More Than a Love Song
Page 13
“Beautiful.”
“You just made me cry!”
“Are you doing ‘Heartbreaker’ later?”
Rhi almost crashed right into Andy Graves.
“Rhi Wills,” said the talent scout warmly, “that was really beautiful. You have a terrific talent.”
Rhi’s face hurt from smiling. Andy Graves liked her. He understood her music at last! “This is my singing partner, Brody Baxter,” she said breathlessly.
Andy Graves shook Brody’s hand briefly, before turning back to Rhi again. “I’ve set up another meeting on Monday for you to meet Shox. We’ll tackle the hair and the look at the same time. I have such great plans for you. We can—”
Rhi held up her hand. “Wait,” she said. “You still want me to front Shox?”
Andy Graves looked surprised. “Of course I do. You and your friend write nice songs, but it’s not the kind of music I want to produce. It’s not commercial enough.”
Rhi stared at his handsome face, his expensive clothes, his assistant hovering in the background constantly checking her watch. He doesn’t get it, she realized. He doesn’t get it at all.
She felt strangely liberated.
“Mr Graves,” she said, smiling at him, “thank you for such an amazing opportunity.”
He nodded, as if he’d expected nothing else. “Great. The meeting’s set for four o’clock at my—”
Rhi interrupted. “But I’m not going to sign away my identity to you or anyone.”
The smile faltered at the edges. “You’re… not going to work with me?”
Clearly, no one ever said no to Andy Graves. His face was almost comical as he processed Rhi’s decision. Rhi, on the other hand, didn’t feel a flicker.
“I’m just starting to figure out who I am,” she explained. “And I like what I see. Thank you again, but my answer is no.”
She felt a hand pull her round and away from the perplexed-looking producer.
“Did I hear that right?” said Brody. “You turned the guy down?”
Rhi nodded. It was the strangest sensation, knowing and believing one hundred per cent in a decision like the one she had just made.
Brody made an appreciative noise in the back of his throat and pulled her into a tight hug. “You are awesome, Rhi Wills,” he said into her hair. “You did the right thing. Your time will come. With a voice and a talent like yours, I know you’ll make it your own way and no one else’s.”
The crowd was starting to get restless. “Brody and Rhi! Brody and Rhi! Brody and Rhi!”
Rhi didn’t need Brody to pull her on to the stage this time, although she gladly let him.
“Thanks, everyone,” she said down the mic. “I’m having the best evening of my life, seriously. We’ll do a couple more songs for you, then I need a drink.”
Everyone laughed. Rhi could hear her dad laughing loudest of all.
“The next song is called ‘Heartbreaker’,” she said. “Sing along if you know the words.”
A happy sigh rippled through the room as Rhi bent her head over her guitar strings. It felt strange, singing something that had once been so private, and was now out there in other people’s heads. She wondered briefly about Max again. She’d written the song about him. Was it a bad idea to get back with a guy who had broken your heart once already?
“Heartbreaker,” she sang, “lead me astray…”
“Heartbreaker, show me a way,” Brody chimed in, giving the gentle song that extra magic he always seemed to find.
Rhi watched Brody as he sang with her. The music had united them in a way she’d never experienced. Maybe their connection was more than a love song.
“Let me go, make me stay,” sang the crowd, “Heartbreaker, show me a way.”
Rhi smiled, losing herself in the music. She had made the right decision. She didn’t want to be famous. She wanted to be honest.
The roof almost came off the Heartbeat at the end of the set. Rhi drank it in, smiling at her friends and blowing kisses to her dad. Andy Graves had left. She didn’t care.
Brody blew gently on the back of her neck. “Way to go, partner,” he said.
Rhi laughed and leaned in to him, hugging him tightly. In the midst of the cheering and applause, she felt something shift in the way Brody was holding her – like he didn’t want to let go.
Rhi felt light-headed. She drew back and stared at him. He stared back, serious now, twisting his fingers through hers. Her stomach flipped.
Brody was going to kiss her.
He leaned in. She felt a flutter in her heart as their lips just barely touched. It was so subtle that no one in the audience would have seen it, but to Rhi it was the most romantic moment of her life.
“Rhi!”
Max jumped on to the stage as Rhi and Brody broke apart. He hugged her tightly, picking her up and twirling her around.
“You were incredible tonight,” he said, sounding almost breathless. “The most beautiful girl in the room. I’m so proud of you! Hold on, I got you something…”
He leapt off the stage, rummaged around under the table and jumped back again before Rhi had time to move or react.
“Ta-da!” he cried, waving a gorgeous bouquet of deep red roses under her nose. The scent was overpowering. “I think they wilted a bit in ‘Heartbreaker’. I did too.” He wrinkled his nose charmingly. “I’m so sorry I hurt you, Rhi. I promise I’ll never do it again. I love you so, so much.”
Rhi burst into tears as Max put his arms round her again, squeezing her so tightly she could hardly breathe. Through tear-blurred eyes she saw Brody over Max’s shoulder, packing up his guitar with his blond head turned away from them.
Something special happened here tonight, Rhi thought, so full of emotion she could hardly think.
But had it happened with Max – or Brody?
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First published in the UK by Scholastic Ltd, 2014
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