Scarred Melody: A Rockstar Romance: Bold Melodies Book One
Page 25
I pulled away from him. “We’re about to pull up, contain yourself!”
Skyler pulled away, adjusted his crotch, and saluted me. “Yes, ma’am.”
I laughed. How could this be my life? A year ago I was watching the Grammys with my sister on TV at home, eating ice cream and pepperoni pizza. Today I wore a Valentino original dress. My arms are bare, showing off the new tattoo sleeve Dex and Roxy designed for me. Harley had painted my face with a large pink peony and a butterfly.
The most amazing part is, I’m doing all this with the man of my dreams. Skyler Dalton just spent ten minutes taking me to heaven in the back of a limo and soon we’ll be performing in front of the industry’s who’s who.
“You ready to rock n’ roll?” Skyler grinned, wiping his face for good measure. The limo door opened, and he stepped out, buttoning his tux jacket.
He turned to me, and I nodded. Taking his hand, I stepped out, careful not to trip in these stupid heels Gina insisted I wear.
Lights flashed, blinding me. As many of these shindigs as we’ve done over the last year, I’m still not used to the attention.
I look over at Skyler, who’s giving them all a shit-eating grin. His head is still back in the limo, I know it.
Normally, if these things are during the daytime, he’s wearing his aviators. Tonight he suffers the flashes like me. Skyler taught me to look slightly away from the photographers, so my retinas wouldn’t burn out.
I eye the photographers vying for a better position. The man who photographed Skyler and I was long gone—lawsuits and criminal charges chased him out of town. No one will ever buy a photograph of his again.
Sometimes the old photograph resurfaces, but it doesn’t bother me anymore. I look at the picture and don’t see a deformed woman’s privacy being violated. I see myself making love to the man of my dreams and it’s beautiful. It’s taken a lot of work to change my perspective, but I’m happier for it.
Skyler takes my hand and leads me along the walkway—we pose for cameras, answer questions about upcoming albums and tours. I showed off the full sleeve of my tattoo, pimping out Dex’s studio to the fullest. He’s working on getting a TV show soon for Rocker’s Ink and with all the press I get him, it’ll be happening soon.
Skyler leaned down and whispered in my ear.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.”
My face blushed so hard, the unpainted side must be beet red. I giggle and turn into him. He smelled so good and looked delicious in his navy tuxedo, brown tie, gray waistcoat, and brown loafers. The word I’d choose would be dapper. He even had a pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat pocket to the buttons in the middle and a brown kerchief in his tuxedo pocket.
I’m dressed completely in shiny silver with pink undertones. My skirt was silver tulle with pink streaks matching the peony painted on my face. They made the bodice from satin. It crossed over my waist, one strap over my unscarred shoulder, allowing my tattoos to show. I wore a simple platinum chain around my neck with a small treble clef Skyler gave me after my first album was released, and diamond stud earrings that belonged to my mother.
The way we dressed made me feel like I was going to Cinderella’s ball. Except I’d already found my prince.
Eventually, nondescript men wearing suits and headsets ushered us through and got us seated in the auditorium. I squeal when I see we’re seated next to Tyler White and the other members of Yellow Number Five. I helped Tyler make his first album, and it was an awesome reunion. Like the other artists I’d worked with, it thrilled him to see me coming out in the industry and performing.
I felt surrounded by friends and supporters everywhere. It was a huge contrast to what I’d expected to feel a year ago.
They had nominated Skyler for Album of the Year—a gigantic step considering how his last album performed. They nominated me for Best New Artist. We were nominated together for Best Song for Afterglow, which we would be performing later tonight.
“Are you nervous?” Tyler leaned over and whispered in my ear. Skyler gave him the eye, communicating not so subtly to behave around me. I laughed. If only Skyler knew. Tyler was like the little brother I never had.
“I don’t know if I’m nervous or excited. I’m not scared, though.”
He reached out and squeezed my hand. “Good. No one deserves this more than you, El.”
“Okay, enough of that.” Skyler grabbed my hand from Tyler and held it. Tyler and I both grinned.
“You deserve all of it, El,” he said, nodding in respect toward Skyler.
The master of ceremonies finally came out on stage, and the ceremony began. Various celebrities handed out and received awards, speeches were given, photos were taken. It went by in a blur until they came to the Best Song award. A beautiful young pop artist read off the list of nominees and a camera came close to my face when she called our names. I smiled and clapped; I squeezed Skyler’s hand hard with my nerves and he squeezed back, reassuring.
“And the winner is…” she opened the gold envelope, “Elsie Clarke and Skyler Dalton for Afterglow.”
Our song played in the background as we left our seats, making our way to the stage.
“I think it’s very appropriate we’re winning with a song we wrote after making love,” Skyler whispers in my ear. A shiver ran up my spine.
We’d agreed earlier that if we won, he would do the speaking. Thank God for that, because I was dazzled speechless. The pretty young pop star handed each of us a small statuette. I didn’t hear a word Skyler said as I stood, holding it to my chest. I’d won several of these over the years because of my involvement in other people’s work. After winning, a messenger usually mailed or delivered the award to me. But this is the first time I’ve ever been handed the award directly.
Everything around me fades away as I stare at the gold-plated gramophone trophy in my hands. Being recognized for my contribution to the industry felt surreal and amazing.
Skyler broke my reverie when he took my hand and walked me off stage. I laughed at myself. I was so dazed, I missed his entire speech. We pose for photos and have our statuettes engraved. He hands our statuettes over to one of the PAs and takes me into his arms.
“Hey, are you okay?” He asked, his eyes swimming with concern.
“Yes,” I sighed. “I know you’ve done this dozens of times. And I know I’ve won a ton of these. But it’s just—so real, right now.”
He framed my face with his hands, leaned down, and gently kissed my lips.
“All the other times I’ve been here are nothing compared to right now, Elsie. For me, you’re better than any award. But seeing you win an award for your hard work—your genius—is even better.”
A smartly dressed man holding a clipboard and speaking into his earpiece interrupted us.
“Mr. Dalton, Ms. Clarke, they’re ready for you at stage left. You’re next up.”
“Thank you,” Skyler said, leading me to our mark. “Are you going to be alright to do this?” he asks, removing his tuxedo jacket and rolling up his sleeves. God, he does dressy-casual well. Who am I kidding? He does everything well.
“Oh, yes.” There must have been stars in my eyes when I looked at him. I felt like I was living a fantasy. Performing at the Grammys with Skyler Dalton. For real. Not pretending in my bedroom with a cardboard cutout.
He smiled and led me on stage where Billy, Wes, and Rhys were waiting for us. They were all dressed in tuxedo jackets with band t-shirts underneath. Dressy dressed down; they looked the rocker part perfectly.
Skyler and I reached for the two microphones standing out front and stood under the spotlights. We heard the MC introduce us, and the boys picked up the beat.
Then we sang.
I just wanna live
In your afterglow
Like warm honey
In your afterglow
It took me back to the day we wrote the song. Skyler sitting on the bed, naked under a sheet. Me, sitting at the piano, naked as the day I was bo
rn, not feeling shy or ashamed of my body. The glow of lovemaking sizzled through my muscles.
We alternated stanzas and sang the chorus together, moving closer to each other as we did. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, his body bending as he belted the words into the microphone. Singing with Skyler was our own way of making love; it was so intimate, and it connected us.
As the song ended, the auditorium was silent for one moment. Then clapping and whistling burst out, and people stood in appreciation.
Skyler took my hand in his and we bowed together; he pulled my hand to his lips and kissed my tattooed palm. Every time we performed together, he did the same thing—which was usually at least once per concert on tour. He always said his night wasn’t complete unless he got to mix his voice with mine. Since the Amy Evans show, it was like that. No matter what, at least once a day we were together with a guitar, singing, feeling our feelings together. Now that we’d moved into Benny’s old house, we were together almost all the time.
Skyler pulled me offstage, and the guys followed along, letting the show go on.
“I’ll see you two at the after-party?” Billy asked.
I ran up to Billy and gave him a big hug. He smiled and patted my back.
“Absolutely!” I said before Skyler could say anything.
“Alright then,” he said, corralling Wes and Rhys along with him. He turned to Skyler, winking at him. What was that all about?
We moved back to our seats during a commercial break and waited for the rest of the awards to be given out. I got really excited when Cher came out to introduce the Best New Artist category.
“If I win, please don’t judge me if I fangirl all over her,” I leaned over, whispering in Skyler’s ear.
“I wouldn’t blame you. How can someone be over sixty and look that good?”
I grabbed his hand, squeezing tight; I was getting anxious. He reached over, grabbed his tuxedo jacket, and lay it on his lap, bringing my hands to it and rubbing the fabric along my fingers to calm me down. I turned and looked into his eyes, so grateful this man knew me well enough that my strange quirks didn’t phase him.
“And the winner of Best New Artist is…Elsie Clarke,” Cher called out my name and started clapping.
Skyler stood up and escorted me to the aisle, kissing me before pushing me toward the stage. In a daze, I walked up the steps and saw Cher standing there, clapping with the envelope in her hands.
“Congratulations!” She actually reached over and hugged me. Cher hugged me! “You know, I used to run in the same circles as your mother. She would be so proud of you.” Cher said, and my eyes teared up.
“Thank you. So much.” Since diving full force into the performing end of the music industry, I’d met many people with who my mother performed years ago. To think I’d never have met them, or heard their stories about her if I hadn’t stepped out of my hidey-hole.
They handed me another miniature gramophone, and I stood in front of the microphone for a minute, silently absorbing what was happening.
“I have so many people to thank. My father, Ellis Clarke, and sister, Amelia Clarke, who’s now running Clarke Records. Thank you to all the musicians who have encouraged me over the years; your faith I would get here means everything to me. To my love, Skyler. I’m not sure words would suffice for how you’ve improved my life—how you helped make this possible.” I dropped my head, taking a deep breath. “The one person I want to thank who can’t be here tonight is my mother, Hannah Clarke. Mom, you are always my inspiration. I love you and miss you every day.”
I wiped a tear from my eye, stepped back, and bowed with my award before walking off the stage, relieved I’d made it through my speech without blubbering like an idiot.
Several minutes later, after the hubbub backstage, I found my way back to my seat. Skyler leaned down and gave me a deep kiss, showing me how proud he was and how much he loved me.
Lizzo strode on stage to the microphone and snapped, getting everyone’s attention. As if she didn’t have it already in her fabulous peacock inspired bodice dress. The woman could wear a paper bag and look like a rock star. “And now, for the last award of the night. What we’ve all been waiting for. Album of the Year! The nominees are…”
Skyler turned his head to me. “No matter what, you love me?”
My eyes bugged out. How could he ask such a ridiculous question? “Of course. Always and forever.”
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I’d be washed up on the side of the road somewhere, hawking songs for cigarettes.”
I smiled. “There’s a song in there somewhere…”
“And the winner is…Skyler Dalton for Bold Melodies!” Lizzo announced.
We both stood, and I hugged him. “I’m so proud of you.”
He kissed me. Like, bent me over at the waist and kissed me. When he stood me up, I was dizzy and smiling like a drunk co-ed.
“I couldn’t have done it without you, baby!”
I clap like a madwoman as he walks to the stage, graciously taking his award from Lizzo.
“Wow! Being here today means so much to me. Some of you may be familiar with my last album, though I’m hoping none of you remember it.” He pauses, letting the crowd laugh. He was no longer embarrassed about how low he’d been when he wrote it. Without the low, he wouldn’t be where was today.
“After Benny died, I didn’t know where to go, or what to do with myself. So I worked. But I was empty; I had nothing to give. Benny was my person. And then, he was gone.” My heart ached. It was still hard for Skyler to talk about Benny, but the pain was no longer as visceral. “Today I have a new person. And I’d like to ask her to come up here with me.” The crowd began chattering, everyone looking at me.
“Elsie? Can you come here?” He held out his hand, his eyes pleading.
In a daze, I stood up and walked toward the stage. I had no clue what craziness he was about. Smiling, Skyler took my hand, his eyes never leaving me.
“I wouldn’t be here today without this woman. There are no words that could describe the magnitude of my gratitude for you, El. You helped me find my melody. You are my melody.”
Keeping my hand in his, Skyler lowered himself to one knee. My eyes bulged in shock as I watched him put his Grammy on the ground, reach into his pocket, and pull out a ring. It was an emerald square cut solitaire set in platinum and edged with diamonds. My mouth fell to the floor.
“Elsie Clarke, I am in awe of you. Everything you do is perfect to me. You are perfect to me. I can’t manage another day not having you by my side. Please, put me out of my misery, and be my wife?”
My eyes bounced between his face then to the ring several times before I blurted in a voice two octaves higher than normal, “You want to marry me?” I could barely comprehend what was going on; he may as well have asked me if I wanted rubber in my sandwich.
Skyler laughed, placing my hand on his chest.
“I’m begging you, El. Marry me?” His voice was soft now, his words only for me.
The audience chanted, ‘say yes!’ Skyler smiled and started mouthing the words along with the crowd.
I touched the ring, feeling the flat surface of the emerald. My mouth split open into a giant smile and I nodded, unable to force words from my throat.
Skyler jumped up and slid the ring on my finger, bringing it to his mouth to kiss it.
“She said yes, ladies and gentlemen! You are my witnesses! No takesies backsies.”
I looked at the ring; it was so perfect against my skin, the large stone as wide as my finger. In his excitement, Skyler lifted me above his shoulders and twirled me around. The audience was losing their mind, cheering and whistling.
As I slid down his body to touch the floor, Skyler’s lips met mine, kissing me gently. It felt just as good and exciting as playing a greatest hits album on my piano, because I am his song and he is my melody, and the world was chanting along to our rhythm.
THE END
Memories of My Wishes
>
by Mechanical Disturbance
All I have now are Memories
Memories of My Wishes
Wishes of the past
Nothing lasts forever
The final die was cast
My heart will be forever
In days gone by
Your soul I will remember
So go and fly
This world ain’t made for our kind
Harsh, foul and cruel.
Nothing ever seems to be fair
Expecting more makes me the fool
Afterglow
by Elsie Clarke and Skyler Dalton
Laying here at night
Listenin’ to you breathe
Each day is better
Now that you’re here with me
I just wanna live
In your afterglow
You’re like warm honey
In your afterglow
The future is obscure
No maps will guide
Land of the unknown
But my fear has died
I just wanna live
In your afterglow
You’re like warm honey
In your afterglow
Trusting in your soul
Your eternal good
Just come take my hand
If you would
I just wanna live
In your afterglow
You’re like warm honey
In your afterglow
The sun shines more bright
The moon more low
Extreme everything
In your afterglow
I just wanna live
In your afterglow
You’re like warm honey
In your afterglow