by Twyla Turner
Everyone agreed. Gage turned back to his mic and immersed himself in his music.
Lyris watched him. She couldn’t help it. He was truly dynamic when he performed. He did as if he had an audience of thousands, even though there was no one. If there had been an audience, they would’ve been rapt and in awe.
And he had been right. Lyris did begin to learn his cues. The way he held his mic or guitar and the cock of his head before he started singing. His body was expressive as he sang.
He often engaged with the band. He’d turn and go toe to toe with Neal as they played guitars. During Brandi’s solo, he’d walk up to her hype her up. He’d point to Riley during a drum solo and Gage would dance to the beat. And as far as Lyris could tell, he had good rhythm.
He’d also interact with his backup vocalists, coming up and singing with them in their mics. When he did it to her, Lyris almost jerked back. His lips were only centimeters from hers. She could feel his breath caress over her lips. It was too intimate. But he’d just wink and move away before riffing on the guitar or heading to focus on another bandmate.
Even though he taunted her, Lyris couldn’t help but to be impressed by the man’s work ethic. He was relentless and tireless. And they worked until nightfall. They took breaks. Ate together. There were times where only the band would play, while the vocalists listened. Then only the vocalist would sing while the band listened. They worked out their kinks. They gave each other feedback. And they tweaked and perfected different sections of the song that would work better for live performances versus the studio version.
It had only been one day, and Lyris loved the camaraderie among everyone. She loved the passion they all had for music. It was one of the best learning environments she’d ever been in. Lyris was quickly realizing that becoming a backup singer for Gage Walker was probably the best thing that had happened to her.
Even if she still couldn’t figure out whether Gage was a typical arrogant rock star or if he was a man who was just passionate and confident in his music.
~~~
“Here,” Serena handed Lyris hot tea with honey before flopping down on the couch next to her.
“Thank you, Se! This should help my aching throat.” Lyris gingerly took a sip of the steaming drink.
“So, how was your first day?”
“It was really good. I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone was super nice. They welcomed me with open arms. They let me ask questions without making me feel stupid.” Lyris smiled at Serena over her mug. “You were right. It is a great way to get my foot in the door and learn.”
“I told you.”
“You did,” Lyris nodded and took another sip of tea.
“So…what about Gage Walker? You haven’t said much about him.” Serena looked at her curiously.
“He’s alright, I guess.”
“Alright? You guess? I know you have more thoughts about him than that.”
“I don’t know. I can’t figure him out. One minute he’s quiet. The next he’s chatting up a storm. Then he’s bashful and looking at me like he’s undressing me all at the same time.”
“Ooo…so, you think he’s into you?”
“I…I don’t know. Maybe. At least enough to hit it and quit it.”
“How do you feel about that? Would you fuck him?”
“I mean he is a sexy rock star. But it just grates on my nerves that if you’re a white dude with a pretty face, you get everything handed to you. He’s talented, no doubt. But so are countless other not so pretty people hoping for their big break.”
“Why blame him for the industry being superficial? If you have a dream and something about you puts you ahead of others, you’re gonna take it and not question why you got it over someone else. To me, it sounds like he’s a cool dude. Don’t let the other shit distract you from at least learning from him.
“Besides, wouldn’t it be nice to at least try out that rock star dick?” Serena smirked and waggled her eyebrows.
“You’re sick, you know that?”
“I am.”
Lyris rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at Serena’s head. Her best friend dodged it and picked up the remote to turn on the TV. Lyris leaned forward and grabbed her laptop. She opened it and tapped her browser. She searched for Gage Walker and found the viral video that made him famous. She’d never watched it before. She’d never been curious enough about him to check it out. She tried not to think about why she was interested now.
Lyris plugged in her white and rose gold headphones to her laptop and placed them on her ears. She pressed play on the video.
Gage was a few years younger. He didn’t seem as confident as he did now. But he was just as passionate. His eyes were closed as he strummed his guitar to the melody of Creep, and he sang as if he felt every single word. The long note at the climax of the song sent goosebumps and a shiver across Lyris’ skin. Her eyes filled with tears that she quickly and discreetly wiped away. She felt the pain of the words. Gage sang them as if he felt it too. The crowd at the bar exploded with emotions at the end. He looked shocked as his eyes flew open.
Lyris understood why the record labels clamored to have him. He was extremely talented, gorgeous, and humbled. But no amount of talent in the world or humbleness would break the glass ceiling for Lyris, other than a miracle. She wasn’t slim enough. She would never be light enough. She would never be enough. Not for center stage.
That is why the resentment for Gage and his storybook rise to fame festered inside of her.
Every day from morning until late in the evening, they rehearsed. They performed the songs over and over until they were perfect like Gage wanted them. He was ruthless in how much he asked of his whole band. But at the same time, wouldn’t ask anyone to do what he wouldn’t. When only the band would play, the vocalists rested and vice versa. But Gage never rested. He was tireless. His voice withstood the stress he put on it. He played his guitar until his fingers nearly bled. He was a machine.
He figured Lyris had never rehearsed for a live show before. But her work ethic never faltered and she never complained. She hung in there with the rest of them. She drank her warm tea with honey during breaks, and then got right back into it when break was over.
Over the course of the week, Gage had tried to engage her in conversation. But she was always aloof or icy in her tone. The confidence with women that he’d developed over the last three years was waning. He was starting to feel like he had before he’d lost the weight. His quiet charm or sexy smirks didn’t work on her. At least not outwardly. He’d felt her pulse jump that first day. He knew there was attraction there. But there was something else blocking her from acting on it.
Maybe being her boss is why, asshole.
That didn’t stop him from opening his mouth to break protocol as they wrapped up Saturday night.
“Hey, everyone.” Gage called out. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of all of you this week. So, to celebrate a successful first week, I’d like to take you all out for a few drinks over at Club Entourage. Drinks on me.”
“Yes!”
“Fuck yeah!”
“I’m down.”
Everyone shouted out their excitement. All but Lyris.
Gage walked over to her. She glanced up at him and then went back to fiddling with her purse.
“You coming, Lyris?” he asked.
“Umm…I don’t know.”
“You should. We all have a good time together. Besides, after working you guys to death, I’d like to do something nice.” Gage cocked his head to the side and dipped down to get a better look at her face.
Lyris finally looked at him. And her pretty russet-colored eyes punched him in the gut. It didn’t last long before she glanced away. In that moment, Gage realized that his new singer wouldn’t or couldn’t hold eye contact with him. Since he’d met her, she hadn’t looked him in the eye for longer than a few seconds. Especially outside of talking about his music. He could be wrong, but he was certain it was because she felt th
e exact thing he felt every time he laid eyes on her.
“Sure, I’ll come. But is it cool if I invite my best friend?”
“Absolutely!”
Gage would say anything to make sure she showed up. He wanted to see what it was like to spend time with her in a different, more relaxed setting.
~~~
“Thank you for coming with me, Se.” Lyris said to Serena as they stepped out of a Lyft.
Lyris had gone home, changed clothes, reapplied some makeup, and her and Serena had called up a rideshare to head to the club so that they could drink freely.
“Of course, I’d come. Not just because we’re besties, but because I want to see this particular rock star in the flesh.”
“Oh, thanks.” Lyris said sarcastically. “I see how it is. You just want to meet a famous musician.”
“I already know a famous musician. The world just doesn’t know about her yet.” Serena winked at her.
“Aww shucks.” Lyris grinned bashfully. “Okay, I’ll keep you for a little longer.”
Serena looped arms with Lyris and they walked up to the bouncer.
“Lyris Wright. My name should be under Gage Walker,” she said to the clipboard wielding, muscle bound gatekeeper.
“Go head,” he frowned at her but held the blue velvet rope to the side so they could walk past.
Lyris knew that if she weren’t on the list as a guest of Gage, she’d have been sent to the back of the long line waiting to get in. Serena may have been let in. She was tall and slender. And with her makeup beat to perfection, and a lace-front wig done so well no one could tell the sleek jet-black hair that reached her tailbone wasn’t real, she fit right in.
What Lyris loved most about her bestie was that even though she had looks that opened doors for her, she refused to leave Lyris behind. If they let Serena in and not Lyris, she’d wait with Lyris at the back of the line instead of leaving her.
Lyris almost chuckled to herself at how brainwashed everyone was in Lala Land. She loved her full body. She thought it was beautiful. Strong and capable. And anyone who didn’t see it was drinking the kool-aid.
The hidden speakers in the club pulsed out steady beats. The interior was sleek, modern, and high-end. Everything in stark white with strips of recessed lighting that changed color.
As they walked up to the roped off VIP area, it was obvious that there was at least one man who hadn’t drank the poison. Gage. His eyes ate her up in her skin tight two-piece wine colored dress. The skirt was a high-waisted pencil that stopped below the knee. The top was long-sleeved and cropped, leaving a few inches of espresso skin bare.
“Holy shit, Lyris!” Serena hissed under her breath.
“What?” Lyris looked up at her as they came closer to where the band was hanging out.
“One, Gage Walker is ten times hotter in person. Two, he’s looking at you like he wants to fuck you in the middle of the club.” Serena gave her an accusatory look. “You didn’t tell me he was into you!”
“There’s nothing to tell.” Lyris shrugged. “You already know I’m not here for a relationship. My career is number one. Love can take a backseat.”
“You still need to get your…oil checked every now and again. What’s wrong with some hot no-strings attached sex?”
“Maybe because he’s my boss! We’re about to tour the world together. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.” Lyris looked at her best friend as if she’d lost her mind.
Serena would risk it all for love. She knew Lyris was not the same. Although she tried. But Lyris was focused on the endgame.
She hadn’t had sex in ages. No one had been interested enough to approach her in LA. Back home in Indiana, she couldn’t even if she wanted to. The community was so tight-knit that if she even thought about having a man over or spending the night at a man’s house, it would spread through the busybody church ladies until the juicy gossip reached her father, deacon of their church. Then the next day, she’d get the ‘your body is a garden to be saved for the right man’ sermon. While her father never said anything to her older brother who was a manwhore, tearing up the Indianapolis streets and under every church lady’s sheets. The same exact church ladies who found time between screwing her brother and cooking for their husbands to tell on her. It’s the very reason Lyris quit choir and stopped going to church. The hypocrisy. She spoke to God and had a relationship with Him on her own terms.
“I mean, you’re right. But still. He’s gorgeous. And he wants you. It would at least be fun as hell. Oh! Who’s that?” Serena subtly raised her chin in the direction of Gage’s manager.
“That’s Jesse. Gage’s manager. I don’t know how I feel about him yet. He seems like an ass. So, be careful. And if I’m not mistaken, I think he might be married.” Lyris said as the guard standing at the velvet ropes looked at Gage to get his nod of approval.
“Noted,” Serena said.
Gage gave the guard one short nod and the big man immediately unclipped the rope. Lyris walked up to Gage and Jesse to introduce Serena to them, since she could feel her best friend buzzing with excitement.
“Hey, Gage. Jesse.” Lyris said to them and saw the desire written all over Jesse’s face as he looked at her friend. “This is my best friend, Serena. Serena, this is Gage Walker and his manager Jesse.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Serena.” Gage nodded and then looked back at Lyris.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Serena.” Jesse said as he took Serena’s hand and kissed it.
“You look…beautiful,” Gage said, pulling Lyris’ attention back to him.
By his hesitation and tone, Lyris was sure that beautiful was not the word Gage wanted to use, but what was best to settle on.
“Thank you,” Lyris glanced away. “I’m…uh…gonna go say hi to Rainey and Mack.”
Gage nodded. Lyris walked away but still felt his eyes on her backside. She tried to ignore it. But it was hard to ignore her response to him. Her insides turned to molten lava when he looked at her. Her skin felt flush. And her lady bits throbbed with need.
I need a date with my vibrator. This shit has got to stop!
Rainey and Mack were pretending to not flirt as Lyris walked up.
“Hey, guys!” Lyris said.
“Hey, Lyris!” Rainey smiled happily while Mack only nodded.
He seemed a little irritated that Lyris had interrupted them. It was obvious to anyone who had eyes that they were in love with each other. They couldn’t stop making googly eyes at each other. Lyris had noticed it after only working with them for a week. They’d been working together in Gage’s band for over three years. Lyris assumed this cat and mouse game had been going on since the beginning.
“So, you know that Gage only did this to spend more time with you in a relaxed setting, right?” Rainey teased.
“And how would you know that?” Lyris asked with a frown.
“Well…he can’t stop staring at you,” Rainey paused and glanced behind Lyris. Lyris looked back and caught Gage before he quickly looked away. “He finds ways to touch you that he doesn’t do with anyone else. And he never calls for a celebration like this until the night before we leave on tour and after the last performance of a tour. He just wants to get close to you. You should give him a shot. He’s actually a really cool guy,” Rainey grinned.
“And you should give Mack a shot. It’s obvious that you both are in love with each other.” Lyris grinned back before excusing herself.
Rainey and Mack opened and closed their mouths like fish out of water. Lyris wasn’t one for mincing words. And after the busybodies back home, Lyris wasn’t about to let someone meddle in her love life while they blindly fumbled around with their own.
You wanna play matchmaker? Matchmake yourself.
Lyris turned to see if Serena needed a wingwoman. But her friend looked awfully cozy next to Gage’s manager. Lyris didn’t really know how to feel about it, but she let her friend make her own choices. Brandi, Riley, and Neal were deep in discussio
n, and Lyris didn’t feel comfortable inserting herself into it. And Gage was now missing. Lyris breathed a sigh of relief. He made her feel on edge.
She left the VIP area and headed for the main bar. She wanted to order some rosé, but the bartender was serving every Barbie doll that came to the bar. Even those who absolutely walked up after Lyris. Eventually, Lyris went into her clutch and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and held it out so that the bartender could see it. He still pretended that she wasn’t there.
Lyris hackles rose and she was just about to snap, when she felt a hand on the small of her back. A masculine, muscular arm extended past hers to get the bartender’s attention. Even though she already knew, Lyris’ eyes traveled up that sinewy arm lined with veins and a dusting of dark hair. The arm was, of course, attached to Gage Walker.
He splayed the fingers that were at her back. The pad of his thumb reached the bare skin there. He slowly and gently stroked her flesh. A shiver ran down Lyris’ spine. She wished that she could say the shiver was of the bad or creepy variety. It was not. It went directly to her core and her internal walls flexed and fluttered. A small gasp fell from her parted lips before she could stop it.
Lyris quickly turned to face Gage. His hand slipped from her back. She felt bereft and relieved all at the same time. Before she could say anything, the bartender came over. It had only been the space of a few seconds since Gage had come to the bar and held his hand out.
“Hey, Gage. What can I get you?” The handsome, douchebag bartender asked as he gave subtle perplexed looks as to why Gage was standing with Lyris.
“I know you saw this gorgeous woman standing here.” The man’s eyes widened. “You served everyone else but her. Even those who came after her. I saw you deliberately ignore her. Do you like your job?”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
“Would you like to keep it?”
“Yes.”