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“This song is for Cherry,” I said before Danielle hit the D-major note. “Oh, sweet Dallas take me home,” I began singing. “Oh, sweet Dallas bring me close …”
The chorus of the song is a rocky play, and the customers start to sing along to our beat as I continue, then stepped forward to the center and began doing a little dance. While singing and entertaining everyone, the door swung open, and Tommy walked in with some other man.
The smile on his face edged higher once he saw me, and he remained in the same spot, crossing his arms over his chest and watching us sing.
“Bring me close … I need to be here for you, oh sweet Dallas take me home.”
The lyrics flowed through me while my gaze stayed pinned on his. I don’t know if Danielle is watching, but seeing Tommy made me breathless, and the intensity of his gaze made it much more difficult for me to hold my breath and finish the high pitch note of the song.
When it’s finally over, the customers erupt in loud applause, and I curtsy for them before turning to Danielle. She’s grinning wide, her eyes sparkling, and the excitement on her face washes away the heaviness I felt in my heart earlier.
Music has always meant a lot to both of us, and I was glad she came back. Her presence reminded me of why I loved doing this. Even though Nashville seemed impossible to return to at the moment, it didn’t mean I had to give up music.
I could give up the fame because it didn’t really mean that much to me, but music was my life—long dream of making others feel good while entertaining them.
I hugged Danielle because it felt like the right thing to do, and then she kissed my cheek. There might be hope for us after all. I turned around and walked over to the counter to hug Cherry.
“You, my dear, have won yourself three blueberry scones,” she said to me beaming with a smile, and moved away to pack them up for me. I glanced over my shoulder then and noticed Tommy and Danielle talking.
Danielle was laughing about something he said, and the smile on his face was brilliant. It was my first time seeing the two of them talk and smile at each other like that. I don’t know what has changed in the dynamics of their relationship, but it looks like a good thing.
Danielle has always missed her dad. You could tell that whenever she talked about him. Seeing them together now brought hope that they could mend their relationship.
I can’t come between that.
Cherry returned a couple of minutes later with my scones, and I turned away from Danielle and Tommy, then smiled at her.
“I hope you can do this more often. The customers seem to like you two, Leah,” she said to me as she handed the paper bag.
“I don’t know about Danielle, but I can do this,” I answered. “I can sing here every day for you. We just need to do one thing.”
Cherry’s eyes lit up again. “What’s that?” she asked with much enthusiasm.
“We need to create outdoor seating for the guests. That way, you can draw in more customers, and I’ll sing for everyone who can hear.”
“Are you serious about that?” Cherry asked. “I mean, you’re a star in Nashville and all. I could never pay you what you earn in Nashville.”
I started to reminisce about the past. It took a moment for me to say anything else because I had to consider what she just said. In Nashville I made money … but Nashville was not the only place I could be a star. It was time for a new start … Fresh horizons and new beginnings.
I don’t know what I can do just yet, but I know I can make something out of this. A tiny bubble of hope filled my heart, but it slowly spread into more and made my chest lighter.
“I don’t need you to pay me what I earn in Nashville. “We can figure that out later,” I said to her. “let’s just get this started first.”
I waited for a second till Cherry smiled, then she stuck out a hand over the counter. “All right, business partner. Let’s get this started.”
Tommy
“Dad,canyoutalkher out of this?” Danielle asked me for the tenth time that morning as she met me for breakfast at Belly Rows. I was staying in a guest house in town now because I had to stay on top of Thomas Delgado and find a way to get him to talk to me.
Leah was singing now in the outdoor space Cherry had created for her restaurant, and I thought it was a brilliant idea because this way, Cherry attracted lots of customers, and Leah too got more publicity for herself and her brand.
Danielle didn’t seem to like the idea though, and her worry was evident.
“There’s nothing wrong with Leah singing here, Danny. She has an amazing voice, and she needs to use it. I mean, since she came back to Lakewood, it’s my first time hearing her play the guitar. She told me she gave that up and I was sad for her.”
We both looked at Leah again and Danny shook her head. “Dad, we have a deal with Henry Truman. He’s ready to fly us all over the world and get our music out there internationally. This is what Leah and I have wanted for years. When we first left for Nashville, it was our dream to one day go on tour to Europe and sing internationally. We’re almost there now, Dad, and now this?”
Leah winked at Danielle when we both looked at her again. Even though the gesture was not directed at me, I felt my heart melt inside. Leah was all I could think about recently. The more days passed, the more I wanted her in my arms.
