“Oh.” She stares at the TV. “You wanna come down with me anyway?”
“Sure.”
Her gaze shoots to me and she smiles. “We’re still friends?”
“Why wouldn’t we be?” I toss the towel on the ground and rummage for my comb.
“Cause of what Isaiah did.”
I frown. “I’m not upset about that.”
“You’re not?” She shuffles up onto her knees. “You just seemed to leave in such a hurry, I thought maybe—”
“My lessons with Jeff start at seven.”
She hesitates, leaning back as her eyes narrow. “You get two full hours?”
“Don’t you?”
She shakes her head. “One, then rehearsal time on our own in the next room.”
We stare at each other. I don’t know whether to be concerned that she might be angry Jeff apparently favors me, or concerned that he favors me inappropriately.
She speaks in a quiet voice. “He hasn’t…tried anything, has he?”
“No,” I say with a nervous quiver in my voice. “He hasn’t implied or even hinted…but he’s married with kids.”
She raises her eyebrow, and I understand what she means—when has that ever stopped anyone before?
“No.” I shake my head. “He probably thinks I need the most work.”
She purses her lips, her eyebrows shooting right up.
“No. No. Never. No.” I shudder. “I have Tom, Jeff’s married, and he’s old. Gross.”
She cracks a grin. “Yeah, how old is he? Like forty-something?”
“Somewhere around there.”
She giggles. “Okay, yeah, that’s never going to happen.”
“He’s not as old as Steven. At least Jeff still has his hair color.”
“But Lance beats them both. He’s from the boy band era and is already as white as snow.”
She giggles. “But it’s still weird, right? I wonder if one of those couples last year was Jeff’s? He’s probably trying to make up for it by drawing out your potential.”
“Huh. Maybe.” That makes sense. I could see him being humiliated by something like that scandal. Mom always said part of his appeal was his morality, even if he could be a bit of a womanizer. Maybe he saw that morality in me.
Someone taps on the door. “Clarissa?”
“Coming.” Clarissa grabs her handbag and dashes over. She opens it and Lucas smiles, then looks at me and his smile falls.
“Let’s go.” Clarissa grabs his elbow and they hurry away.
Chapter Nine
The Murphys perform right before me, so I watch them from backstage. Levi thrives in the newfound spotlight, and I giggle as he flirts with the audience and Drusilla.
When their number finishes, the host grabs me and the backstage camera turns to me. One of the crew counts down on his fingers, and the host, comedian and rapper, Martin Rush, says, “Hailey is next up. Hailey, how are you feeling?”
I smile, glancing between him and the camera. “Good. Nervous.”
“You look smoking hot tonight.”
How do I respond to that? Jeff said sweet girl next door. I giggle. “I don’t…thank you.”
The crewman gives me a thumbs-up. Perfect.
“Rumor has it you’re performing one of Jeff’s songs tonight. You don’t look much like a rocker.”
Glancing down, I run my fingers over my black tights and miniskirt as I check the maroon tank with frills trimming the deep v-neckline that I’m wearing. “I’m not much of a rocker, but this is one of his more pop-sounding songs.”
“What enticed you to do this song?”
Sweet. Look sweet. I smile, tucking my loose curls behind my ear. “Jeff has helped me a lot since I came on the show. I grew up with his music, so I want to show him my admiration.”
“What a doll!” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, squeezing. “I couldn’t help noticing you watching the Murphys so intently. Rumor also has it you and Isaiah are involved.”
Don’t freak out. Crap, I’m blushing. “No, I actually have a boyfriend back home.” I wave at the camera. “Hi, Tom.”
“Tom, eh? Of course a pretty little thing like you is already taken. I bet he misses you.”
“I miss him too.”
“Aw, young love! Pity we couldn’t see a romance blossom on the show, though.”
The crewman signals to change the subject by motioning slitting his throat with his hand.
“So,” Martin clears his throat, “I hope you steal Jeff’s heart tonight with his own song, along with all the voters out there.”
The camera zooms in on him, and he lets me go while he talks to the viewers. A stagehand grasps my elbow and flicks on my mic, nodding for me to head out.
The audience roars as I make my way onto the stage. Again, banners with my name wave in the air, but this time, I wave back. Whistles sound and I giggle. I reach center stage and the lights dim. I take a deep breath, and the music begins.
Feeling the music within me, I try to picture singing to someone I love so much that they inspire me. I try to picture Tom, but he doesn’t come. Instead, I sing for Jeff. Although I don’t love him like that, I’ve grown to respect him immensely. He wanted me to sing his song, the song he wrote for the woman he loves before they married.
When I finish, the crowd roars with their applause. But I only have eyes for Jeff. A crooked smile grows as his eyes sparkle. He slowly nods his head and raises his hands in applause.
The producers signal for the crowd to quiet down, and Drusilla leans forward. “Hailey, why did you sing that song?”
“Jeff has helped me so much, and I wanted to thank him,” I reply calmly.
“What a marvelous thank you,” Jeff says into the mic. “I usually don’t like people singing my songs. But that was perfect.”
I can’t help grinning. I hope Mom is watching this.
“Hailey,” Steven says. “You have a marvelous gift, and each week you seem to show us a new side of that gift.” He raises his hands, swiveling to look at the audience. “Don’t you agree?”
The crowd cheers their agreement.
“Hailey.” Lance leans onto his elbows. “What would you like to say to your fans?”
“Fans?” The very idea makes me stare.
“Yes, fans.”
“I…fans?”
The audience laughs.
Heat creeps into my cheeks.
“Yes,” he says with a laugh.
“Wow.” I grin like an idiot. “Thank you for believing in me.”
The crowd roars again.
Jeff leans back into his chair, grinning. “Thank you, Hailey. We hope to see you continue into the next round.”
I give a quick curtsy—I have no idea why, it just happened—and make my way off the stage.
Backstage, I head straight toward the dressing room I share with Clarissa and Lydia, and slap my forehead. “I curtsied? Who does that?”
“I thought it was cute.”
I pause, then swing around to see I’d walked right by Isaiah. “Hey.”
“Hey right back at you.” He gives me a quick once over as he walks in a smooth, sexy manner toward me. “That was incredible.”
“Thank you.”
He grins, his eyes sparkling. “Why don’t we take off for a few minutes? No one will notice.”
I swallow, hearing the seductive tone in his voice. “I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?” He leans in.
I back away. “Both.”
He smiles, his eyes never breaking contact with mine. “You know, you’re my best friend here. I feel comfortable with you, like I can tell you anything.”
“Oh.” Crap, I hit the wall.
His fingers brush over my neck and rest on my collarbone. I struggle to breath. My heart pounds. My head spins. He’s so close, so gorgeous.
“Do you trust me, Hailey?”
My short laugh is way too high-pitched. “Not really.”
He frowns. “Why not?�
�
“You’re…you’re too…”
“Yes?”
I stare into his eyes as his lips draw closer. “Please…don’t…”
“Don’t what?”
I take a deep breath to break the spell he’s cast on me, and press my fingers over his lips. “You’re a chronic flirt and I can never quite tell if you’re trying to play me, or if you’re genuinely interested. But either way, I’m not going to cheat.”
His eyebrows shoot up, but he kisses my fingertips as he leans back. “You’re a tough one.”
“Isaiah.” Lucas appears behind him, making me gasp.
Isaiah rolls his eyes and straightens.
Lucas folds his arms, glaring at Isaiah. “You’re disgusting.”
“Whatever.” Isaiah stares down at me.
Lucas shoves him to the side. “Get away from her.”
Isaiah glares at him. “You’re not her boyfriend.”
“Neither are you. Now get moving.”
Isaiah shakes him off. “See ya later, Hailey.”
Lucas stays standing with me until Isaiah disappears around the corner. He rests his hands on his hips, turning his attention to me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I push off the wall, not sure if I’m embarrassed, grateful, or irritated with him.
“You, ah…you did the right thing, telling him no.”
With a huff, I fold my arms. “Yeah, well, I hope it helps bring some peace with your family. I hate that he and Clarissa are fighting about me.”
“What? What makes you think that?”
I stare at my feet. “I heard you guys arguing about me a little while ago. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to cause tension with you guys.”
“Ah…” He rubs his neck. “Things were already tense. It’s not you.”
A camera crew appears and rushes at us. The presenter who runs around backstage slips between us, with a huge grin on her face. “Ready?”
The camera man nods and a red light flashes on beside the lens.
She smiles brightly, tossing her loose curls over her shoulder. “I’ve found Hailey and Lucas back here. How are you guys feeling about your performances tonight?”
Lucas leans in, a bright smile across his face. “I think letting Levi take the lead was the best thing we could have done.”
“Oh, you’re beautiful.” She flicks her long, dark brown hair in my face. Scrunching my nose from the hair-lash, I lean back. She fiddles with her hair again, puffing the roots. She obviously believes her hair is her best asset. Her arm wraps around Lucas’s waist and she pats his cheek. “How about you? When will you take center stage?”
“That’s not me.” He keeps smiling, but I can’t help noticing his hands staying well clear of her.
“I’m sure I’m not the only lady out there who wishes you would.”
Seeing I’m out of the camera shot, I roll my eyes.
He chuckles in a lighthearted way. “My talents lie more in the arranging of the piece.”
She rests her hand on his chest. “We’ve heard Miss Becker has a love back home, but how about you? Any lucky girl waiting for you to return to her arms?”
“Nope. I’m single.”
“Oh!” She beams into the camera. “Hear that? He’s single.”
The camera man points at me. She glances behind her and blinks, confused, then grabs my arm. “Hailey, how do you feel about your performance?”
“I feel like I sang fairly well,” I reply. Lucas’s gaze meets mine before I look back up at her. “I hope everyone else feels the same way about theirs.”
“What a sweetheart.” She pats my hand and looks at the camera. “Keep watching for more amazing talent and backstage footage after these commercials.”
The red light blinks out and the cameraman lowers the camera.
The presenter huffs and frowns at me. “Well, you were boring.”
My jaw falls open.
“Hailey’s a little shy,” Lucas says, slotting in beside me.
“A little? She’s so wholesome I think I’m going to get the runs.” She pats my cheek firmly. “Lighten up. Ogle this hottie a bit. Everyone wants you to.”
I rub my cheek, irritated. “Ah…If everyone told you to—”
Lucas covers my mouth. “She seems to be doing just fine.”
I push his hand away.
She raises an eyebrow at us. “So, what’s the deal with you guys?”
Lucas gives my shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “She and Clarissa hit it off, that’s all. And since we’re a close family, Hailey just kind of slotted in with us.”
She hands the mic to the cameraman. “This season isn’t going to be anywhere near as interesting as last. Let’s go.”
Once they’re gone, I shove Lucas away from me. “Don’t shut me up like that.”
His eyebrow twitches. “You were going to stick your foot in your mouth.”
“She just—”
“Keep up appearances, Hailey. Even here we’re on show.”
I grit my teeth, folding my arms. I hate that he’s right.
“Just go back to your room. I’m sure Clarissa is waiting to gush about your performance.”
I give him a quick glare, annoyed by his dismissiveness, and hurry away.
***
As we hang out in the rehearsal room while the show wraps up, my cell vibrates. I’m not supposed to talk on my phone, so I glance at the cameras and slip out of all their shots.
“Mom!” I say as I block the other ear.
“Hailey, sweetheart,” she says with a distinct hint of pride in her voice, “you sang so well tonight.”
“Thanks, but I actually can’t—”
“Why did you choose that song?” she asks lightly. Yeah, she sounds proud of me, although a little tense. I hope she doesn’t think I might be seeing Jeff on the side like Clarissa implied could be happening.
“It’s your favorite,” I say brightly to help relieve her concerns.
“It is. You did such a wonderful job, didn’t she, Marco?”
“Yeah,” my stepdad responds calmly from the background.
“Is that Hailey?” my eight-year-old brother, Dallas, asks.
“Yes. Would you like to talk to her?” Mom says.
I try to speak. “Mom, no. Listen—”
“Hi, Hailey!” Dallas says excitedly. “You’re so awesome. I’ve told everyone at school that you’re my sister. They don’t believe me because you’re white.”
“Oh…”
“I told them you have a different dad, but they still don’t believe me.”
“Well, they should. Grab my yearbook for proof.”
“Good idea!” He chuckles deviously.
“Dallas, give Mom the phone back.”
“Kay. Bye.”
Mom speaks. “Hailey, can I speak to Jeffrey Halloway?”
“Ah…” I glance toward him as he talks on camera. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I’m not supposed to be on my phone back here. Can I call you back?”
“Promise me you’ll let me talk to him.”
“I’ll try, but he’s not really into the whole swooning fan thing. I got you his autograph, though.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you.”
I duck as a camera pans the room. “I gotta go. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
“Love you, sweetheart.”
“You too, Mom.”
An hour later, the room has only a few stragglers in it. I make my way over to Jeff. He glances at me and waves for me to approach while he finishes talking to Drusilla. She smiles at me and offers her hand. “Here’s the young lady now.”
I take her hand and she pulls me close. She smells strongly like old lady perfume—musky, heavy, dried flowers—and up close, her makeup looks thick, and her dark, red-dyed hair is wiry. “You have come so far since you first auditioned, Hailey.”
“Thank you,” I respond, amazed by how she cakes on the makeup so well to h
ide the aging lines I can now see up close. Wow, what does this woman look like without makeup?
“So polite too. Just…Oh! I want to adopt you.” She squeezes me.
I chuckle. “My mom might have something to say about that.”
She kisses my cheek, then rubs her lipstick off me with her fingertips. “I’ll let you two chat. I hope someone sings one of my songs to me like that.”
She says goodbye to us, and Jeff turns to me. “Did you need something?”
“Yes, actually. My mom wanted to talk to you.”
“Your mom?” He raises an eyebrow.
“Yes, I told you she’s a fan. I know that’s not what you do, but she insisted I at least ask.”
He sighs. “After your performance tonight, I guess you deserve it.” He motions for me to hand him my phone.
I slip it out and call her. “Mom, Jeff wants to talk to you.”
“Oh! Wonderful!” she answers excitedly.
I hand Jeff the phone and he walks away from me. He stands facing the wall to make the fact he’s on a phone discreet. Not wanting to draw attention to him myself, I glance toward the Murphys waiting for me in the corner.
Clarissa waves and trots over. “What’s going on?”
“My mom’s having a groupie moment.” I motion toward Jeff.
She giggles. “I need to meet your mom.”
“She’s a fun one.” Sighing, I look back at Jeff. “Mom’s had it tough, though. She got knocked up with me when she was barely sixteen by her high school boyfriend—also known as my father, and her ex-husband. He used to beat her and call her names that made her cry. I can’t remember much. I just remember that the day he hit me, she packed us up and left.”
Clarissa’s eyes widen. “Hailey! That’s so sad.”
“Yeah, but she’s a fighter. She left the state so he wouldn’t find her again, and we moved around several times before we settled. Then she met Marco and has been happy ever since.”
“How old were you?”
“When we left my dad? Five. She married Marco five years later.” I sigh as Jeff nods. “She used to play me his songs when we traveled or I felt lonely, especially the one I sang tonight. She said there’s magic in music, and I had a gift for it.”
“You do.” Clarissa rests her hand on my arm.
I give her a weak smile. “Thanks. I’m just glad I can make her proud.”
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