ANOTHER SUNNY DAY (23 page)

She took the breaths, turned off all but a trickle of the waterworks and opened her mouth to speak. But instead of putting on her usual superstar act, she began to pour out her true feelings to Dillon's sympathetic ears.

"It was nice of you, but you don't know what you're saying. You certainly wouldn't want to have a career like mine." She sniffled, carefully wiping her eyes with a tissue so that, by force of habit, she wouldn't damage what was left of her makeup. She had always taken great pride in her appearance, never appearing in public without her false eyelashes, toned-down stage makeup, and her shimmering blond hair perfectly in place, or, if that failed, wearing a wig that was so realistic even Mack or Diane couldn't tell the difference. And she had always been proud of her natural singing talent, which, until lately, had kept her almost too busy.

I've lost my audience," she continued with a broken sob. "No one cares about seeing or hearing Sunny Day anymore. My fans have left me for someone better and younger."

"There is no one better than you," Dillon murmured softly, instinctively taking her slim form in his arms and pulling her against his willing shoulder. "And you're certainly not old."

"Ha! I turned thirty last April, and it was the most painful birthday of my life." she admitted, able to talk freely in the anonymous shadow of his square chin. "I don't feel any older than I did five years ago, now everyone calls me ma'am and asks me about songs I used to sing in the good old days. They don't realize that I started singing professionally when I was only fourteen, so it seems like I've been in the business forever.

"But the business doesn't want me anymore. I haven't played to a full house in over a year. The major markets don't invite me back for personal appearances. I'm not asked to do television specials or make movies." Sunny shifted uncomfortably, trying not to sit directly on what promised to be two large bruises. "Do you know what just happened to me? I just got bucked off a horse while trying to make a saddle commercial. Me, on a horse! That just shows how desperate I've become. Horses look at me and whisper to each other, 'There's a real sucker. Let's try to think of something really strange to do to her that will make her look like a fool.' The problem is, they always succeed."

It was very disconcerting for Dillon to find his idol so unhappy. He longed to see her legendary bright smile break through this sadness. It was suddenly very important to him that he cheer her up, so he tried the subject he guessed would be most effective. "Sarah told me about your horse-phobia." Dillon spoke gently, trying to pull her into a better mood. "I stop by the ranch and see her and Tyler whenever I pass through Houston, and she told me the whole story of her masquerade. I still can't believe you and she pulled that one off without being exposed. Of course, she had me fooled too," He chuckled remembering his surprise when Tyler had introduced her as Sarah and not Sunny. "I owe the two of you a lot for helping me meet Mack and get my first break."

"When did you last see Sarah?" Sunny asked, putting her own problems in the background in her eagerness to hear some news about her sister. "I haven't seen her since last summer, and then we were able to spend just one day together. We talk on the phone often, but it's difficult to get together when I'm on the road so much." As she talked, she leaned back far enough so she could look into Dillon's concerned eyes. "I really miss her a lot. We've always been very close, and I've never gotten used to, traveling without her. But lately it's been worse than ever." Her voice trailed off as the tip of her pink tongue peeked out to catch a tear that had wandered down her cheek to the corner of her mouth.

Dillon was totally bewitched. It had been a wish come true to get to meet a woman he truly considered to be one of the most talented performers of all time. But instead of finding a hard, seasoned veteran, he had discovered a soft, vulnerable creature, He was almost overwhelmed by a compulsion to hold her and protect her from whatever fears were hounding her. He would never have believed it possible that he could be sitting here with her, holding her in his arms and staring down at a face that was still breathtakingly beautiful even after the ravages of her tearful confessions. His eyes focused on the moist, inviting curves of her red mouth, He didn't even realize his head was lowering toward her until he felt the warmth of her lips responding to his kiss.

Even though she had seen his movement toward her, Sunny was surprised, but not repulsed, by the touch of his lips against hers. Somehow after all the intimate feelings she had shared with him, this final bonding was the most natural progression in the world. Her body was filled with a languid fire as his mouth continued its gentle exploration. She found herself forgetting her own problems and enjoying the fervor of this moment; the thrill of a kiss that was shy and sweet, but filled with passionate promise.

"I'm definitely not sorry for that," he whispered huskily as he pulled away at last. "You may slap my face, but it was worth it."

That thought had never occurred to Sunny. She was just sorry that he had stopped so soon. Maybe it was because she had been so upset earlier, or because she was so lonely, but she couldn't remember ever feeling such a volatile excitement after a simple kiss. This young man had more going for him than a golden voice and good looks. Regretfully she said, "I guess I'd better be getting back to the sound stage before they send out a search party for me."

But Dillon didn't want to let her go. He was afraid that if she walked out of his life right now, he might never see her again, "Maybe I could go with you. I'm through filming for the day and don't have any other plans. Besides, I'm pretty good with horses, so I could help you get through this commercial as painlessly as possible."

"You're too late for the pain part." Sunny laughed as she ruefully rubbed her hip. "But I'd be glad to have you there with me if you'd like to come," she continued almost shyly. His smile reassured her that he was being truthful. And so, after wiping the last traces of tears from her face and fluffing up her hair, they left his dressing room, together in body and spirit.

It wasn't just her imagination that almost everyone on the crew perked up when they saw Dillon step onto the sound stage with her. The horse was another immediate conquest, and he followed Dillon around, nuzzling his neck with his velvety nose as if they were old buddies.

"We're on a tight budget here, Mack," the director complained in an indiscreet stage whisper. "I can't afford to pay Mr. Landry a salary. We're already in the hole from the time we lost this morning."

Dillon overheard him and spoke up before Mack could answer. "Don't worry about paying me. This one's on the house. You might say I'm settling an old debt with a friend. The smile he originally directed at the crew visibly warmed as he turned back to Sunny. He watched her being led to the makeup chair, where the hairdresser and makeup man immediately set to work, repairing the damage from her accident and its aftermath.

When she returned to his side several minutes later, her face had once again been transformed into the smooth beauty the public was accustomed to seeing. Her shiny blond hair lay in soft, fluffy curls against her cheeks and on her shoulders. Effortlessly Dillon lifted her slim body into the saddle, not removing his hands from her waist until he felt she was settled as comfortably and confidently as possible.

Focusing the camera so that Dillon was out of the line of vision, the director called for action. Bravely Sunny maneuvered the horse offstage, awkwardly turned him around and then rode back into the scene. A dazzling smile drew attention to her face and away from her death grip on the reins. The straightness of her back was attributed to good horsemanship rather than tension.

But this time things happened much differently. The horse walked sedately down the makeshift street, obediently stopping in front of Dillon, who took a firm hold on the bridle. This demonstration of control gave Sunny the security she needed, to say her one line with just the perfect amount of panache.

"Cut! That was beautiful!" the director shouted, astonished at the ease with which the scene had been completed. But, still suspicious, he added, "Let's do it one more time for insurance."

"Oh no."
Sunny's crestfallen expression showed her dismay.

"Don't worry about it. Everything went fine this time, and you can do it again," Dillon reassured her quietly. "This horse and I have reached an understanding, because he knows he will become dog food if he acts badly."

"Thanks," she said softly.

This take, too, was perfect, and even the director was satisfied. Dillon helped Sunny down as Mack hurried over to congratulate her.

"You were sensational. I knew you could do it," he said. "But I don't understand how you two got together." He looked from Sunny to Dillon in confusion.

"Fate and an unlocked door," answered Dillon with a grin.

"Aren't you supposed to be filming your special this afternoon?" Mack asked. "I didn't realize you were so close to finishing it."

"We've got another couple of days to go. But they're filming one of the other acts right now, which is fine with me because it gives me a chance to take Sunny out to dinner." He turned to her, his brilliant blue eyes asking for her agreement.

"It sounds wonderful to me," she answered, amazed at her own eagerness. It would be pleasant to spend a few more hours with this interesting young man, she told herself.

"You still haven't told me about the last time you saw Sarah," she reminded him as they left the studio.

Dillon and Sunny spent a delightful evening in the exciting atmosphere of the famous Chasen's restaurant. They barely noticed the other celebrities sprinkled around the darkened room or the delicious fresh seafood they were served. Instead they talked of places they had been, auditoriums in which they had performed and people in the music industry they both knew. It soon became evident that although they had never performed together, she and Dillon had much in common. For the first time in quite a while, Sunny was able to relax and enjoy herself with someone who shared a genuine interest in music.

Over a delicious dessert of fresh fruit on ice cream covered with a rich chocolate sauce, the two singers finally turned the conversation to more personal subjects. Dillon explained that after his first meeting with Mack almost six years ago, he had chosen to finish college before actually launching into a fulltime career.

"I never had a chance to go to college," Sunny explained. "I didn't even finish high school with my class. I graduated by taking correspondence courses while I toured. I know I missed a lot of my teenage years, but I've never regretted it. My career was just shifting into high gear back then, and I was loving every minute of it. That's how things are for you right now, aren't they? It's all so fresh and exciting, and you have the whole world waiting for you to knock 'em dead." Her words were unconsciously wistful as she reminisced about how it had been for her.

"Yes, I've been lucky. I've had some good songs offered to me, and people seem to like my voice."

"That's an understatement! You've already won several Country and Western Music Awards, a Grammy, and earned a half-dozen gold records." She knowledgeably listed his achievements and could have done the same for almost every other major C & W performer. It was just part of the business to keep up with what was going on with everyone else, especially since the awards had slacked off for her.

"Like I said, I've been very lucky so far," he replied, a faint blush highlighting his cheekbones.

"Modesty becomes you," she teased. "But you'll get over that soon enough in this business. You'd better get used to hearing people praise you because you'll' be hearing a lot of it in the next few years. But you'll have to learn how to distinguish the difference between the cream and the curd."

"Such cynical words coming from such sweet lips." Dillon responded with a wry smile. "If it's so rough, why have you stayed with it all these years? Why are you so driven to keep going when, you've already won all the awards and had bushels of number-one hits?"

Sunny didn't even need to think before answering. She had asked herself those same questions often enough in the last few months, and the answer was always the same. "Because I love it. I live for the bright lights and applause. And I love to perform. When I'm out on a stage, it doesn't matter if I'm singing for one person or fifty thousand. I enjoy the changes and the challenges," she continued, "I'll keep touring until I can't afford the expenses anymore. I can't imagine what it would be like to sleep in the same bed every night and wake up in the same city every morning. It's been so long that I don't even remember what a normal life is."

"But Sarah was able to break away. She and Ty are so happy that I can't imagine her missing any of this."

"Sarah and I may look alike, but our personalities are entirely different. She would rather cook or read or do something at home than stay up all night at and party. She likes to get up at the crack of dawn and watch the sunrise, while I'm more of a sunset type of person. If I ever see a sunrise, it's because I haven't been to bed yet."

"How long are you going to be in Los Angeles?" he asked lightly, observing her pensive expression over the rim of his wineglass. He didn't want this budding friendship between them to end, but he was realistic enough to expect some scheduling conflicts.

"I'm leaving later tonight, I've got a one-nighter in Sacramento, and then it's on to some place in Idaho. How about you?"