by Dee J. Adams
A wave of heat spread through Brendan like wildfire. He was dead on so many levels once Seger got here. And what about Casey? Brendan locked gazes with her. She could easily reveal his secret. She had to know this was a surprise to him too, but maybe not by the way she stared at him with cold ocean eyes.
“Now, I know some of you might be thinking that the first person who chose a name got shafted from having a choice since we didn’t know any of the celebrities before we started. Which is why…” Steve looked to Casey. “Casey, can pick her choice of any artist she wants, leaving one of you,” he looked out to the group, “with Kanye.”
Casey licked her luscious lips as she gazed around the room at all of the contestants.
“Now, Casey,” Steve went on. “You can hold onto Kanye if you want. That’s your prerogative. Or you can choose to pick anyone else’s celebrity. Your choice.” Steve paused. “Oh. One more thing,” he said. “One of your celebrities isn’t really here.” He smiled at the confusion of the group. “I mean, one of those names in your hands isn’t actually on the show which means if you’re holding that celebrity in your hands once Casey makes her decision, then you, too, will be off the show.”
“What a minute,” April said. Her fine platinum blond hair swung around her face as she shook her head. “You mean we won’t get to compete? We won’t even stay for the week?”
“April, if you’re holding the old maid, you won’t even stay for the night. We have six weeks and seven contestants. Ball’s in your court, Casey. What’s it going to be? Are you going to trade Kanye for someone else? Or will you take your chances with him?”
Casey’s hand shook as she thought it over. She eyed everyone in the circle before stepping forward. She walked right toward Brendan, but turned at the last second and stood in front of Mitch. “I’d like Seger, please.”
Mitch clenched his jaw and the tension in the room ratcheted up a notch before they traded cards and Casey went back to her spot in the circle.
“So, Casey, tell us why you traded for Seger.”
Brendan thought his heart might pound through his ribs it was beating so hard. What if Casey outed him right this second before he even got a chance to prove himself. God, what if he was holding the wrong card and got booted that way?
“I’ve always liked Seger, but mostly I’m not a huge Kanye fan. I thought what he did to Taylor Swift was bad enough, but then after his comments about Beck, he lost me completely. I want to work with some I respect.”
“I understand,” Steve said. “Just so you’re all aware, as the weeks go by and as the contestants dwindle down, so too will the celebrities. Each week we’ll showcase a different genre and your celebrity will have to sing the song you write for that genre. So on the country week, the person with Carrie Underwood is going to be in fat city. Likewise the person with Kristen Chenoweth on Broadway week is going to be in a sweet spot. Just realize,” he added cryptically, “that the celebrity specializing in that genre might already be knocked off the show.” He looked around the group. “A lot of variables to consider for the duration of your stay.”
Brendan looked around the room and realized all of them had been kept in the dark about this turn of events. They’d known they’d have to write a new song every week, but there’d been no mention of celebrities singing them and no mention of different genres.
Shit. Things just got very real.
Casey didn’t know how she was keeping herself together when inside she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide from the world. Too much was happening at warp speed and she could barely keep up.
Brendan.
Pick a card.
Trade a card.
Celebrity spin the bottle.
It was crazy. She barely had time to process one thing when something else happened.
“Okay,” Steve said, clearly ready to drop another bomb.
God, what if she’d just picked the losing card? What if Seger was the no-show? What did Brendan know about it? He had to know something since he worked for the man. Wasn’t that a conflict of interest? Shouldn’t having a job in the music industry prohibit him from being here? She could’ve sworn she read that in the rules, but the bright lights were making her fuzzy and keeping a straight thought seemed impossible.
“When I name the celebrity and if you’re holding their card, you’ll be picking up your bag and walking out the door.” The tension in the room jacked up even more and Casey almost hoped she was the one to get ousted. She hated this…hard. Steve looked around at all of them. “The no-show celebrity is…”
They waited that interminable reality show wait where bad music played and the camera panned to all the contestants. A few people fidgeted. Perspiration broke out under Casey’s arms.
What seemed like five full minutes later, Steve finally opened his mouth. “Kanye West.”
Casey slapped a hand over her mouth. It would’ve been her. Relief warred with knowledge that she’d made the cut and actually had to perform… With Seger Hughes.
Mitch’s face turned all sorts of red as it dawned on him that he was out. “Are you kidding me?” The anger in his voice echoed in the room. “Are you fu—are you serious?” He stalked up to Casey full of steam, his face flushed and his muscles taut.
Casey had a sudden flashback of Jeff approaching her and backed up a step. In an instant, Steve and Brendan showed up and flanked Mitch, ready to grab him if he tried anything.
“Easy, Mitch,” Steve said. He seemed to be enjoying the whole scene. This was reality TV at its best.
Mitch faced Steve, anger blazing off him like dumpster stink, his dark eyes spitting mad. “Easy? You think it’s funny to mess with our lives, to yank our chains?” He shot daggers at her with his vicious stare. “Thanks,” he seethed. “For nothing!” He stalked out, snatched his bag and slammed the door behind him.
Casey might’ve been relieved if the room hadn’t suddenly started spinning. Her legs got shaky and she moved to the nearby brown leather sofa before she fell on her face. She should be celebrating the fact that she’d at least be here the first week with a singer she loved, but her insides quaked too hard to enjoy the accomplishment.
“You doing okay, Casey?” Steve asked, his fake concern making her a little more nauseous.
“I’m fine.” Not to mention a big fat liar. She wasn’t fine at all. Seeing Brendan was the first shot to her confidence and having a mini flashback to this morning with the way Mitch advanced on her was just the icing on her crappy cake.
Steve turned back to the camera and started talking and Casey didn’t hear a word he said. Something about celebrating with all the food they’d brought in. Taking the time to get to know each other before the week got started. The group shifted and a faint din rose as they all seemed to talk at once.
Brendan took the spot next to her and a chill raced down her arms. He hadn’t lost one bit of sex appeal since their time in Hawaii. He smelled delicious and looked even better in a denim shirt with fancy navy stitching. The material molded to his chest and showcased his spectacular muscles.
“You left.” He said it simply with the tiniest hint of an edge, but she saw the hurt in his beautiful eyes. He was talking about Hawaii. She’d never meant to cause him any pain. She thought he even might appreciate the lack of an awkward morning after. Still the place was full of cameras and microphones and Casey had to be careful. His comment could’ve been because she’d left the circle just now to sit down.
“I just needed time to process.” That was the truth. Her night with him had been scary in the most amazing way. His attentiveness, his drive to please her had been just what she needed and something she’d never had. One night with a stranger should not have affected her the way it did.
“Process?” He didn’t damn her with the word. He didn’t make it an accusation. He seemed like he was really trying to understand her and that made her chest even tighter. He nodded slightly, then pegged her with his gaze. “So did you? Process, I mean?”
> She felt his warmth and wanted the heat of his hand along her back. She remembered how secure he made her feel in Hawaii as they’d walked the crowded streets. “I’m getting there. It was a lot to take in.”
They still could’ve been talking about this whole reality show scenario.
He nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but he wiped a hand over his mouth and jaw instead almost as if he censored himself before saying anything. The gesture brought Casey’s gaze to his ear. His fully formed ear…
“Hey, what happened to—” Shit. She stopped herself just as his pleading eyes caught her gaze. Obviously he wanted to hide the fact that he had a mangled ear. She couldn’t blame him. In an environment like this it would be big news. Before he or anyone else eavesdropping asked, she hurried on. “Oh, forget it. Not important.”
“Getting cozy already?” April walked over with two glasses of something bubbly and handed one to Casey. Her smile was all high school. “This is for you. I owe you for not handing Kanye to me.” She shivered as if the idea creeped her out. “I’m kind of glad Mitch is gone. He’s too hot-headed to be locked in here for so many weeks.”
“Thanks,” Casey said, lifting the glass in a salute. She sipped the champagne and avoided any discussion of Mitch. The sweet bubbly drink tasted too sweet and tickled her nose, but she drank it anyway. From now on anything they said was recorded and edited and she didn’t want to give anyone ammo. Besides, she wasn’t about to trash talk someone—that included a bully like Mitch—without knowing how it might come back at her. None of them knew each other, with the exception of her and Brendan, and, of course, Brendan and Seger. Which led her to the next observation.
“I think the weeks are going to fly by, especially as we get knocked out.” She didn’t even want to think about the anxiety of writing a new song every week for the duration of her stay. They still didn’t know what genre they had to write this first week. She sipped more champagne knowing it was a mistake to overdo it. She hadn’t eaten much today and it was going to hit her hard if she didn’t watch herself.
After a minute of small talk on the sofa, Casey, April and Brendan joined the group around the long tableful of food. A smorgasbord fit for royalty. Jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, spanakopita, trays of fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken skewers and rice all vied for space, and on the end, an array of desserts looked mouthwatering. Mini cupcakes of all kinds, cake-pops, brownies, cookies… It was enough to cause a sugar coma just looking at it all. Casey had a little bit everything, sticking mostly with protein and washed down a chocolate cake-pop with more champagne.
Food helped her mood. The champagne didn’t hurt either. She loosened up enough to get past the whole Mitch incident and even managed to talk with people besides Brendan.
Steve had gone one by one and introduced the contestants a little more thoroughly to the audience so that everyone had a better and bigger picture of who they were, which meant the rest of them could talk quietly and eat while he interviewed his prey. He snagged her in the middle of the group and asked her questions about her day-to-day life. He touched on her teaching, but thankfully didn’t hit on her solo honeymoon. She wasn’t sure if he had that information yet, but figured it was a matter of time before it bit her in the ass.
After the thirty-five minutes it took to talk to everyone, Steve motioned for their attention. “Before signing off on our live broadcast, I want to thank all the people watching, but mostly I want to thank our contestants. It’s going to be a fun couple of months here at Write Your Ticket. We hope you all will tune in every week at this time to see how our songwriters and celebrities fair during the week. Until next time, I’m Steve Bardell. Good night!”
Finally, the live portion ended. Casey felt a small reprieve knowing thousands of people weren’t watching them at this exact moment. Granted, she still had to watch her mouth and her step because cameras were rolling twenty-four seven, but it wasn’t like they could show every minute of everyone’s stay here.
Steve set his mic down and looked around the room, his smile devious. “If you all would follow me,” he said. He seemed very happy with whatever bomb he planned to drop next. He led the way out a thick door that spit them outside. The walls of the house had been built into the stage. Fresh air felt good on her heated skin. The sun had set and stadium lights illuminated a big yard. Huge green fences blocked out the surrounding lot and adjoining neighborhood. A gorgeous, new, black two-door BMW coupe sat on display in the middle of the yard. Zoe would’ve gone crazy for that car. Her sister was a BMW maniac.
Steve pointed to it and gestured everyone to follow. “This sweet machine can be yours,” he said, turning to the seven of them. “All you have to do is sit in it.”
“What do you mean, ‘sit in it’?” Courtney asked. She seemed the most cynical of the group so far. Her hour-glass figure hinted at a serious boob and booty job. So far she’d questioned everything and rarely smiled.
“I mean, that all of you will pile into the car and the person who stays in the longest wins it.”
“Driver’s seat!” Jack called, setting his drink on the nearest table and running to the car.
“Shotgun!” Both April and Dante called it at the same time and started running with Courtney right on their heels. The rest of them followed.
“How does this pertain to writing songs?” Brendan asked as he peered inside. The two-door coupe barely had seating for five and there were seven of them.
“It doesn’t,” Steve admitted. “It’s just one of the few games we’ve devised so you guys can get to know each other better.” He opened the passenger side door wide, and Dante dutifully pulled the seat forward so the rest of them could climb in back. “I think you ladies might want the guys to sit down first. Unless you want one of them on your lap.”
Jack didn’t budge from the driver’s seat and Casey already chalked him up as someone to watch. She didn’t trust people who blindly followed without asking questions.
“April called shotgun, so she can sit in my lap,” Dante said. His freckled face made him look fourteen as opposed to twenty-three.
Brendan got in next to Courtney and Lisa. He barely fit in the tiny space. He patted his lap and Casey realized it was either his lap or another female she didn’t know. Not sitting on his lap might look more suspicious, so Casey sucked it up, eased in and settled on Brendan’s hard thighs.
Chapter Ten
Perfume from four different women quickly overpowered the new car smell, and Brendan had no idea why he’d stepped foot in this damn claustrophobic hot box in the first place. He didn’t need a car and, though it was nice, he wouldn’t be caught dead in something this small. He liked bigger machines. He liked knowing if an accident was going to happen, then he was in something big enough to take a beating.
But as Casey settled her very nice ass on his lap, he knew why he’d done it. Turned out he was more of a masochist than he thought. Yeah, she’d made it very clear what she thought of him and their one night together, but it didn’t change the fact that he was insanely attracted to her. Still. Even after getting shit on.
So what was wrong with him? Lust is blind? Apparently.
He had weeks in front of him where he couldn’t talk to her the way he wanted to.
Plus, what if she exposed him and his relationship with Seger? Hell, she’d already nearly blown his prosthetic ear. What happened when Seger saw him? His boss hadn’t said one word about being on the show. Of course, Brendan hadn’t said anything either, but he’d been under contract to keep his mouth shut. Seger had probably signed the same confidentiality agreement.
Casey shifted and reminded him that her fine ass graced his lap. “I’m totally crushing you,” she murmured.
“I’m fine,” Brendan assured her. He was better than fine. He could stay like this all day if he had to. All night. He loved the weight of her, the way her long hair fell like silk in front of him.
“How long do you think we’ll
last in here?” Lisa asked from her corner of the coupe.
“You guys may as well call it quits now because I’m not letting this car go to anyone else.” Jack stroked his hands around the wheel as if it were a woman. His attitude turned Brendan off. At least Dante seemed like a decent guy…unless his shy smile was just a con. Jack continued, “This baby is mine.”
Brendan refrained from the eye roll and kept his poker face. He had to remember cameras were on them at all times…probably one or two hidden in the car’s interior.
“Don’t count on it,” Courtney said, leaning toward the front seat. Her very round breast brushed his arm. “My car is on its last legs and I need this for survival.”
“I guess we’ll be fighting it out,” Jack said with a smile.
A couple of hours passed and the seven of them exchanged small talk. Where they were from and how they got into songwriting. Brendan did his best to think about anything but the woman on his lap. Virtually impossible. He remembered everything about her. Her scent, her curves. The dirty words she’d whispered in his ear. His reaction below the belt made complete sense, it was just a very big nuisance and shitty as hell timing.
Casey shifted one too many times and Brendan figured he knew what was wrong since he was having the same issue.
“Gotta pee?” he asked softly.
“Like a racehorse,” she muttered.
Courtney and Lisa laughed and agreed with “Me too” and “I know.”
So all that food and drink had been on purpose to assure a quicker ending to this little contest.
“You guys can fight it out. I’m done.” Casey shoved forward. “April, Dante, I don’t care how you do it, but get your butts out of that seat so I can crawl out.” What ensued next was nothing short of keystone cops. After opening the passenger door, April had to shove over to the console and Dante moved completely over the front dash as Casey bent over to flip the seat forward. The extra pressure on Brendan’s lap not only exacerbated his bladder issue, but his hard-on issue as well.
