DASHED DREAMS (16 page)

“
I’ll be singing just for you. Doc, you’re my special angel.”

“
Thank you. I’ll bet you say that to all your girls.”

“
Stop saying that! Since I’ve met you, there hasn’t been anyone else. I can’t stop thinking about you…what you’re doing, what you’re wearing, where you are…just you in general. Darlin’, I love you.”

“
I have to admit that you’re also on my mind. And I do love you.”

They stood in a huddled position, his arm around her. He kissed her on the side of her cheek. Jillian felt tears welling up, unable to speak. With his standing so close, his scent, and what he’d just said, she felt so in love.

Gary tapped him on the shoulder. “Boss, it’s time. He’s ready to seat our group.” Again, RJ kissed Jillian, but this time on the mouth and she returned his kiss. As he walked away, he looked at her, the
rabbit
. He shook hands with her father and gave her mother a brief kiss on her cheek, then nodded to Emma and Lynda.

Escorted into the concert hall through a side door close to the stage, the group were shown to their center-stage, front-row seats.

When they took their seats, Jillian found her mother and Emma sitting beside her. Dan sat next to Grace, and on the other side of Emma sat Lynda. The hall was filling up fast with concert patrons, anxiously awaiting Robert John Montgomery’s performance.

Lynda and Emma were talking when the seats beside Lynda became occupied. After a few minutes a brief tap touched Lynda’s arm. She looked up to see Jack Morgan sitting next to her.

“
Lynda…hello.”

“
Jack. You’re a long way from home.”

“
So are you.”

“
Jillian’s parents live here in the area. We come to visit a couple times a year.” Lynda leaned over to Jillian and said, “Hey, look who’s here.”

Jillian and Emma spoke to Jack Morgan. Jillian then introduced him to her parents and he in turn introduced, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Ward, potential investors in Tucker’s “Koncerts for Kids” program. They wanted to see Robert John Montgomery’s sold-out concert. As Jack later explained to Lynda, it’s the “you scratch my back” thing.

“
It’s nice to see you again. You didn’t call me as you said you would,” Jack said.

Lynda replied, “I figured you were only being polite when you said you’d call me. Anyway, you know the phone runs both ways.”

“
That’s true. Would you consider this a phone call?”

“
Ah…maybe.”

Dan leaned over to Grace and said, “Well, Grace, what do you think of him?”

“
He’s very charming and seems to really like our daughter.”

“
I think he’s charming, all right, but not in the delightful sort of charming.”

“
Dan, you’re so suspicious. Give him a chance. Maybe he was nervous and trying too hard to impress us. And look at these seats.”

“
That could be it, but...” Before Dan could finish his sentence, the concert hall’s lights dimmed to almost complete darkness.

Silence followed for a minute or so, then an overhead voice announced: “Ladies and gentleman, please say hello to this country’s foremost comedian, Martin Howard.”

A single spotlight focused on the center of the stage, showing an empty stool and a microphone. The audience started clapping as the curtains opened behind the stool. Martin Howard came out, bowed, and started his routine that included jokes about his wife, kids, father, mother, the government, and last but not least, about Robert John Montgomery.

“
Did you know that while playing golf up at Lake Tahoe a couple months ago, he ran his golf cart into the lake while trying to tie his shoe? He was driving with his knees.”

The audience laughed.

“
Once he also fell up the stairs backstage while checking his fly. No lie. This guy’s a walking or driving klutz. It’s true, cross my heart.”

Laughter sounded throughout the hall.

“
All kidding aside, he’s a great guy and I’m proud to call him my friend. You’ve been a great audience. Goodnight, folks.” Martin Howard waved goodbye and strolled off stage.

The concert patrons applauded. As the room again was darkened, silence fell over the audience, full of a sense of anticipation. After a few minutes the same overhead voice said, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year, Robert John Montgomery.” The crowd roared with applause. Background music played, “
Lovin You
.” Several multi-colored spotlights began twisting and weaving against the stage curtains. The crowd went wild.

Backstage during Martin’s monologue RJ and Gary sat in a couple of easy chairs, discussing the upcoming performance and the dinner just finished. RJ teased Gary about Emma, and how he’d noticed they’d became really close in the past few months. Gary also noticed a difference in his friend. RJ wasn’t pacing about as he always did before previous concerts. He had a calm about him. Gary well knew there were two reasons for this welcomed change: tonight’s sobriety and Jillian.

After his introduction RJ stood, smoothed his “work clothes,” patted his friend on the back, smiled and said, “Time to go to work. It’s going to be a good show tonight.”

Robert John Montgomery was standing center stage when the curtains opened. The small circle spotlight that focused on him grew larger, as he walked closer to the edge of the stage. He winked at Jillian, the audience ooh’d and aah’d, at his flirting with the girl in the front row.

In a high-energy show, Robert John Montgomery sang his heart out. After finishing four songs, he asked for the house lights to be brought up. He quickly wiped his brow and took a quick drink from a handy water bottle.

“
Hello, Fort Worth! Hello, Dallas! Wow! What a great group we have here tonight! Before we continue I’d like to introduce a few people. Without these talented people, I wouldn’t look so good up here.” The audience laughed. He first introduced the band and his backup singers, then he also introduced his sound, lighting, and technical coordinators. He turned to face the singers and band and applauded along with the audience.

“
Please bear with me. I need to recognize these fine folks. First, Mr. Jack Morgan please stand up, sir.” As Jack Morgan stood, RJ continued. “Mr. Morgan’s Lake Tahoe’s premier Hotel Casino, Tucker’s Entertainment Manager. He also plays a mean game of golf.”

“
Next is the Mayor of Mannsville, Oklahoma, just up the road from here. She’s also my cousin, Mrs. Angyne Bean and her husband Billy. Billy’s Oklahoma’s pecan king and Angyne works tirelessly for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation for which she is this year’s President of Financial Development. This fancy term means if you see her coming towards you after the show, run, and hang onto your checkbook. She’s good and she’ll get your money. All kidding aside, she’s a great lady and when you exit tonight, some nice folks will be manning a couple of tables with literature and ready to collect your donations. Hey, Cuz how’ bout both of you stand up and be recognized?” The audience applauded. “Oh yeah, they also play a mean round of golf.”

“
Next, please welcome Emma Elliott and Lynda Brockhurst, friends of mine from Yerington, Nevada.” The two ladies semi-stood.

“
Last but not least, I’d like to introduce, Dr. Jillian James and her parents, Dan and Grace. Doctor James is my personal physician.” the
rabbit
. Jillian felt herself blushing as she and her parents stood for a brief second. The audience warmly acknowledged all introduced.

“
Okay, back to the show.” The listeners when crazy.

Robert John Montgomery sang most of his hit songs, but also threw in a few that weren’t the best sellers. He saved for last his greatest hit for last,
Loving You
. The spectators stood and applauded. He was singing directly to Jillian. Throughout most of show at various times he sang in her direction. As in the past at the completion of the performance, he pulled off his bow tie and tossed it to a female audience member. Tonight was no different, he winked at Grace and tossed it to her.

Dan thought to himself: Okay, time to butter up the mother.

“
You’ve been my best audience ever. Thank you and God bless.”

With the lights dimming, Robert John Montgomery took several bows, while receiving a standing ovation. Not like other entertainers, he never ran back onto the stage to sing another song. When the room turned completely dark and before everyone stood to exit, the stage manager appeared carrying a flashlight and motioned for the group to follow him. They were escorted to entertainer’s dressing room.

After thank you’s and goodbyes, RJ and Gary were alone in the dressing room.

“
Well, I’m glad that’s over. Damn, Jillie’s Dad’s tough! I don’t think he liked me much.” RJ said pouring himself a drink. He waved the liquor bottle towards Gary. Gary nodded, poured some into a glass and took a sip.

“
You both love the same female and you were trying too hard to sell yourself. Hey, you should’ve been yourself and then for sure, he wouldn’t have liked you!”

“
Oh well, tomorrow, we’re back on the road. Are you hungry? I’m famished.” RJ said, stretching his arms above his head.

“
Tomorrow? You’re planning on leaving on Saturday. We don’t have to be in San Antonio until Monday, and it’s a quick flight. I thought about spending tomorrow with Em. I know Lynda and Jack are spending the next couple of days together.”

Gulping the last of his drink, RJ said, “Do what you want, but, I’m leaving for San Antonio in the morning.” He took a long swallow straight from the liquor bottle and mumbled to himself, “All I want to do is get away from Mr. Dan James Country.”

The group were in the limousine heading home. Jillian waited as long as she could for an opinion from her parents on what they thought of Robert John Montgomery.

“
Well?”

Her mother replied, “Dear, I think he’s charming.”

“
Well, I think he’s headed for a downfall. During the evening I felt he was hiding something,” her father replied. “He’s going to have show me more than what I saw tonight for me to accept him for my little girl.”

“
Daddy…”

Jillian looked at her mother, silently pleading for her help.

“
Dan, you’re faulting this man for being nervous in front of his girl’s parents?”

“
Faulting? I’m not pointing out faults. I’m just giving my opinion!”

“
Well, I had a wonderful time. I think RJ was trying to make such a grand impression he went overboard. I’ve seen him relaxed, and he’s a different sort of a man,” Emma said. She smiled and winked at Jillie.

Silence filled the limousine for the rest of the ride home, each occupant silently reflecting on the evening’s events.

The next morning Jillian waited for RJ to call, but no call came. She didn’t want to show her anxiousness but found it uneasy that he hadn’t returned her morning call. When phone rang during breakfast, Jillian wanted to answer but her father grabbed it. It wasn’t RJ, just a prospective horse buyer. Later, when Gary called for Emma, Jillian was visibly upset hearing that they’d made plans to spend the day together.

Later when Emma and Jillian were cleaning up the breakfast dishes, Jillian asked, “Em, what’re you and Gary going to do today?”

“He’s going to come out at about 11 and we’re going shopping. I think Lynda and Jack are going to join us. Why don’t you come along?”

Jillian nodded no, then asked, “Did he mention RJ?”

Emma nodded. “Gary said Robert’s leaving for San Antonio today.” Emma waited for a response from Jillian, but her best friend was silent.

“Jillie, Gary said Robert was upset with last night’s events.”

“I don’t understand.”

“
Hon, he was pretty upset with your father. We know he’s protecting his daughter from this singing cowboy whose sweeping her off her feet. What it looks like to me is that two terrific guys are vying for the same woman, both with different agendas.”

Jillian knew exactly what her best friend was saying, but it hurt her that RJ would leave town without saying anything to her – not even goodbye. He’d let her father win, and that made her mad. How could he not even have put up a good fight? she mused.

RJ didn’t call Jillian for a couple of days, still pouting like a child. When the call came, she was upset at him for not calling her.

After talking for several minutes, both dropped their attitudes.

“I’m getting ready to go down to Cancun for that concert.”

“When’s that?”

“The day after tomorrow. Hey, I’ve got a great idea. Ever been to Cancun? Come down and we’ll have a few days together. How ‘bout it, darlin’?…just you and me? We need time together.”

“I’ve always wanted to go Cancun and we do need some time, don’t we?”

“I’ll call you in a few with your reservations.”

“I didn’t say I’d come.”

“Yes, you did.”

Chapter 20

The pilot’s voice came across the address system. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re making our gradual descent into Cancun, Mexico and should be on the ground in 30 minutes.” Jillian thought: Great timing. She closed her laptop, placed it into her tote bag. She removed her cosmetic bag. Looking into a compact mirror, she touched up her mauve-colored lipstick, brushed her hair with her fingers, and checked her overall appearance, as she wanted to be perfect when she got off the plane.