“I have a surprise for you,” Kiki chirped as I wolfed down a sandwich on my lunch break.
“What is it?” I asked, bits of ham falling out of my mouth.
Kiki looked at me, disgusted at my manners. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
“Well, I know it’s not Collin. He already said he was meeting me tonight after work. He’s only an hour away,” I beamed.
“No, not Collin,” Kiki agreed.
“Who, then?” I whined.
“I never said who. I only said it was a surprise.”
My shoulders slumped, and I glared at her. She loved playing these games with me. “Fine. What is the surprise?”
Kiki used an imaginary zipper to seal her lips, then laughed deviously. Playfully, I kicked a dash of sand in her direction but she dodged it and countered with a scoop of sand off her toes. She managed to get the bulk of it in my mouth.
“Gross!” I shrieked, dry heaving as I tried to spit it out. “I think you got seaweed on my tongue!”
“Serves you right for chewing with your mouth open,” she said coolly.
I begged Harrison to find me a toothbrush and paste while rinsing my mouth out with a bottle of water until the gritty feeling was gone. He never failed to deliver. After I cleaned out the sand, I was shuttled to a recording studio where I spent the rest of the daylight hours in front of a green screen, trying to keep up with a squad of backup dancers who could have twirled circles around me. My only saving grace was the five years of ballet and tap my mother had put me in with Hannah. After a few movements that landed me on my rear end, I rediscovered my balance and pulled off some moments worthy of film.
At night, Hamish brought the crew to a club for the final scenes. I stepped out of the polished black Suburban, expecting to hear the bass beat of the music thumping through the concrete walls, but instead, the air was eerily still. No music was playing, and everyone in the room was lounging in booths or standing at high tables, chatting with each other.
“I know I’m kind of a relative infant when it comes to the clubbing scene, but why isn’t anyone dancing?”
Kiki answered, “They’re all your extras waiting for filming to start. The whole club has been rented out tonight since it’s normally closed on Monday, anyway. Everyone’s willing to lend their business for things like music videos. Bragging rights and all.”
“Hey!” Troy said, standing up from a booth.
“I didn’t know you were going to make it!” I said happily. “Is this my surprise, Kiki?”
“Hardly,” she grumbled.
Troy ignored her and unexpectedly pulled me in for a hug. My back stiffened, but when his arms wrapped around me, and I smelled his spicy cologne on his neck, I melted slightly. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t resist the natural, biological response.
“I’m here for filming. Mr. Drake wanted me playing the guitar on the video since that’s what’s recorded on the music, and I’ll be performing at the concert.”
I slouched a bit. “With me or for me?”
“What do you mean?” Troy asked, his brow knit into confusion.
“I don’t think I’ve had a chance to pick up my guitar since I signed with you, other than on my own time or when I’m writing new stuff.”
Troy looked offended and steeled himself. “I didn’t realize me helping you was a problem.”
“It’s not,” I answered, unsure of whether I should back off or push the issue. “I enjoy playing, and I want my fans to know I’m a capable guitarist.”
“No one’s questioning that,” Troy grunted. “We’re on a very tight deadline and any help you can get, you should take it.”
I hated to admit it, but he did have a point. Trying to lighten the mood to avoid conflict, I added, “Well, I’m decent on the piano, too. We’ll have to sit down, and I’ll play something slower for you.”
The shadow on Troy’s face cleared and he agreed, “You’re a woman of many talents, Ruby.”
Kiki elbowed me and pointed. “Oh, look. There’s Collin.”
I looked where she indicated and saw Collin enter the building, scanning the crowd for me. He unbuttoned his suit coat and slung it over his shoulders, walking down the stairs and kindly greeting everyone he passed. There was a confidence about him that I adored. It wasn’t cocky—he wasn’t strutting like a peacock—it was this self-assured, content aura he always had with him.
“Is that Jill with him?” Troy asked, his eyebrows shooting up halfway up his forehead. “I forgot how hot she is.”
“Yes, how could we forget?” I ground my teeth together. I managed a semi-pleasant smile when they arrived. Ignoring Jill’s haughty sneer, I said to Collin, “Welcome to the set. What luck it is that we keep crossing paths.”
Collin kissed me briefly on the lips and wrapped his arms around me. It had the same effect of Troy’s hug except it felt safer, more familiar. There was a history there, and though both our lives were moving at a million miles an hour, he was my constant. Part of me just wondered how long it could last.
Feeling a bit malicious, I politely mentioned, “I’m sure it’s all Jill’s doing, isn’t it? I know she keeps you on such a tight schedule, and tonight, she made time for us.” I flashed an exaggerated smile at her and relished catching her off guard.
Her surprise didn’t last long, and she bounced right back, “StarTech is happy to help up and coming artists.” Hot waves of annoyance poured over me, and I felt like punching her in her perfect nose for looking down on me. Kiki must have sensed the tension and pushed me toward the stage.
“Oh, look. Hamish is calling you up.” I had to leave Collin within Jill’s striking distance, but I wanted to run back to Collin and possessively mark my territory around him. Both Troy and Collin laughed as she said something hilarious and flipped her glossy auburn hair behind her shoulder. I imagined what it would be like to take a pair of scissors to it while she wasn’t looking…
Hamish snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Ruby? You look like you’re off in another dimension.”
I blinked hard and focused my eyes on his round, amused face. “Sorry. Creative genius must be striking.”
“Good!” Hamish exclaimed. “You’re catching the vision of this video.”
I let my eyes wander over to Jill again, who was sandwiched between Troy and Collin and felt reality seeping in around the edges of my world. If Collin fell for Jill, I’d lose him for sure. If I fell for Troy, I’d lose Collin. It felt like I was trapped in a corner with nowhere to turn, and as much as I wanted to heap the blame on Jill, I knew I’d been treading on dangerous ground leading Troy on.
I nodded to Hamish and said, “This is the part of the music video where I get revenge on the woman who stole my man.”
“Exactly!” Hamish clapped. “Keep that in your mind and get over to hair and makeup. We’ll be ready to shoot in five.”
Wanda gave me another round of makeup—I had to have at least seventeen coats shellacked on my face by that late in the day. I wasn’t quite sure how it wasn’t sloughing off my face in leprous patches. Casey worked his magic with my hair, taming my feral beach waves into a chic half-up do after Harrison zipped me into a dress that fit my measurements like a glove. The dress was as itchy as if it had a colony of ants living on the inside, but it was absolutely stunning. When I moved and swirled, the metallic fabric shimmered in the light.
Pulling me away from being glamorized, Hamish wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close enough that our temples smashed together.
“You’re going to be up here on stage, singing to your adoring fans,” he said, sweeping his arm out in front of us and across the crowd. “Troy will be on guitar behind you, and Kiki is on drums, but the camera’s focus isn’t going to be them, it’ll be primarily on you. There are a couple dancers on stage to keep things visually interesting though there’s no choreography. We’re going to catch the free, chaotic energy of a club. You know how it is.”
“Right,” I lied
. “Lots of energy in clubs.”
I glanced over my shoulder as Kiki warmed up, crashing away with great precision on the drum set. She paused momentarily and pointed her sticks to the opposite side of me. “Your surprise is here.”
Over my other shoulder, I visually ran through the backup dancers, all beautiful and dressed like they were ready for a night on the town. I did a double take when I got to the end of the line and spotted a familiar face.
“Vanessa!” I shrieked. I carefully trotted over to her, watching my step to avoid snagging my shoes on anything.
“You’re getting better on heels,” she mentioned after releasing me from a hug.
I snorted, thinking of my karaoke incident. “Let’s just say I’ve been practicing out of necessity.”
“Does it have anything to do with that pretty redhead draping herself on Collin’s arm?”
If my eyes could have shot lasers, Jill would have been fried in an instant. “That’s Jill, his personal assistant from StarTech. If you could do me a favor and get her fired, I’d owe you a big one.”
“Sorry,” Vanessa shrugged. “I don’t have anything to do with that part of the business. Besides, Collin is all yours. Just look at how he looks at you.”
Collin sipped his drink out of a red straw, his gaze barely leaving my direction. Vanessa waved and he raised his glass slightly in return. When I grinned, he winked, making my smile stretch wider.
Hamish announced that everything was in place, and it was time to shoot. Enormous fans circulated the air and flashes of light darted through the darkened room. I’d overcome the awkwardness of the morning and once the music was vibrating through the club, I was in my element.
I sang, even though Harrison reminded me I didn’t half to since we were using the pre-recorded track on the actual music video, but I couldn’t help it. Dark Clouds was too powerful a song about lost love, jealousy, and triumphant revenge to keep inside of me. I’d known the first time I’d heard it on Monica’s work tape that it was going to be a pop hit.
It had to be after midnight when we were getting close to wrapping up. My mind was basically a muddled pile of goo after the nonstop pace of the day, I could barely move my limbs, and I think the only thing I’d consumed in the last seven hours was a breath mint and a bottle or two of flavored water. I wasn’t the only one suffering, either. The hired audience seemed to be feeling the same fatigue, but Hamish insisted on pushing on till the bitter end.
“If you give me one more high-energy take of the chorus, I’ll call it a wrap,” he promised.
“Deal,” I agreed as Wanda and Casey flitted about, fixing the minute details of my hair and face.
The music and lights started up again and I dug deep within to find some intense stares out into the audience. I could tell by the lovesick smirk on Collin’s face that he was enjoying the intensity, like I was performing a show just for him. Close by, Jill was doing her best to entice Collin to look her way, shimmying and bending in ways that would make anyone blush. I could play that game, too.
During a break in the lyrics, I took the liberty to dance wildly on stage, showcasing how enthusiastic and carefree I could be. I didn’t notice Troy jamming nearby, his eyes closed while he played his electric guitar. Kicking my leg powerfully into the air, Troy stepped right into the pointy toe of my shoe. Immediately, his eyes and mouth popped open, and he stood stone still.
“Troy!” I cried, dropping the microphone and rushing over to him as he sank to the floor, holding his groin.
Hamish yelled, “Cut!” The music stopped and overhead lights flipped on. All eyes were on us and the room was quiet enough you could have heard a worm burp.
Troy tucked his head into his chest and took a few deep breaths. “Geez, Ruby. Could you have any worse aim?”
“I’m so sorry.” I wrung my hands and mumbled, “Is it, um, broken?”
Troy wiped a hand across his face and let out another sigh. Carefully, he willed himself to stand up to his full height and dredged up a grin that looked more like a grimace. “It’d take a lot more than that to do any permanent damage. I might start wearing a jock strap around you, though.”
I tried. Honestly, I tried, but I couldn’t keep a loud, unladylike, snorting laugh from departing my mouth. Pretty soon, I was laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face. My uncontrollable giggling fit had lifted Troy’s spirits, and he watched me with amusement while several other people joined in.
When I finally tamed myself enough to stop laughing, Wanda and Casey were over, brushing powder on and spritzing on more hairspray, and Hamish, looking a tad tired himself, called action again. I danced—far away from Troy—lashing my hair around and undulating to the music. Blood rushed to my head with every movement, and I lost track of where I was on the stage. Unwittingly, I’d wandered over to where Vanessa and the other dancers were, and with one mighty whip of my hair, I caught the heel of Vanessa’s very pointy heel down the length of my cheek.
Crying out in pain, I pulled away and tripped directly under the headstock of Troy’s guitar. Troy was in his own zone and unaware of me; he jammed down on his guitar and conked me on the head. I was out before I hit the floor.
Chapter Seventeen
“Ruby? Ruby? Are you alright?”
I could hear Collin’s voice, but it was distant and echoed in my ears. It took a great deal of control to bat my eyelids open, and when I did, I had to squint against the blaring overhead lights. A painful throb rhythmically pulsed in my head with every heartbeat.
“Please don’t tell me that was caught on film,” I muttered.
Kiki didn’t try to hide her laughter. “Someone is going to have awesome blackmail material,” she giggled, her shoulders shaking and tears streaming from the corners of her chocolate-hued eyes.
“I feel like I was used as a soccer ball at the World Cup,” I commented, covering my eyes with my hand, rubbing my temples with my fingertips to try and massage out the headache.
“That’s basically what it looked like,” Jill agreed. Why couldn’t she just go away? I preferred embarrassing myself in front of Collin without her onlooking.
I sat up, ignoring the worsening throb in my head. Touching my cheek where I’d had hot and heavy contact with Vanessa’s heel, I wondered if I was split open.
“Ruby! I’m so sorry!” Vanessa was at my side, practically in tears. “I didn’t mean to catch you with my shoe. I didn’t know you were going to dance over near me right as I did this awesome high kick.”
“No worries, Vanessa,” I reassured. “Do you understand now why I never agreed to go clubbing with you? It’s very possible I would have died if I tried dancing too close to people.” She nodded but still looked miserable.
“Guess this makes us even.”
I squinted to look at Troy and could see the twinkle had returned to his eye. Smiling, I admitted, “I suppose so. But I think I get credit for the money shot.”
“I’ll give you that.”
Hamish pushed his way into the tight circle of people surrounding me and pointing to my face mentioned, “You need some ice on that before we continue.”
“Continue?” Collin said incredulously. “You’re not seriously expecting her to keep performing, are you?”
Hamish looked at his watch and nodded. “We have forty-five minutes before the producers cut us off, and with the, uh…” he hesitated, “unanticipated breaks we’ve had to take, we need all the footage we can get.”
Collin, usually laid back, looked like he was about to explode. His fierceness on my behalf was endearing. “It’s okay,” I interrupted before he had an outburst. “I’m fine. Just let me get some ice on it for a few minutes. Wanda can work her magic, and I’ll look as good as new.”
“We can shoot from the side, too,” Hamish offered.
“That too,” I agreed. “Anyone have some aspirin?”
Someone handed over an ice pack and a packet of aspirin, then I excused myself, found a stool to sit on and a brick wall
to lean against. Collin offered to follow, but I turned him down, telling him I needed a minute to collect myself. Guilt flickered inside when I could see the hurt in his eyes, but he let me go without further protest. I must have drifted off because Wanda’s rich voice jolted me awake.
“You ready? Hamish’s getting anxious and asked me to cover up the blemish on your cheek so we can finish filming.”
I removed the ice pack where the cold was now burning my skin and asked, “Is it bad?”
“Some people would be jealous of the color you’ve got in that cheek,” she joked. I couldn’t help but give her a lopsided smile. It was the best I could do with a bruised face.
“Can I run to the little girls’ room before we start? I’ve been holding it for like half the day.”
Wanda looked at me for a moment as she mulled over my request, scanned the room and seeing Hamish conversing with one of the cameramen, she flicked her head toward a dimly lit hallway. “Go on. I’ll get to you when you come back.”
“Thanks, Wanda,” I reached out and squeezed her hand. “You’re the best.”
“Just hurry up. I think everyone’s about partied out.”
I nodded curtly, immediately regretting the swift movement that made my head begin to swirl and throb anew. Dehydration, long hours on my feet, and exhaustion were all snowballing, and I wasn’t sure how much more I could push myself. Staggering to the hallway, it felt like the world around me was spinning, and I felt nauseated. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head over, resting for just a moment and slid down, tucking my legs beneath me.
“Ruby? What’s the matter?”
My eyes snapped open and I scrambled to get to my feet. “Yes?” I said guiltily.
“Are you alright?” Troy put his hands beneath my arms and hoisted me up until I could get my high heels beneath me.
“Thanks. Yes, I’m fine. Just tired and jetlagged, and now, I’ve got a fantastic headache to go with it.”
Troy’s fingertips ever so gently brushed along my cheek where the angry bruise had formed. It was so soft that all I felt was warmth, no pain.
When a Star Falls (Stars Book 1) Page 14