Grown(26)

I shoot her a pleading look. Please don’t embarrass me. Please don’t embarrass me. Please don’t embarrass me.

“My bad, Mrs. Jones,” Korey chuckles with a shrug. “Habit. But glad you’re here! Mary J. Blige’s Christmas show is next week. Gonna hook you and your husband up. She’d love to meet you.”

Mom’s shoulders relax, her face smoothing.





Chapter 33


Once Upon a Dream




“You ready?” Korey says behind me, breath on the nape of my neck.

“No.”

He chuckles. “Stop lying. You were born ready!”

Korey always knows the right things to say, even when my pulse is hammering.

Is this really happening?

One minute, I’m on my first plane ride, to Chicago, head dizzy with the altitude, next I’m here . . . standing shoulder to shoulder with Korey Fields, lacing our fingers together in a way no one can see.

“Let’s do it,” he whispers, with a quick kiss to the temple.

Korey walks out onstage, waving, and the crowd screams. A drum set sitting in the middle of the stage is moved up.

“What’s up, Chi-Town! Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being with us tonight. I’d like to bring out . . . a very special guest.”

Eyes closed, I press my lips together, breathing through my nose.

“A girl you’ve probably seen before, but here for the very first time onstage . . .”

There’s water in my ears, the sounds of lazy, calm waves licking the shore. As much as I miss living in my seashell, there’s nothing like hearing your name through a million speakers.

“I introduce you to Miss . . . Enchanted!”

The cheers crash through the curtains. Jessica shoves my back and I stumble onto the stage, the lights blinding, gawking at the most people I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

Cheers. They are cheering for me.

I shuffle up to the mic on his left and it yells back at me. I shoot Korey an unsure glance. He plops on the stool behind the drum set, adjusting his mic. We catch eyes, something unsaid passing between us as the familiar rush of heat creeps up my neck. But then he smiles and an overwhelming sense of calm washes over me.

And then we perform “Fool for You” by CeeLo Green.

With only eyes for each other. We’re in our own world in front of the entire world, but it feels like just the two of us.

“So! How’s it going?” Mom asks on FaceTime, the Littles surrounding her. We talk twice a day, every single day, in my hotel room.

“It’s . . . amazing, Mom. Did Jessica send you pictures?”

“Yeah,” Shea says. “Chant, your makeup looks fire!”

“Thanks. Is Daddy there?”

Mom gives me a strained smile. “No. He’s out right now.”

Daddy hasn’t really had time to call. With his union on strike, he’s been on the picket line day and night. At least that’s what I tell myself.

Gab hasn’t answered any of my text messages since our fight in the bathroom. Not even when I called to wish her Happy New Year.

Few minutes after I hang up with the Littles, Korey walks through the connecting door of our hotel rooms.

“Finally,” he says, plopping on my bed with a grin. “Alone at last! So what you wanna watch tonight, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella?”

He turns on the TV, changing the channel, volume up to sixty.

“Did you iron my shirt?” he asks, popping some peanuts into his mouth. “Last time the sleeve was still a little wrinkled.”

I dodge his reaching embrace, storming across the room.

“Yeah, it’s in the closet,” I say drily.

“Yo, what’s wrong with you?”

I shrug. “Surprised you’re here. Thought you were gonna hang out with the dancers. Like you did last night.”

He smirks. “Aw, you jealous?”

“No,” I mumble.

He wraps his arms around me, nuzzling my neck.

“Did I tell you how happy I am that you’re here? Remember how I told you I felt mad lonely on tour, even when I was in a room full of people? But now I have you. It’s like you’re my little secret I don’t have to share with no one.” He kisses my temple. “You were wonderful tonight.”

I take a deep breath, leaning into his love. There he is. MY Korey.

“Korey, when are we going to head into the studio and work on my album . . . like you promised?”

A knock on the door startles me. Korey rolls his eyes and answers.

Jessica. Her eyes widen, toggling between Korey and me.

“Yes?” Korey barks, and I jump in my skin.

Jessica gulps. “S-sorry. I’ll come back later.”

“Good,” he says and slams the door in her face.





Chapter 34


Melissa




Her name is Melissa.

She is dark brown, silky, twenty-six inches, and fits tight around the crown of my head.

I immediately hate her.

“How’s that?” the hairstylist asks, glancing behind her.

Korey leans against the adjacent makeup counter, studying his phone. He looks up, beaming.

“Perfect! Enchanted? What do you think?”