"Enter the contest," Brooke interrupted, laughing. "You'd be a big hit."
"My wife might be less than thrilled."
"Is Nikki here?" Kiki asked.
He shook his head. "She was hoping to fly out to see you perform, but she texted me this morning that our nanny's ill. She's hoping to find a friend to watch the girls, but it doesn't sound likely."
"Too bad. I haven't seen her in ages," Kiki said, then turned to Jenna whose hand had moved to her belly at the talk of kids. "Sorry. We derailed you. What were you going to suggest?"
"Well, it turns out that Beverly's under the weather, too. She said she'll come do it if we can't find someone else. But it occurred to me that Mr. Stark would be a great replacement."
For the first time, Stark looked a little out of his element. He turned, taking in all the faces--each of whom seemed enthusiastic about the plan. "Ah, I hate to ask. But replacement for what, exactly?"
* * *
Since Cameron was actually entered in the Man of the Month contest, Brooke and Spencer told Mina that not only did she not have to work, she wasn't allowed to. So instead of running a camera, she had a table front and center with Darryl and Noah Carter and Damien Stark.
Not bad company, even if she was so intimidated by Damien and Noah that she was finding it hard to make conversation now that Kiki had left their table to go on stage to thunderous applause.
She was followed by Tyree, who grinned broadly as he reached out to the crowd, thanking them for coming and telling them he hoped they would enjoyed the surprise performance before the Man of the Month contest began.
"And it's a double surprise. Those of you who've been coming for the last few contests, probably expected to see Beverly Martin up here as our emcee. Well, unfortunately, Bev's a little under the weather." He paused for the sounds of sympathy. "But don't worry, you have a rock solid replacement. And, no, it's not me."
This time, he paused for the titters of laughter, and Mina had to admit she was impressed with the way Tyree handled a crowd. She knew he'd led men in the military, but leading an audience was entirely different.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome a man who I hope needs no introduction, because I'm damn sure not reading his novel-length resume, Mr. Damien Stark."
Taylor was working the spotlight, and Mina saw her shift it to find Damien at their table. He waved to the crowd, illuminated more by the flashes of camera phones than from the huge spotlight itself.
He made his way to the stage, not the least bit fazed by all the hubbub. He stood for a moment, his hands up in a useless attempt to quell the chatter. Finally, he just picked up the microphone and began talking.
"Welcome to The Fix, everyone. I'm Damien Stark, and I'll be your emcee this evening." He paused just long enough for applause, then started back in, introducing Kiki and telling the audience about how she'd performed on that very stage before her band, Pink Chameleon, got back together. "And a good thing they did or we'd all have missed out on some incredible, award winning songs.
"I understand the band is performing in San Antonio tomorrow, but we have a special treat, because Kiki is going to perform a new song that hasn't made it into their repertoire. Ladies and gentlemen, Kiki King."
Mina was awed by how smooth he was with no rehearsal, but then she was blown away as she watched Kiki. She'd known Cam's sister almost her whole life, but the age difference was such that they didn't hang out together. In fact, most of their contact was when Kiki had babysat her.
Now, Kiki sat on that stool with nothing but a guitar, and brought the audience to tears with the love song that she sang to the room, but turned back to Noah for the refrain.
"You're everything right, you're everything wrong
You're the point of this song
The man who knows me, the man who sees
Darling, please
Don't you ever stop loving me."
Beside Mina, Darryl whispered, "Wow," and across the table, Noah sat enraptured. Mina felt the same way, and she twisted in her seat to find Cam, but he was in the back bar with the other contestants, watching the show from the do
orway. She saw a glimpse of his hair, but that was all.
It was enough to make her crave him, though, and as Kiki left the stage to enthusiastic applause, Mina sighed, wishing that she had the ability to voice her emotions that way.
When Stark returned to the stage, she could see real emotion in his face as he found Kiki at their table and tilted his head in approval. "Now my wife is really going to be upset she mi--" He stopped, his eyes going to someone off stage near the main door to the bar. Mina caught Noah's eyes, who shrugged, but stood up to peer over the crowd as Darryl did the same on the other side of Mina.
Too short, Mina couldn't manage, but she could tell from Noah's amused grin and the look of undiluted love on Stark's face that Nikki Fairchild Stark must have made it after all.