Stirring Up Trouble(63)
Her jaw dropped. “How did I not know this?”
“I’ve never even told Ryan. I met Theresa at a party in college, and from the moment I saw her, I knew I had to make her mine. When she told me she was engaged, I didn’t care. If anything, it made me want her more. I’d been on a two-day drinking bender, and I became convinced she could save me from becoming my father.”
“What happened?”
“I pursued her. Vigorously. I used every trick in the book. Flowers, jewelry, anything and everything money could buy. Through it all, she remained true to her fiancé, a soldier overseas. One day, I kissed her. I told her I wanted to spend my life with her. That I’d never leave her and I wanted to marry her. And do you know what she did?”
She frowned. “Slap you silly?”
He swallowed, ashamed of his actions all these years later. “No. She called off her engagement just like I’d wanted. We flew to Vegas, got married on Saturday and returned to school on Sunday. By Monday, I realized I’d made a huge mistake and asked for an annulment.”
He waited for Lola to storm off in disgust, but instead, she moved closer. “Do you know what happened to her?” she asked. “Did she get back together with her fiancé?”
He shook his head. “The last time I checked, she was single and in medical school.” Hurting Theresa was his biggest regret. That is, until he’d hurt Lola. “For a long time, I was convinced I was just like my parents. I couldn’t do commitment.”
“What changed?” Lola whispered.
He dragged a finger down the sweep of her neck. “I fell in love with you.”
Her breathing hitched. “Braden—”
“Here,” he interrupted, not wanting to hear she was still leaving. He dug a piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and handed it to her. “I wrote these lyrics to go with the music you were working on. You left the sheet music in my office. You don’t have to, but I hope you’ll sing it today. I think it’s just what you need to get that recording contract.”
She gave him a sad smile. “Thank you.”
He tilted his chin toward the stage. “Go up there and give us a show.”
Her lips parted as if she was planning to speak, but instead, she took a shaky breath and nodded as she moved to the stage, the silky fabric of her dress clinging to her provocatively.
She took a seat and rested the guitar on her lap. In lieu of a spotlight, Portia had lit dozens of candles around Lola’s stool in a half-circle. As the flames flickered and danced, she’d never looked more beautiful—until she sang that first sultry note, and then it was as if she were casting a spell on the entire room. For a moment, she was the Siren, Euterpe, summoning them all to her rock. The first two songs she’d chosen to sing were quirky, up-tempo, feel-good numbers which had everyone bopping their heads and smiling in enjoyment.
He stole a couple quick glances at Rand Baker. The music producer’s face remained dispassionate, his demeanor detached, except for the slight tapping of his feet to the beat of the music. No one was immune to Lola’s charms.
After the applause died down, she removed his song from under her chair and quickly read the lyrics. Tears in her eyes, she placed it on her lap and smoothed out the creases. “This is a brand new song. I haven’t played it before, and I hope I can do it justice.”
Before I lose my chance to tell you there will never be another.
Distance won’t change the hands of fate or make me not your lover.
I’ll let you go, I’ll set you free to discover who you need to be.
But wherever you go, you’ll always take with you the very best part of me.
Whoever says time heals all wounds, never spent a night with you.
I’ll always save you from your rock at sea.
You know just where to find me.
I’ll always save you from your rock at sea.
You know just where to find me.
I’m here. Please come and find me.
On the final note of the song, the crowd gave her a standing ovation and tears slid down Lola’s cheeks. A slight warm breeze blew through the room, distinguishing all the candles on the stage, plummeting her into darkness.
Rand and George met Lola at the bottom of the stairs of the stage and spoke in hushed tones. There wasn’t a chance in the world the music producer wouldn’t offer her a contract. In less than twenty-four hours, Lola would leave for California.
Lola shook Rand’s hand then glanced at Braden. Arms linked, she and George left the producer by the bar, along with some dessert and liquor, and made their way across the room to Braden. When she stood in front of him, close enough to scent the lavender of her skin, he fought the compulsion to throw her over his shoulder and lock her up in his mansion. Instead, he played it cool as his heart pounded as if it was the beat to a rap song.