Mythe: A Fairy Tale (9 page)

“Well, it did! I saw you shiver,” Katie persisted mischievously. David, as was often the case, laughed at Manda’s discomfort.

“Thank you,” Richard told Manda solemnly. “That’s quite a compliment.”

Stacey, who was still keeping close to Richard, leaned toward him attentively. David rolled his eyes at her and gave Richard an apologetic shrug behind his girlfriend’s back. Richard suppressed a grin and edged a little further away from her.

“Would you guys like us to show you around?” Josh asked.

Katie jumped at the invitation. “That would be cool!”

“Sure,” David agreed. “Stace?”

“Definitely!” Stacey said eagerly.

“Manda?” Richard asked, looking down at her with questioning blue eyes.

“Someone should wait here for Jonathan. If you guys want to go, I’ll wait.”

“I wouldn’t hear of it. Why don’t we let the others go explore and I’ll wait here with you. We can catch up with them after we get Katie’s jacket back,” Richard suggested and pleasure filled Manda at the thought of having him to herself for a little while.

“Oh, well I can wait here with you guys,” Stacey quickly offered. Annoyance flashed across Manda’s face for an instant before she could suppress it.

David sighed and put a hand on his girlfriend’s arm, drawing her away from Richard. “No, you can’t. You’re coming with me.” He led her toward the door before leaning close and whispering into her ear. Manda couldn’t hear what he said, but Richard chuckled and when Stacey looked back at the two of them she was blushing.

Stacey laughed self-consciously and twined her arm through David’s. “Well, I wouldn’t want to get you fired. Let’s go.”

Richard laughed louder and Manda shot David’s back a dirty look, mentally promising serious reprisals on Monday.

Josh, suppressing a grin of his own, bowed playfully to Katie, wrapped his arm through hers, and escorted her to the door. “Catch up to us when you can,” he called, and then turned his attention back to Katie. “So what grade are you...” His words were cut off as the door swung shut behind them, leaving Manda alone with Richard.

“Shall we sit while we wait?” Richard asked, gesturing to a small table and chairs in one corner of the room. “Can I get you something to eat?”

Manda groaned as she followed Richard to the table. “No more food, thanks. The dinner you sent was too good and I ate way too much! If you want to eat, don’t let me stop you though.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Richard said, pulling out a chair for Manda. “I will grab myself something. I’m always starving after a concert. I don’t like to eat beforehand. Nerves.” He made sure Manda was settled and then helped himself to a plate of food and a bottle of water and took the seat across from her.

“So, there’s no doubt that Katie’s your niece. She looks just like you,” Richard commented as he sat down.

“That’s what my sister says. Apparently, she acts a lot like me, too,” Manda laughed. “I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be a good thing or not.”

Richard swallowed the bite of food he’d just taken and grinned. “I’m sure it’s a very good thing,” he assured her. He took a drink of water and then asked, “Does your sister live around here then?”

“Yes, they live less than a mile from me.”

“That’s nice. Family is important. Do you have any other brothers or sisters?”

“No, just Emily. David’s the closest thing I ever had to a brother,” Manda answered, and then, in a menacing undertone, added, “though I may disown him after tonight.”

Richard cast a puzzled look in her direction, but didn’t ask what she meant. “What about your parents?” he asked instead. “Do they live nearby, too?”

“No,” Manda answered quietly, “my parents died when I was seventeen.”

Richard was immediately sympathetic. “I’m sorry, Manda. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s okay. You and Josh, of all people, would understand. My parents were killed in a car wreck, just like yours.”

“I’m so sorry,” Richard said softly.

“It was a long time ago.” Manda toyed with the water bottle in her hands. She changed the subject to something lighter, less personal. “So, where’s your next concert?”

“This is the last one for this tour. We always finish up in Denver. I’m not sure how or why, but it’s become sort of a tradition.” Richard twirled a carrot stick between his fingers. “Now we can relax for a while. Work on our new songs. And of course, be at your beck and call for our little project.”

Manda grinned wickedly. “Wow. I’ve never had a pair of rock stars at my beck and call before.”

“Well, it’s a big responsibility. Try not to let it go to your head,” Richard admonished with mock severity.

“I promise to only use my power for good,” Manda replied solemnly, “except on the weekends, when my evil side sometimes gets the better of me.”

Richard’s unrestrained laughter was contagious, and Manda couldn’t keep a straight face anymore. When Jonathan walked in, Katie’s leather jacket in hand, he found the two of them laughing exuberantly.

“Excuse me,” he said when their laughter died down. “I have the jacket that was left behind.”

Richard stood immediately and crossed the room the take it from him. “Thank you, Jonathan,” he said, shaking the man’s hand. “I really appreciate it. And thank you for taking good care of my friends tonight. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

“It’s always a pleasure, Richard. Is there anything else I can do for you?.”

Richard looked questioningly at Manda and she shook her head. “I think we should be able to fend for ourselves now. Are you taking off soon?”

“I’ll be leaving in about half an hour,” Jonathan replied.

“We’re having our wrap party tonight at the Ritz-Carlton. Why don’t you come by when you get off?” Richard invited. “Bring your wife if you’d like. It’ll be a lot of fun. Josh and I will be there later.”

Jonathan beamed in happy surprise. “Thanks! I think I will. She would love that!”

“Good!” Richard said, genuinely pleased. “Be sure and introduce me to her.”

“I will. I’ll see you later, then.” He smiled at Manda. “I enjoyed meeting you, Miss Jensen.”

“It was very nice to meet you. Thank you again for everything,” Manda said.

When Jonathan had gone, Manda looked up at Richard apologetically. “We’re keeping you from your party.”

“Not at all,” Richard denied, shaking his head. “It won’t really get started for a while yet. Everybody’s still getting things wrapped up here. Besides, we were hoping you would come. Why don’t we go track down the others? I can show you around while we look for them.”

Richard guided Manda through the confusing bustle in the service corridors with a hand on her arm. He pointed out various things, offering explanations and introductions several times, but Manda was distracted by the feel of his hand, the sound of his voice, and his heart-stopping smile. She smiled back and made the appropriate comments, but couldn’t have made heads or tails of what he’d shown her afterward. Seeing that she wasn’t really interested, he soon skipped the explanations completely and they chatted companionably as they searched for the others. By the time they caught up with Josh, Richard had quizzed Manda on her childhood, growing up in Colorado, and knew the names of every pet she’d ever had.

Josh had taken the others to the stage in the center of the arena floor. He and David were sitting on the edge with their feet dangling over the side while Stacey and Katie were standing in the center, gazing around the arena and talking animatedly.

Crews were removing the seats from the arena floor as Richard led Manda past them toward the stage. Already the platform was empty, with all of the instruments and equipment dismantled and carried away. Richard led Manda around the stage to where David and Josh sat. Katie and Stacey saw them coming and were waiting there as well, with Stacey sitting cross-legged beside David and Katie dangling her feet over the edge beside Josh.

A crew of men began to dismantle the stage, carrying it away in pieces. They started on the side farthest from Manda’s small group but were quickly closing in.

“I was beginning to wonder where you two were,” Josh remarked.

“I gave Manda the grand tour,” Richard said with a shrug. “I hope you had fun without us.”

“I was just telling Josh that it’s getting late and we don’t want to hold you guys up all night. Thanks for the tour though,” David said, hopping down off of the edge of the stage.

“You’re not holding us up at all,” Josh said, dropping down beside him and turning to help Katie. “We just have a party to go to now, but you guys are more than welcome to come along.”

“Nothing too rowdy,” Richard assured them, handing Katie her jacket. “It’s at the Ritz-Carlton. Food, drink, music. It usually turns into a jam session. We reserve a block of rooms for the night so that anyone who’s had too much to drink
doesn’t have to drive. It’s not really that kind of party though. Josh and I don’t drink at all and everyone who works with us knows not to push it. The food and the music will be good.”

“We can go, can’t we?” Stacey pleaded, clutching David’s shoulders. David held her waist as she slid off the edge of the stage and immediately bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet.

“I don’t see why not. Sounds like fun. How about you guys, Manda?”

Katie waited for Manda’s answer so hopefully that Manda winced.

“No. We’d better go home. Emily would kill me,” she said regretfully.

“But I’m spending the night at your house. She’d never even know,” Katie argued.

“Katherine Holly Derosier! I am not going to lie or try to hide things from your mother, and neither are you!” Manda scolded.

Katie’s eyes brimmed with tears and she busied herself with putting on her jacket while wiping at her eyes surreptitiously.

“So much for my place in the hall of fame,” Manda said softly to Richard, regretting her sharp words.

“No, you’re right. She really is too young. I’m sorry,” Richard said apologetically.

“It’s okay, Katie,” Josh said, trying to cheer her up. “We’ll all go do something another time. I promise.”

“Would that be okay?” Richard asked Manda. “Don’t let him commit you to anything you don’t want to do.”

“No, that would be nice.” Manda said gratefully.

“Thanks, Aunt Manda!” Katie said, hugging her tightly, her tears forgotten. “And you’re right,” she admitted. “Mom would’ve had a fit.”

“Well, we don’t have to go right now. We can stay here for a while,” Richard offered.

“No, it really is late. We’d better go,” Manda declined reluctantly.

“Your driver’s waiting for you, isn’t he?” Richard asked.

“Yes. He left me his number to call when we’re ready to go.” Manda dug in her purse and pulled out the card.

“May I?” Richard said, holding out his hand. Manda handed him the card and he stepped away, pulling his phone from his pocket and dialing the number.

“You guys have a car tonight too, right?” Josh asked David and Stacey.

“Yeah,” David replied. “I should call him, too.”

“Call him and send him home. The four of us can ride over together in our car.”

“Sounds good,” David said and extracted his phone and a business card from his pocket and walked a short distance away with Stacey to make the call.

“I’m sorry you guys can’t come tonight, Manda,” Josh lamented. “It’s been fun. We’ll see you on Tuesday though, right?”

“Definitely,” Manda agreed with a smile.

“Shall we plan on lunch on Tuesday, too?” Richard asked, handing Manda back the driver’s card and slipping his phone back into his pocket. “That is if you and David are free? Or just you, if David’s busy.”

“That works for me,” Manda accepted, unable to suppress a thrill of pleasure.

“Excellent idea, big brother,” Josh remarked, clapping a hand to Richard’s shoulder.

“I thought so,” Richard agreed smugly. Manda laughed and Richard winked at her. “Your driver should be waiting by the time we get there. I told him to come around to the back and meet us. Our car should be there too, so we can all walk out together.”

“Thank you,” Manda said, touched by Richard’s thoughtfulness. She wasn’t used to being taken care of but Richard had managed to do just that all evening, even while performing in front of thousands of people.

Richard’s eyes locked with hers. “As always, it is my very great pleasure, Amanda Jensen.” Completely disconcerted, Manda blinked and looked away self-consciously.

Richard and Josh led the group back through the wide passages and narrow corridors of the building, exiting into an underground loading dock. The silver Mercedes that Manda and Katie had arrived in waited next to a matching black one.

“Your chariot awaits,” Richard said, opening the back door of the silver car. “Thanks for coming tonight, Manda.” He smiled at her warmly and Manda’s pulse quickened. He turned to Katie then. “It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Katie. I look forward to seeing you again.”

“Thank you for inviting us,” Katie said, suddenly shy, and climbed into the car. She leaned back out the door at the last moment, however, and waved at Josh. “Bye, Josh! See ya!” she called, and then ducked quickly back into the dark interior of the limousine.