Chapter 29
EIGHT MONTHS LATER
Mattie took Adam’s hand and squeezed it as she stepped onto the red carpet at the Grammy Awards.
“Ready for this?” His crooked grin was just for her.
She smiled and nodded. “Definitely.”
Cameras flashed on both sides as she showed off the dress Della had picked for her. It was a simple A-line silhouette covered in three-dimensional flowers that flowed from the waist to the ground. She was Alice walking through Wonderland in this dress. She held out her arms and twirled so the dress billowed out around her and was rewarded with oohs and ahhs from those watching.
“How does it feel to be up for two awards?” one of the reporters asked.
She beamed. “It’s a dream come true.”
She and Adam, as well as Delusions of Glory, were up for three awards tonight, including Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance, and Album of the Year. Their Syer Island retreat had resulted in three new songs that finished out the Truth Is I Love You album.
They were all great songs, but it was the third, “Truth Is I Love You,” that really stood out. It had taken them two months to write the song they’d started in Adam’s garage. She thought it not only captured the entire beginning of their relationship, but it also showed how she felt about the entire band. It was edgier than her usual pop sound, but softer than Adam’s typical rock vibe. Kat had been right. The blend of their two sounds made magic.
It was one of the best songs she’d ever written.
When Delusions of Glory had opened their new tour two months ago, she’d joined them on stage to sing it with them. The rush of being on stage had been intense and exciting, and it made her think seriously about Della’s idea to get back together.
“Mattie,” one reporter shouted, “when will we hear wedding bells?”
“Are The Bellamy Sisters getting back together?”
“Who are you wearing?”
She smiled and posed and ignored their questions. Rumors had been flying for months about her sisters, but so far that’s all they were. Rumors. They weren’t ready. Not yet. But the idea had gone from a solid no to a hopeful maybe.
They bombarded Adam with questions when he stepped up to escort her into the Staples Center.
“Is Mattie joining Delusions of Glory?”
“Will you tour together?”
“How’s it feel to be here with your high school crush?”
Adam flipped a casual wave in their direction, and he and Mattie walked down the red carpet toward the doors. He whispered in her ear. “It feels fantastic to be here with my high school crush. It will feel even better when we get out of here and out of these clothes. ”
She laughed and poked him in the ribs. “Don’t start that now. We have a long night ahead of us.”
“Why not? Nobody will notice if we sneak off to a quiet corner for a little bit. Especially at the after-party.”
“They’re hunting for photos exactly like that. Remember?”
“They’re never getting another photo exactly like that. If they do, my new manager will be put on a spit and roasted.”
“Your new manager is much more likely to put you over her knee and spank you. If Jordanna can handle Della, she can make mincemeat of you.”
“She’s a marshmallow.” He gave her a toothy grin. “Besides, she thinks I’m adorable.”
“She thinks everyone’s adorable at first.” She saw Della waiting up ahead and waved at her. “Della!”
Della grinned at the cameras while she waited for them to catch up. “We’re almost fashionably late. Everybody else is already sitting down.”
Mattie gave her sister a quick hug, then the three of them went inside.
Mattie waited through award after award with her stomach slowly tying itself into tiny macramé knots. She’d never realized before just how long it took them to go through the list of nominees, plus the commercial breaks, plus all the performances. Sitting on literal pins and needles would have felt more comfortable.
During one commercial break, Mattie, her sisters, and Delusions of Glory all clustered into a huddle in the aisle next to their seats. Mattie and Adam stood in the middle of a circle that included everyone they cared most about in the world. Cameras pointed at them, and heads turned occasionally in their direction. Every now and then, someone waved. She wasn’t sure how much of the buzz was for her and how much for Delusions of Glory since they were both up for a major award, but the tension in the air only ratcheted up her own nerves to the point where she could hardly sit still.
She felt like a kid waiting for Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy all at once. She flexed her hands to use the pent-up energy, but it didn’t help.
Piper grabbed her hands. “If you don’t stop that, you’ll be a meme by the time the show ends. Now smile and laugh like I just said something funny.”
Mattie pursed her lips but resisted the urge to stick her tongue out.
“Only a couple more to go,” Lizzie said with a calm smile. “Almost there.”
“This is taking forever,” Flynn muttered.
“Yeah, can’t we skip ahead?” Brandon hissed.
“Patience, gentlemen,” Adam admonished. He exchanged exasperated grins with Cooper and LT.
Mattie let out a nervous giggle. “I’m with Flynn, this really is taking forever. I think they’re deliberately going slow to torture us.”
“If you don’t win, I’m boycotting these awards for the rest of my life,” Della muttered.
The music queued them to get back in their seats, but since everyone had taken the opportunity to crawl out of their seats, it took several minutes to get settled.
Finally, the Song of the Year presenter stepped on stage. Sarah Nash was not only a great lyricist, she was last year’s winner. Mattie loved her style because the folksy song reminded her of her dad.
Sarah read the list of nominees with a smile and comment for each one. Mattie envied the cool, laid-back composure Adam held on to in the face of all this stress. She had trouble keeping the frozen smile planted on her face with the camera pointed directly at them.
“And Song of the Year goes to…” Sarah fumbled with the envelope. “Ouch, paper cut. Hold on. Almost have it.”
Mattie squirmed in her seat.
Adam gripped her hand.
“‘Truth Is I Love You,’ by Mattie Bellamy and Adam Brooks, Brandon Brooks, Cooper Peady, Flynn Mackie, and LT Sullivan,” she called out.
Everyone sitting around Mattie jumped up and shouted.
“I knew you’d win!” Della beamed. “You write the best songs and now you have proof!”
Mattie hugged everyone she could reach on her way out of the row and down the aisle whether she knew them or not. When she stepped up on stage clutching Adam’s hand, the applause grew louder, and included a few catcalls. She clutched the award statue they pressed into her hands and peered out at her sisters.
Lizzie looked so proud it made Mattie tear up. Piper shot her a thumbs-up. Della hopped up and down and pumped her fist in the air.
“This is your moment,” Adam told her as he gave her a little push toward the microphone. “You talk. We’ll back you up.”
It was surreal to finally be living the dream she’d had for so long. She glanced back at Adam. “You sure?”
He nodded encouragingly at her.
“It’s funny,” she said to the crowd. “I usually have so many words to say but right now…”
She shrugged helplessly.
The crowd laughed.
“First, I want to thank the guys on stage with me. I couldn’t have found the right words without Flynn, Brandon, LT, Cooper, and of course Adam.”
She turned to give them all a sunny smile. “I’m so grateful I got the chance to know you and work with all of you.
“I also want to thank my family—my sisters—Lizzie, Piper, and Della.” She pointed at her sisters. One of the big cameras swung around to get a shot of the three of them and Renic, all nodding and smiling back at her. “You’ve supported me, encouraged me, picked me up when I was down, and loved me through everything. You’ve backed me my whole life, and I wouldn’t be standing here without you. I love you.”
Lizzie blew her a kiss. Piper pumped a fist in the air, and Della shouted, “I love you, Mattie!”
Mattie brushed a tear off her cheeks and held her hand out to Adam.
Adam leaned toward the microphone and grinned. “She’s the words, we’re just the melody. This song has soul and the album has heart because Mattie Bellamy agreed to work with us. To the fans who put us here, you know who you are…thanks for listening.”
“Thanks for singing,” Cooper said into the mic. He moved out the way, and LT stepped up.
“Thanks for having our back,” LT said. He stepped to the side.
“Thanks for coming,” Brandon waved.
Flynn pushed him out the way. “And thanks for buying!” He gave the audience a toothy grin and waved a drumstick.
Adam waved a salute, and they followed the presenter off stage.
Mattie was floating so high on adrenaline-fueled euphoria that she couldn’t stop laughing.
Adam picked her up and swung her around. If his smile grew any broader, it might crack his face in half. “You did it! I told you it would win.”
“ We did it,” she insisted. “You and me. The guys too. All of us. I can’t believe it. I really can’t believe it. Did that just happen? It didn’t, did it. I’m dreaming. This is a dream and I don’t want to wake up.”
“It’s real, fantasy girl. It’s all real.” Adam gave her a fierce kiss.
“Dude, they’re announcing Best Album,” Flynn said.
It was too late to get back to their seats, so they all crowded together behind the curtain at the side of the stage and anxiously waited.
“And Album of the Year goes to”—the presenter grinned at the audience—“no surprise here because these guys are my personal favorite, Delusions of Glory!”
Mattie slapped her hands over her mouth to contain the squeal. There had been rumors that the album might win, but she hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up.
“Yes!” Flynn pumped the air with both fists.
“That’s right!” Brandon pointed at Flynn. “I called it!”
“Get back out there,” Adam gave his brother a playful shove.
The announcer stepped back as Flynn and Brandon ran back out on stage. LT and Cooper followed at a more sedate pace.
Mattie felt like turning somersaults. Her heart was so full she didn’t think she’d be able to capture everything she felt in this moment, even if she spent a lifetime trying. She gave Adam her biggest, proudest smile and gestured for him to follow the others.
“Go on. I’ll be right here waiting.”
Adam grabbed her hand. “Oh no, I’m not letting you sit in the background ever again. You are as much a part of this as we are. Come on.”
She beamed at him, and they ran out to take another bow.
Together.
By the time the show was over and they’d changed into more comfortable clothes, the after-party was in full swing. The group that managed a dozen labels, including Adam’s, took over one of LA Center’s largest sound stages and transformed it into a one-of-a-kind nightclub complete with live music, plenty of food and drink, and a see-and-be-seen atmosphere.
Twenty thousand feet of space was filled with musicians, their managers, producers, record label executives, and anybody and everybody who was connected in any way with Jupiter Music Group. They were all there to celebrate the stars of the night and to start campaigning for the next award show.
Mattie and Adam were reluctantly separated soon after they arrived. Delusions of Glory’s new manager, Jordanna, hustled them off for interviews and meet and greets, while Kat ushered Mattie to a different corner for more of the same.
Mattie shook hands, hugged, and air kissed so many people she lost track. Her sisters stayed within range, but it was Mattie everybody wanted to see. She wasn’t used to being the center of attention, and she wasn’t sure she liked it. She’d rather Della and Piper handle the schmoozing while she and Lizzie stood behind them making sure nobody got too grabby.
Mattie caught sight of Devon Morales on the far side of the room. He scowled at her, then flipped her off. She offered him her sweetest Southern smile in return, the one that looked polite but really meant bless your heart. The phrase could mean any number of things, from I feel so sorry for you to I hope you die in a fire. Let him sort out exactly what she meant.
The song he’d stolen from her didn’t win. Neither did his album. His next tweet would say he was robbed, she supposed.
Della noticed her watching him and shouted into her ear, “Serves him right. Loser.”
Mattie had mixed feelings about it. The words were hers, even if he’d stolen credit. If he lost, she did too. It was an odd kind of twist to think she’d both lost and won tonight. “You know, I should thank him.”
Della looked at her like she’d grown another eyeball. “Why? He made your life miserable.”
Mattie wiggled her fingers at Devon. “Because of him, I went on that retreat with Adam. I came back with three great songs and a man I love. I ended up with exactly what Devon’s trying to find. Shame he’s going about it all wrong.”
Mattie saw Adam near one of the bars and smiled to herself. “Devon can have the song. I found something a hell of a lot better.”
Della squeezed her arm. “I’m going for a drink. Want anything?”
“Wait.” Mattie grabbed her sister’s hand before she could dart away. “I need to tell you something.”
Della looked at her with curiosity.
“If Piper’s in, so am I.”
“You’re…” Della’s eyes widened. “You sure?”
Mattie put her lips to Della’s ear so she could hear her over the noise of the crowd. “I’ve given this a lot of thought. I want to perform again, but not by myself. I don’t want to go solo. If I’m going on stage, I want it to be with my sisters.”
“You’d be great at it. You know that, right?” Della looked cautiously hopeful. “You never give yourself enough credit. And I guess I never wanted to notice that. But you would own the stage all by yourself.”
“I want to be on stage with you and Piper, or not at all,” Mattie told her firmly. “So if you can convince Piper, I’m in. But it’s not going to be an easy sell.”
Della looked relieved. “With you on board, it’ll be a lot easier. Don’t worry. I’ve been thinking about how to make up with her. I just needed to know that you were ready. We can’t do this without you.”
Della threw her arms around Mattie and squeezed so tight she couldn’t breathe.
“And I won’t do it without you and Piper. I love you Dell Bell.”
“Love you more, Mattie Cake!” Della’s smile could have melted a million hearts. “I’m going to tell Lizzie!”
She darted into the crowd.
Adam made his way back to her, carrying much-needed water for her and a beer for him. He gestured at Della’s receding back. “I take it you told her?”
Mattie nodded. “Yes.”
“How long will it take her to convince Piper?” Adam asked.
“Not sure. Piper’s been building up walls for this moment for years, but Della’s a special kind of force.”
It was late, and the crowd had started to thin a little. Most would move on to other parties, but Mattie had a different kind of celebration in mind.
She took Adam’s free hand in hers and pulled him close. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Where to?” His eyes sparked with interest.
Mattie put all the desire and love she felt into the look she gave him. “Is there a waterfall around here?”
“If there isn’t, I’ll make one. ”
His wicked grin set her insides on fire.
“Silly. A shower will work fine.” She flashed him a not-so-innocent smile.
He growled under his breath. “Let’s go.”
“Thought you’d never ask.” She let him pull her through the crowd, out the door, and into the night.
They wound up detouring into the first dark corner they found for a kiss that lasted a long, long time.
The shower, when they got to it, lasted even longer.
Mattie relished the sensations that tingled through her body as his hands caressed her wet skin. “You know what?”
Adam smoothed her hair back out of her eyes. “What?”
“I was wrong. I think love lasts forever. Love, and music.”
“And us.”
They sealed the declaration with a very thorough, very long, kiss.