Restless Heart (37 page)

She knew there were going to be obstacles and disappointment in a journey as challenging as the one Destiny was embarking upon with Seth. Together, her family would give her strength and support to see her through, and would be prepared to catch her if she fell.

But for this is brief, shining moment . . . all was right with the world.

Moments like these, Sara thought, were what life should be made of.

A
s the weatherman had promised, blue skies prevailed and the sunshine brightened the last official Sunday afternoon of the summer. Although the September breeze brought a hint of fall, the stately trees were just beginning to turn. The grass remained green and bountiful, and planters spilled over with late-summer blooms. The scent of crock-pot chili, pulled pork, and charcoal permeated the air, augmenting the sizzle of excitement buzzing beneath the surface.

As Seth headed toward the town square stage, he saw Destiny’s parents in the front row of folded chairs reserved for friends and family. Sara had kept her hair a warm honey blond ever since her makeover. By the same token, John’s hair was no longer military short and he was sporting a bit of a beard. Although there was still an air of command about the colonel, he had a more relaxed demeanor that suggested he was finally letting go and enjoying life.

This was to be the first time he’d ever seen Destiny perform, and having just come from her dressing room, Seth knew she was a bundle of nerves. If John felt the same way, he was hiding it very well.

After climbing the steps to the stage, Seth shook John Hart’s hand and gave Sara a quick hug before sitting down.

“It’s good to see you both,” he said. “Excited about the show?”

Sara Hart’s smile wavered, and she put her hand over her mouth. “Mrs. Hart, is everything okay?” Seth asked in alarm.

“Yeeh-ess . . .” She drew out the word in a squeaky Southern voice, dabbing at the corner of her eyes with a delicate hanky. Seth shot John Hart a worried look, but the colonel could only shake his head and sigh. “She’s been doing this all day. First, when the big Welcome Home banner for Destiny was strung across Main Street . . .”

“Everyone stopped and cheered!” Sara protested with a sniff. “It was
such
a touching moment. Admit it, John.”

“Okay, I admit that, but did you have to go and announce to everyone in the grocery store that Destiny was on the cover of
Women’s Week Magazine
?”

“I knew the fine people of Wilmot would want to know. Seth, have you seen it yet? Destiny looks so lovely! Her hair was blowing back from her face and she has such a beaming smile!”

“I have seen it, Mrs. Hart,” he said with a grin. Seen it, studied it—all but kissed it like an adolescent pining after a pinup.

But that was before the real thing—Destiny herself—blew into town last night, and . . .

And what happened when she got there wasn’t something Seth particularly wanted to remember with her father sitting right beside him.

John’s mouth twitched with amusement. “Sara hand-sold magazines to every sucker in the store, Seth.”

Sara lifted her chin a notch. “I simply pointed out that a hometown girl was on the cover.”

“And that her name was Destiny Hart and just happened to be your daughter and then handed them a copy,” John added dryly. “Like everyone didn’t already know that Destiny was your daughter . . .”

“Not
everyone
in the county knows us,” Sara replied. “Grace said I’m a natural at marketing and I should go on the road with them and sell T-shirts at the merch table, I’ll have you know.” Sara leaned close to Seth and said, “Merch is the inside lingo for merchandise table at concerts.”

“Does Destiny have merchandise?” he asked in surprise.

“No, but it’s in the works. I’m really thinking about going on the road to sell it,” Sara said, tossing a challenging but playful look at her husband.

“Fine, but then I’m coming with you.”

Seth smiled. Whenever the two of them had popped up at his baseball games over the summer—and it had been surprisingly often—they were holding hands and beaming at each other.

“Now, there’s a good answer if I ever heard one!” Sara’s laughter sounded carefree and happy and she leaned over and gave John a peck on the cheek. He hoped Destiny still looked at him with adoring eyes so many years down the road.

Her parents had weathered some storms, but they seemed more solid than ever, and Seth guessed that their tough times had been the true test of undying love.

“Well, hey there!”

Seth turned to see little bitty Nessie coming down the center aisle. Sunshine glinted off of her bright pink sequined shirt and she hurried along, covering the uneven surface in platform heels without batting one of her false eyelashes.

“Did you save me a seat, hot stuff?” Nessie asked,.

“Sure did,” Seth replied and pointed to the chair right next to his.

“Well, hey there!” Nessie greeted Sara and John. “Is this excitin’ or what?”

“Incredibly so!” Sara replied and then once more had to brush at a tear.

“Oh . . .
you
! Come on over here,” she said to Sara and then gave her a big hug. “Congratulations! You must be proud as a peacock of both your girls!”

“We are,” Sara admitted and then waved at Cooper and Annie, who were heading their way. “Oh, I’m so glad you two could make it!”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Cooper said.

“The crowd is huge,” Annie told them. “We had a hard time getting past the traffic and ended up having to park way down the street. There are people jammed beyond the square.”

“Well, y’all best have a seat,” Sara said and rubbed her hands together. “The show is about to begin!”

As if on cue, Rex Miller strode out onto the stage, grabbed the microphone, and waved to the cheering crowd. “Good afternoon, Wilmot, Kentucky! Welcome to this very special event. Trust me, you won’t want to miss one minute of this concert and I’ve just been told that there will be an announcement immediately following the show, so don’t run off!”

Again?

Seth looked over at Sara, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged her slim shoulders.

Destiny was already leaving on tour—what else could the announcement possibly be about?

As the Hart Rockers entered the stage and picked up their instruments, the crowd roared, but Rex quieted them with a raised hand. “In case you don’t know the story, Destiny Hart began her career right here on a warm summer evening over five years ago. On a dare, Destiny participated in—and ended up winning—our Kentucky Idol contest when she wowed the audience with a stunning a cappella performance of ‘America the Beautiful.’ How many of you were here that night?” Rex asked and looked out over the audience for raised hands.

Seth looked around and wasn’t surprised that many hands were up in the air.

Rex nodded. “Thought so! Okay, Destiny asked me to make Cooper Sparks stand up and take a bow. Cooper? Where are you?”

Seth looked over at Cooper, who had no problem standing up, turning to the crowd, and waving.

“Destiny also said that you are to open the concert by singing ‘Free Bird,’” Rex added.

Seth had to laugh when Cooper stopped in midwave and whipped around with wide eyes to look at Rex.

“Gotcha, Coop,” Destiny’s voice rang out from backstage, and the audience erupted in laughter.

“Don’t worry. You can sit down, Cooper,” Rex said with a grin. “Getting back to Kentucky Idol, in spite of that hot, muggy night I got goose bumps listening to Destiny sing,” Rex admitted and patted his chest. “Little did anyone know that Destiny had been composing songs all her life and decided to head off to Nashville to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter. A brave choice, if you ask me, but then bravery runs in her family. Her father, John Hart, is a retired air force colonel. Colonel Hart, would you and your lovely wife, Sara, please stand up?”

Seth watched John grasp Sara’s hand and then rise to his feet.

“And Destiny has requested that all veterans and military families also rise and remain standing!” While the crowd roared in appreciation, Rex shouted, “And now allow me to introduce the one and only Destiny Hart!”

Just as Destiny appeared, a huge American flag unrolled from the ceiling to the stage floor. The audience erupted in wild applause, and Destiny stood at the microphone waiting for it to die down.

She didn’t show it, but Seth knew how nervous she was and said a prayer that she could harness the jittery energy. He alone knew what she was about to do, and that it would be musically and emotionally difficult.

When the crowd finally fell silent, Destiny began to sing: “O beautiful for spacious skies . . .”

Her eyes closed and at first her voice held just a hint of a tremble but then gained strength and rang out pure and clear. The crowd remained so quiet that in the background the flapping of the flag could be heard through the microphone.

When Destiny sang the last bars of the a cappella performance, she raised her hands to the sky, bringing the entire crowd reverently to their feet.

Sunrays glinted off the silver at her wrists as she reached out, beckoning the audience to join in.

As the last note faded, Seth wondered if there could possibly be a dry eye in the town square. Sara had tears streaming down her face, and to Seth’s surprise so did John. Seth had to clear his own clogged throat, and Nessie had her face buried in his shoulder. When Annie started to sniffle, Cooper put his arm around her waist and hugged her close.

Destiny paused for a long moment, and Seth realized that she, too, was overcome with emotion.

Finally she said, “I told myself not to cry, but I knew it was bound to happen!”

Seth saw John smile at Destiny’s admission and squeeze Sara’s hand, whispering, “I wonder where she gets that from?”

After inhaling a deep breath, Destiny smiled and said, “Good afternoon, Wilmot, Kentucky, and thank you for the warm home-coming!” When the cheers died down she continued. “I’m going to sing some songs from my new album and cover a few of my favorite country classics! I encourage you to sit back and relax and if you want to visit some of the vendors selling food, feel free! I understand the proceeds go to the local high school band, so go ahead and dig in.... Just save me some of that pulled pork barbecue!”

Nessie gave Seth a nudge with her elbow and said, “Destiny is a natural. To heck with the doggone barbeque—the crowd is eating
her
up with a spoon!”

Seth nodded with complete agreement.

Destiny had a way of connecting with the crowd on a human level. As she started singing “Kiss Me in the Moonlight,” the real magic began. With her band backing her up, energy and excitement poured over the audience. And even though Jesse Jansen still rubbed him the wrong way, Seth had to admit that the guy was a talented musician.

With each song, Seth could tell she became more at ease. She joked with her band, had the audience laughing and line dancing in front of their chairs.

“Let’s slow things down now with a little classic Patsy Cline.” Destiny looked over at the row of seats that held her friends and family. “Oh, and, Cooper Sparks? Feel free to grab Annie and get up here and dance.”

Seth grinned, knowing full well that the one thing Cooper dreaded was dancing. He was one of those guys who didn’t have a lick of rhythm and had sense enough to know it. When Cooper shook his head firmly, Destiny grinned. After all, she was the one with the microphone.

“Hey, y’all, help me encourage ‘Free Bird’ Cooper to get his tush up and slow dance with his friend Annie.” Of course, the crowd complied and shamed Cooper into pulling a somewhat reluctant Annie onto her feet.

Cooper mouthed, “I’ll get you for this,” but it was Annie’s flushed cheeks that captured Seth’s attention. He knew that look, that feeling . . .

It came rushing back at him as Destiny started singing “Crazy
.
” After the lineup of kick-butt songs, she closed her eyes and surprised the audience with the heartfelt rendition that had so moved Seth on that long-ago night beneath the stars.

“I think I’ll close out my set with another slow one and a personal favorite.”

When Destiny began singing “Restless Heart,” Seth was amazed at how many people knew every word. Nessie sang her little ol’ heart out and so did Cooper and Annie. Sara tried, but could only press her lips together and hold John’s hand while they both beamed radiant smiles up at their daughter.

Destiny turned her head and her gaze locked with Seth’s, and once again, just like that night under the stars, she was singing only to him.

 

 

 

E
nding “Restless Heart” with a crescendo, Destiny closed her eyes briefly, then bowed her head, utterly spent.

“Thank you very much,” she said breathlessly, and the town square erupted in wild applause.