by Anthology
Henry called into his two-way radio and told the unseen listener that he was bringing Mr. Grayson’s guest to his dressing room. Rebecca heard an audible click as the doors were unlocked and Henry opened one, waving Rebecca in.
When she stepped through the door, she felt herself gasp. There appeared to be a hundred people racing here and there, bustling about. They moved quickly down a concrete hallway and she heard the sound of thousands of people talking and knew they were near the stage. They stopped at a door with Luke’s name on it and Henry opened it and told her to wait inside. She stepped in and thanked him as he closed the door behind her. She heard Luke’s voice and peeked around the wall where she saw him sitting in a director’s chair. A young man, maybe in his early to mid-twenties, with dark, black hair was applying makeup on Luke. A tall, willowy brunette woman was styling Luke’s hair, making sure every strand was in place. A second man, in his mid-thirties, sat across from Luke, pen and paper in hand, scribbling and laughing at what Luke was saying. She stayed hidden; watching him as he continued with what she assumed was an interview. She felt a flash of desire as she watched Luke speaking so passionately about his career. He was so animated and his love for what he did emanated through his voice and body. She knew that feeling and respected the fact that he was living his dream.
She tried to stay hidden in the corner but the girl doing his hair saw Rebecca and flashed a smile at her, indicating with her hand that she should come in. Luke, catching the girl’s distraction, looked over at Rebecca. His whole face lit up when he saw her and she flushed as she saw how happy he was to see her. He stopped the interview and walked over to her to greet her.
“Rebecca! I’m so glad you’re here.” He embraced her before pulling back and kissing her softly. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’m so happy to be here.” she stammered, her lips tingling from his kiss. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your interview.”
“It’s fine.” he assured her. “Besides, Kasey is used to interruptions, aren’t you, Kasey?” He smiled at the interviewer.
“I am, Luke. You’re a popular person and I’m thankful for your exclusive interview.” Kasey smiled. “Can I get the name of your, um, friend?”
Luke flashed a charming smile and grabbed Rebecca’s hand, pulling her to a swivel, barbershop type chair. “No, she’s a close friend and I’m sure she would appreciate being kept out of the media.” He looked over at Kasey. “I’m sure you’ll respect her privacy.” The tone in his voice made it clear that Rebecca should be left alone.
Kasey nodded, turned off the hand-held recorder and stood up, gathering his equipment. “Understood and no problem, Luke. Have an awesome concert tonight.” He looked at Rebecca and smiled. “Enjoy the show, they’re always amazing.”
“Thank you, I will.” She smiled back as she sat down.
After Kasey left, Luke leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of the arms of the chair and kissed her passionately. “I’ve truly missed you. I believe you’re a witch who has placed a spell over me because I can’t think of anyone else but you.”
She felt a tremor of desire as his tongue explored her lips and mouth and she felt her body respond but before she had a chance to reciprocate, he pulled back.
“Is your room to your liking?” he asked as he leaned in to nibble on her neck. “I see you got my gifts and I have to say, they look delicious on you.”
She laughed nervously, aware of the people still in the room. “Everything has been incredible. I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. It’s all been a little like a fairytale.” she admitted.
“Well, you deserve it and it doesn’t stop here. From what you’ve told me, it’s about time you’re pampered a little.” he grinned mischievously.
“I don’t need anything else, Luke. You’ve done too much as it is.”
He leaned back and picked up her hand that the bracelet adorned, kissing her skin lightly. “It’s only the beginning. But for now, I have to leave you. My opening artist is about to go on and I need to finish getting ready. Can I get you some champagne or wine?”
“No, thank you. I’ll be fine with whatever you have on hand, soda or tea if you have it.”
“Alright. Tonya will get you whatever you need. One more kiss for luck?” he asked.
She giggled and nodded, feeling completely surreal. He placed his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her into his kiss, his lips hungry for hers. She felt her body go numb as he deepened her kiss, their tongues dancing to their own music and she became oblivious to anyone else in the room. He was the only one she sensed and she felt a slight sorrow when he pulled back, ending their touch.
“You’ll be here after the show?” he asked.
“I’ll be here.” she said, slightly breathless.
He kissed her hand again and left the room, leaving her with the young man and woman still in the room. She sat feeling awkward, everyone in the room trying to pretend they hadn’t seen the exchange of affection. She was about to excuse herself to the ladies room when the hairdresser came up and introduced herself.
“I’m Tonya and I’ll get you something to drink. It’ll be about an hour before Luke goes on and we’ll get you a great seat backstage so you can see the show.”
“Thanks, Tonya. I’m Rebecca and please, don’t go to any trouble for me.”
“Oh, it’s not trouble at all.” she smiled. “And if I can say so, you’re much prettier than some of the other girls he’s had back here. You actually look like a real woman.”
Startled, Rebecca sat back. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, please don’t take offense. You must know a man like Luke Grayson has had other girls backstage. But they’ve all been models or actresses, all thin and fake. It’s nice to see he is seeing someone a little more real, someone with a figure.” Tonya laughed as she left the room.
The young man who had been applying Luke’s makeup snorted when Tonya left and walked up to Rebecca. “Don’t you pay her a mind, Rebecca. She’s just jealous. Luke is a very talented and handsome man. She’s had her own designs on Luke for years now and seeing new flesh back here makes her jealous.” he soothed. “I’m Dwayne and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Rebecca shook his hand and smiled uneasily. “Nice to meet you, Dwayne.”
Dwayne stood back and examined Rebecca. She felt like a bug under a microscope and Dwayne caught her expression and laughed.
“You are adorable! Don’t mind me, It’s my job to look at a person and see where I can make what God gave them even more beautiful. And girlfriend, you are beautiful. Do you mind if I make a few enhancements?”
Rebecca felt at ease with his friendly conversation and nodded. “Please, I can use all of the help I can get.”
Dwayne clapped his hands in delight and grabbed his case. “Oh honey, don’t we all? I absolutely love a blank canvas and you have exquisite facial features! Let me guess, you’re in fashion.”
Rebecca laughed and shook her head. “No. I raise and show horses.”
Dwayne stood back, a shocked look on his face. “Get out! Rural meets urban! How in the world did you get tangled up with Luke Grayson?”
She laughed and told the story, consciously leaving out how she and Luke ended up sleeping together.
“Oh my God! It’s just like the movie, Pretty Woman! I mean, without you being a prostitute and all.” he exclaimed excitedly.
“I know!” she agreed, laughing. “That’s what my best friend, Megan, and I thought.”
Tonya came back with her drink and raised a questioning brow at Dwayne. Dwayne dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “I’ve got it. You go make sure Luke doesn’t need anything. Rebecca and I are having some fun.”
Tonya shot a glance at Rebecca as she set the tea down and Rebecca didn’t miss the scowl on Tonya’s face as she left. Dwayne also caught the look and shook his head. “She is so jealous! I love it! Believe me, if I thought there was any chance that Luke was bi, I would have the same look. Luke is so hot b
ut he’s also so straight.” he laughed.
Feeling uncomfortable, Rebecca tried to laugh with him but took a sip of tea instead. “So she and Luke never dated?”
Dwayne went back to applying her makeup. “Oh, no, honey. Luke has never mixed business with pleasure. He’s made that perfectly clear. He takes his job very seriously. The only girls he’s dated have been in another field, like actresses and models.” He saw the look of intimidation spread across her face and patted her hand. “They have nothing on you so just put that worry right out of your mind. You have the shape of a goddess and you’re so nice. Not fake like those other girls.”
She smiled up at him gratefully. “Thank you. I just don’t know what to think of all this, it’s so…unreal.”
“Welcome to the glamorous life. I’m done with your hair and make-up, ready to see my work?”
She nodded and took a deep breath as he turned her in the chair to face the mirror. She almost didn’t recognize the woman staring back at her. The dark, smoky grays that lined her eyes made her blue eyes look like brilliant jewels. The subtle coloring along her cheeks gave the impression that she had high, sculpted cheekbones. The ruby coloring on her lips matched her blouse and made her lips full and pouty. Her hair was pulled up away from her face and held at the crown of her head in a jewel-encrusted clip, while the length was curled into soft tendrils that flowed down her back and over her shoulders. She looked like a model.
Dwayne laughed in delight at her reaction and kissed the top of her head. “See, honey? Those models don’t have anything on you!”
“Oh, Dwayne! You’re a miracle worker.”
“You’re sweet and yes, I’ve heard that before. You made it easy; you gave me a beautiful palate to work on. It’s all you, Rebecca.”
“Luke’s about to go on, we need to get Rebecca over to…” Tonya came bursting into the room, trailing off as her eyes fell on Rebecca. “Oh wow, Dwayne, you’ve done your magic again.”
Neither Rebecca nor Dwayne missed the tone of jealousy in her voice and Dwayne shook his head. “No, didn’t have much to do. Rebecca is a natural beauty. She has just never been shown her potential. She’s model material, wouldn’t you agree, Tonya?”
Tonya flushed but nodded, a forced smile flitted across her face. “Yes, she’s definitely beautiful but it takes more than pretty looks to make it. Can I take you to your seat?”
“Sure.” Rebecca stood up and Dwayne kissed her on both cheeks.
“Go out and knock him dead, Cinderella, this fairy godmother doesn’t have a time limit. Enjoy your night.”
She hugged him and nodded before following Tonya out the door.
They made their way down a darkened corridor and she saw the opening to the stage. Tonya showed her a chair that was placed just off the stage in the shadows. She was able to see the entire stage and the audience and she was amazed at the thousands of people screaming and whooping, waiting for Luke to come on stage.
She looked around before sitting and saw Luke standing behind the higher stage that held the drum set and keyboards. He was being wired for his microphone. Tonya had raced over to make sure his hair was still styled but Rebecca saw that his eyes were on her, devouring her with his gaze. She felt a warm flush spread through her body and felt powerful. She smiled and couldn’t help the wink that she gave him. He smiled and nodded, shaking his hand from side to side, indicating that she was hot.
She heard a man’s voice ask if the audience was ready for a musical delight and the crowd went wild. She had to cover her ears to buffer the crescendo and as the lights went out, the screams got louder. She watched Luke rush onto the stage and take his place as the music began and a soft, blue light came up on him. He began to sing the fast-paced song she’d heard him sing in the studio back in L.A. She clapped her hands to the beat and watched as he performed his magic on stage, racing from one end of the stage to the other, working his fans into a hyper-frenzy. When he finished the song and transitioned into a softer song, the crowd went wild. She recognized this song from the radio and sang along as he soulfully serenaded the audience about a love that was lost but not forgotten.
Enjoying the music, Rebecca began to wonder about the woman he sang about. She knew he wrote most of his own songs and she felt a pang of pain as she imagined Luke going through the painful break-up that birthed the song.
When the song ended, the lights went down and a melody she knew by heart started playing and she heard Luke’s voice float over the speakers, above the roar of the crowed. “This song is dedicated to a friend who helped me find my way one night when I felt lost. This song is for you, Rebecca.”
She felt a tear slip from her eye as he began singing Love Everlasting, the song that had brought them together. She sang along and was enjoying the performance when Tonya walked over.
“Well, that was touching. You really must be the flavor of the month.”
Rebecca glared at her. “Excuse me?”
Tonya held up her hands. “Hey, no offense. Just saying, Luke keeps his girlfriends around for a couple of months before he gets bored and moves on. He’s not the settle down and have a family type, so enjoy it while you can. Just don’t be surprised when he trades you in for a younger model.”
Rebecca felt her jaw drop as she watched the spiteful brunette walk away. She tried to go back to enjoying the concert, the band changing over into another fast beat tempo but she found herself watching how Luke reacted to his fans, who were mostly women. She saw a few of the women trying to get up on stage, while others held signs proclaiming their love for him. As the concert continued, she was almost completely focused on the audience and less on Luke. She felt nauseous and appalled. Women were throwing their undergarments up on stage and Luke was picking some of them up, nodding in the women’s direction before throwing the garb back onto the upper stage that held his drummer and keyboardist.
Tonya’s words came back into her head and she realized she didn’t belong here. She was a small town woman with the dream of showing her horses. She didn’t belong in this kind of limelight, didn’t want to have that kind of attention and she wanted a relationship where she didn’t have to wonder, or worry. She didn’t like how Kip treated her but she liked the idea of marriage. Someone to come home to, to share her day with and he with her. She didn’t want to have to worry about if there was another woman in the shadows to take her place.
She gazed at Luke, seeing his enjoyment and excitement as he sang and she knew it wouldn’t be fair to impose her desires and needs onto him. He was a free spirit who was living his dream and she couldn’t see how she would ever feel comfortable living in it. She quietly got up and made her way back down the hallway she’d come earlier that night, forcing back the tears. She didn’t run into anyone she knew until she hit the outside doors where she blindly ran into a broad chest.
“Rebecca, is everything alright?” Henry asked.
She tried to smile but felt the tears threaten her eyes. Blinking them back, she nodded. “Yes, Henry, thank you. I’m fine. Just had some news at home and I need to leave immediately. Is there a taxi anywhere?”
“I’ll get your driver. He’ll take you wherever you need to go.”
He called on his radio and soon the man who had driven her appeared. She climbed into the car and let her tears fall. She noticed the clock read eleven-thirty and she couldn’t help the bitter laugh that escaped her. Cinderella at least had until midnight. When they made it back to the hotel, the driver insisted on waiting while she packed her stuff so he could take her to the airport. Because she hadn’t unpacked much, it only took her minutes to pack and get back downstairs and get into the car. When she made it to the airport, she refused Luke’s private jet and booked the next commercial flight back to Colorado.
She placed a call to Megan, tearfully asking her to meet her at the Sweetwater airport to give her a ride home, letting her know what time her flight would land. She refused to give Megan any details and assured her she was alright. She ende
d the call and turned her phone off before putting it in her purse. She didn’t want to have to talk with Luke, not until she was home and had a clear head. She was doing both of them a favor. She sat back in her seat and waited to get to Colorado.
CHAPTER TEN
It had been six days since she’d come home. The first two were spent recovering from jet lag and crying over what had happened. Megan had consoled her but gently pointed out that maybe Rebecca had overreacted. Frustrated, Rebecca lashed out at Megan, telling her that she hadn’t been there and didn’t understand. Two days later she mailed back the blouse, bracelet, the hair clip Dwayne had put in her hair and a letter to Luke. She’d thanked him for letting her borrow them and asked if he would thank Dwayne for her fairytale night. She hoped they would both understand.
Luke had left several messages; the first couple had been frantic asking what had happened. The last two had been devoid of emotion, asking her to call him so that they could talk. She’d picked up the phone so many times to tell him she was sorry, that she had made a mistake but Tonya’s words would creep back into her head and the images of women throwing themselves on stage stopped her from doing so.
On the eighth day, she received a certified letter from Luke’s managers. Confused, she tore it open and broke into sobs as she read it.
It was a signed contract, giving her exclusive rights to his song, Love Everlasting. Once again, she picked up her phone to call him but ended the call before it went through. She had to keep their relationship professional. It was better for both of them.
She tried to get back into the routine she’d always been so comfortable with but found it almost impossible with having to hear his voice over the stereo as she and Othello practiced their routine. She was distracted and it showed as she missed cues and became frustrated, taking it out on Othello. When he threw his head up and snorted in defiance, she realized she wasn’t being fair to him either.
“Sorry, big guy. It’s not you, it’s me, getting caught up in stupid, human stuff. Seems I’m hurting all the men in my life, or were in my life. Let’s forget practice today and just go for a ride.”
