Jace (Kings of Country 1)

“Momma’s got her charity planning luncheon,” Emmy Lou added. “So Krystal and I are in charge. Travis said he’d help but—”

“That boy isn’t allowed in the kitchen,” their father cut her off. “Took months to get the smoke smell out of the house.”

Her brother was a genius. He’d been volunteered to make dinner once—once—and he’d burned the lasagna to a crisp. The smoke had rolled out so thick and black, neighbors had called the fire department. Of course her mother had turned it into a photo shoot. Nothing like a little kitchen fire to get some press-worthy pictures of her daughters serving the cute firemen slices of Krystal’s special lime sour cream cake. Two things had come out of that day: Travis’s permanent ban from cooking and a potential cookbook deal for a Fit for a King Cookbook—a project her momma had shelved, much to Krystal’s disappointment, because she felt it didn’t fit their brand.

“If I’d known all it took was a little smoke to get me booted out of the kitchen, I’d have put tinfoil in the microwave years ago,” she teased.

Jace laughed. Damn it all. If only he’d snorted. Or had a horselaugh. Or did something to make him less…less.

“Don’t let her fool you.” Her father had his hands on his hips, giving her his long-suffering-daddy look. “That girl knows her way around a kitchen. Spends more time cooking than anyone else in the house—and we have a cook. I’d be round as a hay bale if we didn’t spend so much time on the road.”

Cooking cleared her mind. When she was elbows deep in bread dough, some of her best songs took shape. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg had helped her write a couple of the Three Kings original Christmas carols. Not that anyone knew that. The last thing she wanted was someone tampering with her creative process

.

“That’s right, Daddy.” She hooked arms with him, teasing. “And someday I’ll make some big, strong man a good little wife. Imagine it. Me, barefoot and pregnant, tending an organic vegetable garden and making all our food from scratch. While I sing happy songs and have help from my talking animal friends.”

Her father chuckled. “Whoever marries you better have a hell of a thick skin. Or your razor-sharp tongue will end him in no time.”

Krystal nodded. “If he really loves me, he’ll love all of me.” Because her razor-sharp tongue was the only way she could cut through the crap. She had yet to meet a man who wanted her. No, they all wanted what she came with: travel, fame, and money. “Besides, you know how jealous Clementine can get.”

Clementine had been an impulse adoption at a pet rescue event. The near-starved, furless Chinese crested puppy had been pulled from an overcrowded puppy mill. The runt of the litter, she’d been tiny and pathetic and recovering from her leg amputation. One look in her big chocolate brown eyes had Krystal snatching her up and taking her home. She’d never regretted it. Not only did her baby make her laugh out loud but Clem loved her unconditionally. And the pup was a pretty good judge of character. The one time she’d run into Mickey with Clem, the dog had peed all over his feet.

The memory always made her smile. Something about Mickey’s red face and stunned horror as his boots were soaked.

“I’ll bring Jace along in a bit. I figure I’ll hear a few of his songs, since we’re here.” Her father looked Jace’s way. “If that works for you?”

The look of pure surprise and, likely, nerves on Jace’s face would have been near impossible to fabricate. Maybe he wasn’t faking. Maybe he really was a good ol’ boy who’d won his big break. Maybe he was starstruck by everything. Or maybe his good looks and her body’s well-hello-there response were clouding her judgment.

“Yes, sir,” Jace mumbled, cleared his throat, and tried again. “Yes, sir, that works for me.”

“Go easy on him, Daddy.” Emmy Lou pressed a kiss on their father’s cheek.

“Nah,” Krystal argued. “Put him through the wringer. Make him work for his dinner.”

Jace stared at her, laughing again.

“Be nice, Krystal.” Her father sighed. “He’s gonna be singing with you a bit now. Might want to try to play nice.”

“Now, Daddy, you know better than that.” She rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t know how to play nice if I tried. Why start now?” She was teasing, sort of. But it was easier this way. If she acted tough, acted like none of this mattered, it was easier to bury the eventual disappointment deep, deep down. “Besides, just because you’re sold on the two of us doing the song doesn’t mean the label will be.”

“Your daddy’s got some pull, baby girl.” He patted her cheek. “I’m gonna use it.”

He meant it. She could tell. And it filled her heart to the brim. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Damn but her eyes were burning. Easier to look away—at Jace—than face the well of untapped emotion she struggled daily to avoid.

He was watching her, his beautiful eyes searching hers. Searing and invasive. Not with hunger, what she’d expected. It was deeper than that. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Jace Black saw the pain and anger and shame eating away at her insides. And if he did, then what? She barely knew this guy. So far, he seemed okay. But things were rarely, if ever, as they seemed. Hot or not, decent or not, Jace Black was just another singer looking for a way to launch himself into stardom. He didn’t give a shit about her or her personal demons. And she’d be wise to remember that—not so easy to accomplish when one lingering look had her breathing hard with want.

“We’ll see you at home.” Emmy Lou took her hand and tugged her to and out the recording room door. “You keep that up and Daddy might rethink this whole duet thing, Krystal.”

There was no point pretending she didn’t understand what her twin was saying. Still, it wasn’t in her nature to roll over. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Not yet.” She shot her sister a look. “But you were thinking about it. That much was clear.”

A handful of snappy retorts rose up, but she swallowed them down. “Whatever. It’s not a big deal. He is…good-looking.”

Emmy smiled then. “Yes. I noticed.”

How could she not notice? His wow-factor was undoubtedly one of the reasons he’d won his reality show. And his voice. Because, holy crap, his voice had totally blown her away. Hearing her words through him… She hadn’t been prepared for how incredible he…it…the song really was. But it was. As long as the record label cooperated, she might have her first single outside of Three Kings.