Crush (A Night Fire Novel Book 1) (12 page)

“You might not think that you are but I believe that you are. I don't want to miss out on any of this.”

Chapter Fifteen

The cameras flashed, a wall of white light that blinked furiously at us. Curtis looked incredible in a suit, a black jacket and pants with a white shirt and black tie. It was a simple combination but he looked so freaking gorgeous it was taking all my strength not to push him back into the limousine so that we could return to the house. His hand was on the small of my back, toying with the edge of the dress and the exposed skin.

I had been taped to death, the stylist looked at the dress and my over abundant breasts and nearly keeled over. So this was her solution, tape them up and hold them down. Everything was taped, not just keeping them up but keeping the headlights off, holding the dress onto my shoulders and generally ensuring that I didn't have a wardrobe malfunction.

Eden had suffered at the hands of the stylist too. Jack had returned with a strapless steel blue dress that looked stunning on her. Except that she had been gifted with generous cleavage as well. She was strapped up into the dress, the tape holding the girls so high it made her look like she was two sizes larger. When she came out into the entry there were four drooling men and one that was trying to pretend he wasn't looking.

Eden and the boys were a few steps ahead of us, clearly the press had figured out that Eden wasn't involved with any of them and she wasn't as interesting as what I was. One of them yelled out to us, requesting a kiss for the cameras. Of course Curtis was only happy to oblige them and as he lowered in for a sweet peck, the bastard put his hand on my stomach. Okay so it was more to one side but it was enough to send them into a frenzy, asking if I was pregnant.

We didn't answer, leaving it to them to speculate as they pleased. I wasn't prepared to enter into any form of conversation about it, argue with him or even pull his hand away. In that one little moment all I could see was his parents finding out about us and maybe even the pregnancy through the media. Not that I was pregnant mind you, but for this I was.

Go team Curtis.

As we walked further along the red carpet, I wondered how long it would take for the internet to be flooded with talk of what was going on. We stopped again, this time it was in a little interview corner. I stepped aside and waited beside Eden as the boys chatted to the interviewer. Eden leaned closer to me.

“Are you two pretending to be pregnant for any particular reason?”

I grinned widely as I leaned a little closer.

“Relationship with his parents is caustic, call this a little stab at them.”

“I see.” she hummed with a little mirth. “May I suggest you push the belly out a little, the cameras are watching you and a little roundness will be most beneficial.”

It wasn't easy but I managed to push a little out. The cameras were always going off so to know if it had worked or not I wouldn't know.

With the next artist moving closer the interview was kept short, they seemed to have everyone moving in and out at a fast pace. Ask a few questions and then off you go. Curtis was by my side again with a humorous look on his face.

“Go team Curtis?”

I nodded and gave the cameras what they secretly wanted, us kissing again.

Once we were seated, Curtis began to fidget. I took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze and a smile to the nervous face that was watching me.

“You can do this. It's just another performance.”

He nodded and returned the squeeze.

“Don't know what I'd do if you weren't here.”

Eden appeared at the end of the row in a fluster. She had gone backstage to ensure that their things had arrived, to check in with the stage manager and whatever else it was that she rambled on about.

“You've been pushed ahead in the schedule.” she whispered loudly. “Someone canceled out due to illness so you need to get in there now.”

Curtis sighed, his lips twitched with a smile.

“Hey, at least it gets it over and done with, right? You can relax for the rest of the evening and enjoy the night.”

“Except that we're up for awards.”

He leaned in and kissed me.

“Good luck. I believe in you and I know you will be great, as always.”

“Thanks babe.”

As soon as the seats were empty, the seat fillers sat down. The man nodded at me with a polite smile which I returned. I sat back in my seat, pulling my phone out of my bag and did a quick search around the internet. Yes, my fat little stomach was out there.

The host for the evening was some rapper I had never heard of, he was pretty good at chatting to the audience and even managed to get a few laughs. With his introduction and a bit of chatter over, they started with a performance from a young female starlet. Her number was upbeat and lively, she moved across the stage like she was full of energy.

“Coke.” the man beside me whispered with a conspiratorial smile. “Surprising, isn't it?”

“Sadly, no. Her life will go down the drain because of it.”

He nodded, turning to look at the stage. The colors of the lights flashed across the audience, making them glow in hues of blues and pinks. I turned back to the view of the young woman, wondering how she had been introduced to the drug. It made me worry for Curtis and the others, I hadn't seen any evidence of drugs but it didn't mean there wasn't any.

A bag of drugs could be hidden in a pocket and no one would be any wiser, at least with alcohol you could see the drink in their hand. Unless they were doing it behind closed doors which I suspected Curtis was. In that monstrous house there would be a stash of alcohol and I knew it was going to be a task to find it.

Maybe he might offer its location freely though I doubted it. Just because he says he's going to quit, doesn't make it so. The path to sobriety is a hard one but I wasn't going to back away from it. If it ended up that I was the strong one that carried him through this then that's the way that it will be. I couldn't walk away and leave him staggering around that cavernous mansion, alone and drunk.

People clapping made me snap out of my thoughts, I quickly joined in and hoped that no one noticed the distant look on my face. Chalk it up to fake pregnancy hormones.

The host came back out and driveled out some inane and sickly sweet comments about the performance and the artist. I mindlessly wondered if he was trying to get into her pants. Or maybe he already was. He continued on with the first award, of which she was a contender. She was waiting off to the side as the camera focused on her she gave a cheesy grin and a wave.

I had tuned out again, seconds after her far too happy smile everyone was clapping and she was walking across the stage. I clapped along with the crowd, smiling at the view. Blah.

She gave her acceptance speech which I noted was a little dragged out. Not a slur but almost like she was tired and struggling to form the words correctly. But she was sprightly and alert so no one took any notice.

The host presented another award, a young man rose from his seat and took to the stage. I had no clue who he was either. It was rather sad actually, I had spent the last year engrossed in my own life that I hadn't seen the rest of the world as it was. I worked to pay the bills, I auditioned for dance positions to live the dream. Anything else was ignored.

I sat up as the lights dimmed, the host was clapping as he stepped back into the shadows. Everyone was politely clapping. My heart thudded hard as I saw Austin step up to the microphone, Evan appearing at the side with his guitar in hand.

As the lights rose, Evan struck out the first chord. A wave of music washed over us, loud and harsh. I was raised in a house that was religious but not fanatical. It was true to say that my mother might be a bit extreme at times but she wasn't the kind of person that would sit and tell you about the good word of the lord. But being raised in a house like that, it made me go to the other end of the extreme. I could almost be considered an atheist except that I managed to scream out to god during sex. But when I looked to Curtis sitting behind the wall of drums, I wanted to get onto my knees and pray that everything worked out well for him.

As Evan played, Jaxon and Fraser followed. The pounding beat of drums echoed across the hall and I sighed with relief. He had done it. He had conquered the fears of performing here and was totally kicking ass. The guy beside me was singing along, totally getting into his own little groove.

“You're a fan of Night Fire?”

He nodded, continuing to sing.

“You know where you're sitting, right?”

He nodded again, a big grin slicked across his face as he sang.

“Okay then.” I grinned and sat back in my seat.

Austin commanded full attention, his presence was always dominating. For the quiet guy that sat in the corner with his phone glued to his hand, it seemed quite odd. It was almost like he had an onstage personality, one that was the front man of a band, led the group through the songs and wielded a special something that kept everyone glued.

Jaxon was still the joker, even if he was being serious. He was at the front of the stage, grinning and nodding at someone. I couldn't see who it was but based on the women he seemed to loiter near, she'd be blonde.

Evan was probably the most serious of them all, his fingers moving across the strings at a rapid pace. His head was lowered as he concentrated, only looking up on the odd occasion.

Fraser was at the back of the stage, standing near Curtis and his drum kit. I wondered if he was talking to him but maybe this was their solution to keeping Curtis relaxed.

A few minutes later and the song was done, everyone politely clapped as they did and I smiled hard. It was a competition between me and the guy next to me, trying to outdo each other in the clapping department. It was no longer the polite clap that everyone else offered. Then the bastard outdid me by sticking his fingers in his mouth and whistling.

“Oo, that is so cheeky.” I grinned at him.

He shrugged with a smug smile.

“You can't outdo me.” I said supremely as I stood to my feet.

“Go team Curtis.” I yelled across the hall.

Everyone, band included looked at me. I could hear the bastard beside me laughing.

“Err, thanks Frankie.” Austin said into the microphone.

“No problem!” I grinned and sat back down.

“You are crazy.” the guy beamed. “I'm Joe Andersen.”

I shook his hand with a self-satisfied smile. “Frankie Weller.”

“Well then Frankie Weller, sit tight because they're about to announce one of the awards your boyfriend and his band are up for.”

My heart thudded hard again, waiting as the host read through the nominees. As he said their name, their image came up on the screen. Curtis looked like he was coated in a layer of sweat, absolutely delectable.

Three more names were read out and my heart continued to thud painfully hard in my chest.

“God help me, I think I'm going to have a heart attack before the minute is out.”

Joe chuckled, offering no advice whatsoever. Some seat filler he was.

“And the winner is...” the man ripped the seal and pulled out the card, grinning crazily as he turned to the side stage. “Night Fire.”

I fell back onto the seat with a groan.

“Joe, check to see if I have a pulse.”

“How are you ever going to survive the long term Frankie? You need to harden up.”

Austin was front and center, surprising but then again, he was the front man so maybe not so surprising.

“Night Fire wants to thank Star Maker Management, Jerry Miller and his awesome team, our friends and family and especially our fans.”

Jaxon leaned into the microphone.

“Mommy one, daddy wants to ask you something.”

“Oh crap.” I groaned softly as the tingling sensation of realization surged through me.

“Who is mommy one?” Joe asked.

“It's me.”

I watched in subdued horror as Jaxon stepped aside with a smug grin and let Curtis step up to the microphone.

“Oh my god Frankie!” Joe gripped my arm with excitement.

“Frankie, did you find the box in your bag?”

Not the question I was expecting. In fact I don't think anyone was expecting that question. Music filled the air, a gentle reminder that the clock was ticking.

“Music dude, shut that shit off.” Evan snarled into the microphone. “Or we will find you and make you turn it off.”

Silence hit the hall and people were turning around and looking to see who this Frankie was.

“Frankie, open your bag, find the box. Hurry up before people start losing their shit over it.” Joe hissed quietly.

I rummaged through the bag, pulling out my phone, my wallet, the lipstick, tampons because I was still waiting for
that
thing and a black box. My hand was shaking as I stuffed everything back in and opened the little square box.

Inside was a ring, a monster oval shaped diamond in the center surrounded by smaller diamonds. They weren't chip sized, they were quite large. Ostentatious is a word that could easily describe the ring. But that was the way that Curtis was, he liked to show everyone how well he had done and rightly so. After hearing from his family that he wouldn't make it, he deserved to flaunt his wealth everywhere.