I’m awed by his rags-to-riches story and touched at how much it obviously mattered to him to be able to help his family. Luca is the most amazing man I’ve ever met. The more I find out about him, the more I love him.
He frowns, lost in thought. I am puzzled. Everything he’s saying is how his whole life went from difficult to a dream because of his amazing talent. “What is it?”
He reaches for me and his fingers softly caress my face. “Everything changed suddenly. I went from worrying about where our next meal would come from to having more money than I could ever spend. Sometimes it doesn’t seem real. I worry it might all suddenly come to an end. I have recurring nightmares about walking up on stage to loud boos. What if I bumble an interview or a false tabloid post comes out? Will my fans abandon me? I’m not really the person they see on stage.”
This confession surprises me. Luca always seems so confident. I never imagined that he, like me, struggles with doubt. Maybe it’s the rejection we suffered when we were children. It’s hard to trust in anything when you’ve seen how quickly things can go wrong. But Luca has such remarkable talent. He has fans on every continent. I can’t imagine anything with his career could ever go wrong. “I understand why you have doubts, especially after everything you’ve been through as a child. But I think you’re selling yourself short. I like you just the way you are very much. And you express many of your deepest feelings in your music and your fans can’t get enough of you.”
“Thank you, Jade. I appreciate your kind words.”
“I mean it, Luca. I know more than anyone how hard it is to believe in yourself. But you’re such a star. You have no idea how excited I am to see you on stage. I can’t wait.”
Luca leans in and kisses me on the cheek. “It will be great to see your face out there.”
A shiver of excitement rolls through me as I imagine watching Luca up there on that stage wowing the crowds. He’ll be thinking of me while he’s up there. Won’t he? And he’ll notice me out there in the crowd.
Suddenly, a cloud passes over the sun. The breeze raises goosebumps on my arms and shoulders and I shiver.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Jade
I’m sitting in a front-row seat at the Vienna Boys’ Choir concert hall. Luca’s up on stage, wearing a white collared shirt and tight black pants. He tossed his black jacket onto the stage toward the end of the last song, which brought shrieks of excitement from the female members of the audience.
He performed this sexy striptease act in an amusing way, with a poking-fun-at-himself smile and overexaggerated sways of his hips that incited laughter. Once he shucked off the jacket, he unbuttoned the top three buttons on his shirt, removed his cufflinks and dropped them into his pocket and pushed up his shirtsleeves, revealing his muscular forearms. When a woman tossed a pair of thong underwear up on stage, the sudden sting of jealousy I experienced quickly subsided after Luca picked them up and pulled them on over his pants, did a 360 degree turn like he was modeling. How he did that without missing a beat in the song, I’ll never know. When everyone laughed, he shook his head, slipped them off and tossed them aside. Then he held the microphone up to his mouth, joked about fashion issues when sweating profusely up on stage, and introduced the next song.
His eyes closed, his forehead creased, he sings with so much energy and passion. Even now that he’s lightened up his clothing load, his face is drenched with sweat. The purplish stage lights exaggerate the sexy dimples around his mouth.
I tap my foot on the wooden floors to the beat of the music. I feel the rhythm of this song move through me. I’ve loved every number Luca’s performed. No wonder he’s achieved worldwide fame. He’s beyond talented. Listening to his songs online was incredible. But hearing him perform in person is something I’ll never forget. I can see and feel his emotions. Every expression on his face, every lyric that he sings, every movement of his body delivers a deep and profound experience. I dab my eyes with a tissue when he sings a song dedicated to his mother. He sings of how she cared for him, how her love for him made it possible for him to become the man he is today.
I wonder if other people in the audience notice more than the melodic swell of each note and the unique rhythm of his music. Do they understand each word he’s saying, are they—like me—experiencing the depth of his feelings?
I glance around me to gauge people’s reactions to Luca’s performance. People are swaying to the music, clapping their hands, even singing along. My eyes land on a gray-haired man in the audience who doesn’t seem moved by the performance. He’s at least 20 years older than the rest of the crowd. His arms are crossed over his chest, he has a scowl on his face. What could he be upset about? Everyone’s having such a good time. I look away for a moment and then study the man’s face again. There’s something about him that looks vaguely familiar. But I can’t put a finger on where I’ve seen him before.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Jade
Between songs, Luca entertains the audience with short anecdotes and humor. He speaks in English, then in German. He does a stellar job of connecting with the concert goers. He announces the final song of the night. “This song is for a beautiful lady who matters very much to me. This is Jade’s Song,” he says. And then his gaze locks on me and he blows a kiss in my direction.
My mouth falls open and I clutch my chest. For a moment I forget to breathe. It moved me so much when he told me he wrote a song about me swimming with dolphins. But now he’s going to perform this song—with me here—in front of everyone. Many things that he’s said and done have rocked my world. He’s touched me in ways I never imagined a person could. But this moment. He’s announced in front of everyone that this song is just for me.
The instrumental introduction ends. The rich tonality of his voice meets my ears. And the lyrics. They’re about me swimming in the sea with the dolphins. Hearing the depth of feeling in his deep voice, watching the sway of his body matching the beat of the music, I feel his heart reaching for mine in every note that he sings. I allow his tenor voice to move through me.
Mysterious woman, she swims in the sea
So strong, so free
Surrounded by dolphins
Surrounded by blue-green sea
She looks free
The way I want to be.
He wrote this song from the depth of his heart. I hear it. Feel it. He loves me. The real me. The woman who loves the sea, who swims with dolphins, who came to Mexico on a whim. That’s why he’s sharing this song he wrote for me with the whole world. To express his feelings loud and clear. His voice speaks to my heart. I never imagined being with a man could make me feel like this. Why did I ever doubt him? He’s made it clear how much he cares for me. Luca is different from other men. I don’t have to worry any more. I can just enjoy every minute we share. We’ll have many days and years together even though his career means we’ll sometimes be apart. There will always be the excitement of coming together again, a renewal of that flame that burns so strongly between us that it can’t possibly ever burn out. I thought I needed to hide from men. But what I needed was to wait until I found the right one. And how he’s up on the stage. Singing about how much I move him.
When the song ends, everyone in the crowd jumps to their feet. There’s a roar of applause. They absolutely love him. He thanks the audience and waits for the noise to diminish before announcing they’ll do an encore. He’s wearing an ear-to-ear smile when he blows me another kiss. I blow one back to him. His gaze scans the audience, then stops. But now he’s not looking at me. The lines around his jaw tighten. His posture looks suddenly rigid. Something has upset him. I look around me, trying to figure out what has distracted him. And then my eyes land on the man I saw before. Oh, my God. Now I know where I’ve seen him before. I’ve seen him every time I’ve looked at Luca. He has the same muscular build. The same chiseled facial features. That man in the audience must be Luca’s father.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Luca
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When I see my father’s face out there in the audience, hot anger surges up from deep inside me. Cómo pudo hacer esta? How could he do this? My heart thunders in my chest so hard I hear it in my ears. All the sounds out in the crowd seem muted. He can’t be here. Ahora no. Not now. Just minutes ago, I shared my new song with my European audience. Jade’s song. It was such a rush, singing those lyrics while my heart was so full of love for her. I wanted to share my deep feelings for her with my audience and to have them know that she is here. Jade is the one I want to spend my life with. Yet all the beauty of tonight’s experience was instantly snuffed when I saw my father’s face.
His presence ruins everything. I don’t want to relive the pain of his desertion. I don’t want to face him. He must want to talk to me. Is he going to ask for my forgiveness? Will he ask for money? A drumroll from Steve snaps me out of my thoughts. The audience has quieted down. I haven’t said a single word. I clear my throat. Introduce the encore song. My voice sounds strange and robotic. A strange silence falls over the crowd. I should pull it together, and not allow my father’s presence to throw me off like this. Already, I feel myself losing my connection with the audience. All that excitement we built performing Jade’s song is gone.
The finale falls flat on the audience. The words flow from my lips, but there’s no heart behind them. I’m so overwrought, all I’m thinking about is getting through the song. Part way through the number, Lorenzo steps up to the microphone to accompany me. Hearing his voice supporting mine boosts my morale. Does he know our father is out there in the audience? Maybe together we can face this.
I walk off stage with a splitting headache and a sense of panic. Backstage, reporters have gathered. Where is our press agent? He’s supposed to keep them away until our limo arrives, so I only have to say a few short comments. I look around for Lorenzo. I don’t see him anywhere. Steve, Raphael and Larry are still onstage, packing up their equipment. I should have waited for them. Now, I’ll have to face the reporters alone.
I stride briskly toward the dressing room. My vocal chords ache. My throat feels like the Sahara Desert. It’s time for my usual salt water rinse and tall glass of ice-cold coconut water. Jade’s influence.
A reporter races up to me and sticks a microphone in my face. “Your performance had so much energy,” says the bald man with large round glasses. “The crowd was going crazy out there.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“But then you lost it. All that momentum you built up was just gone. What happened?”
I don’t want to talk about this performance that could have been one of my best and then, thanks to my father, turned out to be horrible. I clench my jaw, willing myself not to break. “I have no comment.”
“Are you sick?”
I grasp at the straw he’s offered. “It’s just a stomach bug, nothing to worry about. But I need to get to my dressing room.” I hate telling a falsehood, but if I can get this reporter off my back, the white lie will be worth it. I step around the man, but another woman hops in front of me, taking his place.
“Did you see someone out in the audience from your past? Like an ex-girlfriend, perhaps?” the female reporter asks.
I hear the backstage door open and close. I whip my head in that direction, hoping to see my press agent or my brother or someone who can help me. It’s Jade. The instant I see her, some of my anxiety fades. She makes a beeline toward me, an angry look on her face.
“Please,” she says in a firm, authoritative voice. She pushes past the reporters and grips my arm. “He needs to go backstage to have a minute to breathe and get rehydrated. Can’t you see he’s exhausted?”
“Can you comment on what happened out there?” the male reporter asks.
Jade tucks a lock of loose hair behind her ear. “It was an amazing performance. But hearing him perform that song for me with so much feeling.” She pauses and presses her lips together. Emotion thickens her voice. “It was one of the best moments of my life. And it was obvious the audience loved it, too.”
“But after that, he fell apart,” the woman declares.
Jade holds her head high. She doesn’t blink once when she speaks. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She tugs on my arm to move me away from them. “I have no further comments.”
“You’re both hiding something. What is it?” asks the man.
The door opens again and my father steps toward us.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Luca
My mouth tastes like metal. The room sways. Jade grips my arm tighter to steady me. No es posible. My father can’t be here. This can’t be happening. I never wanted to see him again. These reporters will figure out that he’s my weakness, the one person who can destroy me. My father’s lips twist into a self-satisfied smile as he approaches the reporters.
“It seems I’m just in time for the interviews.”
The three reporters turn toward him. I look at Jade. Her eyes widen with panic. She knows I’m in trouble, and I don’t think she’s sure how to handle this either.
“Who is this?” a female reporter asks.
I can’t speak. My mouth—and every muscle in my body are frozen.
The man who shares many of my facial features stares at me when he answers the question. “I’m Luca’s father.”
Jade releases my arm and steps toward the reporters. “We need all of you to leave. Luca hasn’t seen his father for a long time and, uh, this is a private moment.”
The bald man leans toward Jade. “How long has it been since he’s seen his father?”
“Like I said, this is a private matter. Now if you’ll excu—”
“I can let you in on a dirty little secret. He stopped speaking to me when he got rich and famous. Thinks he’s too good for his old man now.”
“Why are you lying?” Jade bursts out. “You abandoned Luca’s mother as well as Luca and his brothers and sister when they were just kids.”
My stomach twists into knots. I taste bile. I’m not sure what to do. I want him gone. I’m afraid if I say something or get too close to him, I’ll rip him apart. I have so much suppressed rage buried deep inside.
“Is that what he told you? His mother was nothing but a slut. I left her because she was sleeping with other men and I’d had enough. For some reason, Luca’s always wanted to protect her. Even though she’s a worthless bitch. He’s a very good liar.” My father smirks when he looks at Jade. His gaze sweeps the length of her body.
He shouldn’t look at her like he’s imagining all her soft curves naked. She belongs to me. I need to protect her from men like my father. I bunch my hands into fists and grit my teeth. I want to break every bone in his body right now, and I’ll do it too, if he doesn’t shut up.
“He probably told you that you’re the only woman in his life too, I suppose. But he’s just like his mother. He never stays with anyone for long.”
The color drains from Jade’s face. Her mouth falls open. She glances from my father to me. “It’s not true,” I say. My voice cracks when I speak. “Any of it.”
My father’s piercing laugh makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
The door opens again. It’s my press agent, Jorge. “What’s going on here?” he demands.
“You’re supposed to keep them out.” My voice sounds broken.
“Out. All of you. Now.” Jorge doesn’t take no for an answer. He grips one reporter by the shoulder and turns him toward the door. Finally, they all leave. But the damage has been done. They will run straight to their newspapers and TV stations. I’ll be ruined. I knew this might happen. It’s always been a nagging thought in the back of my mind. Even worse is seeing the expression on Jade’s face. I can see the conflict in her wide, hurt eyes. She doesn’t know what or whom to believe.
I take a step toward her and reach for her arm. She takes a step back.
“Do you want me to throw him out?” Jorge asks. “I heard he was in the audience. He was talking to reporters befo
re the concert. I wanted to keep him from getting to you. I’m sorry I got here too late.”
I give my father a cold stare. “That’s okay, Jorge. Let’s find out what it is the man wants. Probably just money.”
Jade looks paler than ever. “I’m going to step outside. Give you some privacy to talk.”
“You don’t need to. I—”
“It would be better if you left.” My father speaks dismissively to Jade like she’s a servant.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” I shout.
My father just laughs.
Jade opens the door and closes it quietly behind her. My heart feels torn apart. I know she’s suffering. She’s probably trying to decide whether what my father said is true. Her ex treated her like garbage. She’s learned to expect that kind of treatment from men. If only there was some way I could convince her I love her. I don’t want to lose her. She means so much to me. She needs me, and I want to be there for her. I want to prove to her that I care.
I turn toward my father. My body trembles with rage. How dare he show up here like this? “How much do I need to pay you to stay out of my life forever? I can write you a check right n—”
“Is that any way to speak to your father?”
“How can you walk in here like this after all you’ve done? And you have the nerve to lie to my girlfriend and speak to her like she’s a servant.”
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to talk to you alone.”
Jade's Song (South of the Border Book 2) Page 16