Chapter Two
Lee
One Month Later
“Move out of the way!” Niki pushes through our little party to make her way to the spotlights. “If I miss Kyle finally proposing to her, I will castrate you, fry up your balls and serve them as an appetizer. Your friends will be feasting on your balls, Scott.” She walks backward, not taking her eyes off me.
“Dude, don’t make eye contact.” Gavin Sanders, the manager of Spotlight and Niki’s husband, walks past me, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Here, babe.” He hands her a fifty. “Let’s get the spotlights going.”
“Gavin?” She still continues to eye me while she slides the fifty into the slot, activating the beam. “Have you ever had Rocky Mountain oysters?” An evil grin appears on her face, but it quickly disappears as the crowd begins to shout that Kyle is down on one knee.
“Niki is all bite.” Jen walks up behind me and hands me a beer.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” I clink our longnecks together. “To happy endings — cheers.”
“Oh my God! This has to be one of the most romantic proposals ever!” Jen sighs.
“I’m not sure how romantic it is having everyone blinding you with beams of lights while you are trying to propose to the love of your life. Kind of seems a little impersonal to me.”
“Take that back!” She turns around, leaning against the railing, shooting me a death glare.
“Not a chance,” I tease.
“I’m going to ignore that.” She takes a step forward and pokes me in the chest. “But what I can’t ignore is the fact you haven’t been to Java Talk for almost a month.”
“Should I be concerned?”
“About what?”
I take a long pull before I tilt the bottle in her direction. “Your stalker tendencies.”
“Shut your mouth, Lee!” She slaps me on the arm.
“Here comes the happy couple!” Gavin announces to the party. “Scott? Where are you, man? Kyle says you have the next round.”
“Come on, you are being summoned.” She grabs my empty bottle and sets it on the table for the waitress to pick up.
“Right behind you,” I start to say, but stop in my tracks when I hear her.
That voice.
“Lee, everyone is sitting down.”
“I’m going to use the restroom.” I quickly pass by her and head toward the stairs.
“Dude, we’re in VIP. They are right over there.”
“Shit!”
“Ohhhhh, I get it.” She smacks her knee.
“No! Oh God, no!” I roll my eyes. “I need to take care of something.”
“I’m just messing with you. Go get her.” She winks.
“What?”
“Ellie.” She points toward the basement level where the stage is. “You’d better hurry. She is only playing a couple songs before tonight’s headliner.”
“Jen…” I question on what I’m about to do. I left that night for a reason. I’ve been there, done that before.
“Don’t think, Lee. Just go after her,” she says before turning to walk away.
Spinning around, I take the steps as fast as I can without drawing attention to myself. They take security around this place seriously, especially with all the pop-in celebrities who stop by so they can go out without all the hassle.
“How’s it going tonight? I heard we just had an engagement up in here!” Ellie hollers to the crowd, and they erupt in applause.
Pushing my way through the second level, I find the basement steps and take them as quickly as I had the ones before.
“For the final song, I’m going to slow it down a little and do a cover of one of my favorite artists. He’s pretty BAD and has a way with singing about Human Nature.” She laughs into the microphone as the crowd goes wild.
I can see her now; she takes a step back from mic as she strums the first chords. I can’t help it. Something about her makes me want to
just stand and watch.
She is absolutely stunning. Her dark hair, glowing shades of pink from the spotlights weaving through the crowd; her hazel eyes shining with the emotion the words can’t say. She feels every. Single. Word. And makes her audience feel the same.
This is what drew me in, her voice, but her heart is what made me want to stay.
So complex and confused. Just from the short time I spent talking to her, I knew she was someone I wanted to spend more time with. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to stay and chase this girl, risking everything for a chance, when I’m struggling to hold on to the only thing I’ve even known.
“Well, guys, that’s it for me, but my girl who came all the way from Nashville, Tennessee, is here to bring a little country to the city life. Please welcome, the one, the only, Myles Davis.”
Shit!
I was so wrapped up in her performance I’m still a hundred feet from her in a sold-out crowd. Working my way through the maze of people, I call out excuse me, pardon and I’m so sorry more times than I can count until I reach the stage, to only see her walking down the hall.
“Ellie! Wait up.” I take off down the corridor and round the corner, skidding to a stop when I see the open back door and Ellie there talking to a man in a suit.
“Miss Hawthorne, your father has requested I pick you up.”
Hawthorne?
“It’s not necessary, thank you. I have my car.” She tries to step past him, but he blocks her way.
“Mr. Hawthorne told me to not give you a choice. So, please do us both a favor and get in the back of the car.” He lowers his head and his tone. “Please, Eloise. You know how your father gets.”
“Malcolm, I was having a good night. High off life and this right here is bringing me down. A total buzzkill moment.” Ellie takes a step forward and the driver moves aside, then follows behind.
I can’t help myself. I already came this far. I have to watch her leave because chasing is no longer in the equation. Kicking the door open, I see the car driving away, nothing but fading taillights in the distance.
The chase over before it even began.
Ellie Thorne?
Eloise Hawthorne?
Neither one is the girl I thought I knew. Just a performer looking for her next show. Just like her.