CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
“Hashtag, ‘What would happen if’ is trending right now,” producer, Trent McDonald loudly proclaimed backstage after the show.
There were several hoots and hollers as the band high-fived each other and Clay swung Katie around in his arms. With the champagne popped ceremoniously, they were having an impromptu party in the hallway. Numerous country artists and their entourages congratulated Clay on his successful debut, many of them bummed that they wouldn’t be able to record some of the soon-to-be-hit-songs he had sung that night. Electricity crackled in the air, the excitement of the Georgia Clay team infectious.
Clay kept Katie close, holding her hand or keeping his arm around her. He knew she was taken aback by being brought up onto the stage in front of so many people. He couldn’t help it. When she had told him that she loved him, he was shocked and couldn’t muster the words without becoming a stuttering idiot. It was unexpected and out of the blue after feeling like he had already lost her. Looking out into the audience and seeing her gazing up at him with such a poignant look on her gorgeous face, he knew he was going to let the world know how he felt about her.
“You need a little more?” he asked, bringing a dark bottle up to her plastic flute.
“Sure.”
As he poured the pink bubbly he smiled, aware that his entire body was tingling and buzzing with a new sensation—love. To finally be out in the open with his true feelings was a weight off his shoulders. He loved Katie Parker and his future was everything he ever dreamed it could be with her by his side.
She brought the flute up to her lips and sipped, looking demurely at him through her lashes. He leaned in and whispered, “I wish we could lock ourselves in the bathroom.” Giggling, she shook her head, biting her lower lip.
One by one, the musicians and production team congratulated Clay before leaving for the night. Buddy escorted the happy couple back to the dressing room, shutting the door behind him.
“That was absolutely insane. I’m so proud of you, Clay.” The two men hugged, patting each other aggressively on the back. “Don’t worry about all the flowers and gifts. I’ll have your assistant get them to your place sometime tomorrow.” The big man put his hands on his hips. “This tour is gonna explode, mark my word.”
The buzzing of a cell phone on the dressing room table interrupted the moment. Clay glanced at it and realized it was his mother calling. He held up a finger. “Give me a sec, Buddy.” Swiping the phone on, he held it up to his ear. “Hey, Mama!”
Birdie Watkins went on and on about how proud and excited she was, especially thrilled that he was in love. Grinning and nodding his head, he listened and couldn’t help but notice out of the corner of his eye Katie and Buddy speaking quietly with each other. He watched Katie retrieve a key out of her purse and hand it to him. Quickly, Buddy shoved it into his pocket and waved to Clay before heading out the door. He waved back.
“Well, I love you too, Mama. Thank you for being my biggest fan. Get some sleep. You’re up way past your bedtime.” When they said their final goodbye, he clicked off the phone and set it down. He crossed his arms and leaned back on the counter, taking a good look at Katie Parker. Her business attire was perplexing and now that they were alone, he had some questions he needed answered.
“What?” she asked, looking back at him. There was the tiniest hint of guilt in her expression.
“You never answered my question earlier. Why are you dressed like that?”
Katie palmed her pencil skirt and shifted in her high heels, her disheveled hair hanging limply over one shoulder.
“And why did you just give Buddy a key?”
Shaking her head, she approached him and placed her hands on his folded arms. “Let’s enjoy tonight, Clay,” she pleaded. “We can talk about all this tomorrow, okay?”
Clay furrowed his brow. He hated she was keeping something from him. “No, Katie. Tell me now. Tell me what happened today.”
Her face fell, and her shoulders sagged.
“Baby, whatever it is, you can tell me, you know that. You just told me that you loved me. Were you telling the truth?”
Her head shot up and she nodded aggressively. “Yes, of course!”
He clasped her hands in his. “When two people love each other, they don’t keep secrets. Tell me what happened.”
Immediate tears brimmed her eyes as she pulled her hands out of his and nodded. “I almost didn’t make it tonight,” she whispered.
“I know. I was worried sick. Where is your cell phone?”
She hesitated before looking back him with big doe eyes and swallowed. “On a plane to California.”
“What?” He gripped the side of the counter not understanding.
“Clay, my boss rescinded my vacation time this week. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to let you down. There’s a huge conference going on in California and he demanded that I be there. He said if I didn’t go, I’d be out of a job.” She paused, nervously fingering the silver heart clasped around her neck. “I was on the plane and it was about to take off when I realized that I love you and I’d rather have you than some stupid corporate job…”
“But your job means the world to you,” Clay interrupted, flabbergasted by what she was telling him.
“No. You mean the world to me.” She approached him, bringing her hand up to touch his buzzed sideburn, her fingers grazing his skin, sending waves of pleasure through his body. “My coworker got me on a flight to Nashville and reserved a rental car for me. The flight was delayed and when I landed, I realized I didn’t have my phone. I was lucky to find the right rental car place and came as quickly as I could. It was so late, Clay… I thought for sure I was going to miss it. Not being able to contact you and reassure you that I was on my way was pure misery. I didn’t want you to think I had abandoned you. God, Clay! I would never abandon you!” She was openly crying by now and he drew her into his chest hugging her fiercely.
Mumbling into his chest, she continued. “Traffic was bumper to bumper, and I was so close. I pulled over and started walking.”
“You walked? In those shoes?”
Looking up at him with her arms gripped around his waist she nodded. “Not for long. This guy on a Harley asked if I needed a ride, so I got on his bike and he brought me here in no time.”
Clay scowled. Her noble intentions were overwhelming. “You got on a stranger’s bike?” His mind was reeling, his heart pulsing in protection mode. Guilt washed over him for not being there for her.
“That’s the thing, Clay. He wasn’t a stranger!” Her eyes shone brightly with what looked like hope.
“What do you mean? Did you know him?” He was so confused; he didn’t know what to think.
“The license plate on the back of his bike spelled ‘Big Daddy!’ Clay, I truly believe it was your father watching over me!”
All the air left Clay’s lungs and he blinked several times rapidly before pulling Katie in and leaning on her for support. He knew without a doubt that Big Daddy had divinely arranged for that stranger to come to her aid. His presence could be felt everywhere in the Ryman—he had felt it all night. Standing in the dressing room, they held tightly to each other, Clay not able to let go. She had made it to him in the nick of time. It all made sense now; her clothes, the lack of communication. There was one more question he had to know the answer to.
“The key?” he whispered into her ear.
“The rental car. It’s still on I-40, parked with the hazard lights on. Buddy’s taking care of it.”
His grip tightened as he nodded his head, exhaustion creeping into his bones. They had both run the gamut of emotions that day. “Let’s go home.”
***
Katie’s eyes fluttered open in the muted morning light and she immediately noticed Clay staring back at her. An instant smile grazed her sleepy lips as she reached up to touch his cheek.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice deep and low.
“Good morning.” His gaze was penetrating, as if he had something on his mind. She watched him prop his head on his elbow. With his free hand, he twirled her long hair with his fingers.
“I’ve been thinking—”
“This early?” She interrupted with a giggle.
He chuckled. “Yes.” His stare was purposeful. “Come with me. On tour.”
“What?” Pulling up into a sitting position, she shifted and held her legs close to her chest.
“Come with me. You said yourself you’ve always wanted to travel. We could do it together. You and me. It would be an adventure.” His caramel eyes sparkled with child-like excitement.
“I…I don’t know what to say.”
“Say, ‘yes,’” he pleaded, running his fingertips up and down her bare leg. “Take some time off; you deserve it. You can find another job later. Be with me, Katie. Be with me on the adventure of a lifetime.”
His offer sounded too good to be true. But the thought of not working was unfathomable. She had always worked. Even through high school and college, she had jobs and never took time off, constantly studying and working. Her climb up the corporate ladder had been arduous and the pride she felt hitting each rung higher and higher was meaningful and worth it. But there was no comparison between work and Clay Watkins. Her heart belonged to him. Hearing him profess those three little words in front of millions of people was more meaningful to her than any rung on any ladder. They had the kind of love that would destroy her if she lost it.
Suppressing a grin, she nodded.
Clay’s eyes widened with surprise. “Really?”
“Yes. I’ll go with you.”
He was straddling her in seconds, peppering her cheeks and neck with warm kisses. Her heart surged with a happiness she had never known as he whispered over and over, “I love you, I love you, I love you…”