Authors: Wynonna Judd
Restless Heart (23 page)
If they were, fate would find a way.
And if they weren’t . . . well, he figured fate would take care of that, too.
B
ackstage was bedlam.
ackstage was bedlam.
There were hordes of people and all of them seemed to be talking at once, calling Destiny’s name, congratulating her, literally patting her on the back.
All she wanted—needed, desperately—was to find Seth. But he was nowhere in sight, and even if he tried to get back here, she wasn’t sure he’d be able to.
Grace materialized and grabbed her shoulders. “Tammy Turner!”
“No, it’s me, Destiny Hart,” she cracked, and her sister grinned and shook her head.
“I can’t believe we’re going to Pigeon Forge!”
“
We
?”
We
?”
“Sorry to break it to you, but this isn’t just about you. Or even me. It’s much bigger than that.”
“Gee, thanks for the added pressure.”
“You’d better get used to it!”
Destiny smiled, but she felt a cold ball of fear slide down her spine. Until this moment, she hadn’t really considered that becoming successful meant that there would be lots of people depending on her. Holy cow. Grace was right. This really wasn’t just about her . . .
“Hey, you’re not scared, are you?” Grace asked, seeing the look on her face.
“What do you think?”
Grace narrowed her eyes and poked a finger into her chest. “I think you’re a Hart. You’re made of stronger stuff than that.”
Destiny squared her shoulders and angled her head at her sister, who always seemed so full of fluff, and realized that they shared some pretty doggone strong genes. “Damned straight!”
“Now you’re talkin’.” Grace grinned and gave her a fist bump.
“Listen,” she asked her sister, again surveying the crowd, “have you seen Seth?”
“He was right in the front row, with Mom. I imagine he’s somewhere in this mob scene—oh, hey, look, there’s Annie!”
Destiny turned and her old friend grabbed her and hugged her tight. “Destiny, you’re on your way! I’m so excited for you!”
“I’ve got a long way to go to make it in this business,” Destiny said, “but tonight truly was special for me. Thanks so much for coming!”
“What about me?” Cooper popped up beside her. “I was the person who dared you to sing in the first place, right on this very spot. Remember?”
“Of course I remember,” Destiny said, “and you’re never going to let me forget it, are you?”
“No. You should have heard him busting Seth’s chops earlier,” Annie told her. “Ever since he found out you two are together, he’s been obsessed with getting his share of the credit for that, too.”
“Just how are you responsible for that?” Destiny asked Cooper.
“I always knew you and Seth were meant for each other, even when you guys didn’t, that’s how.”
“Oh, come on. You were way too busy flirting around to pay any attention to what I was up to—and for that matter, so was Seth,” Destiny told him.
“Yeah,” Annie chimed in, “you were both hot stuff.”
“
Were
?” Cooper echoed indignantly, and she gave him a playful punch in the arm.
Were
?” Cooper echoed indignantly, and she gave him a playful punch in the arm.
Destiny had to smile, watching sweet little Annie try not to make moon eyes at Cooper.
Cute as a button with strawberry-blond hair, a winning smile, and a bubbly personality to match, Annie was adorable and quite a catch for any guy, Cooper included. But being petite and full figured, she always worried about her weight and fair skin in a world where blond and tan still seemed to be the yardstick for beauty.
She might not be the arm candy Cooper ran around with even now, but she was pretty as a picture and had a warm, giving heart. Hopefully, he’d sit up and take notice before someone else beat him to the punch, Destiny thought.
Aloud, she said, “Speaking of Seth . . .”
“We weren’t speaking of Seth. We were speaking of me.”
“You’re wearing thin, Coop,” Destiny told him. “Have you seen him?”
Annie shook her head, while Cooper grumbled, “Why does Seth always get to steal my spotlight?”
“Maybe because you’re always being a pain in the butt.”
“But a lovable pain in the butt, Annie. Admit it.”
“Oh, please. Give me a break.” She turned her attention back to Destiny. “Listen, we’d better let you go. A lot of people are waiting to talk to you. Guess you won’t be coming home for Christmas so we can get together, huh?”
“Guess not.” She felt a wistful pang. “Maybe you guys will be able to come down to Pigeon Forge, though, and see the show.”
“I don’t know . . . that’s an awfully long way to go.” Annie was teasing, Destiny realized, suddenly missing her old friend more than she had in years.
I have to do a better job at staying in touch
, she told herself—then realized that if anything, it was going to be harder now than ever before.
, she told herself—then realized that if anything, it was going to be harder now than ever before.
“I wouldn’t miss seeing you open for Tammy Turner,” Annie said, and hugged her.
“Yeah, and don’t worry,” Cooper said. “You can ride down to Pigeon Forge with me. I’ll keep you entertained in the car.”
“Talking about yourself?” Annie arched an eyebrow.
“It’s my favorite subject.”
“Annie, just turn the radio up real loud and drown him out,” Destiny suggested, and they were all laughing as they parted ways.
“Destiny, there’s someone I want you to meet,” Amy said, and pulled her along.
She kept scanning the crowd for Seth as she shook hands, smiled for pictures, and said all the right things about how excited she was about this wonderful opportunity.
That was true—but what if Seth didn’t see it that way?
What if he’d left in a huff after the big announcement?
At last, Destiny heard him calling her name.
“Excuse me,” she murmured to the aspiring country singer who was chewing her ear off, and turned to see Seth pushing his way toward her. Their eyes locked, and the crowd seemed to melt away.
“Destiny.” He reached her, grabbed her, held her close.
“I’m so sorry, Seth.”
“Sorry! What are you sorry for?”
“I didn’t know about Pigeon Forge. I swear I didn’t, or I’d have told you.”
“Are you kidding? I know that. It was obvious from the look on your face. Priceless.” He grinned, and she relaxed a little.
“Miranda found out right before the show, but she didn’t want to tell me because she was afraid I’d go off the deep end. Then the PR people and Amy and Cassie got involved and they thought it would be a great idea to surprise me onstage, and—”
“And it was a moment you’ll never forget, witnessed by hundreds of people.”
“Exactly.”
If it had been up to her, they wouldn’t have told her about the last-minute turn of events while she was onstage—but it hadn’t been up to her. She was coming to find out that very little seemed to be up to her in this business, and she simply had to roll with it.
“I was so proud of the way you handled it, Destiny, and so was your mother.”
“My mother! Where is she?”
“Oh, she’s doing a meet-and-greet of her own somewhere. She’s had her first taste of stage motherhood, and I’d say she likes it.”
Destiny smiled fleetingly. “Seth, the thing is . . . about Pigeon Forge . . . I mean, we’re not going to be able to spend that week together at Christmas, and—”
“Um, excuse me . . .”
Destiny turned to see an unfamiliar young woman standing behind them. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I just have to tell you that I love your voice.”
“Thank you.”
“Could I possibly get your autograph?”
Destiny blinked. “My autograph?” Seth gave her a gentle prod, and she nodded. “Uh . . . sure.”
“Thanks so much! My name is Amber.”
Destiny took the pen and paper the girl thrust at her and tried to think of something clever to write. At any moment she expected Cooper to jump out of a corner and announce that she had been punk’d.
But after she handed Amber the autograph, a few more people approached her, probably just holiday tourists who thought she was famous. Still, she couldn’t keep from grinning, particularly as one woman said, “I just love your voice. You’re my favorite new star.”
Star?
“Thank you,” Destiny replied warmly and although she had gotten many compliments over the past few weeks, this one floored her.
Star
.
.
And they’d asked for her autograph!
It just blew her away.
“Wow.” Seth leaned over and said, “Your first autograph session. I bet next year you’ll have a line at the CMA Music Fest.”
“Yeah, right,” Destiny scoffed, but experienced a shiver of excitement at the prospect.
“Don’t feel self-conscious about your success. Think about how excited you’ve felt getting a smile or autograph from someone you admire.”
“Still, it feels strange to be on the other side of it. I mean, I’m just
me
.”
me
.”
“And
you
are a star, and it’s all part of the business.”
you
are a star, and it’s all part of the business.”
“I know,” Destiny said softly, but it was difficult not to feel a measure of guilt that tomorrow she would once again be leaving him.
“Listen, I was thinking Mike must need to be walked by now . . .”
“Mike! I forgot all about him!”
“It hasn’t been that long. I’m sure he’s—”
“No, I mean Pigeon Forge. What about Mike? Can I bring him with me, do you think?”
“Probably, but you don’t need one more thing to worry about. Why don’t you let him stay here with me? My place even allows pets.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you. Don’t you know that by now?”
“And I—” She broke off. She just couldn’t say it. She couldn’t tell him she’d do anything for him, because it wasn’t true, and they both knew it. She wouldn’t give up her career for him. He wouldn’t ask her . . . but if he did . . .
But he wouldn’t. And that’s what counts.
“I really appreciate it, Seth,” she said, swallowing a lump of emotion.
“No problem. Listen, I’ll go back to my place now and take care of him and make us something to eat. How long do you think you have to stick around here?”
“Not long, I hope. Miranda wants me to do a couple of interviews, but all I want to do is get out of here so that I can be alone with you.”
“Oh, you just can’t wait to change into some sweats. Admit it.”
She grinned. “That, too.”
“Okay, but keep the glitter in your hair. It’s sexy.”
“Yeah? What about the false eyelashes?” She playfully batted her eyes at him.
“Those can go.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. I just need Grace to help me take them off so I don’t pull out all of my real eyelashes—which I thought were adequate, but apparently I was mistaken.”
“You weren’t mistaken. There isn’t anything about you that isn’t adequate.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Seth shook his head wryly. “Okay, that didn’t sound as smooth coming out as it did in my head, but you know what I mean.”
Destiny smiled. “You are such a guy.”
“That’s good, right?”
“Very good.”
“Destiny?” Miranda called. “We need you over here.”
She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Your public awaits,” Seth said. “Just don’t forget . . . your private will be awaiting, too.”
“Don’t you mean
your privates
?” She grinned naughtily, and he laughed.
your privates
?” She grinned naughtily, and he laughed.
“Destiny!”
She sighed and gave Seth a quick kiss. “I promise I won’t be long.”
“Something tells me it’s not up to you.”
Something told her he was right.
But at least they’d sleep in each other’s arms, and maybe share a leisurely breakfast in the morning before she had to head out to Pigeon Forge.
She made her way over to Miranda, who was waiting with Grace and Cassie and Amy and several publicity people.
Miranda wasted no time in getting down to business. “Listen, Tammy Turner thinks you and the band need to arrive in Pigeon Forge in style. She’s sending her tour bus for you first thing in the morning.”
“And there just might be a camera crew out there capturing the whole thing on film,” Cassie said.
“And press,” Donna, one of the publicists, put in. “Local newspapers, radio, TV.”
“What do you think?” Miranda asked.
Destiny swallowed hard and looked at Grace, who gave her a big thumbs-up.
“Riding on a superstar’s tour bus? What do you
think
I think?” Destiny quipped. “I’m
there
.”
think
I think?” Destiny quipped. “I’m
there
.”
She just hoped she wouldn’t spend the holidays wishing she were
here
.
here
.
TWELVE
A
fter two hectic weeks in Pigeon Forge, Destiny found herself back in Nashville—in the green room of
Country Music News
, the country music countdown show that aired live every Saturday on CMT. She’d been watching faithfully for years and now here she was, about to be interviewed by the host, Ronnie Lee.
fter two hectic weeks in Pigeon Forge, Destiny found herself back in Nashville—in the green room of
Country Music News
, the country music countdown show that aired live every Saturday on CMT. She’d been watching faithfully for years and now here she was, about to be interviewed by the host, Ronnie Lee.
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