Music City (7 page)

“I have faith in you, Derek. Hey, while I have you on the phone, I’m having a little thing Saturday night. Why don’t you and Alex
come? We would love to have you.”

Derek was surprised, but didn’t let it show. “Thanks for the invite Shelly, I appreciate it. I don’t know what Alex has going on, but I will definitely be there.”

“Great, I will see you then. Thanks for calling!”

Just like that, Shelly was off the line. Derek walked back to Alex’s office and knocked on the open door. Alex looked up. “What’s up?”

“Shelly just invited us to a thing at her house Saturday night.”

“A thing?” Alex asked.

“That’s what she called it, a thing.”

“Well, as much as I hate to miss any
thing concerning the beautiful Ms. Shepard, I already committed to going to my first function with the Habitat for Humanity group I just joined down here. Since it’s my first function with them, I really can’t blow it off. Sorry man.”

Derek waved him off, “No problem, I don’t mind going alone, and you’re right, you can’t blow that off.”

“Hey, you won’t be alone, I’m sure Tracy and Vani will be there as well.”

Tracy appeared just then, “Tracy and Vani will be where,” he asked with a smile.

Derek turned to Tracy, “Your mom invited us to the thing she is having Saturday night.”

Tracy’s smile grew bigger, “Oh, fantastic! It will be great to have you there. Alex, are you coming?”

Alex shook his head and made air quotes, “I have a thing going on with Habitat.”

Tracy shrugged, “Too bad, it would have been nice to have you there
, too.”

“What exactly is this thing Tracy?” Derek asked. “How should I dress? How many people will be there?”

Tracy shrugged, “It’s not really a formal party, per se, but it’s also not like an informal barbeque. Well, I mean, it is actually a barbeque this time, but... like an informal upscale barbeque with entertainment.”

Derek laughed, “Oh, well I’m not confused at all now. I’m sorry, Tracy. I guess it doesn’t matter what kind of party it is, how should I dress?”

Tracy shrugged again, “That is entirely up to you, but it’s definitely not black tie.”

Derek, still not sure what exactly that meant, decided he would play it by ear.

On Saturday, Derek put on his navy suit, a pair of black dress shoes, combed his hair back, contemplating yet again whether or not he should get it cut back to police regulation and then headed out the door. He decided he’d do a little detective work and look around before he actually went into the party to see what everyone else was wearing. If the suit was too much, he could always lose the coat and tie and just go with the wheat colored shirt and the suit pants. It turned out that the not-so-dressy thing was just that. He was happy to leave the coat and tie in the car.

Shelly greeted him at the door with a big hug and kiss on the cheek. She walked around the room with him, making him feel like he was the most important person there. He realized this was part of her charm and why everyone who met her loved her so much. She had that way about her that indeed made you feel as though you were the most important person to her. She smiled and laughed as she introduced him to a few people that had already arrived. He met the president of Shepard Entertainment, the preside
nt of her recording label and several musicians that she represented or that had played on her records.

Derek made his way to the gleaming bar
Alex had admired the first time he was here and asked for a glass of white wine. The bartender dressed in black tails, handed Derek his wine with a smile. Derek turned back to face the crowd, leaned against the bar and fell into his old habit of observing and listening.

As he made his way toward the back patio, he listened to snippets of conversations, “…and I fell flat on my butt, that old quarter horse put his foot….” he heard an old cowboy telling one of the musicians he had met earlier. From the wife of the record label exec he had met, “if we could just convince him that college was the right thing… he’s only seventeen, there is no way he can know what he wants to do with the rest of his life yet.”

On and on the conversations went. Each one was committed to Derek’s memory, along with the face of the person speaking. He finally made his way to the patio where the massive barbecue grills teased his senses with aromatic smoke, the sweet smell of slow cooked baby back ribs, grilled pineapple, steaks and fresh corn on the cob. Just beyond the grill, the swimming pool gleamed.

Even considering the massive size of Shelly’s mansion, the place was beginning to get crowded. He heard the familiar ‘tap, tap, tap’ of someone checking a microphone and then found that it was Shelly smiling at the ever growing crowd. “Alright everyone, we’re going to start the entertainment this evening. I know he needs no introduction, but I’ll do it anyway, please put your hands together for Mr. Bryan!”

The crowd went wild and the cheers went up. Derek was simply amazed as one famous Nashville entertainer after another came to the stage and sang. The crowd was in a frenzy by the time Shelly came back to the stage and started singing one of her most popular hits, Solitary Run.

“Sitting in the dark, on the eve of that day

Yes I’m sinking, sinking down

Towards the brink of despair

Running in circles, trying to forget

These old bones are weary beyond belief

To feel your gaze upon me

That’s all I need, all I need

Only the lonely endure the Solitary Run...”

After the hauntingly beautiful song came to a close and a hush had befallen the spellbound crowd, Shelly opened her eyes and bit her lip as she came back to earth. Singing that one always made her a little sad, made her ache a little more for Trent. Then, with a forced smile, she curtsied and introduced one of Vani’s new young talents to the adoring crowd. He was a young singer, named Craig Hall, and his voice was rich and deep. With his unique voice and casual good-looks, his ripped jeans and red bandana somehow setting off his shoulder-length curly hair and beard, Derek knew that young girls today would go crazy over him. His baritone ripped through the crowd and Derek had to admit that he was a talented singer. Very talented. He could see why Vani had signed him.

As the music flowed, and everyone loosened up a bit, so did Derek. He danced with a few of the young ladies there. Shelly made sure he didn’t sit alone for too long. She even pulled him out on the dance floor once herself.

Derek listened while Shelly told a young singer not to be discouraged. She had a precise and soothing demeanor that reminded him of what he imagined Beth would have been like in the future.

A strong and unusual female voice began ringing through the air. Even Derek, with his untrained ears, could hear the qualities in her voice that made her voice so special. He stepped around so he could see who this was. On stage was a young girl, maybe nineteen or twenty years old, but she didn’t have that teenybopper voice so many young singers do. She was sitting at a keyboard, facing the crowd, and was lazily hitting the keys as most of her attention remained on the range of her voice. She was country, without a doubt, the texture of her alto voice screamed potential in so many other genres as well. Derek wasn’t a real music buff, but he knew what he liked and this was something he could listen to.

“Let’s give a big hand to Mila Miller. You have a future in this business young lady,” the
emcee bragged.

“Now that’s
a record I would buy.” Derek said.

“Well come on over and I’ll introduce you.” Shelly offered. Derek followed Shelly to where the young girl stood, looking so excited she could take off and fly at any moment.

“Derek, I’d like you to meet Mila Miller. Mila, this here is Derek Stewart. He really enjoyed your singing.”

“I’m happy to meet you Mr. Stewart.”

“It’s Derek, please, and the pleasure is all mine.”

Brandy sat in an oversized deck chair on the shaded veranda of the guesthouse. When she and Mila arrived at the Shepard home late that morning, Shelly had welcomed the two best friends, showed them into the guesthouse and instructed them to make themselves right at home. The house was large and airy, beautifully decorated in a Tuscan villa theme, with two bedrooms, a great room, and this wonderful veranda. The guesthouse was across the pool from the main house, just far enough away to provide privacy; but it was also close enough that Brandy could watch the party going on without really being noticed.

Brandy was used to being in the background while Mila performed. She was happy traveling with her friend from Memphis, their hometown. Helping Mila dress for her shows, keeping track of her schedule, providing encouragement all came very naturally to her. She had done much the same their entire lives, they had known each other since preschool.

Brandy remembered that first play in Kindergarten, when Mila was so nervous to sing her little solo. Even then, Brandy was Mila’s rock, her support, promising her that she would do great and everyone would love her. Indeed they had. Mila was singing on a stage ever since. She started in school productions, and as they grew older, she went to different talent shows around the area, usually winning each and every one. Brandy was by her side all the way, always in the background cheering for her, encouraging her, and on the rare occasion things didn’t go so well, Brandy was there to pick Mila up and encourage her to move on.

When they were still in high school, Mila started playing some of the local clubs in the Memphis area. As always, Brandy went along as her moral support and sometimes compass, ready with a makeup touch-up or a shoulder to cry on. But their friendship was a bit one-sided... it was almost always all about Mila and what she needed at the moment.

When Brandy’s father was transferred by his company from Memphis to Nashville, it was sheer good fortune for Mila. She started getting gigs in nightclubs around Nashville more frequently, now it was easier for her to accept them because she had Brandy and her parents’ couch at her disposal. After performing in Nashville more regularly, things really started to roll. Someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew someone else who knew Shelly Shepard heard Mila sing.

This was a long way from those Memphis clubs, Brandy thought, as she sat in the comfortable chair on the
veranda of Shelly Shepard’s guesthouse. Shelly Shepard! She still couldn’t believe it. Always preferring to be out of the spotlight, Brandy sat quietly, smiling, enjoying the music and watching the Shepard family and their guests.

Brandy didn’t notice someone approach from the side and she nearly fell out of her chair when a soft male voice quietly said, “Hi.”

“Oh,” Brandy adjusted her glasses nervously, “hi there, you scared me.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you, but what are you doing over here all by yourself?”

Brandy blushed, she couldn’t believe Tracy Shepard was standing there talking to her, of all people. “Oh, I’m just enjoying the music and watching the people.” She hoped she didn’t sound like a bumbling idiot or weird stalker.

Tracy smiled and Brandy grew a little breathless. His warm hazel eyes were framed by thick dark-brown brows and his meticulously styled curly hair made her fingers itch. He knelt down next to her chair and her eyes grew wide as his gaze never strayed from hers for a second. “Well, you’re too pretty to be hiding here, c’mon over, there’s plenty of food,” he held his hand out for a shake and then helped her out of the chair. “Oh, where are my manners? I’m Tracy.”

Brandy smoothed her white ruffled blouse out anxiously and fumbled for her purse that was on the table, and then laughed nervously as she replied. “I know who you are, Tracy. I’m Brandy, Mila’s my best friend. I always help her when she performs. Well, I mean, I don’t actually help her sing, she does that all on her own, she’s so talented, don’t you think? But I help with her makeup and wardrobe and generally anything she needs. Thank you for coming over, but I’m fine right here, really. Your mother has made sure that we have anything we could ever need.” Brandy finally took a breath when she finished her rambling speech.

Tracy smiled, he was intrigued by this nervous and yet very beautiful young lady. “Mila’s very talented, I agree. I think it’s very nice of you to help her like you do, but wouldn’t you like to meet some of the other folks here? Come on, let me introduce you around, Brandy.”

Brandy bit her lip and then tugged the barrette out of her long dark curls, fluffing her hair as she did, then she tightened the multi-colored scarf that hung loosely around her hips and touched her teardrop earrings lightly.

“You look fine, Brandy, very pretty, in fact. My sister Vani would die for hair like yours. Have you met her yet?”

“No, I haven’t met your sister, but Mila tells me she’s one of the best agents in the business. Do you work for your mother’s company too, Tracy?”