Chapter 3
CONOR
I eyed the rigging creaking above Noelle, who seemed rooted to the stage. The rest of the dancers scattered like ants.
I yelled, “Noelle!” about the same time my feet started moving toward her.
When I reached the spot, I wrapped my arms around her, pushing her backward, and we stumbled and fell just as a section of the rigging gave way, crashing down where she’d been standing seconds before. I landed on top of her with a soft oof.
Noelle shifted beneath me and placed a hand on my chest.
“Are you alright, Nollaig?” The nickname came naturally—too naturally.
She squeaked in response, and I shifted off her body to the side. Our eyes locked as if the past eleven years never happened.
I brushed the hair from her face with my fingertips. “That was close. You’re shaking. Are you hurt?”
“I just destroyed a set worth tens of thousands of dollars.” She licked a drop of blood from her bottom lip. “I feel like shaking is a reasonable reaction.”
One corner of my mouth twitched despite everything. She must be okay. “Still deflecting, and I doubt that tacky shite was worth much more than two hundred quid.”
“You tackled me. I’m not sure I was going to fall.”
“Yeah.” My gaze flicked to the wreckage. “If I hadn’t taken you down, that giant piece of metal would’ve done the job. So, you’re welcome.”
Around them, the crew erupted into motion—voices overlapped, stagehands assessed the equipment, someone called for the first aid kit.
Seeing the kit, Noelle struggled to sit up. “Was anyone hurt?”
“Just you.” I rose to my knees beside her and draped an arm around her shoulders—just in case she started to topple over again.
Heels tapped across the stage, and I spotted Ashley picking her way through the rubble. I supposed she needed an elaborate set to mask the fact that her singing was shite, but it posed a threat to her dancers...and to Noelle.
“Well,” Ashley skewered Noelle with a sharp gaze, “I guess you should stick to PR.”
As if Noelle suddenly realized I still had my arm around her, she scrambled to her feet, almost banging my chin with her head.
She huffed out a breath. “I am so sorry, Ashley. I did try to warn Jacques that I had two left feet.”
I held my breath. If Ashley went after Noelle for this, I’d...
Ashley shrugged. “No worries. The set wasn’t working for me, anyway. I’m going to order something different.
I jerked my thumb at the mess behind us. “Maybe something a little more lightweight. You weren’t going to climb on that throne, were you? I mean, singing from a throne is a bit much—even for you.”
Noelle poked me in the back as she shielded her mouth with her hand.
Narrowing her eyes, Ashley said, “I wasn’t going to sit on the throne and sing, just maybe roll across it for effect.”
“Bad effect.” I held up my hands. “Hey, do what you want with your set as long as you don’t put it up for my performance—and as long as it doesn’t take anyone down.”
Ashley’s nostrils flared on her perfect nose. “We are performing that duet together. You know...your only number one hit.”
Ouch. I suppose I deserved that one. Did Noelle realize that song with Ashley was my only effort outside of Five2 that reached number one? She did now.
“We can do that at the end of my set, before you come on or save it for your encore.” I touched Noelle’s hand. “Do you need some ice for that cut?”
She swept her tongue over the bead of blood forming on her lip. “I must’ve bitten it when you tackled me. I don’t think any of the stage props hit me.”
I whistled at the guy nearest the first aid kit. “Can you bring that over, mate?”
Noelle shrugged and turned to Ashley. “Let me know what direction you’re thinking for the new setup, Ashley. As we’re billing this as a summer tour, maybe go with something beachy instead. We could even use some of it for Conor and Ji-yoon.”
The stagehand tossed an ice pack at me, and I caught it with one hand.
“I hate the beach.” Ashley flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. “But maybe you’re right. Instead of lingerie, I could wear some hot bikinis, and the male dancers could be in Speedos.” She bit the tip of her finger as her gaze shifted past me and Noelle. “Especially that dancer.”
My head and Noelle’s swiveled toward a fit, shirtless bloke with tattoos snaking up his torso.
Noelle cleared her throat. “I’m sure you can work out something with Jacques and Orlando. Just let me know so I can adjust any promo materials.”
“I could live with a beach vibe.” I didn’t really care, as long as I didn’t have to sit on a throne—and it made Noelle’s job easier. I held up the ice pack, and Noelle shook her head.
“Speaking of promo...” Noelle nudged Ashley, who was still eyeing the dancer up and down like a chef assessing a prime bit of beef “...there’s a kick-off event on the AM LA morning show outside the studio in Burbank this week.
You two will be singing one song each, and you’ll talk about the tour a little bit with the host, Hayley Williams. I don’t know which songs the show plans to televise, but you’ll be performing in front of a live audience. ”
Ashley’s head whipped around. “Live? Does AM LA offer...auto-tuning or anything like that? I mean, I don’t need a full-on lip sync, but my voice is not great at five am, or whenever they go on air.”
Knots twisted my gut. Was she serious? Did Ashley plan to lip sync on this tour? Had my manager gotten me into some pop extravaganza instead of a legitimate music tour? My gaze darted toward Noelle, who’d managed to keep her game face on.
“I will check with the show. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
I held up the pack. “Ice. Now. That lip is looking a little puffy.”
Not that I’d been looking at or thinking about Noelle’s lips. Or remembering what they tasted like. I blinked as she snatched the ice pack from my hand.
“Okay, I’ll do it.” She dabbled a tissue on her mouth to catch any more blood and then held the corner of the pack against her lip while still talking. “How about the dancer who twisted her ankle? Jade is her name. Is she alright?”
“She’d better be alright. She was clumsier than you, Noelle.
At least nobody expected you to be able to dance.
What’s her excuse?” Ashley waved her arms in the direction of the dancers at the end of the stage and yelled, “Don’t go anywhere.
We’re gonna take it from the top. Jacques, get them in their places. ”
Noelle folded her arms and shook her head.
Ashley caught the look. “What?”
“We’re working on your image here, Ashley. Maybe it would be a good idea to check on Jade and then have your PA send her some flowers or a basket of something.”
“You’re right.” Ashley pulled Noelle in for an air kiss. “I forgive you for demolishing my set, and I’m counting on you to keep me on my toes. Is that what you did for Five2Go? Kept those boys on their toes?”
Noelle brought the ice pack to her lip again, but if she was worried about coming up with an answer, she didn’t have to be. Ashley spun around and strode toward the dancers, clapping her hands.
“Alright, alright. Where’s our injured gazelle.”
I rolled my eyes at Noelle. “You have a tough job ahead of you when Ashley’s default setting is diva.”
“At least I destroyed that horrible set with the throne.” She tapped her head. “It was always the plan. I actually had those dance moves down.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I said, “You mean I risked my life to save you over a calculated PR move?”
She sucked in a quick breath. “Did you hurt yourself? Is your neck okay?”
“Wrenched it a bit. I’ll be fine.” I shoved my hands in my pockets as Ashley’s music cranked up again. “You did, you know.”
“Did what?”
“Kept me and the lads on our toes back in the day.”
“Ha! What a lie.”
Her beautiful brown eyes sparkled with all the memories, and her lips curled into a smile—the bruised part making it lopsided.
“Nobody could make you guys behave—least of all me.” She patted her chest.
“That’s not true. You played video games with us on the bus and critiqued our clothes. Ian, Sam, Charlie, and Jay always said you reminded them of their sisters and made them feel a little less lonely.”
“And you?” Her long lashes dropped, creating two perfect arcs on the bridge of her cheekbones.
“I don’t have sisters.” I curled my pinky finger around hers. “But you made me feel less lonely.”
Her body stiffened as she took a step back. “Then I did my job, and now I have another job to do for you—help you hold onto the tour’s co-headlining spot. And that means making Ashley Bennett more likeable.”
I stuffed my hands in my pockets again to keep them from reaching for Noelle. She considered me her project. Her path to a promotion. Had it been like that for her back in the old days, too?
Maybe that’s why she dropped off the face of the earth when Five2 left for our world tour. I was nothing more than a job to her then. And it looked like I meant the same thing to her now.
Better make sure to separate business from pleasure this time.
***
I slurped the last of my latte as I listened to Toby’s excuse for missing AM LA this morning.
“I’m really sorry, mate. As your manager, I wanted to be there, but this stomach bug just has a hold on me.”
“Where’d you party last night Toby, and how much Guinness did you drink?” I crunched into a piece of toast and brushed the crumbs from my fingers.
“That’s low, Conor. You can talk to my friend if you don’t believe me.” Toby sniffed for effect.
“I’m just taking the piss, mate. You can do what you want. The PR rep is going to be there, and I’m sure she’s arranged everything.” I knew I could count on Noelle’s efficiency for the appearance to run smoothly.
“You could’ve stayed at my friend’s place with me instead of the hotel. I know how much you hate hotels. Don’t know why you didn’t stay with Charlie at his place in Malibu.”
“He’s not there right now, and I didn’t want to intrude on his sister, Poppy. Malibu’s too far from everything anyway. I hate driving around LA.”
“Doesn’t Ian have a place there, too?”