All I Ever Wanted(61)

"I'm glad." Part of Arabella really did want to see Heartbeat get back together for a tour to show the world what they could do. She'd been blown away by the mature depth of their talent and longed for them to put their mark on the musical world that had changed so much over the past decade. Vegas would welcome them with open arms, and she knew that offers were going to come at them left and right. Oliver would push for a full-fledged reunion  . Jimmy, being the sweetie he was, would probably cave in, just to please his brothers and keep the peace. Easygoing Jesse would hop on board too, being a ham who loved attention, even though he never seemed to take fame seriously. She hated to think that Grady would be the holdout because of her . . . which was why she was going to leave the picture right after the concert. They just didn't know what they were going to be in for after the performance.

"Stop overthinking and I'll give you the last piece of bacon." He wiggled the last strip in invitation.

Arabella tried for a bright smile and held out her palm. "Okay, hand it over."

Grady took a bite first.

"Hey!" Arabella protested.

"The smile didn't quite reach your eyes, so you don't get the whole thing," he joked, but gave her a level look. "Just be patient. Believe in me and the promises I make."

"Grady, that's just it. It's not that I don't believe in you. I don't want you to make any promises. I want you to do what's best for you, your brothers, and the foundation."

"I already know the answers to all those requests."

"Grady . . ."

"I promise-oh, sorry." He pointed to her plate. "Now dig in.





 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN



YOU GOT IT (THE RIGHT STUFF)

Grady's emotions were skittering all over the map. While he felt the excitement of the concert day finally arriving, the reason for the reunion   made him miss his parents. A wave of melancholy swept over him but he tamped it down, not wanting anything to ruin this special day. He could feel the same kind of vibe radiating from his brothers too. And then there was Devin. Heavily caffeinated, he ran around the venue, checking and double-checking everything. When Grady noticed Devin heading his way, Grady looked back at the RV he'd just left, wondering if he could run and hide beneath it or something. Devin waved at him. Damn, too late.

"What are you doing, Grady?" Devin shoved his fingers through short-cropped hair that was just beginning to gray at the temples-it was the only sign of age in Devin's still-youthful appearance. Devin was one of those guys who never seemed to get any older.

"Standing here," Grady said calmly. "Should I be doing something?"


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"This." Devin shoved a sheet of paper at him filled with stuff. Lots of stuff.

"Holy shit." Grady frowned at the printout. "Why did I ask?"

Devin grinned. "Because you're a stickler for detail, just like me."

"Arabella's taught me to delegate. It's a beautiful thing."

Devin laughed. "I haven't learned that yet."

"Where is Arabella, by the way? I'm guessing she has a list too. One of her own."

"She's doing an interview with Sea Breeze Monthly right now and I've got your brothers scattered around doing meet-and-greets. Julie has a handle on publicity. She's got photographers everywhere, and there's constant social media coverage. She's got you trending on Twitter." Devin pointed to the paper. "You're due over at the foundation tent right now. Having you there will draw a big crowd, so get on over there."

Grady gave Devin a salute. "I'm on it."



Interviews and last-minute details kept him from seeing much of Arabella. He knew she was busy making sure their marks were on the stage and that their wardrobe was pressed and ready, but he wanted to see her, if only for a few minutes.

Because the venue was at an outdoor amphitheater, they'd set up two large RVs in the parking lot, one for the backup band and one for Heartbeat to use. He hoped he could somehow get her to join him in the trailer, share lunch, and have a quiet respite from the buzz of activity.

When he had a break from his list of things to do, Grady watched the load-in of equipment and stood by while the band tinkered and toyed with their instruments. Oliver worked closely with the sound engineer, making sure the mix that the audience would hear and the mix onstage would be perfect. Although the concert wasn't until seven o'clock in the evening, the outdoor venue would open early for the audience, most of them from Sea Breeze, to allow them to set up lawn chairs and blankets. The brothers had decided early on that they wanted a festival-like, casual setting so kids could run around and play and people could stand up and dance. Although this was a fundraiser, it was also a tribute and a celebration, one that was long overdue.