whole time we were away. I got so tired of it, I felt like clobbering him!”
Catherine turned. What did he say?
Joey raised his arms, frustrated. “Come back inside. Trust me, Daniel will be thrilled to see you here. I’ve got to get back in before someone messes up the sound board, but I’ll tell Daniel you’re here when the group takes a break.”
She unabashedly gaped. Daniel would be thrilled she was there?
“Come back inside. Please.”
“You’re sure he’ll want to see me?”
J oey made an X across his chest with his hand. “Cross my big, southern heart, Eastie. Come on,” he added, turning toward the door, motioning her inside. “Let’s warm up.”
Catherine’s feet moved beneath her as if on their own accord. She gazed wordlessly at Joey as he opened the door into the welcome heat. It was calm inside now, Daniel was singing a soft tune and most people had taken their seats. Despite herself, Catherine felt a mounting excitement. As the door shut behind them, Joey leaned to whisper in her ear, “Listen closely to the songs before you judge Daniel and the band. It might not be classical music, but it might not be what you’re thinking it is, either.” Then he blended into the crowd.
She rubbed her arms and stared at the stage. It was easy to see Daniel now. He seemed so relaxed. Soft shadows moved across his face, and she could see his eyes shining with that strange coppery glow she remembered from the ballroom. His dark curls draped across his shoulders as he sang, holding the microphone as though he were kissing a woman’s hand. Her heart swelled . She listened to the music as Joey had asked.
“…searching for answers left long behind, answers elusive to questioning minds…”
The more she listened, the more her heart opened. “…When I’ve learned all you will allow me to know, I’ll slip into your loving arms and go…”
Maybe this wasn’t just some shallow rock band. This was not trash. How could she have pre-judged Daniel so?
She swallowed against the lump in her throat and threaded through the people to get a bit closer to the stage. Thankfully, people were still moving around enough that she could slip in closer without being conspicuous. She sidled up to a rail near the dance floor and rested there. She didn’t care that men were ogling her, or that her feet were sticking to the floor where someone had spilled a drink. She didn’t care if Beth and Penny wondered what happened to her. It didn’t even matter that Daniel was the guy Beth was hopelessly entranced by, and that Beth always got what she wanted.
She was mesmerized by Daniel’s voice.
The song ended. There was a roar of cheering and the noise didn’t stop until Daniel gestured for silence. As he looked out over the crowd, Catherine lowered her face, suddenly afraid to be seen.
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Daniel said, flashing the mischievous grin Catherine remembered. “My name is Daniel LaMont ” A resurgence of clapping and whistling made it hard for him to continue. He lowered his eyes, humbled, and Catherine smiled at that. When the applause died down, he introduced the rest of the group. The lead guitarist, bass, keyboard and drum players were introduced by name, allowing time for applause after each. Catherine studied the other band members. They all looked somewhat scruffier than Daniel. They smiled easily though, and each had an intelligent face . Catherine wondered how long they’d been together, and how popular they really were. Joey had called Daniel a genius; apparently he masterminded the band. And whether he intended to or not, Daniel stole the show. She wondered if that was why he took so long to introduce the rest of the band, to give them the recognition he unintentionally stole from them.
After introductions were complete, Daniel continued. “We’ve been playing a lot of gigs out of state in the past weeks, but it’s always best to come back here to where we started. Here.
Catherine turned. What did he say?
Joey raised his arms, frustrated. “Come back inside. Trust me, Daniel will be thrilled to see you here. I’ve got to get back in before someone messes up the sound board, but I’ll tell Daniel you’re here when the group takes a break.”
She unabashedly gaped. Daniel would be thrilled she was there?
“Come back inside. Please.”
“You’re sure he’ll want to see me?”
J oey made an X across his chest with his hand. “Cross my big, southern heart, Eastie. Come on,” he added, turning toward the door, motioning her inside. “Let’s warm up.”
Catherine’s feet moved beneath her as if on their own accord. She gazed wordlessly at Joey as he opened the door into the welcome heat. It was calm inside now, Daniel was singing a soft tune and most people had taken their seats. Despite herself, Catherine felt a mounting excitement. As the door shut behind them, Joey leaned to whisper in her ear, “Listen closely to the songs before you judge Daniel and the band. It might not be classical music, but it might not be what you’re thinking it is, either.” Then he blended into the crowd.
She rubbed her arms and stared at the stage. It was easy to see Daniel now. He seemed so relaxed. Soft shadows moved across his face, and she could see his eyes shining with that strange coppery glow she remembered from the ballroom. His dark curls draped across his shoulders as he sang, holding the microphone as though he were kissing a woman’s hand. Her heart swelled . She listened to the music as Joey had asked.
“…searching for answers left long behind, answers elusive to questioning minds…”
The more she listened, the more her heart opened. “…When I’ve learned all you will allow me to know, I’ll slip into your loving arms and go…”
Maybe this wasn’t just some shallow rock band. This was not trash. How could she have pre-judged Daniel so?
She swallowed against the lump in her throat and threaded through the people to get a bit closer to the stage. Thankfully, people were still moving around enough that she could slip in closer without being conspicuous. She sidled up to a rail near the dance floor and rested there. She didn’t care that men were ogling her, or that her feet were sticking to the floor where someone had spilled a drink. She didn’t care if Beth and Penny wondered what happened to her. It didn’t even matter that Daniel was the guy Beth was hopelessly entranced by, and that Beth always got what she wanted.
She was mesmerized by Daniel’s voice.
The song ended. There was a roar of cheering and the noise didn’t stop until Daniel gestured for silence. As he looked out over the crowd, Catherine lowered her face, suddenly afraid to be seen.
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Daniel said, flashing the mischievous grin Catherine remembered. “My name is Daniel LaMont ” A resurgence of clapping and whistling made it hard for him to continue. He lowered his eyes, humbled, and Catherine smiled at that. When the applause died down, he introduced the rest of the group. The lead guitarist, bass, keyboard and drum players were introduced by name, allowing time for applause after each. Catherine studied the other band members. They all looked somewhat scruffier than Daniel. They smiled easily though, and each had an intelligent face . Catherine wondered how long they’d been together, and how popular they really were. Joey had called Daniel a genius; apparently he masterminded the band. And whether he intended to or not, Daniel stole the show. She wondered if that was why he took so long to introduce the rest of the band, to give them the recognition he unintentionally stole from them.
After introductions were complete, Daniel continued. “We’ve been playing a lot of gigs out of state in the past weeks, but it’s always best to come back here to where we started. Here.
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