Free Plain Fame by Sarah Price Page B

laughed. “I’d say you’re right. That’s what I do. Travel.”
    “ Travel, eh? ” Elias sat down in the chair next to the sofa. He eyed Alejandro, a hint of suspicion in his face. “And do what when you are traveling?”
    Amanda lifted her eyes and stared at Alejandro. She seemed to wait patiently for his answer. He was too aware of her stare, steady and curious. He didn’t know how much she knew about his lifestyle, apart from what he had told her. From what he had gathered over the past few days and from what little research he had conducted, he imagined she didn’t know very much about his world.
    “I’m an entertainer,” he finally said, speaking slowly and carefully. He wasn’t certain what their reaction would be.
    “What kind of entertainer?” Elias asked, direct and to the point.
    Clearing his throat, Alejandro took a deep breath. Here it goes, he thought. “I’m a singer.”
    “They call him Viper,” Amanda said softly.
    “Viper?” Lizzie chimed in, her hand rising to cover her mouth, which formed a perfect O from her surprise at the word. “Oh my!”
    “ Well, ” Elias said. “Can’t say I know much about entertaining people, but we do know about singing. At least in church,” he teased.
    “I’m sure that I like the name Alejandro better than Viper,” Lizzie said under her breath, but not unkindly.
    “It’s my stage name,” he offered. “What my fans call me.”
    Elias and Lizzie exchanged a glance. The unspoken language shared between them did not escape Alejandro’s attention. It was a language that took years to develop and came from the heart. He had seen that silent language before, from his grandparents in Cuba. They could read each other’s minds, it seemed. Whatever it was Elias and Lizzie had just said to each other without words, only they understood. Yet Alejandro waited for the next question, suspecting he knew what it would be.
    It was Lizzie who cleared her throat and asked, “That means you sing for people? On stages?”
    He nodded, too aware of their curiosity. “Yes, that’ s correct. ” He paused. “That’s why I was in New York, meeting with a music producer.”
    Elias stared at Alejandro. “You headed back to New York, then?”
    He raised an eyebrow and glanced out the window. “Los Angeles in a week, then Europe for a two-week tour. Thought I’d find a little hotel and stay here for a few days.” He looked back at Elias. “It would be nice for a change. I’m tired of cities.” And he meant it. He was tired of cities and people and paparazzi. Especially the paparazzi. He knew they’d never find him here. Viper didn’t vacation in small Amish farming villages. Viper stayed in Paris or Rio, places with nightclubs and media on the prowl for a good story.
    Elias glanced at Lizzie. Again, there was an unspoken communication between them. But whatever the communication was, they were both in agreement. “Nee,” Elias said. “You can stay here, Alejandro. You took care of our dochder and brought her home to us.”
    “It was my limousine that hit her,” he reminded them, humbled by their willingness to forgive and forget so easily.
    “Accidents happen and now she’ s fine, ja ?”
    Lizzie nodded. “We have the grossdaadihaus . It’s empty and private. You are welcome to stay there.”
    “Grossdaadihaus?” he asked, repeating the strange word that Lizzie had said to him.
    “Where my parents used to live. It’s next door to this house,” Elias said. “No one has lived there for a few years since they joined the Lord. Lizzie will straighten it up for you. But it’s yours to stay in while you are here.”
    For a moment, he hesitated. He was used to hotels and servants. He was used to five-star dinners and hordes of people who clamored around him. He was used to sleeping late in the morning and staying out until the wee hours. But he had wanted a change, even if just for a few days. This was definitely not what he had expected, but he