CHAPTER 19
August 12th
Kate hit the last chord on the guitar as the lights went dark. The roar from the crowd crashed over her and carried her higher, higher. They’d loved the new material, sung along with her hits at the top of their lungs, cheered her band.
A stagehand took her elbow guiding her along the glow tape that spiked the stage floor until she reached the sides. Offstage, she grinned at Cheyenne, offering a high-five. “Girl, you were on fi-re.”
“You too,” Cheyenne crowed. “I need earplugs for the crowd.”
Someone handed her a bottle of water. She cracked the lid and drained the contents in one long swallow. Excitement hummed through her veins. There was nothing, nothing like kicking off a tour in front of the hometown crowd. Except maybe ending it. She made a note to talk to Franco about booking a concert back here at the end of the tour. She grimaced internally. He’d have zero problems with that. The man only cared about the money she made him.
“MORE, MORE, MORE,” the crowd screamed in unison.
Pride surged through her as she looked at her band. She’d assembled the best musicians in the business. Any of them was easily talented enough to make a solo career, but they loved making music together. And they loved going on the road. The tour buses were lined up in the back lot behind the stadium, ready to roll out after the VIP party and drive all night long to Kansas City, the next leg on their tour.
“Y’all ready to get back out there?” Kate smiled widely at the group. “Let’s do Only You, and then finish with Dance with Me.”
Joey, her drummer, was the first to take the stage. He announced their return by kicking the bass drum to the rhythm of the crowd’s claps. As soon as they heard it, another deafening roar went up. Tiger and Brian, her bassist and rhythm guitarist, went next. Then Al, her keyboard player. Cheyenne went next, and as soon as Kate heard the driving rhythm of her bluegrass fiddle, she took the stage, letting the roar of adoration wash over her. She adjusted her guitar and joined in, doubling Cheyenne’s melody, then turning and giving it all to the crowd at the turnaround.
Momma thought you were a bad boy, no good for me… but I knew better…
And they were off and running, tearing through a song of teenage love and rebellion with driving force. The kind of music you blared with the windows down on a hot summer evening as you raced down back country roads. Just like they’d filmed in the music video that would drop tomorrow. The kind of music you lost yourself in, letting the words take you to a place full of possibility.
Goosebumps cascaded through her as the last sound faded and the crowd went crazy. She was flying high, nothing could stop her tonight, not even the catch in the back of her throat she’d had for the last few weeks. She switched off her headset and approached the band. “Y’all, I have an idea. I wanna take Dance with Me more like a slow blues instead of a fast two-step.” She looked at Joey. “Think you can lay down a rhythm?”
He tapped out a rhythm on the edge of the tom.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Cheyenne arched a brow. “Your mom and Franco are going to shit their pants. You sure you want to rain down their wrath on opening night?”
Kate was sick of the way they micromanaged her. She was determined to take more artistic control on this tour. Perform the songs the way she’d written them to be heard. “If she’s so pissed about it, she can march out on stage and try and stop us.”
Joey laughed. “I’d bet a bottle of Michter’s US-1 to see that.”
“On my count.” She turned back to the audience. “Hey there, Nashville. Y’all have a good time tonight?”
Kate counted to three as the decibels went through the roof.
“Aww, you know how much I love you. Thank you so much for helping me kick off our tour. Y’all are the best. I have a special treat for you tonight, you ready?” She cocked her chin over her shoulder, giving Joey the signal, and he laid down the perfect riff. Funky and soulful. She picked it up and fingered her way through the chord changes. Cheyenne came in with a mournful, otherworldly riff, making the violin tell a story of love and loss. Halfway through the changes, the roar from the crowd signaled they’d recognized the song.
When I was a child, not more than six…
Kate let the music fly through her, giving herself completely to the moment, to the crowd. If only she could capture this moment and bottle it. Hold onto it forever. Too soon, it was over, and she was taking her final bow.
Her mother stormed up as soon as she stepped off-stage. “What do you think you were doing out there?”
She glared at her mother. “Making music.”
“You know better than to go off message like that.”
Something snapped inside her. “This is a concert, momma, not a political campaign. And why not change things up? I didn’t hear the audience complaining.”
“No. That will happen on social media,” Helene said acidly. “You need to give people what they expect.”
“I need to be true to myself.”
“Not if it costs you your career.”
“It won’t. I know it won’t.” She knew better than to take on her mother, but this… feeling had been building for months. During all her work on the new album. She’d been chafing at the limits Helene and Franco imposed.
Her mother’s mouth tightened, red lips forming a tight circle. “You know I only have your best interests at heart, dear.”
She shook her head. “We’ll talk when I get off tour, but I’m going to start taking a more active role in everything.” Giving her mother a pointed glance, she adjusted her mic and turned back to the stage.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Her mother called after her, clearly outraged.
“Giving the audience what they want,” she shouted without looking back, coughing at the tickle in her throat that had returned. “Okay, okay, okay, Nashville,” she said as she pulled up a stool and sat, strumming and checking the tuning. “I can’t stay all night, and neither can you. But I’ll give you a few more.” She’d be a little hoarse in the morning, but it was worth it to be out there, just her and the audience.
Cheyenne met her offstage after she’d taken her final, final bow. “Way to stand up to the battle-axe,” she said.
“She’s still my mom, Chey.”
“Okay, sorry. But it’s nice to see you growing a little backbone.”
Kate turned at the tap on her shoulder. One of the suits her mother had ordered up, spoke. Was he Ten? Ace? She couldn’t keep them straight. “Ms. Starr, I’m to escort you back to your dressing room.”
She waved an arm. “Sure, sure.” She leaned into Cheyenne as they walked with the enormous man. “We need to get them some proper clothing. They look like spies.”
Cheyenne laughed. “Yeah. Right out of James Bond. Down to the code names and buzz cuts.”
“Meet you back here in ten? I just need to pull off the stage makeup.”
True to her word, Kate stepped out of her dressing room ten minutes later, stage makeup and sweaty costume removed. She’d changed into a simple white dress, and kept her rhinestone boots and cowboy hat. Her mother had taught her well. The VIP room would expect a bit of glam with their photo-ops. The meet and greet passed in a blur of autograph signing, hand shaking, hugs and photos. Several champagne corks popped. Someone handed her a glass. And then all hell broke loose.
“Kaycee, I told you not to give this concert tonight,” a terrible voice said. “Why didn’t you listen? All you needed to do was listen.”
She spun. Terror froze every cell in her body. Mere feet in front of her stood a man in his thirties or forties. He could have easily been a fan, a dad, given his jeans and baseball cap. How many countless fans had she signed autographs for who looked just like this? Her heart stopped at the wild set of his eyes, and the weapon pointed at her. Her feet glued her to the ground. She opened her mouth, yet no sound came out.
The world went into slow-motion and fast forwarded at the same time.
There was a shout. Several. The man swung around, waving the gun. Then a black blur followed by an explosion as the gun released. Screams came from all sides. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, clutching a broken glass, blood streaming down her arm, a large body next to her.
“Man down, man down,” a voice shouted.
“We got ’em.”
“Get her out of here.”
Everyone spoke at once. Her arm hurt like hell.
Two arms scooped her up. “You’re safe. I’ve got you,” a voice spoke into her ear as she was carried away from the chaos. Confused and scared to death, she looked up and into the fiercely determined eyes of Deuce.