He nodded, warming to the idea more and more as he let her words sink in.
“I need to go get my guitar from home,” he said, searching his pockets for his keys.
“No need, Sue Ann brought it. Everything's ready,” she assured him.
“When do I go on?”
“Right after Noah. You're closing the show!”
He laughed, “Talk about a tough act to follow. Not to mention, now I feel under-dressed. That kid's wearing a miniature tux!”
Karina laughed, “I don't know what movie or show he's seen that made him think that's what you have to wear when you perform on stage, but it is literally all he would consider wearing. Don't worry about your own clothes, though. No one expects a WG-squared to be dressed in anything but jeans and vintage tee.”
He furrowed his brow in puzzlement, “WG-squared?”
She laughed, “You've never heard that? It's the whole John Mayer-Jason Mraz-James Morrison thing. It stands for White Guy With Guitar.”
“Ha! Maybe they should have called it the JM phenomenon.”
She thought for a minute, running the names through her head, “That is weird. I never really thought of that. But it wouldn't work, anyway.”
“Why?”
She cracked a half-smile, “Leaves out Jack Johnson.”
Ryan took a deep breath and said, “Wow. This is insane! This is probably the biggest bomb you could have dropped on me tonight,” he concluded, smiling.
With those words still hanging in the air, Karina heard a voice behind her – a voice that was familiar to millions, but which she had not heard in person in at least 6 months – call expansively, “Karina, my love! Surprise!”
Chapter 10
Karina froze in place, her eyes widening. “Oh, my God,” she groaned in chagrin, “This can't be happening.”
Ryan, his concern-filled eyes glued to hers, said, “Who is it?”
She shook her head, not wanting to answer.
Ryan glanced up over her shoulder to see who had called her name, and exclaimed, “Holy shit!”
“Yeah,” Karina confirmed, “Exactly.”
Karina, deciding that she had better turn around and face the music, slowly pivoted in the direction of her visitor, just in time to see Kelly King rush up to him and let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Kelly had agreed to help with stage managing after she hadn't made the final cut, a decision that Karina suspected had everything to do with maintaining a close proximity to Ryan and little to do with town spirit and making the Follies a success.
“At least she's making herself useful by distracting him with her asinine babblings,” Karina muttered bitterly to Ryan.
Ryan looked at her, confused, “So you know him?”
Karina sighed and looked defensive, “Yeah, I guess.”
The “him” in question was Kyle Austen Reed. The world's third highest paid male movie star. Twice voted People's Sexiest Man of the Year. Three time Academy Award nominee, two time winner. Arguably one of the handful of people on earth more famous than Karina.
The last Karina had heard, he had been in the Amazon filming a movie. And yet here he was. Standing backstage at the Hope Falls High School auditorium.
Amanda came rushing up, clipboard in hand, and grabbed Karina's arm. “I heard a scream, what happened?”
Karina gestured irritably to where Kelly was still babbling to Kyle about what a big fan she was. Amanda looked over and did a double take. When what she was seeing registered, the clipboard she was holding slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor.
“Oh my God, is that...”
“Kyle Austen Reed,” Ryan supplied.
“What is he...what...” she stammered.
“Karina knows him,” Ryan answered.
Amanda's jaw dropped, and she whipped her cell phone out of her back pocket and started typing furiously.
Karina said, “What are you doing?”
“I'm texting Lauren and Sam to get their asses back here!”
In less than 20 seconds, a breathless Lauren and Sam both sprinted up to the group.
“What's the emergency?” Lauren inquired urgently.
Amanda pointed to where Kyle Austen Reed was standing amid a steadily gathering crowd of the evening's performers, and said, “Looks like a friend of Karina's decided to drop by.”
“Whoa!” Sam exclaimed when she saw who it was.
Even Lauren, who was usually not given to overt displays, let out an audible gasp.
Ryan shook his head as if trying to clear it. He said, “OK, ladies, as interesting as this is – and don't get me wrong, this is some serious craziness – I just found out that I'm playing tonight, so I need to go and locate my guitar, tune it, warm up...all that good stuff.”
He flashed a brilliant smile at Karina, “I trust you'll fill me in later.”
She smiled wanly back at him as he walked away.
Sam turned to Karina and said, “Is Kyle Austen Reed here to see you?”
Karina mumbled, “Yeah, probably.”
Amanda jumped in, “How do you know him?”
Karina sighed, “We're, I guess, friends.”
Lauren narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “You guess?”
Karina cast her eyes heavenward and threw her arms out in surrender, “Fine, OK? We're booty call buddies.”
Lauren adopted a slightly chastising tone as she teased, “I seem to remember that when we were playing truth or dare at Amanda's that time, and the question arose about whether you had ever slept with an A-lister, you denied it. Am I remembering that wrong?”
Karina grumbled, “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
Sam jumped in, “I remember that! I believe that your exact words were, 'ew, you guys, famous guys are gross. I like to be the most vain one in a relationship.' Something along those lines.”
Karina scowled and crossed her arms. “Fine, I lied. Sue me.”
Lauren and Sam seemed to be rolling with this new information, even enjoying the new ammunition with which to tease Karina. Amanda, on the other hand, looked slightly hurt.
She turned her doe-eyes to Karina and said, “Kar, I just don't understand why you felt you had to lie to us.”
Karina waved this off, “I don't know. I mean, we're not public. Not that there's anything to be public about. It's not a relationship. It's just...It's just nothing.”
At that moment, Kyle Austen Reed broke away from the fawning crowd surrounding him and made his way over to where the Fabulous Four were standing.
“Karina, my love!” He exclaimed expansively, “I've come to rescue you from these humble surroundings.”
Karina looked supremely annoyed as she grabbed him by the shirtsleeve and dragged him to a darkened corner where she hoped no one could hear them. It didn't have quite the desired effect, however, as her three friends trailed after them like ducklings, despite Karina's death-glares in their direction.
“Kyle, what are you doing here?” she hissed.
Kyle ignored that question and turned to Sam, Amanda, and Lauren.
“First things first, my raven-haired beauty,” he said, “You must introduce me to your entourage.”
“OK, dial it down a notch. They're not my entourage. They're my friends,” Karina responded quickly, and with clear embarrassment. Indicating each in turn, she said, “This is Lauren, Sam, and Amanda.”
Kyle Austen Reed greeted each of them as they were introduced, taking the hand they offered for a handshake and gripping it in both of his large, strong hands. He looked intently into each of their eyes as he repeated their name, and added, “I'm Kyle Austen Reed. It's so lovely to meet you.”
The girls were somewhat dumbstruck, but Sam did manage to breathe, “I can't believe we're really meeting Kyle Reed.”
“Kyle Austen Reed,” he corrected quickly, in a friendly but firm tone.
“OK, yeah....Kyle Austen Reed,” Sam replied, as if in a trance.
Karina looked at her friends, with their pale fac
es and their mouths agape, and waved them off. They stood rooted where they were.
Karina sighed, “Guys? A little privacy?”
Lauren turned and scanned the backstage area, “Looks like people are getting ready. We're pretty much alone.”
“Oh, God,” Karina began to rub her temples, and it was clear that a gigantic headache was forming behind her eyes.
She looked back up just in time to see an entranced Lauren, reaching out and half-poking-half-petting Kyle Austen Reed's arm as if she suspected this was a dream and was trying to ascertain if it were real or not.
Kyle turned to Lauren, “Isn't the fabric exquisite? This blazer is constructed of wool that was woven specifically for me by monks in a remote mountaintop monastery in Italy, who broke their vows of silence for the first time in 20 years to discuss the weave and coloring,” he put his hand over his heart to illustrate how much the gesture meant to him, “It's one of my most treasured possessions.”
Karina stared at him with open incredulity, “That's the biggest pile of horseshit I've ever heard. You can't possibly believe that's true.”
He turned to her, his face lighting up as he remembered his original task, “Karina, of course! Forgive me, my darling, for letting my attention wander from you. I assure you it won't happen again.”
Karina shook her head in annoyance, “That's not what I was saying. Like...AT ALL.”
At that, Karina felt herself crushed to his chest in a massive embrace, “That's alright, my love, you don't need to be strong anymore! Kyle Austen Reed is here!”
“I do not need nor want you here!” Karina attempted to yell, but the result was a mumble at best, because her face was smashed flat into Kyle Austen Reed's chest.
“When Bernie called and told me about your plight, I was on a plane in 5 minutes! Never fear, my love. I am here to save you from this rural squalor you've found yourself in.”
“Hey, now!” cried Amanda, offended.
“Oh, my gosh,” Karina groaned, “So. Many. Competing. Thoughts. Where to start? OK, here we go. First of all, what the hell? Bernie knows about us?”
Kyle Austen Reed nodded, “Oh, yes, Bernie has known about us for years. He always calls me when he knows that you're feeling a little down, a little lonely. Then, it's Kyle Austen Reed to the rescue!”
At this, he puffed out his chest like a proud peacock.
Karina paled, “OK. Good lord. Let's just set aside, for the moment, the fact that you've been flying around the country for years at the behest of my manager, paying me visits like a high-priced Gigolo...”
At this, Kyle stood a little taller and straightened his shoulders, “Yes, now that you mention it, it did somewhat recall my turn in Gentlemen of the Evening, in which I played...”
“It's not a compliment, Kyle!” Karina burst out.
At this, the expression on Kyle's face turned to one of overt pity. He began to stroke Karina's hair with long, bold movements.
“There, there, dear Karina. You're clearly under so much stress. It's a good thing that Bernie called me, I can see that now. Just leave everything to me. Kyle Austen Reed.”
“Yes, we get it, we know who you are,” replied Karina irritably, swatting his hand away, “And for heaven’s sake, stop petting me. I'm not a Golden Retriever, Kyle.”
“Kyle Austen Reed,” Lauren corrected, and Karina scowled at her.
“You're not helping.”
Lauren grinned back at her mischievously, “Karina! Kyle Austen Reed has come to rescue you from the wilderness! You don't seem grateful!”
Karina could feel her blood pressure rising, and took a deep breath to calm herself down. “Look, Kyle...”
“...Austen Reed,” Sam interjected, and Karina shot her a look.
She took another deep breath and began again.
“Kyle,” she stated firmly, “This is my home. I've made a decision to stay here, I don't need to be rescued. Now, while I do thank you very much for taking time from your schedule to come here...”
Kyle's face brightened as if he suddenly understood the situation.
“Wait a second, I don't like that look on your face,” Karina said apprehensively.
“Say no more, I understand completely!” Kyle exclaimed.
Karina sighed, “Somehow, I doubt that.”
“You want to settle here, among the unforgiving terrain and the hardscrabble people...”
“I'm gonna go ahead and renew my indignant, 'Hey, now!' at this point...” interrupted Amanda.
“We will join a proud tradition of Hollywood power couples who have retreated to the simplicity of a more earthy way of life. We shall return to the land. All we need to do is find the perfect, camera-ready spread and hire a staff of ranch hands. They should be weathered, but still handsome. A cook-slash-maid, possibly who has been with the property for generations. There are some additional details to work out, but all-in-all, I'd say we're a mere two to three months away from inviting Oprah to film a 'Next Chapter' segment here.”
“Kyle,” Karina pressed on, “We are not a Hollywood power couple.”
“Karina, my love, you give yourself too little credit...”
“We are not, nor have we ever been, a couple of any kind!” Karina cried, hysteria tinging her voice.
Kyle Austen Reed opened his mouth to reply, and Karina had a sneaking suspicion that whatever he was about to say, it wasn't going to be an acceptance of the reality of the situation. However, she was never to know for sure, because at that moment, Henry sauntered up to the group.
“Howdy, y'all!” he greeted the small knot of people standing there.
“Howdy, yourself,” said Kyle Austen Reed, hitting Henry with the full force of his movie star smile.
“I'm Henry Walker, I'm the mayor of Hope Falls,” Henry introduced himself, shaking Kyle's outstretched hand.
“So good to meet you. I feel honored that the town would send such an honorable emissary to greet me, and so quickly. I can see that Karina has made an excellent choice in deciding where to make our new home.”
Karina stepped on his foot, and Henry looked puzzled.
“Well, son, I don't know about all that, and I was here anyway, this being the Town Follies and all. And I do have to apologize, but I'm not much of a movie watcher, so I haven't personally heard of you. However, you do certainly have everyone here in the theater buzzing, I will say that.”
Kyle inclined his head in an exaggerated display of 'aw, shucks' humility. Karina rolled her eyes, but no one was paying attention to her at this point.
“So, I was wondering, as a nod to having such a distinguished guest in our midst, if you wouldn't mind taking over the MC duties this evening.”
Karina started to protest, “That's a horrible, horrible idea...”
But was cut off by Kyle Austen Reed's gregarious exclamation of, “Love to! Point me to the mic, I'm ready to go on.”
“Excellent, excellent,” Henry enthused, shaking Kyle's hand and then handing him a clipboard, “Here's the list of acts, written down in the order that they are going on, and a few facts that you can incorporate into your introductions. Now, do you need some time to prepare, son? This here show is set to start right about now, but if you need to sit a spell and study this here list, we can push back the curtain time.”
“Nonsense, Mr. Mayor!” Kyle exclaimed, throwing his arms wide, “You have called upon the services of Kyle Austen Reed and Kyle Austen Reed will not fail you! I am ready, sir!”
Henry looked skeptical to say the least.
Karina sighed, and begrudgingly put in, “He'll be fine, Henry. In fact, he'll probably be fantastic. If there's one thing he can do brilliantly without fail, it's improvise in front of a crowd.”
Kyle clutched Karina to his chest, affecting a pose as if they were on the cover of a bodice ripper. Well, if the heroines on the covers of bodice rippers had looked annoyed and been trying to swat at the heroes' faces, at any rate.
“I can do anything...ANYTHING...”
Kyle intoned dramatically, “Knowing that I have the unmitigated support of my ladylove.”
From where her face was smashed against the side of Kyle Austin Reed's neck, Karina managed to mumble, “I have the feeling this is going to be a long, long night.”
--- ~ ---
Karina stood with Ryan in the wings, just offstage, waiting for Noah to finish reciting his Shel Silverstein poem. She could feel the tension of Ryan's jangling nerves coming off of him in waves. She, herself, remembered the first time she had performed in front of a crowd this big. She had been every bit as tense as Ryan was now, and she had had the added benefit of working her way up from small crowds, to medium-sized crowds, and finally to large crowds.
Ryan had never played for more than fifteen or twenty people in the cafe, and that wasn't even a situation like this – an auditorium replete with lights, and a stage, and an audience in seats facing forward, their attention focused nowhere but on him and his music.
She had truly thrown him into the deep end with this little stunt of hers. She only hoped that he would eventually forgive her, should it not go well.
She placed her hand on his shoulder and said tentatively, “How are you feeling? I think you're gonna do great!”
He turned and looked at her, excitement sparking in his eyes, and said, “I just wanna get out there!”
A smile spread slowly across her face as she realized that she had been right about him. Performing was inside him, deep in his soul. The jangling tension she had felt coming off of him in waves was not fear, but anticipation. Her instincts had been correct. He was born for the stage, he just hadn't known it because he'd never stepped onto one before tonight.
Finally, Noah finished his poem with a flourish, arms flung out dramatically, to thunderous applause. He marched offstage proudly, and Karina gave him a big hug.
Sweet Harmonies Page 11