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The lights dimmed as Brock sat, a smattering of applause going up as AFL Commissioner Shane Thorpe walked onstage. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming…” Commissioner Thorpe thanked a long list of important people who had made the event possible.
Brock took a long sip of his glass of sparkling water and scanned the room. CiCi’s gaze met his over the rim of her champagne glass. There was nothing warm or welcoming about the smile on the woman’s bright-red lips
.
He didn’t know where he and Emmy stood, but he was going to do his damnedest to follow Aunt Mo’s advice. The past was the past. The only way forward for them was a start fresh. That wasn’t going to happen tonight. CiCi King being here was going to make that damn near impossible. It clicked then. That was why she was here. CiCi King was going on the offensive. But why CiCi thought Emmy Lou needed protection from him was the mystery.
Commissioner Thorpe had paused for the applause. “And tonight, with your help, we’ve raised close to a million dollars.” He clapped, nodding. “Before dinner, we have a special treat.”
Commissioner Thorpe kept clapping.
Emmy Lou seemed to glide onto the stage, her long dress a swirl of blue and green. Green like her eyes. Damn, but she was beautiful.
“Commissioner Thorpe, I appreciate the invitation tonight. And I hope you like my little song.” She paused, pressing her hand to her ear.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Hank lean back in his chair and smile.
“Oh, wait.” Emmy pulled out her earpiece, looked at it, then slipped it back on. “Hold on. A little technical difficulty.”
“Is that better?” A voice from backstage.
“No.” Emmy Lou pressed her hand over her ear. “It’s still not working.”
Travis King came onstage, holding a banjo. “Is it on?”
Clapping broke out.
He took it, listened to it, and shook his head. “I don’t think it’s working.”
“Really?” Emmy Lou asked, hands on hips—almost sassy. “You don’t say?”
Brock had to smile then.
“Hold up.” Jace Black and Krystal King came onstage. “Try this one.”
The clapping and whistles reached a near-deafening decibel.
Brock shot Hank a look. Hank was staring back at him, smiling. “What can I say? This was their idea. Wanted to test out a new song.”
“They know how to work a crowd.” Brock was clapping, too.
“I think we’re good now.” Krystal nodded.
Travis started tapping his foot, his fingers flying along the banjo strings. “A one, a two, a one-two-three-four.”
Jace on his guitar and Travis, on his banjo, started singing together.
Saturday night and the moon is full,
I see you standing there and can’t fight this pull.
Smiling at me from across the dance floor,
Girl, you call my name and I’m coming for more.
Dancing in my arms and it feels so right.
No need to hurry cuz we got all night.
