She so wasnt stopping to talk to him. He was the living embodiment of everything she hated about how her father was forever manipulating and controlling her life. If Austin Dearing wanted to play bodyguard, he could darn well keep up with her.
She needed to be alone. To assimilate all that had happened in the past few minutes. To figure out how she was going to juggle her secret pregnancy and this incredible opportunity to perform. And then there was Mark. Now shed have to string him along for even longer, perhaps most of the way through her pregnancy. It would depend on when the shows were scheduled. Yep, that was the key to pulling this thing off. How pregnant would she be by the time the shows happened? No doubt the promoters would want her half-naked and gyrating like she always had. Might be a teensy bit hard to do that looking like Shamu.
She hurried toward the casino, praying that no one would waylay her so Austin could catch up. Thankfully, shed grown up in this place and knew every slot machine, every twist and turn, like the back of her hand. She zigzagged across the casino practically at a run and made her way to Saul Morgensterns office by the Grand Theater. He was the vice president in charge of entertainment and the man who would schedule her gig.
Skipping his anal retentive secretary, Silver used her master key card to let herself directly into his offices private entrance. He looked up, startled, phone to his ear, then waved her to a chair in front of his desk.
He shouted into the phone, Christ, Nigel! These changes are going to cost me a million bucks. Newsflash, your boys arent worth itNo Im not giving them an entire floor of the hotel. Just because your band is British doesnt mean theyre the freaking Beatles!and you can procure your owned damned call girls for them. Im not a pimpYeah, well use the phone book. Prostitutions legal in this state, you moron.
Wow. He didnt often get that worked up. Some band had really crossed the line, apparently.
Saul slammed down the receiver, took off his spectacles and pinched the bridge of his nose before he finally said more calmly, Silver Girl. I gather your father has sprung his little birthday surprise on you?
Hed called her Silver Girl since shed been a child. The two of them used to be as close as a beloved uncle and an adored niece. But that relationship, too, had been a casualty of her wild years. Hed overlooked her atrocious behavior far longer than anyone else, but even his patience had run out eventually. Ever since, hed maintained a frosty distance from her that shed respected as her just desserts. But she missed him.
Hi, Saul. Im sorry you couldnt make my party. Daddy really went overboard. She added wryly, I expect he was trying to make the point to me that, like it or not, Im an adult now.
Sauls mouth twitched, but he didnt crack the smile that had once come so readily for her. She sighed. Harold told me about the show here at the Grand. I never thought hed do something like that for me. I mean, its not like I deserve it or anything.
That sent Sauls gray, shaggy brows up.
It was exceedingly uncomfortable having to maintain the entire conversation by herself like this, but apparently doing this gig was going to involve swallowing a healthy dose of crow, too. She continued doggedly. He didnt tell me what you had in mind for the shows. Am I penciled in yet?
Saul studied her inscrutably. How soon can you be ready to go onstage? Youll need to be in tip-top shape, maybe take a few singing lessons. After all these star search shows, singers today are expected to really blow out a song.
The criticism stung. Shed always had plenty of range and power for any song her record label had given her. She replied evenly, Ive been singing again for a while. And Ive been working out. Im ready now, Saul. The sooner we do this thing, the better.
He leaned back, frowning, and said doubtfully, Youre gonna have to find new material backup singersyou can use the hotels band and orchestra, but theyll need arrangementscostumes and choreography
Her stomach was quickly filling up with lead. What he was talking about could take months. In the past, shed had an entire crew of handlers who had taken care of all the details of putting together one of her tours. Frankly, shed done little more than learn the songs and show up for a few costume fittings. But this time, it sounded like Saul expected her to do the bulk of the preparatory work herself. An hour ago, shed have leaped all over the idea of getting to design her own show. But then shed found out she was pregnant, and a time bombin the form of a looming baby bumphad suddenly started ticking.
She took a deep breath. Saul, I need to do this show right away. I dont have time to develop big production numbers or manage a cast of thousands.
His bushy eyebrows came together over glaring eyes. Do you want to blow this shot?
She winced. No. I really, really want to restart my career, and I fully understand how much is riding on this. But I cant spend months and months pulling this thing together.
Why the hell not, missy?
She closed her eyes. Much more even than her father, Saul could make or break her comeback based on how he supported her show. The good news was that, in many ways, Saul had been more of a father to her over the years than Harold had been. The bad news was he might very well be out to sabotage her comeback.
As Saul stared down at her hands, she realized she was wringing them until they were an angry red. She stopped. Saul. I swear I have a life-shattering reason why I have to do this show now. But I cant tell you. I dont have any right at all to ask you, but could you please just trust me on this one?
Skepticism glittered in his eyes.
She sighed. Ive changed. Ive grown up. Im not that spoiled, snot-nosed brat I was a few years ago. Did he remember the night hed called her that? When shed called him to bail her out of jail before the paparazzi got wind of it, and hed come down to the police station and told her she could rot in the slammer for all he cared?
The memory of that night gleamed in his gaze, too. Youre so grown up and committed to your career that you wont sacrifice your personal plans to do this show right? he bit out sarcastically.
Desperation made her throat tight. I hear what youre saying. Youre absolutely right. But I cant work around this one. Id give up anythingeverything in the worldexcept one thing, to perform again. And that one thing makes it necessary for me to do this show in the next few months.
Saul stared at her long and hard. If hed figured out what she was making veiled reference to, he didnt comment on it. Finally, he reached into his desk and pulled out a leather day planner. Saul was old school. No computers or PDAs for him. He did everything on paper. Lemme take a look at the schedule.
She exhaled on a massive sigh of relief. This could work if hed cooperate with her.
Youre booked for Valentines Day next year.
She did the math fast. Good Lord, shed be over eight months pregnant by then. What have you got thats sooner?
He thumbed through the pages. I always book a year or more in advance. But there is one possibility He trailed off as he turned to a page near the front of the planner. She peeked across his desk and saw June in block print at the top of the page. That was next month. Hope sprang through her.
That phone call you walked in on was the manager for Metal Head Dead.
They were a rock band currently topping the charts. Their reputation was already worse than hers had ever been. And yet, because they were guys, they got away with all the rotten stunts that had deep-sixed her career. In fact, their careers were helped by their wild antics. She put aside her bitterness. The double standard was just part of the business.
Saul was talking again, mumbling to himself. would put their knickers in a twist if I canceled their leather-clad butts. And tickets for their show are set to go on sale in three daysWe could call a press conferencemake a big announcement about your comebacktickets could go on sale immediately and we could capitalize on the buzz
He looked up at her. Youd have only six weeks to pull the entire thing together. You wont be able to scrimp on anythingits going to have to be a top-notch production or youll be a worse has-been than you are now.
Ouch.
He continued, Im telling you, I think its impossible to get a decent show together by then. Plus, June isnt the big tourist season on the strip.
She replied hopefully, But its hot enough that everyone who is in town is inside and going to shows.
He shrugged. I cant promise sellout crowds with only a few weeks to promote the gig. But if youre hell-bent on doing this thing right away, I can book you for June.
She darted around his desk to lay a big hug on him, just like the old days. The tears of gratitude that came to her eyes seemed to surprise him as much as they surprised her. She whispered, too choked up to speak any louder, Thanks, Uncle Saul. I promise I wont let you down this time.
For just a moment, he returned the hug. Then he cleared his throat and set her away from him. Now. About music, he said briskly. Id better be the one to make the call to your old label. The way I hear it, you didnt part on the best of terms.
Silver grimaced. Now there was an understatement. Shed been fired and escorted out of the record companys building by armed guards. In retrospect, shed probably deserved worse. As she recalledvaguelyshed been stoned out of her head at the time.
She took a deep breath. Actually, Saul, Ive been writing some of my own stuff. Maybe we could use some of that
He cut her off with a slashing hand through the air. Nobody ever builds a decent career on their own stuff. Three or four bigname, girl pop singers have taken time off recently. Therell be plenty of good songs lying around waiting for a big, sexy voice.
But
No buts. Your father told me to launch your second career, and thats what I aim to do. You leave the music to me, baby doll.
She wanted to tell him she wasnt a baby doll anymore. She was a grown woman, dammit, and she didnt want to do the same old music shed sung the last time around. She wanted to do something new. Something more soulful, moregrown up. But Saul was first and foremost her fathers man. And, hed been a dear about the scheduling problem. Hed canceled a huge act for her. Like it or not, she was probably going to have to go along with him on the music thing.
She sighed. Time for more of that maturity stuff.
stop by tomorrow, and Ill show you the stage. Weve made quite a few changes to it since you last were on it.
She winced again. The last time shed sung on the Grand stage seven years ago, shed been too fried to hit a note, had forgotten lyrics left and right and had topped off the disaster by being booed offstage. Not one of her more stellar moments in her meteoric fall from grace.
Ill be here first thing tomorrow. And Saulthanks. For everything. This means the world to me.
He gave her his first genuine smile. Im counting on it, Silver Girl. If you dont fill the house every night, Im gonna lose a fortune. Those British prima donnas wouldve sold a lot of tickets.
Gee. No pressure there.
He quirked a pragmatic brow. Musics a tough business. Art be damnedthis is about dollar signs. You sure you want back in the game?
She took a deep breath and answered, certain for the first time in a long time about something. Yes. Im sure. This is exactly what I want to do. The only thing in the world she wanted to do as much as be a mother was sing. Good Lord willing, shed find a way to do both.
She let herself out of Sauls office, blissfully happy, and ran smack dab into a living wall of muscle. Whoa, Im sor she started. And then she looked up. Austin Dearing. Oh. Its you.
If you want to play games with me, Miss Rothchild, Im telling you now youre going to lose. Please dont try to ditch me again.
I didnt try to
He cut her off. Id highly recommend never fibbing to me. I have an alarming tendency to turn into a serious bastard when I get lied to.
She muttered under her breath, Youre already there. Rather than stand around arguing with this mountain of a man, she turned and stalked back toward the casino. If he wanted to tag along, that was fine with her.
Austin tagged along all right. He was half tempted to jack her up against a wall by the shirt front and explain a thing or two to Miss Fancy Pants. She didnt seem to grasp that it was not part of his job description to chase around after his subjects like a puppy on a leash. She might be a celebrity, but her life now rested in his handsnot the other way around.
She barged out into the explosion of color and sound that was the casinos gambling floor, and his irritation intensified. The place was a security nightmare. Cut-throughs and niches were everywhere, and an assailant could be lurking in any of them. There was so much commotion in here that a guy like him couldnt possibly see a threat coming with his vitally important peripheral vision. Surely there was a way around the casino in a hotel this size. She needed to take an alternate route, dammit!
A low-level hum of panic vibrated in his gut. As a security man, this place made him feel like hed already failed. Clamping down on the anxiety clawing its way up his spine, he lengthened his stride to catch up to Silver as they neared the front of the place. His impulse was to pick her up, throw her over his shoulder, and get her the hell out of here. Now. He exhaled carefully. Must go easy on this particular client. Break her in gently to the idea of having a bodyguard, without alienating her if at all possible.
Hey, slow down, he murmured casually from just behind her. He needed to get in front of her, pronto!
She blatantly ignored him and continued marching on.
I mean it, Silver. You need to move more slowly so I can clear the area in front of you for threats.
She spared him an irate glance over her shoulder and didnt even break stride.
His gaze narrowed. Several extremely unkind names for her flashed through his head. Fine. He could play that game, too.
He grabbed her by the arm and swung her around sharply to face him. She was a tiny little thing, and her weight was nothing in his hand. He took an aggressive step closer and glared down at her. I tried to do this the nice way. But now were gonna do it my way. Im heading for the nearest exit and getting you under cover, and youre going with me whether you like it or not. Got that?