CHAPTER 16
Kate’s eyes flew open and a look of sheer terror flashed across her face. “What?” Her eyes went from Emma’s face to the phone, and back again. “What are you doing?” She screeched. Only it sounded more hoarse. As if her voice wasn’t used to working.
Emma stuffed her phone into her pocket. “I’m right, aren’t I? You’re Kaycee Starr.”
Kate stood. “Ohmygod, you have to erase that. Right now.” She held out her hand. “Give me your phone,” she said hoarsely.
“What are you talking about? You’re amazing. I should have recorded that first piece.”
Kate’s eyes grew wide. “How long have you been here?”
“Long enough to know you don’t need to be communicating with pen and paper.” Emma crossed her arms. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I was just taking a break.”
Emma smelled a rat. While Kate hadn’t admitted it, she was sure the woman was Kaycee. “Why are you here? You don’t need this job.” She narrowed her eyes. “Is this some kind of a publicity stunt? I’m not going to let you take advantage of my friends.”
Kate’s shoulders drooped. “I swear that’s not it at all. I need this job.”
“No, you don’t. You have more money than everyone in town combined.”
“You don’t understand. Please.” Kate held out her hand. “Can I please have the phone? I’ll pay you.”
Anger flashed through Emma. “You think everyone can be bought? I don’t want your money. I want to know why you’re here at the ranch taking advantage of my friends.”
Kate held up her hands. “I know it looks bad, but I swear, I’m not.
“Start talking.” She’d dealt with high maintenance clients before. Half the time they manufactured their own drama.
Kate gestured to the hay bales. “Can we sit?”
Emma shrugged. “Sure.” She followed Kate, and settled herself on a bale, studying the young woman, who paused to pour hot tea from a thermos.
Kate lifted her eyes. “Before I tell you anything, I need to know you’re not going to go to the press, or sell my story to the tabloids.”
Holy crap. White fury poured over Emma like ice-water. “I know there are some slimebags in show biz, but this is Prairie. And if you believe that any one of us here would sell you out, then maybe you should sneak back to your castle in Tennessee–”
“Kentucky.”
“I don’t care where it is. I thought you were here to help the ranch.”
Kate looked pained. “I am. But it’s more complicated than that.”
Emma crossed her arms. “Try me.”
“I’ll need you to sign a non-disclosure.”
Emma’s heart went to the young woman. How lonely. The woman was what, only twenty-four? And already so suspicious and jaded? She waved a hand. “I sign them all the time in my line of work.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a folder and a pen. She rifled through it to find the right form and scrawled her signature. “Here. It’s Royal Fountain Media’s standard ND.”
She waved it in front of Kate, who took the form, scanned it, then carefully folded it and put it in her pocket. Kate took a deep breath. “How much do you know about me?”
“I heard you canceled a tour and disappeared from the public eye.”
The young woman looked at her sharply. “Anything else?”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m so busy I don’t pay attention to much superstar drama.”
“No one knows I’m here. My sister helped me leave my estate undetected. As far as the paparazzi are concerned, I’ve become a recluse at my estate.”
“You mean you never leave?” She shouldn’t sound so incredulous, but was fame worth all that hassle? Not for the first time, she was glad her life was more… anonymous.
“Rarely. And it’s fine. My property is well protected. I make it work. Or I did…” her voice trailed off. She took a drink and continued. “I- I… lost my voice. Ruined it, some people say.”
“That’s why the paper and pen?”
She nodded. “I had vocal surgery in October. And… and,” she sniffed, blinking hard, then shook her head. “It partially worked. But they basically told me I’d never be able to keep the schedule I had before… before.”
Emma gasped, covering her mouth. The poor girl. What heartbreak.
“I went back just before I came here, to see if by some miracle things had healed.” Her shoulders slumped. “But no change. The doctor told me I could continue to try to heal through complete vocal rest, but that it was likely permanent damage and that I should, I should, find a different career.” The last part came out in a whisper.
Silence filled the barn. A million questions filled her head. But none of them felt appropriate to ask just then. “But you sounded beautiful,” Emma said softly.
Kate laughed bitterly. “I can’t even tell. Everything feels so foreign. Broken.”
“Well if this is broken Kaycee Starr, I’ll take it. And so will a ton of other people, I bet. Question is, what do you want to do?”
Kate brushed a hand over her eyes. “I don’t know who I am without a guitar in my hands. That’s part of why I came here. I grew up around horses. And I figured if I could just make it through a day caring for the animals without breaking down, that maybe that was a start.”
“So you came here to start over?”
“More or less. I figured if it was a place for struggling veterans, that maybe it would be okay to struggle here too.”
“Has it helped?”
“Being here?” She nodded. “Yeah. Everyone’s been great. But they don’t know who I am. I’m just Kate here.” Kate narrowed her eyes. “And I want it to stay that way. I can go into town and there are no photographers, no reporters wanting the latest scoop.”
An idea formed in Emma’s mind. “I’m planning a concert here for the beginning of May. You should sing at it.”
She shook her head vigorously. “Are you kidding? I can barely talk. My voice hurts just from singing two songs. I–”
“But what if I could guarantee your privacy and security, would you consider it? Maybe it would help you feel better… singing a little?”
Kate’s eyebrows creased. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head, eyes full of regret. “My voice is ruined. I wouldn’t last ten minutes onstage.”
“I don’t believe that. The world needs to hear your voice, Kate. People would be thrilled to hear you. I’m no musical expert, but you sounded amazing just now. And having your name to bring attention to the ranch could mean a huge difference for Travis and Elaine.”
Kate grimaced, shaking her head. “You don’t understand. The ranch would be overrun with paparazzi. Everyone wanting a piece of me. Not to mention the crazed fans.” She shuddered. “Travis and Elaine have been so good to me, and I’m so grateful for my job here. But I’m sorry. I just can’t.”
Emma’s stomach sank. There must be a way to get her to change her mind. “Please consider it? The concert is two months away, you might have a whole new voice by then.”
A tear dripped down Kate’s cheek and she shook her head. “I know you don’t understand, but I have to accept that part of my life is over. Please? I need your assurance you won’t give my secret away. I just want a quiet life away from the gossip and the media. Please let me have that?”
Disappointment ripped through Emma. “I won’t tell. But I think you’re making a mistake. You can’t hide here forever. What are you going to do when the other veterans arrive? Or when the press comes? Someone else is bound to recognize you.”
Kate crossed her arms, her chin jutting out. “I’ll stay in my house.”
A knot of frustration pulled on Emma’s shoulders. Some people could never see the forest through the trees. “So you’ll stay trapped here instead of your own home, but you’ll take everyone else here hostage to do it? How is that fair to Travis and Elaine, or the veterans they’re trying to help?”
Kate looked pained. “Then just give me a little more time? I’m not ready.”
Emma sat next to her on the hay. “Kate, the livelihood of the ranch will depend on its visibility. And I don’t mean to be insensitive, because I can see how devastated you are. But the veterans coming here have been through the wringer. They’ve put their bodies and souls on the line in service to their country. They’re suffering. Please think about how your actions will impact them.”
Kate’s face twisted and she hung her head.
“In some ways, we’re all wounded, Kate. Every single one of us. We’ve all experienced loss. Hardship. I know you’ve heard Travis talking about that we can let those moments be our story, or simply be a part of our story.” Emotion swelled through her as she thought of her parents, her brothers. So many in town who’d endured tragedy over the years. “Ask anyone in town. We’ve all lost something. Or someone. Some of us have come through better than others, but no one goes through life unscathed. We get through it by helping each other.” She sighed. Was any of this getting through to her? “Maybe you need to think of this differently. Maybe your voice, even ‘broken’,” she made air quotes, “could help someone.”
Kate nodded, but kept her eyes averted.
Emma stood, brushing her hands on her jeans. You could lead a horse to water… “Think about joining the concert. You know where to find me if you change your mind.”