CHAPTER 2
Kate Montgomery bit back a sigh as her mother swept into the living room, looking every bit the opera diva, followed closely by Franco DiAngelo, her booking agent. And, Kate strongly suspected, her mother’s lover. “Happy New Year, darling.”
Kate raised her cheek to accept her mother’s air kiss, nose wrinkling at the scent of her powdery perfume.
Helene Montgomery narrowed her gaze. “How late did you stay up? You have bags this morning.” She clucked her tongue. “You know how sleep deprivation affects the vocal folds.”
Kate grimaced. It was New Year’s Eve, mom. But like a good patient, she held her tongue and instead, gave her mother a smile that felt more like a grimace. She refused to acknowledge Franco. Why was he even here? There were no concerts in her future.
Across the room, her fiddle player and best friend, Cheyenne, cleared her throat. “We weren’t up that late, Mrs. Montgomery. Scout’s honor. Kate and I both turned in right after midnight.”
Helene swung around. “Nothing is more important than Kaycee’s recovery. And as a trusted band member, I think you’d keep in mind that her recovery impacts your livelihood too.”
Cheyenne arched a brow and lifted a shoulder. “Sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Montgomery, but I was in demand before I met Kate, and I’ll keep playing gigs with or without her. I think you have more to lose from Kate’s prolonged recovery than me.”
Kate gave a silent cheer, heart swelling at the way Cheyenne never backed down from a fight with Helene. And Helene Montgomery was a force of nature. Iron-willed and unstoppable once she decided she wanted something. It had been that iron will which had propelled the name Kaycee Starr to the top of the country charts years ago, and where it still sat, months after she’d gone to ground to recover from vocal surgery away from the prying eyes of the press.
Helene stiffened. “I have nothing but Kaycee’s best interest at heart.”
Cheyenne crossed her arms, eyes flashing. “Is that so?” She cocked her chin at Franco who lingered at the edge of the room, clearly uncomfortable. “How much money did you and Frankie here lose from the last round of canceled concerts? Five, ten million?”
The accusation spurred Franco to action. “I think it’s time you left, Cheyenne. We have a spring tour to plan.”
She ignored him, prodding Helene. “All I’ve heard for months is talk about Kaycee’s return to the stage. No concern about your daughter? What about Kate’s best interests, Mrs. Montgomery? How do you think it feels having to hide from the press permanently camped at the edge of the drive? Having to sneak out of the house in disguise to get to the doctor? Hardly speaking, for months? Not to mention the gossip? Everyone in the biz knows something’s up.”
They had for months. And they circled like sharks at the first hint of blood. First it had been the increased security presence when an obsessed fan had crossed the line. Then it had been her sudden disappearance, followed by a string of canceled tours. But her mother had insisted bad press was better than no press, and that her name in the tabloids was responsible for her continued success while she convalesced.
Helene started toward Cheyenne. “Now look here, young lady–”
Enough. Kate slapped her hands on the coffee table, banging until both women turned with a start. “Stop,” she called hoarsely.
Helene’s eyes widened in shock. “Don’t talk. You’ll ruin your voice.”
Kate would have laughed if it didn’t hurt so much. Each visit to the doctor further dimmed the hope she’d clung to all these months that she’d be back to normal soon. She gesticulated wildly, letting her frustration come out in her hands.
Helene pressed her lips together, shaking her head vehemently. “You just need a few more months of vocal rest.”
And then what? Months of speech therapy? Walking on eggshells, living in terror that a laugh, a cough, would put her back in the doctor’s chair? How in the hell could she get through a set, let alone a concert like that? She couldn’t. Grabbing her hair and shaking her head in a silent scream, she rose, running through the expansive room, not seeing the floor to ceiling windows that looked through the trees to the meadow and the pond below. Down the hall to the kitchen, the friendliest room in the lonely house, to where she’d left her notebook.
It pained her to admit that Cheyenne was right. It hit her like a kick in the gut. Her mother and Franco would never listen to her. Somewhere in her journey to stardom, her mother had ceased being a proud mama and looked at her only with dollar signs in her eyes. Pain knifed through her throat as it tightened. Kate blinked rapidly. She couldn’t afford to break down now. If she gave in to tears now, all the despair and worry she’d bottled up for months would spill out and she wouldn’t be able to stop. And that would be bad for her voice too.
Pulling in a shaky breath, she listened to the angry voices carry down the hall. Her heart punched a hole in her chest as she wrestled with her fear. It was time. Beyond time. The months of enforced silence had given Kate more than enough time to reflect. She glanced at her left wrist where the temporary tattoo she’d put on last night with Cheyenne peeked up at her in bold script. Brave.
What she planned to do might hurt, but she could be brave.
Grabbing her notebook and a sharpie, Kate marched back to where the noise had escalated into shouting. She paused at the door, taking in the scene. Cheyenne vibrated with righteous indignation as she stood toe to toe with Franco. Helene’s composure had slipped, her face twisted into a condescending sneer.
The corner of Kate’s mouth tipped up. Cheyenne was scrappy. She wasn’t afraid of anyone. Or anything, as far as Kate could tell. Just for once, she wanted that. Wanted just a fraction of Cheyenne’s fearlessness. Wanted the courage to say what she really thought, not what everyone expected. Kaycee Starr always said the right thing. Charmed the pants off the press. Smiled benignly at the creepy advances from men twice her age who only saw her as a decoration for their arm. Listened to her mother and did what she was told. Kate Montgomery not so much. Kate Montgomery wanted to kick ass and take names. Kate Montgomery wouldn’t let people treat her like some object to be used or manipulated. She glanced at her wrist again. Brave. Kate Montgomery was brave, and if she didn’t feel brave, she could fake it ’til she made it.
Bringing her fingers to her lips, she let out a deafening whistle. Ouch. Her throat cried in protest, but it had done the trick. Three sets of eyes turned to stare at her. She scribbled on her notepad and held it up. Helene’s eyes grew wide. “Don’t be melodramatic, Kaycee darling,” she snapped.
I’m Kate. I’m Kate. I’m Kate. She shook her head and glared at her mother, then wrote on the flip side. OUT.
“I don’t think you can do that,” Franco sputtered.
“Actually, she can,” Cheyenne answered. “And she just did, so now would be a good time to go.”
Helene’s mouth tightened, making her look more like a prune than a concerned parent. “You don’t mean that, Kaycee. You’re tired. You used to do this when you were overly tired as teenager.”
And I was too afraid to stand on my own two feet. Kate flipped the page back, underlining the words and adding a few exclamation points for emphasis. YOU’RE FIRED!!!!!!!! She pointed to the front entry, flicking her wrist.
Her mother’s gaze sharpened, turning to steel. “You don’t know what you’re doing. There will be consequences for this.”
There always are. Kate stood her ground, not flinching under her mother’s scrutiny, and slowly tilted her head toward the entryway. Helene stayed rooted to the floor, expression daring her to make another move. I am brave. I am brave. Heart racing, Kate spun and marched to the foyer, heaving the door wide, gripping the knob to disguise the shaking in her hands. After what seemed like ages, her mother and Franco followed. Franco didn’t say anything, but his face was red. He was one of the most sought-after agents in country music. He’d probably never been unceremoniously dumped before. Kate shoved down a bitter laugh. First time for everything.
Her mother paused in the doorway, staring at her for a long moment. Surely she understood why this was necessary? Why it was time for her to go it alone for a while? Helene had been young once too. With big dreams and hopes. And yes, she’d put them aside when she discovered she was pregnant, but Kate had made sure her mother would never want for anything. She’d been a good daughter and done the right thing.
“We’ll discuss this later,” Helene spoke tightly and swept out the door.