by Amy Vastine
“Stop worrying. I’ll make this work for both of you. One more thing,” Dean said, rubbing his hands together. “I think you should do something at the end of the performance tonight, but you can’t tell Piper it’s coming.”
* * *
“CAN I GET you anything?” Lana asked from the other side of the bathroom door.
Piper wiped her mouth. “I’ll be out in a second.” How she wished she hadn’t eaten dinner. She’d heard of morning sickness, but it was after seven o’clock in the evening. Why was she throwing up now?
“They’re ready for you onstage. This thing is a well-oiled machine. They can’t get backed up.”
Piper washed her hands and checked her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired. Even with all the makeup magic her stylist had used to make her red-carpet ready tonight, she could see the exhaustion written all over her face.
No rest for the weary. Piper pulled open the door. “Let’s go.”
The anxious-looking stagehand behind Lana radioed to someone that they were on the move. All Piper had to do was sing “You Don’t Need Me” one more time and then she could tell Sawyer about the baby. Once he knew the truth, maybe he would know what they were supposed to do.
Someone handed her an earpiece and a microphone as they approached the stage. Sawyer’s hair was like spun gold under the glow of the stage lights. With a guitar strapped across his chest, he wore jeans and an oatmeal-colored henley, while she was tortured in a dress covered in red sequins. He had the shoulders of a man who had lifted hay bales his whole life. He was so strong and sturdy.
He reached for her hand when they were directed to head out during the commercial break. Like a stupid moth drawn to the flame that had no goal but to zap the life out of it, she took his hand and let him lead the way.
“I’m so nervous,” he admitted. “Tell me everything’s going to be all right.”
Sawyer was usually so full of naive confidence. It always seemed like he had no idea whom he could disappoint. In front of this crowd, however, he was obviously humbled.
“Almost everyone out there has been on this stage and knows it’s not easy. They’re more forgiving than you’d expect. But we’re going to be better than all right, so no worries,” she assured him. At least she knew they would survive this performance. Afterward, things didn’t look as promising.
“How’s your sprain?”
She’d almost forgotten about her ankle. Had it not been for twisting it earlier today, she might not have figured out she was pregnant until much later. She wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.
They had offered to let her sit on a stool for the performance, but she had refused. She would tough it out because she needed to knock this out of the park if she was going to have any hope saving her career from complete ruin.
The lights went down and the orchestra under the stage began to play. Commercial over. Piper felt her own set of butterflies, only they weren’t flying—they were swimming some rough seas in her stomach. Closing her eyes, she prayed she wouldn’t throw up onstage—on television—in front of millions of people.
One song. One last time pouring out her heart to a man who was about to find out their time together had major consequences. This song had brought them into each other’s lives and yet was all about saying goodbye.
“I’m thrilled to present Piper Starling and Sawyer Stratton!” country icon Sara Gilmore exclaimed as the lights came up and the music started to play.
Sawyer strummed his guitar and let what he did best guide him out of the fear. Piper reminded herself that the stage was home. Nothing could hurt her here. This was where she shone bright.
Piper sang the song, holding nothing back. She let her real emotions fuel the performance. The song was about fear—the fear of letting go. Piper was very much afraid, but this time of having to hold on.
As the song neared the end, their gazes locked. He sang about goodbye, and sadness tightened her throat. He stepped closer. Piper froze. At rehearsal, they had decided he would begin to back away as the music faded and the lights dimmed. He was clearly changing the plan here.
Piper’s heart pounded as he stood in front of her. Sawyer pushed the guitar behind his back so there was nothing between them. He reached up and cradled her cheek in his hand. The blood thumped in her ears. She had no idea what he was doing. As the lights began to dim, he leaned forward, his lips inches from hers.
The crowd gasped and then exploded into thunderous applause. Piper blinked and everything went black.
CHAPTER FOUR
SAWYER TRIED NOT to panic as he scooped Piper up. The stage was dark, but there was little chance no one had noticed her faint. Her head fell back as she lay limp in his arms.
“Piper, wake up. Please wake up,” he said as he carried her offstage. What was wrong with her? Fear mixed with the adrenaline coursing through his body was similar to what he’d felt when he found his father on the floor after his heart attack. “Piper, you need to wake up.”
Hunter, drumsticks still in hand, was the first to join him. “I can’t believe you made her pass out with one kiss.”
“I didn’t kiss her.”
A bearded stage manager was waiting in the wings to help. He cleared a space for Sawyer to lay her down.
Sawyer put his face close to hers. He could feel her breath on his cheek, thank God. She felt warm to him, though, and her skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat.
“Come on, Piper. Wake up. Please, Piper.”
“What happened out there?” Heath came barreling through the small crowd that had gathered.
“She passed out,” Sawyer explained, although he knew that wasn’t what Heath was curious about.
“Why were you in her personal space?” her father demanded. “What did you do to her?”
“I didn’t do anything to her.”
Piper’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze landing on Sawyer first, then her father, then her surroundings. It was clear the moment she became aware she was lying on the ground instead of standing onstage. Her cheeks turned as red as the barn back at the Strattons’ horse farm.
“What happened?” she asked as she tried to sit up. Both Sawyer and Heath reached out to help.
“You’ve done enough!” Heath’s harsh tone was enough to get Sawyer to back off. “Can we keep the press away? I don’t want any pictures of her like this.”
Sawyer rolled his eyes. The only thing that man seemed to care about was Piper’s public image. God forbid she get sick or have a human moment in her life.
“Piper, are you okay?” Dean appeared over Heath’s shoulder.
Sawyer wanted to shake Dean for coming up with the terrible idea of surprising her with what was supposed to look like a kiss. It had been nothing but a stupid publicity stunt. Why had he done it?
He’d done it because Dean had told him this was what the public wanted. Sawyer had to give people what they wanted if he was going to make it in this business.
It had also felt like the most natural thing in the world. Because when he’d listened to her sing, he had heard the pain in her words and wanted to take it away. Because when he’d looked at her, he had seen how vulnerable she allowed herself to be in front of not only everyone in the crowd and watching on television, but in front of him.
Sawyer got to his feet and took a couple steps back. Those were dangerous feelings. Piper had a way of drawing those out.
“I’m fine,” she said, rubbing her forehead. “I don’t know what happened.”
“Let’s get her to her dressing room.” Heath helped Piper to her feet, but she cried out when she tried to put weight on her bad foot.
Instinctively, Sawyer reached for her again. She steadied herself on one foot with his help. Their eyes met, and she bit down on her bottom lip. The desire to kiss her was immediately overwhelming. Sawyer picked her up
instead and carried her to her dressing room.
Piper’s arms stayed wrapped around his neck even after he set her back on her good foot. She wasn’t helping him repress those feelings he was trying to avoid.
“You should sit,” he suggested.
Her blue eyes stayed locked on his. “Why did you do that?” she asked.
“Because he’s an idiot,” Heath said, swooping in. He led her to the chaise lounge in the corner of the room. “Come lie down over here.”
Piper’s entourage, as well as several CAA employees, began to fill the room. Sawyer quickly became claustrophobic. He slipped out and found his sister and Hunter waiting outside.
“I can’t believe you made Piper Starling pass out,” Hunter teased. “Just the thought of having to kiss you knocked her out.”
Sawyer shot him a look. “This isn’t funny. She’s hurt and obviously something is wrong.”
“She’s going to be fine,” Faith promised him. “I heard Lana say she was sick before the performance. You know this really isn’t your fault, right?”
“I know. I’m just worried.” He tried to shake off the fear that still lingered. “When she started to go down, my heart stopped.”
Faith patted him on the back. “It was a good thing you did what Dean told you to do. She could have been hurt much worse if you hadn’t been there to catch her.”
Dean came out and placed a hand on Sawyer’s shoulder. “We’re going to need you to talk to the press. Tell everyone Piper’s fine. Don’t confirm or deny anything between the two of you. Be as coy as possible.”
“What? I don’t know how to be coy. I’m a straight shooter. You know this.”
“Trust me,” Dean said. “If you play this right, you and Piper will be the headline story tomorrow.”
Headlines were what the business of being famous was all about. This was Sawyer’s chance to prove to Dean how much he wanted this.
“When they ask you if you’re dating Piper, say something like, ‘Wouldn’t you like to know.’ Then smile and they’ll go nuts,” Hunter suggested.
“Sawyer Stratton?” A frazzled-looking production assistant interrupted them. “We’re ready for you in the pressroom. I need you to come with me now,” he said.
Dean gave Sawyer a thumbs-up before slipping back into Piper’s dressing room. How would she feel about Sawyer leading the world to believe there was something going on with them?
Full of reluctance, Sawyer shuffled behind the man, praying she wouldn’t be angry with him for doing what was best for his career.
The assistant pushed open the door and held it so Sawyer could enter in front of him. “Just head on over to the microphone. They’re pretty good about not all asking questions at once. I’ll signal you when your time is up.”
“Wish me luck,” Sawyer said over his shoulder as he hesitantly made his way to the mic.
The clicking and flashing of the cameras overwhelmed his senses, quickly overriding the quiet murmurs of the reporters. Before Sawyer had a chance to adjust the microphone to his height, the questions started coming. And no one was taking turns.
“What happened onstage tonight?”
“How’s Piper doing?”
“Does this have anything to do with why she was at the hospital this morning?”
“Are you announcing that you and Piper are a couple?”
“Was fainting part of the performance?”
“How long have you and Piper been together?”
All the blood rushed to Sawyer’s face. His hands began to shake, so he clasped them behind his back. He leaned forward toward the microphone and reminded himself that he only had to answer the questions he wanted to answer.
“Piper’s fine. It’s been a crazy day. She sprained her ankle at rehearsals this morning. With all the commotion, she didn’t eat much today and got a little light-headed up there onstage. She wanted me to pass on to everyone that she’ll be good as gold in no time. She’s ready to get out and tour her new album.”
The flashes from the cameras somehow seemed brighter. It was like standing in front of a strobe light. His answer had only sparked more questions about his relationship with Piper and the kiss that didn’t happen.
Sawyer waited for something he could answer. From the back he heard, “What are your plans for touring?”
He pointed at the young female reporter. “Thanks for asking. I plan on touring this winter. I don’t have all the details, but I am hoping to get out there and share my music with as much of America as I can.”
“Will you join Piper’s tour since you two seem to get along so well?” the reporter asked as a follow-up.
Of course he couldn’t dodge the Piper bullet. It was always going to come back to her. He could hear Dean’s voice in his head—be coy—but all he really wanted to do was set the record straight. There was no Sawyer and Piper. There would never be a Sawyer and Piper. For a moment two months ago, he’d thought he could let someone into his heart, but she’d quickly reminded him why he should stay single.
“If I was offered the chance, there’s no one else I’d rather tour with. Can you blame me?”
The crowd again exploded in questions about his relationship with Piper. Coy definitely got everyone talking and speculating the way Dean wanted.
Thankfully, the production assistant signaled to Sawyer that his time was up. He waved to the unsatisfied reporters and got the heck out of there.
He needed to check on Piper and let Dean know mission accomplished. Everyone would be talking about him and Piper tomorrow. He’d have to make sure he kept doing as he was told so his name stayed on their lips.
* * *
“WE NEED TO get a statement out before the press puts its own spin on this.” Piper’s father had not stopped pacing since they got in the dressing room.
Piper wanted this day to be over. She needed to get out of this arena and back to the hotel where she could hide. The press was sure to speculate about why she had fainted onstage, and none of their guesses would be helpful.
Lana handed her another bottle of apple juice. She couldn’t bear to drink any more. They had been pushing cookies and juice on her so much that her body tingled from the excessive amounts of sugar.
“Sawyer let everyone know she’s fine,” Dean said. “Social media is lighting up about it, but it’s all good.”
“Good? My daughter fainted onstage. We’re supposed to go on tour in a few weeks. People are going to question her stamina before she even begins touring.”
“No one is focused on her not being well,” Dean explained.
“What else would they be focused on?”
“Sawyer carrying her offstage. Everyone thinks it was part of the act, and they’re loving it. They love Piper and Sawyer together.”
Piper let that soak in. People loved her and Sawyer together. Everyone was thrilled at the simple idea of it. Except her father, of course.
“Ridiculous!” Heath scoured his own social media accounts to verify Dean’s claims.
“I think we should take advantage of this. You could have Sawyer join Piper’s tour as the opening act. As long as we don’t deny the possibility of a relationship, people will be scrambling to buy tickets to see for themselves if they’re a couple or not. It’s a win-win for both of them.”
“We were leaning more toward crossover performers for opening acts. Artists who aren’t only country.”
“I think Sawyer’s songs have a wide appeal, as well,” Dean argued.
Heath wouldn’t give in. “We were also considering female artists to avoid exactly what you’re suggesting we promote—rumors about my daughter and her love life.”
Piper saw it differently than her father for one very important reason. The baby wasn’t going to be a secret forever. Eventually, she would have to not only come clean to her father and Dean but also th
e world. Maybe Dean was giving her the answer she had been looking for since this morning. Maybe the feelings she’d had for him were more real than she’d thought.
Piper let her head fall into her hands. Her thoughts drifted back to right before she’d passed out. Instead of walking away at the end of the song, Sawyer had been drawn to her. He was going to kiss her. Maybe his feelings had changed. Her father would have to come around. Sawyer would always be part of their lives.
“I need to talk to Sawyer,” she announced. Everyone exchanged curious glances. “Now. I have to ask him something.”
Dean went to find him. Her father sat beside her on the couch. “Do we need to go back to the hospital? I know you were sick before the performance, but maybe it’s more than a stomach bug.”
The sincere concern in his voice made Piper’s guilt for keeping the secret resurge. Sawyer needed to hear the news first, however. “I’ll be fine. It’s nothing. Maybe I was more anxious about performing than I thought I was. I feel much better now, I swear.”
“We don’t have to include the Stratton boy in any of this. You know we can’t let him distract us from your ultimate goal. It’s not your job to sell his records, only yours.”
“The rumors have already started. I need to talk to him about what’s going on. I’m fully committed to making the crossover into popular music. I know what I have to do, and if Sawyer joins the tour, that’s not going to change.”
Piper couldn’t let her father down. He had given up his career to be her manager, to help her make her dreams of being a country-western music star come true. The pressure of supporting her family was plenty of motivation, and now their family would be expanding.
Dean and Sawyer entered the room with equally worried expressions on their faces. Sawyer tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I need to talk to Sawyer alone,” Piper said. Although they looked confused, Lana and Dean left the room. Her father needed an additional push. “I’ll explain everything, I promise. Please give me a minute with Sawyer.”
Reluctantly, Heath followed the rest out.