she was playing for keeps.
Cecilia had arranged a voice coach who’d worked with McKenzie every night that week. Cecilia had called a client who happened to be one of the female singers in the show and arranged for McKenzie’s surprise performance. Lanette had been thrilled to help because she’d seen McKenzie and Lance save the mayor’s life and had thought them a perfect couple even back then.
Now it was all up to McKenzie.
She hated people looking at her and the entire room’s eyes were all trained on her, waiting to see what she was going to do. To see if she was going to cry or scream out like her parents.
No, that’s not why they were here. That’s not why they were looking at her. They were here for entertainment. Entertainment she was about to add to, and perhaps not in a good way.
She couldn’t sing.
A week with a voice coach wasn’t going to fix that. A year with a voice coach couldn’t.
But she’d learned what her voice’s strengths were and what her weaknesses were. Her performance wasn’t going to have any agents lining up to sign her, but hopefully her putting herself out there for him would impress a certain man enough for him to rethink two months, for him to open up his heart and let her inside, to at least give her, give them, a chance.
The music started up as she made her way up the steps to the stage. One step. Two steps. Three steps. On the stage without falling. Yes, now, if she could just stay upright during her song, she totally had this.
She made her way over to Lance, smiled at him suggestively as she ran her finger along his shirt collar. His body heat lured her in, making her want to touch him for real, but common sense said she was on a stage, everyone was watching, the show must go on and this wasn’t that kind of show.
Taking a deep breath first that she hoped the microphone didn’t pick up, she broke into a song about going after what she wanted and making it hers.
If he walked away from her, she’d look a fool.
She’d feel a fool.
But, even more, he might not forgive her for interfering in his show.
Still, she agreed with Cecilia. She had to make a grand gesture to show Lance that she was serious about wanting him in her life, that she was willing to take risks where he was concerned, that she’d fight for him.
That she’d sing for him.
So she sang.
His eyes searched hers and she couldn’t quite read his expression.
Fine. She was going to do this, was going to put her heart into it, and whatever happened happened.
She played her eyes at him, did her best to be sultry and seductive without being trashy, and felt a huge weight lift off her when Lance grinned.
Thank God. At least he wasn’t going to have her look a fool on the stage.
To those in the audience he looked believable. To McKenzie he looked more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen.
She finished the song.
Shaking his head, he wrapped her into his arms, spun her around, and kissed her forehead.
“Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Dr. McKenzie Sanders.”
The room filled with applause.
“Bow,” Lance whispered, squeezing her hand.
Feeling a bit silly, she did so.
He led her off the stage and round to the back as Lanette took to the stage again to perform another song.
“What are you doing here?” he asked the second they were out of sight of the audience.
Ouch. Not exactly what she’d hoped to hear him say. Then again, what had she expected? For him to immediately know what her song had meant? He was a man. Sometimes men had to be hit over the head with the obvious for them to recognize the truth, or so her best friend had told her repeatedly.
“I’m here to sing for you.”
His brow lifted. “I thought you didn’t like singing?”
“I don’t.”
“Then why?”
“Because I want to be a part of the things you enjoy. Two months wasn’t enough time. I want more. I need more.”
He considered her a moment, glanced at the other crew members who were backstage, then pulled her toward the back. “Obviously we need to talk, but this isn’t the time or the place.”
“Obviously,” she agreed, knowing the other cast members were watching them curiously.
“I have to be there for the last song. All the cast members will be onstage for it. I give my thanks to the cast and the Senior Citizen Center, and then we’ll take our bows.”
“I can wait.”
The others lined up to take the stage as soon as Lanette’s number ended. Lance glanced toward her and looked torn.
“Go. I’ll be here when you’re finished.”
“You’re sure?”
“In case you haven’t figured it out just by my being here, I’m planning to stick around, Lance. Two months wasn’t enough time. At least, not for me. Unless… You’re not seeing anyone else, are you?”
She’d not even considered that he might already be seeing someone else. She couldn’t imagine it. Not with the way he looked at her. But sometimes people did stupid things.
“There’s no one else, McKenzie. Just you.”
Although his face went a ghostly white at his own words, they put such joy into her heart that she threw her arms around him and kissed him, letting every bit of feeling inside her show in her kiss.
One of the other singers cleared his throat, reminding them that Lanette’s number was coming to an end.
“Sorry,” McKenzie apologized, then took it back. “No, I’m not sorry. Not that I kissed you anyway. Just that I haven’t kissed you every night for the past month. I’ve missed you.”
Lance pulled away from McKenzie without saying anything.
He’d already said enough.
He’d said there was no one else.
Just her.
How could he have said that?
His insides shook.
A crushing weight settled onto his chest.
One
