Midnight Diamonds (8 page)

Justin looked back and forth between them. “Wow?”

Silver explained. “Word of the Week. I give her a new word each week and she has to use it at least once a day.”

“It helps my writing, too,” Becky added.

“Sounds fun. What’s mine?” Justin said.

“Really?” asked Silver.

“Sure. Why not?”

Silver thought for a moment then she said. “Pugnacious. Easy or quick to argue.”

“I like it. I’m feeling very pugnacious,” he said mischievously.

She laughed. “Good job.”

A sudden banging on the door startled her. Was someone yelling for Justin? No one knew he was here, did they?

She watched as Justin rose and walked through the living room. Setting the dishes in the sink, she motioned for Becky to follow. When Justin opened the front door, Silver stood on tiptoe to look over his shoulder and saw his manager scowling in the doorway.

“What the hell, Sam. How’d you find me?”

Catcalls and hoots testified to what a front lawn full of reporters thought of Justin’s attire as pictures by the dozens were taken. Loud voices shouted questions. Sam shoved Justin back into the house and slammed the door shut.

Silver looked at Becky. “Uh oh.”

“‘Uh oh’ is right!” The frenzied manager surveyed Justin up and down with disbelief. “What
are you wearing?”

Justin ignored the question. “Where did those reporters come from?”

“I called them,” Sam replied, and when Justin’s eyes narrowed, he exclaimed, “What? You don’t think this is newsworthy? I mean, it’s not like you’ve been nominated for Best New Artist, or picked a fight in a local honky-tonk before spending the night with some knockout blonde. Oh, wait—you have!”

“Knockout?” Silver repeated.

“It wasn’t a fight,” Becky said. “It was a single punch. And it was a barbecue restaurant, not a honky-tonk.”

“And he slept on my couch,” Silver insisted. “This is my uncle’s robe. We’re just washing Justin’s clothes. Nothing happened.” She started for the front door. “Let me go outside and talk to them. I’ll clear all of this up in a—”

“Are you crazy?” Sam grabbed her by the arm. “I’ve got an E! News live satellite feed out there! Entertainment Tonight and Extra!
Star
magazine and any other tabloid you can think of—all of them parked outside on your lawn!” He dragged his fingers through his hair, leaving it sticking out in all directions. “I can see the headlines now: ‘Small-town teacher has wild night with up and coming country superstar.’” He grinned at Justin. “GramMer is going to love it!”

Silver gulped in realization. “This is a disaster.”

“Disaster?” Sam blinked at her. “Are you kidding? We can’t buy this kind of publicity!”

Justin stepped forward. “You think this is a good thing? What the hell kind of manager are you? I didn’t ask for the press to be called, and I sure as hell don’t want to hurt innocent people.”

Silver felt a chill from the morality clause in her school contract. When GaGa and the school board found out… “How do we get out of this?”

“Come up with a story and stick with it,” suggested Becky.

Justin turned to Becky. “What kind of story?”

“Don’t worry your pretty heads about it.” Sam waved offhandedly to the women.

Becky crossed her arms over her chest. “Hey, this affects us, too.”

Sam snorted. “Right, and you have so much to offer this discussion. I don’t think so.”

“Don’t be so pugnacious.” Justin turned to Silver with raised eyebrows “I like that word. It comes in handy.”

Silver didn’t laugh. “What is happening to my world?”

Slowly Justin moved away from Sam as the doorbell began ringing again. “Don’t answer it, Silver.”

“Maybe this isn’t as bad as it seems,” Silver offered. “What if we don’t say anything?”

Justin peeked out the living room window between the blinds then pointed to her flat screen television. “Where’s the remote?” he asked.

Silver opened a drawer under the coffee table and handed the remote to Justin. He turned on the television and clicked through a few channels to the one he wanted.

“Is that the Gossipy Gail Show?” Becky stared at the screen, where a perky young reporter holding a microphone stood in front of Silver’s house.

“Oh no,” Silver echoed in a whisper, and gripped her friend’s arm in a panic as they watched the well-known talk show host lean toward the camera.

“It appears that Justin Rivers, who’s been nominated for ACMA’s Best New Artist, was seen early this morning sporting a new style.” The reporter gestured to a picture that appeared over her shoulder as she continued. “This shot of Justin was taken a few minutes ago at the home of private school teacher, Silver Madison.” The camera zoomed in to show him in the purple robe. “The color is great on you, Justin, but the style isn’t country at all. What were you thinking?”

Turning off the television, Justin turned to Silver. “Things could get really ugly.”

A crisp knock on the door made her groan. “Worse than this?”

“I’ll see if I can get them to leave since this is private property.” Becky peeked out the peephole and stepped back. “Sil,” she whispered. “Who is the absolute last person on earth you want to see right now?”

“Is it
Entertainment Tonight
?” asked Sam eagerly.

“I wish it was,” mumbled Becky with a pained look at Silver.

Silver swallowed and put a hand over her mouth.

Yes, the day could definitely get worse.

Chapter Six

In a crisp pale blue suit and silk blouse, with her shoulder-length, blonde hair softly styled, diamonds on her ears and fingers, and taupe shoes on feet that wouldn’t dare be over a size seven, Amelia Madison epitomized a regal matriarch. She sat on the edge of the sofa, her back ramrod-straight, knees together, hands folded in her lap as she stared at her daughter.

The rigid posture spoke loudly of disapproval without speaking at all. But the fury in those green eyes, so much like Silver’s, showed a barely-contained storm.

What else was new?

Now began the diatribe that could rival any filibustering politician in Washington, D.C. Her mother held a severely judgmental attitude toward certain people, and as a lifelong member of that select group, Silver knew Amelia’s ritual.

Becky escaped to the bedroom, supposedly getting dressed, but Silver knew she hated seeing how Amelia treated Silver. After an icy stare from Amelia, Sam paled, muttered something about “damage control,” and quickly disappeared outside.

Sitting in a chair across from her mother, Silver waited. She knew better than to start the conversation. When Justin stepped forward and cleared his throat, Silver held up one finger and shook her head, stopping the purple-robed cowboy, then folded her hands in her lap and waited for the sign. She was relieved when he stepped back and waited patiently. Her mother’s sigh gave permission for Silver to speak.

“Mother, this is Justin Rivers. Justin, my mother, Amelia Madison.” Not surprisingly, her mother chose to ignore the introduction, focusing instead on the object of her current disdain: Silver.

“I’m sure you know why I’m here, Silver, and I must say, of all the trials we have endured with you, this may be the most stressful.”

The elegant woman paused for a moment, staring at her hands, another indicator of how much she chose to let this latest insurrection affect her. When her mother looked up, she directed the Wrathful Amelia face toward Justin. Silver had seen strong men reduced to gelatinous masses by that glare.

“Young man, do you have any idea what kind of embarrassment you have brought on this family? My telephone began ringing at the ungodly hour of five o’clock this morning, thanks to my daughter’s concerned neighbors, when reporters began setting up camp outside.”

Again Silver shook her head to keep him from answering. Justin put a hand on Silver’s shoulder and gently squeezed, causing her to flinch. She wasn’t used to support when dealing with Amelia’s disapproval.

“I can see your taste in men has changed, Silver,” Amelia continued. “Indeed, this one seems to have an even more colorful lifestyle than your father’s brother.”

This time Justin stopped her from responding as his fingers tightened slightly when she started to stand. Swallowing against the surge of anger, Silver gripped her hands together and waited for the next volley of words.

“How do you propose to explain all of this to the school board members? What possible plebian excuse could you have for this excessive display of poor judgment? Your father will be ashamed of you when he finds out.”

Silver fought the sting of tears, refusing to reveal how the words hurt. Usually it took a full half-hour for her mother to become revved up enough to toss those final cutting remarks at her, but this time Amelia Madison had come fully loaded and ready for the kill. Justin’s hand left her shoulder, causing her to feel as if she were facing the firing squad alone.

But her knight in purple feathers stepped forward.

“Mrs. Madison, while I understand your discomfort with the situation, you don’t have the facts. By listening to what the media and the neighbors are saying, you’ve misjudged your daughter. You’ve also misjudged me, which, frankly, I don’t appreciate.”

Silver gaped in stunned surprise. No one had ever defended her against her mother or spoken to Amelia Madison like that and gone unscathed, not even her father. Justin continued speaking to her mother, who appeared shocked at the challenge.

“Silver has done nothing wrong, and neither have I.”

Maintaining control was essential to the very fabric of Amelia’s existence, so she stood up to face Justin. “I don’t care who your family is or what you want to be when you grow up.” Her eyes glinted with satisfaction when Justin’s jaw tightened in irritation. “This doesn’t only affect my daughter. It affects me, as well, and my standing in the community.”

“I understand, but I’d advise you to not make false accusations about either of us.”

Blinking in surprise, the woman frowned. “Is that some sort of threat? Should I be shaking in front of a man who wears a purple robe?”

“I believe you know my mother, Connie Hitchcock Rivers, from high school. According to what Mom has said, misunderstandings cause a lot of hurt.”

For the first time in her life, Silver saw her mother at a complete loss for words. The older woman appeared to slowly wilt as she sank back down onto the sofa and stared at Justin. It was enormously puzzling, and in a way satisfying, to see the great Amelia Madison at a disadvantage.

Silver decided it took a real man to stare down her mother, especially when wearing Uncle Buddy’s robe. Justin tightened the sash around his waist.

“Mrs. Madison, the Rivers family is very aware of how precious a reputation can be, and come hell or high water, I’ll make sure Silver isn’t hurt.”

“Don’t swear,” came the automatic response from Amelia. A buzzer signaled that Justin’s clothes were dry.

He frowned in confusion, but Silver shrugged. She had no clue why her mother was acting this way.

Justin again gently squeezed Silver’s shoulder. “Excuse me while I slip into something more…cowboy.”

After he’d left the room, Silver turned to her mother. She didn’t know how to deal with this
Amelia. “What was that all about?”

Her mother didn’t answer and seemed lost in thought.

“Why did you—”

Sam chose that moment to race back inside the house. Looking around, he popped his hands up as if asking where to find Justin. She pointed to the back of the house and rubbed her forehead. “My life has become a reality show! Mother, are you all right?”

Amelia picked up her purse and stood. Though she tried to give off an air of superiority, her hands trembled as she smoothed her hair. “I’m fine, thank you. Tell your young man I will hold him to his promise.” Her green eyes drifted over Silver for a moment. “Fix yourself up if you’re going to be seen by the press, dear. I’ll do my best to handle things with the school board members.” She opened the side patio door and left.

Becky eased into the room and stood beside her. “What just happened? Amelia Madison, high society personified, skulking out through a patio door instead of smiling for the press?” She shook her head in wonderment. “She stopped arguing. When has she ever stopped arguing?” With a sheepish grin, she shrugged. “Sorry, I eavesdropped like any good reporter.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d swear my mother acted guilty about something.”

“Oh, a mystery! I like it!” exclaimed Becky with a wicked grin as she pulled her phone out of her jeans pocket and began scrolling through her messages. “By the way, you never told me about what happened yesterday at school.”

“To do that, I need more coffee,” Silver mumbled as she went back into the kitchen.

Mystery or not, she wanted an explanation from Justin. True, she needed to thank him for his incredible stand beside her against Amelia, the most amazing thing any man had ever done for her. But there were questions that needed answers.

At that moment, he walked into the room clad in a freshly-washed shirt and tight jeans. The hot water had definitely been a good choice for those jeans.

Sam followed close behind, breezing past all of them without a word.

“What’s the matter, Sam? Worried about something?” Becky asked with an innocent expression. The man didn’t answer as he walked through the living room and out the front door again. “Justin, I don’t like your manager…at all.”

“I know he’s rough, but he seems to get the job done.” His cell phone chirped and he pulled it out, rolling his eyes. Looking at Silver, Justin smiled. “Sam says the reporters are clearing out. Thanks for washing the clothes.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, causing her to blush. “The sofa was great.”

“Thanks again for fixing the sink.”

“I’d like to call later and make sure you’re OK.”

She reached for his phone, keyed in her number and handed it back to him. Her eyes locked on his handsome face. Throwing caution to the wind, she reached up with one hand and slid her fingers across the back of his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. He pulled her closer, sliding his arms around her waist. Once again she lost all sense of time and surroundings, floating on the waves of passionate desire.