"Kyra's so cool! I've been friends with her family for a long time. Oh, and wait till you meet Randy and Blaine. Blaine was a dancer in Hollywood. She has her own studio now in Harmony's Echo. And Randy's the keyboard player in a band. You've got to hear Baby Stetson! Maybe if they play somewhere we're allowed to go, I can take you."
Matt kept his hands steady on the wheel as he listened to his son and Daisy talk. Andrew sure liked this girl. He was trying hard, and succeeding, to impress her. Daisy hung on every word he said.
Once he pulled up in front of the Sanders' house, he told the two to wait in the car so he could go get Kyra and David. Amy's car wasn't in the driveway. She probably went ahead to the dance, or went with friends. Considering how much she was being cold toward her sister, Matt wasn't surprised.
What did surprise him was the nervous way he fidgeted with his top button on his shirt while waiting for Kyra to answer the door. The whole damn conversation with Andrew about a date had him all flustered! What the hell?
The door opened, and Kyra stepped out. When their eyes met, she smiled. "Hey there, chaperon partner."
Casual. Of course. He forced a smile. "Lookin' good," he complimented as he looked her over. She wore a simple, but beautiful, red dress that hugged her body in all the right places. The length of the dress went to her knees. Not too low cut, and the loose sleeves graced her arms all the way to her elbows. Her hair was pulled up, except for a few loose strands that hung in ringlets around her face. A touch of makeup, nothing over the top.
And she was damn stunning.
Matt had to catch his breath and bring himself back to reality.
"Something wrong?" Kyra asked. She stepped closer to him. "Come on, David!"
"I'm coming!" her brother called from inside.
"No, nothing wrong." Matt gathered his composure and chided himself mentally. What was with him tonight? Yep, Andrew's comments sure got to him. He couldn't even think straight.
"You were giving me a weird look," Kyra pointed out.
"Was I?" Did his thoughts reflect on his face? Shit!
"A little. Is this too much? I went shopping with Blaine, and she swore it wasn't that bad." Kyra shifted her weight on the other foot.
"No! It's not too much at all. You look beautiful. Blaine has great taste." Matt hoped David would get out here quick so they could go and end this damn awkward moment.
"Okay, I'm ready." David darted out of the house, looking more grown up in a pair of slacks and a dark blue dress shirt.
"Let's get out of here before my boy decides to kiss his girlfriend in the back of my car," Matt teased. When David made a weird face, he laughed. "How about you sit in the middle, to make sure there's no funny stuff going on?"
"Seriously? No way! I'm not getting in the middle of two love birds making kissy faces at each other." David put his hands up in an X.
"Guess that means you aren't into kissing yet?" Kyra patted her brother's shoulder. "Good. Keep it that way for a few years, okay?"
"Sure thing. I've seen how Amy gets after she kisses a guy and then he doesn't call. It's not pretty. Not at all." David ran ahead of them.
"And here I thought he'd grown up on me. I still have a little bit of my baby brother to enjoy after all." Kyra checked the doors to make sure they were locked, then dropped her keys in her dark handbag. "Ready?"
"Sure am. Let's go host a dance." Matt held out his arm. Kyra gently held his elbow, and they strolled side by side to the car.
Date or no date, Matt looked forward to the evening.
Chapter Nine
They arrived at the dance right before the doors opened and the students flooded in. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Kyra clutched her purse closer to her, unsure of how much she'd be able to handle so many people in her space. She still had moments of paralyzing fear when there were too many people crowding around her. The last thing she needed was to freak out over nothing, and then everyone, including Matt, would know how paranoid she'd become. Matt's presence nearby provided a strange sense of comfort, but she needed to distance herself from him sometimes, too.
Andrew and his date had talked to her on the drive. Daisy seemed like a sweet girl. After getting over the initial excitement of being around Kyra, they'd had conversations about music, dating, and dances. It was neat to see her new friend on his first date. Kyra had a soft spot for Andrew, even though she wondered about his attachment to her.
Loud music thumped from the speakers. The school had hired a DJ, and so far the music was upbeat, and there was a large swarm already on the dance floor, showing off their moves.
She scanned the crowd for her sister, who'd come home hours ago to pick up clothes and makeup just to disappear again. So far, there was no sign of Amy.
"So what is it I'm going to do?" David tugged on Kyra's arm.
"I'm not sure. Matt?" She turned to him. He'd been the one to sort this out with the school about David coming, so he was bound to have more details.
"Come with me. I'll show you to your duties," Matt said with a smile. "Coming with, Kyra?"
"Absolutely," she said, with little hesitance. Sticking close by them would do her good. This was only the beginning, and would prove to be a true test. The dance was the first major crowd she'd surrounded herself with purposely in years.
So this was a high school dance. The decorations were fantastic! She wondered who set them up. They were heavy on a fall theme, but nothing over the top. Colors of auburn, red, and a rich brown mixed well. A disco ball hanging from the top of the gymnasium blanketed the room with an array of bright blue, red, green and purple. Sometimes it seemed to flash in the rhythm of the music's beat. Tables lined the sides, away from the designated dance floor, and had dark red tablecloths with a leaf pattern.
"So different than CMA awards or Grammys."
"What's that?" Matt turned around to glance at her.
Oh, had she said that out loud? Kyra shook her head. "Just thinking out loud."
He didn't say anything. Instead, Matt showed David what he needed to do and ran him through a few things before stepping back toward Kyra.
"This should be fun!" David grinned at her, his voice full of enthusiasm.
"Good. I'm glad." You sure need a pick-me-up for a few hours. They all did.
"I know it's a far cry from the parties you're used to." Matt leaned close to talk near her ear.
"That's a good thing," Kyra snapped, immediately regretting it. Was he going on his judgmental kick again?
"Kyra-" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I misjudge you once, and you always think that's what I'm doing?"
She was about to apologize when the song changed from an upbeat one to a slow country ballad. Kyra laughed. This was her song! "Seriously? Did you put them up to this?"
Matt shook his head. "Nope. I never suggested the music. But since this is your song, literally, I think we should dance." He held out a hand.
She stared down at it. "Are we supposed to dance?" So he knew her song. It surprised her, but made her feel good, too.
"Dancing is permitted. We're here to help out, and there's nothing that says we can't dance. Hey look, Blaine and Randy are out on the floor, too." He gestured. "Come on."
She stepped into his embrace and swayed to the music. Her music. This was a first. Kyra had never danced with a sexy man to her own song before. His arms tightened around her waist.
"So how old were you when this song came out?" Matt whispered in her ear.
"Sixteen," she replied, glancing around the room as they moved. A few yards away from them were Andrew and Daisy. So far, she'd handled the crowd pretty well. Good.
"Just two years older than Andrew is now, and you had multiple number ones already." Matt mused. "What's that like?"
She tensed, not sure how to answer.
"Does it bother you that I'm asking? It's out of curiosity. I'm not judging or anything. I really want to know. It's interesting. Here I am, dancing with you during my son's first date.
At the age he is now, you broke out in the business. He wasn't even in kindergarten when you had your biggest hits on the radio."
She looked up at Matt. Kyra was tall at 5'8, and Matt had a good four or five inches on her. "It's a feeling I can't explain. I never expected to take off the way I did. I was different as a child. I always had a melody playing in my mind. I couldn't sit still. I'd tap out a beat, or I'd hum. I had song lyrics pop up in my mind that needed to be put to music."
"I know all about that. I remember the first time I met you." There was a twinkle in his eye.
"Yeah, I annoyed you because I tapped out a beat on your dashboard."
"Then you hummed." Matt laughed, then his grin faded. "It wasn't so much annoying as I was nervous about the storm. Adding sounds I'm not used to didn't help."
"And you didn't like me." Kyra wished she'd never said that.
Matt lowered his gaze. "It wasn't quite that."
"No?" Did she really have to ruin the good night by bringing up their awkward first meeting? Why, why, why?
Matt pulled her closer. "Okay, fine. Maybe a little, and I regret it. Let's just say there's a history with me and musicians, and I took it out on the wrong girl."
"I see." Lame, but there wasn't much else she could think to say at the moment.
"I'll make a deal with you."
"What's that?"
"Later, you and I talk. I'll tell you why I've been so jaded about musicians, and you tell me about your accident."
"I don't like talking about it!" she shot back defensively, drawing attention from some of the nearby dancers.
"Neither do I." He sent her a challenging gaze.
"But we both want to know."
"I'm not doing it to pry. I want to know so I can help you. Tell me, if you're accustomed to being around such a large crowd, why do you have this terrified look in your eyes? I'm going to take a guess that this accident you don't want to talk about changed things in you, and it's why you're being threatened now." Matt lowered his voice as he leaned close again.
Hell, he was pretty much right on the dot. So he saw right through the facade about crowds? She hadn't hid it well even to this day.
"I-" Kyra started to say before the sound of yelling interrupted them.
Her song ended, and another slow one took its place, a song from Leandra Ashlyn, another singer who'd burst out on the scene at the same time Kyra did and was just a year older. She glanced around, trying to figure out where the commotion stemmed from.
"Looks like a couple of girls are fighting. This is our cue." Matt sighed. He let go of her, breaking the tense, but much desired, physical contact and headed toward the chaos.
A crowed gathered, and Kyra fought down a wave of panic. They weren't going to reach out and swallow her whole. In fact, no one was really paying attention to her. They were all too busy watching the yelling match between two girls. Surprisingly, so far she hadn't been asked for an autograph or had her picture taken. Maybe most didn't recognize her? Matt had said something to Andrew and Daisy earlier about keeping it low key that Kyra was at the dance.
Matt and Kyra reached the the cause of the chaos just in time to see Amy slap her friend Sharon.
*****
"Break it up!" Matt shouted. He cringed when Amy's hand connected with her friend's cheek. Sharon gasped and almost reacted by slapping Amy back. A red mark formed on her face.
Kyra jumped to her sister's side, and Amy shoved at her, too.
"Back off! This isn't your business!" Amy screeched.
"I'm not backing off any more! Amy, you're out of control and need to calm down." Kyra's voice turned to steel as she glared at her sister. "I know things are tough-"
"You don't know a damn thing!" Amy whirled around and bolted from the room.
Kyra grunted and ran after her.
Matt debated on following, but he figured he'd handle damage control here and let the sisters have some private time. He gave his attention to Sharon. "Care to tell me what happened here?"
She touched her still red cheek. "That girl has gone off the deep end. I'm fine. I just need some air. Everyone is staring, and I don't feel like getting into it." With that, the teen took off, most likely either outside or for the bathrooms.
Baffled by the exchange, Matt urged the teens to go back to what they'd been doing. Hopefully Kyra had some answers from her sister, but by the way Amy acted lately, he doubted it.
"Everything all right?" He jumped, startled, at the sound of Blaine's voice behind him.
He shrugged and faced her. "Teenage drama." Thinking about what Andrew said earlier, he decided to get some advice. "Hey, Blaine? Andrew said something to me that I'm not sure how to approach."
"What's that?" Concerned filled her tone, and she stepped closer to him.
He filled her in on the suggestion from his son that he and Kyra date, and what Andrew had said about feeling complete around Randy and Blaine. When he finished, Matt held his breath, afraid of what she was going to say. When she didn't speak right away, he added another thought. "I feel horrible that I'm working so hard and he's alone. Am I a terrible father?"
Matt couldn't believe he was asking his cousin's fiancée this, but Blaine had been so helpful with Andrew the past few months.
"You're not a horrible father, Matt. Don't think like that. Andrew is just worried about you. He still has a lot of anger toward his mother, and there are times he is lonely, but it's nothing you're doing wrong. There's a void in his heart that, even when you do the best you can, you can't fill."
"I'm worried that he's giving himself ideas that will hurt him in the long run, like the idea that Kyra and I could date." Let alone work out.
"He has been talking about her a lot this week and hinting at the idea he wouldn't mind you two dating," Blaine admitted. "I've been debating on how to bring that one up to you." Looking away, she smoothed the sides of her dress before settling her gaze back on him. "Life lessons are a real bitch, aren't they? I wish I had an idea how to make this easier. The first night I met Andrew, I knew he was a strong kid, but he still had some unresolved issues about his mom."
"The night he'd been drinking at a party?" Matt remembered that. It was about six months ago, and Andrew had run to Randy's after the party went wrong, one of the last major trouble incidents Andrew had.
"Yeah. He pretends like his mother leaving doesn't hurt him, but deep down I could see it did."
"Makes me wonder why he'd attach himself to another musician."
"Because he's still young and gives his heart away easier," Blaine pointed out. "Whereas you're older and a little more jaded."
"The whole conversation just left a sour taste in my mouth. I don't know what to do. I sound like a complete idiot."
"I disagree. Parenting doesn't come with a handbook. You and Andrew, you'll figure it out. Hearts might break, but they're fixable. Randy and I will always do what we can, so don't be afraid to reach out. Oh, and as for Kyra, you never know."
"I don't feel that way about her." Or did he? He was curious about her, for sure. That was it.
Blaine raised a brow. "You're pretending not to, but it's there. On both ends. Don't think I haven't been watching you two."
"I couldn't go down that road again," he protested.
"She's not Kendra," Blaine said softly.
That was a fact. Kyra had surprised him in more ways than one in the short time he'd met her. But that didn't mean he had to act out on a small feeling of confusion. Neither of them were in any position to be dating. Kyra had secrets. She had a past. She had a music career.
Matt had a son to raise without getting life more complicated.
*****
"Amy, please talk to me," Kyra pleaded.
Her sister paced back and forth in rapid movements. Outside, the air was cool and crisp. It was nice to get away from the overbearing crowd, even if it was to get shunned by her sister once again.
Tears streamed down Amy's face. "I wish you'd never come here! It's al
ways about you. No matter where I turn, what I do, you're always being thrown up in my face somewhere. I'm over it! I want a life outside of being famous Kyra Sanders' sister. Your songs are everywhere, your name is everywhere, and your problems are everywhere. I am SICK of living in your shadow, so just back the hell off!" She flew toward Kyra and shoved her hard before running off once again.
Kyra couldn't steady herself. She fell and hit the ground hard. To make things worse, someone nearby pulled a camera or phone out. When the blinding flash lit up the area, she raised a protective hand over her face. Kyra shot to her feet and tried to chase them away, but the damage had already been done. Great. How much money were photos of her on the ground in front of a high school dance worth? Worse than that, what the hell were the headlines going to say?
Pain burst like a dam behind her eyes. She stumbled back inside, her sister's words echoing loudly in her mind.
Going back inside was a terrible idea. The crowd, the noise, it all surrounded her, threatening to swallow her whole. Kyra's world spun off its axis as her vision blurred. Off in the distance there was cheering. People stood by the stage where the DJ was, and someone put a crown on a girl's head. Oh, high school royalty. Like homecoming king and queen. She was missing this!
Someone bumped into her, and Kyra nearly shrieked. She couldn't regain her balance. Loud voices loomed around her. It brought back memories of the show where she'd been attacked.
The crowd. Loud voices. The chants. Things thrown at her. The blame. God, the blame. Her fault. All her fault. She'd killed someone.
Past blended with the present as memories consumed her. Kyra couldn't remember much about that night. Only what she'd been told. She'd woken up dazed and confused with little memory.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, as if the people here knew what the hell she was talking about. They weren't the right ones to apologize to.
Chapter Ten
Chaos erupted again as Matt watched Andrew dance with Daisy. He groaned, hoping it wasn't Amy and Sharon fighting again. Adrenaline zapped through him like lightning when he saw Kyra fall to the floor and curl up in a ball, holding her hands over her head. What the hell? He sprung to action.
Fallen Idol (Love and Music in Texas Book 4) Page 8
