Chapter Three
Summer
I wake up, a bundle of nerves in my stomach.
Today is my first national appearance since my days on Star Power, and so much is on the line.
This is the break I’ve been waiting for my entire life.
If I lose out on the opportunity to open for Jade Glow, I will have to reevaluate everything I’ve worked and strived for since I was a little girl.
I was on Star Power when I was twenty-two, and now I am twenty-six years old, doing voice-overs and making a very nice living but not living my dream or doing something I am passionate about.
I push off the thoughts of the crossroads I’ll be at if this opportunity falls through and focus on today’s performance.
The Morning Show will do an interview with both Tawny and me, then each of us will sing individually.
I have a song I wrote and am excited to perform live.
My pre-audience nerves always disappear once the music takes over my entire being.
I blow out a deep breath and ready myself in my bedroom, snapping selfies and posting pre-appearance photos on my various social media sites.
I underwent many hair and makeup lessons in an effort to save myself money in the days before I began doing voice-overs, and I have no problem pulling myself together.
I know The Morning Show has makeup artists who will make sure I am television ready before I go live.
I make myself a protein shake while Ben showers, and I keep my mind off the hot naked man a room away, whose rock-hard body I vividly remember and I am dying to see again.
Instead, I focus on the song I am going to sing. Which isn’t easy when the bathroom door opens, and he steps out with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair damp from the shower, his muscles flexing, his tanned skin glowing.
I pause with my drink halfway to my mouth and swallow over the sudden arousal pulsing through my body.
“Umm … good morning.”
“I thought you were in your room,” he says in a gruff voice.
“I figured I needed something in my stomach so I don’t pass out in front of an audience.” I lift my glass with my breakfast blended inside.
“You’ll be fine. The stage is definitely a place where you shine.” He looks shocked he complimented me before schooling his expression into his usual bland look.
I don’t care that his words slipped out. He said them, and I beam at his compliment. “You really believe that?”
“Yeah. I do. I remember watching you from the side of the stage on Star Power. You captivated your audience and had them in the palm of your hand. You’ve got this,” he says in a reassuring tone. “And now I need to get dressed if we’re going to make sure you arrive at the studio on time.”
He turns away from me, exposing the firm lines of his back and the flex of muscles as he bends down to pull clothing from his duffel bag.
I regretfully drag my gaze away and tell myself to stop wishing I could run my hands over his taut skin and feel those muscles flex beneath my fingertips or my lips. After one last lingering glance, I head back into my bedroom while he dresses.
Rose sent me home with an aqua jeweled tank top and black spandex, which I change into, leaving my hair down and curled.
My shoes are my favorite performing shoes, a pair of black patent booties with a chunky but high heel I have no trouble strutting in around on stage.
I’m not about to risk wearing the pair Rose sent me home with, which would no doubt result in an embarrassing tumble without practice wearing them.
I step out of my bedroom to find the couch put back together and Ben sitting on the sofa, drinking a cup of coffee. His gaze swings to me, his light blue eyes opening wide at the sight of me, darkening with heat as they take in my whole outfit.
My body shocks with what feels like an electric current, and my nipples pucker tight at the sexual need and admiration in his gaze.
“Like what you see?” I can’t help but tease him like I did in the old days, when things were easy and fun between us.
“Behave,” he says in a gruff voice.
I refuse to be deterred, having decided I am going to win him over by sheer force of will and a perpetual good mood. “You can say it. It won’t kill you. Summer, you look good.”
An unwilling half smile pulls at his lips. “Summer, you know damn well you look good,” he says, rising from his seat.
It is a small concession, but it gives me intense pleasure to hear his admission. Besides, the outline of his erection tenting his pants is a blatant stamp of approval on my appearance.
“Now let’s get going before you’re late.”
Too quickly, we make the trip by car to the studio uptown. A greeter meets us at the entrance and escorts us to the Green Room. Someone comes by immediately to touch up my makeup, getting rid of any shine, then I am instructed to remain there and wait to be called.
Tawny is there as well, along with her entourage, a man I assume is her bodyguard, and her agent, Michael Gold, a blond man in his mid-forties with a reputation as both a flirt and a shark in the business.
As a matter of fact, it was through Tawny’s agent that I found my own representation, Anna Davis.
He was happy to recommend someone at his agency at the time I was looking.
Michael stands extremely close to Tawny, but I merely shrug. He doesn’t understand the meaning of personal space with me, either. Anna isn’t here, but there is no reason for her to be. Michael is a different kind of agent. I don’t require the amount of handholding that Tawny does.
Also circling Tawny are her friends, who fawn over her …
and her parents. The sight makes my stomach clench with the familiar sadness that my parents aren’t here, too.
They are traveling in Europe, leaving me to handle my career.
Their itinerary is fluid, and I expect a call when they are back in South Carolina, where they bought a retirement home.
Things haven’t been the same between us since I essentially fired them as my manager and agents soon after I was runner-up in Star Power.
My reasons were valid. I lost a key booking because they pushed too hard at the wrong time, and I knew then I needed professionals.
All the people involved with the show told me so.
Unfortunately, I created a rift between us I never intended.
Anna is solid and in my corner, a good professional fit, but I miss the close-knit family feeling I had when my parents traveled with me.
But my mother and father can’t differentiate between being my parents and controlling my career, so they agreed it was better for them not to tag along.
And though Ivy shows up when she can, her presence is dependent on whether or not she has urgent deadlines for her website business.
I turn my gaze away from Tawny and her people, rubbing a hand over my stomach, willing away both my unwanted emotions and my performance nerves.
“Summer!” Michael calls as he makes his way over to me. “How are you?” He comes up close, into my personal space.
I immediately step back, which makes Ben slip in beside me, his protective instincts coming to the surface.
“This is Michael Gold, Tawny’s agent,” I say to Ben. “Michael, this is my bodyguard, Ben Hollander.”
The men shake hands, and I can’t get over how different they are in both build and stature. Michael isn’t a bad-looking man, but he isn’t my type, and he is small compared to Ben’s more muscular frame.
And where Ben is secure in himself, Michael is flashy in his designer suits and the gold Rolex he shows off by constantly rolling his dress shirt sleeves to put it on full display.
Added to that, he drives a vintage Rolls Royce and makes sure everyone knows it.
But he is a top agent, and that’s all that matters from a client’s perspective.
“Are you ready?” Michael asks me with a wink. “Stiff competition.” He gestures toward Tawny.
“I can handle it,” I assure him.
“Good. I like a good competition.” He walks away, onward to do his thing.
Ben scowls after him. “I don’t like him,” he mutters.
“He’s pompous but harmless.”
“So just to go over today’s scheduling,” the producer of the show says, interrupting us. “You’ll be interviewed and perform immediately after. Tawny is up first. Break a leg,” he says, clasping her forearm before walking away, pulling out his phone as he leaves the room.
I blow out a disappointed breath.
“What’s wrong?” Ben asks, perceptive to my sudden mood shift.
“Going second means I can’t set the bar high. I have to surpass whatever bar Tawny sets.” I roll my shoulders, pulling in a deep breath and willing myself to relax. “It’ll be fine,” I say, trying to convince myself.
Because Tawny is many things I don’t like, but she is definitely talented, and I would much rather put the pressure on her than vice versa.
Before Ben can reply, a woman with a clipboard strides into the room. “Tawny, you’re up.”
Tawny turns and heads for the door, stopping by me. Her blonde curls bounce around her face, and she pastes on her patented fake smile.
“Hi, Summer.”
“Tawny.”
The other woman’s gaze shifts to Ben. “Well, I’ll be damned. Ben Hollander. That’s who they assigned as your bodyguard?” She shakes her head in disbelief.
“I’d say it’s a pleasure, but I’d be lying,” Ben says.
“Right. Because Summer thinks I’m the one who outed your affair.”
Ben raises an eyebrow. He has no idea what I believe because I never shared my opinion with him, thinking the hows and whys no longer matter. Tawny has a long memory, and she likes to stir up trouble.
“Did you?” Ben asks.
“You’ll never know,” she says and turns to me, her gaze raking me over from head to toe. “Nice outfit. You think biker chic will appeal to America?” she asks with disdain.
The friends behind her giggle at the not-too-subtle dig. Tawny opted for a softer lacey look, her entire outer appearance at odds with the hard, ambitious girl on the inside.