The next two days flew by, with more tours and a breakfast with the Frontier Days Queen and Ladies in Waiting, plus night concerts. Sleep was gracious to Tom by Thursday morning, and he was actually able to sleep past nine. He had been shocked how quiet the city of Cheyenne was overall, even during the biggest event of the year. Truly, the Wyoming people were quite gracious and kind – very few had crowded him begging for autographs, he actually had barely been recognized at all. His baseball cap, hoodie and sunglasses had served him well. It was actually the buzzing of his cell phone that woke him this morning, and he scowled when he saw the number flash across his screen. Amber had called fifteen times in the last twelve hours, and sent three times as many text messages. I will NOT answer, Tom thought to himself as he stepped out of the shower, toweling his hair. There was no way he was continuing to feed into her constant nagging, especially since he had officially called their relationship quits, and she had taken to the press with it. He had already spoken with his publicist directly to attempt to smooth over the press, and his assistant about getting a changed number. He saw his phone light up again on the bed, and after glancing at the message, he picked it up and pressed the power button to turn it off. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a tshirt, his toothbrush in his mouth, thinking about the evening before.
Tom was not really a fan of country western music, and didn't follow it very closely, especially in the United States. He had taken the opportunity to sit in the restaurant last evening and to watch and listen to Jason Aldean, the featured artist for the night show. Through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, it was amusing to see so many people press together in the large mosh pit in front of the stage, with the enormous speakers directly in front of them, clearly ruining a few decibels of hearing, to catch a glimpse of the jean-clad guitar player. There were, of course, even more fans packing the stadium seats, and the screaming was deafening, even inside.
On the balcony just outside the restaurant there had been a few fans, not nearly as many, seated and standing. Some were enjoying drinks as a group, while others were pressed against the balcony's railing, dancing along with the music and hollering their appreciation. It was there that he spotted her again.
He hadn't seen her since his first day at the park, and it shocked him to see her – she certainly looked different. She wore jeans that glimmered with rhinestones on the rear pockets, and a layered shirt. Her hair was half pulled back away from her face. It fell straight down her back, surprisingly long. She wore her boots, of course, and was with another woman, laughing and having the time of her life it seemed. Tom's mouth went dry while he watched her, eyes closed, swaying in time with the beat of the music, arms in the air, her mouth moving with the words.
Tom considered going and talking to her, but simply watching her enjoy herself was fascinating to him. She was entirely different than anything he was used to seeing in L.A., Vancouver, or Hollywood. He could see her strong arms and shoulders came down to a curvy waist and hips, and strong legs. There was nothing 'skinny' about her. Her hair gleamed, and her face was full and her cheeks rosy from dancing and singing.
"Ya all right there?" Jake had said, snapping Tom back to reality. He felt himself flush as Jake followed his gaze. "Oh, isn't that the girl that was moving animals?" Tom nodded, taking a long drink. The two men were silent for a moment, watching the young woman start laughing with her friend as a song ended, the two of them falling together, heads to shoulders. "You gonna go say hello?" Tom shot a look at Jake, and shook his head.
"No, they're busy." Tom said quickly. He had waved off Jake's raised eyebrows, but had continued to watch her the rest of the evening. There had been a young man come up and put his arm around both young women at one point toward the end of the concert. He seemed to be drunk, but neither woman was very concerned. Before the encore, the woman who had caught Tom's eye put her arm around the man's waist and led him away, out of the building, her head close to his, talking to him. Tom had finished his drink then, not sure what to think.
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From Different Walks of Life
FanfictionKat Cox is a Wyoming girl through and through. She knows horses and small towns, is no stranger to heartbreak, and is focused on keeping her own life on track. Tom is an English gentleman, who has worked hard and gained the fame he sought in his wo...
