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Chapter Four
Beauwaslookingforwardto seeing Alessandra again at the concert. He still wondered about her motivations, but he also knew that their physical chemistry was real. In the past, that chemistry would have been enough for him. And that was why he couldn’t figure out why he’d spent most of his day with her on his mind.
One minute he was pleasurably remembering how her naked body had responded to his. The next, he was wondering why she’d left so abruptly. Another hour, and he was thinking about what his brother had said, imagining the idea of spending a lifetime with Alessandra—a thought he quickly abolished. A lifetime of love was simply impossible for him, and probably for her, too.
Alessandra had told him to meet her in front of the theater an hour before showtime. She’d arranged for them to meet River Flynn, the popular country artist who had a residency in Las Vegas. River had an astounding country singing career in his twenties, and now in his forties, he was still making money on his royalties and had no need to work.
But after a failed marriage, he wrote and produced a fifth album that sold more than any of his earlier works. Filled with anger, regret, and forgiveness, the music’s emotion touched both young and old alike, further increasing his popularity. Not inclined to go on tour again, River agreed to a residency at The Benson.
Beau knew the theater was built to have the best acoustics in Las Vegas, and he had been a fan of River Flynn for many years. When he saw Alessandra, however, all thoughts of the concert were extinguished. She was wearing a pair of black jeans with high-heeled boots. Her blouse clung to her tightly, the fabric metallic with a gold sheen that complemented her hair. She wasn’t dressed like a resort executive; she was dressed like a date, and that made him optimistic about the evening.
“Good evening, Beau,” she said, coming closer. She was smiling, but her tone was flat. She extended her arm, indicating a formal handshake, and his optimism evaporated. She was polite, oh so very polite, yet she also had the same air of distance as when Beau had first come out of the limo. Her eyes no longer looked at his with openness, let alone any hint of the passion he had seen last night. Getting her to relax tonight was going to take more effort.
Beau was not one to quit trying. He knew there was sexual chemistry between them, and he wasn’t going to let her push it away. “Great to see you,” he said enthusiastically. He grabbed her hand as if he were going to do the formal handshake but pulled her close into a light hug instead. She stiffened immediately and took a step back.
“Sorry,” he said.Was she offended?
“Sorry for what? Let’s get inside so you can meet River,” she said, ignoring the awkward moment.
What was wrong with her? It annoyed him that she was pushing him away. What was even more infuriating was how much he cared what Alessandra Caro thought of him.Fine, he thought,if this is how she wants it, then I’ll go along, at least for a while.He would focus on meeting River Flynn and their front-row seats, enjoying himself despite her all-business attitude at the moment.
They met River in the green room before the concert. His publicist was there also, but no one else, providing them a personalized experience. River was taller than Beau had expected. He was well-dressed for the concert, and Beau decided that his impact on female fans was certainly understandable.
River greeted Alessandra with a tight hug. Beau watched as Alessandra’s face, just a moment ago distant and cool talking to Beau, opened into a wide smile when she saw River. Beau’s annoyance with the change was amplified by the fact that Alessandra reciprocated River’s hug with a friendly kiss on the lips.
“River, so great to see you again,” she enthused. River’s residency was scheduled for two weekends each month.Clearly, Beau thought bitterly,Alessandra had missed River. And, if she could turn her emotions on and off so easily, then how did Beau know she wasn’t doing that with him?
After what seemed to Beau like minutes of watching them gush over each other, Alessandra finally turned to make the introductions. “River, this is Beau Brooks. He’s one of our best customers, and he’s visiting us for a few days. I wanted him to meet you.”
Beau wanted to be friendly—after all, River hadn’t done anything wrong. Yet the fact Alessandra had referred to him as ‘a customer’ did nothing to improve his mood. Apparently, Beau was not a friend, not a former friend, not someone she was connected to, and certainly not someone she had sex with last night. Nope, he was just acustomer.
Okay, then, that’s what I am.
“I’m happy to meet you, River, really looking forward to the concert tonight. I’ve been a fan of yours since I was a teenager—even at your age, your voice is incredible.” If River noticed Beau’s slight dig about their age difference, which really wasn’t that big of a difference at all, it wasn’t noticeable. Beau had said it out of jealousy, and he gave River credit for his professionalism.
In fact, River joked back, “At my age, I’m just glad I can still get a crowd of folks who like to hear me sing.”
“A crowd?” Alessandra enthused. “Your tickets sold out within ten minutes! If I could get your concert at The Benson for even more dates, I would in a heartbeat. You know I love having you here.”
Beau couldn’t stand to hear the kindness in Alessandra’s voice when she talked about River. He couldn’t sense any chemistry between them, but then again, she was obviously adept at portraying whatever emotion she wanted. “You guys are too sweet, just like BFFs,” he said. “River, you should book some more dates. You can see Alessandra wants you here.” River didn’t notice anything wrong, but Alessandra gave Beau a sharp look, apparently picking up on his sarcasm.
River kept his easy-going disposition. “Actually, I would love to, but I have my daughter Chelsea at home. She’s eight years old, and she lives with me two weeks out of the month, with my ex having the other two weeks.”
Oh great,he’s a family man, too… someone who’s figured out how to have a family while keeping his career.It was a status Beau doubted would ever be in his future. “I’m sure you’re a great dad.” The comment was sincere, but Beau’s chagrin about not having a similar future added a sharp tone.
Alessandra looked at Beau, raising her eyebrows as if to ask him what the hell was going on. To correct the impression, Beau added in a more friendly tone, “I’m impressed you’re able to work everything around your family. I’m not sure I could do that as easily, at least I don’t think so.”
River smiled at Beau, seeming to understand. “I used to think that when I was younger, too. But when I got divorced, I realized I had to work around what Chelsea needed, not the other way around. Thankfully, I had a successful career early on that allows me to do that now. And I can afford to hire folks to help me. Not going to lie, it would be way more difficult if I didn’t.”
Alessandra, while looking at Beau, said, “River is a wonderful father. Chelsea is lucky to have him. And we’re just happy he can be here when he can. Which brings us to the time. River, I think you’re due on stage in about thirty minutes? We’ll go.”
“No, stay, hang out for a while.” River motioned to the couches in the sitting area. “Relax and enjoy the champagne and snacks—no one will bother you. I won’t start my set for another hour. I just have one song I join the opening band for, though, so I have to go. Hope you enjoy the concert!”
Beau was feeling a little guilty about his tone earlier. It was obvious Alessandra had picked up on it and was less than pleased. He tried to make up for it by extending his hand to River. “River, I can’t wait to hear you play again. It was so nice to get to meet you in person. Maybe our paths will cross again next time you’re back at The Benson.”
River smiled back, taking Beau’s hand. “I look forward to it.”
As soon as River left, Alessandra turned to Beau. “What was that all about?”
