Chapter Three

Tiffany put the finishing touches on her makeup and sprayed her hair once more. She gave herself a wink of approval in the mirror.

She was meeting Clara at the bar on Lower Broadway which Warner was part owner of, Tim-Tim-Tom’s. Warner had a car picking them up and taking them to the Opry.

Tiffany loved having friends who had perks. Limos, planes, exclusive vacation locations. It never got old. Even better, the Kellers and Bensons had always been down to earth. That was even a more precious gift.

Clara sat at a table with her cousin Avery and her sister-in-laws Darcy and Victoria, as well as with her cousins’ wives Julie and Courtney. They were their own party wherever they traveled. Tiffany was blessed to be “one of them,” as they would always say.

She’d grown up with Avery every bit as much as she’d grown up with Spencer. They had been cousins who were born only hours apart. It had made for a very special bond.

“What do we have going on here?” Tiffany asked as she approached the table of giggling women.

“Girls’ night out,” Clara said, patting the empty stool next to her.

“We have a little time before the car arrives. How about a glass of wine?” Avery asked.

“You can have my share. I’m not drinking obviously,” Clara said, rubbing her stomach.

“You can have my share too,” Julie said and Tiffany was sure she was already glowing.

“How could I possibly turn that down?” She sat down as Clara signaled the waitress for another glass. “No guys tonight, aside from Warner?”

“Nope. Just us girls,” Clara winked. “After the show we’ll come back here. They are playing an aftershow set here.”

“Sounds like a wonderful night.”

“Absolutely,” Courtney said raising her glass. “I love nights when the men have to take care of the kids.”

They enjoyed a few glasses of wine—well, some of them did—before the limo arrived to pick them up. Tiffany felt like a star. The limo took them to a side door of the theater where they were met by a member of the staff who escorted them to their seats.

“They don’t put you in the front row?” Tiffany asked Clara as they filed into their seats.

“My request. I’ve seen him. Let the others enjoy.”

“No one recognizes you?” Tiffany asked of Clara’s quick rise to fame before she paired up with her husband and created the duo the Wrights. They had been headliners and chart toppers.

Clara shrugged. “My moment in the spotlight was brief and babies change a body. Once in awhile someone will approach me, but he’s in the spotlight now.”

“You’re okay with that?”

“That’s all I ever wanted.”

That was the spirit of a Keller, Tiffany thought. Clara’s family took care of their own and that extended beyond the family to friends too.

Her family life had been perfectly good, but having one more family to count on made it even better.

The show began and Tiffany eased into her seat. She never grew tired of watching an Opry show—it was classic entertainment. It was a perk to having grown up in Nashville.

~*~

Blake had played sold out stadium shows of over twenty-thousand. It was part of the life. But standing on the edge of the stage at the Grand Ole Opry waiting to be announced, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven.

The whole night wasn’t about him. The name they would call would be Warner Wright. The man that would steal the spotlight wasn’t him, yet his insides were about to burst with pride with how far he’d come.

This was like the homecoming. Every country music musician vied to play this venue and here he was. It wasn’t the Ryman, but it didn’t matter. He was about to hit the Opry stage. This was one of those ‘dream come true’ moments.

His parents were back in Canada listening to satellite radio. They were there in spirit. He asked his brother to take video of his mother’s reaction when they hit the stage. He also told him at what part in the set his solo was to take place and that would be when Warner would introduce him. It was her reaction to the entire night that had him more nervous than he’d already been when he’d found out they were playing there.

Of course, there was the thought too that Tiffany was sitting out among the crowd and she’d know the solo was for her. He’d meant it too. It was all for her.

With his guitar dangling in front of him, his leather jacket always questionable in the heat, he tightened his ponytail.

“You ready?” Warner gave him a friendly slap on the back.

“Man, I’m shaking.”

Warner smiled that genuine smile of compassion, which Blake had quickly learned wasn’t a front. “Me too. Clara and the girls are here. They’re sitting up stage…”

“Don’t tell me, man. I’m already nervous. If I see that redhead, by chance, watching me, I’ll probably pass out.”

“Tiffany?”

“Yeah, met her last night at the party.”

Warner’s brows lifted. “Were you the one she snuck out with?”

“Snuck out with? She’d already left the party, I just followed. And nothing like that, really. We had a nice conversation. I think she’s got some holiday blues.”

“She’s good people,” Warner said as they waited for their cue.

Good people, Blake thought. Just a little lost, but good.

Maybe she’d cross paths with him again before they left Nashville. He could use more good people in his life and he’d really like her in his life.

The very thought of her had his body temperature rising even higher, but he couldn’t help himself. There was something about her that drew his every thought back to her.

They were given their cue and the band hit the stage. The crowd erupted and Blake willed the sips of water he’d taken to stay in his stomach. Who’d ever have thought he’d have stage fright so bad?

Deep into their third song, he looked out at the crowd and caught sight of her. In a crowd that big, how in the heck was that even possible? Her earrings twinkled in the lights and his eyes couldn’t help but continue to focus toward her.

He shot her a wink, perhaps it went out to the masses and she didn’t notice, but he thought she might. In the next song, he had his solo and he’d play it to her.

Man, he wished he hadn’t seen her. His knees had gone back to shaking. But a true professional never let the audience in on the pain. The show must go on and he’d play his heart out.

Clara elbowed Tiffany in the arm. “I think he was winking at you.”

“Are you kidding me?” she whispered. “There are a thousand women here. He’s a showman. He’s putting on a show.”

Clara just smiled and they listened to Warner belt out a song he’d written with Clara. She beamed just as any proud wife would, Tiffany assumed.

She noticed that Blake changed instruments.

“I thought Blake played bass.”

“He can play anything. This is his solo piece.”

Then Warner stopped singing and the guitar took over. Tiffany found herself holding her breath as Blake took center stage. His fingers quickly moved across the neck of the guitar and the entire theater was cheering.

Her heart raced. He’d told her that his solo was for her, but she hadn’t anticipated that it would actually move her—affect her. As Warner moved back in toward him, resting his hand on Blake’s shoulder, they exchanged a smile.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Blake Wilson!”

The audience approved with their applause.

He raised his hand and pointed right in her direction and then blew a kiss.

“I told you that was for you,” Clara stomped her feet and gave her a playful slap on the thigh.

This time Tiffany didn’t argue. Yes, it was for her. And yes, he had simply stolen her heart. Now, what was she going to do with that?

~*~

The limo took the women back to Tim-Tim-Tom’s. Thank goodness they’d reserved a table for them. The place was packed.

“Everyone must know they’re playing here tonight,” Tiffany said to Clara.

“Tradition. People pick up on that very quickly,” she said as they maneuvered through the crowd to the table at the front of the stage.

Courtney held on to Darcy’s arm for guidance. “Someone has on too much Chanel knock off perfume,” she said with a laugh. “Must be a groupie hanging out by the stage, huh?”

Darcy escorted her to a chair and told her it was a tall stool. Courtney gave her a nod, felt her surroundings with her hand, and climbed up. Tiffany was always in awe when she watched Tyler’s wife maneuver through crowds or even just attend to her children. There was a sixth sense to her. She’d lost her sight as a child, but never let that hold her back. Tiffany was perfectly healthy in every way. She saw the world around her and it scared the hell out of her sometimes. To think she could live in darkness, like Courtney, and not know what was coming at her scared her even more and made her appreciate Courtney.

“Yes, we’re right in front of the stage,” Darcy confirmed as she too climbed up on a stool.

“I can see the red and blue lights flashing.”

“They give me a headache,” Clara added. “But we’re close enough to pinch Warner’s butt.”

The entire table of women laughed—except Tiffany.

They were that close, which meant Blake would be that close too.

Her heart began to race and she broke out into a cold sweat.

She’d quickly come up with an excuse to leave. It would be best if she didn’t get worked up about someone she just met who wasn’t going to be around. Heck, he certainly wasn’t even her type with all those tattoos and that long hair.

Damn, she thought. The very thought of him had sent a surge of excitement right down to her core.

But it was already too late. People began to move on the stage and get mics in the right place. The crowd moved in around them closer and a man walked out on stage.

“Who’s ready for more music from Warner Wright?”

The crowd around them cheered.

Tiffany’s heart began to thud heavily in her chest. They hadn’t ordered drinks and her mouth was suddenly parched.

A moment later, there he was. Warner moved to the mic and the crowd’s noise intensified. She scanned the men on the stage and when she saw Blake, his eyes were already locked on hers.

He gave her a wink and every part of her turned to goo.

There was an unspoken commitment in that wink.

She was his for the night and suddenly that was exactly what she wanted. God help her.