Chapter 8 #2
The feeling she had was a feeling she rarely got and one that Rosalie knew only came when something truly great was about to happen.
Rosalie rushed over to Hannah and Andrea, tottering at almost a light run as best she could in her heels, finding her friends deep in conversation with Calvin Richards.
Calvin was a radio DJ capable of making or breaking artists, and Andrea would doubtless be tapping him up for airtime.
‘Ladies, we need to get to the stage for the next act,’ she announced, breathless. ‘You too, Calvin. You’re not going to want to miss this, let me tell you.’
‘What? Who is it?’ Hannah asked, already falling into step behind Rosalie as she led the way to the arena stage.
‘Someone who is about to make history, magic and the front page of every glossy magazine in the country. Hurry!’
They hustled to the stage with Calvin Richards in tow, turning heads as they made their way, until they were part of a large group of others who tapped into their frenzy and filed into the arena, coming to stand in the press area immediately in front of the stage.
Sofia was already standing dead-centre in front of the set, her hands forming a steeple over her nose and mouth as she breathed into them.
‘What’s the big deal?’ Hannah asked, seemingly giddy without knowing why, as they reached Sofia.
‘Did you bring Calvin?’ Sofia asked, less than her usual chilled self. Rosalie and Hannah separated to give Sofia sight of Calvin behind them.
‘Hey, Calvin,’ Sofia called to him. ‘This is the track you’re going to be playing to death next week.’
‘We’ll see about that,’ Calvin said in return.
And Rosalie told him, ‘You know we will.’
Rosalie would remind him of the helping hand she gave his younger sister when she started NYU and desperately wanted to make a complete U-turn on her gothic look to go preppy.
His sister became head of the cheer squad and now had a sweet pad overlooking Central Park, where she lived with the starting quarterback for the Jets, all thanks to Rosalie’s wardrobe overhaul, a few foils and some major laser hair removal.
When Calvin dropped his head back, laughing good-humouredly, Rosalie’s wide, signature smile broke, showing her perfectly straight teeth beneath red-painted lips. She winked at Sofia, who finally seemed to relax.
Andrea and Sofia looked alike in many ways – they had similar features and the same green eyes.
But Rosalie had always found Sofia’s looks more beautiful.
She had softer angles, her frame was daintier and less imposing, and she had the sweetest creases at the sides of her mouth to match the small dimple in her chin.
In fact, Sofia’s personality was all-round sweeter and more relaxed, though she and Andrea could come to blows big style. It was rare but they had been at loggerheads a couple of times since Rosalie had known them.
The first time was when Sofia wanted to rush into marrying Jay – in honesty, Andrea was right about him. Jay had fooled everyone at first but soon his own insecurities were clear and it became obvious that he would put Sofia down to make himself feel better.
The second time was when Andrea ditched Sanfia Records to move to XM Music Group, though they disguised the truth of that argument behind something much less meaningful, so meaningless Rosalie couldn’t even remember what it was.
‘So, why did we run here?’ Hannah asked.
Just then, the arena lights went down and they were standing in near blackness, looking at a dark stage. Rosalie could just about make out figures moving around. A guy with a guitar she assumed and hoped was Seth approached the central microphone.
They stood in a row – Andrea, Rosalie, Hannah and Sofia.
Rosalie watched Sofia take a deep breath – had she pulled this off?
– then her attention was drawn to the stage as the sound of a piano began to play.
The melody was pretty – slow but not melancholy, just how the guys had rehearsed in the studio.
The stage lights came up. As two lights streamed the audience, Rosalie noticed the arena was already half-full and growing, ready for the headline acts.
On the stage, the man she had seen moving as a silhouette with a guitar was now standing under a central spotlight, his guitar strapped across his shoulder.
Seth had discarded his jacket and wore simply his jeans and plain black T-shirt that allowed her to see that he was toned – muscly, in fact.
He had facial hair but didn’t look as ragged as the others on the stage – Billy, playing piano, Frankie, playing lead guitar, and the secret weapon she persuaded to help out his younger brother was playing electric guitar.
Her heart fluttered with excitement and satisfaction.
Hannah leaned toward Sofia and asked, ‘Is that Randy Jonson?’
Sofia’s gaze was fixed on the man at the front of the stage, who was staring back at her as he began to play his guitar.
Sofia nodded and Rosalie wondered if the gesture was in response to Hannah’s question or to reassure her artist on stage.
It was a move that reminded Rosalie that, as ever, she was just the helper on the periphery of someone else’s story.
As the melody picked up, an indication lyrics were imminent, Rosalie felt Sofia stiffen beside her and wondered whether Andrea might put an arm around her sister. True to form, she didn’t. Andrea was great at a lot of things, but she was completely emotionally inept.
Then all other thoughts left Rosalie’s mind as Seth started to sing.
Maybe I was wrong.
Maybe I fell for you when we were too young.
But we both learned from a broken heart
and now we can move on.
I’ll never forget that first kiss.
You know I will always remember.
Baby I was crazy about you.
But you aren’t here no more.
His voice was velvet – old, familiar and smooth.
It wrapped around her like a warm bath and made her want to sink down under luxury brand bubbles.
Rosalie wasn’t as talented as Andrea and Sofia when it came to music, but she had been around it all her life, first with her dad, endlessly listening to vinyls at home.
Then with the many musicians she had dated – a member of Randy Jonson’s Armstrung included (if you could call it dating ).
And latterly because of Andrea, Sofia and Hannah.
So she felt qualified enough to know that the man on stage – his voice, the way his fingers effortlessly commanded his guitar, the lyrics, which were no doubt his own if he was working with Sofia, the whole look – had it all.
If her own opinion wasn’t enough, when she looked to her left and saw Andrea’s wide eyes and slightly open mouth, she had back-up. When she saw the glazed look in Sofia’s eyes and the way she shivered when Seth dropped into his lower register, she knew Sofia thought he was the real deal.
Rosalie leaned into Sofia’s ear and told her, ‘You can stop holding your breath now.’
Sofia’s lips broke into a smile, then a laugh. Then she shook her head and quickly swiped a rogue tear from under her eye.
If Andrea wouldn’t show any emotion, Rosalie certainly could.
Instinctively, she wrapped an arm around Sofia’s waist and they pressed their heads together long enough for Sofia to regain some composure.
Sometimes, people just needed to feel loved and lately, Rosalie felt like she had more love inside her than she was able to give.
As the track built to a crescendo, Randy Jonson announced through his microphone, ‘Madison Square Gardens, meet Seth Young.’
The ever-growing crowd roared, and Seth did what most artists forgot to do – he paused for a moment and took it all in. As far as Rosalie could tell, he would have to get used to people screaming his name very quickly.
Her hips swayed and she tapped her foot in her fine high-heeled shoe as she stood among her friends.
‘Sofia, Seth is fantastic, well done, you,’ she shouted above the roaring crowd and her own applause as the track ended.
Sofia was beaming. ‘Thanks, but it’s mostly him, I assure you. He’s incredible – voice, lyrics, guy.’ Sofia shook her head as she looked at the stage Seth was leaving, seemingly in awe.
As the noise in the arena calmed, Rosalie saw Andrea place an almost rigid hand on Sofia’s shoulder and tell her, ‘He is good. With the right support, he could be really something.’
Well, that was about as close to an endorsement as Andrea was likely to give – a tiny chink in her otherwise imperishable armour.
Sofia didn’t have a chance to respond before Calvin Richards raised his closed fist for her to bump.
‘I’ll be more than happy to give him airtime, Soph. Send over the track. I want an exclusive.’
Rosalie watched as Sofia’s mouth curved into yet another smile. ‘It’s yours,’ she told Calvin.
Then, with a gentle but large hand pressed to her shoulder, Rosalie was politely asked to move aside by none other than Seth Young – who suddenly seemed taller, broader and even more ruggedly handsome than he had appeared to her before.
When Seth spoke to Sofia, the southern twang that decorated his voice when he sang was even stronger.
‘I was once told that a man should never argue with a woman because women are always right,’ he said.
Sofia blushed, uncommonly so, Rosalie silently mused. ‘I don’t know about that but a good producer always knows what’s best for her clients.’
Seth laughed – a soft, rich laugh – as he rubbed the light covering of stubble around his jaw. ‘Yeah, all right, I’ll give you that. Thank you.’
Rosalie held her breath, grinning as she waited for Seth and Sofia’s gratitude.
It had, after all, been her initiative that got Seth a slot and her sharp thinking that got Randy Jonson up on the stage with him – something she knew would bring Seth countless hits on social media and pictures in the rags as showbiz columns wrote about the newest face in country rock.
‘You were great up there, Seth,’ she gushed.
Seth turned to her with a scowl as Sofia said, ‘I’m not sure if that was brave or ridiculous, Ros, and I don’t know whether to thank you or curse you.’
Oh. If Sofia hadn’t shaken her head with a glint in her eye, Rosalie might have felt the exact opposite of praised.
But Seth didn’t offer a smile as he folded his big arms across his chest and said, ‘You know, Sofia may forgive you for putting us in that situation, but I won’t thank you.
It was a stupid thing to do, way before I was ready for it, and it could have ruined my career before it even got started.
Not just that but Sofia knew, because she is my producer, not you, that I don’t want to ride on the back of my big brother.
Hell, I didn’t want anyone to know he’s my brother, not if that’s going to be the thing that gets me on the stage over my own music.
But I guess this is how your life of pretty things and parties works, right?
Be seen with all the right people. Daddy gifting you record labels you have no clue how to run.
Prancing around in high heels and sparkly dresses and acting like life isn’t real. ’
Before Rosalie had a chance to even process her shock, Seth had been pulled into another conversation, leaving Rosalie feeling winded.
The feel of Sofia’s hand on her now cold skin reminded Rosalie to breathe. ‘He’s still wired from the show. Try not to take it to heart. But he does have a point, Ros. Next time, maybe you could ask first and act once we’ve all thought it through?’
As tears welled behind her eyes, Rosalie offered her brightest smile and nodded. ‘Of course. I’m sorry. Silly me, always acting before thinking.’