Karaoke Kisses Read online

  Karaoke Kisses

  River’s End Ranch Book 56

  by Amelia C. Adams

  With thanks to my beta readers—Amy, Joseph, Mary, Meisje, Renee, and Shelby.

  In memory of Craig Williams and Janalee Martin.

  Cover design by Erin Dameron-Hill

  Table of Contents:

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  Andie Hudson bounced up and down a little bit in her seat as the shuttle carried her closer to River’s End Ranch. Frank, the shuttle driver, laughed.

  “Are you looking forward to your vacation?”

  “Yes, I really am. My best friend just got married and moved here—I’m sure you know her. Kerry? She married JJ—I mean, Jamal?” She had to stop calling him by his high school nickname or no one would know who she was talking about. It was going to be a hard habit to break, though.

  “You bet I know them,” Frank said. “They’re a great couple.”

  “I just knew they would be. I sort of played matchmaker for them.”

  “You did?” Frank glanced at her. “You need to meet Jaclyn. She’s done quite a bit of matchmaking on the ranch—you’d have a lot to talk about.”

  “Jamal said the same thing. He also said I’d get a real kick out of her—I’m not sure what he meant by that.”

  Frank laughed. “Let’s just say that she’s one of a kind.”

  Andie frowned good-naturedly. “Is that the only hint I’m getting?”

  “She’s impossible to describe. I will tell you, though, that she talks to fairies.”

  “She talks to fairies?” Andie grinned. “Cool.”

  “And she keeps a houseful of litter-trained rabbits. Until they’re trained, they wear diapers.”

  Andie shook her head. “Now you’re just joking with me.”

  “No, I’m serious. Just wait until you meet her—somehow, it all makes sense while you’re talking to her.”

  “Okay. I’ll take your word for it.”

  Andie stared out the window as they drove closer to the mountains. “I’ve never seen any place so green.”

  “When we get enough rain, there’s nothing prettier,” Frank replied. “Thankfully, we had a wet spring, and the snowpack over the winter was good to us.”

  Andie wanted to roll down the window and stick her head out like a dog so she wouldn’t miss anything as they crossed the bridge over a tumbling river, but she didn’t want to get bugs up her nose, so she didn’t. “So, tell me about the most fun things there are to do on the ranch.”

  “Well, the very most fun is taking a helicopter ride,” Frank replied. “I might be a little biased, though, because I’m the pilot.”

  “You are? Oh, that does sound like fun. What else?”

  “There’s hiking, rock climbing, arts and crafts classes, horseback riding, swimming, rafting, eating, watching movies, karaoke, shopping, trivia night, a spa—just about anything you could think of wanting on a destination ranch. You might even get to be an extra on the television show they film here.”

  She wouldn’t be participating in the karaoke—no question about that. “I’m definitely interested in the rafting and the eating,” she replied. “Television . . . I’d freeze up or burst into nervous giggles when I was just supposed to be standing there. I’d better steer clear of that one.”

  Frank laughed. “I don’t blame you. It’s not for everyone. It’s been fun, though—the cast and crew have been pretty good to work with, and it’s bringing in a lot more guests to the ranch. I’m actually surprised that you’re the only person I’m picking up from the airport today. Usually I’m picking up around six at a time, sometimes multiple times a day.”

  “Wow. Well, I appreciate you coming all the way out just for me.”

  “My pleasure. And here we are.”

  Frank slowed down and turned off the highway, pulling onto a smaller road marked “River’s End Ranch.” Andie got goose bumps on her arms as she looked ahead and saw the property in real life. She’d visited the website so many times, she felt like she had the place memorized, but nothing could compare to seeing it with her own eyes.

  “Oh, if you’re interested in hot springs and whatnot, there’s a town not far from here that has those,” Frank added. “It’s called Quinn Valley, and I take a group of people out there a couple of times a week.”

  “Hot springs? Like Yellowstone?” Andie asked.

  “No, much cooler and cleaner. You won’t die if you fall in one of these,” Frank said with a chuckle. “They’re supposed to be relaxing and healing, like a jetted tub. Only natural.”

  “Okay. As long as you promise I won’t get boiled to death.”

  “I’ve never heard of it happening yet.” Frank pulled the van up in front of a large building marked “bunkhouse.” Jamal and Kerry were waiting on the porch, and Kerry waved as Frank cut the engine. “Let me grab your suitcases out of the back.”

  “Thank you, Frank,” Andie said, unbuckling her seatbelt as she spoke. She opened the door as quickly as she could and jumped out, giving Kerry a big squeeze, and then Jamal. “It’s so good to see you!”

  “And we’re so glad you could come,” Jamal replied. “School didn’t mind giving you the time off this close to the start of the year?”

  “I’ve saved so much vacation time, they were practically begging me to leave,” Andie replied. “I’ll miss the kids, but this trip sounded too good to be true. Look at this place! It’s so green, and the sky is so blue. Just like you were telling me, Kerry.”

  “Isn’t it great? I feel like I’m really seeing colors for the first time,” Kerry said. “Everything’s so vibrant and real when you get out of the city smog. I flew down last month for a work meeting, and I couldn’t wait to get back home.”

  “Wait. You were in California and didn’t tell me?” Andie put one hand on her hip and gave her best chastising face.

  “I seriously just flew in, had my meeting, and flew back out,” Kerry explained. “I didn’t have time for a visit. Otherwise, I would have called.”

  “I suppose I’ll have to forgive you, but you’d better not let it happen again.” Andie glanced around, noticing that they were missing someone. “How is Rue?”

  Kerry glanced at Jamal. “Mom’s all right, but she’s not, if that makes sense. Her spirits are high and she loves being here, but her memory is fading more every week, and she’s becoming less able to be by herself. She’s visiting with Jaclyn right now—that’s her favorite thing to do. She’ll just sit and pet the rabbits for hours, and Jaclyn doesn’t mind having her there. She says Mom brings a bit of peace into the house because she’s not full of chaos like most people are.”

  “I’m so glad she’s happy here. I think about her several times a day and wonder how she is.”

  “Honestly, being here has been an absolute blessing. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation for us.” Kerry held out her arm toward the bunkhouse door. “Let’s get you checked in—we’ve got a lot of catching up to do, and I think we’d be more comfortable doing that when we’re not standing on the porch.”

  “Yeah, you might be right. No offense to porches, of course.” Andie picked up her smaller suitcase, and Jamal picked up the other one like it weighed nothing, even though it actually weighed quite a bit. She hadn’t known what to bring, so she’d brought a little of everything.

  When they got inside, Andie walked up to the check-in counter, where she was greeted by a young woman wearing a name tag
that read “Jennifer.” She dug into her purse for the credit card she’d used to make the reservation.

  “Welcome to River’s End Ranch,” Jennifer said with a nod. “How can I help you?”

  “I have a reservation. Andie Hudson.”

  Jennifer tapped on her computer. “Sure enough, here you are. We had a cancellation on a room with a Jacuzzi tub, so we put you in there at no extra charge.”

  “Seriously? Thank you!” Andie turned and waggled her eyebrows at Jamal, who was standing off to the side. “I like this place!”

  He laughed. “You’ll like it even better by the end of your trip.”

  After Andie had checked in, Kerry and Jamal helped her carry her things up to her room, which was every bit as nice as she’d been hoping for. There was a little sitting area with a couple of chairs and a loveseat, a super comfy-looking bed, and the bathroom was pretty much to die for.

  “This is already the best vacation I’ve ever had,” she said, flopping down on the loveseat. Kerry and Jamal had taken the two chairs, and she grinned at them. “I might quit my job and stay here forever.”

  “You would never quit your job,” Kerry replied. “You love those kids too much.”

  “Yes, I do . . . but I might be tempted.” Andie unfolded the activity calendar Jennifer had handed her. “Okay, help me out here. I want to do everything, but I don’t think I can fit it all in.”

  “Well, you’ve definitely got to come to karaoke tonight,” Jamal said.

  Sure. Andie scowled at him. “You know I don’t sing anymore.”

  “Wait. What?” Kerry leaned forward. “You sing?”

  “Sort of, once upon a time.” Why did Jamal have to bring that up? “I did some choir and stuff in high school. It was no big deal.”

  “No big deal? She had all the solos. She was good.” Jamal turned back to Andie. “I can’t believe you gave it up entirely.”

  She looked down at the pamphlet. “Horseback riding sounds fun.” Changing the subject was good. It was really good.

  “She’s never once mentioned it,” Kerry said. “So it’s probably a part of her history that she’s ready to let go.”

  Bless Kerry’s heart, trying to take off some of the pressure.

  “I guess . . . but karaoke is different, isn’t it?” Jamal wasn’t ready to let this go—the turkey.

  “I think that would be up to Andie to decide.” Kerry used her firm tone, the one that generally made people sit up and listen.

  “I’ll think about it, but no pressure, okay?” That was all Andie could commit to. She figured she’d have to tell Kerry the story eventually, but now was not the time—she didn’t know when would be the time.

  Jamal glanced at his watch. “Well, how about this? We’ll give you a little time to settle in, and then we’d like to take you to dinner in the dining room. Karaoke is right after, and if you want to stay and watch, you can, or we can leave—whatever. It’s all up to you.”

  Andie nodded. She could probably live with that. “And is Rue going to come too?”

  “Definitely. She caught wind that they just got a new flavor of Italian cream soda in, and she’s dying to try it.” Kerry stood up and gave Andie a hug. “We’ll meet you downstairs in the lobby in about an hour, okay?”

  “Sounds great.”

  Andie closed the door behind her friends, then turned and faced her room. Time to get busy before her thoughts led her down that path again—Jamal likely didn’t understand her feelings about it. She knew he’d never pester her like that on purpose. Still . . . okay, she’d unpack. Unpacking was a great brainless activity.

  She hung up her clothes, put her toiletries in the bathroom, and then flopped down on the bed. It was sooo soft. She could stay right there, in that exact spot, forever. But she was hungry. And she had dinner plans. With a groan, she sat up and stared into the closet, which she had left open. Blue shirt? White shirt? Pink sundress? She always over-packed because she never knew what she was going to want to wear when she got there, but she didn’t know what to wear now that she was here.

  She finally decided on a yellow floral skirt and a white T-shirt with strappy sandals. The tub looked like heaven, but there wasn’t time before dinner—she would absolutely be trying it out when she got back to her room, though. A quick brush through her hair, a little powder and lip gloss, and she was ready to go.

  Jamal and Kerry had also changed their clothes, and they were waiting for her just outside the doors to the dining room. Andie’s gaze darted around until she saw the person she most wanted to see at that moment, and she made a beeline for the elderly woman standing behind Kerry.

  Rue Holt, Kerry’s mother, was one of the kindest, most gracious women Andie had ever known, and even as she slowly lost her memory to dementia, she never lost her ability to envelop people in love. As she wrapped her arms around Andie, she said in her ear, “Well, there you are, young lady. I wondered where you’d got to.”

  Andie gave the woman a squeeze. “I’ve missed you, Rue.”

  Rue chuckled, then held her at arms’ length and looked into her eyes. “But now you’re here, and you don’t have to miss me anymore.”

  Did Rue think she was going to stay on the ranch? That’s kind of what it sounded like, but Andie wasn’t sure. She decided not to ask—it might complicate things. “Yes, I’m here, and it’s so good to see you. Now, what’s for dinner?”

  Rue laughed. “Anything you want!”

  “That’s true,” Jamal added. “They’ll hit the spot every time.”

  He held the door for them as they entered, and within moments, they were seated. Rue claimed the chair to Andie’s left and kept patting her hand. The room seemed pretty crowded—Andie was surprised they were able to get a seat so quickly. When she asked about it, Jamal said, “They do a good job of moving people through. Plus, it’s karaoke night, so they’re expecting a big crowd and they’re prepared for it.”

  Andie nodded, glancing around again, and then she paused. Oh. Hi. There was a pretty nice-looking guy seated a few tables over, and he was looking right at her. At first, she wondered if he was looking at something behind her or next to her, but no—it was her. She lifted her hand in a tentative wave, hoping to embarrass him enough that he’d look away, but he just waved back and grinned. So much for that idea.

  “That’s Zack,” Kerry said, speaking low. “He’s a river-rafting guide here.”

  “He likes to stare,” Andie replied. “Is he kind of stalkerish?”

  “Not at all. And I think he’s staring because you look great tonight.”

  Andie shook her head, feeling a little pink come to her cheeks. “I just wish he’d stop. It’s unnerving me.”

  “Zack’s a very nice young man,” Rue said. “He helped me find the ice cream shop the other day.” She paused, then frowned. “Maybe it was last week. I’m not sure. But I know it was Zack. He even bought a cone for me—chocolate chip.” She leaned over to Andie and whispered, “I really wanted the new flavor, Bigfoot Tracks, but I wasn’t going to turn down free ice cream.”

  Andie laughed. “Of course not. I wouldn’t turn it down either.”

  The waiter came over and took their orders, then asked if there was anything else they needed. “Yes, actually,” Jamal said. “Could you please tell Zack to stop staring at my friend and to just come over here already?”

  Andie gasped. “No! Don’t say that!”

  “Go ahead,” Jamal said, waving the young man off.

  “Don’t you dare!” Andie was nearly panicking, and more than ready to reach across the table and strangle Jamal. She remembered him as being a jokester in high school, but he was seriously starting to get on her nerves.

  The waiter looked back and forth between the two of them. “So . . . what would you like me to say?”

  “Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” Andie glared across the table at Jamal. “Don’t listen to this man. He’s obviously a lunatic.”

  It was too late, though. Whether Zack had somehow
overheard or he’d picked up on the invitation through osmosis, Andie didn’t know, but he stood up from his table and walked over to theirs. The waiter left quickly, probably feeling relieved at being let off the hook.

  Zack stopped next to Rue and rested his hand on the back of her chair. “Hey, Mrs. Holt. How are you doing tonight?”

  “I’m just fine,” she replied. “I was telling my friend here about you and the . . . um . . .”

  Andie could see that she was floundering and decided to step in. “I was happy to hear that you have an ice cream shop on the ranch.”

  “Yes, ice cream,” Rue finished.

  “We’ll have to go again, won’t we, Mrs. Holt? I haven’t had such a fun date in a long time.”

  Rue chuckled. “Then you need to get out more, young man.”

  “Hey, Zack,” Jamal said, extending his hand. “Come join us. This is my old friend from high school, Andie.”

  Zack nodded at Jamal and Kerry, then turned his attention to Andie. “Hi there. You’ll have to forgive me—I know I was staring at you. That’s not the best way to make a good impression on someone.”

  “No, not really, but I might be willing to overlook it,” she said. Honestly, what else was she supposed to say? She was obviously expected to forgive him for his overt stalkerish tendencies—he was a friend of her friends’, and he’d apologized. It would be rude if she told him to go away . . . and he was pretty cute, and were those gray eyes or blue? “Have a seat.” Maybe if he sat down, she could decide what color they were, as well as deciding whether he was or was not creepy.

  “Thanks.” He pulled out the chair to her right and sat. “I’m Zack Clements. And you’re Andie?”

  “Andie Hudson,” she replied. The eyes were blue, but became more gray in toward the pupils. Sort of like an ombré effect. Interesting. “I’m here for the next two weeks visiting Kerry and Jamal.”

  “I’m glad to meet you. And thanks for inviting me to join you. Soap over there was starting to annoy me.”

  “Soap?”

  Zack grinned. “Yeah, he’s my roommate, and we work the river together. He’s been my best friend for years, but sometimes, you’ve gotta go make new friends, you know?”