Treasure Coast Homecoming by Leigh Duncan

Author:Leigh Duncan [Duncan, Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-06-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Belle

“I look ridiculous in this getup,” Belle insisted. Standing in front of the full-length mirror that doubled as the closet door in a standard room at the Best Western, she flung her arms out to the sides. She rolled her eyes when the foot-long fringe dripping from the sleeves of a rhinestone-studded jacket shook while the ruffles along the plunging neckline of her shirt shifted to reveal far more of the girls than she wanted to expose. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Lisa had insisted she wear torn denim. Belle brushed a loose thread from the jeans with a sigh. She was all for a few strategically placed rips, but these showed far too much skin before they disappeared into a pair of hot-pink boots no self-respecting cowgirl would ever wear.

No country singer making her debut stage appearance either, for that matter. She’d bet dollars to doughnuts none of the thousands of hopefuls who came to Nashville each year could afford to throw down fifteen hundred dollars for a jacket. Nor would they drop a cool five thou on a pair of Lucchese boots. No. She knew from personal experience that singers waiting for their big break slung hash and waited tables to pay the rent. They hustled from one open mic night to another, all the while praying they’d earn enough in tips to splurge on a burger after the show. If she expected to convince anyone she was just starting out—and that was the goal, wasn’t it?—she’d be far better off wearing a plaid shirt and a pair of jeans fresh from some thrift store’s bargain bin.

“Lisa, let’s rethink the whole wardrobe,” she said with a sigh. “In fact, let’s cancel the gig. We can try again once we’ve had more time to prepare.”

Ever since Jason had sprung the booking on her, she’d been too busy studying song lyrics and trying to wrap her head around the nuances of country music to even think of what she’d wear on stage. She’d left that little detail to Lisa. Which ordinarily worked out perfectly because Lisa had excellent taste in clothes. In this case, though, the agent had dressed her in a cross between Dolly and Reba. As much as Belle respected those powerhouse singers, she was pretty sure she needed to earn her chops before she adopted their signature looks. Or covered one of their songs.

“Belle, darling,” Lisa said with the practiced patience of someone who made their living by dealing with temperamental superstars. “You’re gorgeous. This outfit is exactly what you need to wear in order to convince the audience you’re ready to explode onto the country scene. Now put on that wig so we can head to the bar. You want to be waiting in the wings when they call your name.”

“It’s not right, Lisa. It’s too rushed. Too soon. I haven’t had enough time to learn the lyrics. Geez. Jason doesn’t know what he’s asking—walk out on a stage I’ve never seen and perform

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