“Sure. I’d like to get married, have a family,” he said, going with the dream rather than reality. “One day. What about you?”
“The same. One day.”
“There you are!” Shelby walked over to the table. She sat next to him and hugged him. “You did it, big brother. This place is a success. Congratulations.”
* * *
SHELBY’S ARRIVAL GAVE Destiny a chance to excuse herself on the pretext of wanting to say hi to some friends. While she hadn’t seen anyone she knew all that well, she needed a moment to catch her breath. Sipping bourbon and staring into Kipling’s eyes was having an unsettling effect on her equilibrium. Or maybe it was the talk about marriage and kids.
Not that he’d been offering, she reminded herself. He hadn’t. And he wasn’t sensible enough for her. But a girl could dream and if she was, then he certainly fell into the “dream-worthy” category.
She wandered back to the bar area and was immediately hit by a wall of noise. If possible there were even more people than before.
Overhead fixtures provided plenty of light, and the music was at a good level. You didn’t have to shout to have a conversation. Liquor flowed freely, and pictures taken at the door flashed on the various TVs. Several people were playing pool. While the poker room was currently serving as additional seating, there was a sign saying when the games would start, along with a sign-up sheet.
If she closed her eyes, she could be five again. Or eight, or any age she’d traveled with her parents. While they’d been huge stars and didn’t perform in bars, they’d enjoyed going to them after the show, and she’d been taken along. There was always a back room where she could be made comfortable on a bed of coats.
She remembered the smells and the sounds. The bursts of laughter, the lingering scent of cigarettes and fried food. Not exactly a nurturing environment, but it had been what she’d known.
It was only after her parents had split up that they’d started having more children. Half siblings she may or may not have met. Would things have been different if Lacey and Jimmy Don had had more kids together? Would additional offspring have forced them to be more like other parents, or was that simply wishful thinking on her part?
“Here you go,” a server said, handing Destiny a fresh drink and taking her previous one. “Nick said to tell you he makes a great Old Fashioned, and not enough people drink them these days.”
“Thank you.”
She raised her glass toward the bar, and Nick waved in response. Just as she took a sip, Madeline rushed up to her.
“OMG, seriously? You’re the only child of Lacey and Jimmy Don Mills? That Mills family? You’re like country music royalty.”Madeline sounded more intrigued by the information than upset Destiny had tried to keep it a secret, which was good. But she was still a little cautious as she asked, “How did you find out?”
“Miles told me. We went out for drinks last night. You never said a word.”
Which was just like Miles, she thought. Poking his nose where he shouldn’t. She was going to have to have yet another chat with him soon. “I don’t talk about it much.”
“Obviously not.” Her friend had a glass of champagne. She linked arms with Destiny and led her to a small table in the corner. “I guess I can see why. That’s all anyone would talk about, right? Your famous parents? But wow. I was stunned.”
They sat across from each other. Madeline had on a pretty blue dress that was the same color as her eyes. She’d pulled her blond hair back into a braid.
“So can you sing, too? You must be able to. Why are you working where you do? Don’t you like the business?”
Destiny took a big swallow of her drink and wondered where to start. “I never wanted what my parents had,” she admitted. “It looks really glamorous from the outside, but from the inside, it’s a tough business. There’s so much travel and craziness. It’s not for me.”
“So you’re a regular person.” Madeline laughed. “That makes me like you so much more.”
“Thanks. Do you know if Miles told anyone else?”
“I have no idea.” Her friend leaned toward her. “Look, this obviously bothers you. I won’t say anything to anyone. I promise. But if Miles told me, he’s going to tell other people.”
“I know. I’ve asked him to stop talking about my family before, but he won’t listen. He’s very chatty when it comes to other people’s personal lives.” Destiny pressed her lips together. “Wait. Are you two dating? I don’t want to say anything I shouldn’t.”
Madeline shook her head. “No. We went out for drinks, but he’s not my type.”
“He’s good-looking and charming.”
“Right? So I should totally fall for him. But I don’t know. There wasn’t any chemistry. And now that I know you’ve asked him to be quiet and he wasn’t, I could never trust him. I want someone with integrity. Someone who cares about family.” Madeline sipped her champagne. “It’s pretty funny. I spend my days helping brides find their dream wedding gowns, and I can’t find my one true love.”
“Have you been looking?”
“Good question. Not for a while now. I grew up here so I know most of the guys my age. Either I dated them or a friend did. My parents have been married forever. I was a change-of-life baby. They’d been trying to get pregnant for years and finally gave up. Then I came along. They’re sweet and still in love after forty-five years.”