Fool's Gold (Contemporary Romance) Read Free Page A

actually spluttering. By three minutes Granderson was stalking toward her and Beta and Grey Eyes were both laughing. Victoria finished off the last verse and turned to Granderson.
    Around her, tables that hadn’t even been paying attention began to applaud. Granderson’s face was just as red as the fat cowboy’s, but the applause set him back.
    “We’re going to talk about this later,” Granderson hissed.
    “I’m sure we will.” Victoria turned her back on him. “Anyone else have any requests?”
    ***
    It was still an hour before Victoria normally stopped, but her throat was starting to ache. “Alright folks, you’ve been great.” She bowed to each side of the stage, and then once directly to Mr. Grey Eyes.
    Beta, of course, thought it was for him. He was out of his seat before she could wait for the usual entreaty for an encore. “Hey, you were great.”
    “Thanks, Beta.” Her eyes wandered past Beta and his Star Trek t-shirt to where Grey Eyes still sat, one leg crossed over the other.
    “Uh, are you doing anything after you get off tonight?”
    “I don’t know, Beta, I’m pretty tired.”
    “We could just get a drink or something.”
    Victoria met his eyes. “Not tonight.”
    “Oh.” His face fell. “I’ll call you, okay?”
    He had the saddest puppy-dog eyes. Big and brown and devoid of any common sense. “Thanks, Beta. I need to go talk to some folks. It’s part of the gig.”
    At least he didn’t follow her to the other tables. She kibbutzed for a few minutes, taking compliments (and a few extra tips), then started for the stage.
    Grey Eyes was gone. Beta had cost her a chance to finally meet this guy, whoever he was. Victoria sighed.
    “You did a fine show.” It was a man’s voice and it was just behind her.
    Victoria jerked away, surprised at the sound. She processed it a moment, then turned slowly, not daring to hope. That Cheshire cat grin flashed across his face. He stuck out a hand. “I’m Trent.”
    “I’m Victoria. You aren’t from around here, are you?” It wasn’t much of a conversational gambit, but it was all that sprang to mind.
    Trent laughed. “No. The Yankee accent give me away?”
    Victoria realized she still had his hand. “Yeah, something like that. Are you from New York?”
    His eyes sparkled. “I am. Can I buy you drink?”
    “Absolutely.” Victoria pulled him toward the bar at the back of the restaurant. It was empty, and Rachel, the weekend bartender, was polishing glasses. She quickly delivered a pair of gin and tonics.
    “So what brings you to Omaha, Trent?” Victoria took a sip of her drink.
    “Business. I work for an investment company and we’re talking to some folks out here.”
    “Berkshire Hathaway or...”
    He laughed. “No, unfortunately I don’t have a direct line to Warren Buffet. It’s actually a company doing some work with green energy. Wind turbines.”
    “You come here much?”
    “It’s the first time. I’ve flown over a few times, though. I think.” He laughed again. “Kansas, Nebraska, it’s all the same from forty-thousand feet.”
    “It’s all the same from the ground, too,” Victoria said. “So are you going to be here long or are you heading back to the real world soon?”
    “Another week here, then back to Manhattan. Probably be back for a few days at the end of the month.”
    “Ah.” Whatever hope she had of seeing him again was drying up as fast her drink.
    “Are you singing again anytime soon? Or do all the waitresses get a turn at the mic?”
    Victoria shook her head. “I usually sing for the last two hours on Saturdays, but we had an emergency.”
    “Well, if you do, maybe--“
    “Maybe I could give you a call?” She felt foolish for being so forward, but what was the harm? He was from New York. Not like she had anything to lose.
    “Yeah. I’d like that.” He took a business card and a pen from the inside pocket of his suit. “The numbers on the front are my office, but...” he scrawled a number