Rock Star Romance: Dan (Contemporary New Adult Rockstar Bad Boy Romance) (Hard Rock Star Series Book 4) (18 page)

Lucy heard the small
boy speak in quavering voice. "S-Sir Hugh?" he asked. He was
clutching a piece of paper with a drawing on it to his small chest.

The cowboy turned in
his seat and gave the boy a brilliant grin. "Yes, Sir?" he said
heartily. His voice was low and urgent, and the little boy blushed a vivid
tomato red.

"Would you sign
this for me?" he squeaked. He handed Sir Hugh the flier, and Lucy saw now
that is was an ad for the show. It showed a heroic caricature of him, lifting a
bull over his head with both hands with a look of fierce triumph. A few cartoon
women swooned on the sidelines, and one that looked oddly like Rosie clutched a
huge flower to her comically oversized bosom, thought it was a carnation and
not a rose.  Her eyes were wet with tears. Bold print proclaimed SEE SIR HUGH
CONQUER THE BIGGEST BEAST IN THE WEST---AND CAPTURE YOUR HEART. A huge balloon
heart was doodled under the message. The cowboy pulled out a felt pen and
scrawled his name over the heart, and the young boy looked ready to burst.

"Thank you!"
he screeched, and took off back to his parents' table. His mother snatched the
drawing from him greedily and pored over it, sending the little boy's face
crumbling into misery.

Rosie cleared her
throat, eyes fixed on the man. "Looks like Sir Hugh is ready to
order." Lucy realized why the cartoon girl reminded her of Rosie---the woman
had styled her hair, clothes, and make-up exactly like the caricature on the
flyer. Her lips and eyes were darkened with lipstick and liner, her cheeks
rouged, and with her waist cinched, her bosom was as large as the woman's on
the page. Lucy felt her spirits deflate slightly as Rosie sashayed over to
Hugh, pad of paper in hand.

"Welcome, Sir
Hugh," she purred, and Elizabeth snapped out of her reveries and gave Lucy
a look of total shock. Rosie had deepened her voice and was throwing out her
chest as she stood. "What can I get for you today? Do you
like...anything...that you see?" She stretched out the words, bending
closer to him with the pad as she spoke. Rosie batted her heavy eyelashes at
him sweetly, and Lucy felt a stir of revulsion before she could reign it in.
She waited for the cowboy to turn on his apparently legendary charm.

Instead, the man
referred to the menu and looked up at the waitress only briefly. "I'll
have the special," he said flatly. "And a glass of beer, if you
please." He smiled, the exact same smile he'd given the little boy, and
this time it looked cheap and vacant. His words held a certain edge, and Rosie
stood up, chinks pinkening under the caked on rouge. She took a step back, her
smile faltering momentarily before she regained her composure.

"Steak with a
whiskey glaze, creamy mashed potatoes with garlic and chives, roasted broccoli
and cheese toast." Rosie rattled off the special through a mouth frozen in
a forced smile. The cowboy studied his hands as though they were changing
before his eyes, and the waitress bristled. Elizabeth covered her mouth as she
dissolved into giggles, thoroughly tickled at seeing Rosie shut down so
brutally. "Excellent choice, Sir," she tried, her voice full of fake
cheer. "And that of course comes with---"

"I know,"
The cowboy said politely, not looking up. "I can read, darlin'. Now scoot
on, would you, please? I could eat a horse, but I wouldn't want to have to walk
to the show."

Rosie narrowed her
eyes, and Lucy was afraid for a moment that the woman would melt down, not
knowing what else to do after what was clearly her first rejection. Then she
took a deep breath in, and she spoke again, voice void of all emotion.
"Absolutely. Coming right up." She turned on the spot and pushed past
the swinging doors in the kitchen, handing the pad to Lucy without looking at
either of the women and disappearing into the back room. There was silence, and
the two women shared a pregnant look before laughing madly, trying to suppress
their giggles with their hands.

"Oh my god,"
Lizzie said as she pulled a steak from the icebox and handed it to Lucy.
"I thought I was going to die. I mean, I literally left my body and saw
myself standing below me, that was so funny!" She slapped her thighs,
tears welling in her eyes.

Lucy started to cook
the special automatically, having developed the recipe years before and
perfecting it over the years. It was the most popular diner dish, and was
always warmly received. People from out of town would ask for the special,
since anyone you questioned in town would recommend it to a hungry traveler.
Harold's Place was clean, homey, and cheap, and if it weren't so on the
outskirts, business would have been booming constantly. As Lucy let the sauce
simmer with the steak, she was grateful for their relatively unknown status.
Besides having a few busy hours each weekend day, it was an ideal place to
perfect the art of cooking. Lizzie chattered with her happily as she finished
cooking the dish.

"I wonder if he
heard about us somewhere," Lucy muttered to Lizzie as she assembled the
food on the plate. She'd worked to make sure steak was perfect, rare and juicy,
and the potatoes were creamy and flavorful. "I hope it's alright."
She gave the plate one last anxious turn before she sent Lizzie out, eyeing the
girl from the window as she dropped the plate gracefully on the table. Sir Hugh
gave her a real smile, and she blushed as she walked away, nearly tripping over
her own two feet.

"I almost died
again!" she said shrilly. "Did you see that?"

But Lucy was watching
Hugh. His eyes had closed for a moment after he took his first bite, and his
face changed---softened somehow. He ate speedily, joy breaking over his
handsome face as he parsed the ingredients. He cleaned the plate faster than
Lucy had ever seen anyone eat, and touched the beer only when he'd mopped up
the last of the whiskey glaze with a piece of broccoli and popped it in his
mouth. He let out a low, satisfied moan, and leaned back in his chair. Lizzie
rushed out to pick up his plate, curtsying to him awkwardly before turning
away.

"Wait," he
called as she headed for the door. Lizzie spun, her face frozen in shock.

"Yes?" she
squeaked. A girl near her laughed, high-pitched and mean. Lizzie flushed red
with anger and straightened.

"Could you please
send out the cook?" Hugh asked gently. "That was the best meal I've
ever eaten. I want to shake the hand of the noble man who made this for
me." His eyes were gentle, and he gave her another encouraging smile.
Lizzie gulped and nodded, and Lucy felt an unexpected surge of warmth for the
man, followed by ice-cold fear when she realized he was asking to see her.

She watched Lucy come
toward her, panicking. "Wash your hands!" she was saying. "Give
me that apron, oh goodness---wear your dress apron!" She dove into a
cupboard and pulled out the crisp white coat that Lucy wore when she cooked for
friends for parties or birthdays. It looked more like a long-sleeved white
dress when you got it on, and Lucy didn't know any other cooks who wore
anything like it, but she loved the way it hugged her curves and made her feel
taller. She let Lizzie tie it on her, then she quickly re-did her ponytail.

"Okay!"
Lizzie's eyes were frantic. "Okay, go on out! Go!"

Lucy's heart was
pounding as she pushed through the doors. A cool breeze hit her, and she was
grateful for it. Sir Hugh's emerald eyes fell on her immediately, and she
watched a slow smile creep across his face at her approach. He was standing by
the time she arrived, and he looked her up and down quickly. He pressed his hat
to his chest and held out his hand.

"Ma'am," he
intoned. "I do believe your meal has single-handedly made it possible for
me to perform this evening. Hugh Riley." His voice was earnest and deep,
and Lucy felt a jolt of energy pass between them as she clasped his hand. He
brought it gently to his lips, and a rush of heart and desire weakened her legs
momentarily. She giggled, and Hugh's face flushed with pleasure. They hadn't
dropped each other's gazes since meeting eyes. Lucy felt bewitched.

"I'm
flattered," she finally said. "I'm Lucy. Lucy Anthony." He
released her hand, and Lucy felt a stab of regret at not finding an excuse to
hold it longer. "You must have been trained by the best," Hugh said.
He took a step closer to her. "I can't remember the last time I had a
steak so juicy. And those potatoes!" he whooped, and Lucy laughed
nervously.

"Just what my
mama taught me," Lucy said modestly. Her cheeks were starting to hurt from
smiling so hard. "I'm so honored to hear that you liked it so well. I'd be
happy to cook it for you again any time."

"I might have to
take you up on that offer," Hugh said. His eyes were sparkling with
mischief, but his smile was harmless. "I might have to steal you away and
take you on the road with me!" His eyes were darkening, and they showed
her he was only half joking. Lucy felt her body respond to the heat in his
words before she could stop herself. Lizzie flapped her arms at her from the
kitchen window, mouthing a word as though her life depended on it. Lucy finally
realized the word was Flirt! Flirt!

"Well, I'd have
to know what kind of show you put on," she tried, smiling coyly. Lucy
couldn't quite remember how to play along, but luckily the cowboy had enough
charm for the two of them.

"I guess you'll
just have to come and find out," Hugh said, his voice thick with
suggestion. A wave of desire struck Lucy again, and she gasped softly, passing
it off as a laugh at the last minute. The smile on Hugh's face was less
innocent now. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a square of paper.

"Here." He
pressed the square into her hand. "I think you should come. I can show
exactly what it is I do." He grinned at her and cupped her chin briefly,
then tossed a handful of coins on the table. Lucy was rooted on the spot,
watching his backside sway as he left the diner. The room exploded with noise
as he left, all the women clamoring excitedly and shooting Lucy jealous looks.
She finally regained the feeling in her legs and spun around, walking with a
silted gait to the back room, where Lizzie was gaping like a fish out of water.

"Oh my gosh! What
was that? What was that?" Her voice was the highest it had ever been, and
she bouncing from foot to foot.

"He...invited me
to the show," Lucy said, the reality finally dawning on her. Her face was
burning, and her pulse was still racing. She touched her chin, where his rough
fingers had gently held her face. He had definitely been flirting, but how much
of it was for show? How much was reflex, and how much was actual carnal appetite?
She shivered, remembering the way his green eyes scanned her curves, and his
look of approval. She looked at the ticket realizing it was very near the
front. She wondered why he had it in his pocket, and what person was now
without entry to the show.

Lizzie's eyes bulged
from her skull. "He liked the meal so much, he wants a little dessert.
You're going to have to tell me how it pairs with Cowboy," she giggled,
and Lucy pushed her shoulder playfully.

"Well," said
a snide voice from the corner. Rosie was still sulking, but she'd emerged from
the back room to observe the scene. She apparently hadn't like what she'd seen;
her nose was turned up, and her lip was curled as though she smelled something
foul, but she was still trying to smile. "It seems like loverboy chose
his...target." She spat the word out so violently that Lucy stepped back,
confused.

"What are you
talking about, Rosie?" Lizzie said aggressively, stepping in front of Lucy
and meeting the other woman's eyes. Rosie smiled with her whole mouth, but it
didn't reach her eyes.

"Guys like him
pick a gal before the show, pick 'em out of the crowd or in front of the
stadium," she said slowly. "Then they play 'em like a fiddle. Get 'em
hooked, so they'll always come back to their show, and they'll always have a
meal ticket. Don't feel bad," she said with mock concern, her eyes
narrowed. She gazed held Lucy's gaze over Lizzie's shoulder. "Usually they
try to make it a little worth your time. But don't get too attached. There's a
million like you. There. Always. Are." She smiled as she spat out the last
few words.

"You'd
know!" Lizzie shouted furiously, turning a few heads in the diner. Her
fists were bunched at her sides, and she was angrier than Lucy had ever seen
her, stepping right up to Rosie's smug face. "You'd know wouldn't you,
you---you---trollop! You good-for-nothing, back-alley tart!"

Rosie's eyes went wide
with surprise, then a shadow of pain crossed over them, and they started to
water. She let out a sharp sob, and Lizzie looked hesitant, realizing the
effect her words seemed to have on the other woman, but then she doubled down,
narrowing her eyes and taking a deep breath to speak again.

"Rosie,"
Lucy said quietly, and both of the girls jumped and looked at her. Lizzie
immediately recoiled in shame, but Rosie stood tall, crying silently. "I
think it's time for you to leave. We'll see you tomorrow."

Rosie tugged off her
apron and threw it on the floor. She turned and sprinted out the door, and
several diners let out nervous titters. Harold started to distract him from his
place at the register, rushing to refill glasses of water, shooting the women
questioning looks. Lucy was trembling lightly, running her hands over her
ponytail and feeling numb, like she'd been encased in a block of ice. She felt
Lizzie's hands on her shoulders distantly, and it took a moment to register her
hug. She felt herself crying, and Lizzie's face contorted in fury when she
pulled back and saw the moisture on her cheeks.

"I'm going to
drown that evil witch," she said viciously, wiping at Lucy's face with a
handkerchief. "I'm going to chop off her head---"

"Lizzie, what if
she's right?" Lucy raised her eyes to the younger woman's, showing her all
the pain and uncertainty Rosie had unearthed. "I'm just some dumpy old maid,
of course he just looked at me and saw a gullible money clip! What else would
he see?"