Vanishing Dreams: Vanishing Dreams (Devil's Bend #2) by Nicole Edwards Page A

pulled back, her eyes raking over his face. She didn’t look
enthusiastic about his offer, and her words backed it up. “I’m not sure that’s
a good idea.”
    Dalton cupped her face, swiping his thumb over her smooth cheek.
“Please.”
    He saw her swallow hard, her gaze dropping down briefly. “I don’t know,
Dalton.”
    He wasn’t above begging, but he wasn’t sure that was going to benefit
his cause at the moment, so he decided to play it cool for a little while.
“Think about it. I’ll ask you again before the night is over.”
    She managed a small smile, but then they were interrupted when Eric
placed her drinks onto the waiting tray.
    Dalton followed her with his eyes as she made her way through the
crowd, delivering drinks and chatting with the customers. He finished off his
beer, not looking away from Katie until she was swallowed up by the people
surrounding her. That was when he noticed the cowboy on the stage was putting
his guitar down, clearly taking a break.
    When Brett approached the bar a minute later, Dalton raised his hand to
get his attention. The guy nodded as he squeezed through the people surrounding
the bar and then joined him.
    “Hey, Dalton,” Brett greeted, reaching out his hand.
    Dalton returned the gesture and then got to his feet, slapping the bar.
“Got a minute?”
    “Sure.”
    Jack came over, looking at Dalton.
    “Can we get two beers?” Dalton asked Jack.
    He noticed the way Brett and Jack glanced at one another briefly,
looking away just as quickly. Well, hell. Looked like these two had something
in common. Dalton smiled to himself as Jack disappeared to get the beers,
returning a moment later, his eyes still raking over Brett’s face.
    “If you see Coop, will you send him upstairs?” Dalton asked Jack before
urging Brett toward the stairs. He didn’t bother waiting for an answer; he just
hoped Jack had paid attention to him in the first place. The guy seemed a
little preoccupied with the singer.
    Once they were upstairs, Dalton opened the cheap plastic blinds that
covered the window overlooking the bar.
    “How long you been singin’ in bars?” Dalton asked, breaking the ice.
    “A few years now,” Brett answered, tipping his beer bottle to his lip
as he stared down at the crowd below.
    “You lookin’ for a manager?” Dalton spared him a glance.
    “You offerin’?” Brett countered.
    “I might just know someone who’s lookin’ for talent.”
    “And you think I’m that talent?”
    Dalton liked the guy already. His straightforward responses were a nice
change of pace. He hadn’t had many conversations with up-and-coming artists,
but the few he had encountered were usually either hotheaded, thinking they
deserved to be in the spotlight, or they were too star struck to have a
legitimate conversation. Brett was neither.
    “It’s possible,” Dalton answered. “I’ve got someone I’d like you to
meet.”
    Brett didn’t answer, just tipped his beer back again and kept his eyes
trained on the bar below.
    “Do you live here?” Dalton inquired when it was obvious Brett wasn’t
going to say anything.
    “Austin,” Brett answered simply. “Spend a lot of time checking out the
bars in surrounding areas.”
    “You’ve been here before,” Dalton said.
    “A couple of times. One of the better places to hang out.”
    Dalton agreed with Brett on that count. He’d actually been impressed
with the place from the moment he’d stepped foot in the door. Since his career
had taken off, he didn’t get to spend much time in the small-town bars, but he
tried to get back to them any chance he had.
    Then again, The Rusty Nail had become one of his preferred hangouts for
more than just the stage. Katie was more of a lure than the chance to get up on
stage these days.
    Dalton continued to watch out the window when he noticed Jack heading
toward the back. He figured the guy was sneaking outside for some air. He
spared a look at Brett, noticing the man was following Jack