Face The Music Page 8

  “Are you ready yet? It’s a quarter past eight!” Emily yelled from the front room. “And it looks like it’s starting to sleet, we’d better go!”

  Chapter 9

  The cab pulled up against the curb across the street from the Plaza. “Sorry ladies, this is as close as I can get you. All those limos are blocking the street.”

  He was right. Limousines were lined up as far as I could see. Reporters jutted in and out from between the cars and flashed pictures of everyone who walked by. I felt like I was about to walk the red carpet on my way into the Oscars.

  It was a spectacular sight. Three flights of stairs led up to a white marble building. It had a domed roof and was surrounded by tall, intricately carved pillars. Strands of white lights hung from the branches of frozen evergreen bushes. The luminosity reflected off the ice, causing the drooping sprigs to glisten.

  “Well?” I said to Emily, gesturing towards the steps.

  Emily’s face was pure excitement. “This is going to be so much fun, Allie! I can’t believe we’re here. Let’s go!”

  Careful to avoid the patches of ice that was collecting on the steps, we made our way to the top and handed our invitations to a well-dressed usher. He pulled the heavy door open and stepped aside so we could go in.

  “Unbelievable,” said Emily, taking in our surroundings. “I feel like Cinderella the night she met the prince.”

  Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow throughout the room. In the far corner a string quartet played, providing a nice backdrop for all the happy chatter. A waiter walked by with a tray filled with glasses of champagne.

  I took one, sipped, and swished the bubbly in my mouth for a second before swallowing. “Look! There they are.” I pointed up to the balcony. Chris and the other Stars were surrounded by cameras and reporters. He looked slightly uncomfortable but stunning in a crisp black and white tuxedo. Cynthia was by his side. She wore a shimmery strapless peach gown. A necklace with a diamond pendant large enough to pay my tuition for the next five years hung from her neck.

  An unexpected pang of jealousy washed over me as I watched the two of them; Chris whispered something into her ear, and she threw her head back and gave a hearty laugh. He flashed a brilliant smile and shook his head.

  I was standing there, gawking up at them, when Jake came over. His gaze followed mine to the balcony. “Who are you looking at?”

  “Cynthia,” I admitted. “She’s a knockout. They look good together, don’t you think?”

  He wrinkled his nose. “She’s alright. But she’s a real piece of work- one high maintenance chick. I don’t know how Knots puts up with her.”

  The question had to be asked, I was dying to know. “Are they together?”

  “Yes, no, sometimes, who can keep up? I know they were a thing at the start of the show, but now…” His eyes narrowed, and he looked at me suspiciously. “Why do you care?”

  “I don’t.”

  He studied me with those steel blue eyes. Insecurity must have been written all over my face because the next thing he said was, “Don’t worry babe; she’s got nothing on you.” He took a step back to admire Emily and me. A low whistle escaped his lips. “Ladies, we are looking fine tonight.”

  Emily giggled. “Hey Jake, how are you? You don’t look too bad yourself, you know.” She was right. His silver button-down shirt and black dress pants were a far cry from his usual jeans and wrinkled t-shirts.

  “May I have the honor?” he asked, stepping between Emily and me and looping his arms through ours. “I’d love to give you the tour.”

  He led us to the string quartet. Using a formal, tour-guide sort of tone, he said, “In this corner we have the evening’s musical entertainment. They’ll be playing until dinner. Then, a live band will take the stage.” He pointed towards a hardwood dance floor. It was blocked off by thick velvet ropes. “I do hope you both will save a spot on your cards for me tonight,” he said with a cheesy grin.

  “Certainly,” Emily agreed.

  “Of course,” I said when he looked at me.

  We walked a bit further. “And here we have the front door, next to which is the coat check-in.” We laughed and followed him to the front of the room- just below the balcony. “That area is reserved for the Superstars, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.” He glanced up at the contestants. “Their main role tonight is publicity, which is why you see all the reporters and cameras.”

  I peeked up at Chris. He was leaning over the edge of the balcony, resting his arms on the wooden railing. Cynthia was close by, of course. She looked at me, then at Chris, and back at me again. If looks could kill, I would have vaporized where I stood. She took Chris’s arm and pulled him away.

  Jake led us further around the room but stopped and pulled his buzzing cell phone from his pocket. “Sorry gals,” he said as he read his text message. “Duty calls. I’m running the cameras tonight. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” He turned to walk away but gave us one last look from over his shoulder. “Don’t forget about our dance. You both promised!”

  Someone tapped on a microphone as Jake walked off. The low thud echoed through the room, and everyone quieted and turned to look. A middle aged man with a balding head and a very round midsection stood on the stage. It was Mr. Doveland, the producer of the show. “Excuse me, please,” he said. “Dinner is about to be served. Make your way up the stairs to the dining room and find a seat.” He gestured to a grand mahogany staircase.

  Emily and I followed the crowd and found two empty seats in the back of the large room. As we sat, I noticed there were dozens of tables, each decorated with white linen cloths and accented with burgundy and silver candles. Linen napkins were neatly folded and stuffed into tall crystal champagne flutes. At the front of the room was a long table, and I counted ten place settings. I assumed that was where Chris and the others would be sitting. Jake had disappeared and was nowhere to be seen.

  Waiters dressed in black and draped with white aprons carried large, round trays stacked with steaming bowls of soup. I didn’t quite catch the name; it sounded French and smelled garlicky. Then an appetizer was brought, sea scallops, followed by a Greek salad. I couldn’t believe my eyes when they brought around the main course. Everyone had a choice between several elegant entrees: filet mignon, steamed salmon, or roasted duck, and each looked more like artwork than food. For dessert they served slices of white chocolate cheesecake drizzled with raspberry sauce. On top of each slice sat a music note carved from dark chocolate.

  Emily looked at my untouched fork. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

  I looked at her guiltily, hating to waste the food. “I’m really not that hungry.” Nerves had twisted my stomach into a ball of tight knots, killing my appetite.

  “You’re missing out,” she said before shoving a spoonful of cheesecake into her mouth.

  As people were finishing their dessert, Mr. Doveland stood up and took the microphone. “If I could have your attention, please.” He tapped a spoon against his champagne glass and waited for everyone to quiet down. Once the room was silent, he began, “We have all gathered tonight to celebrate our Top Ten. Making it this far into the competition is quite a feat, and I would like to offer you all my sincerest congratulations.”

  Everyone applauded as he turned and raised his glass to the contestants. “You know, this city has always given me so much. I was born and raised here, graduated from UIC with a degree in communication, and then set off for the big cities, in search of fame and fortune. I’ve enjoyed a very successful career that has been filled with so many wonderful opportunities. Soap operas, game shows, sitcoms, you name it, I’ve done it.

  “So when I had the idea for this show and decided to produce it from Chicago, people thought I was crazy. ‘New York, Los Angeles,’ they’d say, ‘those are the places where the big shows get made, not Chicago.’ But I ignored their comments and went for it anyway. Oprah did it, right?” Several people chuckled. “Like I said, Chicago has given me so much, and I f
elt that it was finally my turn to give something back to the city. In case you haven’t noticed, folks, Superstardom is a major success.”

  People whooped and hollered. “We’ve managed to do what people told me was impossible, and it couldn’t have happened without each and every one of you. I have the entire crew to thank for this, everyone who works behind the scenes. The musicians, the choreographers, our technical folk. I owe it all to you. There are so many of you out there who are essential to the process. Thank you.” Cheers and whistles filled the room. Once they quieted down he finished up. “At this time I am going to pass the microphone around to our Stars and let them say a few words.”

  Cynthia stood and quickly thanked all her fans. She wished the others luck and then passed the mic to Riley, who shyly grinned and mumbled something that I couldn’t hear.

  Chris was next. He spoke eloquently, thanking the sponsors for hosting the party, wishing his competitors luck, and expressing his great joy at being a part of the show. “I would also like to thank my family and friends for their constant support. I have truly been blessed.”

  By the time he finished my head was spinning; here was this man- talented, good-looking, considerate, and well-spoken. He was too good to be true. I sat and pretended to pay attention to the rest of the speeches but didn’t hear much of what else was said.

  Dinner ended, and Mr. Doveland announced that there would be an open bar until twelve. “I encourage you all to stay and try out the dance floor.” This request was met with laughs.

  Emily grabbed my hand as we walked towards the stairs. “That was really something, wasn’t it? Have you ever seen so much food? I can’t believe you didn’t eat anything.”

  I squeezed her hand. “I’m gonna go find the bathroom; I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” I knew she wouldn’t mind my leaving her alone. It wouldn’t be long before she’d find someone to talk to. She had such a knack for socializing with strangers- a talent I certainly didn’t posses.

  The bathroom was adjacent to the main doors, and I went in to check my hair and makeup. Satisfied that everything was still in place, I went back out to the party. I didn’t get too far when Chris stepped out in front of me.

  “I must say, you look incredible.” His gaze traveled downward and then back up to my face.

  My heart began to pound, and I felt the color rise in my cheeks. “Hi,” I said with a quiet smile, “and thanks. You look pretty great too.” My eyes ran over his tux before I glanced towards the front of the room at the other Stars and the reporters that surrounded them. “How did you manage to sneak away?”

  He smirked. “It wasn’t easy. I excused myself for the restroom when I saw you go in. I’m sure I won’t be able to hide for long, but I just had to come over and say ‘hi’ and tell you how incredible you look. I’m glad you came.” He took my arm and led me towards the dance floor. “Are you having a good time?”

  “Well, this is pretty dull compared to my usual scene,” I teased. He raised his eyebrows, and I giggled. “Come on, you know this is amazing. Thank you so much for the tickets. Emily and I are having a great time.”

  We stood and watched the band set up. Then I turned to him. “I didn’t get to tell you before, but your performance this week was unbelievable.” I pictured him on the stage with his guitar, performing that one-man symphony. “That took guts, what you did, but you really pulled it off. I think the judges loved it.” I stared at the stage for some time before daring to look at him. “I sure did.”

  His dark eyes were hypnotic, turning my thoughts into a jumbled blur. “Thanks. I had some inspiration.”

  I drew in a slow breath, determined to keep my head. “And you must be really excited to be in the top ten. What an accomplishment. Congratulations, Chris.”

  He shifted his weight and put a hand on my hip, pulling me closer. My body betrayed me. The knots in my stomach tightened. His touch, however light, awakened every nerve in my body. I became hyperaware of him. I saw every twitch in the muscles of his hand and face, felt the heat radiating from inside his tux, heard his every breath. The room became stifling.

  He didn’t seem to notice. “Thanks. So far it’s been a blast. But the pressure is only gonna get worse.”

  I took another jagged breath. “I know. I worry about the kids. And my job.” He gave me a sideways, puzzled look. “When all the kids go home, I’m done. There are only three left, you know.”

  He frowned and watched a band member hang a pair of cymbals on a drum set. “I never thought about that.”

  The band finished setting up and opened up with a slow song. I spotted Emily with a tall blonde guy. She grinned at me and waved.

  Chris pressed his hand into the small of my back. “Shall we?” he whispered. We had only taken a single step onto the hardwood floor when I felt him tense up. Under his breath he cursed. “Dammit.”

  I looked over my shoulder and saw Cynthia, escorted by Mr. Doveland, heading towards us.

  Chris gave me an apologetic look. “They found me.”

  Mr. Doveland clapped Chris on the back. “Where did you disappear to? People are waiting. Come on, let’s go!”

  Cynthia looked down her nose at me. “Come on,” she demanded, looking back at Chris. “Celebrity Magazine wants a picture of us, together.” I was sure she emphasized that last part for my benefit.

  Chris was not happy. “Nice,” he mumbled, turning to me. “Allie, I’m sorry…”

  I shushed him before he could finish. “Don’t worry about it; you are here for business, right? We’ll dance later, after everything calms down. How many pictures can they possibly take?” I squeezed his arm.

  Jake appeared out of nowhere. Beside me, Chris stiffened even more. “Allie! Baby! How about that dance you promised me earlier?” He looked at Chris. “I mean, if you’re available.”

  “No, actually that would be great, Jake. Chris has to go. Business calls, you know.” I glanced at Chris as I reached for Jake’s outstretched hand. “Find me later, when you get a chance, okay?”

  “I will,” he said flatly, his eyes still on Jake.

  Cynthia gave me another smug glance before happily linking her arm in Chris’s and pulling him away.

  “Incredible,” I sighed, leaning into Jake. “I don’t know where she gets off being so rude.”

  “Don’t feel too special,” he said, fixing me with a scrutinizing look. “So, you and the big Superstar again, huh?”

  I rolled my eyes.

  The band played an upbeat song, and Jake and I went out onto the floor. I followed his lead and tried to keep up. “Wow, you’re really good!” I said breathlessly. He grinned, spun me around, and caught me by the wrists before I lost my balance. I wasn’t sorry when the band transitioned to a slower song.

  I rested my hands on his shoulders, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me against him. “This is nice,” he whispered as he reached up to touch my hair. “I like being close to you.”

  My skin broke out in a cold sweat, and I tried to concentrate on something other than the loud ringing that was pulsing in my ears. Faces around me went blurry, and I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, hoping the spell would pass.

  Jake stopped dancing. “Hey, are you okay? You’re as white as a ghost.”

  I blinked a few times to try and stop the room from spinning. “I need some air,” I said, grabbing his arm.

  “Whoa, take it easy.” He wrapped his arm around my waist. “Come on, I’ll walk out with you.”

  He led me towards the front exit. Chris was near the door talking to a reporter. His expression filled with alarm as he watched Jake and I go out the door.

  I quivered once we were outside. The air was cold but felt good on my bare shoulders. Snow fell from the heavy clouds, and I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, letting the frozen flakes fall on my cheeks.

  Jake peered into my face. “Better? Your color is coming back.”

  I inhaled a few deep breaths and felt my heart slow back down
to a normal pace. “A little. Thanks.”

  I took a few steps across the terrace but slipped just a bit. Jake caught me by the shoulders. “Careful! It’s gotten slick.”

  I gripped the black steel railing and looked down to the street. Traffic had died down, leaving only the occasional car to pass by.

  Jake stood next to me. “What happened in there?”

  “I don’t know. The room started to spin. I probably should have eaten something. That champagne must have gone straight to my head.”

  “You didn’t eat dinner?”

  “Not much,” I admitted.

  “When was the last time you ate anything?”

  I thought back. “Breakfast, I guess. I was so excited to meet Emily this afternoon that I completely spaced lunch.”

  He let out a groan. “Jeez, woman. What are you trying to do to yourself?” He turned to go inside. “Come on, they’ve got to have something in there.”

  It all seemed to happen in slow motion. My feet flew up in front of me. My arms went above my head, and I crashed onto the hard stones of the terrace. I then started rolling down the stairs that led to the street below. Each one created its own, distinct thump. One…two… three…and then there was nothing.

  Chapter 10

  I had only fragmented memories of what happened next. Jake was kneeling over me, his icy hands cupping my cheeks.

  Emily came out of nowhere. Terror was evident in the tight line of her lips as she gathered the skirt of her dress and pressed it against my forehead.

  A blinding pain radiated from my right ankle. Searing bursts of heat traveled down my foot and up my calf. My head throbbed. Every breath drove sharp needles into my sides. I looked up at my frantic sister. “It would be…a real shame…to ruin that…dress,” I managed to say between gasps.

  Snow dusted her hair. “You’re worried about my dress?” Sirens of an approaching ambulance were deafening and drowned out the rest of her words.