When Sparks Fly (36 page)

The stage was to the back of the dance floor, which was just fine. Renee didn’t mind if people danced or milled around while she performed. Actually, it took the pressure off. There weren’t so many eyes on her and she could relax and just do what she did.

You’d think by now it wouldn’t bother me to have people watch me as I sing.

The truth was, Renee still got physically ill before each performance. Her palms sweat, her stomach roiled, sometimes to the point of throwing up. She’d learned not to eat before the concerts.

Blake walked Renee to the green room, set her guitar down, and took her in his arms. They gently swayed.

“You’ll knock it out of the park again tonight, honey.”

Renee put her hand around Blake’s neck and kissed him. Her amber eyes misted.

“Thanks for believing in me.”

Blake kissed Renee again and pulled her even closer, wishing there’d have been more time before the concert to love her properly.

“I love you. Of course I believe in you. I’m going to sit with your parents. I’ll keep an eye out for Frankie and Don, too. Stop worrying. You’ll be great, like you always are. I love you, honey.”

“I love you, too.”

Alone with her thoughts, Renee pulled her guitar from its case and sat down on the couch. She grabbed a bottle of water and her music. Soon her fingers were producing beautiful, melodic riffs.

This tune wasn’t on Renee’s playlist tonight. It was a song she’d been writing, secretly, for Blake. The only time she could work on it was before gigs like this.

Renee tried to get to venues at least two hours before the performance. It gave her quiet time to center: gather her thoughts, to work on Blake’s song, to do sound checks, and make sure everything was perfect for the performance.

Renee looked at the clock. She had an hour. She wandered out to the main room of Dante’s. She looked around. Nearly all of the seating was taken. It would be SRO tonight.

Walking to her stool, center stage, Renee sat down.

“Ready for tonight, darlin?” Sam, the sound tech inquired.

“Yup, ready as I’ll ever be.”

Sam led Renee through mike checks and speaker checks. She fine-tuned her guitar, set it in the stand by the stool, and walked back to change clothes for her performance.

Renee was very down to earth in her approach to how she looked. Tonight she chose a coral colored light weight cotton cable-knit sweater and decoratively draped a coordinating scarf around her neck. The black leggings she wore made her legs appear extra shapely and long. She tucked her feet into the black stacked heel leather boots.

Renee had curled her hair before they left the apartments. She ran a brush through the dark strands and spritzed it with hairspray. She took one last look in the mirror and applied coral lip gloss.

Alright, you frustrated Grammy-winner-to-be, let’s knock ’em dead. Well, not dead, but at least make a lasting impression.

Renee made her way to the door that led to the stage and listened for her cue.

“Welcome to Dante’s. It’s good to see such a large crowd tonight. We’re pleased you’re here. Renee Manelli…”

Applause and whistles broke out throughout the crowd. Soon they were all standing, shouting Renee’s name, and clapping methodically to its syllables.

“Renee Manelli is one of this city’s brightest stars. I’m proud to call her a regular here at Dante’s…”

The crowd continued cheering as the owner, Dante Rivers, finished his introduction.

“Ms Manelli is gaining quite a following in our city. Now, without further ado, let’s give it up for Renee Manelli.”

Renee’s heart was in her throat as she took the stool center stage. She nodded her appreciation to the crowd, who cheered and whistled relentlessly.

“What a wonderful, warm welcome. You sure know how to make a girl feel good.”

The crowd cheers erupted again.

Tony and Ann Manelli were so proud of their daughter. They stood, clapped and cheered along with the crowd. Tony wiped tears with the back of one hand while keeping another on his wife’s shoulder.

“Thank you. Really, you’re too kind. Thank you so much. The first song I want to sing tonight will take you back some years. It’s a classic 1960’s coffeehouse tune.”

Renee began singing, her voice was a bit shaky. She’d never performed before such a huge crowd before. Her eyes locked with Blake’s. He mouthed the words I love you and at that moment the rest of the room simply disappeared. She was doing a private performance for Blake.

Renee ended the set with one of her original songs. It was upbeat and about finding true love. A catchy little tune, to say the least.

After thanking the crowd and assuring them she’d return soon, Renee walked over to the table where her family sat. Frankie and Don were there, too, as was another man she’d never seen before.

Renee hugged her parents, Frankie, and Don. She stood in front of Blake and this stranger.

“Renee, this is Tom Milligan, a friend of mine from the industry. Tom, Renee Manelli.”

“Very nice meeting you, Mr. Milligan.”

Renee sat on Blake’s lap and downed the bottle of water that was sitting in front of him and opened another.

“Honey, you’re doing such a wonderful job.”

The pride on Tony Manelli’s face could light up a hundred rooms. He knew his daughter was a talented legal assistant. He’d never heard anything about this side of her before. He now knew there wasn’t anything his daughter couldn’t do.

“Thanks, Dad. I know I was off at the beginning. It’s unnerving to be in front of this many people.”

“You’re doing fine, Ms. Manelli. Your voice is clear as a bell, a very unique sound. That last number you did…was that an original?”

“Yes, Mr. Milligan, it was. I wrote that a few months ago.”

Renee remembered it well. It was one of the tunes she working on the night she and Blake met. She’d scrapped most of the original, used some of it, and turned it into this beautiful tribute to finding love.

“What’s the title?” Milligan asked, taking notes as they spoke.

“Worlds Apart.”

“Very nice. Do you have any other originals you’ll perform tonight?”

“Yes, Sir, I do. I’ll close out the last set with two of them, On Oceans Tides, Take the Time to Heal, and will close the night with Allison’s song, Crayon Butterflies.”

“Looking forward to them, Ms. Manelli.”

Blake tightened his hold on Renee. She was doing a brilliant job of staying calm and just allowing her voice to mesmerize the crowd.

Renee leaned into Blake and kissed him. It was time for her to get back to center stage.

“I love you, Blake.”

“I love you, too, honey.”

‡
Chapter Nine

“I was pleasantly surprised. Your man, Blake is doing a great job. Thanks for the tip.”

Tom Milligan had been a record producer for as long as he could remember. His father started the business in the 1950’s. Somehow despite all the scuttlebutt, Milligan Records weathered the storms.

Milligan Records wasn’t a well-known business, just a state of the art recording studio tucked away in a small building on a non-descript street.

Tom had signed a couple independent artists who happened to make it big with their recordings. Word of mouth sent independent singer/songwriters clamoring to schedule appointments with Milligan Records.

“We need to get Renee’s music out there…in a big way, Tom,” Frankie reiterated.

Frankie had known Tom for a very long time. In fact, Tom’s wife had dated Don in high school.

It really is a small world, when you think about it.

“Frankie, just let Blake do his work. He’s doing a fine job marketing Renee. He said every weekend is booked now through Labor Day.”

“Wonderful! Do you know if Blake booked her to play at the 4
^th
of July celebration at the park?”

“As far as I know she’s on the schedule of performers. In fact, if I remember right, Renee will close out the concert right before the fireworks.”

Frankie beamed. That was a perfect ending to a day of celebrations. 4
^th
of July was only a couple weeks away. She had millions of things to do, including scheduling a meeting with the dynamic duo…Blake and Renee.

“Tom, I can’t thank you enough for all you’re doing. Renee’s special and I’m glad we’re getting that out there, you know? You, Sherry, Don, and I need to plan dinner sometime soon. I’ll be in touch.”

Frankie placed the phone back on its cradle and walked over to the full length windows in her office.

It was a beautiful, sunny summer day and many were out enjoying their lunches on the grounds in back of the office building.

What a great idea!

Frankie walked out to the reception area.

“Alice, would you like to join me outside for lunch? It’s such a beautiful day. We can stop by the sandwich shop next door and just spend some time soaking up the sun.”

“Wow, boss, what’s gotten into you?”

Alice’s raised an eyebrow. It took all the courage she could muster to not let the words Dragon Lady escape her mouth.

“Nothing really…well, yes…I’m celebrating. We’re celebrating life today, Alice. It’s true, good things happen to those who wait…and work their asses off!”

The women laughed heartily. Alice grabbed her purse and linked an arm in Frankie’s as they walked to the elevator.

*

“Good morning, darling.”

Blake brushed the silky strands of hair from Renee’s face. He loved that satisfied, sleepy, first-thing-in-the-morning look she sported.

Instead of answering him, Renee raised her hands above her head and stretched her naked body from head to toe. She’d never gone to bed naked before Blake. Now, it’d become the norm for them both.

Blake took the opportunity to passionately kiss Renee while her eyes were closed and she was fully stretched out. She returned the fervor of his kiss.

“God, Renee, what you do to me.”

Blake kissed her again. This time she could feel his hardness growing between them and she reached down to encircle him.

The groan that escaped Blake told Renee he was ready for the next round of their loving dance.

All Blake had to do was look at her and she was ready to be one with him: to feel his hardness, to ride each other fast and furious, to tenderly take time loving each other, to soar off that cliff into the bliss of satiated love.

Now was no different. As Blake’s fingers played across her warmth, Renee arched into his touch, his kiss. She shifted her body so that she was physically moving to be on top of Blake.

The sheer beauty of Renee’s naked body turned Blake on. All he needed to do was hear her name, think of her lovely firm breasts, or her tight ass.

Renee dipped her head to kiss Blake as she positioned herself to receive him. Like a cowboy on a bronc, she began a slow, methodical rocking, settling herself into the saddle Blake created for her. It was a perfect fit.

Blake cupped Renee’s breasts, his thumbs arousing the dark pink nubs even more. He reached up and took one his mouth.

Renee quickened her pace. She was close to the edge of that cliff. She could feel Blake pulsing inside her. She knew he was ready, too. Even though her moves were faster, she made sure he fully slid in and out of her. She knew it was one way of making his pleasure more powerful.