Fallen Idol (Love and Music in Texas Book 4)

by Nikki Lynn Barrett

Kyra reappeared just as they got her car parked in the lot. She handed Matt his keys, and he held out hers. "Grab what you need, and we'll go. Thanks for the help, Rhett."

  Rhett just gawked at Kyra. She'd left off her cap, and her dark hair fell in frivolous waves down her back.

  "Quit staring at the girl, Rhett. Go home to yours." Matt patted him on the back. He held back a laugh.

  "But she looks like Kyra-"

  "Kyra Sanders? Yeah, I get that a lot." Kyra giggled before she dodged raindrops to get to her car. Matt stared at her retreating back. So, she was playing low key. Okay, he could go with that. Worked for him.

  "It's her, isn't it?"

  "Close your mouth, Rhett. It's not nice to ogle over a woman." Matt tapped his employee's chin and laughed. "Yes, it's her. Please do not blurt it out to the world. I'm sure she'd like her privacy. After all, she's here to see her parents, and after that accident, she doesn't need media and fans in her face, I'm sure." Holy hell, he was sticking up for a celebrity. Matt had to admit, she wasn't too bad. She had her annoying quirks, but overall, he'd totally misjudged her. He'd expected super snobby, high maintenance, and so much more. Kyra had been honestly sorry about rear-ending Blaine's car and wanted to make sure everything was okay.

  "What's it like riding in a tow truck with a famous country star?" Still awestruck, Rhett hung around.

  Matt pointed. "Go home. Get out of the storm. The ride was normal."

  Rhett huffed. "Fine. Don't spill. See ya later."

  Kyra reappeared, duffel bag and guitar case in hand. "I was probably better off flying down here. I figured a drive was less hassle. Boy, was I wrong."

  Matt led her to his car. "Hey, you were all good until your song came on the radio and you clipped Blaine's car." He knew how insensitive he sounded the second those words came out.

  "It was the tears and the storm," Kyra protested. "I was feeling more nostalgic when the song came on because my family came to mind. It wasn't a case of me being reckless due to excitement!" Hurt flashed in her eyes.

  Matt blew out a breath. How to smooth this over? "I have a habit of saying the wrong thing. I know you're worried about your parents. They're going to be okay."

  "How do you know for sure? I heard my mother is in critical condition and Dad has second degree burns! What the hell happened, anyway?"

  In the middle of the chilling rain, Matt stopped. The whole scenario that day bothered the hell out of him. The fire. The animals. The people, all hurt and scared. He'd helped put the fire out. "There was a fire at the veterinarian hospital where your mom works. She was trying to save the animals when the building went completely up in flames. The roof collapsed, and your father ran in to pull her out."

  Kyra shuddered. "I can't even imagine that whole thing. What started the fire?"

  "That's still to be determined."

  "And were there other people hurt? The animals?"

  "Two vets were also severely injured. The animals were all saved and unharmed." Matt reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'll take you there tomorrow, too. And I'll get your car fixed as soon as possible. I've come to be close with your family the past few years, so whatever you all need, I'm your man."

  *****

  The storm intensified on the last leg of the trip. Matt double checked that his phone was on the highest volume, in case any calls came in. He made a large pot of coffee, knowing tonight he'd most likely need it. He still needed to call Randy to let him know they'd made it and say hi to Andrew. But first, he gave Kyra the grand tour of his two bedroom duplex in all of it's manly glory.

  He debated the best place to let her sleep. His room? It was clean and comfortable, but letting a famous country singer lie in his bed seemed a little... If he said intimidating, even to himself, he'd have to kick his own ass.

  Too late. The thought was out. But it was better than Andrew's room, and most definitely better than the lumpy couch bed.

  "And there you have it. I hope you'll at least rate it three stars," he joked as he entered the kitchen.

  "I'll go three and a half because the host is pretty amusing at times." She leaned against the counter, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

  "What does it take to get a four?" Matt held up the coffee pot. "I make a mean cup of coffee."

  "Throw in warming up my to go box, and I'll reconsider my rating." Kyra winked.

  "I think that can be arranged. That reminds me. I forgot mine." Damn. Well, he could reheat it at the shop when he went for his tow truck. No doubt he'd be there a handful of times tonight.

  "It's a good thing I remembered yours." Kyra held up two boxes. "Ta da!"

  He took a step toward her to grab both boxes. "You must be a ninja. I never even saw you grab it. Thank you! It's going to be a crazy night."

  She shrugged. "You were in a rush. I saw it and figured I should take it with. Do you have anyone helping tonight? What do you do, tow and fix cars?"

  "Yep. I lead the exciting life." Matt emptied the contents of her box on a microwave safe plate, stuck it in, and pushed the start button. Then he went to fix a pot of coffee. "I do a little of everything there."

  "It's just you and Andrew?"

  The question was genuine, nothing pushy, but Matt's muscles tensed. Kendra wasn't a subject he wanted to talk about. "Yeah. He's been with me the past couple years." Please don't ask about his mother. Please.

  "Where's his-"

  He whirled around. "I don't want to talk about it!" Damn. Too defensive. Kyra reeled back as if she'd been slapped.

  "Sorry. I wasn't trying to pry. I was just trying to make conversation."

  Matt's phone rang. There came the first of what he figured would be a ton of calls tonight. Damn. He hadn't even had coffee and his food yet. Oh well, it would have to wait. He answered, avoiding Kyra's gaze. "I'll be there," he responded, then hung up. "I'm sorry. I have to go. If there's anything you need-"

  "I'm a big girl. I can handle it. It's all right," she replied in haste.

  "Kyra, about jumping all over you. I'm sorry. Andrew's mom is a sore subject."

  She waved him off. "Don't explain. I shouldn't have asked. Tell you what. If you want, I'll let you have my leftovers, since you just warmed them up, and I'll take whatever you have."

  Her offer surprised him. Still, he felt bad for snapping and for leaving her to fend for herself. Kyra Sanders, superstar, in his house alone. Yep, he was a great host. Not! But duty called. "Thank you. Here's my number if you need anything. Don't hesitate to call."

  She entered his number in her phone as he recited it. "Got it. Be safe."

  "Thanks. Help yourself to the coffee. I made it thinking I had time."

  "I might boost your rating to five stars," she quipped.

  Matt chuckled and waved bye to her, still feeling guilty as he headed off, thinking that he should quit judging people ahead of time.

  Chapter Three

  Kyra didn't sleep long. After talking to David to update him on where she was, she'd dodged a few calls from her manager and prepared to sleep. Too bad she didn't dodge the voice mail, either. Another warning sent to their management office. Whoever sent them was attempting to be clever by using her song titles in their warnings.

  Someone did not want her back making music.

  The wind howled outside, which rattled the windows. She watched a little bit of TV and ended up passing out. Now, at two am, she was wide awake.

  She shuffled through the house and ended up in the living room. Matt's place wasn't huge, but it had a homey feel to it. In the corner by the front window was the entertainment center with a flat screen TV. She'd guess it to be a 40". A couple video game consoles were on the shelves beneath the TV with a row of games. Then there was a small collection of DVDs. Their couch and chairs mismatched, set around a long coffee table which was covered in newspapers, magazines- which were not Playboy. She laughed, thinking back on the joking conversation with Matt. Her guitar case leaned against the wall where she'd left it. In
the mood for a little music, she opened the case and pulled the guitar out. Kyra made herself comfortable on the couch, grabbed a pick, and strummed the strings.

  As she played, Kyra thought about her sister. Amy sounded a little cold last night, and maybe it was just due to the storm and her not being able to get to the family, but she sensed something was off. The last few years had been rough ever since the accident, recovery, then her breakdown. Her family had come to Nashville often to see her, but Kyra had been ashamed and turned everyone away. Those days weren't her best.

  She jumped up in surprise when the front door opened. Matt stumbled inside, mumbling under his breath until he stopped at the sight of her. He pushed the door closed with his foot. "I didn't expect to see you awake."

  "I couldn't sleep. How's the storm?"

  He hobbled over to the couch and pretty much fell on it. "Easing up. It's icy out there. I can't count the number of cars I've had to tow on both of my hands. It's rough."

  "You're limping! What did you do?" Kyra set the guitar down and focused her attention on Matt.

  "Slipped on some ice. I came home for a cup of coffee. Guess I'd better get it made in case another call comes in." He sat up and grunted.

  "How about I make it? Stay where you are for a while," she offered.

  "You don't need to do that. You're my guest-"

  "Matt, you're dead on your feet. I can do a quick favor and start a pot of coffee, and I promise I won't dock your star rating." Kyra jumped up from her spot on the couch before Matt had a chance to stand.

  He laughed as she headed to the kitchen. "I'm sure I won't have any other famous people taking shelter here in the future, so the rating isn't that big a deal."

  She worked her way around the kitchen. Matt told her where things were, and soon she had the coffee started.

  Matt's phone went off just as Kyra was about to pour the liquid in his mug. "Okay. I'll be there." He sounded tired and once he hung up, heaved a sigh.

  "Tell me how you take it and I'll get you a to go cup. If you want some help, especially since you're limping, I'll go with you." Why the hell not? It would at least distract her from obsessing over the hate mail.

  He rose to his feet and gaped at her. "Kyra-"

  "I can't sleep anyway. I have a lot on my mind. You'd be doing me a favor by letting me help." All she'd have to do is slip into her jacket and put her shoes on.

  "Are you sure?" He reached for the mug. "I take it black, so no need to do anything to it."

  "I'm sure." She rushed to put on her shoes, then found her jacket and slid it on. "There, I'm ready." Kyra grabbed the strap of her purse and draped it over her shoulder.

  "You're a lifesaver. Thank you." Matt hobbled to the kitchen, grabbed two large thermoses and handed one to her. "Fuel up. It's about to get crazy."

  *****

  Kyra seemed to really dislike the ride. She cringed every time Matt hit the brakes hard. Her hand was wrapped around the handle of the door and every so often she squeezed her eyes shut, making a little crinkle around them. Normal storm driving paranoia, or something else? She kept muttering to herself, and a few times he heard her say, "Breathe, just breathe," and she counted softly.

  Keeping his eye on the road, he decided to reach out and talk to her. "Kyra? Are you okay? I'm trying to be as careful as possible."

  She exhaled sharply. "I know. It's not you."

  What was that supposed to mean? She never elaborated. Matt didn't press her on it.

  The sleet and rain stopped when Matt pulled up to the accident he'd been called to. Two cars had collided. The ambulance was already on the scene. One man was on a stretcher, and a little girl was hysterical beside them.

  Kyra followed Matt as he went to find out the details. When he had the information needed, he searched for Kyra and found her comforting the little girl. She lifted her up in her arms and sang to her. The girl's tears stopped, and she stared at Kyra in awe.

  For a split second, Matt did too. He'd heard her voice on the radio many times, but in person, in the middle of a strange sleet storm in Texas, Kyra sounded like an angel. He'd always wondered how many singers were auto-tuned in the studio, but Kyra's was pure and gentle.

  He shook it off and started the process with the car. He could have used her help, but Kyra was doing something good in calming that poor kid down. Her father must be the guy on the stretcher.

  "How the hell did you show up here with Kyra Sanders?" one of the police officers asked Matt as he aided him. "Would it be wrong to ask for her autograph?"

  "She had an accident of her own back in Harmony's Echo. Crashed into a car with my son, cousin, and his fiancée. Kyra's here to visit her family but the roads were washed out, so she's staying with me for the night." Matt purposely avoided the other question.

  "Holy crap! A famous star in your house? How can you be so calm? Did she sign anything for you?"

  Matt rolled his eyes after turning away from his friend. "She's just like any other person." Funny, sometimes annoying, but yeah. She was a star. Famous. Musicians. A little nosy. Different than he'd imagined she'd be.

  "Umm, hello! No she's not! She's Kyra Sanders!"

  Like Matt really needed the reminder. "Can we get these cars up here? I don't know about you, but I'm freezing, in pain, and tired. I'm sure these folks would love to get out of the cold."

  "Damn. You get all the luck and don't appreciate it. What's the deal with you and musicians anyway?"

  Matt lost his patience. "Oh, I don't know. Why don't you ask my ex-wife?" he snapped. He realized the area around him had quieted down. Kyra wasn't singing any longer, and she stared back at him, mouth slightly ajar.

  "Sorry man," Jay muttered and helped him the rest of the time in silence.

  Thirty minutes later, the cars were loaded. Matt shivered again, even though he was dressed warm, and searched for Kyra. He found her sitting with the little girl as a woman ran up to them.

  "There's my baby! Mommy's here now!" The woman sounded frantic and she reached for the girl cuddled up with Kyra. Then the woman gasped. "You're- Kyra-"

  Matt used that moment as his cue. "We're ready to go," he informed Kyra. The more people that figured out who she was, the more commotion would come. He'd already heard a few people ask for her autograph and picture. Even on a night like this. Some people had nerve! How did Kyra live like that all the time?

  "You have a lovely daughter," Kyra said to the mother as she shot to her feet, brushed off her pants, and approached Matt.

  "Did you cause this accident? I know what you did all those years ago. Young and reckless and-" The woman startled her daughter, who started to cry.

  Kyra gasped. "I was just-"

  "Ma'am, she didn't do a thing. Miss Sanders has been a great help and calmed your daughter while we tended to your husband. The ice was the cause of the accident, not a person," one of the paramedics informed the anxious woman.

  Kyra stood there, shaking. Matt reached for her arm and gently eased her away. "Come on," he said quietly. What the hell was that all about? She seemed to shake herself from her shocked state and followed him. "Kyra, what was that about?" He reached out to touch her shoulder, hoping the contact would get her to look at him.

  "Nothing I want to talk about." Her voice came out choked. "Please, let's just get out of here."

  Matt nodded. There wasn't much else to say. He should have figured Kyra wouldn't want to talk about it. He didn't know her, and she didn't know him. After the way he snapped at her earlier when she brought up Andrew's mother, it shouldn't have come as a surprise. Still, whatever that woman insinuated shook Kyra up, and he wondered.

  The next three hours brought a little more calm. The accidents were less numerous, and the worst of the storm was over. Matt drove back to the shop with a truck full of damaged cars. He'd have to get busy and see how many employees he could get here in the next few days to work on the vehicles.

  Kyra stood in the middle of the shop, stifling a yawn. Matt approached h
er after he dropped off papers in the office. "Ready to head back and sleep a little? Or if you want, I'll see about taking you home now."

  "You look as exhausted as I do. We'll just go back to your place. I don't want to make extra work for you." Her eyes were bloodshot, and another yawn escaped her lips.

  "Hey, thanks for all your help. I'm sorry much of the town will know you're here now."

  She shrugged, shoving stray wisps of hair away from her face. "It was bound to happen. It was the last thing on my mind when I offered to help."

  Matt stared at her as she ducked her head and climbed in his car. Kyra Sanders was not the woman he pictured in his mind. She was nice. Sometimes funny. Helpful. Oh, and he couldn't forget how much of a mystery she was.

  He shook his head and focused his attention on the drive home so he could get a few hours of sleep. Kyra's family would be waiting. Maybe he'd check with Blaine and Randy to find out what time they were bringing Andrew back, and they could all go and check in with the Sanders family.

  *****

  Kyra barely remembered getting back to Matt's place, let alone falling asleep, so it was a surprise when voices startled her awake. She sat up, on full alert, and blinked repeatedly until her vision stopped blurring.

  What time was it? How long had she been out? She quickly jumped out of the bed and headed toward the direction of the voices. She stopped in the living room where Matt, Andrew, Randy and Blaine stood. They all stopped talking and looked her way.

  "Did we wake you?" Matt asked. Did he sleep at all? He didn't appear to be tired. He held a ceramic mug with the words I love you Dad scrawled across it in his hand.

  "I'm not sure if it was y'all directly," Kyra admitted. "I probably needed to get up anyway."

  "Well, the roads are better, so whenever you're ready, I'll take you to your family."

  "I'd like that." She brushed her hands along her pants, slightly uncomfortable with everyone watching her. Last night had been bad enough. There'd been questions, requests for autographs, and she couldn't forget the way the woman reacted when Kyra had comforted her daughter.