"You were so freaking incredible Angela," Rachel hugged her tightly as she came off stage, amazed at how collected her friend seemed to be. If she'd have been in her shoes she would have probably just froze completely.
"That was singularly the most exciting moment of my entire life," Angela laughed softly. She'd been amazed that all the nervousness had disappeared the minute she'd opened her mouth to sing. It was almost like someone else took over her body, it felt so natural.
Dozens of new fans were trying to push their way toward her and Lenny quickly guided her and Rachel back to the dressing room. A table full of all her favorite snacks were lined up there as well as flowers from Nolan. She was so excited about the performance that even thinking about him didn't put a damper on her mood for a change.
"Angela you have to let me know if you want to meet any of your new fans," he had been blown away by her beautiful singing and felt proud to consider her a friend.
"They want to meet me?" She was blown away that people actually thought she was good enough to want to talk to her.
"Well duh Ang," Rachel said laughing gleefully, it was so apparent that she had no idea the spell she put on people when she opened her mouth.
"Of course I want to meet them," Angela said and shook her head at Rachel's comment. "It would be rude not to thank them."
A few hours later, she wasn't so sure it was the greatest idea since she'd been bombarded with new fans and was dead on her feet. When Lenny finally guided them out of the room, she was more than a little thankful. She really appreciated all them telling her how much they enjoyed the show, but her mind and body were exhausted.
Lenny finally managed to get them back to their hotel suite, but even then she couldn't rest. The band members from Desolite and a few of the people from the label were all convened in their room, ready to celebrate the start of what looked like an incredible tour.
It was a little after two in the morning when she and Rachel were finally allowed to get some rest. For the next two months it was the same thing night after night except on those rare occasions when they weren't performing. Marcus and his little group had become their closest friends after two months of travelling on the road.
The last night of the tour when Rachel and Marcus didn't join them for the celebration, she knew something had happened between the two of them. Angela was ecstatic for her friend, but completely worn out. She'd no idea that being a vocalist was so emotionally and physically draining. After a few weeks, each gig they played melded into the next and she didn't even know what city they were in most of the time.
The next morning, she was more than a little excited about taking time off and driving back home. Rachel rolled in a little after nine in the morning, and it was plain to see she'd enjoyed spending the night with Marcus. "So...." she had to rag her friend a little about giving in to the man after swearing she had no such intention.
Rachel blushed, and walked over to the island bar in the kitchen, pulling up a stool. "What can I say, the guy has a body to match that incredible voice."
"Rach!" Angela couldn't believe her friend had said that. Giggling like a school girl, she raised her eyebrows. "So will the two of you be seeing each other again?" Walking over to the coffee pot, she poured them both a cup before joining her at the bar.
Rachel gave a small shrug of her shoulders, "We're going to see how it goes. He's got the rest of the year off from the tours, but they are planning a new album, and well California isn't that far from Vegas."
She had discovered Marcus and his band all lived in California, and had promised to make a trip to visit them when the tour was over. "I really hope it does work into something Rach, you deserve someone who can really love you."
"I'm not going to get my hopes up, but I told him we'd try," she didn't want to admit that she really wanted something more to come of their one night stand.
Angela walked over and picked up the phone as it interrupted their conversation. Lenny told her that the bus would be pulling out in an hour and she relayed the information to Rachel. "Did you want to grab breakfast before we head out?"
"Coffee's good for me, unless you're hungry?" She really just wanted to climb aboard the tour bus and sleep for their fifteen hour trip back home. She'd definitely not gotten any sleep with Marcus the night before.
"I'm good, I've already grabbed a shower so I'm going to finish packing up."
"I'll grab a quick wash, and then help you out." Taking a sip of her coffee she slid off the stool and walked off to the bathroom.
Angela had already packed most of her things up last night, living out of a suitcase had almost become normal since they stayed in a new hotel at least every week. She helped Rachel gather her things when she was finished with her shower and they made their way back to the bus with the escort of the security team.
While Rachel crashed in the bed, she hung out with the security team at the front of the bus, having gotten plenty of sleep the night before. She hadn't heard from Nolan at all during her tour, and wondered if he thought of her at all. She knew they'd have to meet when she got back because of the upcoming trial, and she wasn't really sure how she felt about that.
After the first week on the road, she didn't have a lot of time to think about how things had ended with them. The hectic schedule, between the performances and talk shows had taken all of her time. Now that things were somewhat normal again, she thought they at least needed to sit down and talk things over.
After a few hours of trying to keep up with the conversation from Lenny and his team, she finally dozed off. She really loved hanging out with Lenny, but when they boys began they usually got off into subjects that didn't interest her at all. It was no big surprise that her dreams were filled with all the things that had happened over the last few months on the road. Outside of Nolan, things in her life were more than she'd ever imagined. When the bus pulled to a stop she woke from the nap, knowing somehow even with everything she had now, there was one thing she wanted even more. Nolan.
16 Overnight Sensation
Getting back into a normal routine had been easier than she thought. After finding out from Lenny that Nolan was out of the country, there was little else she could do. He was scheduled back in tonight and she planned to be waiting for him at the airport. It had taken some serious finagling to talk Sanders into giving her his schedule, but in the last few months she'd gotten much more confident and had pushed until he gave in.
The finals for Overnight Sensation were being held and she knew that he had to make an appearance. Before driving to the airport with Lenny, she'd dressed in one of the new evening gowns she'd acquired, hoping Nolan wouldn't be able to refuse to escort her to the event. There were only three contestants left; Lizzie, Devon and Trisha. As catty as it felt to think it she hoped Trisha was not the winner.
Lizzie and Devon had both kept up with her on tour and she was really looking forward to seeing them again, even if she knew their attention would be focused on tonight's performances. The dress she was wearing gained her several admiring looks as they made it through airport security, but there was only one person's attention she hoped she'd catch.
They arrived at the gate where Nolan's private aircraft had just landed, and she felt her stomach fill with butterflies. Smoothing down the sequined blue material, she willed her hands to stop shaking. It felt like an entire lifetime had passed since they'd been in the same place together, and when he walked through the passage way her heart skipped a beat.
So damn beautiful, he thought giving a smile before he had time to think about what he was doing. The new recording label had gone off without a hitch, and while he was excited about the new business adventure, his mind had been on one beautiful blonde angel, and now she was standing before him. "I hear everything went incredibly well on the tour." It wasn't what he wanted to say, he wanted to tell her how much he'd missed her and longed for things to be different.
Taking a deep breath, she allowed her eyes to roam over his g
orgeous body encased in the formal tuxedo. "I missed having you there," she managed to whisper, longing overcoming every thought she had in her head.
To say he was shocked at her confession was a definite understatement. He'd thought with all her new fame she'd have very little time to consider him at all. "I watched some of the recordings you were just as amazing as I knew you'd be." He couldn't tell her just how many times he'd thought of her over the last few months, it wasn't fair to desire what he couldn't have.
"I didn't come here to talk about my performance Nolan," she wished he would give any indication that he'd missed her as well, but it seemed that just wasn't the case. Maybe what they'd shared didn't mean as much to him as it did to her, she had to consider that. "I'd hoped I could talk you into taking me to the contest tonight." Was she being too pushy?
The show, of course, why else would she have come, he thought despondently. "I'd be honored to escort you." He knew the reporters would be thrilled with the prospect of them showing up together, and he was sure Sanders had told her it would be good publicity. Even though that thought process made sense, it wasn't the reason he wanted her to be by his side.
His security team escorted them back to the waiting limousine, and they slid into their seats silently. She didn't know how to start a conversation about what she wanted from him, and he apparently wasn't going to speak about anything but work, she noticed as he pulled out his computer and started going over his business schedule. For a moment she considered flinging his laptop in the floor, making him pay attention to her, but decided that was just a little too irrational. Her temper was almost at a boiling point when his phone rang, since he was virtually ignoring her presence.
"What the hell do you mean she can't perform, we're less than an hour away from production!" Their main act had cancelled at the last minute, claiming she had strep throat, and considering that the show had been building up her performance for a month this could have serious repercussions. "Yes she's riding in with me, I'll ask if she'll consider it, but damn it I want action taken against the group, strep throat doesn't come on in a few hours, they had plenty of time to notify us!" He slammed his phone shut, hoping Angela would be willing to fill in or the ratings for the show could take a big hit.
"Mirage just cancelled on us, I need a replacement, would you consider going on tonight?" He knew he had no right to ask her to do a last minute gig, but he was really out of options here.
She wanted to tell him to go to hell after the silent treatment he'd given her for the last fifteen minutes, but knew she couldn't be so callous. "Sure Nolan, I'll go on, with one exception." She might not be able to turn him down in good conscious, but she could get a little payback out of this deal.
"Well I'm pretty much in a bind here Angela, so whatever it is you want it's yours." He wasn't sure why he was surprised that she was going to make demands now, but the fact that she was turning out just like the other singing Diva's he worked with made him feel a moment of regret.
"You accompany me and we do that song we worked on during rehearsals for the show." She watched his beautiful eyes widen at what she was suggesting, and had to smile. She knew he hadn't performed publicly in years, and what she was asking would pull him completely out of his comfort zone.
"Angela the pianist we have for the show would be a much better choice, this is live television after all." The thought of performing for a crowd again was something he hadn't even considered since he took over the company, and for the first time in years he felt a wave of nervousness fill him.
"That's my offer Fitzgerald, take it or find another performer." She knew he didn't have time to get a fill in on such short notice and this was one demand that he'd have to meet. She felt a little guilty about throwing him into this without warning, but it was only a small smidge of guilt, she told herself. He was so incredibly talented and he hid away his gifts, just like he hid the wonderful man he clouded behind his smart ass attitude.
They arrived at the auditorium that had been rented out for the final performance of Overnight Sensation, and he actually felt a little nauseated at the thought of being in the limelight this way again. "You are not leaving me much of a choice here." He should be furious that she was manipulating him so completely, but he had to admit there was a small part of himself that missed being a part of the music.
She slid out of the seat as the security guard opened the door, and murmured under her breath, "I guess that makes us even." She wanted to smack him for how he had treated her since the last time they were together, but at the same time she wanted him to pull her into his arms and have him tell her that he actually gave a damn."
They had no time to do anything but hurry as arrangements were made for their performance. This event would blow anything Mirage could have done off the stage, and the crowd tonight was getting a rare treat. The last show of the season was always a huge production and tonight would definitely be one for the press to talk about for weeks.
Lizzie, Devon, and Trisha had all survived for the finals, and regardless of who won, they all would have promising careers in the music industry because of their endurance. Even as Angela thought about her and Nolan's performance with nervous anticipation, she still hoped Lizzie or Devon took the title of Overnight Sensation this year. Trisha might have trained longer, but her attitude of superiority still ticked her off. Even now, when she had proven she had the ability to be a success the woman stuck her nose up in the air as if she were better.
Nolan had abandoned her the moment they made it through the crowd with backstage passes, and she knew he was warming up but it still irked her that he couldn't seem to get away quickly enough. Leaving her with her former competitors made her almost as nervous as they seemed to be, and it was the last thing she needed tonight. Performing with Nolan was going to take all her concentration, and not because she worried she'd screw up. Over the last few months she'd gained a confidence in her ability that made her feel like a changed woman. She just hoped that everyone on that stage wouldn't see that she was head over heels in love with a man who didn't seem to reciprocate her feelings.
Lizzie was the first to perform after the initial walk down memory lane from their beginning performances on the show, and she was as incredible as Angela knew she could be. Her interviews aired next and then Trisha took the stage, and as much as she hated to admit it, the woman knew how to control a stage and had the crowd mesmerized.
Devon personified the country music industry with his performance and it was easy to tell from the thousand young women cheering he'd been a huge sensation tonight as well. Angela was glad she wasn't judging the competition tonight since every one of them looked like they had superstar potential on that stage.
After all their performances and fluff to fill air time had been completed, it was time for the judges to make their decision, and Nolan and she would do the last performance of the night. The spotlight centered down on his sexy form and Angela was just as mesmerized as the crowd when he began the haunting strain of the song he'd written himself.
The silence was almost deafening as all the people seemed to hang on every note that escaped his talented fingers. Without any previous preparation, she sauntered out onto the stage, focusing on the man behind the keys. Her voice amplified across the auditorium with the lilting lyrics of love and loss that seemed to personify everything in her life and lead her straight to the man of her dreams.
No one else mattered as she finally sat down on the bench beside him and continued to sing out the desires of her heart to the man that finally freed her from a life of sorrow. As the last verse of the song escaped, she felt as if her entire soul had been bared, and watched as his sensual fingers completed masterfully the song that she'd come to believe as her very salvation.
Without thought, she allowed her fingers to caress the strong lines of his jaw, lost in the music and the longing she found in his own eyes. As his head turned slightly and he lowered his lips to hers, the magic of the night consumed her as
much as the man before her. The deafening applause of the crowd took several moments to sink in, and they both stared at each other confused as if they'd been lost in a separate place and time. The stage went dark, and it took them both a few moments to understand just what they'd allowed to happen.
Nolan quickly stood and grabbed her hand, leading them off stage. The moment they were out of sight from the crowd, he attempted to drop her hand, but she refused to let go.
"You can't keep running away from me Nolan," she whispered desperately, seeing in his eyes the need to escape and feeling it break her heart.
"This isn't the time or place Angela," he had no idea what had happened to them on that stage, and needed some time to think.
"Then when is the right time Nolan," he had to know he was breaking her heart here, she thought feeling tears fill her eyes. "Does my loving you just not matter at all?" She hadn't meant to blurt that out, and the thought that he would pity her forced her feet to move away. She couldn't believe she just admitted that to him, here of all places.
He stood stunned for several seconds at her confession, and watched as she walked away. She loved him, the thought filled his soul with an elation that surpassed anything he'd ever felt before in his adult life. So why aren't you running after her, idiot? His reasoning finally kicked in, and he walked after her quickly, stopping only to grab her arm and turn her to face him. "You can't drop a bomb like that and just walk away Ang."
She was embarrassed for a few seconds then pissed off. "Why not Nolan, you're always walking away from me." She didn't know how to do this love thing, and part of her wanted to run away before he told her that she was just confusing passion with love, or something just as cynical that she'd expect from the man everyone else seemed to think he was.
"Don't you understand I'm trying to protect you sweetheart," he pulled her into his arms, surprised as she struggled against him. "Stop fighting me damn it!"
Angela's Salvation Page 17