“You in sales?”
“How did you guess? Cars. Sleek. Chic. Expensive. I can take you for a spin.”
“Fritters and French fries, what in the world have I gotten myself into this time?” she muttered under her breath.
***
Austin Rhoades leaned back in the bar stool at the end of the fancy restaurant bar with its glass top, gleaming lights, and pale green colors. He watched people come and go. None of them were his half-sister. Did she stand him up?
He sipped his drink, a club soda. Looking up, he saw his reflection in the mirror behind the bar and did a double take. He laughed at himself. He didn’t even recognize the man staring back at him.
Shaking his head, he still hadn’t accepted the fact he’d cut off all his hair and shaved off the beard. For two, long grueling years he and his band, the Rhoadies, toured the world. He needed a change from night after night of performing in front of thousands of screaming women, day after day of traveling from one city to the next, the constant stream of partygoers and hangers-on, little sleep, bandmates in bad moods with growing egos, and even less time alone and to think.
Once they’d landed in New York, they’d scattered to different parts of the country to decompress. He didn’t have a home. Just one half-sister left in the world. He stopped in Dallas. Next, parts unknown where he’d be unknown, thus the first steps in shedding his easily recognizable image of long hair and facial hair.
Out of the spotlight. Finally.
Now he just had to keep it that way until he figured out his next move. He loved music, but hated everything that came with the fame. Can I have one without the other?
His phone rang. His half-sister’s name came up. “Hey, Ev. Running late?”
“Late can’t describe what I’m going through at the moment.” She sighed, but he could hear the smile in her voice.
“You’re happy. That’s what matters. So, rain check?”
“I need a favor.”
He groaned. What could it be? She never asked for much, but, right now, he wanted a quick visit and off to a quiet, laid-back spot. “Money? A new car?”
“One time, and I paid you back. No, nothing like that.”
Austin blew out a hot breath, eased back in his bar stool, and then glanced around the restaurant. “Okay, then what’s the favor?”
The stretch of silence should have clued him in. But the diner across the way caught his attention. She was tall when she’d walked across the room, model thin, nice neat curves where curves needed to be, and cute as all hell with that wavy, glossy caramel highlighted hair that seemed to tickle her neck and shoulders.
“Sis, you still there?” he asked absently as he continued to watch the lady jot something on a clipboard she held, grimace at something the guy she was with said, and then brush away his hand from her arm.
“I swear I wouldn’t ask you this… It’s for a friend. I sorta was going to meet you at the bar so I could keep an eye on her. First date thing.”
“Whoa! Back up. You picked this bar to meet me so you and, by default me, could monitor her, what, blind date?”
“Yep.” It came out in a small voice. “But I can’t make it. Rico had to leave her. And she’s all alone. Pretty please.”
“You want me to babysit?”
“Come on, Austin, I’d do the same for you.”
“Ev, I wouldn’t leave you alone with my rocker friends.”
“Okay, bad comparison.”
“I’m sure your friend will be fine.”
“She doesn’t date much, maybe not at all. She loves her job, works hard, day and night. Naïve, I guess you could say, when it comes to guys and what they’re after.”
He sighed, a gusty, throwing-in-the-towel heartfelt sigh. “I’ll check on her once and that’s it.”
“Oh, you are the best brother a girl could ever have.”
“Yeah, yeah, and you remember that, too. Now, tell me who she is.”
“Her name’s Peg. Tall, willow thin…”
His senses jerked awake and he swung around to look at the lady he’d noticed earlier. “Carries a clipboard?”
“You have seen her. Great. Thanks for keeping an eye on her for me. I have to go. Meet me for breakfast tomorrow. My treat.” She gave him the name and location of the place. He murmured, too preoccupied with this woman named Peg.
Even from here, she got his attention. Her face was animated and once in a while she threw the guy a disparaging look. She could handle the too-suave guy easily. Couldn’t she?
So why couldn’t he look away?
She must have sensed his staring; she glanced up and did a double take. Maybe she recognized him.