Love Songs & Other Lies(75)
A statue come alive, Vee is suddenly in motion. Her hands on my chest, lips on my mouth. Warm hands run up my neck, and mine twist in her hair. Slowly, I push her back against the counter, pinning her in place with my hips. Our hands are grabbing, our limbs tangling, our mouths searching. And we fit. It feels like we were out of gear, stuck in neutral, and now we’re together and we’ve clicked into first. We’re taking off. Racing toward something, but I’m not sure if it’s the starting line or the finish. Maybe what we had before was a false start.
Finally, breathless—after seconds or minutes, or maybe hours—she pulls away from me. I feel the loss immediately—the cold space that used to be filled with her warmth.
VIRGINIA
When I finally break free from the centripetal force of Cam’s body, the space around us feels charged. I have to pull my hand out of his, because I can’t think when we’re touching. I need to prepare him for what’s going to happen. I tell him about Jenn, about the articles and the interview with Sienna. How they’ll run a special next week. He doesn’t say anything, he just stares at me, motionless; breathless, I think. Hopeless. “I didn’t want anyone looking at me like that anymore.” Cam’s words ring in my head and I know, more than ever, that I have to do something. Even if it doesn’t work, if I’m a complete failure, I have to try.
“Cam, listen to me.” I dip my head into the path of his eyes, which are fixed on the floor. “I’ve got a plan, and I’m going to do everything I can to stop this, but I need you to go along with this. Just for now. I need you to trust me.”
He nods and pulls me against his chest. We stand there until Logan knocks on the door, announcing the start of their rehearsal time. “We learned a new song while you were gone,” Cam whispers into my hair. “It’s a surprise. I can’t wait for you to hear it.” He kisses my head. “But for now, can you let us practice it? Maybe hang out in the bus for a while?” His voice is sweet and pleading.
I nod, and head for the exit. I have things to do, anyway. There’s already a checklist forming in my mind. I need to talk to a few friends I’ve made on the crew. And I need to convince Tad to help me if I’m going to pull this off. I only have two days to make this happen.
*
I’ve convinced Jenn to let me set up an encore concert in the park across from the venue. The guys are thrilled with the idea, and thanks to a fame-hungry mayor, I managed to get the last-minute permit and security needed to put on a free public concert after we tape the show tonight. Your Future X will be playing his daughter’s high school graduation party next spring, but it’s worth it. Most of the next two days is spent on my computer and my phone, and when I have free time I sneak away to practice. Only Tad ever bothers me.
“You’re really going to make this happen?” Tad pokes his head—for once camera-free—into the small room I’ve found on the second floor of the theater where we’ll be performing tomorrow.
I nod. Letting them lay Cam’s past out for the country like a buffet of pain isn’t an option. “You’ll take care of Jenn?”
“I’ll do my best,” he says. Tad is an integral part of my plan. I need someone behind the scenes to manage things while I’m out onstage with Cam, performing a new song. Cam and I have decided to keep the new tune—which I wrote—a secret. Reluctantly, Jenn agreed. After the success of “This Girl” I guess she figures a duet between the two of us can’t go wrong. Boy, is she going to be surprised.
Step Five: Expose Dakota Gray
At 6:30, just as the guys are taking the stage for their set, I fire off the message I promised.
CANONSBURG PARK @ 9:00. BRING FRIENDS! SEE YOU THERE.
The band’s new song is called “Dakota,” and it’s a rock ballad about falling in love with a girl before you even know her. It’s loud, a little punky, and the audience loves it. I couldn’t have planned the song choice better myself. The crowd is loud and rowdy as the guys rearrange for our final song of the night. Cam is already perched on his stool, making adjustments on his acoustic. Usually I just walk out on the stage and Cam introduces me, but tonight, thanks to Tad’s friend (and lighting tech) Becca, we’re changing it up. And because we’re on TV, and dead air is a major no-no, we’ve got to make this quick. The curtains close across the stage and I walk behind them, almost running as I bring my own stool alongside Cam’s. Behind me, a gaffer has a can light, and angles it behind my stool. I give her a smile and a nod.
Cam whispers in my ear. “What’s with the wig tonight?”
“All part of the master plan.” I lean over, whispering my instructions in his ear.
He’s surprised; I knew he would be. “Really?” I smile and nod, urging him on.
“When it’s time.”
Less than a minute has passed, and already Jenn is pacing stage left. The curtains are still closed and she’s taking a step onto the stage when the lights go out, covering us all in darkness.
And it begins.
I take a deep breath as I hear the curtains peel back with a creak. I’ve gone over this at least ten times with the crew. When the curtains are parted enough to reveal us, I start picking the first few notes of the song to cue Cam. He’s close enough that I can see him, even in the darkness, and I nod, letting him know it’s time.