Tudor Redemption (Tudor Dynasty Book 4) (8 page)

“Um,
sorry, Daddy. It’s Granny Grace.”

I
groaned as I heard Ethan and Beth snicker. Then Britt. “I guess word’s reached
her, wherever she is.” I looked at Ethan. “Welcome to the Tudor family, where
if you want anything kept secret, you never tell Angus. Or better yet, you don’t
tell anyone!”

“If
you don’t call her now, I’m going to have to answer her.”

I
pulled my cell out of my pocket and scrolled through the messages and texts until
I found her latest.

“I’ll
take care of her right now. Tell her. Then put your phone up.”

I
sat there for a second then decided on doing a group text with everyone in the
family.

This is all I’ll
say on the matter for tonight. Yes, it does appear Ethan Maverick is my son,
and Court, Britt, and I are with him and his mom, Beth Asher. Good night.

I
sent the message followed by a picture of Ethan and me Court had taken with my
phone. Then, I put my cell back in my pocket and finished off my brew.

Ethan
passed me another one, a sly smile plastered on his face. “So, what should I
expect?”

“From
the clan?” Britt snorted.

“Granny
Grace won’t say much. She likes to sit back and observe. But if she gets a burr
in her panties, she’ll never leave you alone.”

“Courtney!”
I tried to reprimand my youngest, but burst out laughing at the thought.

“It’s
true. Uncle Angus will sit back too, but beware. When he’s quiet, he’s up to
something.”

“That’s
for sure.” Britt giggled.

“Amadeus
is a brooder, and if anyone would think there is an ulterior motive, it’ll be
him. He sees the dark side of stuff. With good reason. Zara will take you in
like you’ve always been around. Same with Destiny’s mom, Ashley.” I sat back
and swallowed my beer.

“Yeah,
he and Aunt Mary are twins, which makes for some interesting conversation,
right Daddy?”

“Oh
yeah. He’s a moody one when it suits him. He can be a drama queen, that’s for
sure. Mary, bless her, is pregnant.”

“A
lot going on,” Ethan muttered. “I imagine you’re not much different than most
families.”

“No,
we’re just a little more dramatic, but we’re close knit and would go to the
ends of the earth for each other.”

“It’s
just been Ethan and me for the past ten years,” Beth put in.

“What
about your brothers and sisters?” I asked her.

“Well,
after I did what I did, running off and taking Ethan out of Atlanta, my father
pretty well brain-washed the rest of them. We talk, but we’re not close. Only a
couple of them live in the area, and my parents still won’t speak to me.”

“Yeah,
I’m the devil’s spawn, according to my granddaddy Asher,” Ethan quipped.

“His
loss,” I replied, gazing back at Beth. No, no, can’t be doing that. She’s
making me crazy.

Beth
excused herself and went back into the house. I didn’t know if I’d said
something wrong or not. Ethan didn’t act like I had, so I let it slide off my
back.

“You’ve
got three song’s you’ve written on the charts? That’s amazing,” he finally
said.

“Yeah,
it shocked me at first.”

“Daddy’s
wanting to get started on a new solo album, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,
I am. It’s a matter of getting everyone together, and I need to get a couple
more songs for it. I’ve got some definite ideas for how I want to do it.”

“You
could get started, you know. In this day and age, you can do a lot of the work
online.”

“No,
call me old school, but I want to be in the studio. I also want to record it
old school. On two-inch tape. That’s where Amadeus and I are having our
differences, since I’ve been talking to him about producing it for me.”

“Why
not produce it yourself?” Beth said as she walked out carrying a tray of
appetizers and some paper plates. “You were going to produce Alana.”

“Doing
myself might be a bit harder. You know I’m a perfectionist. The album might
never get out.” I snorted.

And
so the evening progressed.

That
is, until Courtney happened to look out at the boat and noticed a small
powerboat passing slowly. Too slowly. It was about dusk.

“Holy
crap! That prick is taking pictures,” Court exclaimed. She started to get up to
walk down to the dock and confront the intruders, but Ethan grabbed her arm.

“Don’t,
Court. That’s what they want you to do. In this light, they’ll be lucky to get
anything good.”

“Have
you had this problem before?” I inquired.

“No,
but then Ethan’s not home a lot, and when he is, he’s low key,” Beth replied.

“They
know it’s private property, and it’s posted. They won’t come any closer,” Ethan
added, turning his back to the water.

“We’ll
go inside to eat in a few minutes anyway,” Beth said. “I’ll finish getting
things ready.”

“I’ll
come help you,” Britt interjected. “If you don’t mind.”

“Not
at all. Come on.”

The
two of them left. I was glad to see the girls trying to take things in stride.

Awhile
later, we were all enjoying Beth’s delicious dinner of fresh, local salmon.
Everyone was chattering about various things. I sat back and took it all in. It
did my heart good to see my daughters at ease with Beth. Ethan too, but that
went without saying. They were still somewhat star-struck when it came to him.

“Have
you heard of a club called The Register?” Ethan suddenly asked.

“Yes,
though I must admit I’ve never been. Isn’t it the one where a lot of local
talent gets discovered?”

“That’s
the one.”

“What
about it?” I countered.

“They’ve
asked Ethan to come perform,” Beth replied.

“You’ve
already been discovered, Ethan.”

“True,
but I try to perform there once or twice a year. It’s where I was discovered by
my label. I like doing it. I’m giving something back to the musicians out there
still working their asses off in the hopes of being the next new star.”

“That’s
very commendable. Isn’t it hard, security-wise, for the club to handle?”

“No,
they prepare for it. And the date isn’t made public. I show up and play.”

“Probably
the best way to handle it,” I replied. “So, when are you going to do your next
surprise performance?”

“Next
Thursday night. Would you and the girls be interested in attending?”

I
heard the two of them squeal in excitement. “Girls? I take that as a yes?” I
teased. I caught Beth taking it all in out of the corner of my eye. She was
smiling.

“Yes,
Daddy!” Court squealed.

“I
don’t know. I don’t think I’ve seen either of you that excited when I or my
brothers do a gig around here. I probably need to think about it.”

“Daddy,
we’re used to seeing you and your brothers play. This is different,” Britt
chimed in.

“Sure,
why not? I need to start making the rounds anyway. This would be a good way to
do it.”

“Great.
I’ll have Mom get all the details and tickets to you this week.”

“Sounds
good.”

“I’ll
make sure there are some extra tickets too. In case there’s someone else you
want to invite.”

“Thanks,
Ethan. I look forward to it. Are you going to attend, Beth?”

“Yes,
I was planning on it.”

“What
do you two do? Grab a hotel room or make the long drive back?”

“Usually
grab a hotel room,” Beth replied.

Hell,
what was I thinking? I needed to slow down. But that’s not what I wanted, was
it? “Well, why don’t we talk about it next week? We can work out the details.”

Finally,
the girls and I headed down to the boat. Though Beth had offered for us to
sleep up in her house, I wasn’t so sure that was the right idea yet.

****

Beth
called Tuesday, saying she was on her way over. Something about an appointment.
We agreed to meet up for lunch. She’d give me the tickets then. This would be
the first time we’d been alone for any length of time since all this had
happened. I was excited to have some one-on-one time with her, and I’d be lying
if I said I wasn’t nervous. I hadn’t been able to concentrate on much of
anything.

I
caught up with her at a small restaurant not far from my condo. She was
standing outside waiting on me. Amazing, she looked fucking amazing. She was
dressed in khaki pants with a light blue blouse. A darker blue sweater was
secured around her shoulders.

“Am
I late?” I asked as I approached her.

“No,
I got here a few minutes ago.”

“Shall
we?” I opened the door for her.

She
nodded, the corners of her mouth curled up in a smile. As she passed in front
of me, I caught her perfume. Something light and citrusy. Intriguing, just like
the woman who wore it.

Once
we were seated and our order taken, I blew out a breath. “How’s your week been
going?” I inquired, feeling like a teenager on his first date. Was that what
this was? A date?

“Interesting,”
came her reply.

“How’s
that?”

“You
do know this revelation of Ethan being your son has people curious, don’t you?”

“Yeah,
I suppose. Though it’s no one’s business.”

“True,
but that’s not the way the media and such see it.”

“To
hell with them. Why? Is there something I should know?”

“Only
that Ethan’s getting besieged with requests for interviews or appearances on
television talk shows. You haven’t had that?”

“If
it’s something important, Zara would let me know. She’s been helping me out,
handling that stuff. Just until I can get someone in place. You know, my ‘all
under one roof, one stop shopping’?”

She
giggled. “I take it you don’t give interviews?”

“I
do. I’m picky about them. I told her I saw no reason to waste my breath giving
an interview about my relationship with Ethan. It’s nobody’s business.” The
look on her face changed for a moment. I wondered if I’d been too crass. “If
the subject matter were about, say, Ethan and me collaborating together on a
project or something, I wouldn’t hesitate. Provided it was the right venue.”

“That
makes sense.”

“Look,
Beth, he’s my son. This is all new to all of us. I simply believe there are
some things best kept private. You know how relentless they can be. When the
time’s right...”

“I
completely agree. Answer this for me then. How are you going to stay anonymous
at the club?”

“Don’t
know. The girls and I are simply going there to see Ethan perform. In fact, you
just gave me an idea on how I might be able to have a more enjoyable evening. If
I’m seen.”

“How’s
that?”

“Hire
a fella that was mine and Amadeus’s road manager. He’s great when it comes to
security.”

“That
might not be a bad idea.”

“I’ll
give him a call later. You do know that people will be there to see Ethan, so
it may be easier than you think.”

“True.”

“Would
you like to sit with us?” I asked. “Or do you have to do manager stuff?”

“I’d
love to sit with you and the girls. Ethan’s had a table reserved. It’s out of
the way, but you can still get a great view of the stage.”

“Great.”

“In
fact, I have some extra tickets for you. I didn’t know if your brother’s
daughter might want to attend or not.”

“Destiny
will be ecstatic. Angus said that’s all she’s talked about since we all met on
Bainbridge.” I chuckled. “I suppose we need to have a family cookout and
introduce the two of you to the Tudor mob. Before Ethan goes back on the road.”

“Oh
dear. Your mother included?”

“I
wouldn’t count so much on her right now. My sister is on bed confinement until
they decide to take the baby’s or she goes into labor. Mother’s staying with
them to help out.”

“I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it might have sounded.”

“Don’t
be. My mother can be a force to be reckoned with sometimes. You’ll be fine when
that time comes.”

The
waiter came with our meal, and we slipped into a comfortable silence until he
left.

“You
don’t have to include me in all this, Dame.”

“What
do you mean? Of course, I do. I want to.” I winked at her and began eating.

Beth
said nothing, but her face said it all. She was blushing. I tried to watch her
without staring as she settled in to eat.

Chapter
Eleven

I
was a hot mess the night of Ethan’s club gig. Not about going to the club to
see my son play for the first time. That still sounded weird. Son. Beth was the
reason for my meltdown. My emotions were on overload. I wasn’t the only one.
Court and Britt were literally freaking out over what to wear and other girl
stuff.

“Come
on, girls. Hurry it up.”

“We’re
hurrying,” Britt yelled.

Someone
knocked at the front door. Opening it, I was relieved to see Angus and Destiny.
They walked into the entry.

“Come
on. Red’s driving. He says we’re going in through the back entrance. Less
conspicuous, as there are press lined up out front.”

“What?
He doesn’t think they won’t be lurking out back?”

“You
haven’t seen this club’s star entrance, have you?” Brat. He had to chuckle like
he held the secret of the universe. “You enter and leave through a private
portico. The car enters and doors come down in the front and back of the
vehicle. Guests exit, not seen by the press. Oh, and did I mention, there’s an ultra-private
parking area?”

“Well,
aren’t you a fountain of knowledge? Who told you this? Red?”

“Yep.”

“I
feel better then.”

“I
thought you might,” he replied. “Come on, girls. This train’s leaving now.”

The
girls came hurriedly down the hall. It was a good thing Angus was there, or I
might have made a scene. They were dressed, well, they were dressed for a club.
I could envision all sorts of things I shouldn’t.

“Dude,
chill out, would you?” Court said to Angus as she slapped him on his arm. “The
world isn’t going to end if we’re a minute late.”

“Don’t
‘dude’ me. If it wasn’t for you three, we’d be on our way.”

“Come
on, enough with this. Let’s go,” I muttered, wondering what I’d gotten myself
into going with this lot of crazies.

True
to form, Red had scoped the place out beforehand. The VIP entrance was as he
said, and impressive. Red had been a road manager for me until I’d gotten ill.
Amadeus had hired him before an interloper stole him away from us. These days,
with us off the road, he was doing just this—providing security detail to
people like us. It was good to see a familiar face.

Red
led us through the back of the house and into the club. The place was already
packed, leading me to believe word had leaked out about Ethan performing this
evening. Our table was in what they referred to as a VIP reserved area. It
definitely had its advantages. The view of the stage was spectacular, and free
of the crowd that would be standing to get a better view of the evening’s
headliner.

As
everyone settled in and ordered their drinks, I craned my neck, searching for
Beth. My actions were obvious, because the four of them started giggling. Even
Angus.

“Dude,
you have it bad. She’s probably in the back with Ethan.” Angus snickered.

“I
don’t know what you’re talking about. She said she’d meet us here, so I was
looking for her.”

“Tell
that to someone else, Dame.”

“I
see her. Red’s bringing her now.” Britt giggled.

“Behave
yourself,” I hissed at my kid brother. Brat and trouble maker.

“Always.”
He snickered.

“Sorry,”
Beth said as she joined us. “This place is mad. You wouldn’t believe the record
execs here wanting Ethan’s attention.”

“I
didn’t know he was shopping for a new label,” I replied.

“He
isn’t. This last CD is his last with the one he’s with. So everyone assumes he’s
a free agent.” She leaned next to me and whispered, “Something he wants to
discuss with you.” I caught that sweet scent she wore. It did mad things to me.
I noted out of the corner of my eye that everyone was watching us. Let ‘em.
Angus especially.

“I
take it this would be good for us both?”

“Yes,
he thinks so.”

“I
can’t wait to hear his ideas.”

Remembering
my obnoxious brother was sitting right there, I introduced Beth. “Beth, you
remember my brother, Angus, don’t you?”

“Yes.
Who could forget Angus Tudor and his romps across the football field or through
the hallways buck naked,” she said with a smile. This could be fun. Someone who
remembered Angus and his escapades.

“Beth
Asher,” he replied with a grin. “It’s good to be remembered for all the right
reasons.”

Beth
sat down next to me. The three of us chatted about school antics.

Finally,
Ethan’s time came. The lights dimmed, and he could be seen in outline waiting.
There was already electricity in the room, and once he was introduced, the
place went wild. He was clad in black leather pants and wearing only a matching
vest. It exposed his tatts and bad boy image as he launched into his first song.

Glancing
over, I noted Beth singing along. No doubt who his biggest fan was.

While
I’d been doing my own research of his music, familiarizing myself with what he
wrote and what he didn’t, I was utterly amazed at his guitar playing. And live
was even better. The boy could shred with the best of them.

I
was mesmerized, watching him. My son. He was doing the exact same thing I have
all these years. I didn’t get to be around when he was growing up, but I damn
sure wasn’t going to miss out now.

The
next thing I knew, I heard Ethan calling out to me from the stage. What the
hell?

“Damien
Tudor, come on up here and join me.” That was the tail end of his statement. I
suddenly had everyone at the table urging me on.

“Did
you know about this?” I whispered.

“No.
I swear he told me nothing.”

Reluctantly,
I followed Red to the stage. No longer was the stage the comfort zone it once
had been. It took every fiber in my being to get through one song. Was I
scared? Hell yeah, I was. It was a miracle I could even walk out. But I would
do it tonight, for Ethan.

He
told me what song he had in mind. One of my old Rypp Tyde pieces. What he said
next earned him my respect. The boy might act like an obnoxious, arrogant prick
on stage, but that was just a persona.

“I’m
not going to mention you’re my dad. This is not the venue for that. We’ll save
it for another time.”

“Deal,”
I replied as one of his stage crew handed me a guitar.

Nodding
my head that I was ready, Ethan launched into ‘The Stranger Within’. Not one of
our bigger hits, but a personal favorite of mine. Especially some years later.

The
entire seven minutes passed too quickly. The crowd went crazy, wanting more. It
was his night, his show, and I wasn’t going to take that away. Instead, I
handed the instrument back to his guy, waved at the crowd, standing next to
Ethan as I did, and left the stage.

I
stood in the wings with Red, catching my breath and my emotions.

“Can
you get me back to the table without us getting mobbed?” I asked.

He
nodded. “Piece of cake.”

I
followed him through the back halls of the club. It brought back memories of
being Ethan’s age. “You were smokin’ out there, Dame. So was that boy of yours.”

Stopping
in my tracks, I stared at him. “How?”

“No
one told me. All I had to do is get a good look at him. Reminded me of you at
that age.”

“Pretty
scary, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”
He chuckled. “A whole new generation of Tudor boys is scary as hell.”

Afterwards,
we waited for Red to give us the all clear. When he came, he explained we were
splitting into two vehicles. Everyone nodded, as it was nothing unusual. I kept
Beth close to me as we walked. Though she handled the crowd like a trooper, I
didn’t let her far from me. As we approached the cars, Red instructed the girls
and Angus get in one. Beth and me in the other.

I
was quite pleased with the arrangement. I would finally have her to myself.
Except for when we’d had lunch earlier in the week, we’d never been alone.
Something I was going to change.

We
sat there, waiting. For Red, I assumed. Instead, a few moments later, the door
opened and in popped Ethan.

“Hi
guys. I hope you don’t mind me joining you for a while. Security says the hotel
is crawling with the media and fans. Your guy Red said he’d get me over there
in an hour or so.”

“Not
a problem. If Red doesn’t think it’s safe, he won’t let you go,” I replied. I
didn’t dare look over at Beth, because I heard her giggle.

“They
really liked the song we did together, didn’t they?”

Ah
yes, the adrenaline rush after a performance. Wide open, ready to go. Can
conquer the world.

“They
did,” Beth agreed. “Make you want to go back on the road, Dame?”

“Not
particularly. It’s fun once in a while, but at this point, I’m happier going
into the studio. That’s my rush.”

We
reached my building quickly. The club was not far off. Red pulled the SUV under
the building, pulling up to the door. The three of us got out. I leaned in and
invited Red up to the condo. He knew where to park, but said he’d rather keep
an eye on things downstairs. Just in case.

Nodding
my head, I shut the door and led Ethan and Beth to the elevators.

“So,
this was your brother Amadeus’s place first?” Beth asked.

“Yeah.
They had another unit then decided a larger one was needed. This was before the
kids.”

“Pretty
centrally located,” Ethan remarked.

“It
is if you like being in the downtown area.”

The
elevator stopped on my floor. Beth and I stepped out, followed by Ethan. I wasn’t
sure if the girls were here yet or not.

Unlocking
the door, we were greeted by not only the three young women, but Angus as well.

“Surprised
to see you here,” I remarked to my brother. “Red decide you needed to sit for a
while?”

“Yep.
He said there’s some very interesting folks who attended this evening.” He
stuck out his hand to Ethan. “Angus Tudor.” He snickered.

“Angus?”
I chided.

“Man,
it’s like looking at you at twenty-five all over again. It’s almost spooky.”

“Nice
to meet you, I think,” Ethan replied.

“He’s
the one we warned you about. He’s a prankster. If he’s quiet or not around
during a family get together, be on your guard. It means he’s up to something.”

“Hey!
I resent that. Someone has to have some fun. You and Amadeus get too serious.”

“Consider
yourself warned, Ethan,” Court interjected. She had me by the arm. “You did
great tonight, Daddy.”

“Thank
you.”

“And
this must be Beth,” Angus said seriously for the appearance of the others,
acting as though they hadn’t been introduced earlier. “I vaguely remember you.
Can’t be sure. We all ran amuck back then.”

“Oh,
I remember you, Angus, and some of your stunts.” Beth grinned at him.

“I
want to know what he did,” Destiny added.

“Come
on, let’s go sit down,” I said. “Angus, go grab us some beer. Beth? I do have
some wine.”

“Beer’s
fine.”

“Now
we’re talking,” Angus crowed, walking into the kitchen.

We
sat and talked, sort of inducting Ethan into the family. This was the first
time he’d met one of my brothers. Beth sat back in one of the leather recliners,
taking it all in.

****

Early
the next morning, I got a text from Beth inviting me to breakfast. I replied I
was interested. She told me to come to Ethan’s suite in an hour. They had a
proposal they wanted to discuss. Intrigued, I accepted.

I
grabbed another cup of coffee and headed to my bedroom to dress. I was quite
curious about this proposal. Ethan, I’d come to learn, was far more shrewd and
knowledgeable about the business side of his career than most musicians his
age. A lot of that came from Beth’s involvement. She insisted he keep himself
in the loop on the inner workings. Smart lady. It would serve him well in the
long run. Keep him from being taken advantage of.

Writing
a note to the girls, I left it where they would most definitely see it—in front
of the coffee maker. I told them I had gone to run errands. That would keep
their overactive imaginations at bay for a while.

A
short time later, I pulled into the valet parking at the Four Seasons. Looking
around the lobby, I saw the usual. People checking out, going out to see the
sights. I looked over at men and women sitting in the lobby reading newspapers
or on their laptop. I noted a familiar local journalist sitting, engrossed in
his computer screen. Probably staked out, waiting on Ethan. He was a music
columnist, so that made sense. I quickly moved out of his view and toward the
bank of elevators, chuckling to myself at how he’d not even seen me.