Page 10 of Dear Blue Jean Cowboy
True to her word, Diana goes through with her performance at the Centennial Springs Summer Festival. She's the cherry topping, and what was a fantastic opening night.
“You did an amazing job, Dani.” I wrap my arm around her and pull her into my side.
“I think that a lot of the turnout is due to your girl up there singing, but it’s not bad for a small-town event.” She beams up at me.
“Don’t cut yourself short. I’m really proud of you.”
“First Mom and Dad. Then Beau. And now you can’t get over the fact that I pulled this off.” She quirks an eyebrow up at me. “I’m starting to think that maybe you all didn’t think I could do this.”
"I'm not entirely sure how to answer that without getting punched in the side by you," I say, only half-joking.
“I’ll have you know that—”
“Um, Dani?” Teddy O’Brien asks as he walks up to us.
Dani turns around. “What?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to dance?” Teddy points over his shoulder at the area where people are slow dancing to the song fromNashville Nightsthat put Diana on the Country music map.
When Dani doesn’t answer, I peek around to see if she’s okay. The wide-eyed look of surprise on her face says it all. I give her a gentle push towards Teddy.
“She’d like that.”
Dani shoots me a look that says I can answer for myself, and I know that I’m in for it later from her.
I watch Diana singing on stage from the edge of the dance floor. There is a light in her that tells me she was meant to be a star. I was a stupid kid who may have pushed her in that direction, but I don't regret it. I've only ever wanted what's best for her, even if it means hurting me. But hopefully, our time apart is done.
Diana wraps up her last song.
"Thank you so much, Centennial Springs, for this opportunity to come back here and play for my family and friends in this community,” she says. “But I think that we all need to take a moment to thank Dani Montgomery for making this night the best Centennial Springs Summer Festival ever."
Everyone starts clapping and cheering for Dani. She tries to hold back the smile spreading on her face, but I know she loves the attention, and she deserves it.
I walk over to the side of the sound stage and meet Diana.
“You were fantastic.” I pull her into my arms and swing her around.
We both laugh until we hear the sound of someone clearing their throat behind us.
DIANA
Rhett stops spinning and puts me down. My parents are standing there, neither one of them look happy.
"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad." I say as I run my hands down the front of my dress to push away any wrinkles. "You remember Rhett Montgomery."
“How could we forget?” Mom says.
Rhett holds his hand out to my dad, and for a moment, I think he isn't going to take it, but then he does.
“I think we made it clear how we felt about the idea of you two when you were kids,” Dad says. “But you are grown adults, and you don’t need our permission anymore.”
Mom turns to him with a look on her face that says that isn't at all what they had planned to say. The corner of Dad's mouth ticks up, and I know that's the best he can give as a way of apologizing. Before Mom can find her words, he takes her hand and leads her away back into the crowd.
"Well, that was an awkward non-apology apology," Rhett says.
I shake my head. “I really don’t get where Nora and I came from. It’s like they are aliens that just haven’t mastered the nuances of human behavior.”
Rhett laughs. “That sounds like something Nora would say.”
