Diamond, page 10
“Not always,” Jesse said, glancing toward Diamond, who was inside the booth and out of range of their voices. “Sometimes you’re way the hell off the mark.”
Tommy flushed, suppressing the anger that shot through his gut. Jesse’s taunt was nothing more than a reminder that he still had to deal with Diamond Houston. But, he thought, how he dealt with her would be his little secret.
He walked out into the lobby and lit a cigarette, inhaled, and then slowly exhaled, squinting his eyes against the twin spirals of smoke that drifted upward from his nostrils.
“Thought you’d quit,” Al said as he walked past, heading for home.
Tommy shrugged and took another pull, relishing the nicotine filtering through his system. He had quit until that woman had come on the scene and shot his nerves all to hell. His relapse was just another thing he could blame on her, and not on the weakness of his own resolve.
Jesse slipped his arm around Diamond’s shoulder and hugged her gently. It was the first intimate move he’d made toward her during the entire recording session. It felt good. It felt right. After this, he had no intention of letting her call the shots about their public relationship again. It had been too difficult to be within touching distance of her and not be able to do anything except return her smiles.
“What did you think?” he asked.
“That I have a lot to learn.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” he said as they crossed the lobby and headed toward the exit.
Tommy glared as the pair walked past him. “Don’t forget tomorrow night,” he yelled. Jesse stopped, and Tommy got exactly what he’d wanted—Jesse’s attention.
“What’s tomorrow night?” Jesse asked.
“The Charity Ball. You don’t have to perform, just show up and be your natural, smiling self,” Tommy said.
“You didn’t tell me,” Jesse said. The anger was thick in his voice as he glared at his manager. Tommy knew good and well that he hated that kind of affair.
Tommy shrugged. “I have now,” he said.
“So get me another ticket and I’ll go.”
Tommy rocketed out of his chair. He knew what Jesse was angling for and had no intentions of aiding him in his single-minded intent to include Diamond Houston in every facet of his life.
“I can’t get another ticket at this late date. It’s already planned,” he said.
“Then give me yours,” Jesse said. “I’m not going without her.”
Diamond’s heart sank. She knew that she was a bone of contention between these two men, and for the life of her she could think of no way out of the situation other than to disappear. She took one long look at Jesse, remembering the way they laughed and kissed and made love, and decided that disappearing was out of the question.
“Jesse, I don’t have to go with—”
He turned that dark, angry stare toward her, and the look on his face silenced what she’d been about to say. She sighed and walked away, leaving the two men alone to finish the argument. She had no stomach for the situation.
“Goddammit, Jesse,” Tommy said, flinging his cigarette into a potted palm. “Have you completely taken leave of your senses? Okay! Granted she’s a knockout, but there’s a hundred more just like her out there waiting to meet the great Jesse Eagle. And,” he continued, holding up his hand to silence whatever Jesse had been about to say, “supposing she can sing. I’m the first to admit that she’s better than good. That still doesn’t mean that every step you take, she has to be in your hip pocket. For the love of God, get a life! And get her out of your fuckin’ bed!”
Jesse had never wanted to hit a man as badly as he wanted to punch his manager. Tommy blatantly refused to face what Diamond’s presence in his life represented. But common sense overrode Jesse’s need for justice, and he settled for a threat instead.
“Don’t you ever—and I mean ever—speak of her in this way again. She’s not just another woman, Tommy. She’s special to me, and you damned well know it.”
“Special?” Tommy spit to rid himself of the word’s taste, ignoring the fact that he was still inside the lobby of the recording studio. “What’d she do that’s so special? Come on, man. Let me in on the details. Does she do it with one hand tied behind her—”
Jesse’s fist shot out, connecting with Tommy’s nose and flattening it against his face. Blood spurted as Tommy slid across the polished floor on the seat of his pants.
“Send the godammed ticket, or make my excuses,” Jesse said. “And you open your mouth to me like that again, and you can go find yourself another singer to peddle.”
Tommy clasped his hand across his face, closing his eyes against the pain and the sight of fresh blood pouring through his fingers. If he’d had a gun, he would have pulled the trigger and worried about the consequences later. He’d never been so incensed in his entire life. It was just as he’d figured.
All the years that he’d spent building Jesse Eagle into what he was today, and one woman had stepped in and changed everything. He couldn’t believe that Jesse had actually threatened to fire him. Even though his contract prohibited it, he was still pissed that it had come to this.
“You bitch,” he said softly, watching Diamond through the plate-glass window as Jesse drove past in his car. “I’ll get you yet.”
Tommy couldn’t see that it was all his fault. That if he’d given Diamond Houston half a chance he’d not only have Jesse, but he’d have another client as well that could very well make him the rich man he so desperately wanted to be. At that moment he couldn’t see anything but the blood running down onto his favorite shirt.
“Tommy doesn’t approve of me,” Diamond said as Jesse shoved the car into reverse and drove out of the parking lot.
“He doesn’t have to,” Jesse said. “He just has to do what I say. It’s in his damned contract.”
He pulled out into traffic and headed downtown.
“Where are we going?” Diamond asked as she realized that they weren’t heading toward Jesse’s ranch.
“To find you something to wear to the gala,” he said.
“But I thought Tommy couldn’t get a ticket,” she said.
The hard-edged smile he sent her way made her shiver. “He’ll get the ticket,” Jesse said. “You don’t have to worry about anything but finding the right gown. And get that look off your face,” he warned. “This isn’t the first argument Tommy and I have had, and it won’t be the last. He’s my manager, not my mother. Sometimes he just…forgets, that’s all.”
Her stomach tightened as Jesse sped through the streets. Something told her that this was only the beginning of trouble, not the end. She knew men. Tommy Thomas was the kind who held grudges, and he had quite a grip on the grudge he was holding against her. Diamond just didn’t know what to do to make him turn it loose.
In the end, Diamond chose the dress for the ball. When she’d seen the look in Jesse’s eyes as she’d modeled it for him, she knew that this was the one. He’d looked at her as if he were seeing her for the first time—and she wished it had been so.
If Diamond could have taken away the tawdry business of her life before Jesse Eagle came into it, she would have in a minute. If only he’d never seen the pitiful house in which she’d lived, if only he’d never seen the inside of Whitelaw’s Bar—but he had. And he’d heard her singing for tips like a beggar on the street corner.
Jesse had seen the look on her face when she’d examined herself in the mirror. This was the one! But when she began to search the dress for the price tag, Jesse bolted from his chair and waved to the saleslady.
“We’ll take it,” he said.
“It doesn’t have a price tag,” Diamond whispered. “Shouldn’t we ask how much it—”
He smiled once and shook his head twice. “No, darlin’. We shouldn’t. It doesn’t matter how much. It only matters that it was made for you.”
The saleslady gushed and began to write out the sales slip. Diamond shrugged and went to change her clothes. She hadn’t known Jesse long, but already she recognized that look on his face. He’d cornered the market on determination.
Diamond smiled as she pulled the gown from its hanger and laid it upon her bed the next afternoon. She had four hours in which to get ready for tonight’s affair, and she was going to use every minute to her fullest advantage. She’d warned Henley that she wasn’t going to eat and told Jesse to leave her alone. Both were necessary if she was ever going to get into that dress.
Eating would make zipping impossible. And if Jesse tried to help, it would preclude her ever getting dressed. Her excitement surged as she realized that finally she was going to get a chance to see how the other half lived.
She locked her door, stripped off her clothes, and headed for the bathtub. First thing on the list was a long, hot soak in a mountain of bubbles.
“Oh, my!” Henley’s exclamation did not do justice to her appearance.
Jesse turned, caught his breath, and swallowed as Diamond walked down the stairs to him.
The sea-green sequins covering the entire surface of her dress caught and reflected the light. Two narrow bands of the same sequins served as straps, but they were only for effect. Her generous curves and the grace of God were all that was holding it up.
A familiar ache tugged in his groin as he watched the movement of her long legs beneath the floor-length skirt, glimpsing just enough skin through the thigh-high slit to make him wish for more. Her matching shoes had three-inch heels that put her at Jesse’s eye level as she gained the last step on the stairs. It was too close, and yet not close enough.
He got more than a glimpse of the devils dancing in her eyes and inhaled deeply the scent of her perfume. Unable to resist the bountiful cloud of curls she’d made of her hair, he ran his fingers lightly along a single curl resting just above her breast and wished to hell that they were alone.
“You’re beautiful,” he said softly.
“So are you,” she said, unable to take her eyes from this man.
“Men aren’t beautiful,” he said. “Maybe good-lookin’, but not pretty, darlin’. Around here, calling a man pretty can get you in a whole lot of trouble.”
“So you’re good-looking, then?”
“Please, Miss Diamond. The last thing his ego needs is bolstering.”
Jesse grinned at Henley’s teasing remark and winked at Diamond.
“He’s just jealous because I’ve got you and he doesn’t.”
“No sir,” Henley said. “I would say it’s more of a…relieved state of mind. Remember, I’ve already experienced Miss Diamond in a way in which I’d never imagined. Personally, it gave me nightmares, but I have recovered.”
Diamond smiled, remembering their driving lessons.
“But I corner better than most, don’t you think, Henley?”
“I reserve judgment for the day when you receive your driver’s license, Miss Diamond,” he said. “And do have a good evening, the both of you.” He gave them a rare smile as he took his leave with a witty remark: “I won’t wait up.”
Jesse laughed and Diamond blushed. She felt like Cinderella.
When Henley was gone, Diamond turned and looked again at her Prince Charming.
He’d abandoned his cowboy attire for a black tuxedo, white pleated shirt, and silver-gray cummerbund. But he had retained a bit of his old self. She smiled as she looked down at his shoes. They were black, and shiny, but they were boots. And when he held out his arm and ushered her through the door, he grabbed his trademark black Stetson. Jesse would compromise, but only so far.
“Come on, darlin’,” he said. “Let’s party.”
Jesse escorted her outside, eager to see her reaction to the surprise he had waiting.
“Jesse! A limousine? We’re going in a limousine?”
“Yes ma’am,” he said, grinning. “And you know what?”
Diamond shook her head. She was past surprises.
“The back seat of this baby has a whole lot of leg room.”
Even in the dark, he could see her blush.
Their arrival was marked by a long line of fans standing on either side of the walkway that led into the opulent hotel. Flashbulbs were going off in constant succession as the passengers in the cars ahead of them made their entrance into the face of media, minicams, and adoring fans.
“Oh, my God!”
Diamond’s low moan of disbelief made Jesse grab her hand and hold on tight to reassure her.
“It’s okay, darlin’,” he said. “Just stick with me. It’ll be over before you know it. Besides, it won’t be like this once we get inside.”
And then the driver stopped, and their door opened. Jesse took a deep breath, leaned over and pressed one quick kiss on her lips. “You look fantastic. Give them that million-dollar smile, and don’t stop walking.”
She nodded, slipped her hand in his, and slid out of the seat.
Flashbulbs went off in their faces, but Jesse just kept on moving and waving, smiling broadly to the huge crowd of people behind the roped-off area who were shouting his name. And then a man carrying a hand mike stepped in front of them and smiled broadly as he interrupted their progress.
“Jesse Eagle! It’s the first time I’ve seen you at an event like this without your famous—or should we say infamous—manager, Tommy Thomas, at your heels. What’s the scoop?”
“Hey there, Charlie,” Jesse said, trying not to swallow the microphone that the television personality shoved into his face.
Charlie persisted “So, is there a reason why Tommy Thomas is so obviously missing?”
Jesse grinned. “Well now, Charlie, I never did take you for a fool, so why are you asking me such a stupid question? Take a look at her, would you? Don’t you think this lady is prettier than old Tommy? I sure do. And I can tell you one thing, she smells better, too.”
Charlie laughed. And Jesse escaped simply because another limo had pulled up and unloaded a new set of celebrities.
“Jesse Eagle and guest,” Jesse said, handing over the invitations as they entered the doorway leading into the main ballroom. The two envelopes had arrived at the house earlier by special messenger, but without a word of explanation or apology.
Damn him to hell and back anyway, Jesse thought. Tonight was Diamond’s night. She was as beautiful as her namesake and a whole lot softer. He didn’t know what he wanted more—to show her off, or to take her to bed. Either way, he couldn’t lose.
8
It was near the witching hour. The ball was a rousing success, and everyone who was anyone in Nashville was in attendance. Diamond kept imagining she was dreaming, that any minute she’d wake up and see Queenie hovering over her bed, telling her it was time to get up and go to work at Whitelaw’s Bar.
“Are you having a good time?” Jesse asked. He’d been watching her face ever since they’d entered the grand ballroom. Her eyes had never been still, and he didn’t think he’d ever seen her so animated.
“I feel like Cinderella,” she said.
“Much better than that,” he teased. “I don’t have to go running all over Tennessee hunting for a woman to fit a glass shoe, and you don’t have any wicked stepmother hovering in the background, ready to ruin your chances for happiness.”
She tried to smile, but instead his teasing comment sent a thread of apprehension through her. She may not have a wicked stepmother, but there was Tommy.
“Okay, Prince Charming,” she said. “Since I’m not going to turn into a scullery maid at midnight and the limo won’t turn into a pumpkin, will you get me something to drink?”
“It will be my pleasure, m’lady,” he said, and in front of everyone around them managed a sweeping bow, kissed her hand, and then walked off, laughing good-naturedly at the teasing he took because of it.
Shock, pleasure, and a faint flush swept across her face as Jesse went to fill her order.
A woman wearing gold lamé and what seemed like a ton of diamonds watched from across the room. Her eyes glittered like the dress she was wearing as Jesse Eagle turned and walked away from Diamond. A small, feral smile slid across her lips as she remembered the phone call earlier at her home and the promise that she’d willingly made. She handed her drink to a passing waiter and made her excuses to the people beside her.
“We haven’t had the pleasure,” she said, digging her long nails into Diamond’s arm before sliding them down to grasp her hand in a limp handshake. “I’m Selma Bennett.”
Diamond smiled and shook the woman’s hand. Before she had a chance to introduce herself, the woman continued.
“And who might you be, my dear? I couldn’t help seeing you with Jesse Eagle.”
“My name’s Diamond—Diamond Houston.”
Selma’s smile was just above a sneer. “Diamond! How…unique! With a name like that, you’ve got to be an…entertainer.”
Diamond knew this woman had not walked across the crowded room to make friends. She’d lingered on the word entertainer too long to make it anything but a slur.
“My name is Diamond,” she said. “My father had a vivid imagination.” She didn’t feel obligated to add anything else to the explanation.
Selma’s mouth thinned. She didn’t like people who were born with such obvious assets. And this woman had assets. A beautiful face and body, and a name that matched. She fumed silently as her pale blue eyes swept across Diamond’s face. To Selma, it seemed there was no justice in this world.
It had taken Selma over thirty thousand dollars in plastic surgeons’ fees and numerous trips to fat farms to get herself to the point she was at now, and God only knew what would happen in the next five years as she aged. Her envy prompted another dig.
“So…Diamond…what do you do? Besides hang out with Jesse Eagle?”
Diamond wished heartily that Jesse would come back so she could make her excuses without being obviously rude. She had no way of knowing who or what Selma Bennett was, or if she could hurt Jesse’s career. Diamond could do nothing other than answer.
“I’m a singer,” Diamond said.
