Right, Hay?”
She could feel the nervous anticipation rolling off him, and much to her surprise, the same excited energy coursed through her too. It would be perfectly normal to be nervous, and she was, but she was also thrilled.
When they stepped out of the vehicle, the cameras started flashing, and people were shouting. She glanced around and almost missed a step because Miranda Lambert was in front of them, and Eric Church was in front of her. She’d never seen so many famous people in one place. “Oh, my Lord, Beau. That’s Reba McEntire.”
He slid his shell-shocked gaze toward the redhead giving an interview to Hollywood Entertainer. “Holy hell.”
For a second he didn’t move. “What’s wrong?”
His warm breath fanned across her neck. “What am I doing here, Hailey?”
“You’re here because you’re Beau Callen, and you belong here.” She took his arm. “Come on. You deserve this moment.”
It only took a moment for Beau Callen the entertainer to come out to play, and he worked the crowd like the master he was. She stood back when he was called over for interviews, not because she was shy, but because she just loved to watch him work. With every conversation, catcall, and flirty smile, it became more and more evident that this was his destiny.
The tick, tick, tick of the clock marking off the time until this relationship was over clanged in her ears, while tiny pieces of her heart sheared off with every step they took and every interview he gave. Good thing the carpet was red.
His warm hand encircled hers. “Let’s go, darlin’. One drink won’t hurt us.”
“Okay.” She shoved all those thoughts from her mind so she could enjoy what she knew would be the start of something amazing for him and the beginning of the end for them.
Beau checked his fly as he stood in the wings backstage of the arena. One too many dreams of walking onto this stage with his pants unzipped made him take zero chances. He glanced around. He was also waiting on Hailey. Surely she wouldn’t bail on him. A smile split his face when he saw her emerge from the dressing room. She was in black jeans, above-the-knee black suede boots, and a black and silver sequined vest without a shirt underneath it. She was a walking wet dream. “Hey, I thought you might stand me up.”
She only shook her head.
The shell-shocked look on her face had him worried. “Are you alright?”
“Carrie Underwood just asked me what hair care products I use. When I told her about Charlie’s shop, she gave me her number and asked me to text her the information.” She turned wonderstruck eyes to him. “I have Carrie Underwood’s number.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “I thought you were about to tell me you weren’t going on.”
She waved away the comment. “No, of course I’m going on. I told you I would.”
That was his Hailey, so honorable. “Are you nervous?”
“A little, but mostly I’m excited for you. This is it, Beau. Everyone will know who you are after tonight.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and cocked her head up at him. “I’m so proud of you, and so, so happy for you.”
Love. The word kept circling his brain. He wanted this woman with him forever, but could he have that? Her life was in Zachsville. His was on the road. He could live in Zachsville, but Gavin and Jack were right, he needed to be in Nashville. “Thank you.” He leaned down to kiss her, but she put her hand up to stop him.
“My lipstick. It’s perfect. Plus, you don’t want to go out there with lipstick smeared all over your face.”
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “You’ve got a point.”
“You’re up,” a woman in all black wearing a headset and carrying a tablet said in a whisper. “When I give you the go-ahead, you’ll take your places and then be introduced.” She put her hand to the headset. “We’re almost back from the commercial break.” She glanced around at Tom and Buddy. “Wait for the red light on the camera to flash before you begin.”
They all nodded, then looked at each other. Beau couldn’t believe this was happening. He wished Clyde could be here to see it. He held his arms up, and they all came in for a group hug. With their heads together and their arms around each other, a sense of rightness came over him. “I want you to know how much I appreciate the three of you. I couldn’t do this without you.”
“Oh, good god, do we all have to share our feelings?” Buddy said, and they all laughed.
The group broke apart, and Beau scrubbed his face. “No. But you do have to go out there and kick ass.”
Buddy twirled his drumsticks. “That I can do.”
The woman with the headset scurried up to them again. “Take your places.”
The stage tilted a little as he made his way to his guitar and slipped it on. His nerves jangled like a tambourine in an earthquake, and he loved it. Once his guitar was in place, and he’d made sure the mic was in the right position, he glanced back at Hailey, expecting to see a little panic in her eyes. But instead, she practically glowed.
She winked at him. “Show ’em whatcha got, Heartbreaker.”
“Next up is our last nominee for the New Artist of the Year award,” the host of the show said. “This guy has come out of nowhere to take country music radio by storm. Put your hands together for Beau Callen.”
With the first notes of the song, he settled in and sang like he’d never sung before. He sang for Clyde, for Mimi, and all his family in West Virginia. He sang for the boy who never thought he was quite good enough, but who had a wish and a guitar. When they got to the chorus and Hailey joined him, he sang to her.
I’ve never loved like this before, and I never will again.
You’re it for me, darlin’, beginning and end.
Tell me I’m not alone, that you know it too.
I want a thousand tomorrows, forever with you.
Her voice rang clear and sure through every note of the song, and on the last word he leaned over and kissed her. This was their moment, his declaration to her. He didn’t care who was watching, and evidently she didn’t either because she brought her hand to his face and kissed him back.
The crowd went wild. The cheers and whistles brought him back to himself. He grinned down at Hailey, then turned and took a bow.
The woman with the headset was motioning them off the stage. Once in the wings, they moved away from the stage entrance, so they could celebrate properly. Beau circled them into a group hug. Adrenaline saturated every cell of his body, and he couldn’t seem to get his pulse to regulate. “I want you all to know that this is the best damn night of my life, and it’s not just because we just killed it on stage. It’s because you three were with me. Thank you so much.”
Tom shoved him. “Save it for your acceptance speech, dude.”
Beau chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “There might not be a speech, and I wanted y’all to know.”
Hailey placed her finger in front of her pursed lips. “Shhhh. They’re announcing the nominees.”
He grabbed her hand and listened to the names of the other contenders. It was an amazing list of performers, and it really was an honor to be counted among their ranks. For about the millionth time he wished for his grandfather. He could hear him now.
One day I’m gonna hear ’em call your name on one of those award shows.
“And the winner is…” Ryder Morris, the previous year’s New Artist of the Year winner, broke the seal on the envelope and looked at the name inside.
Hailey squeezed his hand. “T
his is it.”
Ryder looked up, paused, and grinned into the camera. “The Heartbreaker, Beau Callen!”
The name echoed in Beau’s brain. Or he assumed it did. He couldn’t actually say, since he was pretty sure he was in the middle of a mini stroke that rendered him unable to do anything but stare.
“Beau!” Hailey yelled, jumping up and down beside him. “That’s you! You won!” She put her hands on his back and shoved. “Go. Go. Go.”
He stumbled on stage and accepted the award. His pounding heart rattled his ribs, and there wasn’t enough moisture in the world to wet his desert-dry mouth, but he stepped up to the microphone anyway. He tunneled his fingers through his hair. “Lord almighty.” The crowd chuckled, which should’ve calmed him, but still his mind raced. Shit, he might not get through this.
He glanced down at the award in his hands. Lottie’s bracelet peeked out from under his coat sleeve, and his jumbled thoughts immediately aligned. The breath he’d been holding since they’d called his name eased from his lungs. “The first person I have to thank is my grandfather, Clyde, who raised me to love music and encouraged me even when his ears bled from my bad playing.” He turned his eyes to the ceiling. “I love ya old man, and I miss ya like crazy.”
He scanned the audience, who were nothing but a blur of smiling faces and color. “Next, I have to thank the fans.” He pointed at the people in the balcony who were screaming his name. “You’ve been so kind to me, and I can’t thank you enough.”
A lump formed in his throat for this next bit. He swallowed past it and looked directly into the camera. “I need to thank Jack and Luanne Avery and Gavin Bain at Honey Child Records for taking a chance on me. You’ve given a clueless country boy the very best advice and guidance. I love you guys.”
He swiped his bangs from his eyes again. “To my Nashville team, Marissa Day and Clay Everson of Everson, Day Productions, I appreciate all your hard work and everything you’ve done for me. To my bandmates, Buddy and Tom, you guys are so freakin’ talented, and I’m lucky to call you my friends.”
He dragged in a breath and blew it out. This last part was important and he wanted to get it right. “Lastly, I want to thank the beautiful woman who sang with me tonight, Hailey Odom.” He glanced to the wings where she stood crying. “You’re the best part of everything. Thank you for not taking my crap and for believing in me.” He lifted the award into the air. “May and Lottie, I owe you the biggest ice cream sundaes in Nashville.”
There was applause and music, but it barely registered as he made his way off the stage and into Hailey’s arms.
Her squeal, when he spun her around, rang through the backstage area. “I knew it!” She placed a hand on each of his cheeks. “I’m so happy for you, Beau.”
He knew she meant it. There wasn’t a trace of anything but pure joy in her tear-bright eyes. “Thank you. I meant every word of that speech.”
The warmth of her breath fanned across his neck when she put her lips to his ear. “We’ll talk about that speech when we’re alone.”
“Promise?”
“Oh, yeah. Now put me down.”
Buddy slapped him on the back. “Congrats, man.”
“Congratulations, Heartbreaker!” one of the female performers said.
He couldn’t remember her name. Sharleen? Sherrie? “Thank ya, darlin’.”
“Save me a dance at the after-party.” Her perfect white teeth flashed at him from her pretty mouth.
He gave her his pat ladykiller smirk, but threw his arm around Hailey and drew her close to his side. “Sorry, darlin’, all my dances are taken.”
Sharleen/Sherrie smiled at Hailey. “Lucky lady.” She shrugged. “Can’t blame a girl for tryin’. I’ll see you two at the after-parties.” A quick finger wave and she was gone.
The male members of his band stared after Sharleen/Sherrie, then gave each other the side-eye.
Beau slapped Tom on the back. “You guys want to meet up with us later?”
“Um…yeah.” Tom grabbed Buddy by the sleeve. “Let’s go.” They took off in the same direction as Sharleen/Sherrie.
Beau chuckled and shook his head. “Horn dogs.”
Hailey laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. She grinned up at him. “So who’re you savin’ all those dances for, Heartbreaker?”
He slid his fingers into her hair and brought his lips to hers.
“This beautiful.” Kiss.
“Talented.” Kiss.
“Brilliant woman I know.” Kiss.
Before he could get lost in her lips, Clay and Marissa ran up to them, and another round of squeals and congratulations erupted.
“You killed it tonight, Beau,” Clay said.
“Thanks, man. It was fun.” Damn, his cheeks ached from smiling.
“And you.” Clay pointed a finger at Hailey. “You were amazing. I’m so glad you decided to do this.”
Pride filled every crevasse of Beau’s chest. She deserved every ounce of praise.
A flush of pink spread from her chest to her hairline. “Thanks, but Beau’s—”
“A lucky bastard.” He tightened his hold on her. “See, I’m not the only one who sees how talented you are.”
“What?” Marissa’s eyes went wide. “You don’t know how incredible you are?”
“Well, this is just something I’ve been doing to help Beau out.” She looped a piece of hair behind her ear. “I’m not a singer. I mean, I can sing, but I’m not a professional singer.”
Marissa looped her arm through Hailey’s. “Girl, we need to talk.”
“Talk in the limo. We’re off to our first party.” Clay slapped Beau on the back. “You ready for this, my man?”
“Born ready, Clay.”
Clay laughed. “Crazy how life can change in an instant, isn’t it?”
Beau watched Hailey walk away with Marissa. “You have no idea.” His life had course-corrected the minute he met Hailey Odom.
Chapter Thirty-One
It was official. Hailey loved Nashville and Nashville people, and that wasn’t the champagne talking. She’d limited herself to two glasses, Clay’s warning from earlier still ringing in her ears. But even so, she couldn’t remember ever having a better time.
“Great job tonight,” a pretty redhead in the most beautiful blue dress Hailey had ever seen said as they waited in line for the bathroom.
The familiar warmth that had accompanied every compliment she’d gotten tonight tingled up her neck to her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“Seriously, you two sounded amazing, and the chemistry between you was off the freakin’ charts.” The redhead winked.
Hailey laughed. “That part’s easy. Have you seen him?”
“Oh, yeah. Everyone has seen him, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed that he doesn’t have eyes for anyone here but you.” Her new friend nudged her with her shoulder. “Lucky bitch.”
On that, they could agree.
“You’re right about that.”
They both laughed, and each went into an empty stall. After Hailey washed her hands and checked her hair in the mirror, she went in search of Beau, but the redhead was waiting for her outside the bathroom.
“I’m Cora Meyers, and I promise I’m not stalking you.” She extended her hand.
“Hailey Odom.”
Cora reached into her bag and handed Hailey a card. “I’m with Beachwood Entertainment. Let’s get coffee sometime.”
“Oh, um…I’m don’t live here. We’re going back home to Zachsville, Texas tomorrow.” She tried to give the card back to the woman.
“Keep it. You never know when you’ll be back in town.”
Hailey stared at the card and tried to calm the longing in her heart. She literally wanted nothing more than to be able to call Cora and have coffee. Other than Charlie and now Scarlett and Luanne, no one had ever invited her to hang out and have coffee.
The thought of returning to Zachsville hung like a dark cloud on the horizon. She chastised herself. Th
at was where her bar was, her mother’s legacy and memory that she’d entrusted to Hailey. Her life was in Texas, no matter how much she wished differently.
Her phone buzzed just as she slipped the card into the rhinestone clutch she carried. She checked the screen. May? A little shiver of anxiety shot through her.
“Hey, May.”
“Hailey, honey, I hate to call, but Lottie’s had an asthma attack. It was a bad one.”
“Is she alright?”
“Well, that’s just it. I’ve given her two nebulizer treatments, but she’s still not breathing completely easy. Is there anything else I can do?”
“No.” Hailey glanced around and found Beau laughing at something Clay said. “The next step is the ER if she doesn’t get better. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
“Oh, darlin’, I hate that you have to leave.”
“May, she’s my daughter. Nothing’s more important.”
“Alright, see you soon then.”
She pushed her way through the crowd until she came to the man who owned her heart.
“Hey, gorgeous. I was about to send out a search party. We’re about to leave and go to another party.”
“There was a line for the bathroom.” She huffed out a breath. “Beau, Lottie’s had a pretty bad asthma attack and isn’t responding to the neb treatment as fast as she should. I need to go.”
The concern that washed over his face made this man just about perfect. “Is she alright?”
“I’m sure she will be, but I may have to run her to the ER if she isn’t better by the time I get there.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
“No!” Hailey, Marissa, and Clay all shouted at once.
“Hailey, I’m not going to stay without you, especially if Lottie’s sick.”
“Beau, there’s no reason for us both to go check on Lottie.” She glanced at Marissa. “Besides, since you won, there are interviews you need to do. Go. We’ll be fine. I just need to find a ride back to the hotel.”
Running After a Heartbreaker (Brides on the Run #4) Page 24
