C-Flat to C-Sharp: Sweet Instalove Romance (PR Girls & Instalove Book 3)

by Haley Travis

  Corina gasped, her hands fluttering.

  “Don’t cry again, angel.” I tipped her chin up with my finger. “I know it’s weird that a lot of women will be around me. But I only have eyes for you, I swear.”

  She nodded slowly. “I trust you, it’s just a lot of emotional stuff to deal with all at once.”

  “I got you these to thank you for all of your hard work,” I said, entwining our fingers after she set everything aside.

  “I don’t want to be needy,” she said quickly. “Everything is just so new and fragile. I promise, once we’ve been together a while, I’m sure I’ll relax.”

  Her little smile was forced, but I returned it anyway.

  As we melted into each other, kissing, snuggling, and whispering, I realized that my precious girl was going to need a lot more than a promise and a pair of earrings to feel secure with me.

  She was the studious type, who expected things to happen a certain way. I was often flying by the seat of my pants, and got thrown around by scheduling, events, and shows.

  There had to be a way to tell Corina that she was absolutely the one for me, and I would never look at another woman again.

  As the fire burned between us through our kisses, I realized what I needed to do.

  It was going to shock her. It was probably going to scare the daylights out of my shy, sweet girl. But if I was going to make a point and tell her that she was my woman forever, I’d be better off going all in.

  There was no way in hell I was going to risk losing her again.

  Two hours later, even after making her scream my name while I tasted her, Corina insisted on sleeping at her place afterward. Of course I wanted her to stay with me, but this was not a time for me to seem clingy.

  After bundling her into a cab, I sent her a text.

  Me: No matter what happens with tomorrow’s show, I’m so glad that it got us together again.

  Me: I’m incredibly grateful that you’re in my life again, angel.

  Corina: I’m glad we ended up meeting again too. Get plenty of sleep before your big day. Sweet dreams. xox

  Me: Goodnight, my love. xox

  Flopping across my bed, I resisted the urge to call her to tuck her in. If she needed some space tonight, that was fine.

  Grabbing my notebook, I realized that there was one song that needed new lyrics for the chorus, and the show was only twenty hours away.

  13

  _____

  Corina

  Even though I really wanted to spend the night in Ethan’s arms, I forced myself to take a cab home to sleep in my own bed.

  I was terrified to throw off his pre-show rituals, if he had any. I’d read so much about temperamental artists that I was a bit skittish about getting in his way.

  Luckily, I had organized everything so well that my day mainly consisted of double checking things that had already been double checked by someone else.

  By the time I got to Bromney Hall, I was surprisingly calm.

  After going through a few last-minute details with the manager and staff, I stuck my head out to see a line down the block. Making sure that Security had the name of our VIPs so that they would be escorted inside immediately, I went to the side door next to the stage.

  Right on time, I heard Jenna’s distinctive knock. Letting my friends inside, I saw the venue manager give me a wink.

  “My assistants for the evening,” I explained.

  He held up his hands. “Two more nice young ladies? I didn’t see a thing.”

  Showing my friends backstage, there was a green room for the bands as well as another room that was more of a lounge for their close friends, tour manager, and Skippy’s mom. While she was busy regaling the crowd with tales of when she was a backup singer for bands at this venue back in the eighties, I found space in the corner for the three of us.

  “Is there anything we can help with?” Brynn asked.

  “We’re up for anything short of cleaning toilets,” Jenna giggled.

  I laughed. “Thanks, but everything is running perfectly smoothly. The room is filling up, the opening band starts in a few minutes. Other than checking my phone for emergencies, I’m done.”

  Jenna shook her head. “Organization always makes everything run more smoothly, but you take the cake, girl.”

  “Thank you,” I said, rolling my shoulders back to relax them. “After the quiet literary events I was working on earlier in the year, then that giant video game party, it’s nice to do something more in the middle.”

  “Have you checked on Ethan?” Brynn asked. “How’s he doing?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t want to get in his way right before a show.”

  “You need to at least drop in and say hello,” Jenna said. “Those sensitive artist types, and all that. You wouldn’t want him to feel abandoned.”

  “We’ve been texting off and on. He’s fine.”

  “Still,” Brynn said, “If he’s right next door, just pop by for a split second.”

  Nodding, I stood up. “You’re probably right.”

  I gave my hands a shake, as if that would drain some of my nervous energy. “I’m so afraid to be clingy that I’m terrified to get in his way now.” I didn’t want to tell them about my little meltdown last night.

  “You’ll be fine,” Jenna said, giving me a push.

  I walked into the next room, looking around to see the band all chatting quietly, sipping energy drinks.

  “How is the bright and shiny new Cat Badness doing?” I asked, flashing my brightest smile.

  Todd held up a hand to stop Ethan. “Before he jumps in and talks about how awesome you are, I just want to say thanks for really boosting this show. We’ve never played to a crowd this size, and I recognized a couple of podcasters I know when I took a peek out there.”

  Ethan’s head snapped around to look at him. “Who’s here?”

  “Not important,” I jumped in. “Sure, there’s a few podcasters and bloggers. But you guys are playing to the record company representatives, and the most enthusiastic fans.”

  They all nodded. “Thanks, Mom,” Rob joked.

  Ethan jumped up, dragging me out into the hallway by the elbow as he muttered, “I forgot to ask you about…” The second we were around the corner, he spun me against the wall, kissing me with such indescribable hunger that my knees wobbled.

  “I’m going to thank you for everything later,” he said, skimming his lips along my cheekbone. “I’m going to tell you how unfathomably beautiful you are, and how lucky I am to have you in my life.”

  His kisses turned a corner at my ear, slipping down my throat until I whimpered.

  “Not here,” I hissed.

  “I know.” His boyish grin was so handsome that I still couldn’t quite believe he was real. “Corina, I love you.”

  Looking deeply into his eyes, there was something strange there. Maybe it was the adrenaline of pre-show nerves, but something seemed a bit desperate.

  “And I love you,” I said, holding his face between my hands as I kissed him gently. “I also love the outfit you picked. But I’m going to stay out of your way now, so that I don’t I don’t mess with your energy. All right?”

  “You are fabulous for my energy,” he laughed.

  “Still, you likely have pre-show routines and things.”

  “I set up chairs at the side of the stage at soundcheck for you and your friends,” he said.

  “I wondered about those. Is that what they were for?”

  “Yes. You mentioned they were coming, and I want you right beside me. Is that okay?”

  I laughed. “Brynn is going to flip out. Thank you.”

  He kissed me again, then darted back inside their green room. Glancing inside, I saw him go into the washroom, as the other band members shared a look.

  “How do you think he’s holding up?” Todd asked.

  Rob shrugged. “Pretty well, given the circumstances.”

  Skippy laughed lightly. “Our boy doesn’t give a
damn that there’s four times the record execs that we would have expected, plus a ton of media. He’s only concerned about–”

  “Silence,” Rob hissed.

  Ducking back into the hallway, I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but now I was nervous as well. I’d tried to do everything I could to make things easy for Ethan. What could I have missed?

  All I could do was hope that it was one of those quirky musician things. I went back to my friends, leading them to our special chairs beside the monitor tech’s mixing board.

  Brynn, predictably, freaked out that we got to be so close to the band, and see the backstage area of such a historic venue.

  By the time the opening band was through and Cat Badness took the stage, I was wired on adrenaline. Ethan’s music was great, and the crowd was primed.

  The best thing that could possibly happen tonight would be for one of the record execs to call me after their set to arrange a meeting. But I’d settle for a great show, and deal with things in the morning.

  14

  _____

  Ethan

  I’d played some pretty big shows when I was a solo act, but everything seemed much easier with my band behind me.

  At first, it seemed like Corina had been expecting a band name like “Ethan Cooper and The Other Guys in the Van,” or something to imply that I was the band leader.

  I didn’t want that. Sure, I was the frontman, and the singer-songwriter, but each member brought a lot of punch to both the recordings and the live show. Once we were touring more regularly, we’d become even more of a team.

  I’d heard of groups taking months to figure out their names, but with us, it quickly came down to two. Raspberry Diesel Fuel was a mash of so many in-jokes that nobody else would ever understand it. Yet even if people didn’t understand our pet frustrations, Cat Badness was punchy.

  Now it was time to announce our new identity to the world.

  Todd drained the last few drops of his energy drink, flinging the can in a high arc straight into the trash can. “One million points,” he announced triumphantly, wiping his hands on his jeans.

  “We all good?” Skippy asked. “Packed house, new name, new last minute song. All of the elements we need, right?”

  “Absolutely,” I said, straightening up.

  Rob wound his arm back as if to punch me, then gave me a feather-light tap on the bicep. “Remember, the execs don’t matter. The media doesn’t matter. Only the fans.”

  Skippy looked over his shoulder to make sure his mother had already gone out front before adding, “Especially the cute ones.”

  We laughed as we walked down the hall and up into the side stage area. The opening band had cleared out, and our roadie had already switched out our gear.

  Looking out into the hall, hundreds of faces were ready for us. The row of young ladies who were pressed to the front of the stage were definitely ready for us.

  Glancing to the other side of the stage, Corina was sitting between her friends. Her timid smile was the only thing that made me a bit nervous. She couldn’t possibly think I was really looking at all those other girls, could she?

  Looking around at my three bandmates, I grinned, starting the only stupid pre-show ritual we had.

  “Three,” I announced in a deep, movie trailer narrator voice.

  “Two,” Rob joined me.

  “One,” Todd chuckled.

  “Rock time!” Skippy squealed, racing to the drum kit as we followed him into the lights.

  Strapping on my guitar, I quickly checked the tuning, then adjusted the microphone. “Hey folks,” I began. “Thanks so much for coming out to see our band tonight.”

  “I thought people were here to see Ethan Cooper?” Rob asked.

  “Nah, I think they’re here to see me,” Skippy said, standing up and flexing his arms to show off his tattoos while the girls in front shrieked in appreciation.

  “They’re here to find out the new band name,” Todd said in his most serious tone.

  “Indie rock aficionados,” I said, switching back to my dramatic, booming voice. “Welcome to the first show under our new band name...Cat Badness!”

  Skippy hollered, “One, two, three, four!” and we tore into our first song.

  The crowd obviously loved us, as we ripped through the first three tunes without a break.

  Then time began to speed up, and almost lose all meaning as the show seemed to go on autopilot. We were energetic, bouncing all over the stage as we played everything the crowd wanted to hear.

  I couldn’t stop glancing over to Corina’s beautiful, smiling face. There was only one song that truly mattered, and I needed to see her response.

  By the end of the set, as we finished our biggest hit, I finally risked a real look over toward the VIP area. A few of them were actually standing and cheering. All of them were riveted, and having a great time.

  “We likely should have closed with that little number,” I joked as the cheers died down. “I wrote a song a few months ago, and finally finished it last night. The music was pretty good, I think, but the lyrics were uninspired. Last night I discovered my true inspiration, and rewrote the important parts. So tonight, you’re the first people to hear this.”

  From their reaction, Corina was absolutely right. The audience seemed thrilled that they were first.

  Skippy counted us into a slower song, as I turned to sing directly to Corina. I watched her eyes as I revealed everything I’d ever wanted in a dream girl. Everything I’d ever hoped to find. Just one girl who was right for me, who would bring out my best, and accept all of my love.

  Her bottom lip quivered as she became misty eyed. Taking a few deep breaths during Rob’s guitar solo, I turned even more toward the side of the stage as I sang the alternate version of the bridge.

  Two weeks ago, she walked in the room

  In twenty-four hours I felt our love bloom

  The girl of my dreams, the love of my life

  The one that I need to become my wife

  Two months from now, she’s gonna move in

  I’ll wake up each morning to watch her grin

  Six months later we’ll start the plan

  To make her my wife and me her man

  A single tear rolled down her cheek as Corina froze, while her friends grabbed her hands. We all played more softly so that she couldn’t miss a word of the chorus.

  A year from today is a Saturday

  A year from today is our wedding day

  You’re the love of my life, I live for your smile

  Next year is the day when we walk down the aisle

  As the song ended, I was vaguely aware of applause, but all I could see was Corina in absolute shock. Then she smiled, unlocking my tension, and allowing me to breathe again.

  15

  _____

  Corina

  As the last chords rang out, I wiped tears from my eyes, as Jenna and Brynn held my elbows so that I didn’t wobble.

  The crowd went wild, the applause thundering through the room. I didn’t think it could possibly get louder, but then Ethan handed his guitar to Todd and turned to me, getting down on one knee. As the audience realized this was a real proposal I thought my ears might implode.

  My friends walked me forward, holding me steady. Ethan pulled a little box from his pocket, and waved to the crowd to shush, putting a finger over his lips. Since the microphone stand was too high, Todd stood behind him, tipping the mic down to catch his words.

  Standing in front of this gorgeous man, peering through a blur of tears, I honestly couldn’t believe this was happening.

  “Corina, I think I loved you even back in high school. There aren’t words to express how much I love you now. I want to be your man forever, and never lose you again. I need you to know that you’re the only woman for me from this second forward. Will you marry me?”

  Suddenly the crowd was dead silent, as if everyone was holding their breath. Ethan held the box up, showing me a light blue sapphire ring, encircled w
ith tiny diamonds.

  “He even knows your favorite color is blue,” Brynn gasped.

  “Go with your heart,” Jenna muttered.

  The two of them released me, stepping back.