Harper saw some of her father's band members on stage as she walked into the concert hall. The constructed set looked great. Several round tables, chairs, and a large stage at one end made the room look enormous. A fake bar in the back was complete with beer taps and whiskey bottles. She shook her head knowing her father had to have been behind the planning. She laid her bag down on the counter. A Brooks and Dunn song came from the retro CD player sitting on the stage. Her father was a huge fan.
"Hey, girl," Brock said in his southern drawl. He walked out from behind the stage. At fifty-eight, Brock was still ruggedly handsome. His brown hair was speckled with gray and his blue eyes still mesmerized women of all ages. He was the epitome of a cowboy.
She hugged him and noticed his hair was more gray than the last time she saw him. The fact that he was clean shaven came as a surprise. "What happened to your beard?"
"Tryin' somethin' different." She could tell he was unsure of his new look. "Kristi likes it"
"I like it, too. It's very sheik."
"It's been too long, Harper." Brock gently kissed her on the cheek.
"You don't ever come and see me," she smiled, glad that she and Brock had grown closer over the past few years.
His eyes narrowed and a halfway smile etched across his face. "That's just what I was going to say to you." He sat on one of the barstools. "You ready for this?"
"I reckon," She heard her southern accent. It happened to appear anytime she was around her father. She climbed on the stool next to him.
"How're you doing?"
"I'm okay." She laid her phone on the bar in front of her.
"Ya sure?"
She nodded. "Yeah." She was sure. Maybe not totally but her heart felt less shattered.
"How's your movie coming along?"
"I start filming soon."
"You haven't started filming yet? What've you been doing all this time?"
She smiled. "Learning Comanche."
"Comanche?" He shook his head. "That Sawyers' one crazy son of a bitch"
"Harper!" Cole yelled as he snuck up behind her.
"Cole!" She punched him in the arm. "You scared me to death."
Cole laughed, "Let's get this thing goin'."
"This is the plan, kids." Brock began as the three made their way to the stage. "We're each going to do four songs. We're also going to sing back up and play for each other's numbers. Our bands will accompany us."
"Are you going to sing Those Ole Memories?" Harper picked up her guitar and sat on the stool next to her father.
"Wasn't planning on doing any of Dad's songs." Brock strummed his guitar. "Why?"
~
Four hours later and after Cole had already left, Harper and Brock once again, were at the bar.
"My fingers are throbbin'." Brock flexed his hands to stretch his fingers. "I'm gettin' old. Bet yours aren't, are they?"
"A little" She picked up her phone and glanced at it, hoping to see a missed call from Ben.
"Expectin' a call?"
Harper smiled.
"Anybody I know?"
"I met him in South Dakota."
"Nice guy?"
"Yes, very nice guy." Was this the first nice guy she had ever met? Nobody compared to him. She thought about the way he looked at her. She thought of the way he held Eva and played with Samuel. The calm way to spoke and made her feel at ease.
"Well, kid, I just want you to be happy."
Her dad's words brought her back to this moment. "Changing the subject, what are you doing Wednesday night? I need a date."
"What about Mr. South Dakota?" Brock raised his brow and smiled.
Harper rolled her eyes.
He chuckled. "I'd be honored to go with the lady who's got a Song of Year nomination."
She laid her head on the bar and moaned.
"Problem?"
"I don't want to do that stupid song with Jake."
"Then don't do it," Brock said, nonchalantly.
"If I don't, the tabloids would love it." Harper rose and put her elbow on the bar. She rested her forehead in her hand.
Brock pushed to his feet and then slid the stool under the bar. "Why don't you come home and stay with me tonight? Kristi and the boys would love it. Heck, I'd love it."
~
"Well, I think we're a bit early." Emma sat on the opposite end of the couch from Ben and turned on the television. "What time's this thing start?"
"Eight." Ben said, checking his phone. Again. He was surprised he hadn't heard from Harper. He was hoping to at least get a text from her by now. Brett's call about the script change wouldn't sit well with her. It sure hadn't with him.
"Do either of you want coffee? Gloria asked. When they both said they didn't, she took her seat between them.
"Is Harper's show on yet?" Grams entered the room and sat in the rocker recliner. She covered herself with the nearest quilt.
"It is now." Emma motioned to the television.
A deep voice announced the program and soon the television set revealed Brock. He sat on a stool on the large stage and sang a hit song from decades past. Harper and Cole were on stools to each side of their father. All three played guitars. Several lights lit up the stage and other band members played various instruments near the back. As the camera quickly panned the crowd, many well known musicians and actors could be seen keeping time with the beat.
"I remember that song," Emma said as Brock sang. "Boy, he was as big in the 90s and she is now. Almost saw him in concert in '92."
Gloria eyes widened. "No, you didn't."
Emma nodded. "Sure did. I was working in Oklahoma City and he came to town. Concert made the local news that night. Got kind of rowdy. Probably a good thing I wasn't there." Emma laughed and glanced at Ben, who wasn't hiding his amusement. The camera quickly cut to Harper and then rested on Brock.
"We'd like to welcome everyone here tonight. I've got a couple of my kids with me. I'm pretty sure you know Harper here." Brock winked at her as the crowd applauded. "And the hooligan to my left is Cole. His first album came out last month and he's doing pretty good on the charts, aren't you, son?" Cole grinned as the women in the room screamed. "Take it away, Cole."
Cole played Clueless while Brock assisted on the banjo and Harper sang backup. When the audience came to their feet, Brock and Harper exchanged smiles.
"He ain't too bad, is he folks?" Brock teased after Cole's song came to a loud end and the crowd settled.
"You ready, sweetheart?" Brock asked.
Harper smiled as she strummed her guitar then started singing the song she had written for her mother. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when she finished.
Ben's heart broke for her as she forced a smile. What he wouldn't give to be there with her. He tightened the grip on his phone and swallowed a lump of emotion.
"Bless her heart," Gloria said, slowly shaking her head. Ben thought he saw her swipe a tear with the back of her hand.
Brock tweaked his guitar and continued. "Harper said I had to sing this song for a friend I haven't met. Yet."
"Mama, he's playing that song for you!" Gloria shouted as Brock began playing Those Ole Memories.
~
"Your song was beautiful," Ben said.
"Thanks. It was therapy. Hold on a second." Harper fluffed her pillow then lay back in her bed. "Ok."
"You alright?"
"Trying to get over this headache." She wished her hot bath from earlier would've helped. "Those lights were so bright."
"Grams hasn't stopped talking about your dad."
She smiled at the thought of Gram's excitement. "Oh, good. I thought she'd like that."
Ben paused. "Have you talked to Brett recently?"
"No, why?"
Ben cleared his throat. "He's added a scene for you and Joseph. He gave it to me today to translate."
"And?" Something about his tone told her this wasn't good.
A few seconds of silence filled the air. "It's a love scene."
She rolled over and punched her pillows into submission. "I'm not doing it."
"He wants it in the movie."
Frustration caused her voice to rise. "Oh, for crying out loud. He did this when I was away on purpose!" Her head pounded and her pillows were too fluffy. She missed her South Dakota pillows.
"What time does your show start tomorrow night?"
"I don't know if I'm going." A love scene. She couldn't get past the idea of Brett slipping this in while she was gone. What an ass.
"Isn't it an awards show?"
"Yes." She was going to give him a piece of her mind when she finally got back to South Dakota. The very idea of adding a love scene and for crying out loud- what was wrong with these pillows?"
"Then why wouldn't you go?"
Harper didn't answer. Just the thought of seeing Jake made her skin crawl.
"Harper," Ben persisted.
She moaned.
He chuckled, "What's wrong?"
"I have to sing a duet with-," she cringed afraid of what Ben might think of her. She held her breath and squeaked out Jake's name.
"Okay," he answered, unimpressed.
"You don't know who he is, do you?"
"No idea."
Harper let out a bated breath as relief washed over her.
"I take it that's a good thing."
"He's just a guy. And we-" She felt the warmth in her cheeks at the thought of the many mistakes she's made with Jake.
"Have a history?"
"Unfortunately." She pulled the blankets up to her chin. This wasn't as bad as she had thought. He was too easy to talk to.
"Humph," he grunted.
Maybe not. She waited for a second afraid of what he was thinking. "That's it? No words of wisdom?"
"I thought you'd call last night." His voice was low and husky. It sounded like he had missed her and that alone made her heart flutter. Just friends, she reminded herself.
"I went home with dad after our rehearsal for the first time in years." She twirled her hair as she realized her headache was gone.
"Did you have fun?"
"I did. I made amends with Kristi, his wife, and got to spend some time with their kids."
"That's good."
"It was. We had a nice night." She was still surprised at how easily Kristi welcomed her into their home. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
"We'll be filming in the hills unless it rains."
"You're going to have to explain that story to me sometime." She should have read the entire script.
"What story?" Ben asked, quickly.
"The Quanah Parker one."
"Harper," Ben moaned.
"I know, I know." Harper smiled. "I make you crazy."