Free Diamond by Sharon Sala Page A

Diamond’s hair again. “But thanks to her, that’s over. Tomorrow we start recording. Our schedule says this album has to be out before Christmas. Tommy, set it up.”
    Tommy shoved his hand in his shirt pocket for a cigarette and then cursed as he remembered he’d given that habit up nearly a year earlier. He stifled the urge to break something and managed to nod in agreement to Jesse’s order.
    Diamond was lost somewhere between elation and embarrassment. Her intention had been to lighten the moment. Instead she’d made the tension worse. Even she could feel the men’s disapproval, but she had no way of undoing what had already been done. And, truth be told, she had little desire to do so. After all, wasn’t this why she’d left Cradle Creek? Wasn’t this why she’d trusted a stranger?
    She smiled back at Jesse and then went to retrieve his hat. Standing in front of Jesse’s band and his manager made her feel a bit like standing before a firing squad while she waited for someone to yell fire!
    5
    Jesse’s elation lasted until they walked through the door and Henley handed Diamond an envelope postmarked from Cradle Creek, Tennessee.
    “My money!” she said, tearing it open and waving the cashier’s check in the air. She unfolded the accompanying letter and leaned against the wall, avidly scanning the page for news of her sisters.
    Jesse watched the expression changing on her face and knew that he should leave her alone to read in private, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
    “Should I postpone serving supper, sir?” Henley asked.
    Jesse nodded. It was obvious that for once, food was the farthest thing from Diamond’s mind.
    “Lucky left.” The words came out in a whisper. “Queen’s leaving in a couple of days.” Diamond looked at the date on the postmark and then back at the letter, trying not to cry. “I suppose by now she’s gone, too.” She looked up at Jesse, her chin quivering.
    “Honey, don’t cry,” Jesse said, and then winced at himself as he realized he’d called her “honey” again. But this time she didn’t notice, or if she did must not have cared.
    “I’m not.” Unaware of the tears running down her cheeks, she continued. “I knew they were going. I don’t know why I’m making such a fuss. After all, I was the one who left first. I didn’t expect them to sit there in that hellhole and wait for me to come straggling back.”
    But in her heart that’s exactly what she’d expected, and now her last link with her family was gone. Johnny was dead. Lucky was on a bus heading west, and Queen was right behind her. Diamond had never felt so alone in all her life. The breath she took turned into a sob.
    Jesse frowned and gathered her into his arms. He needed to take away her pain.
    “It will be okay. They know where you are, remember? You may have lost momentary track of them, but they know where you are. They know you’re with me.”
    She nodded, for the moment relishing the comfort of being held, but she wouldn’t allow herself the pleasure of prolonging it.
    “At least my money came.” Embarrassed by her behavior, she shrugged out of his arms. “Now I can get a place of my own in Nashville, and whenever it fits into your schedule I could meet you at—”
    “No!”
    It was hard to tell who was more startled at the vehemence with which he grabbed and shook her. He stared at his hands on her arms and turned her loose as if he’d just burned himself.
    “I’m sorry,” he said, unable to look at her face. “But it wouldn’t be a good idea.”
    “Why?”
    “Because,” he began, fishing for a reason that wouldn’t make him look any more foolish than he already did. “Because…we’ve just made plans for the album. Helping you find a place and moving you right now when we need to be recording would mess up the schedule.”
    Diamond stared at the flush across his cheeks. His eyes darkened, almost daring her to argue. Wisely, she did not. In a way, what he had