Though the woman was familiar, Goldie couldn’t quite place her name.
“River Ann Flowers,” she offered brightly.
“Yes, I voted for you onThe Voice!” She hadn’t, but she’d seen the show, and it snapped back into place, just in time.
“I’m dying, no way. No WAY!”
“Way. Drake, I know it’s sort of short notice, but this would be my treat. I’d love to host you at this great local restaurant. I guarantee it’ll be the best meal you’re ever going to have, trust me. Plus, you could be away from the melee for a bit.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think?—”
He was totally off balance. They hadn’t seen each other in years, and here she was on his tour bus in Michigan.
“Chef Venerable is amazing. She’s like the next big thing. You’d be able to charge your batteries.”
“She won The World’s Best Dishes Food Competition!”
“You’re a foodie?” Goldie directed her attention to River Ann.
“I love the food shows and the competitions. If I could cook, I’d have entered that instead of The Voice.” She laughed at her own joke, and Goldie did, too. The girl was charming, and her energy was infectious. She seemed about a decade and a half too young for Drake, but he was immature, so maybe it was perfect.
“Her new place is all local, incredible peak of the season dining.”
“We have to do it, Drake, we have to!”
Goldie had an ally she hadn’t expected. “Like I said, it’s on me,” she assured them. “I promise it will be the meal of your lives.”
River Ann clapped her hands in approval.
“Can you give us a minute, babe?” Drake said to River Ann.
“Yep, sure, can I invite my backup singers? Would that be too much?”
“I haven’t even said we’re doing this.”
Goldie looked at River Ann and nodded yes, with a wink.
“He’ll do it. He does whatever I say.” River Ann returned the wink and made her way to the door of the tour bus.
“I’ll make sure he gives me your digits,” Goldie told her. “I’ll text you.”
River Ann bounded out of the bus. She took the youth that Drake was hanging on to with her.
“Well, she seems a bit to keep up with. Congrats.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s a good problem.”
“I’d say.”
Drake found a shirt and squirmed into it. He was still lean as ever.
“I liked you inDusty Trail.I always thought you had it in you to be a good actor.” Goldie wasn’t blowing smoke. Drake had a featured role in the limited series, and he was good. Surprisingly so.
“Thanks, well, Tim McGraw sets that standard, but I didn’t do too badly.”
“You did great, so how about it? Come out to dinner?”
“Why do you want us to? Why now?”
