“She’s also going to take your heart.” My mother chuckled. “Now let’s go get me some birthday cake.”
I frowned as I followed my mother out of the studio and thought about the idea of Billie taking my heart.
It was crazy.
No one took anything from me.
Unless I decided to give it.
I was standing in my dressing room, getting ready for the live show. The costume department decided they wanted me to be dressed like myself for a change, so I was given jeans and a white shirt, and they insisted on the damn baseball cap. I figured it probably had something to do with the photos that were released of Billie and me on the pier. They wanted my disguise exposed to the world. It wouldn’t surprise me if they put a pier on the screen behind us when we sang. Someone wanted to recreate that moment for the audience.
I was shocked that I missed the leathers.
A knock sounded on the door, and I called out, “Come in.”
“That’s good. You look great,” Donny said when he waltzed in and lounged in the only chair in the room. I shook my head, not surprised in the least that Donny walked in and started acting like the star.
“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you just calling me like usual?” I asked carefully.
“Your mother asked that I attend tonight,” he informed me, staring at himself in the mirror and adjusting the pale blue tie he had carefully matched to his very expensive suit. “I never turn down a good-looking woman.”
I inspected his receding hairline and his bulging belly that tried to escape the white button-up shirt he wore. “Not sure if you noticed over the years, Don, but my mother’s got a type. And it isn’t someone who can’t sing and could be considered management material.”
He laughed and stood up. “Jax, I’d never date a client’s mother. I’m merely here to keep her company. Hold her hand if she needs it as her son performs on live television and judges contestant performances.”
“And to be sure she doesn’t storm the stage.” I chuckled, remembering the last time I performed on live television with my mother in the audience.
“An added bonus.” Donny shrugged before grinning at me. He then dropped the smile and, with a serious expression, asked, “Is tonight going to impress the label?”
“Donny, what are you really trying to ask?” I replied bluntly. “Or rather demand. Are you just in my dressing room to tell me to kiss the girl on camera? Grind my hips into her on national television?”
“Whatever works, Jax. The label needs to believe the public thinks it’s real or there’s a real chance we lose the deal on the table. If they don’t, we’ve got to start thinking about how we go bigger.”
“What’s bigger than a duet? You want me to do a home visit with her next? Change this damn show from a singing competition into one of those dating shows where I propose at the end?” I smirked.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Donny murmured, his eyes lighting up. “The record label would likely double their bonus.”
Sh*t.
“No, Donny. Just no.”
“Think about it, Jax. We end the season with an engagement ring like those dating shows and it’ll give us a platform to discuss three new albums. There’s a reason those shows have higher ratings than this one,” he replied excitedly.
There was a knock on the door. “Sorry to interrupt, but they’re ready for you on stage,” Cindy told us before looking down at her clipboard and heading to the next dressing room.
I closed the door and turned to Donny. “I was kidding,” I stated slowly. “You told me all I had to do was be nice, and I’m being nice.”
“And now the label wants to have a love story. Nice won’t cut it. So, let’s give them a silly love story. Just for the duration of the show. This is for your future, Jax, for the music. Don’t forget that while worrying about some country girl’s fifteen minutes of fame and hurt feelings.”
“Proposing is going too far, Don. I won’t do it. Not for a record deal.”
“Then you better make this performance look real good.”
“It will look good, and then I don’t want to have this conversation again.”
I got mic’d and made my way to the side of the stage. Billie was waiting for me dressed in black leather pants and a white tank top. Her lips were painted red, and her heels were covered in black spikes.
The costume department had turned her into a rock chick ready to seduce a rock star. I missed the pink cardigan they made her wear for the last elimination episode.
“You stealing my pants?” I teased when she looked my way.
“I—” Billie began before pausing and inspecting my ensemble. Her eyes landed on the Yankees baseball cap and then widened in distress. “You should change. I don’t think you’d fit in my pants, but we could try….” She reached for her zipper, and I grabbed her hand.
“You look great. Keep your pants on.” I winked trying to lighten the mood.
“They’re stealing your disguise,” she whispered furiously.
“It won’t matter what I’m wearing tonight. They’ll all be looking at you.”
“Us. They’ll be watching us for sure.” She chewed her lip nervously. “I should have said something earlier, but there are photos—”
“I know,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I should have figured the paparazzi would see through my disguise eventually.”
“But, Jax, our rehearsals….” She took a deep breath. “They’ve been intimate. People will think the photos are something more.”
I gazed into her eyes and replied honestly, “Singing usually shows what you’re trying to hide. Can’t be in the business and not risk your emotions for the world to see.”
I watched her process my words, her blue eyes blinking slowly. She whispered, “We could try and tell people we rehearsed our facial expressions?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “No one will believe that. After this evening is over they’ll have watched me sing with Faith and Ryne and noticed the difference.”
Her brows furrowed. “I don’t want you to risk your fangirls for me.”
Her words leveled me. She wasn’t worried about her performance or her chances at winning. She was concerned for me. My fans. My future.
I squeezed her hand. “They’ll get over it. We don’t tell them anything.” I told her, smirking, “and they’ll make up excuses in their heads to keep me their fantasy boyfriend.”
“They do that?”
“Girls do. Guys won’t. Which is good considering the guys who are after you will realize they have some competition.”
She blushed and looked away. I stopped talking.
She slowly looked back at me. “Competition?”
“After this performance, I want the next photos of us to not leave any doubts in anyone’s mind.”
Her eyes widened. “You want people to take photos of us?”
“If it’s what you want. If it means we’ll see each other more. If it means I’ll get a chance to kiss you again.”
She didn’t have time to verbalize her thoughts on the idea before Steve was telling us to get on stage and that the sound crew were turning our mics on in three minutes.
When the song started, Billie sang each lyric to me with more sex appeal than any of our rehearsals. She casually ran her hands over my body, and it took all my control not to kiss her in front of the audience. My lips had lingered very close to hers one too many times more than was necessary or rehearsed, but I couldn’t control myself.
I completely forgot about the show Donny wanted.
All I could think about was whether or not she was ready for us to explore whatever this was. I was ready to lead us into something else.
And I could admit, whatever it was had nothing to do with the music.
Nothing to do with business.
It was all personal.
A walking cliché
Billie
The dressing room door only partially muffled the sound of the produce
rs, production crew and cast celebrating an amazing show. Word traveled fast that it had broken all the rating records. Tonight had been the most watched episode in all of Superstardom history. It was also clear from the bottles of alcohol floating around and looks of utter exhaustion on every crew member’s face that the contestants weren’t the only ones who had been stressed in the lead-up to the judges singing this week.
I contemplated going around and thanking everyone who helped me this evening. Most of them managed to say something supportive to me before I stepped on stage, even with all the added drama of the duets. However, I could hear Connor Graves boasting about how the duets had been his idea and how grateful he was for everyone making his dream a reality.
I didn’t want to deal with that right now.
Instead, I spent longer than necessary removing my stage makeup and blocked out the world.
I also felt that I needed to get Jax out of my head first before I spoke to anyone else. I worried that if anyone asked me about my night, all I would do was talk about Jax Bone.
“If you want this, come to dinner with me and my mom. Sneak off with me after the show and everyone’s gone home,” he whispered when we left the stage. I barely had a chance to squeeze his hand and nod before his agent was there hugging him and pulling him into a whispered discussion about his next duet.
Now I wasn’t sure if I was meant to meet him at my hotel, wait for him here, or get an Uber to his house. I was confused and apprehensive. What does sneak off even mean? My brows were drawn, and staring in the mirror, I noticed my blue eyes had turned stormy with distress. What am I getting myself into?
When a knock sounded at my dressing room door, I swallowed my fear. “Come in. I’m just taking my makeup off,” I choked out.
“Cowboy Ryne and I decided to bring tequila and celebrate our duets,” Faith squealed before perching herself on the makeup table and dramatically putting the bottle in front of me. “Sure, we could celebrate with the other contestants, but we’re the lucky three who got to sing with the infamous Jax Bone. Let’s have a little celebration with just us.”
“Hope you don’t mind,” Ryne crooned, tilting his cowboy hat and reminding me of every Southern gentleman advertisement. No wonder half the female contestants had climbed into his bed already. I even heard some of the production crew were desperate to see how polite he could be. I watched him carefully as he put shot glasses in a row on my table. “And it’s just Ryne. Only Faith here insists on adding the cowboy bit.”
“That’s what you think.” Faith laughed before inspecting herself in my mirror and fixing her glasses.
“Is this a good idea?” I challenged while keeping one eye on the door. I had no clue what I would do if Jax suddenly burst in the room. “We’re all underage and could get thrown off the show.”
“We won’t tell anyone if you don’t,” Ryne replied, flashing his dimples and reclining in the only empty seat in the room.
“Come on, Billie, a little tequila shot won’t hurt you.” Faith groaned and flopped across my table dramatically.
“My vocal cords and everyone in the world who has had tequila before might protest that fact.” When Faith pouted, I relented. “Go on and pour the poison. Let’s get this celebration done so I don’t have to watch you pouting.”
Faith laughed and Ryne grinned.
After we clinked our glasses together, I closed my eyes and swallowed the clear liquid as quickly as possible. I’d tasted tequila at a house party after last year’s homecoming game, but it certainly wasn’t my idea of a fun time. It burned.
“I meant to tell you that your Vegas audition was phenomenal,” Ryne drawled as if he’d just sipped water. “I should have told you earlier, but we haven’t really had a chance to speak.”
“Been a little preoccupied with Whitney? Or is it Katie today?” I joked before I could stop myself. It was mortifying how quickly alcohol loosened my lips.
Thankfully he chuckled and shrugged. “What can I say? I’m attracted to talent.”
“Well, don’t waste your time getting attracted to this one. I believe she’s already spoken for.” Faith laughed.
“It was just a duet. It doesn’t mean anything,” I defensively replied.
“I was talking about your town-boy who you were caught kissing a few weeks ago, but I’m glad you’re finally confessing that Jax is definitely on your lineup as well.”
“Sounds like you’re a little preoccupied yourself,” Ryne teased.
I had no idea what I was going to say when they realized just how preoccupied.
When a knock sounded at my door, I flinched. Cindy, the personal assistant who seemed to be everyone’s saving grace, popped her head in the door. “Hey, guys, noticed you brought the party in here and thought you might want to take it back to your rooms before the security guys come by in ten.”
“Thanks, sweetie. We’re done here anyway. Billie, we’ll do coffee tomorrow,” Faith replied, winking at me before making her exit.
“Thanks, Cin,” Ryne drawled, kissing Cindy on the cheek and turning her olive complexion bright red before he nodded at me. “I better go too and congratulate Katie on her song tonight before Wade beats me to it.”
It had me laughing, until I remembered what my plans were meant to be this evening.
As I made my exit an hour later, having not heard anything from Jax, I tried to think about what I might eat for dinner. I thought if I focused on food, I wouldn’t feel the crushing disappointment.
I only made it two steps before I heard “Hey, Billie.”
I turned my head to the right, and there was Jax waiting for me. He was standing next to a black Harley Davidson with a spare pink helmet under his arm and a small smile tugging at his lips.
Beautiful, dangerous, and every girl’s fantasy come to life.
My nerves made my hands shake as I approached him. “You always have a spare pink helmet handy for when you leave set?”
“Why do you think it took me so long to get here? I had to go drive around until I found a place that sold one small enough for your head. I started to worry that you might have left without me.”
“You’re a walking cliché right now,” I told him, stuffing my hands in my pockets when I finally stood within touching distance.
“The rock star on a motorcycle waiting at the curb for a pretty girl? That’s a cliché I can deal with.” He smirked. “Plus, as long as I’m all about safety, I’m sure you’ll survive me riding my favorite toy.”
My heart skipped a beat. He better be talking about his bike.
“I thought we were having dinner with your mother?”
“We are. She has her own motorcycle. She just left a moment a go so she could take the scenic route.”
“She has her own motorcycle?”
“Donny always organizes one in LA for her to use.”
“Your life confuses me, Jax Bone.”
“As long as I’m not boring you.” He chuckled before placing the helmet on my head and adjusting the chin strap for me.
“I can’t imagine you would bore anyone,” I murmured, staring into his eyes. Those dark chocolate eyes that reminded me of my sugar cravings. His eyes briefly drifted to my lips then back to my eyes and winked.
“You’d be surprised. Climb on and we’ll see if we can catch up with Mom. Then I’ll tell you all about how boring I can be.”
I stared timidly at the motorcycle. “I’m not sure I agreed to get on this death trap.”
“I promise I’ll drive really slowly.”
I took a deep breath and imagined Zach standing beside me, daring me to get on. Before I could chicken out, I adjusted my handbag to go across my body and reached for Jax’s hand to help me straddle his favorite toy.
“You’re lucky I’m wearing jeans.”
“So no drugs? No broken hotel rooms? And you haven’t been banned for life from Planet Hollywood?”
“Nope. Not me,” Jax replied as he tried to steal some of my tortilla chips. He
was lucky I wanted to hear more and didn’t stab him with a fork. I was equally enthralled with dipping my chips in guacamole and the revelation that Jax’s life wasn’t the dangerous rock life the tabloids had made it out to be.
“They were all lies,” his mother inserted while eating her burrito with gusto. “Now if they were reporting on my twenties, well, that would be another story.”
Jax rolled his eyes.
“Even the stories of your Vegas exploits are lies?” I asked skeptically. “There were photos of you coming out of clubs.”
“Okay, most of the stories were lies,” Jax muttered sheepishly. “Sam’s my best friend, and he takes it upon himself to use my stardom to get us into the best clubs in Vegas.”
“But that didn’t stop your roadies from calling you boring?” I replied, shocked.
“They never said it to my face, but no, not even my shenanigans in Vegas stopped them from saying it behind my back. Some of my guys toured with the Stones. It’s hard to compete with rock legends.”
“Why not fire the ones who complained?”
“And have them run to TMZ and inform all my fans that I’m a buzzkill and not the party man my songs suggest?”
“I see your point. Although, you’d probably have fewer problems with Platinum Music Group if everyone knew the truth,” I said softly.
“How do you know I have problems with my record label?” Jax asked.
“Was it meant to be a secret? Everyone on and off the show gossips about it. Surely you knew there would be talk when Jax Bone, the face on the cover of every high-profile magazine and writer of the top ten songs on the Billboard charts, decided to give his time to a talent show?”
“Okay, yeah, maybe a little. I just hoped they thought it was because of the goodness in my heart,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “But unfortunately, the record label picks and chooses what gossip they listen to, so long as they can hold it over my head and try to control my latest album.”
“And there will be more gossip tomorrow morning,” Jax’s mother stated, nodding toward an elderly woman who was sneakily taking photos of Jax and me using her cell phone above her menu. “It might not just be the record label that will want to control you both tomorrow. The show might put their two cents in as well.”
Childish Dreams Page 13
