Angel (Fallen Angel, #3)(47)
Our seats were in the second row on the left, and when I looked around, I noticed they’d seated Trent in the same row on the opposite side of the room. Probably smart, considering the mixed emotions running through the group right now.
I sat beside Killian, and when Viper took the seat on the other side of me, Levi practically threw his hands up in the air, but no amount of reasoning made Viper budge from his seat.
Levi looked at me with pleading eyes. “Please make him behave tonight. He listens to you.”
“If by behave, you mean no oral sex during the show, I’ll do my best, but no promises,” Viper said, loud enough that there were snickers from the people in surrounding rows.
Jesus, his mouth, I thought, and where a fierce blush would’ve usually hit my cheeks at a public comment like that, I was so accustomed to the crazy shit that came from Viper’s lips that all I did now was laugh…and maybe only blush a little.
“We’ll behave,” I said for Levi’s benefit, and when Viper let out a dissatisfied groan beside me, I squeezed his leg.
“So?” Killian said. “What do you think? Smaller than you thought it’d be, right?”
“It does look bigger on TV,” I said, taking in the platinum sculptures of the Music World Award statue that stood at attention on either side of the stage. The back wall was covered in screens that, for the moment, had the awards show logo on it. Around us, the seats were filling quickly, and it was hard to keep my mouth from falling open at all the entertainers I recognized. It wasn’t just musicians, either, but actors and celebrities famous for being celebrities.
“Holy shit, that’s Jennifer Aniston.” I was full-on gawking now, as the actress in a strapless silver metallic dress walked down the aisle, and as she passed our row, she smiled at me and waved. I blinked, watching as she took her seat in the front row. “Oh my God. Please tell me someone just saw that and I didn’t imagine it.”
Viper leaned over, brushing his finger just under my mouth. “Is that drool, Angel? You got a thing for Jennifer Aniston?”
“What? No,” I said, shifting in my seat, and when a teasing smile curved Viper’s lips, I rolled my eyes. “I just never thought I’d actually see her in person. This is all so fucking surreal.”
“Then you might not wanna look over there,” Viper said, nodding toward two guys in deep conversation with each other on the other side of the room. When I realized who I was staring at, my jaw hit the floor.
“Is that—”
“Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger? Mhmm. Wanna go say hello?”
I began shaking my head before the words came out of my mouth. “No way.” Then I almost slapped myself, because when would I get the chance to meet two legends again? “Okay, yes. But later, once I drink this.” I reached for my glass again and took a long swallow as the room dimmed and everyone still roaming around took their seats.
The lights on stage began to flash, and then the screens came alive with a montage of music video hits over the last year. With each one shown, you could hear the screams of fans in the balconies, and when a clip of Fallen Angel popped up, the screams went from loud to thunderous.
Killian looked down the row at us and grinned. I knew exactly what that look said: we’d come so far, and tonight we should enjoy every second of our hard work paying off. And I, for one, planned to do just that.
Thirty-Three
Viper
ONE OF THE best things about this show compared to all the other bullshit award shows was that you could drink, which meant any mind-numbing part became tolerable with enough alcohol in your system. But tonight I had something far more entertaining to watch than whoever was on stage. Or someone, rather.
Beside me, Halo sat enraptured, his light eyes taking in everything. It was all so exciting for him, and that, in turn, made it exciting for me. He’d never met any of these people, had no idea who the douchebags were or who was so fucked on drugs that they wouldn’t remember you the next time you saw them. To Halo, everything and everyone was amazing, and that was one of my favorite things about watching the angel—his rose-colored view of the world.
The first half of the ceremony had come and gone by the time our first nomination of the night came up, and to Halo’s utter horror, it was Jennifer Aniston who presented the award. His reaction to one of the most famous women in the world had me chuckling, because it was the complete opposite of what most people would be thinking. Most would climb over their friends to get close to someone like that, but Halo? If we won, I’d probably have to drag him onstage.
She read off the list of nominations, and when she opened the envelope, there was a long, silent pause when I don’t think any of us breathed. But then Jennifer smiled and said, “Fallen Angel!”
Slade and Jagger were on their feet high-fiving in a hot second, Killian shook the hands of a couple of friends who moved to the end of the row where he stood, but my attention was on Halo, who wore a stunned expression and didn’t move.
“We won. Come on, Angel,” I said, but when I stood up and he still didn’t move, I held my hand out for his. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Levi clapping over our win and watching us intently, but fuck it. If he wanted Halo on that stage, it looked like I’d be the one to make that happen. At least until his shock wore off.