Star Crossed (Starlight #3) (17 page)

‘
Won’t people notice?’ I say anxiously. ‘They’ll see us suddenly pop up from the bottom of the opera box. It looks pretty obvious what we’ve been doing.’

‘
They’ll be too transfixed on the performance,’ says Adam.

He slides
on and buttons his trousers, then takes my hand to lift me back up.

As he predicted, every eye in the house is trained on the stage. No one has noticed us at all.

‘See?’ grins Adam. ‘That’s the advantage of opera. Compelling.’

I smile at him and return my attention to the stage.

He certainly has a point. My attention is instantly absorbed by the colourful singers and the undulating flow of song.

Adam moves a little closer and slides his arm around my waist. I rest my head on his shoulder, filled with love for him.

We sit there like that, listening to the music and watching the stage. It’s hard to imagine anything could be more perfect.

Chapter 21

After the opera, Adam leads me out in a daze. The combination of the music and him have lifted me to another planet.

‘
That was the best date of my whole life,’ I grin at him, as we break onto the London streets.

‘
It’s not over yet,’ promises Adam as we reach his bike.

‘
No?’

I climb aboard and accept the helmet he passes me.

‘Where next?’ I ask.

‘
You’ll see,’ he says, pushing on his own helmet.

‘
Another surprise?’ I tease. ‘Can’t you just tell me?’

‘
No,’ he deadpans. ‘Now hold on tight.’

He starts the engine with a roar and tears away from the opera house. I cling on, resting my head over his shoulder.

The truth is, I’d go anywhere with Adam. He has me hook, line and sinker.

Nevertheless I try to figure out where we might be headed. A bar? A restaurant?

Somehow I’m guessing he has something more unusual in mind.

We dip into the quieter streets of Chelsea where the millionaire townhouses line the streets. Then we’re slowing to a halt outside a large art-deco style building. It’s low and square with decorative stained glass panels instead of windows.

Where are we?

Adam hops off the bike and helps me off with my helmet.

‘Do you know why we’re here?’ he asks.

I shrug.
‘I have literally no idea.’

‘
Come on,’ he says, taking my hand. ‘I’ll show you.’

Instead of leading me to the door of the building Adam guides me around the side. There’s a thick iron gate and he produces a heavy iron key and unlocks i
t.

‘
Come on,’ he says, pulling me through the entrance. Adam locks the gate behind us and then walks me through a narrow passage.

As it breaks open on the other side I realise why he’s brought me here.

Panning out in front of us is a square expanse of water, dappled in moonlight.

A swimming pool!

‘We’re going swimming?’ I say, half in wonderment, half in confusion.

‘
Yup.’ Adam nods.

‘
But I don’t have a bikini,’ I laugh.

‘
It doesn’t matter,’ says Adam. ‘There’s just us here.’

He smiles at my uncertain expression.

‘This is a lido,’ he says, ‘an outdoor pool for rich Chelsea folks to bathe in. It’s been here since the 1930s.’

‘
So you’re a member?’ I guess.

‘
Yes, but they give me special privileges,’ he says with a smile. ‘I’m the only one with a key. So when it’s shut at night time, we get it all to ourselves.’

‘
Have you ever brought anyone else here?’ I ask, staring out onto the flat calm of the water.

Adam shakes his head.

‘Never had reason to,’ he says. ‘But I thought there was something romantic about a midnight swim. Don’t you?’

I nod, smiling.

‘Then what are we waiting for?’ Adam shrugs off his suit jacket, unbuttons the top of his shirt and pulls it over his head in one swift movement.

Mmmmm
.

His tattooed chest is suddenly exposed.

‘Adam Morgan,’ I say, ‘you are something else, really.’

He wraps his arms around me, and unzips my dress for the second time this evening.

‘I’m something else around you,’ he says. ‘Otherwise I’m just an ordinary guy.’

My dress falls to the floor, and I giggle to find myself exposed.

Somehow it feels more daring to be half-dressed here than in the opera house. I guess because we had our own box and were totally screened.

My mood seems infectious, because Adam is grinning too. And by the time we strip off completely nude, we’re both laughing.

Then we rush at the water holding hands, and jump into the depths.

‘
Oh my God!’ I emerge shocked and laughing still. ‘You never told me it was so cold!’

‘
You’ll get used to it,’ says Adam, wiping water from his face and swimming towards me.

He gently lifts me in the water and swims me to a shallower section where we can both stand.

And as my feet hit the bottom of the lido, music suddenly bursts from the poolside.

‘
Shit!’ I start in alarm, my eyes scanning the moonlit poolside. ‘Is someone else here?’

I’m holding my naked body close to Adam’s to shield myself.

‘There’s no-one else here,’ laughs Adam, tightening his arms and gazing lovingly into my face. ‘I just put some music on, that’s all.’

I instantly relax, and then I spot his phone at the waterside. The screen is lit and music is blaring out.

Then I recognise the song.

‘
Thunderbolt’. The song Adam wrote for me.

I lift my face up to his, dazzled by the rush of love I suddenly feel for him
.

The words of his song drift over us. In the half
-light the acoustic melody sounds even more haunting.

Never believed,

I’d stop,

Roaming free…

Adam’s face is inches from mine. The water laps our bodies. He curls his arms around my waist.

‘
Dance with me,’ he whispers.

In reply I wrap my arms tight around his neck. We’re gazing deep into each other’s eyes as the song drifts over us. Adam sways me gently to the rhythm with the water working our bodies.

Then he starts singing softly along with the music.

‘But then the seasons changed,

And in that
Summer lightning…’

I feel a shudder to hear him sing my name again. The first time Adam sang this song it was powerful and raw. This time it’s so gentle. He’s put a whole different feeling behind it, just by the emphasis of the words.

He says my name looking deep into my eyes. And I feel like I understand him so perfectly. Like everything is there in his face.

We dance through the water, and Adam’s voice shifts again.

‘There was something in your eyes,

And when that gentle rain came,

I was changed. I was changed…’

The song drifts upwards, and I’m lost in it. The chorus is coming and I’m transfixed by Adam’s incredible voice.

‘Cause,

You are the thunderbolt,

That shot into my heart,

And when that thunderbolt hits,

You know. You know.

Nothing will ever be the same
.’

As the song drifts to a close we slow our dance. But our eyes never break their gaze. Adam has stopped singing now and instead he repeats the words.

‘
Nothing will ever be the same,’ he says, reaching a hand to stroke along my face.

‘
No,’ I whisper. ‘It won’t.’

Adam’s eyes drop to the Saint Cecilia pendant, which is around
my neck as always. He reaches out and touches it softly.

‘
You’ll wear it forever?’ he asks.

I nod, feeling as though he’s asking me much more.

It feels as though the silver pendant is a pledge between us. An unbreakable bond.

Adam’s eyes are on mine again.

‘I’ll love you forever too,’ he says.

His hands reach up to take either side of my face.

‘Summer,’ he says. ‘I know we’ve only known each other a short time. But the way I feel about you… It’s like nothing I’ve ever known.’

I feel tears rise up in my eyes.

‘For me too,’ I whisper.

‘
I don’t want to wait, or pretend,’ Adam says. ‘But I also know you have your whole career ahead of you.’

I frown slightly, wondering what he’s asking.

‘I want you to be my wife,’ he says.

Wow. His wife?

‘I want to be your husband,’ he continues urgently, ‘to marry you and take care of you. Forever.’

I blink at him in surprise. This is totally unexpected.

Is he proposing?

Adam seems to see something in my expression, and he sighs a little.

‘I know,’ he says, ‘it might seem soon. But will you promise me you’ll think about it? Sometime soon?’

‘
Think about marrying you?’ I reply. It’s hard to keep the smile from my mouth now. I hadn’t given any thought to marrying Adam. It’s too early in our relationship. But now he’s said the words it seems so right.

I guess my happiness is infectious. Adam is smiling back.

‘Yes,’ I tell him. ‘Of course I’ll think about it.’

I raise my hands to cover his, holding my face.

‘It does seem soon,’ I admit. ‘But it doesn’t feel wrong for you to ask.’

Adam looks relieved.

‘I thought I might scare you away,’ he admits. ‘I have all these feelings. They’re so strong. I was frightened you didn’t feel the same.’

‘
I do feel the same,’ I promise him. ‘I’ll love you forever.’

He grins like a schoolboy.

‘You really mean it?’ he asks.

I nod, fixing his eyes with my sincerity.

‘Have you thought about how we’ll announce it?’ he asks. ‘Our relationship.’

I frown slightly.

‘No,’ I admit.

He pulls me a little closer, nuzzling my neck.

‘We could do it on the show you know,’ he suggests.

‘
Are you serious?’ I reply.

‘
Sure,’ says Adam. ‘Why not?’

‘
Well for one thing,’ I say, ‘it would look as though I was getting an unfair advantage.’

Adam’s hand slips lower on my body.

‘I want to give you an unfair advantage,’ he breathes.

‘
Seriously,’ I say, stopping his arm. ‘I want to get through the show before we go public.’

Adam looks a little hurt and I feel bad.

‘I’m sorry,’ I say. ‘I didn’t realise you were so keen to go public.’

‘
I’d announce our relationship tomorrow,’ he says. ‘We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.’

I smile at him. Adam has always been a rule-breaker. But this is the first time he’s been naïve. Surely he must know what trouble it would cause, for our relationship to go public whilst
Sing-Win was airing?

Adam strokes my hair thoughtfully.

‘Is it just the show you’re worried about?’ he says. ‘Or have I scared you by talking marriage?’

‘
It’s just the show,’ I promise him.

‘
Ok,’ he says. ‘I just get overwhelmed sometimes Summer. I need you around all the time. I don’t want anything to get in the way of that. Do you feel the same way?’

‘
I do,’ I reply, nodding. ‘Adam Morgan, I do.’

Chapter 22

The next morning is like waking from a dream. I didn’t think it was possible to be more in love with Adam than I was. But our moonlit dancing. It just took things to another level.

I smile hazily at the memory as I make my way to the studio.

Unfortunately our dream-world has been hit with a serious dose of reality. I have to go into the studio today for a photo shoot with the other acts.

It was always scheduled, but I hadn’t expected it to come around so quickly.
The pictures are due to appear in
Ms Mix
magazine – a music mag for teenage girls. According to Adam the shoot was arranged before he took over the show. It was Martin Clark’s idea – he thought
Ms Mix
would be the perfect audience for Sing-Win.

I’m expecting some pretty cheesy shots. But I don’t mind. It’s t
he idea of being separated from Adam even for a few hours which has come as a blow. I’d gotten used to having him all to myself. In our own private existence.

I scold myself as the
Sing-Win car drops me off at the studio.

Get a grip
Summer. You are one lucky girl.

This is a chance of a lifetime. The least I can do is attend a photo
shoot with good grace.

I head into the building and make my way through the labyrinth
ine corridors of the studio. I’m getting better at navigation and I find the photo shoot room with no problems.

There are fake creepers and vines draped over the ceiling. And even pretend dirt o
n the floor. I grin as I take in the otherworldliness of it all. Maybe this will be fun after all. They’ve certainly gone all out with the set.

I wonder what the theme is.
It looks tropical.

But the moment I see the other acts I feel my enthusiasm slip away. This is going to be nothing like the light-hearted
wedding shoot with Tammy and George.

My eyes scan the floor.

Deven and the Scandelous girls are strutting around messing about with props, and generally playing up to the cameras.

I notice
Keisha’s eyes flick to Deven every few seconds, in between hair flicking and high false laughter.

It’s hard to tell whether she’s forgiven him for jerking her around and flirting with George. But whatever the case she certainly wants his attention.

Deven, however, only has eyes for the cameras. You can almost see the cogs of his mind whirring, trying to pick the best position to be filmed.

The entire atmosphere is incredibly fake and very tense at the same time.

I sigh and make my way into the room.

Just get through it
Summer.

My eyes are drawn to a huge chest of props
. There are caveman clubs and plastic bones sticking from the top.

Guess it’s a caveman theme then…

I’m wondering how exactly this fits into the music when Jenny Grogan walks into the room wheeling a rack of clothes.

She wears an ultra-smart navy pantsuit and matching
eye-shadow. But today her hair is loose, rather than in its usual immaculate chignon. But it’s still been sculpted into position, as though she can’t bear to have a single hair out of place.

Jenny positions the clothing rack and claps her hands loudly.

‘All right girlies, gentlemen,’ Jenny announces in her broad Australian accent. ‘You ready to get to work?’

Deven
fixes Jenny with a smug smile, and the Scandelous girls quickly return their props to the large chest.

We’re all standing to attention now, watching Jenny. The cameras wheel into a ring, to catch our expressions.

‘Let me tell you about the theme for today’s shoot,’ says Jenny, raising her voice so we can all hear. ‘The network want us to do something themed around rock and roll.’ Jenny pauses, sweeping us with her eyes.

‘
So we’ve come up with a prehistoric theme,’ she continues. ‘Cavemen and women. Rocks, bones, that kind of thing.’

We all nod.

‘I’ve brought your outfits,’ adds Jenny gesturing to the clothing rack. ‘They’ve been pre-chosen for you and they’re in the right size. So I don’t want any complaints.’

She shoots a warning glance at Scandelous as she says this. I guess they must have created issues about their wardrobe in the past.

The three girls look furious.

‘
Come and get ’em’ concludes Jenny, pushing the clothing rack slightly towards us.

We move forwards to collect our outfits, and the Scandelous girls shove themselves to the front.

Keisha’s long fingernails clasp some leopard-print shreds of material which constitute her outfit. Then she hands hangers draped in the same fabric to her other band members.

There are two hangers left. One is marked
‘Deven’ and consists of stitched together furs and skins in a kind of waistcoat. There are matching pants in faun.

My eyes drift to the hanger with my name on it.

It’s a dress, in a colour to match Deven’s. There are boots too. Chunky Ugg-style but made from a faun suede to match the dress.

Oooo
. This is cute!

The dress is mid-thigh, with little pretend teeth detailing the scoop neckline. It’s got a slightly Pocahontas feel, and I can just tell it will sit really nicely on my small frame.

‘Come on people!’ chides Jenny Grogan. ‘We haven’t got all day.’

I turn to see
Scandelous are already stripping off in full public view, with no regard for modesty.

Deven
is dressing more conservatively, taking off his T-shirt first and donning the fur waistcoat.

Searching for a place to hide, I tuck myself behind a thick hanging creeper, and ease myself into the dress.

By the time I emerge, the other acts are fully outfitted. Scandelous are draped in the teeniest shred of fabric, barely covering their vitals. They look super-hot, if a little slutty.

Deven
’s fur waistcoat and leather pants are cool. He’s not the most muscular of men, but the furs add bulk to his defined chest. And the leather pants give him a rock star look. I can imagine this photo shoot giving him even more pin-up credentials than he already has.

‘
Ok kids,’ shouts Jenny. ‘Get out here. Let’s style you up.’

We make our way to an arrangement of pretend rocks. Scandelous immediately drape themselves over them, like glamour models.

‘Less of the porn star girls,’ barks Jenny. Asha and Shawna immediately jump into more normal poses. Keisha moves more begrudgingly, shooting Jenny a glare.

Hair and make
-up staff arrive to style us as cave people. And we spend half an hour having our hair whipped into crazy bouffants with Mad-Max style make-up to match.

When the photographer arrives, it takes me a moment to realise. It’s a middle-aged man dressed like an ageing rock-star, and at first I assume he’s something to do with the music side of things. It’s only when he produces an enormous camera from a wheeled case that I figure out what his roll is.

‘Ok people,’ he announces, in a thick east-London accent. ‘Time to make you all look gorgeous.’

He
starts arranging us around the fake rocks in a very particular order, stepping in to move us when we’re not where he wants.

‘
Ok you three girls go here…’ he instructs, moving Scandelous to the edges of the shoot. ‘Deven and Summer. You’re in the middle.’

I move next to
Deven, not liking the proximity. It occurs to me that we’re in His ’n Hers caveman outfits.

‘
Won’t Deven and I look like a couple?’ I protest, as the photographer pushes us even closer together.

‘
That’s the whole point,’ announces the photographer proudly. ‘It’s like a Flintstones shoot. Get it? You’re Mummy and Daddy cave people. These girls are part of your tribe.’

‘
Hey!’ protests Keisha loudly. ‘We don’t want to be in the background. Sounds like Summer and Deven are getting all the attention.’

‘
Put a lid on it Keisha,’ says Jenny Grogan rudely. We all turn to look at her, slightly shocked. Jenny is usually brusque, but this is something else from her.

‘
I heard that you girls have fallen out with your mentor,’ continues Jenny. ‘You need to put in some serious work to make things up. So I don’t want to see any more bad attitude from you.’

I had no idea that Scandelous had issues with their mentor. And by the look on
Deven’s face he didn’t either.

Wow. If there’s one thing you can say about
Sing-Win, it’s never boring.

A red flush is creeping up Keisha’s neck, ending at her jawline where the thick make-up cancels it out.
Asha and Shawna look similarly pole-axed.

I wonder what happened?

I check through what I know of their mentor. Kieran Hill is an international star, along with his band. And from what I remember, Scandelous were delighted to be teamed with him.

I guess Kieran
did
look a little washed out, when he appeared as a judge. Perhaps the Scandelous girls don’t think he was giving them the attention they deserve. Or perhaps they’re just divas.

In any case, Jenny’s sharp
rebuff has the desired effect. Keisha shuts her mouth tight and returns her attention to posing for the camera. The other girls copy her, as though nothing untoward has happened.

Beside me, I notice
Deven studying the three of them carefully. I guess he’s wondering what went wrong too.

The photographer breaks the tense silence, snapping away and directing a stream of comments and instructions. As the camera flashes, his comments come like a tirade, mixing compliments with stern requests for
‘energy’ and ‘life’.

‘
Amazing,
gorgeous
,’ he tells us, snapping away. ‘No dead eyes,’ he barks, as we smile for the camera. ‘Keep it real.’

The next hour is surprisingly exhausting, as we’re pushed, pulled
, styled and restyled into various poses.

As we’re manoeuvred into yet another uncomfortable pose on the rocks, the photographer stops snapping and considers us keenly.

‘You know what I think?’ he says. ‘We could do something really fun with this caveman theme. How about we go a little sexier?’

Scandelous seem delighted with this. They’re already sexing up the poses as it is. I’m not so sure though. And even
Deven doesn’t seem convinced.

‘
What do you mean, sexier?’ Deven asks.

‘
More skin,’ says the photographer. ‘Sex you all up. There’s a lot of young teenage girls who read this magazine. They’d love to see Deven in as few clothes as possible.’

I look uncertainly at
Deven. But at the mention of increasing his fan-base, he’s immediately sold.

‘
I’m not up for it,’ I say, deciding I’m the only one who’s going to be voicing any concerns. ‘I don’t think teenage girls should be exposed to that kind of thing. Why can’t they just enjoy the music?’

‘
Jeez. Listen to the country girl,’ sighs Keisha rolling her eyes. ‘Stop being such a prude Summer. This is good for all of us.’

‘
No it isn’t,’ I insist. ‘It makes us all cheap.’

The photographer is looking between us
.

‘
If you’re not all in agreement,’ he says, ‘Then we’ll just carry on as before.’

Keisha shoots me a dagger glare.

‘Summer,’ says Deven. ‘This could increase our coverage. Big newspapers could pick up the shoot.’

‘
We’re not all in agreement,’ I say firmly, ignoring Deven. ‘We don’t need to strip off to get fans. Everyone on this shoot is talented enough to make it without that.’

I’m hoping my words will encourage the other acts. But
no-one seems convinced. Instead we finish the shoot in a low mood. I refuse to feel bad about my decision. But it’s hard not to be influenced by the atmosphere.

As we take the final few pictures I find myself wondering if I’m really cut out for this fame business. Maybe I’m being too arrogant. Perhaps in the beginning you should make sacrifices to get to the top.

My eyes rest on Scandelous, semi-clad and pouting and my resolve returns.

Not like that. That’s not how I want to be known.

We finish up and dress in our regular clothes. Checking my watch I realise I’ll really have to motor if I want to fit in a decent rehearsal with Adam today.

They sure do pack things in
, I think stifling a yawn. I’m wondering how I’m going to hold up for this evening. It’s Tammy’s gig and I still need to find a way to clear things with Adam.

I know he’s not going to be happy about me going to an east-London gig unaccompanied. So I envisage some kind of compromise is going to take place.