Leaving Amarillo(98)
“Well, well. To what do I owe this honor?” She asks once I’ve told her it’s me.
I stop tapping my drumstick on my knee. “We need to meet.”
“Well that sounds promising. Dinner? Or just my place for dessert?”
My skin crawls at the sound of her voice. I shove a memory I wish I didn’t have back into the deep, dark closet of my mind and ram the door shut. “Neither. This isn’t about that.”
“A girl can dream.”
I don’t have time for her bullshit. “Look, I’m not in the mood to play games with you.”
“Too bad,” she purrs through the phone. “We have so much fun when we play.”
Jesus.
“Can you meet with me or not?”
“I have time tomorrow after lunch.”
“Great. See you then.” I disconnect the call without bothering with the formality of a goodbye. She doesn’t need or deserve one.
My bus arrives and I lift my bag and climb on. Taking an empty seat, I glance out the gaping mouth that is the front windshield. There’s a long road ahead of me, but for the first time in my life, I’m headed toward someone I love.
Someone I wish I didn’t have to hurt.
Dixie, Gavin, and the band’s story continues, but first . . . now that Dallas has his dreams within reach, does it mean anything if he’s on his own? And what happens when a certain gorgeous redhead comes back into his life?
Loving Dallas
Coming Summer 2015
Dallas
THE AIRPORT IS ABOUT AS CROWDED AS I EXPECT HELL TO BE WHEN I get there. Everyone’s either on their phone or eating or staring up at the electronic flight schedules. A few moms scream at their kids to stay the f*ck where they are and not move. Even one who has hers on a leash attached to a teddy bear backpack. Christ. Why would anyone travel with these tiny gremlins?
My phone buzzes with a text from Mandy.
See you in Omaha! Safe travels, Superstar!
I stare at it for a full minute. This is it. I’m joining an actual tour paid for by someone other than myself. And if all goes well, a record deal will follow.
“We’re now boarding passengers in group one. That includes all first-class passengers and those of you in our Elite and Platinum Traveler Rewards programs.”
I take my place in line, and the attractive brunette with the microphone to her mouth makes eye contact as she rattles off more of the flight information. I tip my cowboy hat at her.
When I reach the entrance to the sky bridge connecting the building to the plane, I step out of line in a moment of panic. I watch as everyone else says their goodbyes and boards the plane.
“Sir? Will you be flying with us today?” The attractive brunette reaches for my boarding pass.
My mind and heart engage in an all-out war. Turn tail and head home to my sister and best friend—to my band—or get on this plane and leave them behind.
“Sir?” The flight attendant looks less interested and more irritated than before.
Handing over my boarding pass, I adjust the guitar on my back and take the first step toward a neon dream I’ve been chasing for as long as I can remember.
I knew I’d get here one day—I just didn’t expect to be alone.
Leaving Amarillo Playlist
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia”—The Charlie Daniels Band “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)”—Alabama “Whataya Want from Me”—Adam Lambert “Beneath Your Beautiful”—Labrinth feat. Emeli Sandé “Ring of Fire”—Johnny Cash “Set Fire to the Rain”—Adele “Love Runs Out”—OneRepublic “One Night”—Christina Perri “All Your Life”—The Band Perry “Metamorphosis”—Philip Glass “Dust to Dust”—The Civil Wars “Let the Drummer Kick”—Citizen Cope “If I Lose Myself”—One Republic “Somewhere in My Car”—Keith Urban “Eavesdrop”—The Civil Wars “Bluebird”—Christina Perri “Lover Dearest”—Marianas Trench “The End”—Kings of Leon
“Time to Go”—Sara Swenson
“Dream”—Priscilla Ahn
“Dust”—Eli Young Band
Acknowledgments
WRITING THE NEON DREAMS SERIES HAS BEEN THE MOST AMAZING experience for me. I’ve grown a great deal as a writer and as a human being. I’ve learned so much and been supported and challenged and I have so many people to thank for that.
I am so lucky to have the family that I have. Without them, I could never write the books that I do. I am so grateful for each and every one of you—there aren’t even words to express how much you mean to me.
Without my rock star of an agent, this book would not be in your hands. Big hugs of love and gratitude to Kevan Lyon for taking a chance on some random lady from Alabama! I am so grateful to Kelly Simmon of InkSlinger PR for connecting us! Thanks, KP! Without Amanda Bergeron’s tireless efforts and unfailing ability to see even more potential in my characters than I did, this book wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable as I hope you found it to be. Thank you, Amanda, for your patience and for your faith in me.