Quest For A Popstar by Hamstead, Katie (1)

Quest for a

Popstar

 

REALITY ROMANCE, BOOK ONE

 

 

By Katie Hamstead

 

Quest for a Popstar

 

Copyright © 2018 by Katie Hamstead.

All rights reserved.

First Print Edition: January 2018

 

 

Limitless Publishing, LLC

Kailua, HI 96734

 

Formatting: Limitless Publishing

 

ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-293-4

ISBN-10: 1-64034-293-1

 

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

 

For Lilly and Lucy,

May you always follow your dreams.

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The biggest, the most extravagant talent show in the country. Thousands come out for auditions, hungry for the five minutes of fame, hoping for the chance to move on to the next round. Hearts are broken, and dreams come true. But there is only one winner of Quest for a Popstar…

 

My knees quiver as the commercial blares overhead. To try to stop the shaking, I pin my hands between my knees. I hum my song over and over, hoping I won’t freeze and forget the words. All around me people sing, the noise growing louder and louder. I don’t want to add to the chaos. I’m not even sure if I’ll stay for my own audition. In high school I’d been excellent, but this is something else entirely.

People bustle around me, filling the massive backstage room and shuffling between plastic chairs. Even with the air conditioning, hairspray thickens the air, scented sickly sweet with all the brands mixing together. I’m surprised anyone can sing in this. My throat feels coated and I’m not opening my mouth.

A family of six kids and their mother move into the seats beside me. The older three look around my age, but the younger three seem to be early teens. Their mother appears Islander in background, but they look mixed race with softer features. They’re all gorgeous.

They huddle together, and their mother leads them in song. Although they sing softly, their song drives all the rest of the clamor from my ears. They sound incredible! I’ve never heard such beautiful harmonies and perfectly blended voices. When they stop, the oldest son, who I’d say looks to be early twenties, glances at me, catching me staring. He scowls and looks back at his mother. The second brother and oldest daughter glance at me. I turn away. I must look like an idiot. I’m freaking out, while they’re amazing. Although most people here have no chance, they just proved some contestants can nail it. Am I that good?

My phone buzzes. Pulling it from my handbag, I see Tom, my boyfriend, sent me a text. I open it and read.

 

Tom: Hey, babe, where are you today?

 

I hadn’t told him I’d come down for auditions, or anyone for that matter. So, I reply.

 

Me: Not feeling good.

 

Tom: Sorry, that sucks. Get some rest and I’ll cya soon.

 

I slip my phone back into my bag and sigh. With people like the family beside me auditioning, I seriously doubt I’ll make the next round. Tom will never need to know.

“Numbers six fifty to six seventy-five,” a show crew person calls out.

I stand, being number 663, and the family stands too. I look at them again and see the number 662. Just my luck to follow an amazing act like them.

They line us up in order backstage. I lean against the wall, trying to release some of my tension with a long breath. The feeling of butterflies dances in my belly, making me want to throw up. I hadn’t performed on a stage since high school, and never anything on this grand of a scale. I may have made leading lady my senior year in the school musical, but school is so different to this.

“Hey.”

I look up.

The oldest daughter from the family—who looks about seventeen or eighteen—smiles at me. “I’m Clarissa. You nervous?”

I force a smile. “Big time.”

Her smile widens. “I bet you’ve heard every trick in the book—imagine them naked or in their underwear, just don’t look at anyone specifically.” She winks.

A grin forces the corners of my lips upward. “Oh yeah.”

“I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what?” I tilt my head, curious. What could I have done to draw her interest?

“Sing solo on stage. I can only get through because I have my family around me. I’m not a solo singer.”

I turn to face her directly, surprised by what she said. They sounded so incredible; surely she can sing well on her own. “To be honest, I’m about to run off so I don’t have to go out there. I heard you guys before, and I really don’t want to follow you. You’re amazing.”

Her whole face lights up. “You think so?”

“Yeah.”

We shuffle forward, and only two acts stand between me and utter humiliation. “I think I might be sick.”

Her oldest brother gives me another scowl, but she touches my arm. “Take deep breaths. You’ll be fine.”

I slowly draw in a deep breath.

“There you go. So what’s your name?”

I raise an eyebrow. “You’re trying to distract me, aren’t you?”

She smiles. “Is it working?”

“Maybe.” I take another deep breath. “I’m Hailey.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Hailey. What do you do with yourself when you’re not in this panic pit?”

I chuckle. “School. Studying for a BS in biology.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Smart.”

I shrug. “I guess I’m a bit of a nerd.”

She chuckles. “No. Smart is different than nerd. Lucas is smart, but he’s not a nerd.” She motions at her oldest brother. “But Isaiah is neither.”

The second brother turns to us. “Are you calling me stupid?”

She shrugs with a smirk.

He grabs her in a headlock. “Stop bad-mouthing me, woman.” He offers me his hand as his gaze drags up and down my body. “Isaiah.”

I take his hand. “Hailey.”

“I heard.” He smiles at me.

Wow, gorgeous.

“We’re up,” their mother says. “Good luck, guys.”

She gives them each a kiss on the cheek as they head out to the stage.

I shuffle up beside her to watch as they stand on the stage, talking to the celebrity judges. I catch a glimpse of Jeffrey Halloway, my mother’s teen heartthrob. I’d grown up listening to his music, and the thought that he’s about to hear me sing makes me lightheaded.

The celebrity host, a rap artist from the late nineties, speaks briefly to the mother, but when the “kids” start to perform, all focus turns to them. They perform like they’d been born for the stage. I stand in awe, but sick about my own performance after them. Their rich harmonies reverberate through my body, making me shudder. When they finish, I clap eagerly, knowing they’ll be shoo-ins.

And they are.

The audience cheers as they leave the stage. Isaiah waves and blows a kiss.

“You’re up.” A stagehand motions for me to head out.

I take a deep breath, dreading the response to me after that performance.

I approach the microphone and the audience falls silent. I clear my throat, so nervous my head spins. “I’m Hailey Becker, and I’ll be singing—”

“Tell us a little about yourself,” one of the male judges, Lance, an ex-boy band member, says from behind their black desk right in front of me.

I just want to sing and get it over with, but with the cameras pointed at me, I swallow hard and answer. “I’m twenty, and in my third year of my degree.”

“Studying what?”

“Biology.”

The four judges exchange smirks.

“I’ll ah…I’ll be singing “My Lagan Love.”” I clear my throat again, eager to be done. I sing a cappella, my voice resonating around me through the speakers. The Celtic melody shows off my upper range well, and is so rarely sung I knew it would grab attention, even if the higher notes make me nervous. I just need to relax. If I don’t tense, my voice won’t suffer. I hit every note perfectly, to my surprise, even the high notes I’d squeaked out on occasion. The song on its own is beautiful, so I hope I do it justice. When I finish, no one applauds. The judges stare at me, their jaws hanging.

Officially freaked out, I step back from the mic to leave.

Then the female judge, ’80s sensation Drusilla, stands, clapping with tears in her eyes. I freeze as the other judges do the same, and soon the whole crowd is on their feet applauding me. Drusilla leans over to speak into her mic. “Amazing. It’s been a long time since a voice moved me to tears. You’re in.”

“I’m…” I glance between each of them. “Can you say that again?”

Everyone laughs, and Lance says, “You’re in, sweetheart.”

A short squeal escapes my lips. “Thank you! Oh my gosh! You’re serious?”

“We’ll see you in the next round.”

I laugh. “Thank you.”

I hurry off the stage before I make more of an idiot of myself. One of the crew hands me an envelope with the details for the next round, and confirms my phone number and email address. As I turn to leave, I find myself face to face with a grinning Clarissa.

“You were great.”

“Thank you,” I say, glancing around, not seeing her family. “You guys were awesome.”

She giggles. “Come get a bite to eat with us. We’ll all be heading to the next round together, and I was thinking you could come with us.”

I look down at the envelope in my hand. The next round is in L.A. I’ll have to take time off my schooling and work…I chew my lip. “I’m not sure if I’ll go. I honestly didn’t expect to get in.”

Her jaw falls open. “Are you kidding? You have to go. Your voice gave me chills. Even my brothers were impressed, and they don’t think anyone sings well at these things.”

“Someone has to sing well. This is the fifth season.”

Her dark eyes sparkle. “I know! Seriously, you’re coming with me.”

She latches onto my arm and tugs me along behind her through the crowded lobby. Outside, her family waits under a huge blue flag. She waves, pulling me right to them. “She agreed to come with us.”

The younger sister grasps my other arm. “I’m Lydia. You have a pretty voice.”

“Thank you.” I smile, despite my discomfort.

Their mother offers me her hand. “I’m Kessa. You’ve already met Clarissa, but this is Lucas.” She gestures to her oldest son, then points down the line by age. “Isaiah, Levi, Arnie, and Lydia.”

Isaiah winks at me. I glance away, my cheeks warming.

“So, Hailey,” Kessa says. “We would love for you to join us.”

I clutch my handbag. I’d spent the last of my money on my bus fare. “I couldn’t intrude.”

“It wouldn’t be intruding, we invited you.” Clarissa clings to my arm.

“I…ah…”

“She’s probably broke,” Lucas says. “She’s a student who came here by herself. I doubt anyone even knows she’s here.”

I stare at the ground, certain I’d turned bright red.

“You’re mean,” Clarissa says.

Kessa rests her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll pay. What’s one extra mouth when I’m already paying for the equivalent of twenty with these boys?”

The fifteen-year-old, Levi, rolls his eyes.

“Ah…” But before I can protest further, Clarissa drags me along with them.

They lead me to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, where Clarissa and Lydia sit me between them. Isaiah slips into the chair facing me and winks. Lucas reaches over from beside Lydia and slaps him across the head.

“Boys,” Kessa says in a stern tone.

I glance at Lucas, who plucks up a menu to hide his face.

“Don’t mind them,” Clarissa says. “They’re always fighting. Mom says it’s because she had them too close together.”

“No, it’s because Isaiah’s a dick,” Lucas mutters.

“And Lucas is a huge nerd.” Isaiah smirks.

“That’s enough,” Kessa says in a scolding tone. “We have a guest with us, so let’s play nice, shall we?”

Isaiah winks at me again and picks up his menu.

We order, and as we wait, Levi asks me, “So where did you go to high school?”

“East Valley High.”

He grins. “I know where that is. You don’t live far from us then.”

“Where do you go?”

“I’m still in middle school. I don’t start high school until August.”

“He’ll be going to Midland, like us.” Isaiah motions to himself and Clarissa.

“Oh wow, you guys do live close to where I grew up.” I glance at Lucas, wondering why he hadn’t gone to the same school.

“Lucas went too,” Clarissa says, noticing my glance. “Isaiah doesn’t like to admit it.”

“I don’t either,” Lucas grumbles.

“I’ll be graduating in May,” Clarissa says. “You should come.”

I smile. She barely knows me. “I’ll see where I am with exams.”

“Oh yeah, exams.” She pats my arm. “Lucas is getting his bachelor’s in May. It’s all kinda getting crazy. We doubted whether we should audition or not, but we decided, since the wild card city landed here this year, to go for it.”

“It paid off,” I say.

She giggles. “I know! Can you believe it?”

“You guys are pretty amazing.”

“Hard work,” Lucas mumbles. “Gets ya every time.”

“I’d say talent plays a big part,” Isaiah responds.

Clarissa rolls her eyes. “Anyway, we should all fly out together.”

I look into her eyes. I like her, and I prefer the prospect of going with someone than going alone. “I’d like that.”

She squeezes my arm. “Mom will book all of us together. You can come over and we’ll enter the show’s tickets in as one big group.”

Kessa smiles. “It would be nice to have you.”

“You’re freaking her out,” Lucas interjects.

Clarissa elbows him. “No, we’re not. She’s cool.”

“Yeah.” Isaiah leans forward. “You should come with us.”

My cheeks warm as his gaze lingers on my face.

When the waitress sets down the complimentary bread, Isaiah plucks up a piece. He stares at me as I grab one, and bites into his at the same time as I take a bite of mine.

Clarissa clears her throat. “So, how long have you been singing?”

I shrug. “Through middle school and high school, but I never thought much of it. When I heard they were doing live auditions here this year, I figured I’d give it a try, but I didn’t expect anything of it.”

“I’m glad you came.” She pats my arm. “You have a beautiful voice.”

Lydia tugs my sleeve. “Do you have any brothers and sisters?”

The conversation continues, and although Isaiah stares at me the whole time, I find myself relaxing with them. Although quite intense and overly friendly, they’re enjoyable to be around.

As we finish our meals, I lean back, groaning. “I’m stuffed. Thank you so much, Kessa.”

“Anytime, doll.”

Hmm, doll. She just gave me a pet name.

“You should come over to our place,” Clarissa says.

I shake my head. “I need to get home.”

“Not now.” Clarissa giggles. “Sometime this week, before we go. You can come over to help book everything.”

“Yeah, you should.” Isaiah hooks his foot around my ankle. I swallow, feeling uneasy.

Another foot flies out and kicks his away. I glance across and find Lucas glaring at him.

“Maybe Tuesday?” I say, looking at Clarissa.

“Perfect.” She offers her hand for my phone. I dig it out of my handbag and hand it to her. She enters her name and number then jumps. “Oh! Someone’s calling you.”

She gives it back to me and I see Tom’s name. “Oh.” I answer it. “Hey.”

“Where are you?” Tom asks me shortly.

“Um, what?”

“Where. Are. You? I came by your apartment and your roommate said you’ve been gone most of the day. You said you were sick.”

“I, ah…” I clear my throat. “Yeah, I um…I lied.”

A long pause hangs over the line. “What?”

“I went down to the Quest for a Popstar auditions.”

Another pause. “What?”

“I did really well. I got into the next round.”

Again, a pause. “You can’t be serious. Are you serious? Please tell me you’re not serious.”

“Tom, I’m coming home. Can we talk about this when I get back?”

“Yeah, Hailey. We’re going to talk about this. This is…oh, get home.”

He hangs up.

“All right, bye.” I pretend to hang up and slide my phone back into my bag.

“Who was that?” Lydia asks. “He sounded mad.”

Lucas elbows her.

“That was my boyfriend,” I say, smiling at her. “He’s just upset because I didn’t tell him I came down here.”

Isaiah leans back, letting out a long breath.

Clarissa pats my arm. “I’m sorry. Do you need a ride somewhere?”

I shake my head and pull out my bus ticket. “I’m good.”

“You’re not riding a bus at this time of day,” Kessa says. “A pretty little thing like you is asking for trouble if you do that. You’re coming with us.”

I shake my head. “I couldn’t. I live by the university now, not out—”

“That’s fine, so does Lucas.”

I snap my mouth shut and glance at him. He stares at his food.

“Hey, you guys could have seen each other on campus and not known it!” Clarissa says, bouncing in her chair.

“Mmm.” Lucas shifts his food around on his plate. “Considering she’s doing a science degree, I doubt we would have ever crossed paths.”

Isaiah stands. “I’m ready to go.”

They lead me to their van—or possibly it’s a small bus—and we all climb in. Kessa asks me to sit in the front to direct her. Considering the volume of the noise the others make throughout the trip that’s for the best.

We pull into the apartments’ parking lot, and I spot Tom sitting in his car playing with his phone. I have a feeling we’re going to have a huge argument.

“Thank you,” I say to Kessa. “I really appreciate everything.”

She pats my knee. “Not a problem, doll. It’ll be nice to have you coming with us.”

Clarissa pokes her head between us. “Hey, you have my number. Call me so I can save yours in my phone.”

“Ah, sure.” I pull out my phone and call her.

She grins as her phone lights up. “Sweet.”

I look toward Tom in his car. “I should go.”

“I’ll walk you in.” Isaiah unbuckles.

“Don’t.” Lucas grabs his shoulder. “Clarissa can do it.”

“She’s a girl.” Isaiah pushes him off. “That defeats the purpose.”

“Levi?”

“You go,” Levi grumbles.

Lucas grunts and climbs out.

“Don’t worry about him,” Clarissa says. “He’s actually really nice. He just gets irritated when he spends so much time with Isaiah.”

I glance at Kessa, wondering what she thinks of the obvious tension between her sons. She just stares out the window.

My door flies open and Lucas stands waiting. As I slip out of the van, I glance toward Tom. He hasn’t noticed yet, and I hope he doesn’t freak out if he sees some random guy walking me to my door.

Lucas walks beside me, hands in his pockets, as I dig for my keys. He makes me uneasy. I feel like he’s judging me, and I don’t know why. I find my keys just as we reach the door.

I slide the key in the lock. “Thanks for walking me over, and tell your mom and sister thanks too.”

He nods. “No problem.”

“I guess I’ll see you Tuesday?”

He shrugs. “Yeah. Gotta get booked. Hey, don’t forget to see someone about your class schedule. You don’t wanna fall behind or anything.”

“Oh, yeah. Of course. Thanks.”

As I turn toward the door, a hand wraps around my elbow. I glance up as Tom steps between me and Lucas. He glares at Lucas, pulling me closer roughly. “Hailey, who’s this?”

“This is Lucas. I met him and his family today.” I push open the door. “Let’s go inside.”

“At the auditions?”

“Yes.” I pull, but he stands firm, his stare locked on Lucas.

Lucas clears his throat. “Are you safe, Hailey?”

I nod.

“Okay. Well, you have Clarissa’s number. Call her if you need anything.”

Tom and I watch Lucas as he walks calmly back to the van. Then, Tom shoves me inside.

“Ouch!”

He shuts the door and glares at me. “Lauren, you here?”

My roommate doesn’t answer.

“Good. We can talk.” His face has turned red and he keeps clenching and releasing his fists.

“Tom,” I say, sighing. “What’s wrong with auditioning?”

“Who was that?”

“I told you. I met him today with his family.”

“Really? Is that what you’re going with?”

“I’m not going with anything. That’s what happened.”

“Yeah, I bet. You probably saw him at one of the musical productions and hunted him down.”

“Huh?” Well, part of that made sense—Lucas was in musical productions on campus. Me hunting him down…I don’t hunt, and I’d never gone to a musical the university put on.

“Geez, Hailey. I can’t believe you’d cheat on me!”

“Whoa, back up.” I raise my hands. “I’m not cheating.”

“Uh-huh. And you really went down for auditions today.”

“I did.” I pull out my letter of congratulations.

He snatches it up and scans it. “Fake.”

“What? No. I’m leaving next weekend.”

“No, you’re not.” He scrunches the paper.

“Hey!” I snatch it from him.

“I don’t get it,” he says, advancing on me. “This is a very elaborate cover-up for cheating. Why would you do this? I thought you were happy. We’ve been talking about getting married.”

“I’m not cheating.” I press my hands against my hips. “I really went down for auditions and I really got into the next round. I met Lucas’s sister there, we hit it off, and the family took me out for dinner.”

I lift my box of leftovers, as if for more proof.

“Why did he walk you to the door then?”

“He was being a gentleman, I guess.”

Tom sneers. “Uh-huh.”

I groan and head for the fridge. “I didn’t cheat. You know I’m not like that.”

I set the leftovers on my shelf. He comes up behind me and shuts the door. I swing around and he pins me against the fridge. “Swear to me you’re not cheating.”

I look up into his pale blue eyes. “I swear it.”

He wraps his arms around my waist. “I’m crazy about you, Hailey.”

I smile, running my hand through his dark brown hair. “I’m all yours.”

He kisses me, and guides me to my bedroom.

Afterward, I lie with my head on his chest while he strokes my back. He sighs contentedly and tilts my face up toward him. “So, what’s the deal with these auditions?”

“I just thought I’d give it a try.”

He rubs his face. “It’s a huge waste of time. None of the contestants in these shows ever get anywhere. Maybe one album if they make it into the top five or something. You’re going to get your hopes up, let your classes slip, and when they knock you out, you’ll struggle to catch up with everything.”

“I’m going to work all that out,” I say, stroking his face. “I honestly didn’t expect to get through, but now that I did, I’m curious to see where I can go with it. I’m going to work out my classes tomorrow. It’s still early in the semester, so I should be able to transfer to online classes.”

“Online classes?” He pushes up onto his elbows. “Hailey, your degree is pretty hands on.”

“I know that, but—”

“And what about your job? You’ll need to pay rent, and for your food, and all your bills.”

“I know. I’ll work it out.”

He groans and flops back. “Don’t expect me to bail you out if you do this. I think this is crazy. You’re levelheaded and smart, not impulsive, and you’re kind of naive. I mean, you were a virgin when we got together. I feel like they’d take advantage of a sweet girl like you on a show like that.”

I rest my head on his chest. “I’ll be careful.”

He runs his fingers through my hair. “I really don’t want you to do it.”

“I want to take this chance. Don’t you say, ‘When an opportunity presents itself, seize it because it may never come again?’”

He groans a laugh. “I mean that with things that could actually benefit you in the long term.”

“Maybe it could. You never know.”

He rolls me onto my back, brushing my cheek with his knuckles. “Do you really think you could be a pop star? You’re not skanky, or super hot, or extreme. I’ve never even heard you sing, so you mustn’t be that into it.”

“I’m going to do this,” I say, gazing into his eyes. “I’d really like your support.”

“I’m not going to support it.”

“Then I’ll do it without.”

He purses his lips. “I hate it when you get all stubborn like this.”

I wrap my arms around him and kiss his chin. “I won’t let it affect us.”

He sighs, shaking his head. “When do you leave?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awkwardly, I stand at the front door. Taking a deep breath, I glance back to my car. I should just leave. I barely know these people. Yup, I’m going home.

I head back to my car when another car pulls up behind it. I pause, my hand on the door handle.

Lucas climbs out and nods. “Forget something?”

“Ah…” I pull at the handle. I’d look stupid if I ask him to move his car so I can run away. “Just locking up.”

“It’s a safe neighborhood, so I wouldn’t worry.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Hey, a word of advice—don’t let Isaiah flirt with you.”

“Excuse me?”

He shrugs. “He’s a womanizer so…don’t feel special.”

Heat creeps up my neck. “I have a boyfriend.”

He shrugs again. “If you wanna keep it that way, then take my advice.”

I turn away from him. My cheek must be turning a nice shade of red. “I’m not that kind of person. I won’t cheat on my boyfriend.”

“Good to know.” He clears his throat. “Well, are you coming inside?”

“Yes.” I hurry toward the door with him right behind me.

I knock, but he opens the door. “Go in.”

“Ahh…”

“Seriously, you’ve met them. You know they’re over-the-top friendly. Just go in.”

I step inside and slip off my shoes.

“So…” he says, standing beside me as he takes off his shoes. “What made you audition? You don’t really seem like the limelight sort.”

“I don’t know.” Tom had asked me the same question several times over the past few days. To be completely honest, I’m sick of it. “Just trying it out.”

“You’ve never joined in with any of the music clubs on campus. Were they not good enough?”

I glance up at him and find him staring steadily at me. It makes me uncomfortable. “It’s not that. I dunno, really. I haven’t sung since high school, so I wanted to jump onstage just one more time without anyone I know judging me.”

“Since you got through, they probably will now.”

I look away. “I don’t think—”

“Hailey!” Clarissa’s arms wrap around me, knocking me backward against the wall. She laughs and pushes off me. “Sorry.”

Lucas walks away.

“So,” she says, flicking her long dark hair back. “I was thinking we should document our journey. You know, take a ton of cheesy pics and make a scrapbook. Then we can have something to show how we met and became friends, as well as document this amazing opportunity.”

“Sounds good,” I say with a smile. I must admit, I really enjoy her enthusiasm.

She squeaks and raises her phone. “Smile.”

She takes the picture and promptly shares it on all her social networks. “That reminds me, I need to add you.”

As I give her my details and she tries to convince me to join more social networks that I’m not part of, Isaiah walks down the stairs. I glance up and almost swoon. He doesn’t have a shirt on, and wears low-riding jeans. His body is lean and slender, his muscles well-defined under his tanned skin.

“Hailey.” He grins and winks. “I thought I heard voices.”

“Mmm.” My cheeks feel hot again. Geez, put a shirt on before my body heat lights the house on fire!

He stands right in front of me as Clarissa wraps her arm through mine. He smiles, and my legs quiver. “You look really pretty today. That color suits you.”

I glance down at my red cardigan. “Ah…thanks.”

Clarissa shoves his chest. “Go put a shirt on before you poke someone’s eye out.”

He grins. “All right, all right. How long are you staying, Hailey?”

“A little while.”

“Isaiah.”

We look over as Lucas reenters the entry area with three mugs in his hands. “Go put a shirt on.”

Isaiah shoves his hands in his pockets, lowering his pants to an almost pornographic level. I force myself to look away and stare at the ground.

“You’re making her uncomfortable,” Lucas says, sticking a mug into my line of vision.

“Nah.” Isaiah snatches the mug.

“Yeah, you are. She doesn’t know where to put her eyes and she’s bright red. Now go put a shirt on.” Lucas snatches the mug back and offers it to me again.

Clarissa’s arm tightens around mine.

“Am I making you uncomfortable, Hailey?” Isaiah asks.

I take the mug, trying to keep my focus on the brown liquid inside. “Yeah, actually.”

Isaiah chuckles. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

He bounds up the stairs again.

Clarissa tugs on my arm. “We need to make those bookings.”

She leads me through to a kitchen where, to my right, lays a living room. Levi and Arnie sit in front of the TV playing video games. Lydia glances up from a book that looks to be a tween vampire novel. She grins. “Hailey!”

“Hey, Lydia.”

She snaps the book shut and dashes over. “I told my friends at school about you.”

Lucas groans.

“Did I hear someone say Hailey’s here?” Kessa appears from an office. “Hello, doll.”

“Hello again, Kessa.”

She plants a kiss on my cheek. “Come in here so we can book these tickets. I’ve already made arrangements with the show to have you share a room with Clarissa. I hope you don’t mind.”

I glance at Clarissa and find her beaming. “That’s fine.”

Kessa leads me into the office with Clarissa, and the three of us work out our flights. Although Clarissa seems intense, I find her pleasant once I move beyond it. She laughs easily and listens to what I say. I’m glad I met her before embarking on the next phase of the process. Her friendship helps set my mind at ease.

 

***

 

Tom sits beside me with his arm draped around my shoulder. His roommate, Anthony, sits on the ground making out with his girlfriend. They’d stopped watching the movie almost the instant it started.

“Hailey,” Tom whispers, his nose brushing against my ear. “Let’s go to my room.”

I shake my head. “This is my last night before I leave. I want to spend time with you.”

He grabs my hand and places it over his crotch. “I want to spend time with you too, just more intimately.”

“Tom…” But as Anthony’s hand slides up Karen’s shirt, I shoot to my feet. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“Hailey…”

I hurry out the door, and stand in the entryway to the apartment. Tom soon follows and wraps a jacket around my shoulders. “Hailey, it’s cold out. Let’s just go back in and warm each other up.”

“I don’t want to.” I cling to the jacket and start walking.

He matches my pace. “You know it’s not really the safest neighborhood to be walking around after dark.”

I shrug.

He sighs. “What’s eating at you?”

“Nothing,” I say too quickly.

“Yeah, there is.” He grabs my arm and turns me to face him. “Are you nervous?”

I let out a puff of air. “Yeah. Really nervous.”

“Then don’t go.” He pulls me into his arms. “I want you to stay here with me. I’ll be graduating soon, so we will need to look for a place.”

“I didn’t think you wanted to get married until after I graduated.”

He rubs my arms. “Yeah, but we can live together. It’s the twenty-first century, Hailey.”

I sigh. “But I want to do this. I wish you supported me.”

He scowls, but caresses my face. “I’m trying, I am. I’m just afraid you’ll throw your education and the chance of a stable career away for this whim. And who’s going to look out for you out there? You’ll be by yourself.”

“I’m staying with Clarissa Murphy.”

“Who?”

“That family who dropped me off.”

His eyes narrow. “That guy and his family?”

“Clarissa is a girl.”

He groans. “That guy is her brother, which means him.”

“Don’t be jealous.” I squeeze him. “I’m devoted to you. Plus, he’s kind of mean.”

Tom searches my face, slowly, carefully. “You’re something else.” He strokes my hair. “Okay, I’ll try to not be jealous. It’s just that you mean so much to me.”

I smile. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I will, every day.” He pulls me close, kissing my forehead. “I’ll call you every day too.”

My heart flutters as I press my cheek against his chest.

We return to his apartment and find Anthony and Karen had made their way to his bedroom. Tom leads me into his room so we don’t disturb them.

He shuts the door and immediately takes off his shirt.

“You’re anxious,” I say, standing by his desk.

“You’re going away for a few days at least. What do you expect?” He wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my neck.

“Tom?”

“Mmm?” He pulls off my shirt.

“Do you love me?”

He looks into my eyes, smiling. “Of course I do. I want to marry you, don’t I?” He kisses me deeply, his tongue exploring my mouth.

He has my bra off in a flash and turns me, lowering me onto his bed. He grabs my boob as he continues kissing me.

My phone rings.

“Wait.” I reach for my bag on the floor.

“Ignore it.” He grabs my arm, wrapping it around him.

“No, it could be important.”

“Hailey, don’t.”

I grab my bag and pull out the phone. He growls and rolls off me.

“It’s my mother.”

He groans.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hailey!” Her bright voice rings down the line. “What is this about you getting into Quest for a Popstar?”

“Oh, yeah, I auditioned,” I replied with a wince. Usually I tell her everything, but this had all happened so quickly.

Tom sits up, running his hand through his hair.

“Mom, I’m kinda busy. Can I call you back?”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have gone with you,” she says, completely ignoring me. “I haven’t heard you sing in years. You know how I love to hear you sing. Oh, Hailey, you might meet Jeffrey Halloway. You know he’s my favorite singer.”

“Mom, please, let me call you back.”

“I had to hear it from Tom!”

“Tom?” I glance at Tom, wondering when he’d talked to my mother.

“Yes, he called me to ask if you could actually sing. Imagine my shock!”

“You called my mother?” I ask Tom.

He shrugs. “Yeah. I was worried about you.”

“Is he there?” Mom asks. “Tell him hello for me. We’d love to see him again. When’s he going to make everything official?”

“Mom, seriously, I have to go.”

“Oh! Of course. You’re on a date, aren’t you? All right, hon. Call me when you can.”

“I will. Bye, Mom.”

“Bye, Hailey!”

I hang up and roll over to face Tom. “Sorry. You know she would have kept calling until I answered.”

He scoffs. “Whatever.”

“Tom. Come on.” I kneel up and wrap my arms around him.

He runs his hand over my arm. “All I want is your undivided attention.”

“And you’ve got it.” I kiss his ear. “I’ve turned my phone on silent. No more disturbances.”

He twists to face me, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Good.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I awake, Tom is still sleeping. I slip out of the bed, heading for the shower. As I approach the door, Karen steps out. “Oh!”

“Sorry.” I shuffle back.

She smiles. “No problem. I didn’t realize you were still here. I thought you were leaving this morning.”

“I am. I gotta clean up and get to my apartment to grab my bag.”

“All right.” She tucks her blonde hair behind her ear. “Anthony left a little while ago, so don’t worry about him walking in on you.”

I chuckle. That happened once before. He thought I was Karen. We both freaked out. “Thanks.”

“Is Tom taking you down?”

I shake my head. “He has some family obligations.”

“I bet he’s bummed.”

“He seems to be.”

She grins. “Good luck. I can’t wait to see you on TV.”

“Thanks.”

She steps aside to let me into the bathroom.

I shower, dress, and rush into the kitchen, stealing one of Tom’s toaster waffles. As it cooks, he stumbles down the stairs in just his pajama pants. “Hailey.”

“Got some morning wood there, babe.”

He glances down and lowers his hands over himself. “Are you leaving?”

“My flight’s in two hours. I gotta go get my stuff.”

He shuffles over and wraps his arms around me. “I’m gonna miss this.”

“What? Rubbing my face in your sweaty armpits?”

He tickles me. I laugh, squirming. He grins and kisses me. “Don’t let anyone hit on you, flirt with you, tell you to use your body to win, make you wear slutty clothes—”

“Tom.” I grab his chin. “I’ll be fine.”

He kisses me. “Call me if anyone tries anything on you, and I’ll be there on the next flight.”

“I will.” I kiss him again. The waffle pops. I grab it, lather butter on it, and dash for the door.

“Hailey.”

I look back at him.

“Come back to me, okay? No matter how it all turns out.”

“I will.” I blow him a kiss and dash out the door.

 

***

 

Clarissa chats away about how everyone at her school is jealous of her going on the show. I scan my ticket to check in, and she hands me hers, not really paying attention. I scan her in. “Where do you want to sit?”

She leans over to look at the image of the plane. “Oh, there aren’t many pairs left.”

“Nope.”

She points to two seats near the middle. “That’ll do.”

“You should get seats near the front of the plane,” Lucas says. “You can get on and off faster.”

“There’s three there,” Isaiah says, reaching over my shoulder. “I’ll take that one with you guys.”

Lucas scowls, pressing on his screen. The empty seat blinks unavailable.

“Jerk,” Isaiah grumbles.

Clarissa presses on the two seats across the aisle and hits confirm.

“I’ll sit behind you then.” Isaiah winks at me and scans his ticket.

We make our way through security and sit at our gate to wait. My phone buzzes and I pull it out to see a text from Tom.

 

Tom: Be safe. Good luck.

 

I smile.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Clarissa asks. “Do you have a picture of him?”

I nod and pull up a picture of us at his work Christmas party.

“He’s cute,” she says.

“I think so.”

Isaiah snatches my phone from me. “He’s okay, I guess. Not as hot as me, though.”

Lucas snorts but keeps reading on his Kindle.

Lydia leans over the chair to look at my phone. “Yeah, my brothers are hotter.”

“Lydia.” Clarissa frowns.

“What? Brittany’s always going on about how hot Arnie is. I don’t think my brothers are hot, but everyone else seems to.”

Arnie stares at her with wide-eyed alarm.

“Let me see.” Levi grabs the phone. “He looks like a moron.”

“Levi!” Clarissa snatches my phone. “If Hailey likes him, then he must be a great guy.”

“It’s not any of your business anyway,” Lucas says.

Isaiah flops into the chair beside me. He smells so good. “How long have you been together?”

“About six months,” I answer.

“Six months, eh?”

“Isaiah,” Kessa says calmly.

He glances over, smiling. “Yeah, Mom?”

“Go get everyone something to drink.” She digs into her wallet.

“Send Arnie.”

She raises an eyebrow at him.

“Fine.”

He stands, strolling over to her with his left hand in his pocket and looking like he owns the world. She hands him a ten, and he walks away looking smooth and cool. So hot.

“So, six months?”

I look at Clarissa as she tilts her head and waves my phone in front of me.

“Yeah. We met at a mutual friend’s birthday party. She introduced us, and we hit it off right away.”

“I’ve never had a boyfriend.”

I stare at her, completely stunned. A girl this beautiful can’t have been passed by. “Really?”

She nods. “Not that I’ve really tried to get one. I see couples my age and all it seems to be is drama. I prefer hanging out with my brothers anyway.”

Lucas glances up and gives her a nod.

I really don’t get him.

“Do you think you’ll marry this guy?”

I smile. “We’re talking about it. But not until I graduate. We’re too young right now.”

“Fair enough. Mom and Dad married young. She says she’s glad she did because it meant she spent more time with him.”

“Oh.” I don’t want to ask what happened to him.

“He died,” Lydia says with a sigh. “Heart attack when I was eight.”

“Oh.” I stare at my hands, not sure how to react. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re making her uncomfortable again,” Lucas says.

“Shut up, Lucas,” Clarissa responds. “We’re not making you uncomfortable, are we?”

I don’t want to answer that question.

“I didn’t think so.” She wraps her arm through mine. “Dad was amazing. He was a lot like Lucas.”

Lucas stands and walks away. Kessa touches his hand as he brushes by.

“Lucas took it the hardest,” Clarissa whispers. “He was nineteen, and he and Dad were tight. They were working on Lucas’s car when it happened. I think he feels guilty for it.”

“It’s not his fault,” I say softly.

“We all know that. He just misses him.”

The attendant calls for our flight to board.

I lean over and grab my bag, standing beside Clarissa. Isaiah appears, hands everyone a bottle of water, and snatches his bag. He slips into the line beside me. “So, Hailey, we don’t really know that much about you.”

I shrug. “There’s not much to know.”

“Aw, come on. How about, do you have any siblings?”

“Yes, do you?”

He smirks. “Five of them. Each more irritating than the next.”

“I’ve seen worse.”

He leans closer. “So? How many?”

“I have two younger brothers. Much younger. They’re a product of my mother’s second marriage. They’re eight and six.”

“Pains?”

“Not really. My stepdad can be a pain. They’re kinda cute.”

“Don’t like him, huh?”

I shrug. “We never saw eye to eye, that’s all. I think it’s because I don’t look much like Mom, so he assumes I look like my dad, her ex. It’s a bitter reminder for him, I guess.”

“What happened to your real dad?”

A hand smacks him across the head. “Back off, moron.”

I look back at Lucas, alarmed.

Isaiah swings around, his fist aiming for Lucas’s gut. Lucas grabs it and twists his arm. “Don’t even try.”

“Enough,” Kessa says firmly.

They turn away from each other.

“So, your dad,” Isaiah says, his shoulder pressing against mine.

“She doesn’t have to say,” Clarissa says softly.

We reach the flight attendants taking our boarding passes and Isaiah moves away from me. I let out a long breath. His intensity and closeness make me nervous. He’ll make keeping my promise to Tom hard. He really gets under my skin and forces my hormones into overdrive. But Tom is real. I have a future with him. Isaiah is a passing whim.

We head to the plane and Clarissa slips in beside me. “I’m sorry about Isaiah. He’s a huge flirt. You say the word, and I’ll get him to back off.”

I sigh. “It’s okay. I’ll handle it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to cause problems between you guys.”

She smirks. “You don’t need to worry about that. He’s so protective of me it’s embarrassing.”

We make our way to our seats, and I let Clarissa take the window. I’m prone to nausea during takeoff and landing. The last thing I want to do is puke all over my new friend in front of her terrifyingly gorgeous and erratic brothers.

I shove my bag into the overhead compartment, and Isaiah slips by. I gasp, swearing his hand brushed over my butt. But he doesn’t react when I glance at him; he just shoves his bag in beside mine.

Someone moves behind me. Lucas places his bag in his overhead. I shut the hatch and sink beside Clarissa.

“So, are you nervous?” She grins as we buckle up.

The flight goes quickly, and Clarissa and I talk easily together. Every now and then, Isaiah pops his head over, but he always leans back when Lucas throws him a scowl. Apart from that, Lucas pretty much ignores us.

We land in L.A. and find our shuttle to our hotel in Hollywood. I’ve never been to Hollywood before, so I watch out the window as the freeway shoots by, waiting to see those famous letters up on the hill.

When they appear, Clarissa clutches my arm, letting out a short squeal. “I can’t believe we’re here!”

“Me too.”

We arrive at the hotel where three rooms were booked for us—the guys all in one, Clarissa and me in another, and Kessa and Lydia in the last. Kessa’s room has an adjoining door with the guys’, but mine and Clarissa’s is across the corridor.

Clarissa and I retreat to our room and collapse on our queen-sized beds.

“This is incredible!” she exclaims.

“I know!”

She sits up, grinning, then grabs the remote and turns on the TV, surfing for a music channel. When she finds one playing the top-twenty countdown, she turns up the volume and launches to her feet on top of the bed.

“Come on, Hailey!”

I jump up on my bed, and together we sing along loudly…badly. But we don’t care. We’re free, living the dream.

When the song ends a commercial starts, so she mutes it. We flop onto our beds again. “Clarissa?”

“Yeah?”

“No matter what happens, this moment made it all worth it.”

She chuckles. “We’ll be friends for always.”

“I hope so.”

She sits up on her elbow, facing me. “Of course we will. I’ll make sure of it.”

I sigh, slipping my hands under my pillows. “I’m not very good at keeping friends.”

“I doubt that.”

“No, it’s true. It’s not that I lose friends, it’s more that people don’t seem to stick around. They drift away and I stop seeing them.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

I look into her eyes and have no doubt she would do exactly that. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. You and your whole family are all…” I try to think of the right word. “So vibrant and alive.”

She giggles. “You’ll get used to us.”

I smile. “I’d like that.” I gaze at her. “Why, out of all the people at the auditions, did you talk to me?”

She shrugs. “You looked like you were going to throw up.”

I laugh. “Great.”

She chuckles. “You looked nice, and so alone. My family’s my rock, and I felt bad that you had no one with you.”

I sigh. “Tom’s freaking out about this. He thinks I’ll get exploited.”

“It’s likely.”

I stare at her, surprised by her response.

She shrugs. “We’re young women. That’s what people expect to see. But I won’t go there. I already made up my mind that I won’t be sucked into the crap, which is the first step, I think. When you already know you won’t do something, it’s easier to say no.”

I run my hand through my hair. “I like that, and I can see what you mean.”

I decide right then that no matter what, I’d stay loyal to Tom. No matter how much Isaiah flirts with me and how gorgeous he looks, I’d stay faithful.

 

***

 

The noise from within the theater overwhelms me before I step through the door. Clarissa clutches my arm, squeaking with excitement. Like the auditions, hundreds of people fill the room—singing, pacing, talking. Suddenly, I don’t feel so good.

Clarissa tugs me forward, following after her family. Lydia falls in beside me, grabbing my hand. She smiles sweetly up at me, which makes me feel a little more at ease. But I have to sing solo. They have each other.

The four celebrity judges walk across the stage. Everyone falls silent to watch. The “main” judge, the one known for being tough, speaks into a microphone. “Welcome, everyone. I’m Steven Williams, as you all know, and Jeffrey Halloway will give you the rundown before we begin.”

All the cameras turn off and the crew step away from them. Jeffrey—my mom owns every single album he ever released—takes center stage. “Hi, everyone.”

Everyone responds with a chorus of hellos.

“I’m about to give you the hard truth. You will all receive a contract that you must sign before we can begin. It states that if you participate in the show, you cannot talk about it or anyone on it without permission from the producers. All questions you are asked must be approved, along with the answers you give. If you are accosted in the street, you must answer only with ‘no comment.’ If you all recall, we had some drama with a few of our contestants last year.”

A murmur erupts.

“Oh yeah,” Clarissa whispers. “There were two married couples, and one of the wives had an affair with the other husband.”

“I remember.” Who doesn’t? The scandal still appears up in popular tabloids. That’s probably why Tom is so concerned about me.

Jeffrey raises his hand, ending the murmuring. “Read the contract carefully. You don’t want to get your ass sued.”

Crew members hurry to hand out the contracts to every act. I sit on my own while the Murphys gather together to read over the document. I scan through, finding most of it agreeable.

“Six months?” someone exclaims.

A producer hurries over.

“Six months?” he hollers. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

I look down at my contract and find what he’s ranting about. No album or tour releases while the show runs, or for six months after. Only the winner has that option. Considering I don’t have anything to lose, it doesn’t bother me, but it seems to cause quite a stir. I guess everyone knows their chances at winning are slim, but they have a good chance at scoring an agent and recording contract.

Several acts leave while this discussion continues. Clarissa looks to me, concern in her eyes. I shake my head. She smiles.

I return my focus to the contract and read a segment about a compulsory makeover. I raise my hand. A woman hurries over to me. “You have a question?”

I nod. “This makeover, do I have a say in it? I just don’t want to be the next skank to dance almost naked in front of the entire nation.”

She smiles, seeming somewhat relieved. “You get a say in it. It’s pretty tame, just a hair style, makeup, and a wardrobe that you can pick to suit you. We don’t want to alter your image, just enhance it.”

“Okay. That sounds fine. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She walks away, scanning for anyone else who might need some help.

I continue reading, and upon finding nothing objectionable, sign at the bottom. Looking over, I see the Murphys passing around their contract to sign as well. Clarissa glances up at me and we exchange smiles. I’m glad they’ll be sticking around.

Finally, crew members head around to gather the contracts, and as each are handed in, we are given a number for the round. We’re also assigned groups and will be working with one of the four celebrities. Jeffrey Halloway is mine.

Glancing over to Clarissa, our eyes meet. She dashes over. “Who’d you get?”

“Jeff.”

She smiles. “Us too!”

“Excellent.”

She flops down beside me, and her family soon surrounds us—Lydia is on my other side, Isaiah in front, and Lucas behind with Kessa and the younger boys.

Isaiah turns to face me. “Are you with us?”

“Yeah,” Clarissa answers for me.

“Awesome. Keeping the gang together.” He grins.

Lydia tugs my sleeve. “The camera is pointing at us.”

We look over and wave.

“And so it begins,” Lucas murmurs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff stares at me as I stand in front of him. “Name.”

“Hailey Becker.”

“Hello, Hailey.”

I smile weakly.

“Mmm, confidence issues.”

My smile falls.

“Well, what would you like to sing?”

“I thought I’d just do “My Lagan Love” again.”

A light turns on in his eyes as he apparently remembers me now. “Oh, that’s right. You’re a folk singer.” He looks across to the other judges. “What were our notes for her?”

The woman, Drusilla—just Drusilla—flicks through some papers, then stands. “Stunning voice. Image poor.”

I frown.

“Stop frowning.” Jeff presses his index finger under my chin. “This is a superficial industry, Hailey Becker. Do you want to win?”

“Yes,” I say softly.

His eyes narrow. “Mmm.”

He steps back, looking me up and down. “You’ll need some new clothes, new hair…are you wearing any makeup at all?”

“No,” I answer, my cheeks flushing.

“Urgh. No wonder you look so homely.”

I hang my head. They don’t show stuff like this during the episodes. While each performer is evaluated, the camera men congregate at the back of the room on a lunch break.

“Don’t hang your head.”

I lift my chin, meeting his eyes.

“Mmm.” He circles me. I’d watched him do this with each of the Murphys and several other performers. Only his assigned group remains in the auditorium, about forty people in total. Twenty-five acts. None he’d scrutinized like me.

“You could be pretty,” he says. He grabs my shirt from behind and pulls it tight. “Small waist, nice curvy assets, a rack to die for, but all hidden under this ugly cardigan.”

“I’m here to sing,” I say weakly.

The other three judges look up at me with alarm. Jeff steps in front of me, glaring into my eyes. “Don’t be so naive. Your voice can only take you so far. No one wants an ugly woman dancing up on their TV screen.”

I grit my teeth. There are guys in the group who look worse than me and didn’t get such severe criticism.

“Oh, there is fire in you.” Jeff smirks. “Did I hit a nerve? Good. Channel that passion. Clean up your look. You might do well yet.” He hands me a mic. “Sing.”

One of the crew saunters back to his camera and climbs up on the stage beside me. Jeff sits in his seat with the other judges, and the director signals for silence.

From there, things happen how I saw them go on the show. Steven asks me to reintroduce myself and my song. I then sing. The rest of our group stares, none moving. Clarissa grins from ear to ear, clutching Lydia’s hands. I sing to her, overlooking the scorn on the judges’ faces.

When I finish, she, Lydia, and Kessa leap to their feet with their applause. Most of the group follows with awed appreciation. Clarissa meets my gaze and mouths, “Beautiful.”

When the applause quiets down, Steven raises a hand. “Hailey, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” I brace for a ripping.

“That’s the same song you sang at auditions.”

“Yes. I thought we could perform the same song.”

He nods. “Can you do anything else?”

“Ahh…yeah.”

“Well, Hailey. You have a week until eliminations. Bring us something new or you will be knocked out.”

I feel sick. They said I could do that—use the same song. Several others had, even the Murphys used the same song. I feel…picked on.

“I can work something out.”

Drusilla smiles sweetly. “You have a lovely voice, dear. We’d like to see your full potential.”

Yeah, in other words, less clothing.

“We’ll work on it,” Jeff says, smiling now, his whole demeanor completely changed. “Team Jeff.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

“And cut.”

I glance at the producers, surprised. Jeff stands, no longer smiling. “Hailey, come here.”

Does he really want to bully me more? I step down from the stage and stand in front of him.

His expression is grim. “We expected more from you.”

Seriously?

“I’m going to pick a song for you and you will perform it exactly how I say. You didn’t move or do anything up there. It was embarrassing, to be honest.”

I grit my teeth again.

He points at me. “I don’t want the worst competitor in the comp in my group. The show with your audition aired last night, and you and the Murphys were the most popular acts so far. Twitter went mad about you guys. The hits on YouTube were the highest we’ve ever had. You have to do better.”

“What?” The mixed signals have me completely thrown off.

“It seems,” Steven says, leaning forward, “that after last year’s scandal, people are eating up the wholesome thing. The von Trapp family sing-along, and the sweet young girl with the voice of an angel appeals to their sense of ‘morality.’” Standing, he leans against his knuckles. “I can guarantee you a place in the top twenty.”

I draw a sharp breath. “I thought that went on votes.”

He smiles. “Only after the top twenty. We pick before then. The producers tell us who’s pumping up ratings and to keep them on. Now, Miss Becker, I can see you are smart, and you know this is an opportunity you won’t come across again. Play the game, make the people happy, and we can line you up for success.”

I stare at him, not sure how to react. The show definitely involves playing a game, and I’d often wondered why someone progressed to the next round over another person who had more talent. Now I know. I find myself in a moral dilemma—step down and lose my chance, or go along with it?

“It’s all rigged?”

Drusilla sighs. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s all for show. It’s show business. We put on a show that makes the most money. You should be grateful you’ve been handed a golden ticket.”

I glance across at Clarissa. I want to stay with her and have fun with my new friend. Rarely do I come across people who want to stick to me like she does.

“Don’t worry, the von Trapps are shoo-ins too,” Jeff says. “They just don’t need ‘convincing’ like you do. They’re naturals on the stage.”

“The Murphys,” I respond.

“The point is, Miss Becker,” Steven continues with a hint of irritation, “we don’t like you. You’re not attractive, your stage presence is lousy, and your shyness makes you awkward. You’re not cut out for this, but you’ve stolen people’s hearts. Work on it with Jeff over the next few days and we’ll keep you in.”

I let out a long breath. “But—”

Steven waves me off. “Next.”

I make my way offstage, debating my moral dilemma around and around in my head. Clarissa rushes over and wraps her arm through mine. “What was that about?”

I stare at my feet. Could I tell her? Should I tell her? Should I taint her excitement? Spoil her dreams? “They wanted to tell me I needed to clean up my act a bit.”

She sighs. “Yeah, Jeff was pretty harsh on you. But your voice is amazing, so don’t worry about it.”

My voice. It seems that isn’t enough.

Isaiah appears in front of us. “Hailey, I hadn’t realized you had such a fantastic body under there.” He reaches for my waist, but Clarissa slaps his hand away.

“I don’t…” I touch my cheek, feeling the heat rising again.

He grins. “I saw those curves. Wow. Stop hiding them under all this. It just makes you look chubby.”

“Isaiah!” Clarissa shoves him. “Rude.”

He shrugs. “Hey, I met some people. You guys should come meet them too.”

Clarissa looks to me.

I don’t want to stop her from meeting new people. I’ll probably be gone soon anyway. I nod.

Isaiah leads us to a group of other contestants all close to our age. “Guys, meet my sister Clarissa, and our friend Hailey.”

The three guys offer us their hands, each holding Clarissa’s hand and eying her over a little longer than me.

“That’s Brandon, Ryan, and Tyler,” Isaiah says. “And this is Jessica and Whitney.”

The two girls, who look like they could already be pop stars with their slit jeans and tight tanks, smile at us.

Clarissa pulls me closer to her. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Looking at Clarissa, the contrast is startling. She wears light makeup, a tidy pink blouse that sets off her brown skin, and a black knee-length skirt. Wholesome. Natural. Those other girls…I can see what the judges mean.

Lucas shuffles over, standing beside Clarissa. “Mom wants you.”

Jessica and Whitney give him the once over and smile. He completely ignores them.

“Okay.” Clarissa pulls at my arm. “It was nice to meet you all.”

“You too,” Brandon, Ryan, or Tyler—whichever—responds, again looking her over slowly.

Lucas steps into his line of vision. I have to give Lucas props for being great at the protective big brother thing.

Clarissa drags me with her as we hurry back to the family, Lucas keeping his body between Clarissa and them.

“I’m sorry, Hailey,” Clarissa whispers.

“What for?”

“I didn’t want to stay around them. If you want to socialize, go right ahead.”

I shudder. “Not with them. I’m sure there are plenty of other people I can socialize with.”

She smiles. “Thanks.”

We sit back in our seats and Kessa leans forward. “You sang beautifully, doll.”

“Thank you,” I respond softly.

“If you’d like, we can work on your stage presence. I think they weren’t too impressed with that.”

If only she knew. “Not really.”

“Easy fix.” She turns to Lucas. “You should train her. You’re much better than I am.”

“I learned from you,” he responds, staring up at the stage.

“Yes, and now you’re better.” She looks at me. “He directed the musical at the university last year.”

“Seriously?” I turn to him.

He folds his arms.

“That was supposed to be the best production the performing arts have put on in years,” I say, amazed.

“We had good talent,” he says shortly.

Kessa chuckles. “He’s being humble. Did you go to it?”

I shake my head. “I haven’t been to any plays or performances on campus. At first, I was flat broke, then I had no time, now Tom’s not interested.”

“Pity.” She leans forward. “It was fabulous.”

“Maybe I’ll go next time.”

Clarissa rests her hand on my shoulder. “The next one is in May. He’ll miss being part of it.”

“What about the fall production?”

“I graduate in May,” Lucas says.

“Oh yeah.” I slump, pressing my chin against the back of the chair. “I guess I missed out.”

“Yup.”

Clarissa slaps his leg.

I turn away from him. After the discussion with the judges, I don’t feel like another cool conversation with someone who really doesn’t want anything to do with me.

Clarissa turns back around too, and I hear Kessa say, “Don’t be so rude, Lucas.”

He doesn’t respond.

Isaiah laughs. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. The girls, Jessica and Whitney, lean in close to him, batting their eyelashes. He slides his hands into his pockets, lapping up the attention. They seem more his type than me. I can’t believe I even considered the notion that he’d flirt with me. It doesn’t matter anyway. His interest elsewhere just makes things simpler for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clarissa and I sit on the beds in our pajamas, the TV droning on in the background. She braids her hair while I flick through one of my text books. Molecules, cellular regurge…no…regen…I yawn, my eyes blurring.

“You won’t retain anything like that,” she says.

“I can’t fall behind.” I rub my eyes.

“It’s been a day.” She drapes her legs over the side of the bed and slips in a bookmark. “Go to sleep.”

I glance at my phone. Tom still hasn’t called. Maybe he’s waiting for me?

“Just call him,” she says, pulling her blankets back to climb in. “You’ve been watching your phone all night. Just call him.”

I sigh and reach for it. “What if—”

“What if what? He’s your boyfriend. I’m sure no matter what he’d be happy to hear from you.”

I smile. “Yeah.”

I grab my phone and call.

“Hailey!” He sounds bright, almost startled.

“Tom.”

“Babe. Oh, hell. What time is it?”

“Like ten thirty here.”

“It’s that late? I lost track of time. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. What are you doing?”

“Writing a paper. It’s driving me crazy.”

“What about?”

“Well, in terms you would understand—how to dig deeper holes without negatively impacting the environment.”

“I love how you have to dumb it down for me.”

He laughs lightly. “Not what I meant.” He groans and yawns. “I saw the show last night.”

“Oh yeah?” My heart skips a beat.

“Yeah. I didn’t know you were that good. You’ve been holding out on me.”

“Ahh, well, it never came up.”

He chuckles and groans again. “I just realized how tired I am.”

“I’ll let you go then.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

“That Lucas guy hasn’t tried anything on you, has he?”

“Ahh…no.” I turn the volume down on my phone, hoping Clarissa can’t hear.

“You and that family were the favorites last night. Everyone was talking about it all day.”

“That’s what I heard.”

He sighs. “The things I wish I could do to you right now.”

I bite my lip, really hoping Clarissa can’t hear. “I’ll probably get sent home at the end of this round. I doubt I’ll make top fifty.”

“Oh well.” He sighs again. “You did your best, right? Nothing to be ashamed of. You know all the musical clubs will hunt you down when you get back.”

“I didn’t even think of that.” Lucas might have a say in that. I doubt he’ll be okay with letting me into anything.

He groans again. “Hailey, I think I’ll go to bed. I’m really tired.”

“All right.” I sigh. “Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah. Nothing sleep can’t fix…and you coming back.”

I smile. “Bye, Tom.”

“Good night, Hailey.”

He hangs up, and I set down my phone.

Clarissa rolls over to face me. “Why did he ask you about Lucas?”

“You heard?”

She giggles, covering her mouth. “Sorry. I’m nosey.”

I sigh, shuffling under the covers. “He kinda got a bit crazy when he saw Lucas walk me to the door when you guys dropped me off. I guess he recognizes him from around campus because he knew he was into musicals and stuff and thought…”

“Ohh.” She pushes up onto her elbow. “Lucas would never do that.”

“Tell Tom, not me. I’d never do that either.”

She beams. “Because you’re in love, right? You guys are gonna get married.”

“I wouldn’t anyway,” I say with a chuckle. “Cheating is horrible.”

“I agree.” She lies back. “All it does is break hearts. It always comes out in the end.”

“Yeah.” All the more reason to fight my attraction to Isaiah.

“Well, good night.” She reaches over and turns off the light.

I soon doze off. What feels like only moments later, pounding on the door wakes us. Clarissa flicks on the lamp and rushes to the door. She peers through the peep hole. “Isaiah.”

She opens the door and he stumbles in. “Hey, Sissy.”

She closes it behind him, scowling. “What are you doing here?” She looks at the clock. “It’s one a.m.!”

“Don’t tell Mom, okay?” He looks over at me. “Whoa, Hailey. You should dress like that all the time.”

I clutch at my blankets to cover myself in my spaghetti strap tank top and no bra.

Clarissa grabs his arm, pulling him around to face her. “Are you drunk?”

“No. Just a little tipsy.” He looks at me and licks his lips. “Seriously, you’re hot right now.”

“Get out, Isaiah.”

He scowls at Clarissa. “Lucas won’t let me in.”

She groans. “You can’t stay here.”

“Why not?” He looks at me again, his eyes hungry.

“Stop it. You’re freaking her out.”

“Nah.” He dismisses his sister with a wave of his hand. “Hailey, we’re friends, right? Care to share the bed?”

I pull my knees under my chin, my skin crawling. He might be hot, but drunk guys always gave me the creeps. They were always too unpredictable, and Isaiah, with that crazed fire in his eyes, is no exception.

Clarissa slaps his chest. “I hate it when you drink. Come on, you can’t stay here.”

“Where are we going?” he asks as she drags him toward the door.

“I’ll convince Lucas to let you back in.”

“How?”

She stops and glares at him.

“Ah.” He motions for her to open the door.

They leave and I shuffle under my blankets again. That creeped me out, and the swirling in my stomach keeps me from falling back to sleep.

When Clarissa returns, she sits on the bed beside me. “I got rid of him.”

I peer at her from under my blankets. “Lucas let him in?”

She nods. “Isaiah thinks you’re really hot.”

I groan, rolling my eyes. “He’s drunk.”

“Yeah, but he’s an honest drunk.”

My heart skips a beat. Guys that look like him never think I’m attractive. “I’m in a relationship.”

“Yeah, I reminded him of that.” Her head lolls back as she stares up at the ceiling. “He should leave you alone, generally, but he’ll hit on you when the moment strikes him. Just so you know.”

Just what I need. “Thanks.”

She sighs. “I’m going back to bed. Night, Hailey.”

 

***

 

Jeff rubs his eyes as he stands in front of me. “Are you trying to piss me off?”

“No.” I stare at my feet.

“Here, Hailey. Right here.” He grabs my chin and lifts my face. The lights of the rehearsal room glare off the mirror behind him, making me squint. Jeff purses his lips.

Giggles come from behind me.

“Stop it,” Isaiah whispers.

Jeff’s hand drops. “Don’t look down again.”

I fix my gaze on his face.

“Now, focus.” He points at my nose. “I’m not asking you to do hard moves. It’s a ballad, not a rock song or anything that requires performance skills.”

“I know,” I mutter.

“Then why do you keep screwing it up?” He steps back, rubbing his eyes. “I’m done with you for now. Go see the hairdresser.” He glances at the camera. “Edit that out.”

I hurry out of the practice room. Hot tears blur my vision as I seriously consider going home. I don’t need this. It seems like too much to ask for such an uncertain outcome. Then again, they did say they don’t like me. Maybe Jeff wants to make me quit so they don’t have to deal with me any longer.

“Hailey! Hailey, wait.” Clarissa hurries up behind me, dragging Lucas behind her. “Hailey.”

I sigh. “I’m going to the hairdresser.”

“Hailey.” She grabs my elbow. “Jeff was really harsh.”

“It doesn’t matter.” I stare at my feet.

“Yeah, it does,” Lucas says.

I glare at him.

He looks away. “It’s an act. Just do what they want to get your foot in the door.”

“Maybe it’s too much to ask.”

“Hailey.” Clarissa clutches my arm. “Please don’t quit. Lucas will help you out. He’s really good and patient. I don’t want you to leave.”

I slump. “You don’t?”

“No.” She steps in front of me, forcing me to stop walking. “I don’t like the other girls in there. They make me uncomfortable. I’m probably being selfish, but I want you to stay with me.”

I moan, her plea removing any resolve I had to go home. “I won’t quit.”

She smiles. “Then let Lucas help you. I promise I’ll make sure he’s nice to you.”

I glance at Lucas, but he stares at Clarissa. It seems like he’s avoiding looking at me. “I don’t want to put him out.”

“It won’t.” She squeezes my hands.

I look at Lucas again. He glances at me but returns to staring at Clarissa when our eyes meet.

“You don’t mind, do you?” I ask, hoping he’ll say he does so I don’t have to endure his awkwardness.

“Nope.”

Darn it.

“It’s settled.” Clarissa gives my hands a shake. “When we have some down time, Lucas will help you.” She grins up at Lucas. “Thank you.”

He shrugs. “I hope this makes you happy.”

“It does.”

He’ll train me to keep Clarissa happy. That makes me feel real special. I hurry by them. “I gotta get my makeover.”

“Okay.” Clarissa’s hand brushes my elbow. “Everything will be okay.”

I enter the stylist’s room and he gasps, horror written all over his face. His team swings to face me as he fakes a faint. “I’m supposed to work with this?”

I snort, done with all the criticism about my appearance. “I’m none too pleased either. Could we just get this over with?”

Lydia, Arnie, and Levi appear, all smiles. Lydia is wearing a hairstylist’s shawl as she throws her arms around me. “Look! They gave me new clothes and a new haircut.”

“Us too,” Levi says, pointing at himself and Arnie, but looking far less impressed by his makeover than Lydia.

“You look very handsome,” I say to him.

He grins. “Thanks, Hailey.”

“Ugh. Enough.” The stylist grabs my chin, examining my face. “They were easy to clean up. You…don’t you believe in grooming?”

I push his hand away. “I get my eyebrows waxed.”

“That’s all, and by the looks of things, your waxer never went to beauty school.”

I scowl, fed up with the negative comments.

“I guess you’re pretty, in a homely, girl next door kind of way. But you are no Jessica or Whitney. Those two girls were fun. Or Clarissa. Oh, what a stunning base template to work with!”

Levi gags.

“Shoo, children.” The stylist waves his hand for the Murphys to be taken away. “Now for you.”

I really do not like the way he’s smirking at me.

 

***

 

He wouldn’t let me see my hair or makeup until I’d dressed. He tosses a floral tank top at me and black skinny jeans. When I step out, he scowls. “Your boobs look saggy.”

“I’m wearing a bra.”

He rolls his eyes. “Your attitude is wearing my patience thin.” He pulls up my shirt.

“Hey!”

“Ugh. This bra is awful. Fit her.”

Two women rush at me and take my measurements. “36D.”

“Thirty-six?” He shakes his head. “They’re getting fatter and fatter.”

“I’m not fat!”

“Get her a seamless demi. Black lace.”

“No one is seeing my bra,” I say with a snarl.

“Fine. Be boring. Nude.” He waves his hand and the women scurry away.

He looks me over slowly. “Not bad. Turn.”

I spin around.

He frowns. “Slowly.”

I turn slowly.

“You must be the most irritating contestant I’ve ever worked with.” He rests his hands on my shoulders and tilts up my chin. “But I’ve found the beauty hidden underneath. I am a master genius.”

I touch my hair, feeling its lightness from the cut and bounce from the loose curls. They’d colored it, and by the looks of things, I’m now blonde, so I hope I don’t look like Barbie.

“Don’t touch.” He pulls my hand away.

The women return with a bra, and I hurry to change into it. When I step out, the stylist grins. “One last thing.”

He hands me a pair of silver stilettos.

“No.”

“Put. Them. On.”

I step into them, wobbling.

He frowns. “Fine. Try these.” He gives me a pair of silver ballet flats. “There it is. Our girl next door.”

He guides me to the mirrors and my jaw drops. I don’t even recognize myself. I look natural; the makeup just highlights my features, and my hair looks thick, bouncy, and isn’t completely blonde, but highlighted to brighten it. The outfit really does make me look curvy, and I feel incredibly sexy.

“Hailey!”

I swing around. Isaiah eyes me over with wide eyes and a huge smile. “You’re gorgeous.”

My flush is coming on again, so I turn away.

“Thank you, Isaiah,” the stylist says, fixing his hair. “If you can see it, then my work is complete.”

Isaiah steps up beside me, staring at our reflections in the mirror. I wish they’d gone a bit heavier on the makeup to hide my red cheeks. He touches my hair as he looks me over. “You were easy on the eyes to start with, but this? Phew.”

“Thanks,” I respond, staring at the ground.

“Hey, wanna go for lunch? It’s late, so everyone else has gone and come back. I’m kinda glad I found you so I don’t have to go alone.”

On cue, my stomach growls. “I’m not sure if I’m done.”

“You’re done.” The stylist waves his hand in the air. “I’ll have some outfits set aside for you.”

“Thank you.”

He waves his hand again, walking away.

“Were you a pain?” Isaiah asks with a smirk.

“I’m never a pain.”

He chuckles. “That’s not what I’ve noticed. You’re one stubborn chick.”

“Maybe everyone else is being a pain.”

His grin widens. “That must be it.”

Oh crap, my heart fluttered.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat.”

He leads me out to the street, chatting the whole way. This Isaiah I like. The drunk one and the flirty one make me uncomfortable. But this one, the one who seems content enjoying my company, I can live with.

We slip into a booth in a café. He orders and turns his attention to me. “So, your turn to talk.”

“Me?” I lean back against the padded seat. “I’m not very interesting.”

“Mmm, you kind of are.” He rests his hands on the table, palms up, as if inviting me to hold them. “On one hand, you’re this quiet, demure, sweet little thing, then on the other you have this suppressed fire, this stubbornness that irritates the crap out of Jeff and everyone else. I can’t quite figure you out.”

I clear my throat, feeling his eyes on me as I stare at his hands. “I just don’t want to be exploited.”

His fingers wriggle, and my urge to grab them makes my arms tense. “I doubt that will happen to you.” I look into his eyes. He smiles. “You know, with your hair like that, your eyes look more blue than gray.”

I drop my gaze. “Tom says when I wear my hair loose it does that too.”

He touches my chin. “Look at me.”

I look into his eyes, my belly filling with butterflies at his intense gaze.

“Wow, you’re gorgeous.”

I push his hand away. “And taken.”

“Pity.”

My cheeks warm. He can’t mean that, can he? Not someone like him. Why does it matter? I have to focus on Tom.

Our food arrives. We eat as he talks about his singing experiences through high school and how he now works selling phones until he figures out what to do with his life. No doubt, with his looks and charms, he makes a fantastic salesman.

As we finish, it dawns on me that he’s holding my hand in his, gently stroking my knuckles with his thumbs. When did that happen? I pull away, tucking my hair behind my ear, and firmly place my hand under my thigh.

He smiles, examining my face closely, then digs out his wallet. “I got it.”

“No, I can pay.”

He asks for the check, just one, and slides his card in before I have a chance to do anything.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I say.

“What kind of person would I be if I didn’t pay for the meal of a beautiful woman who allowed me the pleasure of her company?”

He’s good.

When I don’t respond—just blush like a stupid teenage girl—he smiles. “We should do this again.”

I nod and immediately regret it. If I do this again, it would certainly be a date. I feel like a total floozy. “As long as Clarissa comes too.” There, I covered my butt.

His eyebrow twitches, but he nods. “Okay.”

We head back. As we walk in the door, Lucas marches toward us. Isaiah swears and grabs my arm, pulling me in front of him. “Sorry, Hailey, but he won’t hit you.”

“What?”

Lucas pauses a few feet in front of us. He draws a sharp breath as he looks at me blocking him from his brother, who apparently did something worth getting hit over.

“You wouldn’t hit Hailey,” Isaiah says.

Lucas glares at him over my shoulder, his expression darkening. “I’m not an idiot.” He looks at me again. “Stay away from him.”

He reaches for Isaiah, but Isaiah uses me as a shield. I don’t like that. I pull away. “I’m not getting into the middle of this.”

“Good.” Lucas points toward the rehearsal rooms. “Get to where you’re supposed to be.”

“I’m staying with Hailey.” Isaiah grabs my arm.

“No.” I try to wriggle free. “I don’t know the issues you guys have, and I don’t want to either. So please don’t use me as protection.”

“Okay.” Isaiah releases me and hurries back to the rehearsal room.

Lucas growls. “Don’t hang out with him.”

I glare at him. “You know, I’m a little tired of people telling me what to do.”

I march away.

He hurries after me. “I’m not telling you what to do.”

“It sounds like it.”

He groans. “If you want to stay out of our issues, just stay away from him.” He pushes the door open.

I fold my arms and huff. “Fine. But I won’t blow him off if he talks to me.”

“If you want to keep your relationship with your boyfriend intact, you will.”

“I can handle myself.” I brush by him.

“He can handle you too.”

I flinch but keep walking. I don’t know why Lucas dislikes me so much, but I won’t let it bother me. Especially as I catch Isaiah smile when everyone turns and looks at the new me in awe.

Jeff watches me. When the contestant he’s working with finishes, he makes a beeline for me. “Miss Becker.”

I look up at him, bracing for his worst.

“Better.” He motions for me to follow. “Do you like your new look?”

“Mostly.” I rub my bare arms. “I feel a little exposed.”

“You’re not.” We reach the rehearsal space. He draws a deep breath as he looks me over, his hands on his hips. “You’ve watched the show, right?”

“Of course.”

“I’m known as the nice guy, right?”

I nod.

“You don’t think I am, do you?”

I don’t want to answer, so I drop my gaze.

“Ah!” He taps on my chin. “Get your eyes back up here.”

I glare at him.

He smirks. “I don’t particularly like your attitude either. But you’re a crowd pleaser, and ratings keep food in my kids’ bellies.” He ruffles his dark hair. “So please me. You sing well, and you look…better. Pleasing. So, wow me.”

“You want me to do my song?”

“No, I want you to run a marathon. Of course I want you to sing!”

I clear my throat and start to sing. Barely halfway through the first verse, he covers my mouth. “Enough. Try without your voice.”

I push his hand off. “What?”

“Perform without your voice.”

“I’m a singer. I sing.”

He rubs his temple. “I’m done with you. Get out of my sight.” He looks over my head. “Next.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sit on my bed, studying, as Clarissa removes her makeup. I struggle to focus, but Jeff’s words bother me. Perform without my voice? Did he expect me to lip sync?

“Hailey?”

I glance toward the bathroom door. Since I can’t focus, I decide a chat will be a good way to let out some stress. “Yeah?”

“That guy, Tyler, asked me out today.”

“Really?” I set my laptop and textbook aside. I’ve been so engrossed in my own woes to consider what she’d been doing.

“I turned him down.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She pokes her head out the doorway. “He was creepy, you know? He kept staring at my boobs, and when I said no, he got angry.”

I wince. “That is pretty creepy.”

“Right?” She pulls her head back into the bathroom. “Hailey?”

“Yeah?”

“You know you’re beautiful, right?”

“Ahh…” I slide off the bed and stand by the bathroom door. “Where is this coming from?”

She shrugs as she wipes her eyes. “Nowhere. Your makeover really brought it all to the surface, that’s all.”

“Yeah, Isaiah’s eyes just about popped.”

She winces. “He’s not hitting on you, is he?”

“No.” I can’t help myself. After Lucas’s threats, the question just bursts out. “What’s the deal with him and Lucas?”

She flinches and turns to me. “Nothing.”

“That’s certainly not nothing. The tension between them is almost explosive.”

“Isaiah just bothers Lucas.” She turns back to the mirror.

She closes the door tightly, and I don’t want to press for answers. It’s not my business. “Jeff told me to sing without using my voice.”

“Huh?” She turns back to facing me.

“Exactly what I was thinking.”

“But singing is using your voice.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s weird.” She presses her hand against her hip. “I have an idea. Pull on a jacket.”

“We’re going for a walk?”

“Sort of.” She grabs a robe and pulls it on.

I grab my jacket and the keycard as I dash out the door after her. She crosses the hall and raps firmly on the boys’ door.

Levi answers. “Hey.”

“Lucas.”

Levi steps back and Clarissa walks in. I stay by the door. Levi looks up at me. “Aren’t you coming in?”

“No. I’ll just wait.”

“Hailey!” Clarissa returns and pulls me inside.

Lucas shoots off his bed as I enter. “Clarissa!”

“Tell him what you just told me,” she says to me.

I glance around the room. It’s identical to ours, except messier. Isaiah’s not present. Arnie sits on the bed closest to the bathroom, and Levi shuffles over to sit on the end of it. With a pillow and blankets strewn over it, the couch appeared to be where one of the boys slept.

“Hailey.” Clarissa elbows me.

“You’re making her uncomfortable again,” Lucas says.

“No, I’m not.” She tugs my arm. “Tell him.”

I glance at him but decide staring at the ground is a better option. His gray t-shirt and maroon pajama pants make him look larger and more masculine. He might be a huge jerk, but he’s sure been blessed in the looks department. “Jeff said I needed to sing without using my voice.”

Pause. I look up at Lucas. His arms are folded as his eyes narrow. “Is that exactly what he said?”

I think carefully. “No, not exactly. He said perform without using my voice.”

“That’s different.” He steps closer. “He wants you to use your body.”

I grimace.

“Not like that.” He lowers his head into my line of vision. “When we talk in day to day interactions, we use body language to help get our point across. When you sing, you stand there stiff as a board. In your voice you capture all the emotion, but your face and body stifle the full impact from getting across. That’s something I said I’d work on with you—performing.”

I huff. I feel like an idiot.

“Are you worried about it?”

I nod.

He steps closer, touching my shoulders with his fingers. “You’re so tense. Relax.”

I take a deep breath and release, forcing my muscles to release the tension, despite how unrelaxed he makes me feel.

“Levi.” Lucas’s hands pull back and he motions for Levi to step in front of me. “Waltz with her.”

Levi grabs my hand and waist without a moment’s hesitation.

“What’s this for?” I ask, looking at Levi who stood less than an inch taller than me. “I know how to waltz.”

“Coordination.” Lucas claps the rhythm for us.

Levi guides me into the moves. I try to keep in time, but…

“Ouch!” Levi pulls his foot out from under mine.

“Sorry.”

“Stop.” Lucas grasps Levi’s shoulder, looking at me. “Let him guide you. He’s following the beat, but you’re trying to take over. Trust him.”

“What’s the point of this?” I grumble.

Lucas looks at Clarissa, his jaw tightening.

“Hailey.” She steps forward. “Trust me. Lucas is amazing and he knows what he’s doing. Just do what he says.”

I huff and look at Levi. Levi nods and leads me out. We dance, slowly at first, but Lucas steadily speeds up the beat. I glance at my feet, and stumble.

“Look at Levi,” Lucas says firmly.

I look up into Levi’s eyes. He smiles. “I got you, Hailey.”

I gaze into his eyes, letting him lead. I trust him. We dance until we’re practically doing a jig. Then, the door bursts open.

Laughter fills the room as Isaiah enters with his five new friends. He pauses and looks at me. “Whoa, Hailey’s here.”

“Get them out.” Lucas rushes to the door, pushing the three guys back. “They don’t come in here, Isaiah.”

“Aw, Lucas.” Whitney strokes Lucas’s bicep. “Come and hang with us for a while.”

“No. Get out.” He glares at Isaiah. “Arnie’s only thirteen. He doesn’t need to be exposed to this.”

“But you brought hottie Hailey in,” Isaiah responds.

“I didn’t.” Lucas shoves his chest. “Clarissa asked me to help her.”

“Clarissa?” One of the guys pokes his head in. “Hey, bitch, you need to loosen up a bit.”

“Hey!” Both Lucas and Isaiah push him back and the door slams behind them.

Muffled arguing comes through the door. Clarissa clutches my arm as we try to make out what they’re saying. The noise suddenly stops, and after a pause, the door flies open. Lucas hurries at Clarissa. “Get her out before he comes back.”

Clarissa tugs me toward the door.

“But…” I look at him. “You were helping me.”

“Tomorrow.” He holds the door open and Clarissa pulls me into the hallway.

Back in our room, I head straight for my bed. Even though I hate to admit it, I’ve managed to become involved in their family drama.

“Hailey, are you mad?” Clarissa asks softly.

I swing around. “Yeah.”

She wraps her arms around herself as she avoids eye contact. “I’m sorry, Isaiah can be—”

“Lucas infuriates me.”

Her gaze shoots to me, a startled look flashing across her face. “Lucas?”

“Yeah. He’s rude, bossy, and treats me like I carry the plague.”

She shakes her head. “No. He’s not like that.”

“Seriously?” I whip off my jacket. “I’m going to bed.”

“Hailey, he’s not like that. Isaiah just makes him mad.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I climb onto my bed.

“Lucas wants to help you. He doesn’t mean to be rude, but when Isaiah’s around he gets really short-tempered.”

“I’m going to sleep.” I pull my blankets over my head.

She sits on the bed beside me. “Hailey.”

“Good night.”

“Hailey.” She huffs. “Please don’t be mad at him. I’ll talk to him, let him know he’s being harsh to you.”

“Don’t bother.”

She lets out a long breath. “Fine.”

She climbs into her bed.

I start to doze off, when someone knocks at our door. Clarissa shoots up and answers. She speaks in a low voice, but with fierceness. “Go to bed.”

“I don’t want to go in there with Lucas,” Isaiah responds in a low hiss.

“You can’t come in here.”

“I want to see Hailey.”

“She’s sleeping.”

“Cute. Let me see.”

“No! Get back to your room.” She shuts the door.

 

***

 

“Tonight is eliminations,” Lucas says, his eyes narrow. “Do you want to be knocked out?”

I hesitate to answer. I do, actually.

“No, she doesn’t.” Clarissa steps in front of me, meeting my gaze. “Why are you so tense? I know you’re not comfortable being in front of people because you’re a bit shy, but you’re so good. You can’t let your fear win.”

I let out a long breath. “I don’t think I can do this.”

Lucas groans. “Clarissa…”

“Shut up.” She uses her body to block Lucas, grasping my arms. “Why don’t we take a break? Jeff doesn’t want us for another hour, so let’s go back to the hotel and relax. You’ve been work, work, work, since we arrived. If it’s not this, it’s your classes. You need to unwind.”

I press the heel of my hands against my eyes. “Yeah.”

“Yeah?”

I nod.

She takes my hand with a huge grin. “Come on.”

We catch a cab back to the hotel. As the elevator door opens, Isaiah freezes inside it. “Hey.”

“What are you doing here?” Clarissa asks.

He points up. “Forgot my phone.”

“You know we can’t take calls there.”

He shrugs. “It’s for games. Hey, I’m in no hurry to go back. Can I hang out with you guys?”

“No.” Clarissa sticks her hand out to keep the elevator door open.

Isaiah turns his focus to me. “Hailey, we have fun together, right?”

I shuffle uncomfortably. “Yeah…”

“See, sissy? Hailey wants me to hang around.” He pulls us both in, hits the button to close the doors, then our level.

Clarissa sighs. “Isaiah?”

“Mmm?”

“I don’t like your friends.”

“You never do.”

“Tyler’s telling everyone I’m a tease.”

Isaiah frowns as his gaze turns to her. “What?”

She nods. “Lucas pulled him aside, but he made that into a joke and said horrible things about Lucas.”

“I don’t care about Lucas.” Isaiah turns his body to face her. “I’ll talk to Tyler. He won’t talk about you like that.”

“Thanks.”

Isaiah wraps his arm around Clarissa. Although he has his irksome moments, he has the good brother gig down.

She squeezes him, and says with a heavy sigh, “We’re going up to have a break. Hailey’s a bit stressed.”

“Oh yeah?” He releases her, raising an eyebrow at me.

She nods. “She works too hard. She’s really tense, and I think her boyfriend not calling yesterday didn’t help.”

He hadn’t? I guess I’ve been so overwhelmed I didn’t even think about it. I pull out my phone. No texts, emails, or missed calls. Odd. I hurriedly type out a text to check in.

“Trouble in paradise?” Isaiah asks, cutting into my thoughts.

I shake my head. “He’s graduating at the end of the school year. He’s got a lot on his plate.”

“I wouldn’t go a day without talking to you if you were mine.”

Clarissa elbows him.

“I’d struggle to go an hour.”

She elbows him again, but harder. “Stop.”

The door opens and I dash out.

“Geez, leave her alone,” Clarissa hisses as she follows.

We head to our room, Isaiah following. “I’ll stop. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Hailey.” He steps beside me as I slip my card in the lock. “I’m just really attracted to you. But, I don’t want to upset you, so I’ll back off.” He raises his hands.

I glance up at him. “Thanks.”

He grins. “You’re welcome.” He pushes the door open and enters in front of us.

Clarissa rolls her eyes, and follows him in.

The next forty-five minutes go by well. Like when we went to lunch, Isaiah makes me feel at ease. No flirting, no innuendoes.

My phone rings. Isaiah snatches it up before I can react. “Hey.” He grins. “Ah, this must be Tom.”

Tom’s yelling blares through the speaker, but I can’t catch what he’s saying.

“Give it to me.” I grab the phone from Isaiah.

“…and if you so much as—”

“Tom.”

“Hailey!” Tom’s voice sounds tight. “Who was that? Was it that Lucas guy? Oh! I’m going to get the next flight over there.”

“Calm down.” I retreat to the bathroom for some privacy. “It wasn’t Lucas.”

“Who was it then? And why’s he answering your phone?”

“Tom.” I sigh as I sit on the toilet seat. “Everything is fine. Clarissa’s here with me too, so nothing’s going on.”

“I don’t like those Murphys,” he grumbles. “I’ve see the shorts for this week’s episode. You’re always with them and the two older brothers are too good-looking.”

“Tom.” I chuckle. “Are you jealous?”

“Yes, I’m jealous.” He growls. “You’re my girlfriend, and you’re not here. You’re with them. I’m just…ugh!”

“Tom, you don’t need to worry about me.”

“But I am worried.” He lets out a long sigh. “Your mom called me last night.”

Grateful for the change of subject, I go along with it. “Why?”

“She said she noticed you were working with Jeffrey Halloway. Apparently, she’s a huge fan. She wanted to know if you’d said anything to me about it.”

I chuckle. “She’s definitely a fanatic. I’ll call her.”

“Thanks. I like your mom and all, but…it was weird.”

“Is that why you didn’t call me yesterday?”

Pause. “Oh man. I’m a jerk.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“No, I promised I’d call every day. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I am. I feel terrible. Give me the hotel address.”

I give him the address. The last time he wanted to make things up, he’d sent a huge bouquet of flowers. Having something in my room would be a good reminder to me, and Isaiah, that I’m committed to Tom.

Clarissa pokes her head in the door. “We need to get back.”

“Okay.” I say goodbye to Tom, who keeps apologizing, and I head out of the bathroom.

I must be wearing a goofy grin across my face, because Clarissa giggles. “All good?”

“Yep.”

Isaiah runs his hand through his hair and winks at me. Ignoring his flirting, we walk down to the cab together, talking and laughing.

 

***

 

Every seat in the auditorium must have a butt in it. There’s not a gap anywhere as I stand backstage, listening to the judges criticizing the act before me. Steven’s acts had gone on earlier that day, and several had already been eliminated. Drusilla, and the last judge, Lance, would have theirs tomorrow.

“We’re afraid this journey is over for you.”

The crowd awws as the middle-aged man bursts into tears. I feel sick. As much as I want to go home, I don’t want to be eliminated. I can’t believe how conflicted I feel about the whole thing. I don’t want the public humiliation of being knocked out, but I don’t want to keep the constant battering from Jeff going.

“Hey.”

I jump, glancing over my shoulder. “Isaiah.”

“You’ll be fine.” He leans against the painted black wooden wall beside me.

“What are you doing here?”

He shrugs. “Snuck in.” He grasps my hand and kisses it. “You look gorgeous and you sound even better, so you’ll blow them away.”

I let out a long breath. “I hope so.”

“If we both stay for the top twenty, I’ll take you for ice cream.”

“Isaiah.”

He holds up his hands at my scornful scowl. “Not a date. Just a treat.”

“Okay.”

He drapes his arm over my shoulder. “Looks like you’re up. They managed to get blubbery off the stage. Break a leg.”

I take a deep breath, trying to ignore my trembling hands. As I step out, I can’t help noticing him brush his hand over my behind. I flash him a quick glare, but he acts like nothing happened.

The roar of the crowd makes me pause. My hesitance seems to drive them wild. Banners with my name appear all around. How on earth had I managed to get so popular?

Jeff stares at me, a hint of pride in his crooked smile. I hope Mom sees that. She’d go bananas.

“Hailey Becker,” Steven says, sending the crowd into a renewed frenzy.

As they die down, I say into the mic, “That’s me.”

Everyone laughs. I’m not trying to be funny, but oh well.

“This look is a drastic improvement. What enticed you to change?”

What enticed me? Did he really just ask me that? But something tells me not to admit the truth. “I wanted to look the part.”

The crowd screams again. I must look shocked, because their screams turn into my name being repeated. Good heavens, what’s going on?

“Well, are you ready?” Jeff asks.

I nod and the crowd screams. I’m surprised more celebrities aren’t totally deaf. The lights dim, and the screaming fades along with them. The spotlight hits me, and I’m able to shut everyone else out.

“Trust him,” Lucas’s words ring in my mind. I look at Jeff. I trust him. I’d always known Jeff. His songs played in my home growing up, his image on the records familiar. I shut my eyes as the music begins, seeing Levi’s eyes as we danced. I let him guide me as the music takes control. I relax.

My mouth opens and I sing. The love ballad sweeps over me, the words gripping my heart. I want that kind of love. Does Tom make me feel that way? Of course he does…doesn’t he?

As I belt out the final notes, and the song comes to an end, silence hangs in the air. I open my eyes, the tears rolling down my cheeks. The judges stare at me, their jaws hanging open, except Jeff. He smiles.

The crowd erupts into a roar. I flinch back, the noise startling me.

Steven leans toward his mic. “Thank you, Miss Becker.”

Is that it? No, you’re ugly, we hate you, why are you crying? “Th-thank you.”

“Hailey,” Jeff says, leaning toward his mic. “I can tell you worked hard these past few days. Good job.”

I bow my head, smiling.

The producers around them signal for me to leave, so I grin as I trot off stage.

In the rehearsal room, Clarissa rushes over, throwing her arms around me. “Amazing! You did it! Even Steven couldn’t say anything. I think you’ve got this.”

The man who performed before me glares over as he packs his things.

“We don’t know that yet,” I say softly, not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. “Only five acts from our group will go through.”

“Yes, and I’m betting you are one.”

“There’s twenty-four other acts!”

She giggles. “Yup.” She wraps her arm through mine and leads me to the corner. “From what I’ve seen, it’s you, Jessica, Phil and Celeste, Class of the Year, and—”

“You guys,” I say quickly. “If I get through, you definitely will.”

She raises her hand, wobbling it in the air. “Us, I don’t know. I guess we’ll see. Isaiah was still arguing with Lucas over one of his moves last time I checked.”

“Murphys!” a stagehand calls.

Clarissa throws her arms around me. “Wish me luck.”

“Break a leg.”

She dashes off, her family appearing from among the crowd and Isaiah from the opposite direction.

I make my way over to my tiny designated space to touch up my makeup for the eliminations at the end. All of the eliminations will be edited into four episodes, giving the performers time to prepare and prolonging the season.

A petite, dark-haired girl sits beside me. Jessica, who I discovered is nineteen and works at a grocery store, flicks back her ratty but trendy hair as she looks into my eyes. “Hailey, right?”

“Yeah.”

She smiles. I swear her face might crack with the thick makeup coated over it. “You did well.”

“Thanks.” I turn back to digging out my mascara.

“You probably missed mine. I was two acts before you.”

“Yeah. Backstage.” Why is she talking to me?

She leans closer, lowering her voice. “So, the talk is you and I are in, no questions.”

“Um…” I glance around. “Only half the people here have performed.”

She chuckles. “Yeah, but you and I both know it’s already decided. Us, the Murphys, Whitney, and cute little Teresa over there.” She motions at the incredibly adorable eight-year-old girl who sang okay, but not amazingly. “The crowd pleasers. The ones that will draw in voters and ratings.”

I frown. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating.”

She lowers an eyebrow. “Isaiah told me you were apparently smart.”

My frown deepens.

“And, I was told you knew. I know you were threatened to pick up your game or they’d force you to quit.”

My stomach ties in knots.

She smirks. “Yeah, you know the deal. See you in the next round, sweetheart, or should I say, ‘the darling girl next door?’”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the acts stand on stage, waiting. The tension is unbearable. Clarissa clings tightly to my right hand, while Lydia clutches my left. Isaiah manages to press right up behind me. I try to ignore his breath on the back of my head and his hand occasionally brushing over my butt.

“When we call your names, please step forward.” Drusilla stands from behind the judges’ table, holding up a tablet.

Five acts are called up first. From that group, Teresa makes it into the next round. From the next five, none make it. Then, the Murphys and I are called forward. My heart races. Clarissa turns pale.

The other three acts are asked to step forward. My heart keeps pounding. They do things unpredictably, so we could be sent home.

“I’m sorry, but you’re going home tonight.”

Clarissa’s hand crushes mine. As the acts move off stage, Drusilla smiles at us. “We’ll see you in the next round.”

Clarissa screams and throws her arms around my neck.

 

***

 

The Murphys had gone to call a cab, and I pack up my space in the rehearsal room on my own. Jessica nailed the five acts that made it through, and it really bothers me. I feel like a puppet, and I can’t help but play along. I’m such a jerk.

“Hailey?”

I jump, swinging around to see Jeff.

He raises his hands. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“I thought I was alone.” I rest my hand over my heart.

“You were. You didn’t seem to hear me come in.”

I chew my lip. “Please don’t criticize me.”

His eyebrows shoot up as he folds his arms. His blue eyes penetrate right through me, as if he were looking into my soul. “I’m not here to criticize you. I wanted to tell you that you did a great job. You really picked up your game.”

I shrug, pulling my bag onto my shoulder. “You should thank the Murphys for that. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m dropping out.”

He frowns. “Why?”

“Why?” I chuckle. “The whole thing is rigged. It’s not a talent quest. It’s a ratings quest for money grabbers.”

“The whole industry is like that. Why should one little show be different?”

“It’s not just one little show.”

“Yeah, it is.” He reaches out and lifts my chin to look into my eyes. “Don’t drop out. You could go all the way. You have the talent and the support.”

I push his hand away. “You hate me.”

He smirks. “I never hated you. I just pushed your buttons to give you drive. It seemed to work.”

“Jerk.”

He nods. “If being a jerk brought the performer I saw to the surface, then I’m glad I did it. And if the Murphys contributed, I’d keep them around. Lucas and Clarissa are going places.”

He turns, heading toward the door.

“Wait.”

He stops and turns back to me. I hurry over, digging through my bag. “My mom is a huge fan. She’d kill me if I didn’t get your autograph for her.” I find a notepad and pen. “Her name is Iris.”

“Iris Becker, huh?” He grabs the paper and pen.

“Well, no. I’m Becker. She goes by her husband’s name. It’s Gomez.”

He scribbles on my notepad. “There. I don’t usually do this, so don’t tell anyone.” He closes it and hands it to me. “Go get some rest, Hailey. I need you fresh and ready to go in two days.”

“Do you have anything you specifically want me to perform?”

He raises an eyebrow. “We don’t do that.” He turns and heads toward the door. “But I’d recommend something poppy, more upbeat. Show some diversity. Something like that new Carrie Underwood song maybe.”

I grin as he disappears.

 

***

 

On my day off, I catch up on classwork. I work like crazy all day, and so do all the Murphys, except Isaiah. He flitters in and out, trying to entice me and Clarissa to join him. The three guys he hung out with had gone, so by the sound of things, he wants someone other than Jessica and Whitney to amuse him.

Late afternoon, while Isaiah surfs the channels on the TV in our room and Clarissa and I finish our school work, the room’s phone rings. I answer.

“Hailey Becker?” the female voice asks.

“That’s me.”

“You have a guest waiting for you at the front desk.”

“Oh…” Who could that be? “I’ll be right down.”

Leaving everything on my bed, I slip on my flip-flops.

“Where are you going?” Isaiah asks.

“The lobby.”

“I’m coming too.”

I don’t feel like arguing about it, so I let him follow along. In the elevator, he drapes his arm around my shoulders. “You work too hard.”

“You don’t work enough.”

He chuckles. “I owe you an ice cream.”

I grin, playfully elbowing him in the ribs. “Yeah you do.”

“While we’re out and about, we’ll go do that.”

“Sounds good.”

“Sweet.”

The doors open and his arm falls from around me. I head straight for the front desk. “Hi, I got a call that someone was here to see me?”

She motions behind me.

I turn, and there, standing up from the couch in the lobby with a huge bunch of flowers, is Tom. But he doesn’t look happy as he stares at Isaiah. I rush over and say with a laugh, “Tom! What are you doing here?”

He drags his gaze away from Isaiah to me. “I wanted to see you and make it up to you for not calling. Who’s this?”

I glance at Isaiah standing beside us. “This is Isaiah. I thought you said you watched the show?”

“I DVR it and fast-forward to the parts you’re in.” He looks Isaiah over as he slips his arm around my waist. “He’s one of the Murphys, right?”

“Yeah.”

Tom’s arm tightens, pulling me against him and away from Isaiah.

Isaiah grins. “Possessive much?”

“Shut up.” I slap his shoulder.

Isaiah’s grin changes to a devious smirk. “Rain check on that ice cream?”

I nod.

“All right, be boring. Hang out with your boyfriend.” He scans the lobby. “What am I going to do?”

“Go bother someone else for a while?”

He shrugs. “I’ve bothered everyone worth bother—hey, it’s Jeff.”

Turning toward the glass rotating door, I see Jeff heading into the building, tossing a cigarette into the ash bin outside the door. As he steps in, he looks over at us. He pauses, glances at the elevator, then comes over.

“He’s worth bothering,” Isaiah mutters, then grins eagerly. “Jeff.”

“Mr. Murphy.” Jeff nods, but locks his focus on Tom. “Who’s this, Miss Becker?”

“My boyfriend, Tom,” I answer.

“Apparently. He shouldn’t be here. Don’t let anyone else see you with him.” He eyes Tom over slowly. “I don’t like him. He looks like a liar.”

Tom winces, his arm tightening. “J-Jeffrey Halloway?”

Jeff’s eyes narrow. “Yeah, kid, that’s me. I’m a little old for you to be a fan.”

Tom offers Jeff his hand. “My mom loves you.”

Jeff looks at me, raising an eyebrow. “That seems about right.” He takes Tom’s hand. “If you want to spend time with her, I’d recommend leaving.”

Tom nods. “Yes, sir.”

Jeff turns, then swivels back. “Mr. Murphy?”

“Yes, Jeff?” Isaiah gives him a playful grin.

“Don’t be a third wheel. If you want something to do, I have a ton of emails I need to go through. You can assist my assistants.”

Isaiah cringes. “I’ll go see if Clarissa needs anything.”

Jeff watches Isaiah make his way to the elevator and says, “I didn’t see you with your boyfriend, and I certainly didn’t see you leave. So, Miss Becker, get out of here before you make a liar out of me.”

I grab Tom’s hand and rush out the door.

“Where to?” I ask, glancing around.

As we scan the street from the drop-off area, Lucas appears around the corner not far from us. He pauses when our eyes meet, then heads over. Is everyone out and about?

Tom doesn’t notice Lucas as he squeezes my hand, turning toward the road. “Um, I have a rental and I parked it—”

“You must be Tom.” Lucas’s hand shoots out for his.

Tom’s eyes widen as he focuses on Lucas. “Yes.”

“I’m—”

“Lucas Murphy, I know.” He grabs Lucas’s hand. For some reason, he looks way more agitated by Lucas being there than he did for Isaiah.

“Ah, yes,” Lucas says conversationally. “I think I’ve seen you around campus. Last year you showed up to some parties with a blonde.”

“My ex,” Tom says quickly. “I hadn’t met Hailey back then.”

“That was probably Christy,” I say. “She’s a violinist.”

Lucas nods. “I think that sounds right.”

Tom relaxes a little. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Lucas, but we have to go.”

Lucas offers his hand again. “I can take those to Hailey’s room if you’d like?”

Tom looks at the bouquet. “Yeah, that would be great.”

Lucas grasps the flowers. “You guys have fun, and stay safe.” He meets my gaze. “Do you need help with your next performance item?”

I nod.

“All right. We’ll work something out tomorrow.” Lucas heads inside.

“Wow, he was actually somewhat nice to me,” I mutter.

Tom squeezes my hand. “Let’s go.”

He drives to a restaurant where we have a pleasant time chatting and laughing. When we aren’t eating, he holds my hand, softly stroking the back of it. I’ve missed him, and I’m glad I resisted my impulses and erratic feelings for Isaiah.

When we leave, he drives us to a parking area for photo-ops of the Hollywood sign. We take several goofy pictures of us doing strange things with the letters, before he drags me into the backseat of the car to make out.

“Let me be with you,” he whispers, his voice heavy with longing.

“Here? No.”

“Hailey, please. I miss you so much.” His hand slides under my shirt and he unclips my bra.

“We’re on the back seat of a rental,” I say. “How did you get this, anyway? I thought you had to be twenty-five to rent a car.”

“I paid an insurance premium.” His hand finds my breast and he plays with my nipple. “I want you so bad.”

“Not here. Didn’t you get a hotel room?”

“I’m catching the red-eye home.”

“You flew out here just to go right back?”

“I had to see you. I had to make sure we’re okay.”

I clasp his face. “Of course we’re okay. Tom, I love you.”

His face relaxes as he lets out a long sigh. He kisses my cheek and neck. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you. I saw the show last night and was amazed by how beautiful they made you look.” He ran his hand through my hair. “I like you blonde, and the raw emotion when you sang…I’ve never seen you so stunning. Hailey, you’ve been holding out on me. It freaked me out. I felt like maybe I didn’t know you after all.”

I giggle. “You know me well, Tom. It was all just for show.”

“Was it?”

“Of course.”

“It just seemed so…real.” His fingers brush over my cheek.

Sighing, I shut my eyes, enjoying his affection.

“What happens if this continues?”

I look up into his eyes, seeing concern. “Nothing will change between us.”

“So even if you get famous, you’ll still have time for me?”

I giggle. “Tom, why are you freaking out about this? I’ll always be me. Just because they can pretty me up on the outside doesn’t mean they can change what’s inside.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“I saw the way those Murphy guys look at you. Ugh, it makes me crazy to think you’re alone with them. Please, please don’t let them seduce you.”

“Seduce me? Tom, no.” I push up onto my elbows. “First of all, Lucas—definitely not. He’s so not even…he doesn’t even like talking to me. And Isaiah? Not an option. But most of all, I’m not a cheater. You know that.”

He brushes his lips against mine. “That’s true. They have you pegged calling you the wholesome girl next door on that show. I trust you.”

I smile. “Good.”

“Now…” He pulls my shirt back, exposing my breast. “Let’s do this.”

“Not here!” I push him back, looking out the window.

“Please, Hailey? You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

“Tom, anyone could walk by and see. I can’t.”

He groans, his head falling on my shoulder. “Fine. But I think I’m going to go mad.”

I clasp his face and softly kiss him.

 

***

 

Back at the hotel, the lady at the reception desk stops me. She hands me a note and I open it.

 

You’re up first tomorrow. Meet me at the rehearsal venue at seven a.m. Jeff.

 

I huff. Seven? He must be trying to piss me off because he knew I’d be out with Tom.

“Thank you,” I say to the lady.

I make my way upstairs and smile at the flowers as I enter my room. Clarissa isn’t here, but she left me a note saying she’d gone out with her mom.

I flop onto my bed, exhaling as I close my eyes. My pajamas are within reach, so I wriggle out of my clothes and into them. Then, my bed calls me to sleep in it. I curl up…and someone knocks on the door. Why does everyone seem to come knocking at night?

I grab the bathrobe and stumble over.

“Isaiah, just go to your own…” I trail off as Lucas stares at me with his jaw hanging open. “You’re not Isaiah.”

He closes his mouth. “No. Does he come here often?”

“Only when you won’t let him in, so yes.”

He scowls. “You don’t let him in, do you?”

“Clarissa does sometimes.”

He slumps. “Okay. Well, I just wanted to make sure you were back. Jeff posted the schedule and you’re up first.”

“I know.”

“Okay.” His gaze shifts down the corridor. “Clarissa’s not back yet?”

“No.”

“Oh.” He glances around again. “Tell her we will be working on our next act tomorrow morning.”

“Sure.”

His gaze finally falls on my face. “Is everything fine with your boyfriend? He seemed agitated.”

“Yeah, he just had a close encounter with Isaiah. That seems to agitate a lot of guys, I’ve noticed.”

“How did he come across Isaiah?”

“Isaiah was with me.”

Isaiah appears behind Lucas and leans against the door to their room. “You talking about me?”

Lucas’s demeanor completely changes. He tenses and his brows lower. “You were hitting on her in front of her boyfriend?”

“Wait, no.” I touch Lucas’s shoulder.

He flinches away from me. “Isaiah, you’re disgusting.”

Isaiah raises his hands. “I didn’t. But you wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

“You need to grow up.”

“You need to come down a notch.”

“Okay, good night.” I shut the door.

“Nice job, idiot,” Isaiah says in a deep voice.

“Keep it in your pants,” Lucas responds, his voice moving away.

I roll my eyes. They’re grown men, but they act so juvenile. I wish Tom could hear and see them like that, then he wouldn’t worry about them.

 

***

 

Jeff sits behind a table when I enter, eating his breakfast. I rush over, dumping my bag on the ground beside him.

“You’re late.”

“Sorry. But it’s only five minutes, right?”

“Five minutes you could be using to rehearse.” He slowly stands, leaning against his knuckles. “Do you want to do well?”

“About that,” I say, a little grouchy from skipping breakfast. “I know it’s not about how well I do, so why does it matter?”

He scowls. “You’re in the voting rounds now, Hailey, so it very much matters. You’ll be performing live from now on. No more skillful editing to make you look your best on the show. You need to be at your best the second you step out onto the stage. You need to be cute and charming in front of the cameras. People expect you to be sweet, so you need to keep that up or they’ll turn on you. If you forget what you’re doing, stumble, make a wrong move, have a meltdown, then it’s all over.”

I swallow, nervous from the intensity in his gaze.

“The producers put you in the top twenty to bring in viewers. It’s a money game—it always has been. It’s part of the industry. So, if you’re not okay with that here, then you aren’t cut out to be a recording artist.”

I glare at him. “Sometimes you really piss me off.”

He shrugs, folding his arms.

I huff. “But…you’re right.”

He straightens, raising an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“I said you’re right.”

He smirks. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

He chuckles. “Come to the piano.”

I follow him over. He sits and brushes his fingers over the keys. “You probably know I wrote a lot of my own music.”

“Yeah, you come from the days of authentic musicians. Well, sort of.”

He raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t respond to my comment. “I have a favorite, even all these years later. I’d like you to sing it.”

“It’s written for a baritone and I’m a soprano.”

He looks up at me, his eyebrows raising. “You think I can’t transpose it?”

He has a point. “Which song?”

“It’s called “Late Night Muse.””

I roll my eyes. “That’s my mom’s favorite. It’s a little overplayed for me.”

He hits the middle A on the piano. “It’s a good song.”

“Coming from its composer.”

“It sold more singles than any other song I released.”

I groan. “Fine. I guess I know it well enough that I won’t forget it and freak out.”

“There you go—positive thinking. You should try it more often instead of oozing sarcasm.”

“Rude.”

“Yup.” He hits an A major chord. “Now to figure out what key is most comfortable for you.”

He plays the melody, shifting keys on me every so often until he settles for C major.

“But that’s not even high,” I complain.

“You don’t always have to sing in the heavens,” he responds. “You have a good meaty voice in your midrange, which no one has really heard yet.”

He plays through the song with me, singing along softly. When we finish, he nods. “I think that one will work.”

I sigh. “It did feel good.”

“And I own the royalties, so you’re set.”

I chuckle.

“So, let’s run through it several times. I’ll have the producers set up backing music for you this afternoon so you can practice with it tomorrow.”

For the next two hours we run through the song, him coaching me the whole way. He’s good too, probably better than any singing teacher I’ve ever had. I can see why they have him on the show.

When Teresa and her mother enter, he seems disappointed as he sighs. “Good work today, Hailey.”

“Thanks.”

“I believe Lucas has been assisting you with your stage presence, so I recommend continuing with that if possible.”

“Okay.”

He glances over at Teresa. “Well, time’s up. I’ll see you the same time tomorrow.”

I nod and hurry to grab my bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Late Night Muse” plays in circles in my mind as I sit in the quiet café around the corner from the hotel. It tells the story of a secret love, a woman of desire. Jeff changed the lyrics for me, making it a man of desire. It doesn’t seem to work quite as well, but it still sounds good.

A breathless kiss…stolen from your lips…but when the sun rises, you are gone.

Isaiah’s voice sings in my ear, “Until the night returns, I wait, I yearn. For your eyes inspire me, and your voice is my song.”

I shudder as his hands run down my arms.

“Are you singing that?” he asks, sitting beside me.

I nod. “Jeff wants me to do something a bit different to what I’ve done so far.”

“That’s quite different. A rock ballad is a huge change from the folk and girly love songs. It won’t even show off your range.”

I shrug, sipping at my cappuccino. “It sounds pretty good.”

He smirks. “I don’t doubt that.” He glances around and leans forward. “Can I trust you?”

I raise an eyebrow. “It depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether you’ve done something illegal or not.”

He chuckles. “I haven’t.”

“Okay.”

He shuffles closer. “Wanna know why Lucas hates me?”

“Nope.” I focus on drinking.

“Because he’s jealous of me. Anytime he likes a girl, she ends up falling for me.”

I meet his gaze. “Do you realize that sounds really conceited?”

He raises an eyebrow, staring off as he thinks about it. “I guess it does, but that’s the honest truth.”

“That’s redundant.”

“Not sure what that means, but okay.” His fingers brush over my hand resting on the table. “You know we’re friends, right?”

I nod, slipping my hand away as my skin tingles at his touch.

“Jessica has the hots for me, and I think Lucas has a thing for her.”

As impossible as Lucas having a thing for Jessica sounds, I nod, wondering where he’s going with it.

“But to be completely honest, she bothers me. She’s always tailing me and whining about this and that, blah, blah, blah. I feel bad, you know? I don’t mean to attract the girls Lucas likes. It makes him crazy. I’m tempted to tell Jess to go for him instead to avoid the drama.”

“Mmm.”

“Don’t tell Clarissa I told you,” he says, grasping my hand. “She’ll tell Lucas and the crap will hit the fan. He’s very private.”

I look into his eyes, unable to believe what he’s saying. “He actually likes Jessica? She doesn’t seem like someone he’d be into.”

He nods, his eyebrows shooting up. “I can’t explain his taste either.”

“Hmm.” Although Lucas liking Jessica doesn’t feel right, the rest of it could be.

“I like classy girls,” Isaiah says, weaving his fingers into mine. He lifts my hand and kisses my knuckles, making my skin tingle. He gazes into my eyes and my heart just about stops beating. If temptation had a name, it would be Isaiah.

But I pull my hand free. “Tom and I are moving in together this summer.”

“What if you win?” he asks, completely undeterred by my change of course.

“I’m not likely to win.”

“Even if you don’t, you’ll probably get some kind of contract.”

I sigh, collecting my things. “Maybe. If I’m offered something, I guess we’ll have to discuss it.”

“Hailey.” He catches my elbow. “I’d—”

“Isaiah.” Jessica sinks in the seat opposite us. “And Hailey. How’s it all going?”

Isaiah leans back from me. “Good.”

“So, I was wondering, do you guys—?”

A slender brunette, who looks to be in her mid-twenties, flops into the chair beside Jessica. “What up?”

Jessica glances at her. “Who are you?”

“I’m Vanessa. I’m from Lance’s group.” She points at me. “You’re the one I’ve been wanting to talk to.”

I tense. “Did I do something wrong?”

She laughs loudly. “No, the opposite actually. You are fabulous. Oh, and I want you to introduce me to that oldest Murphy guy. Man, he’s hot.”

Isaiah scowls, folding his arms.

“I don’t know if I could do that,” I say.

“Are you kidding?” She launches to her feet. “Do you even watch the show when it airs? Everyone knows you’re all BFFs with the entire family. The commentators are just wondering which brother you’ll hook up with.”

Her gaze darts to Isaiah as she seems to notice him for the first time. “Oh. Oops.”

“I have a boyfriend.” I stand, wishing to leave the awkward conversation. “I have school work I need to do.”

Isaiah shoots up beside me. “I’ll come with you.”

“No, I need to focus.” I pick up my drink.

He turns so only I can see his face. He pouts and gives me puppy dog eyes. I groan. “You need to meet up with your family anyway. Let’s go.”

He mouths “thank you” and we head back to the hotel.

In the street, someone presses against me. Flinching, I look over my shoulder and find Vanessa with us. She smirks, matching our pace as we cross the street. “I’m not surprised you left,” she says. “That Jessica girl is a dog.”

Isaiah laughs.

“You’re friends with her.” I shove his shoulder.

“Not really.”

“Then why do you spend so much time with her?”

He raises an eyebrow. “She spends time with me.”

“You’re so full of yourself.”

He shrugs. “I don’t ask for her to do it.”

“Whatever.”

Vanessa chuckles. “You guys would make a fun couple.”

She’s starting to irritate me. “I have a boyfriend.”

“Yup, she does.” Isaiah drapes his arm around my shoulders. “Tommy-boy.”

I scowl up at him. “It’s just Tom.”

“I’ve met him too.” Isaiah taps his chin, squeezing my neck in his elbow. “He’s not as hot as her. He’s kinda skinny and has a bit of the nerd thing going on.”

“No, he doesn’t.” Well, maybe a little, but he’s not skinny. No skinnier than Isaiah.

“And he’s way possessive. I swear, he sees her with a guy just talking and he flips out. I mean, Hailey’s great and all, but there’s a line where protective becomes overprotective, you know?”

“Would you stop?” I push him off me, but can’t help but find myself agreeing with him. I’ve wondered on and off why Tom seems to snarl at any guy he sees near me. I know he loves me, but sometimes I wish he’d trust me more.

“Wow,” Vanessa says. “Sounds like there’s some behind the scenes tension here.” She winks at me. “You lucky girl.”

I scowl, my cheeks warming.

“Look, I did actually want to ask you something non-drama related.” She grasps my elbow and I stop to face her. “Lance said I could ask any of the other contestants to help out with back-up singing. So, I’d like to ask you, and I’m happy to return the favor at any time.”

“Me? Why me?”

She grins. “Yeah, you. I didn’t realize the humble thing was real. You’re good, Hailey. I respect that.”

Isaiah’s arm wraps around my shoulders again. “What you see with Hailey is what you get, even if it’s confusing at times.”

I push him off.

She chuckles. “All right, guys. I like you. My friends were all booted, so I think you’ll be my new friends.” We pause outside the hotel. “So, will you sing for me?”

“Sure.” I look to the door. “Have the music sent to me.”

“No problem. Thanks.” She says goodbye and hurries back across the street.

I look up at Isaiah. “I really do need to do school work.”

“Well, that just sucks.” He grasps my hand and kisses my cheek. “I guess I’ll go find Levi or something.”

As he pulls away, the butterflies in my belly almost become overwhelming. He’d kissed me on the cheek! My face flushes with heat. I touch my warm skin as I head inside, to try to calm the prickling sensation where his lips had pressed.

 

***

 

My phone wakes me. At first, I think the ringing is my alarm, but then I realize someone’s calling me. I snatch it up and hurry into the bathroom, so I don’t wake Clarissa.

“You’re cheating on me?” Tom’s voice comes through strained and high-pitched.

“What?”

“It’s all over the gossip headlines!”

“What is?” I ask, my own voice rising. “Tom, I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Isaiah kissed you! I knew that family was bad news.”

“Isaiah what?”

“He. Kissed. You. There’s footage and everything.”

“Why don’t I remember this happening?”

He growls and a moment later, my phone beeps. “There, I sent you a video clip.”

I open the link and watch myself with Isaiah out the front of the hotel. He leans over and kisses my cheek, then walks away.

“That’s it?” I say, irritated. “You’re freaking out over that?”

He laughs shrilly. “If that’s what you’re doing in public, what’s going on behind closed doors?”

“Oh geez, Tom. No. Nothing is going on.”

“The thought of you shacking up with him is driving me crazy!”

“Well, I’m not, so don’t even think about it.”

“Argh!” He swears over and over. “Hailey, I want you to come back. This isn’t worth it. You’re not going to get anything from this show, but it’s making me insane. If you want to sing, fine, join a club, sign up for the musicals, find a choir, but please, please, come home.”

“Tom, chances are I’ll be home soon. There’s two more episodes until the live elimination rounds begin, and chances are, I’ll be knocked out.”

“Two episodes?” He bellows, making me pull the phone away from my ear. “That’s three weeks. That amounts to three more weeks with him and that other Murphy, three more weeks of sleazy tabloids trying to catch you in scandal, and three more weeks of you not here.”

“It’s closer to two weeks now.”

“Hailey, do you hear yourself?”

I purse my lips. “I do, and I know I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m completely faithful, Tom. Why can’t you trust me?”

He doesn’t answer.

“You know me. It took me months to sleep with you. Do you really think I’d jump into bed with someone I barely met a few weeks ago?”

He lets out a gush of air. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, but you have to trust me. This is an opportunity I can’t miss. Please understand.”

He moans. “I do. I’m sorry. That guy is just too good-looking. It’s not right for a guy to be around you when he looks that good and you look as amazing as you do now. Ugh, it makes me crazy.”

“You think I look amazing?” I can’t help smiling. He isn’t one to praise someone’s appearance often.

“Of course I do. You’ve always been pretty, but this is like a whole new level. I hear guys talking about how hot you are on campus, and I’m not sure whether to be proud that you’re mine or to smack them in the face because you are mine.”

I giggle.

He sighs. “I just miss you so much. I miss talking to you and seeing you whenever I want.”

“I do too.”

“Please don’t cheat on me.”

“I won’t.”

He sighs. “Okay, I’ll try harder to trust you more.”

“Thank you.”

“Text me later so I can call you again.”

“I will.”

He hangs up. I press the phone against my forehead, groaning. The paparazzi were trailing me? Me? How bizarre. I need to be more careful from now on. That’s something I need to adjust to.

Clarissa pokes her head in the door. I glance up and she smiles warily. “Everything okay?”

I nod, but pull up the picture on my phone. “Tom saw this and freaked out.”

She leans over, squinting, then her eyes widen. “When did Isaiah do that?”

“Yesterday. It was harmless—just a peck on the cheek goodbye. But it’s been blown way out of proportion.” I exit out of the picture.

“Don’t let him do it again.”

“I don’t plan on it. With so many people apparently watching, I need to be more cautious.”

She nods. “Yeah. I’m sorry you had a fight with Tom.”

“It’s fine. We worked it out.” I glance at my phone. “Shoot! It’s six forty-five! Jeff will kill me if I’m late!”

She steps into the bathroom after I dash out of it so I can change and leave.

 

***

 

I feel gross, having not showered in more than twenty-four hours. Shuffling down the corridor toward my room, I dream of the hot water running down my back. I slip my keycard out but pause at the muffled sounds of an argument.

“It’s not funny, Isaiah!” Clarissa’s voice comes from Kessa’s room. “You need to stop messing around.”

“People need to stop being so paranoid,” he responds.

“Isn’t there a way we can keep him locked in the room?” Lucas asks. “He’s so embarrassing.”

“That’s enough,” Kessa says sternly. “Your younger brothers and sister are looking to you three as examples. I’m tired of this constant fighting. You all need to forgive each other and let it go.”

“Forgive him?” Lucas yells. “He’s a manwhore!”

“And desperate for attention!” Clarissa says fiercely. “He always has to have lead male part. Always. And he always has to have people falling at his feet.”

“You are both so jealous!” Isaiah yells.

“Enough!” Kessa’s voice bellows over all of them. “Levi will take lead male part this time.”

“Good,” Clarissa says.

“And you two will stop using poor Hailey as an excuse to argue.”

I gasp, my skin prickling.

“You make her terribly uncomfortable when you act like this, and I find it embarrassing. You’re supposed to be adults now, so start acting like it.”

“Yes, Mom,” the three of them say in unison.

“If your father were here to see all this…”

Silence falls, and I don’t want to wait around to hear more. I slip into the room and head straight for the shower. When I come out, I jump at the sight of Clarissa watching TV. She smiles as if nothing happened.

“You need to get going soon, don’t you?” I ask, toweling my hair.

“Yeah, soon. You hungry?”

I shake my head. “Stopped at the complimentary breakfast buffet on the way up.”

“Oh.” She stares at the TV. “You wanna come down with me anyway?”

“Sure.”

Her gaze shoots to me and she smiles. “We’re still friends?”

“Why wouldn’t we be?” I toss the towel on the ground and rummage for my comb.

“Cause of what Isaiah did.”

I frown. “I’m not upset about that.”

“You’re not?” She shuffles up onto her knees. “You just seemed to leave in such a hurry, I thought maybe—”

“My lessons with Jeff start at seven.”

She hesitates, leaning back as her eyes narrow. “You get two full hours?”

“Don’t you?”

She shakes her head. “One, then rehearsal time on our own in the next room.”

We stare at each other. I don’t know whether to be concerned that she might be angry Jeff apparently favors me, or concerned that he favors me inappropriately.

She speaks in a quiet voice. “He hasn’t…tried anything, has he?”

“No,” I say with a nervous quiver in my voice. “He hasn’t implied or even hinted…but he’s married with kids.”

She raises her eyebrow, and I understand what she means—when has that ever stopped anyone before?

“No.” I shake my head. “He probably thinks I need the most work.”

She purses her lips, her eyebrows shooting right up.

“No. No. Never. No.” I shudder. “I have Tom, Jeff’s married, and he’s old. Gross.”

She cracks a grin. “Yeah, how old is he? Like forty-something?”

“Somewhere around there.”

She giggles. “Okay, yeah, that’s never going to happen.”

“He’s not as old as Steven. At least Jeff still has his hair color.”

“But Lance beats them both. He’s from the boy band era and is already as white as snow.”

She giggles. “But it’s still weird, right? I wonder if one of those couples last year was Jeff’s? He’s probably trying to make up for it by drawing out your potential.”

“Huh. Maybe.” That makes sense. I could see him being humiliated by something like that scandal. Mom always said part of his appeal was his morality, even if he could be a bit of a womanizer. Maybe he saw that morality in me.

Someone taps on the door. “Clarissa?”

“Coming.” Clarissa grabs her handbag and dashes over. She opens it and Lucas smiles, then looks at me and his smile falls.

“Let’s go.” Clarissa grabs his elbow and they hurry away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Murphys perform right before me, so I watch them from backstage. Levi thrives in the newfound spotlight, and I giggle as he flirts with the audience and Drusilla.

When their number finishes, the host grabs me and the backstage camera turns to me. One of the crew counts down on his fingers, and the host, comedian and rapper, Martin Rush, says, “Hailey is next up. Hailey, how are you feeling?”

I smile, glancing between him and the camera. “Good. Nervous.”

“You look smoking hot tonight.”

How do I respond to that? Jeff said sweet girl next door. I giggle. “I don’t…thank you.”

The crewman gives me a thumbs-up. Perfect.

“Rumor has it you’re performing one of Jeff’s songs tonight. You don’t look much like a rocker.”

Glancing down, I run my fingers over my black tights and miniskirt as I check the maroon tank with frills trimming the deep v-neckline that I’m wearing. “I’m not much of a rocker, but this is one of his more pop-sounding songs.”

“What enticed you to do this song?”

Sweet. Look sweet. I smile, tucking my loose curls behind my ear. “Jeff has helped me a lot since I came on the show. I grew up with his music, so I want to show him my admiration.”

“What a doll!” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, squeezing. “I couldn’t help noticing you watching the Murphys so intently. Rumor also has it you and Isaiah are involved.”

Don’t freak out. Crap, I’m blushing. “No, I actually have a boyfriend back home.” I wave at the camera. “Hi, Tom.”

“Tom, eh? Of course a pretty little thing like you is already taken. I bet he misses you.”

“I miss him too.”

“Aw, young love! Pity we couldn’t see a romance blossom on the show, though.”

The crewman signals to change the subject by motioning slitting his throat with his hand.

“So,” Martin clears his throat, “I hope you steal Jeff’s heart tonight with his own song, along with all the voters out there.”

The camera zooms in on him, and he lets me go while he talks to the viewers. A stagehand grasps my elbow and flicks on my mic, nodding for me to head out.

The audience roars as I make my way onto the stage. Again, banners with my name wave in the air, but this time, I wave back. Whistles sound and I giggle. I reach center stage and the lights dim. I take a deep breath, and the music begins.

Feeling the music within me, I try to picture singing to someone I love so much that they inspire me. I try to picture Tom, but he doesn’t come. Instead, I sing for Jeff. Although I don’t love him like that, I’ve grown to respect him immensely. He wanted me to sing his song, the song he wrote for the woman he loves before they married.

When I finish, the crowd roars with their applause. But I only have eyes for Jeff. A crooked smile grows as his eyes sparkle. He slowly nods his head and raises his hands in applause.

The producers signal for the crowd to quiet down, and Drusilla leans forward. “Hailey, why did you sing that song?”

“Jeff has helped me so much, and I wanted to thank him,” I reply calmly.

“What a marvelous thank you,” Jeff says into the mic. “I usually don’t like people singing my songs. But that was perfect.”

I can’t help grinning. I hope Mom is watching this.

“Hailey,” Steven says. “You have a marvelous gift, and each week you seem to show us a new side of that gift.” He raises his hands, swiveling to look at the audience. “Don’t you agree?”

The crowd cheers their agreement.

“Hailey.” Lance leans onto his elbows. “What would you like to say to your fans?”

“Fans?” The very idea makes me stare.

“Yes, fans.”

“I…fans?”

The audience laughs.

Heat creeps into my cheeks.

“Yes,” he says with a laugh.

“Wow.” I grin like an idiot. “Thank you for believing in me.”

The crowd roars again.

Jeff leans back into his chair, grinning. “Thank you, Hailey. We hope to see you continue into the next round.”

I give a quick curtsy—I have no idea why, it just happened—and make my way off the stage.

Backstage, I head straight toward the dressing room I share with Clarissa and Lydia, and slap my forehead. “I curtsied? Who does that?”

“I thought it was cute.”

I pause, then swing around to see I’d walked right by Isaiah. “Hey.”

“Hey right back at you.” He gives me a quick once over as he walks in a smooth, sexy manner toward me. “That was incredible.”

“Thank you.”

He grins, his eyes sparkling. “Why don’t we take off for a few minutes? No one will notice.”

I swallow, hearing the seductive tone in his voice. “I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?” He leans in.

I back away. “Both.”

He smiles, his eyes never breaking contact with mine. “You know, you’re my best friend here. I feel comfortable with you, like I can tell you anything.”

“Oh.” Crap, I hit the wall.

His fingers brush over my neck and rest on my collarbone. I struggle to breath. My heart pounds. My head spins. He’s so close, so gorgeous.

“Do you trust me, Hailey?”

My short laugh is way too high-pitched. “Not really.”

He frowns. “Why not?”

“You’re…you’re too…”

“Yes?”

I stare into his eyes as his lips draw closer. “Please…don’t…”

“Don’t what?”

I take a deep breath to break the spell he’s cast on me, and press my fingers over his lips. “You’re a chronic flirt and I can never quite tell if you’re trying to play me, or if you’re genuinely interested. But either way, I’m not going to cheat.”

His eyebrows shoot up, but he kisses my fingertips as he leans back. “You’re a tough one.”

“Isaiah.” Lucas appears behind him, making me gasp.

Isaiah rolls his eyes and straightens.

Lucas folds his arms, glaring at Isaiah. “You’re disgusting.”

“Whatever.” Isaiah stares down at me.

Lucas shoves him to the side. “Get away from her.”

Isaiah glares at him. “You’re not her boyfriend.”

“Neither are you. Now get moving.”

Isaiah shakes him off. “See ya later, Hailey.”

Lucas stays standing with me until Isaiah disappears around the corner. He rests his hands on his hips, turning his attention to me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I push off the wall, not sure if I’m embarrassed, grateful, or irritated with him.

“You, ah…you did the right thing, telling him no.”

With a huff, I fold my arms. “Yeah, well, I hope it helps bring some peace with your family. I hate that he and Clarissa are fighting about me.”

“What? What makes you think that?”

I stare at my feet. “I heard you guys arguing about me a little while ago. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to cause tension with you guys.”

“Ah…” He rubs his neck. “Things were already tense. It’s not you.”

A camera crew appears and rushes at us. The presenter who runs around backstage slips between us, with a huge grin on her face. “Ready?”

The camera man nods and a red light flashes on beside the lens.

She smiles brightly, tossing her loose curls over her shoulder. “I’ve found Hailey and Lucas back here. How are you guys feeling about your performances tonight?”

Lucas leans in, a bright smile across his face. “I think letting Levi take the lead was the best thing we could have done.”

“Oh, you’re beautiful.” She flicks her long, dark brown hair in my face. Scrunching my nose from the hair-lash, I lean back. She fiddles with her hair again, puffing the roots. She obviously believes her hair is her best asset. Her arm wraps around Lucas’s waist and she pats his cheek. “How about you? When will you take center stage?”

“That’s not me.” He keeps smiling, but I can’t help noticing his hands staying well clear of her.

“I’m sure I’m not the only lady out there who wishes you would.”

Seeing I’m out of the camera shot, I roll my eyes.

He chuckles in a lighthearted way. “My talents lie more in the arranging of the piece.”

She rests her hand on his chest. “We’ve heard Miss Becker has a love back home, but how about you? Any lucky girl waiting for you to return to her arms?”

“Nope. I’m single.”

“Oh!” She beams into the camera. “Hear that? He’s single.”

The camera man points at me. She glances behind her and blinks, confused, then grabs my arm. “Hailey, how do you feel about your performance?”

“I feel like I sang fairly well,” I reply. Lucas’s gaze meets mine before I look back up at her. “I hope everyone else feels the same way about theirs.”

“What a sweetheart.” She pats my hand and looks at the camera. “Keep watching for more amazing talent and backstage footage after these commercials.”

The red light blinks out and the cameraman lowers the camera.

The presenter huffs and frowns at me. “Well, you were boring.”

My jaw falls open.

“Hailey’s a little shy,” Lucas says, slotting in beside me.

“A little? She’s so wholesome I think I’m going to get the runs.” She pats my cheek firmly. “Lighten up. Ogle this hottie a bit. Everyone wants you to.”

I rub my cheek, irritated. “Ah…If everyone told you to—”

Lucas covers my mouth. “She seems to be doing just fine.”

I push his hand away.

She raises an eyebrow at us. “So, what’s the deal with you guys?”

Lucas gives my shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “She and Clarissa hit it off, that’s all. And since we’re a close family, Hailey just kind of slotted in with us.”

She hands the mic to the cameraman. “This season isn’t going to be anywhere near as interesting as last. Let’s go.”

Once they’re gone, I shove Lucas away from me. “Don’t shut me up like that.”

His eyebrow twitches. “You were going to stick your foot in your mouth.”

“She just—”

“Keep up appearances, Hailey. Even here we’re on show.”

I grit my teeth, folding my arms. I hate that he’s right.

“Just go back to your room. I’m sure Clarissa is waiting to gush about your performance.”

I give him a quick glare, annoyed by his dismissiveness, and hurry away.

 

***

 

As we hang out in the rehearsal room while the show wraps up, my cell vibrates. I’m not supposed to talk on my phone, so I glance at the cameras and slip out of all their shots.

“Mom!” I say as I block the other ear.

“Hailey, sweetheart,” she says with a distinct hint of pride in her voice, “you sang so well tonight.”

“Thanks, but I actually can’t—”

“Why did you choose that song?” she asks lightly. Yeah, she sounds proud of me, although a little tense. I hope she doesn’t think I might be seeing Jeff on the side like Clarissa implied could be happening.

“It’s your favorite,” I say brightly to help relieve her concerns.

“It is. You did such a wonderful job, didn’t she, Marco?”

“Yeah,” my stepdad responds calmly from the background.

“Is that Hailey?” my eight-year-old brother, Dallas, asks.

“Yes. Would you like to talk to her?” Mom says.

I try to speak. “Mom, no. Listen—”

“Hi, Hailey!” Dallas says excitedly. “You’re so awesome. I’ve told everyone at school that you’re my sister. They don’t believe me because you’re white.”

“Oh…”

“I told them you have a different dad, but they still don’t believe me.”

“Well, they should. Grab my yearbook for proof.”

“Good idea!” He chuckles deviously.

“Dallas, give Mom the phone back.”

“Kay. Bye.”

Mom speaks. “Hailey, can I speak to Jeffrey Halloway?”

“Ah…” I glance toward him as he talks on camera. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I’m not supposed to be on my phone back here. Can I call you back?”

“Promise me you’ll let me talk to him.”

“I’ll try, but he’s not really into the whole swooning fan thing. I got you his autograph, though.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you.”

I duck as a camera pans the room. “I gotta go. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”

“Love you, sweetheart.”

“You too, Mom.”

An hour later, the room has only a few stragglers in it. I make my way over to Jeff. He glances at me and waves for me to approach while he finishes talking to Drusilla. She smiles at me and offers her hand. “Here’s the young lady now.”

I take her hand and she pulls me close. She smells strongly like old lady perfume—musky, heavy, dried flowers—and up close, her makeup looks thick, and her dark, red-dyed hair is wiry. “You have come so far since you first auditioned, Hailey.”

“Thank you,” I respond, amazed by how she cakes on the makeup so well to hide the aging lines I can now see up close. Wow, what does this woman look like without makeup?

“So polite too. Just…Oh! I want to adopt you.” She squeezes me.

I chuckle. “My mom might have something to say about that.”

She kisses my cheek, then rubs her lipstick off me with her fingertips. “I’ll let you two chat. I hope someone sings one of my songs to me like that.”

She says goodbye to us, and Jeff turns to me. “Did you need something?”

“Yes, actually. My mom wanted to talk to you.”

“Your mom?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Yes, I told you she’s a fan. I know that’s not what you do, but she insisted I at least ask.”

He sighs. “After your performance tonight, I guess you deserve it.” He motions for me to hand him my phone.

I slip it out and call her. “Mom, Jeff wants to talk to you.”

“Oh! Wonderful!” she answers excitedly.

I hand Jeff the phone and he walks away from me. He stands facing the wall to make the fact he’s on a phone discreet. Not wanting to draw attention to him myself, I glance toward the Murphys waiting for me in the corner.

Clarissa waves and trots over. “What’s going on?”

“My mom’s having a groupie moment.” I motion toward Jeff.

She giggles. “I need to meet your mom.”

“She’s a fun one.” Sighing, I look back at Jeff. “Mom’s had it tough, though. She got knocked up with me when she was barely sixteen by her high school boyfriend—also known as my father, and her ex-husband. He used to beat her and call her names that made her cry. I can’t remember much. I just remember that the day he hit me, she packed us up and left.”

Clarissa’s eyes widen. “Hailey! That’s so sad.”

“Yeah, but she’s a fighter. She left the state so he wouldn’t find her again, and we moved around several times before we settled. Then she met Marco and has been happy ever since.”

“How old were you?”

“When we left my dad? Five. She married Marco five years later.” I sigh as Jeff nods. “She used to play me his songs when we traveled or I felt lonely, especially the one I sang tonight. She said there’s magic in music, and I had a gift for it.”

“You do.” Clarissa rests her hand on my arm.

I give her a weak smile. “Thanks. I’m just glad I can make her proud.”

Jeff hangs up and marches back to me. “Your mother is a nice lady, but no more fan calls.”

“Okay.” I grin at him. “Thanks. That probably made her year.”

“You’re welcome. Now go get your beauty sleep. Eliminations are tomorrow night.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clarissa clutches my hand, just like the last round of eliminations. But Vanessa stands on the other side of me, her shoulder pressed against mine. She has her eyes closed and her hands in a steeple over her mouth and nose.

To fill the half hour slot, the time preceding the live eliminations consisted of interviews with each of us. They’d asked us who we think will go, but I hadn’t answered that.

Now, as I scan the line, I think about each performance. With voting, these things could be so unpredictable. Who stays is purely a popularity contest, and doesn’t reflect a person’s abilities.

“We will ask the fifteen acts who are continuing to the next round to step to stage right,” Steven says. “So, in no particular order, the contestants for the next round are…”

He allows a long, expectant pause to hang in the air as he opens the envelope. “Vanessa Peterson…”

Vanessa yips and hurries to the stage right.

Name after name is called. Jessica is called, then me. I glance back at Clarissa as I head over, and she smiles, mouthing congrats. I count down as they come to the last seven acts. I hold my breath, watching Clarissa as she shuts her eyes, hoping. I don’t know what I’ll do if they’re sent home.

“Alex Little…”

Clarissa clings to Lucas’s arm.

“And last, but not least…”

Just spit it out!

“The Murphys.”

Clarissa and Lydia squeal, throwing their arms around Lucas and Arnie.

“No,” Jessica says softly.

Whitney stands in the eliminated group. She hangs her head and sobs.

Jessica shoves past me and wraps her arms around Whitney. I understand how she feels. If Clarissa had been the one eliminated, I’d be lost.

Clarissa rushes to me. “We both made it.”

I hug her. “We did. I’m so glad.”

“Me too.”

Isaiah grabs my head and kisses the top of it. “On to the next round.”

I smile. “Top fifteen!”

He laughs and wraps his arm around my neck.

As the eliminated group leaves, Jessica and Whitney glare across at me. Despite trying to ignore it, their contempt makes my stomach clench.

 

***

 

The next round is less than a week away. With two of Jeff’s contestants eliminated, he has more time for us, so he increased my slot to almost three hours. Clarissa voiced her concerns again.

“Are you sure he isn’t into you?”

“I am.” He tells me about his wife and kids too much for him to be pushing for an affair.

“How do you know?”

I look into her eyes as we sit on our beds watching TV. “Let’s see, it went something like, ‘My wife said you performed so well and she’s been bugging me to tell you. Oh, and my oldest son, he’s thirteen, wants your autograph and hopes to meet you.’ Then he followed up by showing me photos of his wife and kids.”

Clarissa frowns. “Oh, that’s…okay, he isn’t.”

“Yup.”

“I guess he just really wants you to win.”

“Maybe.” I sigh, lying back onto my plush, freshly changed pillow. “I did some digging. One of those couples that got into that affair scandal last year was under him.”

Clarissa tosses her legs over the side of the bed, her back going rigid. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

She lets out a long whistle. “That explains it then. Miss Wholesome will improve his image again.”

I chuckle. “I guess. Goodnight.”

“Night.” She flicks off the TV and pulls out an e-reader, disappearing under her blankets with a small light.

A loud thud wakes me. I roll over to see Clarissa asleep. The green numbers on the digital clock read 2:24 a.m. Thud. My breathing becomes strained as my chest tightens. Thud. The corridor.

I tiptoe to the door and peek through the hole. Jessica stands against the opposite wall of the corridor, facing our door. I pull back, hoping she can’t see me, then realize how ridiculous that thought is. The room behind me is completely dark, while the corridor is well lit. I look through again and see her punch the wall. Thud.

What’s she doing?

She pushes off the wall and paces in front of the door. She then rests back against the wall and punches it again.

The guys’ door opposite ours flies open and Lucas’s head pops out. “Hey!”

Jessica glances over, her head lolling to the side. “What?”

“Get back to your room.” Lucas gestures down the hallway.

She spouts out a string of unsavory insults.

“Hey!” He points at her fiercely. “Just go. You’re freaking out my brothers.”

“Send out Isaiah.”

“No. He’s sleeping.”

She points at my room. “In there?”

Lucas steps out and shuts the door behind him. “No. You need to go or I’ll call security.”

She steps closer to him and runs her hand down his chest. “Lucas.”

He pushes her away. “No.”

“But I’m all alone in my room now.”

“I don’t care. Make a new friend.”

“How about, maybe, you?” She grabs his junk.

He grunts and shoves her back. “No.”

“Lucas.”

“No.” He knocks on the door to the guys’ room.

She grabs his butt. “Don’t let me sleep alone.”

He pushes her away, but she grabs his shirt. Is she drunk or completely stupid?

For some reason, I’m compelled to do something to help Lucas. Probably because I’ve lost my mind from lack of sleep. I unlock my door and open it. They both swing around and Jessica steps away from him.

“What’s going on?” I ask, rubbing my eyes, blinded by the corridor lights.

“Nothing. I got locked out,” Lucas says quickly.

Jessica smiles sweetly at me, except her heavy makeup has dried badly and the gesture makes her face look like it has cracked. “We were on a date.”

Yeah, she wishes.

“No, we weren’t.” Lucas glares at her.

“Can I smell alcohol?” I sniff.

Jessica’s face falls. “Well, I should be heading back to my room. Night.”

She hurries away, disappearing into the elevator at the end of the hallway.

Lucas sighs, slouching. “Thanks.” He turns and knocks again.

“I saw what happened,” I say, leaning against the doorframe. Despite her nastiness, I do feel sorry for her, and she’ll probably feel embarrassed in the morning. “She’s not coping well with Whitney leaving.”

He shakes his head as he jiggles the handle. “Isaiah got back an hour ago and crashed. They went out drinking and he said she whined the whole time about how unfair it is.” He knocks again. “Come on, guys.”

“I don’t think they’re going to answer.”

He grunts, lowering his fist. “Great.”

“Why don’t you…” Do I really want to invite him in?

He glances back at me. “It’s fine.”

“Our room is set up the same as yours. You can use the couch.” What am I saying? This is Lucas; the guy who loves to show me his cold shoulder.

He rubs his neck and knocks again. He waits for a moment, then slumps, glancing back at me. “Yeah, okay.”

I step aside and he slips by me into our room. I flick on the lamp, waking Clarissa.

She rubs her eyes, then gasps. “Lucas!”

“I got locked out,” he grumbles.

“So you came in here?”

He averts his gaze. “Mmm.”

I open the closet and pull out the spare pillows and blankets, hoping to avoid any kind of awkward and contentious conversation. All I want is sleep.

“Hailey, are you okay with this?” Clarissa asks in a high-pitched voice.

Nodding, I walk over to Lucas, offering him the bedding. “I told him to come in.”

Clarissa’s knees bounce under the blankets as her gaze darts to the door. “Isaiah will flip if he finds out.”

“Serves him right,” Lucas mumbles as he takes the blankets from me. “He wouldn’t let me back in. He probably told Levi and Arnie not to answer the door too.”

“It’s not like you haven’t done the same thing,” Clarissa mutters.

Lucas scowls at her. “I wanna go back to sleep.”

“Fine.” She pulls the blankets over her head.

Lucas turns toward the couch.

On the floor between the two beds, I notice one of my bras. My cheeks burn as I kick it under the nightstand, hoping Lucas didn’t notice. “Well…goodnight.”

“Yup.” He sinks onto the couch and covers his head.

I flick off the light.

My alarm tinkles at six like always. I slide out of bed as Clarissa rolls over. Half unconscious, I shower, humming to myself the song I’d soon be singing with Jeff. I grab my towel and dry, then realize I’ve forgotten to bring my bra with the rest of my clothes.

Wrapping the towel around myself, I dash out. Glancing around, I wonder where my bra has gone.

Something behind me moves. I tense as I remember Lucas. I swing around to see him with his back to me. Crap, crap, crap. I pluck out my bra and dash back into the bathroom.

After pulling on my underwear and jeans, I dig through my bathroom drawer for my eyeliner and mascara.

The door opens. “Oh sh—”

I scream.

Lucas stumbles back and hits the wall.

“Get out!” I yell.

His hands fly over his face. “I’m sorry! I thought you’d gone!”

Clarissa appears and shuts the bathroom door. She bursts out laughing.

I pound on the door. “Not funny.”

“It…is…” She collapses with a thud on the floor.

“I’m leaving,” Lucas says.

I pull on my shirt and hurry out of the bathroom. “Don’t bother. I have to go anyway.”

His face has turned bright red. He stares at me, wide-eyed. I can’t tell if he’s revolted or lost for words. Either way, I don’t want to find out.

I grab my bag as Clarissa continues to roll with laughter, and I open the door to leave.

Isaiah pauses his route from his room to ours. “What’s going on?”

Glancing behind me, I decide closing the door at that moment would be the best choice. I pull it shut. “Cartoons.”

“Clarissa doesn’t ever wake up this early.” His eyes narrow. “Lucas disappeared last night. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is?”

“I’m late.”

He glances at my room. “Let me walk you down.”

“Okay.” Whatever got him away from where Lucas had given me one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. As we walk, I let Isaiah drape his arm around my shoulders.

In the elevator, he moans. “I have a headache.”

“I’m not surprised, since you went out drinking,” I mumble.

He raises an eyebrow. “How did you know that?”

I clear my throat. “You do it all the time.”

“No, I don’t.”

I meet him dead in his dark brown eyes. “Yeah, you do.”

He purses his lips, unwrapping his arm from around me. “You’re pretty hard to impress.”

“I don’t like drunks.” I stare up at the descending floor numbers.

“Why?”

I let out a puff of air as I remain fixated. “My dad was a drunk and beat the crap out of my mom.”

Isaiah winces. “Oh.”

I shrug. “She got away. It seemed her self-preservation instincts kicked in the second he laid a hand on her daughter. I don’t really remember much else about him except that.”

“You talk about it so calmly.”

I manage to crack a grin and glance up at him. “It was a long time ago. I’ve moved on. Mom’s remarried. Life keeps moving.”

“Yeah.” His gaze shifts away from me. My revelation has unsettled him.

The door opens and I hurry out, not wanting to continue this uncomfortable conversation. He rushes after me and catches my arm. “Hailey, I’m sorry if…” He sighs. “I should cut back on the drinking.”

“Just about every night is a bit excessive,” I say, raising an eyebrow.

He grimaces. “Yeah, when you say it like that.”

“Look, I gotta go.” I hurry over to the self-serve breakfast table.

He grabs a white paper bag for me. “We’ll talk later, yeah?”

“Sure.” I drop a muffin in the bag and grab a plastic cup with orange juice. “Bye.”

“Bye.” He waves as I trot away.

 

***

 

I skip off the stage feeling like I aced my song. Martin grabs me and asks a few questions as I beam excitedly. He laughs at my jittery giggling and comments on how cute I am. Apparently, I’m acing the girl next door image as well.

When he lets me go, the act after me has almost finished. The Murphys are afterward, so I dash out to the backstage viewing area. As I arrive, Isaiah takes center stage, back to being the lead singer. The deep throbbing bass reverberates around the room as the lights flash on the stage like a nightclub. The chart-topper suits Isaiah as he sings and flirts with the crowd.

He points and winks at Drusilla, making her laugh and blush. The women in the audience fall all over themselves, squealing like sixties Beatles fanatics.

I turn my focus to Clarissa. With a grin and sparkles in her eyes, she looks like she’s enjoying herself, but as Lucas steps behind her, I catch him throwing her a raised eyebrow as his lips twitch downward. I doubt anyone else would notice, though, since Isaiah holds the spotlight. Lucas doesn’t like how Isaiah flirts with the audience, I know that, but can’t he see how it wins the crowd over?

“Hey, Hai.”

I glance over my shoulder as Jessica steps beside me. She folds her arms as she watches. “He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?”

“Isaiah?” I look up at the TV.

“Mmm-hmm. And he has the star personality too.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch her scrutinizing me. I don’t break my gaze from the screen.

“You like him, don’t you?” she asks.

I scoff, my stomach tightening. Could my ridiculous crush really be that obvious? “No. I have a boyfriend.”

“That never stopped anyone before.” She sighs, shaking her head. “It’s not like he’d pay attention to you anyway.” She steps in front of me, her arms crossed as she juts out her hip. “Look, you’re super sweet, so I feel like I should tell you what everyone else is saying. You’re not cut out for this. The way you hang off them is a joke.” She motions at the screen. “Isaiah tolerates you at best. You should quit before you humiliate yourself.”

I draw a sharp breath. “Excuse me?”

She strokes my arm, and I fight the urge to slap her away. “I’m sorry, Hails,” she says, her voice oozing with false sympathy, “but you’re not that good. I think they wanted to show that they let anyone on the show, hot or not, so they took pity on you. You’re their pity contestant. Every time you go out there, everyone laughs.”

I push her hand off me. “You’re just bitter.”

She pouts. “Oh no, Hail. I’m the only person here being honest with you. You won’t make the top ten. You should pull out before it comes to that.”

I glance around, my tears pushing to the surface. No one pays any attention to Jessica and me as they prepare for their own performances. Are other contestants really talking about me like that?

“Look at Isaiah—he’s gorgeous,” Jessica says softly. “All of the Murphys are. Underneath all this makeup and fancy new clothing, you’re still that drab, boring girl.”

“Shut up,” I snarl, gritting my teeth. Logically, I know what she’s doing, trying to manipulate me, but since these same thoughts swim below the surface in my mind, her efforts are working.

She smirks. “Hai, hon. I spend more time with Isaiah than you do. I spend more time with everyone than you do. You should just go back to school where you belong.”

I glare at her.

She flicks her hair back, her faux smile making me want to slap it right off.

“Hailey!” Clarissa’s arms wrap around me from behind. “Did you see us?”

Jessica’s smile turns cold, her gaze never breaking from mine.

“I saw,” I say, looking to Clarissa, but my heart aches. She wouldn’t say anything unkind about me, but she would keep the harshness from me. Strangely enough, that hurts.

“Isaiah was incredible!” Clarissa’s face glows.

Isaiah steps beside her, grinning at me. “I felt pretty good out there.”

“You owned the stage,” Jessica says, batting her eyelashes at him.

He winks at her. “Thanks, Jess.”

He told me he hates her, but he winked at her the same way he does me. I’m so confused. Could that mean his friendship with me is fake, just like with her? And what is he saying about me behind my back?

I pull away from Clarissa. “Excuse me.”

I rush to the empty change room. Tears stream down my face before I burst through the door. Pacing the room, sharp sobs burst out in spasms as I try to get some control over my emotions. Does Isaiah just humor me with his attention? I thought we were friends.

I sink onto the armchair and cry. Does everyone really talk about me like that? Do I go on national TV and humiliate myself? Am I a huge joke?

I wipe my nose with my sleeve. “I’m pulling out,” I whisper, staring at my blotchy cheeks and red eyes with mascara streaks in the mirror. “Tom said I’m wasting my time, I’m falling behind on my classes, and now…” I hang my head and sob.

The door clicks. My head snaps up as Lucas peeks through the cracked door.

Swiveling in the chair, I turn away. All I want is to be left alone. But he enters, closing the door without a sound behind him. He pulls up a chair to sit beside me.

I don’t look at him while I fight to control my emotions. He’s the last person I want to see me cry.

“Whatever Jessica said was a lie,” he says softly but firmly.

I bite my tongue as a surge of emotions rush up and threaten to break free.

He lets out a long breath, and his fingers dance beside my knee before closing them into fists. “I can guess what she said. She’s been spouting off about you getting through to this round instead of Whitney. Don’t listen to her. There will always be people who want to tear you down.”

I allow my hair to fall over my face as my head sinks lower.

He clears his throat and turns his chair so he’s facing me. His hands rest over my knees, warm and steady. “You’re the best out of all of us. I can’t believe you never…”

I sob. “I’m…are people saying I’m a joke?”

“No.” He lowers his head to try to make eye contact. “If she said that, it’s because you’re her biggest threat.”

I lift my head to see his eyes. “Why are you being nice to me?”

He leans back, his brows twitching. “I’m never mean to you.”

“No…but…” I lower my head again.

He pushes my hair back from my face. “Look at me.”

I glance up. His eyes reflect sorrow. He pities me. I drop my gaze to my hands, feeling more pathetic than ever.

“Hailey, next round we’re supposed to perform with another act. We want that to be you if we get through. All of us. From Lydia all the way up to me.” He brushes a tear from my cheek. “And I promise I won’t let Jessica come near you again.”

“You can’t promise that.” My voice quivers.

“I can.” He lifts my chin, making me look him in the eyes. “I can.”

I can’t look away. My heart flutters at the ferocity in his brown eyes.

“Hailey?” The sound of Isaiah’s voice causes me to flinch. “Really, Lucas?” Isaiah rushes into the room and stands behind me, leaning over. “You’re making her cry now?”

“No,” I say quickly, standing. I don’t want them to fight over something neither of them did. This was all on me for being such an idiot and letting Jessica get in my head.

Clarissa enters. “Hailey.” She glances between her brothers, then says in a commanding tone pointing to the corridor, “Out.”

Lucas launches to his feet, immediately obeying as much as I don’t want him to go. Something strange had passed between us. Like I saw a side of him I didn’t know was there. The side Clarissa kept telling me about.

Isaiah wraps his arm around my shoulders. “I wanna make sure she’s okay first.”

“I’m fine,” I say softly, hanging my head. For the first time, I wish Lucas stood by my side instead.

Clarissa points at Isaiah. “It’s your fault she’s crying. Jessica’s jealous and being cruel to her. Your games are going too far.”

Isaiah rubs my shoulder. “I’ll talk to Jess.”

“Yeah, you do that.” Clarissa glares at him as he leaves.

I rub my shoulders, trying to decipher my hurt and confusion. Jessica, Isaiah, Lucas. I had no idea what to think about any of them, or how to feel about their actions and what each said. All the conflicting messages make my head spin.

With her brothers gone, Clarissa turns her focus to me. She squeezes my arms and asks gently, “What do you need? Do you want to call your mom? Tom, maybe? Want a giant ice cream?”

I chuckle, relieved she’s unchanged from the girl I know. “Ice cream sounds good.”

“Got it.” She darts out of the room.

I sit back on the chair and fish my phone out of my bag for some kind of distraction. Tom sent me a text.

 

Tom: Amazing! Again! xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Murphys are called first during the eliminations. I watch as one by one performers make their way to stage right for the next round. Then, with only two places left, my name is called.

That night, I celebrate with the Murphys. We play card games in Kessa’s room until Lydia passes out, despite our noise.

When I wake in the morning, after only three hours of sleep, I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. My head pounds, and my eyes feel dry and puffy. My body protests with aches and pains as I climb out of bed and into the shower.

I hurry to the rehearsal venue. Jeff isn’t there when I arrive, so I hurry to drink my coffee and hide the bags under my eyes with my makeup.

“Hailey.” I swing around as Jeff enters with a woman. “I want you to meet my wife, Emily.”

She strides toward me, offering her hand. A slender woman in her late thirties, probably only a few years older than my mom, she wears her dark hair long and loose, and her hazel eyes sparkle. “It’s nice to meet you, Hailey.”

“You too.” I glance at Jeff, wondering if a meet and greet with his wife is normal for his contestants.

“My son Collin, came too. He’ll be a moment.” Jeff walks toward the piano. “You don’t mind practicing with them here, do you? If you’re uncomfortable, they can go. Collin starts school at nine anyway.”

“It’s okay.” I’m not going to be rude and send them away, even if their presence is unusual.

“All right. Let’s get started.”

I pull up a chair beside him and we discuss what we should do for my next performance. I explain that I agreed to perform with the Murphys and he nods his approval.

“If you could get Lucas to do lead, I’d love that.” Jeff brushes his fingers over the keyboard. “But he’s not the limelight sort. Pity, he’s probably the most talented out of all of them.”

“I can’t say I’ve heard him sing on his own,” I say.

“He’s good,” Jeff responds, glancing over at Emily. I follow his gaze and she smiles.

 “Did they tell you what they want to perform?” Jeff asks, turning his attention back to me.

I nod. “It’s musical night and they want to do a number from Hairspray.”

“I can work with that.”

We focus on technique and presentation, and I agree to return during the Murphys’ slot.

A thirteen-year-old boy walks to the room. He stares at me warily as Jeff waves him over. “This is Hailey Becker. Hailey, Collin watches and votes for you every week. He’s a fan.”

Having fans still feels weird, but I don’t want to disappoint the boy. “Hey, Collin.”

He has Jeff’s blue eyes, but his light brown hair I can’t place. Throwback, maybe? Here’s me going all biological and analyzing his genetics.

“Hey.” Collin hangs back, his gaze flitting all around me, but never meeting mine directly. “It was cool when you sang my dad’s song.”

Jeff nudges him with his elbow. “Well?”

“Well…” Collin digs into his backpack. “Sign my notebook?”

I can’t help grinning. My first autograph! “Okay.”

I sign, and Emily rests her hand on Collin’s shoulder. “Have you finished looking around?”

Collin nods as he takes his notepad from me with a sparkle in his eyes.

“We should get you to school.”

“Kay.” He smiles up at me. “I hope I can see you again sometime. One of my friends has a huge crush on you, and says if your boyfriend is real, then he wants to—”

“Thank you, Collin,” Jeff says loudly. “And her boyfriend is real.”

Emily squeezes Collin’s shoulder. “Come on. We need to pick up your brothers on the way.”

“Bye, Hailey.” He gives me a shy wave.

“Bye,” I respond.

Emily leans over and kisses my cheek. “Good luck. Jeff has never believed in a contestant so much, so you must have a great deal of potential.”

I touch over my heart. “Thank you.”

Jeff stands to kiss her. “Be safe. I love you.”

When they’ve gone, I say, “You have a nice family.”

“Thanks. I’m pretty fond of them.” He grins like a school boy. “Right, let’s get on with this.”

 

***

 

After practice with the Murphys, Clarissa and I sit in our room doing schoolwork when she says, “This week’s performances will be fun.”

I nod, not really listening as I mull over the question about theoretic DNA manipulation.

“Vanessa wanted to perform with you too, but we beat her out.”

“Mmm.”

“You’re not even listening to me.”

“Mmm.”

Clarissa giggles.

She jumps up and rushes to the door before my brain registers that someone knocked. She opens it, and Lucas stands there. “Can I come in?”

She glances over at me. I sigh. “I’m struggling to do this work anyway. Maybe a break will help.”

Lucas walks straight to me. He folds his arms, staring down at me. Leaning back, I rub my hands on my thighs, avoiding meeting his gaze. This is awkward. “Um…”

“We need to practice.”

“Ah…”

“Get up and come with me.”

I don’t hesitate to obey. My legs stand me up on their own accord, and I follow him out. He leads me into the hotel’s abandoned conference room. The maroon carpet draws out the darkness of the dimly lit space as we stride to the center of the room. There, he turns to me, relaxing his shoulders. “Okay, don’t take this the wrong way, but your presentation is still a bit stiff.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Ah…how exactly can I take that the wrong way? There’s only one way to understand that.”

He grabs my hand, pulling me into my first position for our performance with him standing behind me. “You’re tense. Relax.”

I scowl, trying to pull back. “You surprised me.”

“Let it go. Breathe.” He holds my hand tight as he inhales deeply.

I let out a long breath, closing my eyes. He lifts my hand, and finding no resistance, he lets out a low breath. “There you go. Stay relaxed.”

His free hand rests on my waist as his body presses against my back. Gasping, I tense. He holds onto my waist and wrist. “Relax, I said.”

“I don’t think—”

“I’m going to guide you through the dance moves.”

“Oh.” I completely misread that one. Then again, why on earth would I have read him being so close any other way in the first place? Lucas has made it perfectly clear he has absolutely no interest in me romantically.

“I’m going to do Isaiah’s part,” he says softly. “Make sure you sing while we do this. I’m going to stop you when I see something wrong.”

I nod.

He starts singing, and I can’t move. Jeff wasn’t kidding when he said Lucas has the talent. His voice mesmerizes me. His baritone is so rich and so pure. How does the rest of his family let him get away with not taking solos?

Lucas nudges me, staring at me while I hesitate, standing like a moron doing nothing. I shake it off, forcing myself into action.

We run through the song, stopping and working on places he thinks need polishing. He’s never touched me so much, and it sends me into a strange buzz. He has so much talent, but he keeps it quiet, using it to let his family shine. Why have I never noticed?

We finish the song with him pulling me into his arms. I’d done the move with Isaiah earlier, but as my eyes meet Lucas’s, my heart skips a beat. Our last note rings around us as I stare into his eyes, breathless.

His arms tighten around my waist. “You ended well.”

“Thank you,” I say airily.

He lets go, stepping back. “You do an amazing job at capturing the emotion of the song in your voice, but your face and movements don’t seem to connect quite as much. You should focus on that. Practice in front of a mirror.”

“Okay.”

He turns away. “I think if you get that down, you’ll be the best act this round.”

“We will be,” I correct, my heart now racing.

“Yes, we all will.”

I take a deep breath to compose myself as he keeps his back to me. “Did you want to run through it again? I felt like during the bridge I—”

“No, I think you’re fine for now.” He turns to me, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Just practice what I said, and we’ll work out anything else later this week if you’re still having issues.”

“Okay.”

He steps toward me and offers his elbow. “How’s…ah…how are your classes going?”

My eyes narrow as I rest my hand on his elbow. “Are you being social with me?”

“I’ve always been social with you.” He leads me toward the doorway to the lobby, pushing the door open for us.

“No, not really.” I blink, my eyes needing to adjust at the sunlight flooding through the windows.

“Mmm. I guess I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable since the rest of my family seems to do that just fine.”

I crack a grin. “They’re not that bad.”

“If you say so.”

Looking at him from the corner of my eye, I catch him smiling. I nudge him as we walk along the corridor toward the elevator. “I do. I really like Clarissa.”

He glances at me. “So do I. But you have to admit, she does make things awkward at times.”

My grin turns into a smirk. “Okay, yes.”

He chuckles.

Feeling like he’d let down a wall between us, I lean against his shoulder. “You’re nice when you don’t have a rod shoved up your ass.”

“Excuse me?” His eyebrows shoot up as he looks down at me.

“You heard me.”

“I’m always nice.”

I tilt my head with a raised eyebrow.

“Hmm.” He looks ahead. “If that’s the case…”

With a sharp jab, he pushes me into a pylon. He laughs.

“Jerk.” I scowl at him, rubbing my arm.

He shrugs. “I’m not a nice person.”

I shove his shoulder and grab his arm again. We continue to the elevators, when something flashes. By the glass doors from the drop-off bay, a photographer darts behind the corner to avoid me seeing him.

I push away from Lucas. “Crap.”

“What?”

I dig into my pocket. “Photographer. I need to call Tom.”

He cranes his neck. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

He steps back from me. “I’m sorry.” He hurries to the elevator, leaving me fumbling to call Tom and explain the photo before it goes viral.

 

***

 

The night before the performances, I dream about Lucas…erotically. It makes walking out on the stage with him awkward as the passionate images of him replay in my head. With rumors about us in a relationship flying after a picture of us arm in arm circulated, the dream makes sense. But walking behind him and eyeing his shoulders makes me blush.

Performing beside Isaiah feels exciting. He has such an intense energy, and the females in the crowd scream at every sexy thing he does. Then, as the song comes to an end, he leans in and smacks a kiss against my lips. I gasp and pull back, which makes the crowd go wild. It fits with the act, but also with the personas the show has developed for us. The flirtatious charmer and the innocent girl next door. Too cute. Too sweet. I would gag if I was watching.

The judges sing our praises before we head off.

In the rehearsal rooms, Vanessa joins us, while I can’t help noticing Jessica hovering nearby. I nudge Isaiah. “I think someone wants to talk to you.”

Isaiah leans against my shoulder. “We’ve already talked.”

I frown, feeling bad for Jessica despite her bullying. She’s obviously into Isaiah, but now he’s blowing her off. I meet Clarissa’s gaze and motion with my eyes for her to look over. Clarissa glances across and sighs. She shuffles toward Jessica, but Jessica scoots away.

The next night, the Murphys and I are called for the next round together. But Vanessa won’t be continuing on. Although I haven’t spent a ton of time with her, I do feel saddened. Clarissa and I hug her before she leaves.

“The whole thing is rigged anyway,” she says softly while we help her pack up in her change room. “I’m willing to bet Jessica will win.”

“No way,” Clarissa responds. “I think Jessica will go home in the next round. She’s not reaching the standard everyone else is achieving.”

Vanessa raises her eyebrows at me. I avoid eye contact. They couldn’t rig these rounds when the votes decide. Being eliminated must have really hurt her.

After Vanessa leaves the venue, Clarissa and I head to our dressing room to pack. I finish before Clarissa and wait in the corridor. Leaning against the wall, I shut my eyes, relaxing for a few moments. I can’t believe how far I’ve come. Top seven! I never thought that could be possible.

“Hey, Hailey.”

I open my eyes and smile at Isaiah. “Hey.”

“Tired?”

“Yeah.”

He runs his fingers through my hair. “We’ll head out soon. I’m just going to find Jeff. I need to talk to him real quick.”

“Okay.” I yawn.

He disappears around the corner.

I shut my eyes, resting my head back against the wall again. Someone approaches and rests their hand beside my head, leaning over me.

“Isai—”

“Hailey.”

My eyes shoot open. Steven stands with his face barely inches from mine. His other arm presses against the wall, pinning me in. I claw at the wall. “What are you doing?”

“You’re smoking hot.” He leans in closer, while I can only push back harder into the wall. “And a terrible tease.”

“I haven’t done anything—”

“Are you sleeping with both the Murphy boys? Or…” He smirks. “Clarissa too?”

I slap his chest. “Get away from me.”

“Now, now, sweetheart.” He brushes his knuckles across my cheek. “I’m not asking for much. You could go a long way. Do you want to win?”

I look into his eyes, too frightened to answer.

“I can make sure you win. You have the talent. You just need…the hookups.”

“No.”

“No? It’s not hard. Actually, it is.” He shifts on the spot, reinforcing his implications.

“Get away from me,” I say in a low growl.

“Hailey.” He presses his body against mine, and I can feel what he means by hard. “You want to win. I know you do. You’ve fought every step of the way. If you do this, you are guaranteed to win.”

Revolted, I shake my head. “No. It doesn’t work like that. It’s on votes.”

He sneers. “No, it’s not.”

I gasp. Vanessa was onto something. The whole comp is rigged, by Steven. If I do what he wants, I will continue on, but if I reject him, I’ll be out. It doesn’t matter what voters want. “But…”

“But what?” He strokes my neck.

“You…there’s a team of people running the show,” I say, desperate to find some reason, or an escape.

“I am the primary ‘stockholder.’ I own the show. If the people who tally the votes want to get paid, they do what I say.”

I chew my lip. I don’t want to do it. Not with him. I want to win through my own merit. “I can’t.”

“Hailey, think about what you’re saying.” He strokes my collarbone.

I meet his gaze, my chin quivering as I stand my ground. “I won’t.”

His hand pulls away from me as his light brown eyes go cold. “You have until next week to change your mind.”

“Steven!” Jeff pulls Steven’s arm away from me. Never in my life have I been more relieved to see anyone, ever. “She’s off limits.”

Steven steps back, his eyebrows shooting up. “She’s what?”

Jeff’s grip on Steven’s wrist tightens as he speaks slowly. “I said she’s off limits.”

Steven’s lip curls. “Why?”

“Why?” Jeff crossed his arms and stands his full height, giving him almost a whole head over Steven. “Because I’m about ready to spill on this show, screw being sued. I’ll get the best lawyers in the country.”

Steven scoffs. “Over her?”

Jeff’s eyes narrow. “Yes.”

Steven presses his hands against his hips, puffing out his chest. “Watch it, Jeff. You’re not the superstar you used to be.”

Steven marches away. I can’t move, even when he turns the corner out of sight. I can’t believe what just happened. Sex in exchange for the prize? No. I had to be dreaming.

Jeff looks at me, concern in his eyes. “Hailey.”

His voice makes reality sink in. Steven wanted to have sex with me. He wanted to use me, my hopes and dreams to get off. I throw my arms around Jeff’s waist, tears forming in my eyes. “Jeff, I’m out. I’m done. I was so afraid. I couldn’t…I just couldn’t.”

His hand rests on my head. “I know. I’m leaving at the end of the season. I can’t bear it anymore.”

I take several quivering breaths before I ask weakly, “How long?”

“This is the third season.”

“The last two seasons had female winners…” I look up at him. “I know you wanted me to win. But I couldn’t.”

“I know. I made you look wholesome for a reason.” He clasps my chin. “I’ll make sure things turn out for you. You don’t need this farce of a show.”

“I should just go home now,” I whisper.

He shakes his head. “We’re going to make you go out with a bang. He’ll regret this when everyone sees how amazing you are next week. When you get eliminated, questions will arise.”

That’s it—why he favors me. I’m his way out, his way to expose Steven. He knew I had the abilities, the talent, the support, but that I’d refuse Steven’s advances. He’d lined up everything for a checkmate, and I’d been his pawn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I play it cool. I don’t even tell Clarissa I’ll be going. She doesn’t need to know. Steven won’t hit on her because she isn’t quite eighteen yet. He wouldn’t risk everything on jailbait. She could enjoy the experience of the show.

Jeff pulls out a song about empowerment. We work hard, making it shine. The words resonate with me, reinforcing that I’ve made the right choice.

Near the end of my last practice, he sat me down, facing me. “Hailey, let’s chat.”

“It may be the last chance we have,” I say.

He shakes his head. “No. You’ll be back for finals. They always bring the top ten back for the finals.” He rests his hands over mine. “I need to tell you what you need to do.”

I nod.

“I know who Steven has set his eyes on, and she’ll go for it without hesitation. But you need to outperform everyone tomorrow night. This song will stick it to him and leave a sour taste. You must leave right away. Be packed and ready to go.”

“But Clarissa—”

“Tell her I’ve given you permission to see your boyfriend, or go sit an exam, or something like that. You must disappear quickly to raise suspicion after being eliminated after such an incredible performance. Over the next few weeks, lay low. People will start asking questions. When you come back for the final, keep a low profile again until the night. People will want to talk to you, but ignore them.

“I’ll be running the group performance. As you know, it’s after the finalists’ performances while they’re ‘counting the votes.’ I’m going to make you lead singer. I want you to learn this.” He hands me a score and a USB stick. “I wrote and recorded it in my studio, for you.”

I flick through the pages. “Oh my gosh.”

“You like that?”

“You screwed us over, you made us believe, then you went ahead and crushed our dreams. Harsh.”

“But true. The final performances are all live, so the producers won’t pull it. They’re going to think we’re doing something else, but last minute, I’ll switch it.”

I look into his eyes. “I’m…I’m not sure if I can.”

He nods, squeezing my hands. “I won’t make you do anything you’re not comfortable with. If you can’t do this, I’ll work something else out.”

“Wait.” I examine the score. “It’s a duet?”

He nods. “I’m going to sing with you.”

“Wow, really?” I grin. “You haven’t performed in years.”

He shrugs. “No better time to get back on the horse.”

“What will happen?”

He grasps my hands tightly. “I’m going to protect you, but we’re going to get our asses sued.”

 

***

 

I tap on the hotel room door. Levi answers, grinning. “Hey, Hailey.”

“Hey, I need to talk to Lucas.”

“Will I do?” Isaiah appears, leaning against the door without his shirt. Mmm…Don’t check him out, Hailey.

“I need some help with my performance,” I say, locking my gaze on Isaiah’s face.

“I can help.” He pushes Levi out of the way.

“Actually, no offense, but Lucas knows what he’s doing.”

Isaiah rests his hand over his heart. “I am offended.”

“Isaiah…” I roll my eyes. “You’re a great singer and performer, but he’s good with the technical stuff.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that.” He leans against the doorframe, giving me the once over with a playful spark in his eyes. “How about we hang out afterward?”

“Maybe.” Maybe not. Please put a shirt on.

He grins, touching my chin. “Excellent. You’ve been so busy this week I’ve hardly seen you.”

“I’m feeling the pressure.”

He leans closer, his voice becoming heavy, “I can relieve it for you.”

“Isaiah!” Lucas marches through the door that joins the boys’ room to Kessa and Lydia’s.

“What?” Isaiah slumps, rolling his head to look back at Lucas. “I meant going out for dinner or something. Chill.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Lucas brushes by him, blocking him from me. “Levi said you needed me.”

“I need help with my performance,” I say, glad he arrived when he did. The last thing I need is Isaiah clouding my judgment after what had gone down with Steven.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

As I turn, Lucas’s hand rests on the small of my back. His touch sends a chill through me.

In the conference room, Lucas and I run through my performance. At the end, he holds up his hands. “It looks fantastic. What are you worried about?”

I sigh, wanting to get to what really plagues me. I want to tell someone, and he seems to be the only person who’d understand. “I…I…”

“What?” He steps closer, his voice gentle and caring.

I gaze up through my lashes into his eyes. “I can trust you, right?”

He nods. “What is it? You’ve been quiet all week.”

“You noticed?” I ask with a wince.

“Yeah.” He grasps my shoulders. “What is it?”

I chew my lip, no longer able to look him in the eyes. “Swear you won’t tell anyone.”

He hesitates. “Okay.”

I nod, staring at my feet. “After elimination night, Steven found me and wanted me to…to…”

His grip tightens. “What?”

“Jeff says for the last few seasons, he’s traded sexual favors for the winning place.”

Lucas tenses. “What?”

“Steven wanted me to…but I couldn’t.” My emotions—the ones I’ve kept bottled up this whole time—surface. Tears stream down my face. My body trembles. I look up into his eyes, my throat aching as I speak. “I’m going home this week because I wouldn’t. I want to tell Clarissa, but I can’t ruin all this for her. I won’t get to say goodbye because Jeff said my song and a rapid departure after the elimination will raise questions.”

Lucas swears under his breath. “I knew something was going on.” He clasps my face, his eyes igniting with ferocity. “Clarissa. Has he done anything to Clarissa?”

I shake my head. “She’s underage. He’s not completely stupid. Jeff says he has his eyes set on someone who will go for it.”

Lucas’s jaw tightens. “You did the right thing. We’ll leave with you tomorrow night. When you’re eliminated, we’ll walk out with you.”

“No.” I grasp his wrist. “You keep going. You’re amazing. The further you go, the more likely you are to get a recording deal.”

“Not like this.” He clenches his jaw.

“It’ll be okay. Keep going. For me.”

He searches my eyes. “For you we will give the slut Steven chose a run for her money. For you, we will perform so well everyone will wonder what’s going on.”

I gaze up at him, in awe of his zeal. “Lucas?”

“Yes?”

His brown eyes captivate me, giving me the comfort I so desperately need. “Why didn’t you let me be your friend sooner?”

His hands fall from my face. “I don’t know.”

I sigh, my fingers twitching to grasp his. “It doesn’t matter. Thanks for letting me unload on you. It’s been an awful week carrying that around.”

“I can’t believe Steven would do that.” He purses his lips. “Actually, I can.”

“Don’t tell anyone. Please.”

He nods. “I swear. But I will promise you that he won’t come near you again, and I’ll keep Clarissa safe when you’re gone.”

I smile. “Thanks, Lucas.”

 

***

 

With a deep breath, I take the stage. Jeff gives me a nod when our eyes meet. The performers before me hadn’t been at their best, so if I perform well, our plan will work brilliantly.

The music begins, and I start my performance. I watch Steven as he stares at me, his arms folded, a hint of a scowl turning his lips down. With my white lacey dress and my hair framing my face with gold, he has to know this song is just for him. I look pure, wholesome, and radiant.

At the end, I stare Steven down. He leans back, hatred twisting his face. Yep, he gets it.

Jeff launches to his feet with a standing ovation. Lance and Drusilla immediately do the same, followed by the audience. I grin like an idiot and give a quick curtsy.

“Hailey!” Lance exclaims into his mic. “Amazing, breathtaking! Yet again you’ve blown us away.”

“Thank you,” I respond with a giggle.

“You’re a force to be reckoned with this round.”

I giggle, but glance at Steven who remains sitting. He leans forward to speak into the mic. “There were a few places you were off, and your presentation was sloppy—”

The audience boos.

“But,” he says, raising his hands, “you did well. Thank you.” He motions for me to leave.

Backstage, Isaiah meets me, grinning. “Good job, as usual.”

“Aren’t you up soon?” I ask, my heart still racing from the insane tension.

“Yeah, I just snuck around to congratulate you. We didn’t get to go out last night, so I thought tonight we’d grab a bite after the show.”

I need to pack, but I can’t tell him that. I’m planning to pack while Clarissa sleeps so she doesn’t notice. “I’m pretty tired.”

He frowns. “Hailey, I feel like you’ve been blowing me off.”

“No. I’m…” I stare up into his pleading eyes. “I’m concerned about being seen together and Tom thinking the worst.”

His frown deepens. “You’re still with him?”

“Yes.” I rest my hand on my hip. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You haven’t talked about him much lately.”

“I haven’t seen him much lately. One phone call and a few texts every day doesn’t exactly make for great conversation.” I shake my head. “I’m glad it’s almost over so I can get back and repair our relationship.”

“You know, I’ve wanted to say this for a while but…” He leans forward, lowering his voice. “You can do better than him.”

I step back. “You don’t even know him.”

He shrugs. “I know enough to know you’re too good for him.” His fingers toy with mine. “Let’s just—”

I pull my hand away. “I’m not a cheater.”

He folds his arms. “Then dump him.”

“No.” I chew my lip. “Look, you’re great, but I can’t. Not like this. My relationship with him is more than some whim. We’re talking about getting married. I can’t just—”

“Okay.” He pouts. “I get it. I have to go.”

“Break a leg.”

He smirks. “After your performance, I need that.”

 

***

 

Clarissa clutches my hand like always. But Lucas took the spot on my other side. His shoulder presses against mine, and he gives me a knowing look. I smile, grateful he understands.

They are called to continue, and I’m left standing there. My stomach ties in knots, and I glance at Steven while Drusilla calls the names. He stares right at me, a cocky smirk dancing across his face. No cameras point at him, so he can stare as much as he wants.

“The last contestant to continue is…” Drusilla scans the three of us standing there. Her eyes linger on me for a moment longer, then she calls, “Jason Long.”

Even though I knew it was coming, I still feel a sinking sensation. Clarissa stares over at me, her jaw hanging open. I avert my eyes and look at Lucas instead. He nods, his eyes full of sympathy, but also respect.

I turn to head off stage and someone calls, “Hailey! You’re number one for me!”

I look toward the audience and see the crowd standing, banners flying with my name.

“We love you, Hailey!”

“Hailey!”

“Hailey!”

My name turns into a chant. I can’t move. I just stand there, stunned. The cameras turn to me. I smile and lift my hand in a wave. The audience roars. I giggle, then glance toward the judges. Steven scowls, Drusilla is in tears, and Lance scans the crowd with his mouth gaping open. But Jeff…he nods and motions for me to leave. Yes, I have to split.

I hurry off the stage and straight to the dressing room. My bag is already packed, so I snatch it up and run out the back door. The credits haven’t even started to roll as I climb into the cab.

Back at the hotel, I shove the last of my things into my suitcase and rush downstairs.

“Hailey!” The Murphys burst through the entrance to the lobby, blocking me. Clarissa grabs my bag. “You can’t just leave!”

“I have to.” I glance at Lucas for help.

“Let her go,” he says, grasping Clarissa by the shoulders.

“But…but no!” She throws her arms around me. “No! You were supposed to go all the way to the final with us! You and me, all the way.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, squeezing her. “But I have to go.”

“But how did you get a flight so fast?” She pulls back and looks into my eyes.

“I have to go.”

“Hailey?”

Lucas pulls her back. “Let her go.”

“No.” She struggles to push him off.

“I have to go,” I say again, plucking up my suitcase again.

Isaiah’s eyes narrow on me. “Something strange is going on.”

“Bye.” I kiss Kessa’s cheek. “You guys are amazing. I’ll see you at the finals.”

Without looking back, I rush out the door into the first cab waiting.

“Hailey.” Isaiah pulls the door open. “What’s going on?”

My heartbeat quickens as I scan for any onlooking cameras. “I was eliminated.”

His knuckles turn white as his grip tightens on the metal. “But why the rush?”

I bite my lip. “I need to get home, that’s all.”

“Hailey.” He leans down, moving in to kiss me.

I push him back. “You know I can’t.” I pull the door shut and open the window. “Goodbye.”

He straightens, grabbing his hair as the cab drives away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I arrive home just after midnight. My heart is heavy as I drag my bag from my car to the apartment. My phone buzzes. Clarissa again. With a sigh, I push the apartment door open.

“Don’t move!”

I scream and drop my suitcase.

“Hailey!” Lauren lowers her gun, her dark brown hair everywhere. “You scared me half to death! Wait, you were barely…it’s only been a few hours. Man, you must have hightailed it out of there.”

“There was no point sticking around.” I clutch my chest. “A gun?”

“I thought you were someone trying to break in to rape and murder me.” She unloads the gun, her spaghetti strap falling from her bony shoulder.

“Really?” I shut and lock the door.

“It’s not exactly a safe haven in this neighborhood.”

“True.” I drag my belongings toward my bedroom.

“Are things okay between you and Tom?” she asks, following me but stopping at my doorway.

“Yeah, why?”

She shrugs, folding her arms as she leans against the wooden frame. “You just came back so quick, that’s all. And it’s been a while.”

“Yeah,” I say on a sigh.

She yawns, the complete opposite of the murderous woman I arrived home to only moments before. “All right, I’m going back to bed. Too bad about the elimination. I thought you had it in the bag.”

I watch her go. She doesn’t realize how I could have had it. But trading my self-respect wasn’t an option.

I sleep late the next morning, not rising until eleven. I try calling Tom, but he never answers and I don’t want to leave a voicemail. He has classes and work, so I decide to surprise him that evening.

Around five, I head over to his apartment. I feel nervous and a little giddy. Weeks have passed since I last saw him. I decide against telling him about the reasons behind my elimination. He’d freak out and prevent me from going back for the finals.

As I park my car, I spot Anthony climbing out of his own sedan. I honk and he glances across. Tilting his head, he takes a moment to recognize me, then waves.

I hurry over to meet him. “Hey.”

“Did you get eliminated?” He offers me his elbow as we walk toward the apartment.

“Haven’t seen the episode yet, huh?”

“Nope. Busy day.” He pats the laptop bag slung over his shoulder. “Classes then a long shift at work. I was supposed to work for another hour, but they let me off early.”

“Lucky.”

“It was quiet.” He tilts his head toward the door. “You got back quick. Tom should be home. I’ll let you in.”

We walk to the door. He pulls his keys out. “TV’s on. He’s here.”

My stomach fills with butterflies. I don’t know how to feel or how Tom will react.

Anthony pushes the door open and steps in. I follow, and Tom’s head shoots up from the other side of the couch. “Anth…Hailey!”

Anthony shoves me out the door. I turn and see Karen’s head appear under Tom right before Anthony slams the door shut in my face. “You backstabbing prick!”

“Hailey!” Tom’s voice resounds.

I back away from the apartment door, feeling sick. This couldn’t be happening. I’d been so faithful, fought off all of Isaiah’s advances…

“Don’t you dare go out there!” Anthony yells. “You dirty cheats!”

“Hailey!”

The sounds of a tussle ensue, and a moment later, Anthony bursts out the door, pulling it shut behind him. He grabs my arm firmly, but not harshly, and pulls me away. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Every inch of me trembles. “What…what…”

“Don’t ask.”

The tears come, forcing themselves out as my heart crushes under the weight of betrayal. “I was…I tried…”

“I know you did. I’ll take you home.”

“I can…”

“You can’t drive like this. I’ll get a cab back.”

“But you…”

“I’m kicking him out. Don’t worry about me.”

“Hailey!” Tom’s voice slices into my heart like knives.

Anthony pulls me closer, speeding up our gait.

“Anthony, don’t you keep her away from me!” Tom yells.

Anthony gives him the finger and continues onward. “Where’d you park?” he asks gently.

I point, words eluding me, and he alters our course.

“Hailey, let me talk to you.” Tom appears beside me, shirtless. I shudder. He’s not wearing a shirt because…because…my breathing becomes ragged. My vision blurs. The pain prevents any of my senses to work or my thoughts to function.

“Go pack your things, Tom. You’re leaving tonight,” Anthony snarls. “And make sure Karen knows she can’t come back as well.”

“Hailey, please.” Tom grabs my elbow. I flinch away, images of those hands just touching Karen making me almost vomit right on him. I should.

“Hailey.”

We reach my car and Anthony opens the door for me on the passenger’s side. Tom swings me around to face him. His touch draws a yelp from my lips, but he grips me tighter. “Hailey, let me talk. I can’t lose you. You know you’re everything to me.”

Anthony punches him across the jaw. Tom stumbles back into the car parked beside mine, making the alarm go off. Anthony stands like a raging bull between Tom and me, his chest rising and falling. “Get in.”

I shoot into the car and he shuts the door. Tom rubs his cheek, then his gaze falls on me. He rushes at the car. I hit the lock. He pulls at the handle. “Hailey. Hailey, please.”

Anthony slides into the driver’s side and I hand him the keys. I can’t be here any longer. “Please, go. Fast.”

Anthony starts the car and we speed out of the parking lot.

We drive in silence. I can’t get a grasp on my feelings, so I stare out the window, shocked. How could Tom do that? After everything I’d done, how much I’d resisted…Pain sears my heart, making me wince.

“Hailey?”

I glance at Anthony. “I…can’t believe…”

He frowns. “I know.”

“How are you not losing it?”

He shrugs. “I need to get you home first, then, oh, then he’s going to get it.”

“And Karen?”

He purses his lips. “Karen? Dead to me.”

I wipe the tears from my cheeks. “I’m going to call my mom.”

He nods.

I pull out my phone and call. “Mom?”

“Sweetheart, you sound terrible.” Her familiar voice tugs at my heart.

“Mom.” I sob uncontrollably.

After a long silence, Mom says with a crack in her voice, “Hailey, talk, please.”

Anthony grabs the phone from me. “Mrs. Gomez? Anthony, Tom’s roommate. You need to head to Hailey’s.”

Mom says something, but I can’t make it out.

“No, I don’t think it’s that. She needs you, that’s all.” Pause. “Okay.” He looks at me. “She wants to talk to you.”

I take the phone. “Mom?”

“Sweetie, I’m on my way. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I…Mom…” I can’t stop crying.

“I’m on my way. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She hangs up. I hug my phone, since it’s the closest thing to hugging her. This has to be the worst twenty-four hours of my life.

At my apartment, Anthony walks me to my door. He unlocks and opens it for me. “Do you want me to stay until your mom gets here?” he says softly. His level of kindness in light of what’s happened blows me away.

“No, but thank you.” I shake my head. “I don’t think I can even look at him again.”

“Don’t worry about anything. I’ll take care of it.” He grasps my arm and places a kiss on my temple. “Get some rest.”

He pulls the apartment door shut and I shuffle to my room. Collapsing on my bed, I bury my face in the pillows and cry my eyes out. I didn’t know I could hurt so much. My head feels swollen from all the emotions, throbbing like a sledge hammer is pounding on the inside of my skull. I need someone. I can’t be alone. I need a friend. I need…I need…I grasp my phone. “Answer, Clarissa.”

“Hailey!” Her bright voice sends a tingle down my spine. “Long time, no see! Couldn’t live without me, huh?”

“Tom cheated.”

A long silence follows. I stare down at my lap at my frayed jeans and worn flip-flops. How far have I fallen in just a day? This time yesterday I wore a beautiful dress, dolled up to the nines, ready to perform to thousands, no, millions of people. Now, I sit on my bed with tears rolling down my cheeks as a woman scorned.

“Hailey…” Clarissa says softly. “Hailey, I’m…I don’t know what to say.”

“Tell me I’ll be okay.” My voice comes out choked.

“You’ll be okay.”

“Tell me I made the right choice.”

“If you dumped his ass, then yeah, you made the right choice!” Her sympathetic tone changes in a flash to pure indignation. “I should go out there and kick his butt. Where’s Lucas? He’ll help me. Hang on.”

Panic hits me. “No, Clarissa! Don’t—”

“Lucas?”

“What?” he answers her.

“Come with me.”

“Clarissa!” I yell, about to hang up the phone. They sound like they’re walking, then a click sounds of a door shutting.

“What is it?” Lucas asks.

“Hailey’s deadbeat boyfriend cheated on her!”

I slap my forehead, mortified she’d drag him into this.

“He what?” Lucas sounds just as indignant as Clarissa. “She’s on the phone?”

“Yeah. Talk to her.”

“No!” I say. “Clarissa!”

“Hey, Hailey.”

My stomach somersaults at the sound of Lucas’s voice on the line. “Hey.”

“What happened?”

I hesitate for a second but answer, “I went to see him and he…” I break down in tears again, the flashes of memories too raw.

“Hailey, listen to me,” Lucas says in a calm voice. “Please don’t cry. Don’t waste your tears on him.”

“You know what I went through,” I sob. “You know what I did for him.”

“No, you did that for yourself.”

I stop crying abruptly. “What?”

“That wasn’t about him. You wouldn’t have been able to live with yourself, relationship or not. I think you know that.”

“Yeah,” I whisper, my hands trembling.

He sighs. “You deserve better than this.”

Clarissa’s voice rings out. “Tell her we’ll—”

“Clarissa,” he says firmly.

“Give me my phone back.” Her voice suddenly sounds clearer. “When we get back, you and me, we’re going to have a girls’ night and deface all your photos of him. Then, we’ll egg his place, key his car—”

“Clarissa!” Lucas snatches the phone back. “Hailey, don’t do any of the things she just said. Just forget him. He doesn’t deserve your time or energy.”

A deep ache swells in my throat, preventing me from speaking.

“Everything will be okay.”

I burst into sobs again.

“Hailey, please don’t cry,” he whispers, his voice tense.

The doorbell to my apartment rings. I snap my head up to face toward it. “My mom’s here.”

“Good,” Lucas says, his voice steady again. “She’ll look out for you.”

“Give me the phone.” Clarissa had to snatch it back because her voice grows louder again. “Hailey, we’re here for you. We love you.”

“Thank, Clarissa.” I smile. Her friendship is exactly what I need right now. “I gotta go.”

“Call me in the morning, okay?”

The doorbell rings again. “Okay. Bye.”

I toss my phone on the bed and hurry to answer the door.

As I pull it open, a male voice says, “Hailey.” I gasp and try to shut it again, but Tom catches it. “Hailey, please! Let me talk to you.”

“No!” I practically scream, all the pain Lucas and Clarissa had eased returning with a vengeance.

“Hailey!” Tom pushes the door open and wraps his arm around my waist. I lash out, hitting him to make him let me go, but he squeezes tighter. “Don’t do this. Please, please let me talk to you. I’m an idiot. I’ll do anything.”

Again, I sob uncontrollably. All fight dissolves out of me and I go limp. I can’t stand him touching me, but I hurt too much to force him away.

He swears and brushes my hair back from my face. “Hailey, I know I did this, and I’m so sorry.” He pushes me toward the living room and shuts the door.

“I don’t want you here,” I say between sobs.

“I know, I deserve this, but I can’t lose you.”

“Please, just go.”

“I won’t.” He clasps my face. “I want to marry you. You have to understand. Let me talk to you.”

I don’t have the strength to fight, so I motion at the couch. He leads me over and sits me beside him. “Hailey, I’ve missed you so much.”

I scoff, rubbing my eyes.

“I have.” He clings to my hands. “It was an accident.”

“Yeah, you just fell out of your clothes and into her.”

He punches the couch. “Come on, Hailey! You’ve been gone for weeks! Months! I had a moment of weakness.”

“So this is my fault?” I ask shrilly.

“No…” He growls. “But I’m only human. It was a mistake. A huge mistake. You know you’re the one for me.”

“You’re such a hypocrite,” I whisper, the ache in my throat making it hard to speak. “You get all possessive and crazy when I talk to another guy, and then you do this. Never once did I allow anything to tempt me, and then you…”

He clasps my face. “You’re the better person, no one can argue that.”

I push his hands away. “Stop touching me.”

His brows lower, knotting together. “You’re my girlfriend, Hailey, but that was just sex. Nothing more. Do you realize how frustrating it was when you wouldn’t put out? I was dating this cute little thing, and you were a frigid prissy. It made me crazy. And when you finally did put out, you complained about it hurting, or you just wanted it to be over, and then when you finally got over all that, you go off with those Murphys and I just know something was going on there—”

“Nothing happened with the Murphys!” I yell.

“There were enough pictures of you with them!” he yells back.

“They’re my friends. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Uh-huh. Just friends. I saw the way you looked at that one. What’s his name?”

I point at his face. “Shut up. Don’t you dare make this my fault.”

We glare at each other. Then something clicks in my brain. He said I frustrated him when I wouldn’t sleep with him. “How many times, Tom?”

“That was it.” He purses his lips. Then he does the one thing that always tells me he’s lying. His thumb strokes the base of my thumb while his hand tightens. He does that when he’s done something he knows I’ll be upset about.

I pull my hands free of him. “It’s been going on for months!”

His eyes widen. “I just told you that was the only time.”

“I think I’m going to be sick.” I jump up and hurry to the bathroom.

“Hailey.” He follows, preventing me from closing the door. “Let me fix this.”

I kneel over the toilet as my stomach clenches.

“Hailey.” He kneels beside me, touching my hair.

I push him away.

“We can work this out.”

“Do you even love me?” I whisper.

“Of course I do!” He rests his hand on my back.

I glare up at him. “Then say it.”

His eyes widen as his jaw wags. “I say it all the time.”

I shove his shoulder. “Just say it!”

“I want to marry you! Doesn’t that say enough?”

The bile burns in my throat. He doesn’t love me. Bending over the toilet, I throw up.

“Hailey!” He wraps his arms around my shoulders.

I cough and spit out the last of the bile. “Get away from me! Get out!”

“I’ll wait out here for you to freshen up.” He leaves me alone in the bathroom.

I curl up over the toilet and sob. My heart feels like it’s been torn from my chest, the pain excruciating. How could I have fallen for whatever he was doing? How long had he been sleeping with Karen as well? I want to talk to Anthony, ask him what he knows, but I stupidly left my phone on my bed.

Forcing myself to my feet, I peek out the door. Tom stands staring out the window in the living room. I shudder. He looks creepy to me now. All tall and dark-haired. Like that stupid Slender Man urban myth. Ugh. Silently, I slip out and dart unnoticed to my bedroom. My phone lies on my bed, so I snatch it up. I hurriedly type a text to Anthony.

 

Me: Tom’s here. Did you talk to Karen at all?

 

It only takes a moment for him to respond.

 

Anthony: That’s where he went! Karen begged me to forgive her.

 

Me: Tom’s working at that now.

 

Anthony: Don’t let him. I’m looking into it, but I think they’ve been cheating for months. Karen said something about Christmas. Get him out. Where’s your mom?

 

I wonder the same thing.

 

Me: Thanks, Anthony.

 

The doorbell rings, then a click sounds. “Hailey?”

I swing around. Mom.

“Hi, Tom. What’s going on? She called me and was very distraught.”

No, don’t talk to Tom!

“I think she’s upset about being eliminated,” he answers.

Oh no he didn’t! I see red and march out. “Get out, right now!”

He raises his hands. “Hailey, calm down.”

“Calm down?” He’s kidding, right? I stomp my foot. “You need to leave. Right now.”

He grabs my shoulders. “Stop it!”

I flick his hands off me. “We’re over.”

Mom gasps from behind him.

“No,” he says firmly.

“No?” I shove his chest. “Since Christmas. Christmas! When I didn’t feel ready to give myself as your ‘Christmas present’ at Vic’s party, you went off and screwed her instead?”

His eyes darken as his grip tightens. “Now you’re just getting crazy.”

“Crazy?” I push him, trying to get him away from me. “You cheated! For months!”

His chest rises and falls rapidly. “It’s not like you didn’t cheat on that show!”

I meet his gaze, dead in the eyes. “I never once cheated. Ever.”

“Shut up, liar!” He grabs my hair by the roots. I let out a squeal as he yanks me toward him. “Stop it right now!” he snarls in my face. “We’re going to work this out and get married. Whatever has gotten you so crazy is going to end this second! I knew that show would be bad for you.”

“Tom?”

Tom looks over his shoulder in time to see Mom slug him. He releases me, but I lurch forward from the impact of Mom’s blow. Mom catches me and pulls me behind her. “Get out!”

Tom touches his nose, blood coming off on his hand. “What the hell?”

“No one touches my daughter like that.” Pure venom fills her voice. She points at him, her blonde, gray-streaked hair poking out from the messy ponytail. “No one.”

Tom wipes his nose again, looking at the blood. “This isn’t over, Hailey. We’re not over.”

“Yes, we are,” I respond, shaking from his assault.

He sniffs as his nose gushes. “We’re getting married.”

My lips quiver, but I speak steadily. “No way. Ever.”

He shakes his head. “We will.”

He walks out without looking back.

Mom locks the door. When she turns to face me, I barely have a second to register before she throws her arms around me. “Hailey! Sit down.”

She leads me to the couch, where I cry in her arms for about half an hour. Her embrace calms me, bringing my tears to a soft sniffle and completely extinguishing my anger. But the pain remains.

“How could he do that?” I whisper.

She sighs. “I don’t know.”

“I never cheated on him, even though I know everyone was saying I did with the Murphys. It was never like that with them.”

“I know.”

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

I lift my head to look into her sweet, familiar face. “I feel like such an idiot.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Her light brown eyes search mine. “You’re not an idiot. He tricked you and lied to you. I fell for it too, and I know better.”

I rest my head on her shoulder. “Did the show change me?”

“Maybe,” she says.

“I hope it did,” I respond. “Despite some of the things that happened, I had a great time. The Murphys are incredible. I can’t wait for you to meet them. And Jeff, Mom, you’d love him. I hope you can meet him someday too.”

“That would be nice.” She strokes my back.

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

I pull back to look into her eyes again. “I wish I could have won. It was such a buzz to hear people calling my name.” I close my eyes, remembering the crowd, the cheering, the buzz in the air, the energy that filled the building…

“Hailey, you don’t want that life.” She touches my cheek, and I open my eyes. She wears a deep scowl as she carefully takes in my features, touching my chin. “Being famous makes you give up too much. I see these young women being exploited, having to use their bodies instead of their talents to sell, and I don’t want that to be you. I’m so glad your honesty shone through on that stage, but I’m afraid if you do it for too long, you’ll be forced to sacrifice things you love more than anything else.”

She strokes my cheek. “Finish your degree, sweetie. Settle down and be happy. Fame is fickle, and fans only love you when you’re a puppet.”

I let out a long breath. “I know. Believe me, I know. I’ll finish school, there’s no doubt about that, but if something comes up…” I shrug. “I’ll be careful. I love performing and I’m good. I’m really good. I was Jeff’s favorite. He wanted me to succeed. He helped me so much because he believed in me. I feel…I feel…” I grasp at my heart. “Liberated.”

Her chin quivers as her eyes fill with tears. “Sweetheart.”

I sigh. “But I’ll be realistic. I was eliminated before the top five. It’s rare for an artist who wins to last longer than a year, but someone who gets knocked out before the top five has next to no chance.”

She smiles sympathetically.

I huff, slumping. “What an awful twenty-four hours, and I don’t think it’s over.” I rub my chest over my heart. “I didn’t know I could hurt like this.”

“It’s called a broken heart,” she says gently. “It’s the worst feeling in the world.”

“When will it go away?”

A tear runs down her cheek. “When you’re ready to love again. But the scars will always linger, and when you think of him, it will hurt. But when you love again, and love someone who loves you back, he will soothe the pain and make you forget again.”

“I hope so.”

She grasps my hand. “I’ll stay the night.”

“What about the boys?” I whisper.

She waves her hand. “Their father can deal with them.”

“Mom…” I sit up straighter. “After you left Dad, did you expect to ever be able to love again?”

She pauses, pain filling her eyes. “I had you, so I never stopped loving.”

That’s a good answer.

She pulls me to my feet, leading me to my bed. She holds me in her arms, stroking my hair like she did when I was a little girl. “I’m so proud of you, Hailey.”

I smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The smell of eggs cooking drags me out of my sleep. I roll over and find Mom gone. I sit up, glancing around.

“Hailey.” Lauren pokes her head into my bedroom. “Your mom is cooking breakfast. I love her.”

Relieved, I smile. “She’s pretty awesome.”

“Quick. I’m hungry.”

She dashes away as I climb out of bed. I never changed out of my jeans, so I pull them off, trading them for soft cotton shorts.

Mom smiles as I enter the living area. “Morning. Feeling any better?”

“I feel like I have a hangover,” I grumble, rubbing my throbbing head.

“You cried a lot last night.”

“I did?” I sink onto a chair by the dining table.

She nods. “In your sleep.”

I let out a long breath. “This is so messed up.”

She sets a plate in front of me. “Who’s Lucas?”

I flinch. “What?”

“Lucas. Wait, isn’t he one of those Murphys?”

I glance at her sideways. “Why?”

She shrugs. “You asked for him a few times.”

“I did?” Why don’t I remember this?

“Yes. You weren’t making much sense, but you did ask for him several times. You said to just go across the hall and bring him to you.”

My cheeks grow hot. I hadn’t told her about the layout with hotel rooms, so I must have said that in my sleep. “He helped me a lot. He’s probably my best friend right now.”

She pulls out her phone, searching for something. Then she sets it in front of me. “He’s this one, right?”

The picture is of Lucas and me, my arm through his as we grin at each other. “That’s him,” I respond, dazed by how disjointed from reality the picture seems now that I’m home. “It’s weird seeing these out here. We mostly stayed away from them.”

I stare at Lucas’s image. He’s gorgeous, broad-shouldered, brown skinned, dark-haired, and has a wide smile. And that smile is aimed at me, right beside him. I slide the phone away. Most of the time I was certain Lucas humored me for Clarissa. But near the end there, I’d felt close to him. He’d become more than Clarissa’s brother.

Mom serves the egg and bacon breakfast, and Lauren scoots in beside me. “Enough for three?”

“Enough for eight. I always overdo it,” Mom replies.

“It’s because you’re used to feeding boys now,” I say. “Those two are bottomless pits.”

“It’s their father who eats everything in the house.”

I giggle.

She sits beside me and we tuck in.

The doorbell rings. I tense, staring at Mom. “Go check.”

She grasps my wrist. “We’ll just ignore it.”

“I’ll check.” Lauren launches to her feet. “If it’s Tom, I wanna have a piece of him.”

She dashes to the door and looks through the peephole. She pulls back and glances at me as she unlocks the door. “It’s not Tom.”

“Let me in.” Clarissa shoves by Lauren and jumps on me, almost knocking me out of the chair. “Hailey! We came as fast as we could. Are you okay? What happened? You have to tell me everything. Oh, I’m so going to make him pay.”

“Can I come in?” Lucas asks softly from just outside.

Clarissa straightens. “Just get in here.”

Lauren gestures for him to enter, her eyes wide as she watches him. As he passes her, she checks out his butt. I fight back a smirk.

Mom taps my knee. I glance at her, and her eyes flick toward my legs. Remembering they’re bare, I pull them under the table. These are the shortest shorts I own! I hope he doesn’t make me stand.

“I hope we’re not interrupting?” he says, looking from me to Mom.

She smiles. “We’re just having breakfast. I recognize you from the show.” She gestures at Clarissa. “Clarissa and Lucas Murphy.”

“That’s us.” Clarissa pushes onto my lap, forcing my chair backward. Lucas’s gaze darts to my legs. Heat grows in my cheeks as I adjust Clarissa so her jean-clad legs cover my exposed pair.

Lucas clears his throat. “Jeff let us come out to check on you.”

“We told him what happened,” Clarissa says, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “He said you need friends after the elimination and going home to find that. We only have today and tomorrow, and we have to be careful no one sees us because we’re not supposed to leave, but he said he’d cover for us.”

“That was very nice of him,” Mom says.

“You must be Hailey’s mom.” Lucas offers his hand to her.

“Yes.” She takes it, eyeing him over. I recognize that look from her; she thinks he’s trying to make a move on me. But I’m not in the right place to even consider the possibility right now.

“Yes,” I say quickly. “Clarissa, Lucas—my mom, Iris. Mom—Clarissa and Lucas.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Clarissa smiles. “Wow, you are young, and I can see why Hailey is so pretty.”

Lucas rolls his eyes, but only I seem to notice.

“Thank you,” Mom responds.

“If you were sixteen when you had Hailey, you must be only thirty-six now.”

“Clarissa,” Lucas says sternly.

“What?” Clarissa bats her wide eyes. “She’s really young.”

Mom and I make eye contact as she raises an eyebrow. Plenty of people had commented on her youth compared to me over the years, but rarely did I talk about it. She must be surprised I told Clarissa, and wonders how much I told her.

“Clarissa can be very upfront,” I say.

“I can see.”

Pounding on the door makes us all start. Mom shoots to her feet in front of me. “Tom.”

Clarissa’s arms tighten around me.

“Open up!” Tom yells. “I saw him go in there.”

Lucas rushes at the door, flinging it open. He doesn’t say anything as Tom glares at him. Tom folds his arms, taking a step back. “Get away from my girlfriend.”

“What?” Lucas stands with his hands on his hips. “Your girlfriend? If you treat a woman like that, you don’t get to say she’s yours.”

Lauren stifles a snicker.

“You swooped in pretty fast,” Tom says in a growl.

“So did you.” Lucas glances toward the parking lot. “Did you camp out in your car?”

“Creeper,” Clarissa whispers.

Tom points at Lucas’s face. “This is your fault. If you hadn’t moved in on her—”

“Tom, leave,” I say. “You cheated.”

His gaze flashes to me, his jaw clenching. “We’re going to work this out.”

Lucas scoffs and slams the door in his face. As Tom bangs on the door, Lucas turns to me. “Let’s go somewhere else where he isn’t.”

Lauren smiles at me and thumbs at Lucas. “I like this guy.”

“You should have punched his lights out!” Clarissa yells, jumping to her feet and raising her fists.

“Clarissa.” Lucas shakes his head.

“If he keeps on like that, security will come,” Mom says, nodding toward the door just before Tom stops banging. She looks back to me. “Go clean up, sweetie. Let your friends distract you today. I’ll come back this evening if you like?”

I shake my head. “It’s okay. I need to stand on my own two feet. But thank you for being here last night.”

“Of course.” She squeezes my hand. “Anything for you, baby.”

As I stand, Lucas’s gaze falls on my bare legs. Right at that moment, I regret changing out of my jeans into the shorts. I fly into my room, grabbing my clothes to shower.

 

***

 

After all the glamorous and fashionable outfits I’d worn while on the show, my old jeans and shirts seem so drab. I’ve become vain. I glare at myself in the mirror. “You idiot.”

But I grab my eyeliner anyway. The thought of Lucas seeing me less than…Stop it, Hailey.

I finish my makeup and head out to the living room. Clarissa wraps her arm through mine as Mom says goodbye. We all leave the apartment together.

“Where are we going?” I ask as I climb into the passenger side of Lucas’s light blue Honda Civic.

“His place,” Clarissa answers. “His roommates are a blast.”

Lucas grins. “She has a great big crush on one of them—Taylor.”

Her cheeks flush. “No, I don’t.”

“Yeah, you do.”

“Shut up.”

He chuckles.

“I won’t say anything,” I say with a smirk and mime zipping my lips.

“There’s nothing to say.” She slouches back, crosses her arms, and pouts.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Lucas smirking. Typical brother.

Lucas’s apartment complex is surprisingly close to mine. Closer than Tom’s place. I can’t believe how close Lucas and I have lived and I’d never met him. We had to have crossed paths many times but never realized. His apartment block has new paint, freshly manicured grounds, and a communal pool, making the community nicer than mine, and gated. He parks his car, and as we climb out, music drifts from a nearby building. Of course, musicians.

“What do you study?” I ask, having never actually found out.

“Bachelor of Music,” Lucas answers.

“Of course, like you’d be doing anything else.”

As we climb the stairs, his hand rests on the small of my back. I stop breathing. What am I doing? He always touches me like that. That’s a friendship touch.

When he opens the door, the music explodes out, making me flinch back. Clarissa giggles and pushes me forward. Inside, three guys appear from three different rooms.

“Lucas!” one says, stepping out. “What are you doing here?”

One of the guys disappears back into a room and the music dims.

“Hailey’s had a rough homecoming,” Lucas answers.

“Hailey!” The guy grins at me, offering his hand. “Nice job. Shame about the elimination. I swear, everyone around here was voting for you and these guys. Support the locals, you know? And, by the way, where on earth have you been hiding? We could have used that voice for Fame last year.”

“This is Taylor,” Lucas says to me, motioning at the guy.

“Oh yeah, I’m Taylor.” He shakes my hand. “Seriously, we posted audition notices everywhere. How did you not notice?”

“I’m not comfortable with acting,” I say.

“We could have worked on that!” He grabs my arm and pulls me through the apartment to a bedroom. Two beds sit on opposite walls, and a closet hangs open. He pulls me to a desk and shoves a pile of clothes off the chair. “Look at these girls. This is what we had to deal with. Below par singing. If the singing is bad, no one cares how amazing the acting is or isn’t.”

He pulls up a video of the university’s production of Fame and plays it. “It’s not even like it’s difficult musically, not like Les Mis or something like that.” He pauses the video. “Actually, you could pull off Cossette.”

I lean back. “Ahh…”

“Taylor, you’re freaking her out.” Lucas’s hands rest on my shoulders.

“She needs to be in the next musical.” Taylor raises his finger as he talks to Lucas. “With you directing and her singing, we might finally end up pleasing that snarky Hannah Price.”

“Nothing will ever please her. She’s paid to dish out negative reviews.” Lucas squeezes my shoulders as he changes the subject for me. “Grand tour. My room. Taylor has trashed it. Across the hall, bathroom. At the end, Kent and Shawn’s room. That’s it.”

Clarissa stands between Lucas and Taylor. “Hailey’s pretty awesome,” she says, looking up at Taylor. “We’re best friends now.”

“Hey, that’s cool.” He playfully punches her shoulder. “You’ll do musicals next year, right? You are coming here?”

“Oh yeah.” She grins. “I got a scholarship. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”

“Good job, kid.”

She frowns as he leans over the computer again. Our eyes meet and she huffs. She got “kid” zoned. Ouch.

“So, anyone using the auditorium today?” Lucas asks.

“Not that I know of. Hailey, look at this. This girl—”

Lucas pulls me to my feet and out the door. The other two guys greet us and we chat for a few minutes. When Taylor comes out, Clarissa hovers, but he’s more interested in convincing me to do musicals than engaging with her.

Finally, Lucas says, “Taylor, why don’t you show Clarissa your composition piece?”

Clarissa’s face lights up.

“Ah…Hailey might—”

“Hailey’s hungry, aren’t you?”

I meet Lucas’s gaze as he raises an eyebrow. I get his hint. “Yeah, starved.”

Taylor leans toward me. “We can all go—”

“We’ll be back in a few.” Lucas motions for me to leave.

We hurry to the car as Taylor calls out a few last pleas for me to audition for the next musical.

“Taylor got a bit intense there,” Lucas says as we climb into his vehicle.

I chuckle. “I thought he might write a musical around me for a moment.”

Lucas rolls his eyes. “Don’t give him ideas, please.”

“So…” I watch him as he backs the car out. “You’re going to stay involved in musicals?”

“Yeah, my graduation has been set back from the show. I’ll have to finish in the fall. So, I figure I might as well keep doing them until then.”

“Chances are you’ll get a recording contract since you made top five.”

“All the more reason for me to finish my degree,” he says, putting the car in drive. “I’ll need to look out for my whole family, so it’s crucial I understand as much as I can of the business side of things so they aren’t exploited.”

“Wow.” I stare at him. “You take the big brother gig very seriously.”

“With Dad gone, I just…you know.” He shrugs, his face falling.

“Yeah.”

He sighs. “I don’t blame myself, you know. For his death. Isaiah and Clarissa think so, but I don’t. I just miss him, and Mom dumped a lot on me responsibility-wise for a while. She still does, just not quite as much since she’s coping better now.”

I smile at him, finding new respect for him. I can’t even imagine what he went through, suddenly being held to the role of the foundation for their family. All his younger brothers and sisters looking up to him, his mother turning to him for strength during her grief. I could picture them all doing precisely that, because, if I’m being honest with myself, I saw them doing it during the show. Lucas had never been intentionally cold to me, but rather, preoccupied with looking out for his family.

He side-eyes me as I stare. “What?”

My grin widens. “You’re a good one.”

He shakes his head as a blush blossoms in his cheeks. “I’m just trying to keep your mind off…you know.”

Pain shoots through my heart as I remember Tom’s betrayal. “Yeah. It was working. Keep going.”

He chats away, talking about his schoolwork mostly. I’ve never heard him talk so much, but I listen intently, engrossing myself in his stories so I won’t think of Tom. A part of me wonders if maybe he enjoys my company because I’m someone who isn’t completely dependent on him. I’m someone who he can talk to freely without needing to show only strength. He’s seen my vulnerable side, so he felt safe showing me a part of his.

We pull up on campus in the auditorium parking lot, then we head around the back to a staff room to be let in. He rushes me through the dimly lit backstage area and out onto the stage. He stands me in the center and backs away.

“Why do I feel like you’re going to murder me or something?” I ask as he disappears in the darkness.

“Murdering is so messy,” he responds with a chuckle.

The spotlight blares down on me. I raise my arm to shield my eyes, and his silhouette moves across the third row of seats. “There you go. You look perfect right there.”

“What?” I lower my arm, my eyes adjusting.

“You shouldn’t have been eliminated,” he says, leaning against the chair in front of him. “At first, maybe, you seemed afraid of the spotlight, but now…it’s like you were born to stand right there, like that.”

“Lucas, I don’t think I could be a performer.” I slump. “I’m not…”

“Not what?”

I sigh as I run my hand through my hair. I like that my hair is blonde now, rather than drab light brown, but aside from that…“I’m not cut out for that kind of life.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m not…I’m…”

Stepping over the steep incline, he climbs over the seats toward the stage. “You can make ‘that life’ anything you want it to be. You don’t let people push you around.”

I hang my head. “I do.”

“No.” He climbs up the stairs to the stage right. “If you did, you would’ve let Tom get away with what he did.”

I take a sharp breath as my emotions surface, catching as a lump in my throat. “He cheated on me.”

“Hailey.” Lucas’s hand rests on my cheek.

“He cheated on me!” I burst into tears and grab at his t-shirt. “Why wasn’t I enough?”

“That’s not the problem.”

“He cheated on me. How could this happen?”

“Sometimes we don’t do anything, but people hurt us anyway.” His thumbs brush my tears away. “I know how you feel. About a year ago, my girlfriend cheated on me. I couldn’t work out what I’d done wrong, but the truth was, I’d done nothing. She made the choice, and I deserved better than that. It hurt, but I knew there’d be someone out there who would love me so much they could never do that to me. I’ve held onto that hope, and you should too, because you do deserve better than to be treated that way.”

I rest my head on his shoulder as I sob. His arms wrap around me, the fingers of his right hand tangling into my hair. “Let it out, Hailey, then you can let it go.”

His arm around my waist holds me tight, and although my whole body feels weak, I’m secure. Crying in his arms relieves so much pain. His fingers running through my hair soothe me; his warm breath on my temple and ear ease my sorrow.

As my crying subsides, he pushes my hair back from my ear. “We should sing.”

“I can’t sing like this.” I chuckle.

“Of course you can.” He eases me back to look into my eyes. “Okay, maybe some tissues first.”

I laugh.

He grins. “Give me one second.” He dashes into the wings and brings back a box of tissues. I laugh again as I pluck out a few. When I wipe away the tears and snot, it’s like I’m beginning to remove the pain, even just a little. It’s amazing what a good cry can do, especially when someone like Lucas is around to help me through. When I’m done, he slides the box across the stage out of the way.

He takes my hand and pulls me against him to dance. “What shall we sing?”

“Something happy,” I respond, sniffing.

He starts singing “It’s a Small World.”

I slap his chest. “Ugh. Happy, not obnoxious.”

He laughs and pulls me closer. “How about “So Close,” you know, from the movie Enchanted?”

“That’s not a duet.”

“Well, you’re still kinda gross from crying.”

I scowl at him.

He chuckles. “Let me sing to you.”

I nod. His singing is a special treat. He doesn’t do it for just anyone, even if he is incredible, so I won’t deny myself the pleasure.

He sings softly, leading me in a slow waltz. I close my eyes, remembering the lessons with Levi about trust—letting him lead, relaxing. I certainly trust Lucas. What he’d told me, about his girlfriend cheating, told me that he understands me and what I need. So, I let him lead me, guiding my heart away from my pain as I listen to his smooth, rich voice.

He spins me, and I stumble from the surprise. He catches me, wrapping his arms around me as I giggle. Smiling, he continues singing, leaving my inability to dance as a twinkle in his eye. As the song comes to an end, he holds me close, my gaze meeting his. His voice enchants me. I press against him. His hand lifts and caresses my face as he sings the last note.

He leans in. My heart races as my breath quickens. Is he going to kiss me? I want him to, to my complete surprise. But he pulls back. I feel like he’s sucked the air out of my lungs. My skin tingles where his hands had caressed it.

“How was that?” he asks, his hands falling to his sides.

I watch him as he walks toward the wing. “That was…”

He glances back at me as he grabs the tissue box.

Something holds me back from mentioning our almost kiss. Maybe I had just imagined it, since I’m such a mess right now anyway. “You need to take lead solo sometime.”

He grins. “Most pop stuff is written for tenors.”

“Lucas.” I press my hand against my hip. “You know you could do it better than Isaiah.”

He flashes me a fierce look before he flicks off the lights. “He loves the attention.”

What was that about? “Lucas—”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” In the darkness, his hand wraps around mine. “We better stop for food on the way back.”

“I can’t believe you left Clarissa with Taylor,” I say as he gently tugs my hand, knowing pressing the Isaiah issue won’t end well. “Aren’t you afraid something might happen with them?”

He scoffs. “No.”

“Why? Is he gay?”

“No.”

“Okay,” I say slowly as we pass through the backstage area. “You know Clarissa is a cute girl, right?”

“Exactly. He’s a cub.”

“Oh…” I hesitate as I realize what he means. “Wow, didn’t see that coming.”

We enter the corridor. I blink to adjust my eyes to the light, then we step outside. A wind has kicked up while we were in the auditorium, so Lucas pulls me close to him to shield me from it.

We approach Lucas’s car and he stops. Tom stands leaning against his own vehicle parked a few spaces away.

“Is he stalking you?” Lucas asks, the hint of anger in his voice unmistakable.

“It kind of seems like.”

“Stay here.” Lucas cautiously moves forward with his hands raised.

Tom pushes off from the car, his arms crossed over his chest. “You were in there for a while.”

“I was cheering her up,” Lucas responds darkly.

Tom glares at me. “I bet you were.”

Lucas steps in his line of vision, using his broad shoulders as a barrier between us. “Don’t you think you’ve hurt her enough?”

Tom shoves him. “Everything was fine until you and your family came along and filled her head with this Popstar insanity.” He points at me. “You promised that show wouldn’t change anything between us. But it did. We’ve both made mistakes, but I’ll forgive you for him if you are willing to do the same.”

“Nothing has happened between me and Lucas,” I say with a trembling voice. “Please, just go.”

“No! I know what I did wrong. Hailey, I love you.”

Tom’s words feel like an ice dagger plunging through my heart. I shut my eyes as tears threaten to return. “Don’t.”

“You’re making it worse,” Lucas says.

Tom swings on him, his eyes ablaze. He raises his fist. “Shut up!”

“Lucas!” I call, panicked.

But Lucas’s hand flies up and he catches Tom’s fist. He shoves Tom back. “I don’t want to fight you.”

“You stole my girlfriend!” Tom regains his footing, pointing at Lucas.

“You drove her away all on your own.” Lucas folds his arms, puffing out his chest. “If you’d heard the way she fought to stay loyal to you while on that show, you’d be groveling at her feet for forgiveness. You’re disgusting.”

Tom bares his teeth and swings again. My heart races but I can’t move to stop them. With my head spinning, I can’t think straight. Lucas dodges Tom’s attempt to punch him, grabs his arm, and pulls it up behind his back. He pushes Tom up against his car and holds him down. “Stop.”

“She’s mine!”

“No, she’s not.”

“Hailey! It was a mistake! Please!”

I shuffle over, wrapping my arms around myself. “The problem is, Tom, it wasn’t just a one-off, or because you missed me,” I say softly, weakly. “You were doing it for months, while telling me how we would get married. I might be able to eventually forgive you, but if I were to continue a relationship with you and get married, I’d never forgive myself.”

His eyes grow wide. “Hailey.”

“It’s over. I can’t even look at you without my heart breaking.”

His brows furrow as his chin quivers. “I screwed up.”

“Yeah, and I won’t live with the consequences. I’m done.”

I brush by and climb into Lucas’s car. In the mirror, I watch Lucas let Tom go with a shove. Tom backs away, his hand in his hair. He stares at our vehicle as Lucas hurries around and climbs into the driver’s seat.

Lucas starts the car and looks at me. I nod, seeing the concern in his eyes. I’m shaken up, but as long as we get away, I’ll survive. Lucas drops the gear stick into reverse, then squeezes my knee.

As we drive away, I watch Tom as he bends over and cries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guys Lucas lives with spend the afternoon entertaining me. They’re the perfect distraction as Kent plays guitar—classical to hard rock—Shawn plays every single brass instrument, and Taylor and Lucas mix and compose. The pair clash over arrangements, bickering like boys about things I feel like I should understand about music, but don’t.

Clarissa sits beside me, watching the guys with a wide smile. “They put on a good show, huh?”

I lean closer to her to speak in a low voice. “Yeah. How on earth do the neighbors tolerate this?”

“They don’t have anyone in the adjacent apartments. They all asked to be moved.”

“No wonder they’re kind of out in the far reaches of the complex.”

“Yeah, they asked for that.” She pats my knee. “So, I’m not allowed to crash here. Is it okay if I stay with you tonight?”

“Sure.”

She grins. “Girls’ night! What are we going to do? I’m thinking eighties flicks, hit up the candy aisle, a giant bag of popcorn, then pass out on the floor.”

I chuckle. “Sounds good.”

“Hailey!” Taylor bellows.

I glare across at him for the rude interruption. “What?”

“We’re going out tonight.” He motions between me and him.

“Um…” I glance at Clarissa who has stopped breathing.

“Lucas needs to be brought down a peg,” Taylor says, shoving Lucas’s shoulder. “That show you guys were on has made him a jerk.”

Clarissa lets out her breath.

“Clarissa’s too young for karaoke bars, if that’s what you’re thinking,” I say.

“Ah crap.” He slumps. “All right. We’ll go to the arcade.”

“I’m not five,” Clarissa responds.

“Miniature golfing?” he asks, raising his eyebrows for approval.

Clarissa smiles. “Better.”

Taylor points at Lucas. “You’re going down.”

Within minutes we’re packed in Lucas’s car, after a fight about Taylor not sitting up front and Lucas saying that Taylor needs to learn to be a gentleman.

We arrive at the miniature golf course and the guys pay, at Lucas’s insistence. Clarissa and I hang back as Lucas and Taylor argue over the first few holes. We watch the pair, and as Taylor swings his club around wildly, Clarissa says, “Guys are weird.”

“Yup.” I keep my gaze locked firmly on that club in case it flies out of Taylor’s hands.

“Why are they arguing?”

“No idea.”

“Why are we here while they’re arguing?”

“Again, no idea.”

“Let’s play through.”

“Okay.”

We play right through their argument, and two holes later, they realize we’ve moved on. They stop arguing after that.

While Lucas helps Clarissa line up a difficult shot, Taylor leans against me. “So, you said on the show you have a boyfriend.”

I frown. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“He wasn’t real?”

“No, he was. I guess.”

“Ohh, is that why they came back while everything is still going? Bad luck, kid.” He gives my shoulder a gentle nudge. “I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation, Lucas knows how that feels.”

“Yeah, he said his girlfriend cheated.”

“Yeah, it was awful. I wanted to deck him for what he did to Lucas. Who does that really?”

Him? Does Lucas know the guy who his girlfriend cheated with? “Who?”

He looks down at me, frowning. “Oh, he didn’t go into details.” He folds his arms. “I guess since it’s fresh for you, that makes sense.”

Clarissa cheers and jumps up and down.

“You’re up,” Taylor says. He walks over to join Lucas and Clarissa, while I’m left wondering who could intentionally hurt Lucas.

 

***

 

When I emerge from my bedroom with a yawn, Clarissa still lies unconscious on the couch. Careful to not wake her, I shower and have breakfast.

My phone buzzes as I munch on my bowl of cereal. I open the text from Lucas.

 

Lucas: I’m outside. Is Clarissa awake?

 

I tiptoe to the door and quietly open it. He grins and glances around me. “Sleeping?”

“Yeah,” I answer in a whisper.

“Quick, we only have a few hours.” He grabs my wrist and yanks me out the door.

He takes me on campus and helps me sort out my classwork and do some catch-up. His understanding of biology consists of one plus one makes a baby, but I don’t mind. His company keeps me on track and thinking about what I’m supposed to. As we move to leave the library, someone calls my name. I glance around, seeing no one I know, but then I hear it again.

“Hailey!” Karen appears as we pass out of the library into the corridor. “We need to talk.”

With her blonde tangles tied back in a messy ponytail, and her skin red and blotchy, I hardly recognize her. Her typical tight jeans and low-cut shirt are exchanged for baggy sweats and a tee, all of which are a far cry from her usual perfectly kept appearance. And it occurs to me—Lucas said he saw Tom with a blonde around Christmas. It hadn’t been Tom’s ex, because Tom and I were together by then, but rather, him sneaking around with Karen.

Lucas grabs my elbow as we approach. My heart races, but she doesn’t seem to notice Lucas as she comes right at me. “Go back to Tom. It was my fault.”

I keep walking, directing Lucas around her.

“He’s a mess without you,” she says, following us. The thought of Tom talking to her about it makes my blood boil.

“Hailey, please.”

I glance at Lucas. He nods and speeds up our pace.

She keeps up. “You have to understand. Anthony was always busy, and you wouldn’t—”

I throw a glare back at her.

“He needs you back,” she says desperately.

My eyes sting as tears surface.

Lucas’s arm wraps around my waist. “Please don’t cry. Let’s get you out of here.”

Karen shoves my shoulder. “You were just waiting for an excuse to dump him, weren’t you? When did this start?”

People have their phones out now as we march down the hallway, filming us go by. Just what I need. So much for laying low. I don’t know how much more of this my heart can take.

“Tom won’t see me until you go back to him. Anthony kicked him out. Don’t you think you’ve punished him enough?”

I stop. Punishment? No, these are consequences of his choices, not mine. Taking a deep breath, I turn to face her. “Since Christmas, Karen. You’ve been cheating since Christmas. That was months ago. Months. You both lied to us for months. I never lied. Lucas is just a friend, always has been.”

I glance at the camera phones pointing at me. I need to be careful with what I say because it will probably end up on the internet. “I’m not a cheater, and I won’t tolerate being cheated on, by anyone.” I meet Karen’s eyes. “Tell him I may have been a pushover a few months ago, but I know better now. Even though it hurts, I’m going to move on.”

I turn away and she yells, “That show made you self-centered. Think about him.”

I clench my fists. “He does enough thinking about Tom for both of us. It’s time someone thought about me.”

I march on. Lucas’s hand rests on my shoulder. With a quick glance, he gives me a small, proud smile. Lucas’s support fills me with warmth and gives me the strength to keep walking.

“Hailey!” Karen yells from behind us, but I’m done. So done.

Back in Lucas’s car, I finally allow my tears to fall. They roll down my cheeks as my body goes numb. When will this torture end?

Lucas squeezes my knee. “You were very brave.”

“Thanks,” I say weakly. I don’t feel brave.

“I don’t have much time left, but…” He starts the engine. “Let me show you something.”

I nod. After that scene, any kind of escape will do.

He drives us to a park with a large pond. Geese and ducks compete for the bread a young family tosses into the water, and trees make a canopy over the path around the water. Lucas takes my hand as we stroll.

I cry again while he guides me along the quiet path. He doesn’t say anything, but his presence is all I need until finally I can speak. “It hurts so much.”

“I know.” His thumb strokes the back of my hand.

“How did you let it go?”

“Time, mostly.” He squeezes my hand. “It wasn’t easy. With Tom kicking up such a fight, it’ll be harder for you. My ex accepted my decision and left me alone.”

“Who was she?”

A long silence falls before he finally answers. “The lead in the musical. I still see her a lot, which makes it hard at times.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He squeezes my hand, smiling. “Things have turned out for me. They will for you too.”

I wrap my arm around his, resting my head on his shoulder. He understands me just the way I need, even though it means he has suffered the same pain that I feel.

He leads me off the cement path down a dirt trail. “My family used to come here when Dad was still around, and we’d sing together. It’s private, hardly anyone comes this way.”

We walk about fifty yards, until a small amphitheater, made by the trees, opens up around us. I can’t help smiling as I gaze around. “Wow.”

“I have many happy memories here,” he says, stepping up on a log lying across the clearing. “The weekend before Dad had his heart attack, we came out here. Looking back, although I had a ton of attitude about the trip, I’m glad we did it.”

“You having attitude? I can’t imagine that,” I tease.

“Hard to believe, I know.” He hums softly. “That song will never leave me. We sounded so good.” He walks along the log, humming. I don’t recognize the tune, but it matches the style the family uses. By the sound of it, it’s probably an Islander song.

He jumps down at the end of the log and turns to me. “Things were simpler then. So much has happened. But, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.”

“You’re so optimistic,” I say, watching him circle behind me while humming. “I wish I could be like that.”

“You are.” He steps in front of me. “Sing “Lagan Love” for me.”

“What?” I side-eye him.

He smiles. “I loved when you sang it at the auditions. You completely blew me away. You were freaking out so much I honestly thought you’d choke. Then the most beautiful voice came out of your mouth.”

“I thought I’d choke too,” I say with a smirk. “I almost didn’t go out on stage. You guys intimidated me. I thought there was no way I’d get in after hearing you.”

“I guess we’re all too talented for our own good.”

I chuckle, which makes his smile grow.

He sighs. “Come here.”

I step over and let him wrap his arms around me. “I thought you were a huge jerk back then,” I say into his chest.

“I still am.”

I giggle. “No, you’re not.”

“Clarissa says I’m overprotective. I thought I was protecting her from you, but now I want to protect you. You’ve become part of the family.”

“Protecting her from me?” I pull back and look up at him. “What kind of person did you think I was?”

“I don’t know.” He rubs his face. “You kept staring at my brother, and she’s had friends who only hang out with her for him.”

“Isaiah?”

“Yeah.”

“I did?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh…how embarrassing.”

He smiles. “He loves the attention.”

“I know.”

He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “We better go. The flight is in two hours.”

“Oh, yeah.” I frown. The thought of him and Clarissa leaving makes a hollow pit form in my stomach. I’ve never relied on anyone so much other than my mom. But the Murphys are my second family now, and I love each of them. Clarissa feels like my sister, and Lucas…I glance up at him as we walk, and he smiles a warm, tender smile at me. My heart stirs. How do I feel about Lucas? The more I think about it, the more confused I become.

 

***

 

Clarissa cries as she clings to me. Lucas groans and tugs her arm. “It’ll only be a few weeks.”

“That’s too long!” Clarissa sobs loudly, making people stare and take pictures when they recognize us.

“Clarissa.” I sigh, patting her back.

“You’re being dramatic,” Lucas says, prying her arms off me.

“No! You need me right now. I should stay.” She struggles to pull away from Lucas.

I push her back. “Clarissa, I’m a grown woman. I can handle it.”

She breaks free and throws herself at me again. “You have to call me every day and tell me how you’re doing. If he tries coming after you again, you call Lucas’s friends.”

“I will. I’ll be fine.”

She squeezes me so tight I can’t breathe. “The show won’t be the same without you.”

“Clarissa, shh.” Lucas pulls her away again.

“Hailey, you have to show up for—”

Lucas covers her mouth. “We’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, guys.”

Clarissa keeps turning and waving as they make their way through security. Once they’ve gone, I sigh, turning to walk slowly back to my car. I have a month until the final, and I have to figure out how to live my life again now that everything in it has changed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My phone startles me from my sleep. Fumbling in the dim morning light, I find it. “Yeah?”

“Hailey,” Mom says. “Check the internet headlines.”

I flick open my laptop. “What is it?”

“Gossip. Brace yourself.”

I open my browser and the morning headlines show up. Shots of me arguing with Karen appear. “Oh no.”

I open the article and read out loud. “Quest for a Popstar sensation Hailey Becker returns home to a less-than-warm welcome. Witnesses at her university campus state she emerged from the library with fellow contestant Lucas Murphy, hand-in-hand, where a classmate began verbally abusing her. In one video, caught by Eric Thurton, the classmate is heard saying Miss Becker had been waiting for an excuse to dump her boyfriend. Miss Becker responded by saying she was ‘no cheater.’

“A friend of Miss Becker says she has been dating Thomas Daly since Halloween of last year, and a classmate of Mr. Daly says he has struggled since she left for the show. With Lucas Murphy’s appearance with her, it raises doubts on whether Hailey’s claims that they are just friends are true.”

I huff. “Don’t people have anything better to do?”

“At least in the video you can be heard saying they cheated,” Mom says. “But that’s not the worst of it. I saw an article saying one of the channels will be talking to Tom today.”

“Fantastic.” I rub my eyes. “I don’t know how to deal with this. I’m barely dealing with what happened as it is.”

“Lay low,” she says. “You’re still doing classes online, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but I’m starting up at work again tomorrow.”

She sighs. “I’m sorry, baby. Just avoid talking to anyone about what happened and keep your head down.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, baby girl. I’m sorry you have to go through this.”

“It’s okay,” I say, trying to convince myself.

Several hours pass, and while I take a lunch break from my school work, Tom’s interview comes up on the newsfeed. I click on it, because yes, I’m a glutton for punishment. He talks about how much he misses me and how I broke his heart by running off with Lucas. Not once does he mention he cheated. He makes me look like the bad guy. Dirtbag.

My phone rings. I don’t recognize the number. I consider not answering, but something tells me I should. “Hello?”

“Hailey, it’s Jeff.”

All air evacuates my body. “Jeff?”

“Hailey, don’t read anything.”

“Um…” I close the tab with Tom’s interview.

“I’m being sent out to see you. The producers want crowd control. They don’t want another big scandal.”

“Ah…but…” Doesn’t he want to expose Steven?

“Trust me. Don’t see or speak to anyone. I’m at the airport now and my flight is about to leave. Tell me quickly what happened.”

Quickly? Well, that’s simple enough. “Tom cheated.”

“Yes, Clarissa and Lucas filled me in on that. Tell me what happened with the girl.”

I tell him everything, including things he probably doesn’t need to know, like how I thought Karen and I were friends, and we’d gone on double dates together. Then I cry. Again.

“Hailey,” Jeff says gently. “This is an unfortunate side effect of suddenly being thrust into fame—you just don’t know how to deal with the media attention. It’s a foreign concept for you. Even people who have built up to it struggle to cope. Don’t feel bad for this. I’m going to meet up with you and we’re going to fix this. I’ll help you prepare a blanket statement for the media and we’ll tell them that’s all they’ll get on the issue.”

“Okay.”

“Your contract states you cannot talk to or interview with anyone without the permission of the producers, so we’ll use that to our advantage.”

I’d forgotten about that.

“They just called for my flight to board. I’ll see you soon.”

“Thanks, Jeff.”

“No problem.”

 

***

 

Jeff arrives at my apartment with a string of cars and cameras following him. With wars and poverty in the world, people should have better things to talk about than the destroyed love life of a reality show contestant.

Jeff looks fabulous in his black jeans, white open-collared shirt, and black sunglasses. He still looks like a sexy rocker in his forties. I rush through the apartment to meet him. As I open the door, he pushes me back inside and shuts it, locking it. He closes the blinds and removes his sunglasses.

“This place is a dump.”

“Thanks,” I say, scowling.

“Right, let’s get down to business.” He snatches my laptop from the couch and sits at the dining table. “I’m going to need to know everything, and I mean everything, to build a strong platform to keep Tom quiet.”

I swallow. “What do you mean by everything?”

“I need to know about…everything.”

My chin quivers. “I don’t want that out there.”

His expression softens. “I won’t. You did have sex with him, right?”

My cheeks heat up, and I press my hands against them to cool them. “Yes. He was my first.”

He smiles gently. “That’s good. I can use that.” He pats on the chair beside him. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help. We’re going to make this go away.”

I take a deep breath and sit beside him.

I talk him through my relationship with Tom more candidly than I have with anyone. As I think back on it, examining events and our interactions in great detail, I see the signs of our eventual failure. He became possessive when I did things he didn’t like, or things I did for myself, making me feel guilty for his insecurities.

But our relationship hadn’t been all bad; in fact, I cry when I think of the good times we shared, or the first time he said he wanted to make me his wife someday.

Then again, in hindsight, I noticed the signs of his cheating. He’d get aroused when Karen and Anthony made out in front of us, and the morning I’d left…he hadn’t taken me to the airport, and Karen, she hadn’t left the apartment! I start to doubt every time he’d told me not to come around because he was busy with schoolwork. Busy with Karen, more like. What a jerk! It makes me sick, and I dart to the bathroom to hurl.

When I return, Jeff types away at my computer. With trembling hands, I open the fridge. “Are you hungry?”

“I’m fine,” he answers quickly. “You should eat something.”

“I don’t feel good.”

“Mmm. You need something in your stomach.”

I grab the bread and butter and make toast. “Jeff?”

“Yes?”

“I think I lucked out when I was assigned to you.”

“It wasn’t luck,” he says without looking up. “We all choose who we work with, to some extent. We can pick our five favorites, then the rest are divvied up between us.”

“So you picked me?”

He nods.

“And the Murphys?”

“Mmmhmm. Although, Drusilla wanted them too. We had a good back-and-forth for a while.”

The toast pops, I butter it, then sit back beside him. “You’re not what I expected.”

“What do you mean?” He glances at me.

“Mom has loved you my whole life. I feel like I’ve always known you, yet you’re not the Jeffrey Halloway I always imagined. You’re a family guy and fairly…normal.”

He chuckles. “Thanks.”

“That came out wrong.”

“Celebrities are just people.”

“Technically.” I run my hand through my hair. “Seriously altered people.”

He chuckles again.

“You just…I feel comfortable with you. I expected that if I ever met you, I’d go all fangirl on you and lose my mind.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Hmm.” I smile and bite into my toast.

An hour later, he’d written up a statement for me and emailed it to the producers for approval. When they send it back with a go ahead, he sets up a meeting with the local TV station.

That evening, we head into the station’s headquarters for their night show. I read through my statement over and over, memorizing it carefully. Jeff has done a great job at keeping my sweet, innocent image intact, while giving the facts and remaining tasteful. It never once names Tom, just saying “my boyfriend who I have just broken up with” or something along those lines.

He turns to me before I head in front of the cameras. “I can’t go on with you, and just be careful what you say. Remain sweet, cry a little, look hurt, but not a disaster.”

“Okay.” I nod. I can do this.

“And avoid talking about the Murphys.”

I raise an eyebrow. “What if they ask?”

“Talk about Clarissa briefly and change the subject.”

“Okay.” I take a deep breath. “Do I look okay?”

He smiles. “Yeah.”

My time comes. I head out and sit beside the interviewer. He immediately cuts to the chase. “So you’ve had a rough week. Cut from the show, then coming home to be viciously attacked.”

“It’s been…difficult,” I respond.

“So, what’s the story with that attack?” The host leans forward, his eyes fixed on me.

“I wouldn’t call it an attack,” I answer. “A disagreement. It looks much worse than it was.”

“How do you know her?”

“She was my boyfriend’s roommate’s girlfriend.”

“Was?”

I bite my lip, uneasy about the probing into my personal life. But I need to answer. Tom has spilled his guts, making me look terrible, so I need to defend myself. “My…she was sleeping with my boyfriend.”

“In Tom’s statements earlier, he said he did it because you were cheating on him with both Lucas and Isaiah Murphy.”

Both of them? “No, my friendship is with Clarissa. I don’t see either of them like that.”

“You don’t? But what about all these sightings of you alone with them?”

Am I a UFO or something? Sightings? Really? But I need to change the subject. Jeff told me not to talk about them. “They’re good people. But my ex and I had problems that had nothing to do with them. I’m a fairly private person, and I want to preserve the privacy of everyone involved, so I’ll just say my ex and I had underlying problems that surfaced when I made the choice to go on the show. I’ve struggled these past few days from the things I’ve discovered, and I…” Oh crap, tears. I take a deep breath while he hands me a tissue.

“It’s all right. Take your time.”

In other words, give us more. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.”

I take another deep breath. “I loved him, and I never cheated. I believe in loyalty, and I did all I could while we were apart to keep our relationship intact. I’m disappointed that I couldn’t manage it.”

He touches my hand. “I think we all know that. We remember you sending your greetings to him before performances.”

Ah! I had him on my side! I let a tear fall. Just one. Jeff made it clear not to blubber the way I wanted to. I nod. “I hoped it would help, to let him know I was thinking of him. I wish I could have done more.”

“So, we talked to his former roommate earlier.”

My stomach lurches. They talked to Anthony?

“Anthony Fox was the one who caught your boyfriend and his girlfriend in the act of having sexual intercourse. He said you were with him, but he kicked you out before you could see anything.”

I nod, not quite sure what to say as nausea hits me.

“He also said he discovered they’d started having regular sex after a Christmas party because you weren’t ready to sleep with Tom.”

My jaw falls open. I can’t speak.

Jeff moves across behind the cameras to speak frantically to the producer.

“He said Tom boasted to some friends about having sex with Karen while you were away on the show.”

I stare down at my hands, horrified.

“Mr. Fox explained that when you found out, you were very distressed and he respected that you ended your relationship with Tom. In fact, we’d like to play a snippet of that interview.”

Anthony’s face appears on a screen. I look to Jeff, my emotions about to explode. He doesn’t notice me as he continues a fierce conversation with the producer.

“…Hailey didn’t cheat,” Anthony says, dragging my attention to the footage. “She’s not like that. What you saw on the show was Hailey. She’s a sweet girl and didn’t deserve what Tom did. I hope he rots in Hell for it, but more than that, I hope Hailey finds someone who deserves her and makes her happy, and if it does end up being one of those Murphys, then good for them for being better than him.”

I wipe at my eyes, trying to keep my tears under control. Jeff and the producer turn toward us, and the producer signals to end the segment.

The interviewer hands me another tissue. “Do you have anything to add?”

I shake my head, forcing down the ache of suppressed emotions in my throat. I can’t speak even if I wanted to.

“Thank you, Hailey. I’m sure your fans are glad to hear your side of things.” He turns to the camera and wraps up the segment for the commercials.

When the cameras cut, Jeff rushes at me. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and turns on the interviewer. “You went off script.”

The host’s eyebrow twitches. “People want to know the truth.”

“I doubt they want to see her like this!” He pulls me to my feet. “We’re leaving. Don’t expect to get anything with her again, or the Murphys.”

The host scoffs. “Going back to your old ways are you, Jeff?”

“Excuse me?” Jeff’s head snaps around.

“Young fangirls were your thing.”

“When I was in my twenties, when I was young!” Jeff pulls me out of the studio.

I grab my things from the dressing room, and we rush to the parking lot. But at the studio doors, we’re met by paparazzi. I squeal, and Jeff pulls me behind him. Studio security appear and escort us to the car.

In the vehicle, I cry again. “All this makes it so much worse.”

“I know.”

“I just want to forget.”

“You’ll never forget, just move on.”

“I want to move on then.” I look up at him, wiping my nose with my hand. “What did he mean back to your old ways?”

Jeff tilts his head to look at me. “When I was in my early twenties, I slept with groupies. That was before I met Emily. Everyone does stupid things when they’re young.”

“All people ever want is scandal.”

“Hailey?”

“Mmm?”

“Don’t let them beat you. You have so much potential. You have something inside you that makes people love you. Never lose sight of that.”

My heart swells. Jeffrey Halloway just gave me a huge compliment! “Do you…” I bite my lip, not sure if asking him for advice about Tom is pushing my boundaries or not.

“Do I what?”

“Do you think I…ah…”

“Spit it out.”

“Do you think I deserved what Tom did?”

He glares at me and pulls over. He puts the car in park, flicks on his hazards, and turns to face me. “No one deserves to be treated that way, ever. His reasons were stupid and selfish and I wish I could go over there and beat him with a baseball bat. If someone loves you, they won’t tear your heart out like that. Don’t ever even think you caused this to happen.”

“But I didn’t—”

“You’re allowed to say no, Hailey. I thought I made that clear after you turned Steven down?”

“You did.”

“If Tom makes you feel like it’s your fault, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

My chin quivers. “Will I be okay?”

He grasps my chin. “You will be more than okay.”

I throw my arms around him. “Thank you. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“I am well-practiced.” He squeezes me. “Let’s get you home.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got fired. My manager hated all the paparazzi that kept showing up in the office, so she sent me packing. Nothing seems to be going well for me. Mom offers for me to move back home, but I know my stepfather wouldn’t appreciate having me around again. Instead, she helps pay my rent while I search for a new job.

I make my way out of student services when I see Tom. His eyes meet mine, and he turns toward me. Oh no. I’m not ready to see him yet. Swiveling on my heel, I hurry away.

“Hailey.”

I ignore him, picking up my pace on the way to my car.

“Hailey.” His hand rests on my car door, preventing me from opening it.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” I scan the parking lot for potential spies.

“We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t.” I push him back. “You badmouthed me to the media. Do you really think that would have won me over?”

He clenches his fists, making his knuckles turn white. “Stop being so selfish. Can’t you see I’m lost without you?”

“Selfish?” I shake my head, pulling the door open. “Goodbye, Tom.”

“Hailey—”

I slam the door shut and start the engine. He backs away, to my relief. I need someone who understands. I wish Lucas was around; he’d know what to say to make me feel better and distract me. Lucas…I’d go hang out with his roommates. They’d be a distraction, if nothing else. Taylor and Lucas both told me to go to them if I need anything.

At the apartment, the same loud music fills my ears as I climb out of my hatchback. After hammering on the door for several minutes, Taylor answers. “Oh! Hey!” He glances around. “Is everything okay?”

I suddenly feel stupid. I barely know these guys. “I…ah…”

“Come in. I want to show you something.”

He leads me into his room and pulls up a music score on his computer. I glance at Lucas’s made bed, covered in books and clothes, while Taylor talks about the arrangement. Shuffling over, I shove everything aside to sit on top of the blankets. I pull the pillows against my chest and smell Lucas…the gross, just-woken-up Lucas musk. He needs to clean his pillows.

“Ah, Hailey?” Taylor stares down at me with raised eyebrows.

I set the pillows back, self-conscious about being caught behaving so weird. “I’m tired.”

“Uhh…okay.”

My cheeks feel hot. “Tom tried to talk to me—”

“Oh.” Taylor scowls. “That interview was sick. And the one where they made you cry was cruel.” He sits on the bed beside me. “Lucas told me to look out for you, and I’m going to. He doesn’t attach to people often, you know, especially people who are friends with his siblings.”

“Really?” He hadn’t been friendly to me at first, but once I knew him, his walls came right down without much effort.

Taylor nods. “It’s Isaiah’s fault. He’s always trashing Lucas and making him the bad guy. I don’t get why, but Lucas said he’s been doing it since middle school. They were only a grade apart, and they were in the same clubs and things, so their circles overlapped.”

Rubbing my eyes, I say, “I didn’t know.”

“He doesn’t talk about it, but I’ve known him for a while, so I’ve noticed things.”

Without even thinking about it, I grab Lucas’s pillow again and wedge it between my chest and knees. “Well, I like him more than Isaiah.”

A slight smile curls the corner of his lips. “I can tell.”

My phone rings. Digging into my handbag, I know answering seems to be the perfect diversion from that look Taylor is giving me. “Vanessa?”

“Hey!” she replies in a cheerful voice. “So, I have some amazing news.”

“Okay?”

“I got a recording contract.” She squeals. “How great is that?”

“Are you serious?” I drop my knees, straightening. “That’s fantastic!”

“I know! And guess what?”

“What?”

“They asked me who I’d like to help with backing singers, and I said you!”

My heart hits my throat. “You…uh…what…”

She laughs. “We start recording in a week, and there will be a tour once the show’s contract expires. I’ll only need you for a few days a week from now. Can you do it? I can arrange for the flight and accommodation.”

“You have songs already?” That’s insanely fast.

She laughs. “Of course! The writers were right on it. I don’t have a full album yet, but they want to release it as soon as they can to use my popularity from the show to give it some momentum.”

“Wow.”

“I know! So, are you in?”

“I’ll…I’ll think about it.”

“I respect that,” she says. “Give me your email and I’ll get my agent to send you the details.”

When I hang up, Taylor grins at me. “That’s only the beginning, you know. So, when are you heading out?”

I shake my head, smiling. Vanessa talks so loud he heard every word. “I don’t know if—”

“Of course you are.” He leans onto his elbows. “Don’t let the naysayers get to you. No matter what you do, there will be someone telling you that you can’t. Don’t be the one saying it to yourself.”

I crack a grin. “You think I can do it?”

He rolls his eyes, smiling. “I watched the show. I still can’t figure out how you could have been knocked out.”

I cling to Lucas’s pillow, biting back the urge to spill the truth to Taylor. The time to reveal all hasn’t come yet. For now, I will do the recordings with Vanessa. I have nothing to lose and everything to prove.

I stay with Taylor and have him help me read through the email Vanessa’s agent sends. Both finding the terms safe, we send it back and arrange my details. Taylor walks me out to the car and opens the door for me. “Make sure you see Lucas for me when you get there.”

“If he can get away. They might be keeping a tight rein on them.”

“I’m sure he’ll manage it.” He gives me a hug. “Good luck. You deserve this.”

“Thanks.”

On the way home, I pump up my music, singing loudly. Things are looking up.

 

***

 

The show is difficult to watch. Seeing all the people I’d come to know on my TV screen feels strange, and even stranger to think I’d been there with them. I’d watched bits of the show itself backstage, but back there in the moment felt completely different, like we had our own little bubble of a reality.

Lauren munches on popcorn beside me, commenting on how no one else is as good as me. I can’t help grinning, grateful to have a friend like her.

My phone rings. I grab it without looking. “Hey.”

“Hailey!” Clarissa yells in a high-pitched voice. “We’re up soon.”

“I know. I’m watching,” I mutter with my mouth full.

“Who do you think is doing well?”

“Everyone.”

She moans. “You’re too nice.”

“Whatever. Don’t you need to get ready?”

Lauren looks at me. “Is that Clarissa?”

“Yup.”

“Hi, Lauren!” Clarissa yells, making me pull the phone away from my ear. “Hailey, I wish you were here. I miss you.”

“You too.”

“Hi, Hailey,” Isaiah suddenly says into the phone. “How you holding up, baby face?”

I curl my lip. “Um, baby face?”

“Just trying it out. I don’t think it works either.”

Clarissa comes back on the line. “Get lost, Isaiah.” Ruffling noises echo down the line, then she speaks again. “Okay, privacy.”

I chuckle.

“Lucas wants to talk to you. Here you go.”

I draw a sharp breath, my stomach filling with butterflies. Why does talking to him suddenly make me nervous?

“Hey, Hailey.” His smooth voice makes my pulse quicken.

“Hi.”

“How are you holding up?”

“Fine.” Why can’t I speak? I sound like a simpleton with my monosyllabic vocab.

Lauren raises an eyebrow at me and she says under her breath, “That’s not Clarissa anymore.”

“Yeah?” Lucas sounds gentle, sympathetic. “You’ve had a rough week. You know you can call me whenever you need.”

“I know.”

Lauren’s watching me far too closely.

“So,” he says with a sigh. “Taylor said you dropped by.”

“Yeah.” I hope he didn’t tell Lucas about my weird pillow hugging. “I, ah…I encountered Tom, and I needed to hide out somewhere.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really.”

“All right.” An awkward pause follows. Then, “He said you’re coming out here soon.”

I crack a smile. “Yeah. Vanessa wants me to help her out.”

“That’s great news.”

“I think so.”

“When are you—”

“Lucas,” Kessa suddenly says in the background. “It’s time to go.”

“Okay, Mom.”

My heart sinks. Even though I struggled with talking, I don’t want him to go yet. I want him to keep talking.

“Hailey, I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Okay. Break a leg,” I say.

“Thanks. Bye.”

He hangs up. I clutch the phone to my chest, smiling like an idiot.

Lauren elbows me. “You like Lucas.”

“No, I don’t,” I respond, still grinning.

“Uh-huh.”

My shoulders sag as I rest my head back. “It’s way too soon.”

Lauren pats my head, giving me an exaggerated pout. “The heart doesn’t understand things like that.”

“He won’t be a rebound,” I say, meeting her eyes. “That’s all it is. He’s been there for me through this hard time. It’s not—”

“Stop talking.”

“But—”

“Nope.”

“It’s just—”

“Shh.” She grins. “Relax, Hailey. Let things happen as they happen.”

I scowl. “We’re just friends.”

“Uh-huh.” She folds her arms and stares at the TV screen.

Lucas comes onstage, and I smile when he looks directly at the camera, as if those brown eyes of his are looking straight at me.

 

***

 

Late that night, Lucas calls me while I’m in bed. With no noise in the background, I wonder where he is.

“Oh, Mom and Lydia moved into the room with Clarissa,” he says when I ask. “It’s just Arnie and me in this room now.”

“Makes sense.”

“It’s nice. Quiet. And Arnie and Levi love not having to share a bed.”

I chuckle.

“You sound better.”

Flipping my hair up off my neck, I sigh. “I think I’m doing better. All the crazy kind of fizzled out these past few days.”

“Good. I was really worried when that guy on the TV made you cry.”

“You saw that?” I bury my face into the pillow.

“Yeah.”

“How embarrassing.”

He laughs. “Hailey, I’ve seen you cry more than that. I’ve seen you wipe snot up your arm.”

“Ew!” I laugh. “I’d never do something like that.”

“Yeah you would.”

“Shut up.” My heart flutters as he chuckles. Maybe I am into him. No, it had to be rebound. I wouldn’t go there with him. Not after what we’d both gone through with cheaters. “You were great tonight.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. But you seriously need to get that spotlight off Isaiah. He loves it way too much.”

“If we get through to the next round, I’m trying to convince Clarissa to take the lead.”

That so won’t happen. “Good luck with that.”

He groans. “I know. She’s his polar opposite. She hates the spotlight. Maybe you could talk to her?”

“I can try.”

“I’d appreciate that. She listens to you more than me.”

“I doubt that.” I yawn.

“Hailey?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll call you tomorrow. I know it’s late.”

“Mmm, you’re okay.”

“Goodnight, Hailey,” he says with a chuckle.

The second he hangs up, I pass out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanessa meets me as I leave the airport. She gives me an excited hug and leads me to the black SUV. Inside, her agent gives me the rundown and a schedule. Each song we’d spend two days working on, then a day each to record them. Nine days. Just nine days.

They drop me off at the hotel and let me settle in and listen to the basic recordings to start learning my part.

Mom calls me to check in and make sure I’ve arrived safely. When I hang up, I flick through my contacts and stare at Lucas’s name. No, he won’t be my rebound. These feeling are ridiculous. Instead, I call Clarissa.

“Hailey, you’re early today,” she says around a mouthful of food.

“I know. I’m just letting you know I’m in town.”

“What?” She squeals. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? We have to meet up. Where are you?”

“Didn’t Lucas say anything?”

“No.” Pause. “When did you talk to Lucas?”

Every night all week. “Before the show, remember?”

“Oh yeah. Lucas!”

“Ouch!” He grunts. “What’s that for?”

“Hailey’s in town and you didn’t say anything?”

“Hailey’s in town?” Isaiah says. “Give me the phone.”

“No,” Clarissa snaps. “Mine. Back off.”

She and Isaiah start to argue, and suddenly Lucas speaks clearly. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Butterflies and a goofy grin? Settle down.

“While they’re being really mature, where are you?”

I tell him the hotel.

“Oh, fancy.”

“I know. I have a hot tub.” Why did I tell him that? And why am I now staring at it and picturing us making out in it?

“Very nice.”

My cheeks burn. “Yeah, the view is pretty great too. I can see out over the ocean.”

“Sounds incredible. So what’s your schedule like?”

“I’ll be here nine days,” I say, my fingers brushing over the paperwork. “We start tomorrow. They’re letting me settle in and become familiar with the music.”

“Would you—”

“Hailey!” Isaiah cuts him off. “You should come down here. I miss you.”

“I don’t think I can,” I respond.

“Of course you can.”

“Ugh. Isaiah.” Clarissa returns onto the line. “Tomorrow night we’ll do dinner.”

“Okay,” I answer, my head spinning from being passed from one sibling to the next.

“Excellent! We’ll meet you at the restaurant in the hotel at six.”

“That should be fine.”

“Yay! All right, we gotta go. Bye.” She hangs up.

I set my phone on the desk and decide to use the hot tub. After everything I’ve gone through the past few weeks, I deserve a good soak to wash away all the thoughts and feelings swirling inside me, even for a short while.

I dim the lights and doze off. The room phone rings, startling me awake. The sunlight shines in the windows as the sun sets over the ocean. How long had I been out? As I grab the phone, I glance at the clock. 6:30. Good job, genius, you slept for an hour in the hot tub. “Hello?”

“Hailey Becker?” a female asked.

“Yes.”

“You have a guest at reception.”

“I do?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Do they have a camera?”

“No, ma’am.”

“All right. I’ll be right down.” I hurry to dress. It has to be someone to do with Vanessa, so I don’t want to hold them up. But as I step into the foyer, I freeze. Lucas!

He shoots up from the armchair, beaming. “Hailey. You look a bit red.”

“Oh.” I touch my face. “I fell asleep in the hot tub.”

His eyes sparkle with his amusement. “That was a genius move.”

“Shut up.”

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.” He grabs my hand and pulls me out to a cab.

We have dinner together. He makes me laugh in a way I haven’t in weeks. In response, he laughs at my laughing, and tells me he isn’t that funny. I do feel like a bit of a giddy idiot, so I try to tone it down.

Afterward, we head to a quiet beach. He points to the sand. “Go get us a spot, would you?”

I raise my eyebrows at him. “Because it’s so busy.”

“It is. It’s insane down there.”

I give him a crooked smile. “Are you trying to ditch me?”

“No. I’m going to surprise you.”

“Okay.” I head out to the sand.

The waves crash as I sit and stare ahead, watching the moonlight shimmer on the ocean’s surface. I breathe in deeply. I love the smell of the ocean air. The cool evening breeze helps me relax. I’ve needed this—escaping from my life and the tailspin it’s gone down of late. It’s nice to be somewhere peaceful.

Lucas soon sits beside me, handing me an ice cream. I laugh lightly as he clicks our cones together.

“Ice cream.”

“Yup.” He grins but looks into my eyes, turning serious. “You seem to be doing better than the last time I saw you.”

I nod. “I’ve realized a few things.”

“Like what?”

“For one,” I raise my index finger, “Tom was an idiot.”

He grins. “I told you.”

“I know.” I lick my ice cream. “I also realized how lucky I got. He was trying to convince me to marry him after we graduated, and now I can’t help thinking what kind of awful marriage that would have been. The frightening part is that I would have married him.” I look into Lucas’s eyes. “I can’t believe how pathetic I’ve been.”

“I wouldn’t say pathetic.”

“I would.” I lick at my ice cream again, staring out over the waves. “I look back and I can see a lot has changed in me. I really had no self-respect. I let him and so many other people walk all over me, but not anymore.”

Lucas shifts so his shoulder presses against mine. “What are you going to do?”

I look into his eyes again. “I’m here. I’m taking Vanessa’s offer to be a backup singer for her album and her tour. It could get me a kick start. I may not be Popstar material, but I did get one thing from the show, and that’s that I’m good. I want to see where this road can take me, and I’m not going to let anyone tell me no.”

He nudges me with his shoulder. “Good for you.”

“I’m not going to quit school, though,” I say, leaning against him. “I’m going to finish it online, part-time. I think I can manage that.”

“I think you can too.”

I look up into his eyes. “You know, at first, I thought you were a huge jerk.”

He laughs, staring at his ice cream. “You’ve kind of given me that impression, so I thought about it and it’s probably ’cause I thought you were into Isaiah.”

Switching my ice cream to my other hand, I struggle with asking the question I’ve avoided since we first met. But now feels like a good time to ask since we’re talking candidly. “Why don’t you two get along?”

He shrugs, the muscle in his jaw twitching. “He’s an idiot.”

“And you’re crazy smart.”

He nods, his jaw muscles loosening as he looks back into my eyes. “Yup, I sure am.”

I stare at his lips, an overwhelming urge to kiss him flooding over me. He won’t like it if I do, though. He’ll probably go back to hating me again if I try. I look back into his eyes as his gaze lifts to meet mine.

My hand touches his cheek on its own accord. I flinch it back, but he grabs it, resting it back on his jaw. He stares into my eyes, and my pulse quickens. What’s happening? My breathing becomes deep and fast and I lick my lips. What am I doing? This is Lucas—Lucas. He’s too good for me. He’d never want…

I press my lips against his.

He moans, kissing me for a moment, then pushes back. “Oh, gross.”

I pull away from him, horrified at myself. “Ah, crap.”

“I know.” He grabs a napkin and wipes at the ice cream on his shirt. “Sorry about that. You got some too.”

A patch of ice cream stains my shirt on my boob. I grab a napkin and start wiping, my cheeks flaming. I can’t believe I kissed him! And to make it worse, I have a huge chocolate stain right on my girls. I launch to my feet, searching for a faucet or something, but seeing none, I rush to the rolling waves.

“Hailey, one second.”

I ignore him. I’m such an idiot. When I reach the moist sand, I kick off my flip-flops and roll up my jeans. I dip the napkin in the water, where it practically dissolves. Growling, I try to wash off the ice cream by scooping up the gritty water. I need to apologize to Lucas somehow, tell him that I shouldn’t have put a strain on our friendship like that. But right at this moment, my humiliation is preventing me from thinking clearly.

“There’s no one around,” he says, far closer than I expect.

I swing around as he pulls off his shirt. Holy mother of hotness! My jaw drops as he bends over and rubs at his shirt in the water. His muscles twitch as he works, his brown skin glistening in the moonlight. My knees quiver. I’ve seen Isaiah shirtless, but Lucas looks much better. He’s fuller, stronger, not so bony. Why is this guy my friend?

“Well?”

“Well what?” I ask breathlessly, unable to stop staring at his back. I’m naming the muscles as I watch them flex—trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboid major…He’s such a perfect specimen, and it’s making my inner nerd crazy.

“Take off your shirt and wash it out.”

I let out a shrill laugh. Take off my shirt when his body looks like that? “No.”

He straightens, turning to me, and I avoid trying to snag a look at his well-formed abdominals and oblique muscles. “No one will see.”

“Just…” I gesture at his shirtless torso. “You.”

“It won’t bother me.” He shrugs his right shoulder, and I watch his trapezius, pectorals, and deltoids move. He looks so much better than any muscle diagrams.

“Ahh…” I turn toward the ocean again, acutely aware that I’m nowhere near as well-defined. I mean, I’m not fat, but I’m not skinny either. “No, I think this will do.”

He hands me his wet shirt. “Here.”

I stare at it. “Here what?”

“Use it to clean up.” He grabs my ice cream and drops his shirt in my hand.

Resigning to my humiliation, I rub his shirt over the stain. “I feel like such an idiot.”

“Why?” he asks with a grin.

“I shouldn’t have done that. You were right to be grossed out.”

“Huh?” He cocks his head.

“I’m sorry I put you in that position. You must feel really awkward right now. I promise I won’t do it again.”

“Get ice cream on me? I hope not.”

“No…” I chew on my lip, unable to look at him. “I don’t want you to feel weird around me. I don’t know what came over me, but your friendship is more important to me than that. I don’t want to ruin things between us.”

He runs his hand through his hair as I watch him out of the corner of my eye. How had I never realized how strongly attracted I am to him? And why did I just put him in such a horrible conflict-of-interest situation?

“Hailey, you didn’t ruin anything.” He turns toward me as I keep my eyes averted, so I’m not running them all over his muscle groups with admiration. “I only pulled back because of the ice cream.”

My face ignites, and the heat creeps down my neck. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you somehow. I don’t want you to think I’m using you as a rebound, because that would be so awful. You don’t think that, do you?”

I chance a glance up at him as he stares at me, his body stiff. “Of course I don’t. Hailey—”

“Okay, good.” I toss his shirt at him and march up the beach.

“Hailey, wait.” He hurries behind me. “Don’t be embarrassed. I understand that things are confusing for you right now, and I don’t want to make it worse.”

He grabs my hand and pulls for me to stop. As I turn, our eyes meet.

“Hailey, I…” He steps closer. “I want you to know you’re safe with me. I’m not…We’re friends, and I understand that you’re vulnerable at the moment. I don’t want you to feel like I’m going to take advantage of you too, so…” He rubs his eyes. “Let’s finish these ice creams and pretend it didn’t happen.”

Pretend it didn’t happen? That works for me.

“I’m sorry,” I say, reaching for my ice cream.

“Don’t be sorry.”

My fingers brush over his, sending a tingling up my arm. How long has this been going on? I definitely have strong feelings for him—I can’t deny them any longer—but I can’t pinpoint when they started. With Tom, the attraction had been immediate and we started dating the night we met, but Lucas…

He grasps my elbow. “We’re being watched.”

Following his gaze, I catch a glimpse a photographer disappearing behind a tree. “Oh no.”

“Let’s get out of here.”

We rush to the street and Lucas hails a cab. He watches for anyone following us, and at the hotel, he escorts me to my room.

“I’m fairly sure the hotel security kept whoever it was out,” he says as I dig out my keycard.

“I don’t see why we’re so fascinating,” I mutter, struggling to subdue my annoyance for the invasion of privacy.

“I don’t know,” he says, resting his hand on my back. “You’re pretty interesting. It must be your magnetic personality.”

I roll my eyes, but laugh. “You’re so weird.” I push the door open. “Want to see the luxury?”

He glances in, but shakes his head. “Last time I entered your room, there was underwear on the floor and I walked in on you in the bathroom. I think I’ll pass.”

Confused, I stare at him.

“You don’t remember that? I got locked out when Jessica was being a pain in the corridor…”

“Oh! Oh my gosh! Yes.” I giggle at the embarrassing memory. “That was…mmm.” I step into the room. “Okay.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, right? You’re meeting us for dinner?”

“Yeah. It’ll be nice to see everyone again.”

He leans over and kisses my forehead. “It will. Bye.”

As he walks away, I shut the door and slide onto the floor. I am completely mad about Lucas! How did this happen? I grasp my hair. Could it simply be a rebound thing? No, I have never felt like this before. But he would never see me that way. He saw me the same way as Clarissa, like a sister needing his protection. Maybe sisterly affection right now is for the best. My heart still aches from Tom’s betrayal. I’m not ready to risk my heart again.

But I touch my mouth, remembering the warmth of his lips. Closing my eyes, I wish with my whole heart we could be more.

 

***

 

Vanessa’s voice blends so well with mine, better than I’d realized. She always wanted to work with me, and I wish I had done so on the show. Maybe she would have gone further. Although, knowing what I knew, I’m glad she didn’t. No, she’s in the right place.

“The lyrics aren’t hard,” she says quietly while the team chats together. “Seriously, no wonder people expect less and less from celebrities.”

I giggle.

“If only I could write my own stuff.”

“I’m the same. I don’t have that particular gift. Give me the cellular and atomic structure of a living organism and I’m set, but writing a song…” I shake my head.

She grins. “I didn’t realize you were a nerd. No wonder you and Lucas get on so well.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, trying to subdue the butterflies that plague my stomach at the very mention of his name. “I didn’t know you guys hung out.”

“Oh yeah.” She winks at me. “We’re tight, if you know what I mean. He tells me all kinds of things. He’s probably the most interesting person I met on that show, present company excluded.”

“Thanks.” The butterflies in my belly turn into a sick sensation. “What do you mean by tight?”

“Tight. You know. We talk and stuff.” She twitches her eyebrows with a coy smile.

No, I don’t know; that’s why I’m asking! He talks to her? Does he call her like he does me? She said she thought he was hot before. She’s naturally pretty with her long brown hair, large brown eyes, and olive skin, but she’s a little abrasive…Why am I getting jealous? If they have a thing going on, I should be happy for them. He sees me like a sister, just like Clarissa. I have no claim on him, and after his last girlfriend cheated, he should have someone who is honest, and upfront, and—

“Hailey? Are you okay?”

I flinch. “What?”

“You totally zoned out.”

“I…sorry.”

“So, what’s the deal with Jeff?”

“Huh?” I stare at Vanessa. Her ability to abruptly change topics throws me into a tailspin. My head is still stuck on her and Lucas.

“Jeff. Everyone knows he totally favored you.”

I clear my throat. “He coached one of those cheating couples last year. He wanted to get over the scandal with me.”

“No.” Her eyes narrow. “Are you sleeping with him?”

I scrunch my nose. “Ew! No. He’s old.”

“Forty-four isn’t old. He does this a lot.” She grasps my chin just like Jeff always does. “And watches you way too much. Haven’t you noticed?”

“He’s married,” I say, feeling uneasy.

“And…”

“No. It’s not like that.” I glance over at the team still chatting away, paying no attention to us, and lean closer. “Can I trust you to not tell a soul?”

She crosses her heart. “Not even the devil will force it from my lips.”

I glance over at the crew again before I whisper, “The show’s rigged. For the last two seasons, the winner was sleeping with Steven. Jeff hates it and wants out. He knew if he pushed me far enough, Steven would come after me but I’d say no. I was eliminated because Steven came on to me and I refused. Jeff’s got a big exposé sting set up for the final that I’m helping with.”

Her eyes widen as she swears. “I knew something was going on. Too many hottie girls made top ten over way more talented guys. Even now, the only guys left in the comp are the Murphys, and Lucas thinks Isaiah is up to no good there.”

I don’t want to talk to her about Lucas. Apparently, she knows more about his opinions than I do. “Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

“I swear it.”

Her agent walks over, ending our conversation.

 

***

 

That evening, I primp and scrub up the best I can for my dinner with the Murphys. I start with a sexy red dress, then change it when the thought of Arnie and Levi seeing me crosses my mind. I settle with a royal blue dress and white cardigan, then loosely curl my hair.

In the cab, I feel like I might throw up. What am I doing? Can I face Lucas like this? I won’t talk to him unless he talks to me first. I’ll focus on catching up with the rest of the family.

The cab pulls up to the familiar hotel where I’d lived for weeks, several months even. It feels strange to be back, but also somewhat welcoming. I’d spent so much time there for so long. I climb out of the cab, taking deep breaths. Despite the familiarity, each step into the lobby feels like agony.

The Murphys stand by the entrance of the restaurant as I approach. Clarissa spies me and rushes over. She throws herself at me, barely giving me time to brace for the impact.

“I’ve missed you!” she says, squeezing me tight.

“You too.”

Clarissa slides her arm through mine, pulling me over to her family. Isaiah and Lucas stare at me, but Isaiah steps forward.

“Hailey! How are you holding up?” He wraps his arms around me.

“Fine. Doing better.” With a quick glance, I take in Lucas standing back with his hands in his jean pockets, staring at his feet.

Isaiah releases me. “That guy was an idiot. How could anyone cheat on you?”

Clarissa shoves his chest. “Down, boy. Let’s go have dinner.”

We sit in a large corner booth, and somehow I manage to end up sitting between Clarissa and Lucas. Lucas plucks up his menu and buries his face in it. Isaiah sits opposite me, and I can’t help feeling like it’s all too reminiscent of the day we all first met.

Kessa starts off the conversation with me. While we talk, I try to ignore Lucas’s body being so close to mine, the heat seeming to radiate from him more than usual. His hip and shoulder touch mine, so I pluck up my menu while Kessa talks to keep my hands busy and try to remain as nonchalant as he is.

The waitress takes our orders. When she collects the menus, Clarissa bumps me and I shoulder Lucas. His hand rests on the small of my back. “Clarissa.”

“Sorry.” She shrugs.

His hand falls but rests right beside my thigh. Why is he touching me? Kill me now! This is torture!

Then, Isaiah’s foot presses on my inner calf. My gaze shoots to him. He grins and looks to Levi as he talks. His foot lifts, pushing under the hem of my skirt. Gasping, I flinch back. He smirks, his foot coming after me.

Lucas’s hand shoots away from my thigh. By the abrupt stop of ascent of Isaiah’s foot, Lucas has grabbed it. They glare at each other, then Isaiah’s foot pulls back.

Clarissa shuffles closer to me. Looking between the three of them, I sense a deeper tension than before I left, and somehow I’m right in the middle, and not just physically. Kessa’s pain reflects in her eyes as she looks between them.

Arnie takes over the conversation, and Levi catches my eye. Something about the way he stares at me tells me he wants to talk. He’s likely the safest person to talk to at that moment.

Isaiah’s foot returns to my leg.

“I need to use the restroom.” I nudge Clarissa and she moves out of the way.

The restroom, to my relief, is clear across the other side of the restaurant. Inside, I pause in front of the mirror to regain some control. This is crazy. Isaiah is all over me, which a few short weeks ago I would have loved, but now I want Lucas to pay attention to me, and he’s gone cold again. But the tension between the brothers and Clarissa is frightening. I don’t understand how I’m in the middle of it, but I am, and I hate it. I look at myself. “I should leave.”

“Why?” Lydia stands by the door, gazing up at me with her big brown eyes.

I turn to face her, my love for their family swelling in my heart. “Lydia.”

“Stay with us.”

I look away. “I’m not feeling well.”

“We’ll take care of you. You’re one of us now.”

I shake my head. “Lydia, sometimes we love people who will only hurt us—”

“I know. But we’re family.”

“I’m…” She gazes up at me with those large dark eyes, full of love. I rest my hands on her shoulders. “I’m not part of your family. I’m tearing your family apart.”

“No, you’re not.” She grabs my hands. “Stay with us.”

She gives me a quick squeeze around the waist, then heads into the cubicle.

Her purity affects me. I almost burst into tears. I need to leave. With my feelings for Lucas in turmoil, and now seeing the tension between the oldest three siblings, I can’t do that to their family.

I burst out of the bathroom and find Levi waiting for me. He pushes off the wall and pulls me out of sight. He glances behind him, scanning the room, then looks at me. “Which one do you like?”

“Huh?”

“Isaiah or Lucas?”

“I just broke up with my boyfriend!”

He glances around again. “This is a really old fight between them. I’ll help keep you out of it as much as I can. Clarissa has taken sides, so she’s making things worse.”

“What’s going on?”

Anguish fills his eyes. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this. We all really like you.”

“Levi…” I rub my eyes. “I can’t deal with this right now. I’m going back to my hotel.”

“No!” He grabs my shoulders. “That will make things worse. They’ll argue about whose fault it is, and there’ll be lots of yelling. Please, just stay.”

Although agonizing, I agree. Clarissa moves to stand for me, but I slide in, forcing her to stay put so she remains between Lucas and me, and I can make a speedy escape.

“Are you okay?” she whispers in my ear.

I nod, forcing a smile.

The rest of dinner remains mostly uneventful, except Isaiah keeps staring at me. That alone causes my feelings of unease to burrow into my gut.

“Do we want dessert?” Kessa asks at the end of the meal.

“I need to go,” I say with a smile. “I have an early start tomorrow.”

“I’ll take you back,” Lucas offers.

“No.” I shoot to my feet. “You need to stay here. The show’s tomorrow night, so you need to prepare and get some rest.” And call Vanessa.

“I’ll go with you then.” Isaiah grins.

“Ah…you have the same show to prepare for.” I pull some cash from my wallet. “This should cover it with some extra for the tip. It’s good to see you all again. Break a leg tomorrow.”

“Bye, Hailey.” Clarissa stares up at me with wide, wet eyes.

“Bye.” I swivel on my heel and hurry away, unable to face them any longer. Once I hit the lobby, I let my tears fall. I cover my face to keep them discreet and promptly run into someone.

“Hailey?” Jeff grabs my shoulders. “What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?” I sniff, trying to hide my tears from him.

“Finishing up some work with Jessica.” He glances around and pulls me aside. “Stop crying.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“Don’t sass me. There are all kinds of people watching this hotel. Stop crying.”

I suck in air, forcing my emotions into submission.

He brushes my hair over my shoulder. “Now, what are you doing here?”

“The Murphys—”

“Ah. Of course.” He pulls off his jacket and wraps it around my shoulders. “Let’s go out the back in my car.”

He leads me to the basement and we climb into his black Ferrari. I’ve never ridden in anything European, so I run my hands over the tan leather interior as we drive.

“Hailey?”

“Mmm?” I sniff again, tensing at his firm tone.

“You shouldn’t come to the hotel. Steven might see you.”

My chin quivers. “I don’t care about him anymore.”

“What’s going on?”

“It’s…” I rub my eyes. “It’s Lucas.”

“I can’t say that’s completely unexpected, but okay. What’s happening?”

Tearing my gaze from the soft leather seat, I gaze up at him. “I think I like him, but he doesn’t like me. Not like that.”

“Really? Huh.” He raises an eyebrow.

“Isaiah flirts with me like crazy, but I’m not sure if he’s just being him, or if he’s really interested. Then Clarissa’s acting all possessive when they’re around, like they’re trying to steal her friend away, and the tension between the three of them is unbearable.”

“They’ve always had tension between them,” he says, glancing at me. “Right from the start. It’s part of what makes their act so riveting. You watch and they’re incredibly talented, but you just know those three want to rip into each other. You’re just itching for them to break out into a fight on stage, Jerry Springer style.”

“But…” I stare at him. “It feels…worse.”

“That’s because you’re in the middle.”

I nod.

He turns at an intersection heading the opposite direction of the hotel.

I watch the street sign pointing to L.A. fly by. “Where are we going?”

“You’re going to come spend some time with my family.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Uh…why?”

“Because it’ll cheer you up.” He grins.

I stare at him, my jaw hanging open.

“Don’t look at me like that.” He pushes my mouth shut. “We’ll have fun. Emily has been asking how you are anyway.”

I wrap my arms around my waist. “This is kinda weird.”

“I can take you back to the Murphys if you like?”

I wince, the knot in my stomach tightening. “Just for an hour.”

We turn off the freeway into Beverly Hills and soon arrive at a large house I’d never expected to see him living in. The two-story brick home has a perfectly manicured yard, white trimmings, and false shutters. It looks like a nice, simple, suburban home.

He walks me to the double oak front door and goes straight in. I hesitate on the threshold. Slowly scanning the entry area, I decide I’d wait until someone specifically says—

“Hailey, come in.”

I continue to hesitate. Who gets invited into a rock star’s house in Beverly Hills? Not little old me.

“Hailey.” Jeff rests his hands on his hips.

“Hailey?” From the top of the stairs to my right, Collin appears. He stares at me, jaw hanging, as he cautiously steps down the top three stairs.

“Both of you are acting ridiculous.” Jeff grabs my arm and pulls me in the door. “Collin, you’ve met Hailey before.”

A maid appears and takes Jeff’s jacket from me. I stare at her. A maid? Seriously? I don’t know anyone who has a maid.

“Sir, dinner is waiting for you,” she says to Jeff, and despite all stereotypes, she has no foreign accent.

“Thank you, Janet. Where’s Emily?” Jeff responds.

Collin steps up beside me, grinning from ear to ear.

“She’s with Vinnie and Zach in the pool,” the maid replies.

“Thank you.”

Janet leaves, and Jeff tilts his head for me to follow.

Collin’s hand gingerly touches my elbow. “It’s really cool that you’re here. I couldn’t believe you got knocked out.”

“Thanks.” I smile at him.

“Come on, you two,” Jeff calls, disappearing through a doorway.

“Mom will be happy to see you,” Collin says, gently tugging on my elbow. “She was so mad when you were kicked off.”

“Oh.” She must know why. I don’t see Jeff as the withholding-information-from-his-wife type.

Collin coaxes me through to an indoor pool. In the doorway, I gaze around at the glass walls, potted plants, and in a small alcove, a hot tub. Not a normal suburban home.

Emily climbs out of the pool, her one-piece suit showing off her slender figure. Jeff’s eyes take her in as he walks toward her. His smile widens as he approaches. He plants a kiss on her lips.

She smiles up at him but immediately turns her attention to me. “Hailey!”

“Hi,” I respond sheepishly.

Collin pulls me forward as she walks toward us. The two younger boys stop splashing and swing around to look at me.

Emily rests her hand on my shoulder and kisses my cheek. “It’s good to see you again. You’ve had a rough time lately. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” I have no idea what to say. I feel like a street bum walking in on the royal family’s quality bonding time.

She waves to the boys in the pool. “Go upstairs and get changed.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, they climb out of the pool and scamper away.

“Excuse me while I change.” She smiles, touching my cheek. “Jeff and Collin will take care of you.”

“I sure will.” Collin wraps his arm through mine.

Weird. Everything feels so weird.

As Emily heads upstairs, Jeff motions for us to leave the pool area. Collin guides me into an entertainment room where a pool table, foosball, laser tag, a huge TV, and a stereo all sit waiting to be used. Black leather couches line the walls, and Collin leads me to one.

Jeff grabs a fold-up chair and sets it up facing us. “You look uncomfortable.”

I nod.

“Relax.”

I raise an eyebrow at him.

“Why are you uncomfortable?” Collin asks.

“Uh…”

“I doubt she’s used to houses like this,” Jeff answers for me.

“I should go,” I mutter.

Collin clutches my arm. “Not yet.”

Jeff scowls at him. Collin releases my arm. Weird. So weird. Why does everyone suddenly want my undivided attention? I’ve gone from being easily forgotten to the most wanted person alive. Well, at least that’s what it feels like.

“So, Hailey,” Jeff says, leaning back. “Have you been contacted by any agents or producers yet?”

“No,” I say quickly. “Well, apart from this gig with Vanessa.”

“Give it some time,” he says. “Let your newfound availability marinade for a few weeks, and they’ll come calling.”

“I don’t think I’ll do a solo album.” I press my hands between my knees.

“Why not?” Collin asks. “I’d buy it, and so would just about everyone I know. Dad, why don’t you get your guys to hook her up?”

Jeff lets out a long breath of air. “Can’t. Not until her contract expires, anyway.”

“That’s okay.” I chew my lip.

“Why wouldn’t you want to go solo?” Jeff asks. “You went on the show as a solo act.”

“I know, but I didn’t expect to get anywhere.” My knees quiver. “I don’t think my mom would approve. She loves my singing, but she’s afraid of what fame does to people. She doesn’t want me to turn out like that.”

Jeff scowls. “I didn’t turn out so bad.”

“I don’t mean you. I mean in general.” Kill me now.

His two younger sons shuffle sheepishly into the room. Both look like younger versions of Collin, with blue eyes and light brown hair. They shove and wrestle onto the couch beside me, their stares never breaking away from me.

Jeff rolls his eyes. “Stop that.”

Emily walks in wearing a floral maxi dress, twisting her dark hair into a bun. “Excuse the boys. They’re a little starstruck.”

“But their dad’s a way bigger star than I could ever be.”

“Yeah, but he’s our dad,” the middle son says.

“That’s Vincent,” Jeff says. “And the runt there is Zachery.”

The boys both grin.

Emily rests her hands on Jeff’s shoulders and her chin on the top of his head. I examine them both. The blue eyes on the boys comes from Jeff, but I can’t place the light brown hair. Maybe Emily dyes hers? That makes sense. A woman in her early forties would probably have some gray.

“Let’s play something,” Collin says, jumping to his feet. “We have the latest of every console. We could do Kinect Sports?”

“Yeah!” the other two boys say in union, both jumping up and following him.

“Um…” I glance at Jeff again.

“Go.” He gestures for me to follow. “You wanted to take a break. I’m sure three preadolescent boys will be a sufficient distraction.”

At first, I hang back, but the three boys are so entertaining that I can’t help but join in. Beach volleyball turns into a slap fest, with each brother using it as an excuse to hit each other. When we change to bowling, they tease each other about their technique. I enjoy every second, rolling with laughter when they resort to name-calling.

More than an hour passes; in fact, two pass before I realize how long we’ve been playing. Swiveling around, I find Jeff and Emily gone. I slip out of the room and hear them talking quietly somewhere out of sight. I don’t want to eavesdrop, so call, “Jeff?”

They fall quiet, and a few seconds later Jeff appears in the hallway. “Yes?”

“It’s getting late.”

He glances behind me at a clock showing ten thirty. “Wow, yeah it is. Let’s go.”

Emily places her hand on his shoulder as she says to me, “You better say goodbye to the boys or they’ll be disappointed.”

“Okay.” I hurry back. The three kids rush at me, talking a hundred miles a minute as they fist-bump me goodbye.

Emily wraps her arm around my waist. “I hope the boys helped cheer you up.”

“They did. Thank you,” I answer with as much genuine feeling as I can muster. They’ve been beyond great, and I want her to know.

She squeezes my waist. “Hopefully we’ll see you again soon.”

Jeff rests his hand on my arm and leads me out. His family waves from the door as we drive away.

I sit stiff, staring out the window. The whole experience has left me feeling strange about Jeff. His family seemed too happy to see me, even if I had enjoyed spending time with them.

“Jeff?” I say softly.

“Mmm?”

“Why does your family like me so much?”

He glances at me. “They’re fans.”

I sigh, shaking my head. “Most people don’t bring their favorite reality show star home to hang out.”

“They’ve seen what’s happened to you, and they feel for you. They’ve experienced what it’s like to have the things they do splattered all over the media. When Collin was kissed by a girl at school, the next day something came out about him being a heartbreaker like his father. When Emily and I were engaged, all kinds of slanderous nonsense was tossed around about both of us. Anytime I make a public appearance, someone has to say something critical about me that my boys hear. We all know what it feels like.”

I rub my knees, still not quite understanding. “But why me? Last year you didn’t bring those couples home that had affairs.”

His jaw clenches. “You’re an innocent victim. They asked for what they got.”

Sensing his hostility at the mere thought of those couples, I wrap my arms around myself and stare out the window.

He sighs heavily, like a great burden weighs on his chest. “Hailey, I’m sorry. Last year was a terrible year with the show. I don’t like thinking about it.”

I look to him, trying to understand him. “Then why did you stay on?”

“To protect people like you. There are plenty of good people who get caught up in the whirlwind and get hurt. I work to try and keep my contestants’ heads on straight. The only other judge who does that is Lance. The other two…” He shakes his head. “Well, you know.”

“That’s why you want to expose Steven, so you can quit?”

He nods. “Kill the show, stop the exploitation of innocent people, and get out.”

“Aren’t you…” I bite my lip.

He glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “What? Don’t be afraid to say anything to me.”

“Aren’t you afraid of losing everything? I mean, if you get sued, you could lose your house, your cars—”

“My house is paid off, but if we have to, we can downgrade. I don’t need a Ferrari, or an indoor pool, or tennis courts—”

“You have tennis courts too?” I ask, sitting upright.

“Yes, but the point is, as long as I have my family and a clear conscience, that’s all I need in life.”

“Coming from someone who’s never been poor.”

He purses his lips. “Mmm.”

I sigh, resting my head back. “That was rude, sorry.”

“No, you’re right. Even before I became famous, I came from a rich family. I have no understanding of a life like yours. I’m sorry you had to struggle.”

“It’s not your fault.” I shut my eyes. “I’m so tired.”

“I’ll wake you when we get there.”

It isn’t a long drive, but I doze off anyway. The day has been far too long and dramatic. At the hotel, Jeff gently shakes my shoulder. I jump and he smiles. “Do you need me to walk you in?”

“No, I’m…” I rub my eyes. “I’ll be fine from here. Thanks.”

“All right. Good luck tomorrow.”

I climb out and shuffle into the lobby. As I walk through the doors, I glance back. He waves as he drives off. What a weird night.

In the elevator, I press my forehead against the cool mirror. Although I’d forgotten for a while, my problems still remain. I still feel a deep ache in my heart from Tom’s betrayal, and even more from the possibility that Lucas could be dating Vanessa. The tension between the Murphys also riddles me with guilt. Somehow, I’d made them fight.

The door opens and I stumble out. I grab my forehead as I shuffle down the corridor, wanting nothing more than to pass out in my bed. Sleep would bring some kind of escape from reality.

I dig for my keycard and a movement makes me jump. Lucas stands beside my door.

I back up, startled to find him right there while my feelings for him churn inside me. “What are you doing here?”

His brows furrow together. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay. I’ve been trying to call you.”

I pull out my phone. Eight missed calls. “No kidding. Sorry, it was on silent.”

I brush by him, unable to look him in the eyes and see him pitying me, and slide the card in the lock.

“Where did you go?” he asks, tension in his voice.

“Why does it matter?” I push the door open and step in.

“You left in a hurry. I was worried.” He follows me.

I scoff. “Here we go. I’m not your sister. I don’t need protecting.”

He scowls. “Hailey.”

“I want to go to bed, Lucas,” I say, exasperated, as I kick off my shoes. “Please, go call Vanessa if you feel like bothering someone.”

“Why would I…”

I toss my handbag on the armchair by the window, trying to ignore him, to ignore my pain.

“Vanessa calls me.”

My heart lifts, but I still don’t want to look at him. If I look at him, I’ll lose control of my emotions.

“We’re friends. She’s nice. I thought you liked her.”

“I do.” I kick my shoes under the desk. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

“What did she say to you? Why are you so hostile toward me?” He moves away from the closed door, his voice rising in pitch.

I grunt and pull off my cardigan. “I don’t know. Why are you and Isaiah so hostile to each other? Why is Clarissa suddenly part of the hostility too? Why does Vanessa seem to know more about you than I do? And why am I stuck in the middle, but kept away from the heart of it? I thought you trusted me. I thought we were friends.”

“Hailey, I do. We are.”

I swing around to glare at him. “Then tell me why I couldn’t sit and enjoy a meal with your family without being the rope in a three-way tug-of-war.”

He stares at me, his brows furrowed. We stand motionless for several moments, while my heart races. Why can’t he tell me? Am I really that much of a child in his eyes?

He breaks eye contact and runs his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry we made you feel that way.”

I wait. He needs to give me more than that.

He sighs and steps toward me. “Hailey, it’s not about you.”

I move to step back, but his gaze keeps me locked on the spot. So, I lean away.

He gently grabs my hands. “There’s nothing going on with Vanessa.”

My heart soars, but I refuse to show it.

“Isaiah and I, we’ve never got along. I’m sorry you feel like it’s your fault, but it’s not.”

“What is it then?” I say softly, unable to tear myself away from his gaze.

“He’s just…and I’m…” He releases my left hand and brushes his fingers against my cheek. I just about lose my mind at his touch. It takes all my strength to keep from melting into his arms. But he pulls back. “It’s not your fault.”

“Lucas.” I gaze into his eyes, breathless, pleading with him to tell me. To trust me.

“I’m sorry.” He stares at his feet. “I just can’t.”

“Can’t what?” Exasperated, I clutch the back of the armchair behind me. “I’ve told you everything. You know things I haven’t even told my mom.”

“I know,” he says.

I groan, completely fed up with the drama. I point at the door. “Just go. I’m tired of people hurting me. I don’t want to be stuck in the middle of something when you don’t think I’m worth telling why I’m stuck there.”

His gaze shoots to me, and he steps toward me. “Hailey—”

“No. Go.”

He freezes as our eyes meet. His chest rises and falls. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m trying to protect you. Please understand.”

I glare at him. “Get. Out.”

He deflates, slumping. “Okay. I don’t want to upset you.” He turns and walks to the door. As he steps through, he glances back. “Just…don’t let Isaiah near you.”

He shuts the door behind him, leaving me standing there alone.

I collapse onto my bed, my heart breaking all over again. Lucas doesn’t feel the way I do for him. My heart can’t take much more of all this heartbreak. I won’t seek out the Murphys anymore. I might love them, but there’s too much pain. To be crazy about Lucas and not have it reciprocated is agonizing, and I cry. How could I be so stupid? And what’s worse, he won’t tell me what I did to his family. Why am I tearing them apart? I have to let them go to save them.

I miss my simple life. Once I’ve done my part with Vanessa and the show, no more performing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanessa keeps staring at me. I don’t really care. Two days have passed since I last spoke to Lucas, not that he hasn’t tried. My call log shows an endless stream of missed calls, calls I chose to ignore. Even Clarissa tried calling a few times. Although it hurts, I refuse to be the source of conflict between them. And Lucas hurt me, more than I care to admit.

During our lunch break, I find a quiet corner outside and shut my eyes. I just want to go home. I feel like a child, wishing for my mom to hold me and make the big bad world go away.

My phone beeps with a text. I open it and read—

 

Hailey, I miss you. Please forgive me…

 

I glance at the name. Tom. Why won’t he just leave me alone? I consider deleting it, but read the rest of the text instead.

 

Tom: I know it’s been hard, and I understand you kissing that Lucas guy, but I think we can sort out our issues. I’ve been stupid to not tell you how much I care. Please come back so we can talk.

 

He still can’t say he loves me! Am I really that terrible that love is a bad word? Not to mention the cheating…wait a second. I look over the text again. How did he know I kissed Lucas? The photographer!

Pulling up the browser on my phone, it only takes me seconds to find a series of photos from that night. Lucas and me at dinner, talking, laughing, holding hands. Then at the beach where I leaned in and kissed him. The caption says, Hailey and Lucas make their relationship public.

Fighting back my emotions, I exit out of the article and return to the text from Tom. I reply.

 

Me: Leave me alone. I don’t want you to fight for me. It’s not a romantic gesture when you slept with someone else for several months. It’s insulting that you would think I’m that pathetic. We’re over. Permanently. Goodbye, Tom.

 

Only a few seconds later, he calls. I toss my phone aside, not wanting to deal with him anymore. He’s the last person on Earth I want to talk to. After it stops ringing, a voicemail comes through. With shaky hands, I open it to listen since I’m a glutton for punishment.

“Hailey,” Tom says, his voice thick with emotion. “I miss you so much, and I’m so sorry for what I did, more sorry than I’ve ever been in my life. You’re right to be angry and hurt. I just wish I could make it go away. But I don’t think you’re pathetic.” He let out a long sigh. “Hailey, as much as I want you back, I can’t…I won’t make you keep living with so much pain.”

He lets out a long breath. “I want to convince you to come back to me, but I know that won’t make you happy. So, I’ll stop. I’ll let you go and try to move on. You and Anthony are right—you do deserve better than what I did, and I really hope that Lucas guy can give it to you. I won’t say I’m fine with it, because I’m not. Every time I see you, I’ll regret…” He made a strangled sound. “I’m so sorry, Hailey.”

The message ends. I feel…sad. Just sad. I had loved him, and I never expected it to end, especially like that. But something about the pain in his voice takes my anger and hurt from his betrayal away. He had cared about me, even if it wasn’t enough. But he regrets what he did. Maybe my pain will benefit someone else one day. When he meets someone he truly loves, he won’t make the same mistake.

My phone rings again, but I don’t recognize the number. I decide against answering and again let it go to voicemail. When the message comes through, I expect to delete the telemarketer’s message, but instead…

“This is for Miss Hailey Becker. I’m Ted Gallagher, Jeffrey Halloway’s agent. I would like to speak with you while you’re in town. I think you have a promising future ahead of you, and I would like to discuss your options. Please call me back as soon as you can.”

He left his number, and I save it on my phone. Is this really happening? Jeff has to have something to do with it. His son made the suggestion a few nights earlier. But do I want to pursue a life in the spotlight? There’s no harm in at least meeting the agent. I can turn him down if I decide it’s not for me. Then again, a piece of me still really wants to sing.

 

***

 

I open the door to my hotel room and pause, gasping. A bouquet of flowers sits on the small table by the window with an envelope beside it. I pluck up the envelope, wondering who could have sent them. I look at the bottom of the message. Lucas.

My heart races as my gaze lifts to the top of the note to see what he had to say.

 

Hailey—

I’m sorry for how we parted. There are things I need to tell you. I shouldn’t shut you out of this. I know you’ll understand. When you’re ready, please contact me so we can meet and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.

Lucas

 

I take a deep breath. Whatever I want to know? That covers a lot of things, mostly why he and Isaiah resent each other so much. But there’s one thing I want to know but I’m not sure if I can ask—how does he feel about me?

 

***

 

I don’t even know if the Murphys are in their rooms. I can’t hear anything or anyone as I stand outside Lucas’s door. With a deep breath, I raise my fist and knock. No one answers. I knock again. “Lucas?”

A thud inside makes me jump and I back away, suddenly afraid to face him. Looking toward the elevator, I make a move to dash away, then the door flies open.

“Hailey?”

Not Lucas. The lump in my throat vanishes as I gaze up at his handsome face. “Isaiah.”

A smile dances on his lips. “What are you doing here?”

Dodging his gaze, I clear my throat. “Lucas wanted to talk to me.”

“I thought you were blowing him off.”

I stare at my feet, letting out a long breath. “I was. But I want to hear him out.”

Isaiah steps back, opening the way into the room. “Come in.”

I slip by him. The room looks significantly tidier with just Lucas and Arnie living there. “Why are you in here?”

Isaiah motions to the joining door. “I heard you knocking.”

“Where’s everyone else?”

“I’m not sure. I took a nap, and when I woke up, they’d all gone.” He motions to the armchair in the corner. “Lucas should be back soon.”

I sit, facing him as he sits cross-legged on the bed. “Thanks.”

“Is everything okay?” he asks.

Staring toward the window, I say, “I’m doing better. This backing deal with Vanessa has proved to be a good distraction.”

“Yeah, I bet. What your boyfriend did really sucks.”

I shrug, my skin warming as my emotions swell. “It’s probably better this way. At least we weren’t married.”

“True.” He leans back against his arms. “So, it’s over?”

I scoff as tears force themselves to the surface. “Yeah. It sucks. I thought he cared about me, but looking back on it, I really don’t know why we were together.”

He frowns. “I’m sorry. Really, I am. You didn’t deserve that.”

I stare down at my hands. Everyone keeps saying that, but it doesn’t make things better. Only Lucas’s words give me the hope that the pain will pass, that time will heal. A tear falls and lands on my knuckle. “It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have been so stupid. I should—”

“Hey.” His hand rests on my knee as he kneels in front of me. I gasp as he runs his fingers through my hair. “Don’t blame yourself. You’re beautiful, and talented, and if he didn’t see that, then he’s an idiot.”

My heart sinks. “I’m not beautiful.”

“Hey.” His hand rests on my cheek. “Don’t ever say that. Hailey. You have no idea how amazing you are.”

I look into his eyes and my heart flutters. Does he like me? I’d always felt something for him, and our friendship came easily, but Clarissa always warned me not to…

He leans in and softly kisses my lips. He breaks away but stays close, his breath caressing my lips. “You’re beautiful.”

I look into his eyes. “You really think I am?”

He chuckles. “Yeah. Even before that makeover I thought you were beautiful.”

He kisses me firmly, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me off the chair into his lap.

I cling to him, kissing him back with just as much intensity and wondering why he’d noticed me. My internal battle pushes out of my mind as he kisses me in a way I’d never experienced, his tongue playing with mine and my lips. Incredible. I’m losing all sense of reason.

I pull back to catch my breath. “Isaiah?”

“Shh.”

He lifts me and sets me on the bed underneath him. His hands run up and down my body, slipping my shirt up to expose my skin. He breaks away for a moment to pull off his shirt. He kisses me again, his hands wandering over my body, and finally resting over my bra.

“You’re so hot,” he says breathlessly. “Hailey, you’re gorgeous.”

I moan as he nibbles on my neck, his hands sliding under my skirt and rubbing my thighs.

Wait! He wants sex! I don’t want that. Not with him.

I rest my hand on his chest. “What are you doing?”

He smiles. “Hailey, I was just waiting for you to be single.”

He bends down and kisses me again. I moan, his hands rubbing the skin on my waist and abdomen. My fingers find his bare back, feeling his muscles flexing as he rubs against me. But Lucas fills my mind. His muscular shoulders and torso, his beautiful smile…Lucas…Lucas!

Gasping, I break away from Isaiah’s kiss. I don’t want Isaiah. But I can’t have Lucas. I’ve fallen for the wrong brother!

Isaiah’s hands slide up my skirt, grasping my panties.

“Whoa!” I push my skirt down, forcing his hands out from under it. “No, no, no.”

“Hailey.” He kisses my cheek. “Come on, it’ll be fun. After what you’ve been through, I think you deserve a little tension relief.” He kisses down my neck.

“Stop.” I push him off me, sliding out from under him and pulling my shirt down. “I can’t. Not like this.”

“Why not?” He kneels up, turning to face me. “I won’t hurt you. I want to make you feel good. I want to see you smile again.”

I shake my head. “I’m not like that. I need to know I’m in a stable relationship first. Exclusive. I need to know that there are long-term prospects.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “Tom didn’t exactly do that for you.”

I wince. “No…”

He stands, advancing on me. He rubs my arms, looking into my face. “Hailey, you’re hot, and I like you, a whole lot. Just trust me.”

I shake my head, walking toward the door. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that we need to date first.”

He rushes after me and pins me against the wall. “Hailey, I’ll do a relationship. I want to be with you.”

I chew on the inside of my lip. “Not now.”

“Why?”

“I told you.” I push his chest, a little alarmed. “I need a relationship first.”

“We have a relationship. We’ve been dancing around this for a while. And now you’re single.” He bends down and kisses me.

I push him back. “I said stop.”

The door to the room flies open. Lucas’s eyes narrow on Isaiah. Isaiah’s arms wrap tightly around me. I try to push him off.

“She said stop.” Lucas storms over and grabs his arm.

“Back off, Lucas.” Isaiah shakes free of his grip. “She chose me. She’s begging me to be her boyfriend.”

“I am not!” I shove his chest.

“Get off her!” With a heave, Lucas tears Isaiah away, tossing him onto the bed.

Isaiah shoots back to his feet. “She wants me, Lucas.”

Lucas grasps my arm, guiding me out the door.

“Hailey.” Isaiah bursts into the corridor in front of us. “Hailey, let’s go somewhere and chat.”

Lucas shoves him out of the way.

“Hailey.”

I look back at Isaiah. “I’m not interested.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “Excuse me?”

“She said she’s not interested!” Lucas yells.

“Lucas.” I grab his arm, shocked by his outburst.

He pulls me against him protectively as he glares at Isaiah. “Go take a cold shower.”

Lucas guides me away in a hurry while Isaiah calls, “Hailey, I’m sorry! Come back and we can work this out!”

I glance back, feeling a hint of guilt. Somehow, Isaiah’s intentions felt…genuine. For once. But with Lucas’s arm providing a secure cocoon around me, I allow him to lead me away. I’d come to see him, after all.

Lucas leads me to a rental car and opens the door for me. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “When did you get the rental?”

“Just after the last eliminations.”

“Oh.”

He hurries around to the driver’s seat. We drive without conversation. He turns up the music to fill the void. I look at him, trying to get a read on what he’s thinking. His eyes are dark, his jaw clenched, his shoulders tense as he clutches the steering wheel. Angry. Definitely angry.

We pull up at the beach and he bursts out of the car. I scramble to climb out, locking the doors behind me. “Lucas!”

He marches onto the sand but pauses to wait when I call to him. I rush up beside him and grab his clenched fist. “Lucas, what’s going on?”

“He tried to take advantage of you.” The viciousness in his voice makes me start. He remains staring out at the dark ocean, his lips pursed.

“Lucas, I could have handled it,” I say gently.

He sneers. “He would have handled you.”

“Lucas, come on. You think I would have fallen for that after what happened with Tom?”

He looks into my eyes, his jaw muscles twitching. “He’s sleeping with Drusilla.”

I pull away from him, horrified. “What? But she’s married, and she’s, like, thirty years older than him.”

His eyebrows shoot up as he turns his sad, dark eyes to me.

“Isaiah’s not that bad.”

“He’s sleeping with Jessica too.”

I wince. “No…”

“Yeah. He started that one right away, pretty much the moment we arrived. Drusilla is fairly recent. He thinks he’s keeping us in the comp.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “No. I can’t believe it.”

“Well, you don’t know Isaiah like I do.” The bitterness in his voice is unmistakable.

“He said we’d be exclusive,” I whisper, clutching at my heart.

Lucas draws a sharp breath. “You do want to be his girlfriend?”

My voice catches in my throat. If I can’t have Lucas, maybe…no. That’s self-deprecating. But I can’t say that to Lucas. “Well, yes and no. Everyone knows I had a bit of a thing for him, except I didn’t want to…” My nose tingles as tears force their way to the surface. “Why do I attract guys like that? Do I have sucker stamped on my forehead?”

His expression softens as he turns to face me. “No.”

“He just wanted to have sex with me. He wouldn’t…” I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands, on the verge of hysterics. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself.” He grabs my shoulders. Alarm shoots through me at the ferocity in his gaze. His eyebrows lower and his nostrils flare. “This…I think this is my fault.”

“Your fault?” I ask with a quaky voice. “How could you have known he’d come on to me?”

He takes a deep breath, his grip on me tightening. “Because I know him and what he’s like. You remember how I told you my girlfriend cheated on me?”

“Yes.” I gaze up into his eyes as it dawns on me with whom. “No.”

He nods. “Isaiah always homes in on girls when I show an interest in them. I should have known better than to think she’d be any different.” He scowls and steps back from me. “When I found him with her, I wanted to rip his head off. But you wanna know the worst part?”

I shake my head, staring at my feet. To think his own brother could do that to him breaks my heart more than Tom’s affair. How beyond awful Lucas must have felt.

Lucas doesn’t seem to notice my refusal. “He said it was nothing, just sex. So, when you told me that Tom said the same thing, I wanted to kill him. I couldn’t believe he’d treat you with such blatant disregard. Not you, not when you’d been so faithful.”

Lucas caresses my face. “Don’t let Isaiah make you feel bad about yourself. He does this to spite me. I don’t know why he gets such a kick out of it.”

“I’m sorry, Lucas.” I wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his chest. “I didn’t know. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have gone inside to wait for you. I wouldn’t have trusted him.”

He holds me tightly, his warm breath in my hair soothing me. He’s safe, reliable. I press my ear against his chest and listen to his heart beating steady, strong. Like him. I sigh, closing my eyes.

“Please don’t cry.” His thumb brushes my cheek. “I hate it when you cry.”

“I’m sorry.” I nuzzle against him. “I still hurt, and this has brought it all back to the surface.”

His pecs rise and fall as he sighs. I breathe deeply, listening to his heartbeat, wishing we could be more. But I don’t attract guys like him.

“Hailey?” His deep voice resonates in his chest. “Don’t…” He lets out a long breath.

I lift my head to meet his gaze. “You asked me to meet you because you wanted to tell me the truth. Is that what it was? That Isaiah has been sleeping with Drusilla to help you win? And that you two can’t get along because your girlfriend cheated with him?”

Pain fills his eyes. “Yeah.”

“Lucas.” I clasp his face. “I know you’re not like that. You’re honest, so I know you are really hurt and embarrassed by all of his antics. What happened between you and Isaiah, I don’t know if time will heal it or not. But I understand. You don’t need to be ashamed of that, especially with me.”

A sad smile appears on his face.

“And Drusilla…” I grasp the collar of his pale blue shirt. “Don’t think you have come this far because the comp is rigged. You have talent. You’re all amazing. The first time I heard you, I knew I didn’t stand a chance against you.”

He shakes his head. “You’re way more talented than me.”

“No. I couldn’t have done half of what I did without you.”

He sucks his lip in, chewing on it as he stares into my eyes. “Hailey?”

“Yes?” Butterflies erupt in my belly at the way he spoke my name in a deep, yearning, husky tone of voice.

His fingers run through the hair framing my face. “I know what I’m going to do now.”

“What?”

“You’re still coming to the finale?”

“Of course. All the top ten are.”

“Good.” He steps away from me. The distance between us tears the sense of security he gave me away. I feel breathless, wanting him to hold me just a little longer.

“I’m going to take the lead solo this time.”

I smile proudly at him but can’t deny the feeling of disappointment tearing at my heart. “It’s about time.”

“We’re not going to win—that’s certain—so I’m going to take a risk.”

“What kind of risk?”

He clears his throat. “I’m going to write the song.”

I smile, shuffling closer to him. “That would be magical.”

He returns my smile, his eyes lighting up. “I’ve been working on something, and now I know what I’ve been missing. I think it’ll just be me and Clarissa singing.”

“Oh.” I point at him. “How are you going to convince her to do that?”

He shrugs. “I know my sister. I know ways to motivate her.”

“It’s moments like this I’m glad my brothers are way younger than me and can’t manipulate me.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, we’re good at that.”

“Are you going to threaten to tell Taylor she likes him?”

His grin widens and he grabs my wrist, pulling me against him. “Something like that.”

He lifts me over his shoulder.

“Whoa!” I squeal.

He laughs and swings around, charging toward the ocean.

“No! What are you doing?”

The waves crash around us and he drops me in. I jump up and slap his chest. “This shirt is white!”

He blinks, then looks down at my chest.

I cross my arms around myself. “Stop.”

He grins. “Nice bra.”

I slap his shoulder and march toward the shore.

“Hailey.” He grabs me by the waist and pulls me back against him. I grasp his arm clinging around me as he wraps his other arm across my chest, grasping my shoulder. His nose brushes against my ear, making my heart skip a beat. Leaning back into him, I shut my eyes, pretending, hoping, that he feels the same way about me as I do about him.

“I said you could ask me anything,” he whispers, his hot breath on my ear sending ripples of goosebumps over my body. “I meant it.”

I can’t speak. To ask the one thing I want to know terrifies me. What if I’ve misread all the signs? After everything that happened with Tom, I doubt my judgment.

“Anything, Hailey.”

His hand lifts from my shoulder and gently turns my face toward him. Our eyes meet. The overwhelming urge to kiss him hits me.

“Do you trust me?” I whisper.

“More than anyone.”

I smile, closing my eyes as I lean back against him. His arms engulf me, holding me firmly. Lucas.

“Why did you avoid me?” I ask softly.

“I didn’t want to be all over you. You were taken.”

I blink. Did that mean…I shiver, my hopes rising. “It’s cold.”

He lets me go to pull off his shirt. “Wear this.”

Is he serious? Oh, his body is too amazing. I’m doing the muscles naming again as I stare, clinging to my arms as I shiver.

“Hailey, you’re trembling.” He steps out of the water and rests his hands on my waist. He pulls me against him, his warm flesh making me gasp.

“If you’re cold, let me warm you.” His hands slip under my wet shirt. “Do you trust me, Hailey?”

I look up into his eyes, my teeth chattering. “Yes.”

He keeps eye contact as he pulls my shirt up over my head, and slips his on me. “I won’t hurt you.”

“At dinner,” I say breathlessly. “You barely acknowledged me.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I was angry with Isaiah, and I didn’t want him to hurt you like Tom did.”

“And Clarissa? Why is she acting so…possessive?”

“She doesn’t want Isaiah and me to drive you away with our fighting.” He touches my cheek. “I’m sorry you ended up in the middle. No matter what, I hope you stay friends with Clarissa. She looks up to you.”

“Me?” I can’t help smiling. Pretty, bubbly, sweet Clarissa, looks up to me?

“You’re worth looking up to. You’re worth so much more than you even realize.”

Grinning like an idiot, I stare at his mouth. I want to kiss him, so badly. My fingers run over his bottom lip.

He smiles, his arms tightening around me. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m not…sure.” I look up into his eyes.

“Ask me,” he says breathlessly, urgently.

My index finger traces his lips. “Ask you…ask you what?”

“What I’m thinking.”

My hand drifts down his neck, over his Adam’s apple, and rests on his bare chest. “What…what are you thinking?”

He presses his hand against the back of my head, pulling me closer. His lips brush against my ear as he whispers, “I’m thinking about how beautiful you are.”

My heart lifts, fluttering. Without thinking, I turn and kiss him. His grip on the back of my head tightens, holding me firmly in place. My fingers find his jaw as he deepens the kiss, his hand never releasing my hair as he coaxes my mouth open.

My whole body tingles. Lucas is kissing me, and it’s incredible! His tongue flutters over my lips, making my knees weak.

He breaks away, leaving me breathless. “I’m surprised you did that.”

I cover my mouth. “I’m sorry. Oh my gosh.”

I try to pull away, but he holds me tight. “I’m glad you did that.”

My cheeks warm as I giggle like a teenager. I bite it back, and he grins, shaking his head. “You’re cute.”

He steps back, but holds onto my hand as he leads me up to the car.

“Did that really just happen?” I ask, then cover my mouth when I realize I just thought out loud.

He glances back at me. “Yeah. It was pretty great.”

“Does this mean…” I squeeze his hand. “You like me? But not like a sister?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Definitely not like a sister.”

We approach the car and he opens the door for me. He drives me back to my hotel, talking the whole way about the comp, his classes, his dad. At the hotel, we climb into the elevator and he grabs me, kissing me with passion as he pins me against the wall.

When the door opens, he pulls back and leads me to my room while my head spins. Wow, he’s amazing. I grab him again as I open the door to my room and pull him in. I want him badly, every inch of me screams to have his body around me. But at the threshold, he pulls back.

“Lucas, come in.”

He shakes his head. “If I go in, I won’t be able to stop myself.”

“Maybe I want that.”

He eyes me over, letting out a shuddering breath. Then he meets my gaze. “Not yet.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to be like the other guys in your life. I’m sorry, Hailey. You’re beautiful, but I can’t.” He steps back into the corridor.

I walk toward him, resting my hand on his shirtless chest. He shudders under my touch. I run my hand up his neck, resting it in his hair on the back of his head. “You’re nothing like any other guy I know.”

I stretch up and kiss him, but he doesn’t kiss me back. I pull away, looking into his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Goodnight, Hailey.” He plants a kiss on my forehead and walks away.

“Lucas?” How did he do that? He just flipped from hot to cold in the blink of an eye. “Lucas?”

“I’ll call you,” he says, turning and walking backward. “I need to get back. Goodnight.” He hits the button in the elevator, and the doors close him off from me.

I back up into my room, shutting my door. What just happened? I feel like maybe he played me. Maybe he saw Isaiah coming on to me, so he decided to give it a shot. But nothing else tonight night backs that idea. Nothing about Lucas says he’d do something like that. Maybe it was me. Maybe I’d come on too strong?

I slap my forehead. Of course I had! I’ve freaked him out. After all, only a few weeks had passed since Tom and I broke up, and I’d almost let Isaiah have his way with me. I must be desperate for affection. Lucas must think I’m rebounding.

I grab my phone and text Lucas.

 

Me: I’m sorry. I’ll back off.

 

As I change for bed, he replies.

 

Lucas: Sorry? For what?

 

I huff.

 

Me: Rebounding onto you. You were right to leave.

 

He replies right away.

 

Lucas: That’s not why I left. Don’t overthink it. I’ll call you tomorrow and set up a time to see you.

 

I flop onto my bed and groan. I’ve already blown it with Lucas. I fall asleep thinking of him, and my dreams are riddled with us making love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So, when are you meeting that agent?” Vanessa asks in the recording studio.

“Hmm?” My mind is on Lucas. I hadn’t seen him since that night, except on TV. They’d made it through to another round, which didn’t surprise me, or him.

“Hailey, where’s your head?”

“What?” I look at Vanessa.

“Cloud nine.”

“Huh?”

She grins. “You’re thinking about Lucas.”

“No,” I say quickly.

“He told me you guys are seeing each other.”

“Not really,” I mutter, resting my cheek on my fist. “Anyway, when do you talk to him?”

Her grin widens. “When he needs girl advice.”

Heat flushes my cheeks. “He doesn’t need advice. I need the advice. He’s so on and off it makes me crazy. One minute he’s kissing me, then the next he’s running away like I’m a leper.”

She giggles. “You’re overanalyzing. Lucas is into you. I think the whole world knows that.”

“Hailey.”

I glance toward the window as the familiar voice comes over the speaker. Jeff waves at me.

“That must be his agent with him,” Vanessa says. “You should go.”

“Is that okay?” I ask.

“Yes,” Jeff says into a mic.

“Oh, you can hear me.” I scowl.

“Every word.”

I slap my forehead.

“Uh huh. All that too. Come out here.”

I slide off the stool and hurry out of the recording booth. The slender, ash-haired man beside Jeff offers me his hand. “Miss Becker. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Ted Gallagher. Let’s go get lunch so we can talk.”

I shake his hand. “Sure.”

Jeff comes with us. We sit in an isolated corner of a restaurant, and Ted pulls out paperwork. “Let’s get right to business. I’m going to offer you this contract. I think I can get you a good recording deal with one of the big labels. I’ve already heard whispers of interest from Warner and Sony. With all the drama some of the big artists have been creating lately, the wholesome girl next door will look good for their image. Plus, you’re incredibly talented. I haven’t heard such talent since Jeffrey here.”

I glance at Jeff and he smiles gently.

“I don’t know what a good contract is,” I say.

“That’s okay.” Jeff touches my shoulder. “We’ll go through it with you. You trust that I won’t let you be taken for a ride, right?”

I nod. He has saved and protected me several times.

“All right.” Jeff motions for the contract to be handed to me. “Let’s get started.”

 

***

 

Feeling giddy, I lie on my plush hotel bed as I wait for Mom to answer.

“Hailey,” she says, her bright voice coming down the line.

“Mom! I’ve got exciting news.”

“Oh, please tell me you’re finally with Lucas. I really like him.”

“No.” I frown, wishing I could say yes. “Why are you always so focused on my love life?”

“I want to see you happy.”

“I can do that without a guy, Mom.”

“Yes, but seeing you settled down and having babies will make me happy.”

I chuckle. “Mom!”

“I’m sorry. So, tell me. What’s so exciting?”

I grin, excited to give her the news. “I signed with an agent.”

Pause. “Excuse me?” she whispered, her voice cold.

“I signed with an agent. Jeffrey Halloway’s to be exact. Jeff helped me go through the contract to make sure—”

She hangs up. I pull the phone away from my face and stare at it. Could she really be that against me pursuing a singing career? I try calling again, but she doesn’t answer.

I growl and call Clarissa.

“Hey, Hailey. Calling me instead of Lucas, huh?” She sounds chipper and has a hint of teasing in her voice.

“My mom just hung up on me!”

“What? Why?” She no longer sounds chipper.

“I told her I signed with an agent and I guess it upset her.”

“Well that sucks.”

“I know.”

“I’ll go get Lucas.”

“Clarissa, can’t I just talk to you?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Nope.”

I sigh. “I don’t want to bother him with this.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s…I’m…” How can I say I feel uncomfortable since her brother refused to have sex with me?

“Come down here. I’m bored.”

“It’s late.”

She pauses. “Oh. It kinda is, huh?”

“Yup.”

She groans. “I need to tell you something.”

“Sure.”

“I think…I think Isaiah is sleeping with Drusilla.”

I hesitate to answer. Lucas had said just that. “I hate to say it, but I think he is too.”

She lets out a low growl. “He’s so…he’s so…”

“Yup.”

“He makes me mad! He’s always like this. Girls are all over Lucas all the time too, but you don’t see him jumping into bed with them!”

“Clarissa—”

“It’s so embarrassing. I mean, we’re talented, aren’t we? We could win without him doing that.”

No, unfortunately. “You are, very talented.”

“Everything is getting so intense now. Final three! Phew, crazy town. Who would have thought?”

“I did.”

She giggles. “Thanks, Hailey.” She shuffles, then, “Lucas!”

“Clarissa!” I hiss.

“Lucas, talk to Hailey. Her mom is pissed about her signing with an agent.”

Lucas takes the phone. “Hailey?”

“Hi, Lucas.” I try to sound cheery, but my discomfort swells up inside me.

“Why’s your mom upset?”

“She doesn’t want to me live ‘that life.’”

“Oh.”

Pause. “Oh?”

“Hang on.”

“Lucas?”

“Just a sec. Okay, we’re alone. Why are you avoiding me?”

I just want to talk about my mother! “Lucas, I’m not avoiding you.”

“Why aren’t you answering my calls?”

“I just…” Why is he so frustrating? “I thought that…I mean, you didn’t…”

“Hailey.” He sighs. “I care about you, and I want to show that I respect you. That’s all it was.”

I smile, touched. Yes, I’ve been overanalyzing, just like Vanessa said. “You do?”

“Yeah. Hey, come down here tomorrow when you get out of recording. I want to see you before you go back.”

“Okay.”

“And that way we can talk about your mother issues properly.”

I giggle.

“There you go. Keep smiling,” he says. “Look, it’s late, so I better go.”

“All right.”

We say our farewells and hang up.

I’m woken by banging on the door. Seven a.m.? I don’t need to be anywhere until nine. I pull on the robe to answer. “Isaiah?”

He gazes at me, his fists clenched. “Hi.”

Glancing up and down the hallway, I ask, “How did you know what room?”

“You know Lucas is a virgin, right?”

No, I didn’t. But why does that matter? That makes his sudden departure way more understandable.

Isaiah wraps his arms around me. “He won’t make you happy.”

“Isaiah.” I push him off. “He told me what you did with his ex. Why would you do that?”

He shrugs. “I slept with all his girlfriends. He didn’t want to do them, so they came to me. She was just the only one he caught.”

I gasp and slap his shoulder. “You slut!”

His eyes darken. “I’m sorry all the good girls go for him. He’s not exactly a saint, you know.”

“At least he’s not sleeping with Drusilla and Jessica.”

“Oh, so he’s told you?” He folds his arms, scowling. “Typical. He’d do anything to keep you away from me. Anytime I have a genuine interest in a girl, he comes rushing in and steals her for himself.”

I step back. They’re deliberately hurting each other, over and over, and I’m their current weapon. “Isaiah, I’m sorry. Look, I’m going to stay away from both of you until you can work out your issues. This is messed up. You’re brothers.”

“He started it!” Isaiah yells. “Way back in middle school. I liked Rochelle McBride, but suddenly, out of nowhere, they’re a couple.”

“Middle school?” I gape. “This goes back to your seventh-grade crush?”

“It was more than that.” He stands with his legs splayed, his chest out. “Every girl I liked put me in ‘just friends’ and swooned over him. Perfect Lucas—the gentleman, the amazing performer. Oh, he’s so hot. Gag. Their swooning wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t gone and dated them!”

“But you just said you slept with them!”

He smirks. “Well, from his girlfriend when he was a senior and onward. She was a senior too, so I hadn’t had a thing for her. She was smoking hot, though. Captain of the dance team, with legs a mile long, and she was incredibly flexible.”

“Ew.” Cringing, I step backward.

“Anyway, they’d been dating six months, and she grabbed me one day and came on to me. I thought, why not? He’s done it to me enough. So, I had sex with her behind the bleachers. It was weird because it was the first time for both of us, but it definitely wasn’t the last.”

I’m completely horrified. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I could!” he snarls. “For once someone chose me over him. And now I want you, and you’re choosing him, again.”

“You want me?” I suppress the urge to laugh. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

“I stopped sleeping with Jessica for a while, when I thought I stood a chance.” He grabs my hand. “I would change for you.”

I pull free. “No. I’m stepping out of this. You and Lucas need to work this out. I’m not some trophy for you to fight over. I don’t need this drama. So just go, and tell Lucas I won’t meet him today.”

I slam the door in his face. Fuming, I pace the room. How am I going to calm down and enjoy my day after starting it like this? I shower but still remain furious. I eat breakfast, and still it lingers. I manage to suppress it while with Vanessa, so thankfully she doesn’t notice.

Jeff arrives at the end of the day. He meets me as I leave the recording booth, tilting his head for me to follow. In his car, he asks, “You up for dinner?”

“Sure.” I pout, staring out the window.

“Do you like Chinese?”

“Sure.”

He glances at me, eyebrow raised. “Surly at the moment, aren’t we?”

I scowl, folding my arms as I stare more intently out at the road zooming by.

“You know, you’ve pissed off a few people lately.”

“I don’t care. They deserve it.” I swing around to face him, my anger breaking free of the shackles. “Did you know Isaiah and Lucas have been back and forth about girls for years? Lucas dated all the girls Isaiah liked, and in return, Isaiah screwed them. Who does that?”

His eyebrows shoot up as he keeps focused on the road. “Horny teenage boys?”

“Ugh.” I slouch back into the chair. “I told them I was done with the crap. I don’t want to be the fuel for their fire.” But then, a new emotion explodes from inside me, one that couldn’t push through the rage until that moment, making me burst into tears. “What if Lucas only pursued me to spite Isaiah? If he’s been doing it since middle school, then…” A sob wrenches free. “I thought…and I…”

“Hey, hey, hey. Don’t cry.” He pulls over. He unbuckles and pulls my head to his chest. “Guys are stupid. No guy worth your time would ever make you cry.”

“I thought Lucas was better. I thought, after what Tom did, I’d found someone who would never treat me like that. I’m such an idiot.”

“No, you’re not.” He strokes my hair. “Let me tell you, from a former player’s experience, guys are the idiots. Sometimes we have something incredible right in front of us, and we screw it up. I was lucky when I found Emily that I’d realized I’d been an idiot and to hold tightly to her. One day someone will come along and do the same for you.”

“I wanted it to be Lucas,” I whisper.

He lifts my face to look into my eyes. “Have you talked to him about it? Because from the confusing argument I got during rehearsal today, I think he has a different story to tell.”

“No.” I pout. “That arguing is why I need to stay away. I don’t want to be the reason why they fight.”

He pinches my chin. “They fight because they can. And it’s not just the two of them. All six of them rip into each other about the smallest things. I think there are some underlying unresolved issues that are coming out as being about you. They all love you and are terrified of losing you, so yell and scream when one of them does something, anything, to upset you.”

I sit back, staring out the windscreen. He watches me for a moment before he pulls onto the road again. Underlying issues? Terrified of losing me? I’m so confused, so overwhelmed.

We pull into a parking lot. Jeff walks me into the restaurant with his hand resting between my shoulder blades. It should feel awkward, but it doesn’t. As we sit and he orders, I examine his face, amazed that I’d found him. I respect and admire him more than I could ever have anticipated, and he’d become more than just a rock star for me. Mom’s husband, Marco, never wanted to fit into my father figure role, and my real father had been an abusive drunk, so Jeff seems like the closest thing I’ll ever get to a dad.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He stares at me over his menu with a raised eyebrow.

I shrug. “I’m just thinking.”

“About what?” He lowers the menu.

“About how I’ve never had a father figure,” I tell him, surprised by my own candid response. “My real dad used to hit my mom, and when he hit me, Mom ran away to keep us safe. I was only five, so I don’t remember much about him. Just that he was big, really big. Mom says he was a linebacker in high school, but flunked out of college. He wasn’t a real go get ’em type. I think that’s part of why she worries about me. She doesn’t want me to turn out like he did.”

“But you are the go get ’em type,” Jeff says, leaning forward. “Since I first pulled your strings in the second round, you’ve fought back. You’re close to finishing your degree, and have continued working on it even while having these crazy commitments. I don’t see you turning out to be a deadbeat.”

“Maybe.” I sigh, slumping. “She freaked out when I told her I signed with Ted. She hasn’t talked to me since. I don’t want to disappoint her when she’s sacrificed so much for me.” I run my fingers over the napkin. “She had me young. Really young. She was only sixteen, a sophomore. When she refused to give me up, her rich parents made her marry my dad. My parents lived in my grandparents’ pool house until they both graduated. Mom says my grandmother did most of the caring for me then, but once she and my father finished school, he insisted on leaving. That’s when the drinking and hitting started, and Mom severed contact with her parents. She says they kept trying to take me from her.”

Jeff stares at me, his back rigid. “That…that must have been hard.”

I shrug. “As I said, I don’t remember much of it. I don’t even remember my grandparents. But I know it bothers Mom, so I try to do what I can to let her know she didn’t waste her life on me.” I snap the wooden chopsticks apart. “When she remarried, she wanted Marco to be my father figure, but we never seemed to mesh. I tried, but he remained distant, and when she had my brothers, he completely stopped trying and focused on them. I felt like the intruder in their home, so once I went off to college, I moved out.”

“I’m sorry, Hailey.”

I smile at him. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m fine. She just means so much to me, so I don’t want to disappoint her.”

His hand rests over mine. “I don’t think she’s disappointed in you. A little scared maybe, but not disappointed.”

“How about you?” I ask, looking into his eyes. “When you became a star, how did your parents react?”

He chuckles. “Have you heard of Regina Dalton?”

I pause, the name ringing a bell. “Wasn’t she an opera singer?”

He raises his eyebrows. “Yes, very good. It concerns me a little that you know that, but I’m still impressed. Well, she’s my mother, and my father, Geoffrey Halloway, with a G, was the owner of the theater where she first performed. I was classically trained, of course, so they expected me to make it big, but not as a rock star.” He grimaces, making me giggle.

“Do you talk to them?”

He nods. “My mother, anyway. My father died two years ago. He was in his seventies, so you know, sad, but not unexpected.” He squeezes my hand. “The point is, although I became a sex symbol of the nineties, they still loved me. You’re not going to be like that. You will do it your way, and your mother will be proud of you no matter what.”

I smile. “Thanks, Jeff.”

“Anytime.” He gives me a warm smile.

The waiter arrives with our food. We dig in, and he says with his mouth full, “So, tell me what’s going on with Lucas. I’ve seen pictures of you two getting pretty hot and heavy.”

I groan. “Isn’t anything private?”

“Nope. Well, once you have tightly secured areas, yeah, but a beach?”

“Okay, so we set ourselves up for that.”

“You’ll learn. Making out and taking off each other’s clothes—”

“We didn’t take off our clothes!” I say in a low hiss.

He chuckles. “There’s a shot with him shirtless and pulling your shirt off.”

“Oh my…are you serious?”

“Hailey, calm down.” He taps my hand. “The article was all about how cute you two are, and the next shot showed him pulling his shirt over your head. You just gotta keep that stuff to places where prying eyes can’t see.”

“It doesn’t matter.” I pout, my stomach feeling like a ball of lead has formed inside. “I doubt we’ll see each other again.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“So, the fact that I texted him and told him to come here, and now he’s walking toward us doesn’t count?”

I gasp and swing around. Lucas smiles warily and pauses beside me. “May I sit?”

“Of course.” Jeff motions to the spot beside me in the booth.

Lucas sits and I shuffle away, unable to look at him. My heart hurts. I throw Jeff an I can’t believe you’d betray me like this look.

“Hailey?” Jeff raises an eyebrow, frowning at my stare of death. “Will you hear Lucas out?”

“Hailey.” Lucas gently takes my hand. “You need to hear my side of things. I get that you want to stay out of it, and that’s fine. I’m going to work through everything with Isaiah, because you’re right—it’s messed up.”

Hot tears fill my eyes as I say softly, “I’m just another girl in this game.”

“No, Hailey.” He brushes my hair back. “Maybe for him, but not for me.”

I scoff. “What about Rochelle then? The one who started everything? Or your girlfriend when you were a senior?”

“He told you about my old girlfriends? Why is that a big deal?”

“Because you always took the girls he wanted, which is why you came after me. You ignored me as much as you could until he showed an interest.”

He leans back, wide-eyed. “Whoa! What?”

I rub my eyes. “Great. I thought you really cared. I let myself…” I release a long breath and look at Jeff. “I want to go.”

His deep scowl twitches as his gaze darts from me to Lucas. “You lied to her?”

“No!” Lucas touches my back. “Hailey, I didn’t know Isaiah liked those girls. Both of them came after me, and they were cute so I let them. I didn’t know.”

I look him in the eyes. “What about me?”

He drops his gaze. “You were different. I knew you were taken, so I…but I never—”

“Jeff?”

Jeff meets my eyes.

“Take me back.”

“Hailey!” Lucas grasps my shoulders. “It’s not like that. I care about you, and not because Isaiah does too. Please, this sucks, I get that, but don’t cut me off.”

I look into his eyes again.

“Please.” He caresses my face. “You trust me, don’t you? I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

I wipe my eyes. “Lucas, I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

“Don’t.” He kisses me softly. “I won’t push you. I know you’re still hurting, and that’s okay. I’ll just—”

“No.” I shove him back. “I don’t want to be the fuel for the fighting in your family. You all need a break from me.” I look to Jeff. “I go back home tomorrow, and I don’t want any of them to talk to me until the final.”

Jeff rests his chin on his hands. “That’s a very serious detachment.”

“I’m tired of fighting.” I push Lucas to let me out of the booth. “Excuse me.”

“You can’t be serious,” Lucas says, refusing to budge.

“I’m very serious.” I look into his eyes. “I can’t be with you and have Isaiah hovering and causing conflict. Deal with him and your family’s issues, and let me deal with my own.”

He stares into my eyes, then nods. “All right. You’re right. I guess I have rushed things.” He clasps my face and softly kisses me. “Take care, Hailey.”

He slides off the chair and walks away without looking back.

Jeff grabs the check. “We’ll pack the rest.”

“He didn’t even fight for me,” I whisper.

“You made it pretty clear not to.”

My chin quivers. “It’s over then?”

He sighs. “I doubt it. I think that boy is going to go back to the hotel and confront his family. Don’t worry about him. He’s not going anywhere. But you…” He waves his finger at me. “You need to recover from that douchebag Tom. Take some time off when you get back to just breathe and sort your head out. If you want, I’ll send someone to help you. I know a fantastic life coach.”

“A life coach?” I raise an eyebrow. “You celebrities have everything. How does everyone else in the world live?”

“Mind your tongue. I’ll have her go stay with you for the next two weeks. She’ll really straighten you out and you’ll feel like a new person, and I’ll foot the bill.”

I wave my hand. “Fine, whatever.”

“Good.” He rubs his hands together. “She’ll meet you at the airport.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I climb out of the cab at the airport, someone calls my name. I glance inside the doors but can’t see anything. But, as I pass through, Emily appears out of the crowd, a wide grin across her face. “Hi.”

I look her over in her comfortable jeans and loose gray t-shirt. “You’re the life coach?”

Her smile falls. “Is that…I hope that doesn’t make you uncomfortable.”

I shake my head, breaking into a grin. “He could have said.”

She smiles again. “He loves surprises.”

“I can tell.”

“Come on.” She tilts her head. “If we check-in together, we can probably pick seats together.”

On the flight, she pulls out her tablet and starts building a schedule for me.

“Um, Emily?”

“Yes?” she responds, slotting in yoga on Thursday afternoon.

“Who’s with your boys?”

“We have a nanny.”

“Oh.” To be rich…

At the airport, we’re grabbing our bags when Mom calls out to me. I swing around, scanning the crowd. She bursts through and crushes me in a tight embrace. “I missed you, baby.”

“Mom!” I hug her back, more than happy to see her after our disagreement. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

She clasps my face. “I thought I’d surprise you.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

She frowns. “No, baby girl. I love you no matter what.”

I hug her again. “I love you too, Mom.”

She squeezes me, then whispers, “There’s a woman staring at us.”

“Oh!” I pull back and motion to Emily. “Mom, this is Emily. She’s a life coach. Jeff sent her to help me get over my Tom issues.”

“Jeffrey Halloway?” Mom pulls at my elbow. “Sweetie, I don’t like that you’re getting so close to him. I don’t like that you have the same agent. I don’t like any of it.”

“Mom.” I hope Emily doesn’t take offense.

“Mrs. Gomez, isn’t it?” Emily offers her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I know Hailey loves you dearly.”

“Iris,” Mom responds, shaking her hand.

“Mom,” I say softly. “She’s Emily Halloway.”

Mom pulls back sharply. “As in married to Jeffrey Halloway?”

Emily raises her hand. “Don’t let that bother you. We’re two totally different people.”

“Yes…well.” Mom forces a smile. It looks sincere, but I know by the slight tremble in her upper lip that she’s pissed. “Which hotel will you be staying at?”

“I’ll be staying with Hailey,” Emily answers, lifting her bag over her shoulder. “If you don’t mind?”

Mom turns to me, her brows lowered. “They’re taking over your life. I was afraid of this. Whose idea was this? Your new agent’s? Are they trying to change you into someone else? Hailey, you’re perfectly fine just the way you are. I’ll help you forget Tom.” She wraps her arm through mine, pulling me close.

“Mom.” I glance at Emily. “You’re acting weird.”

Mom gives me a hard stare. “I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”

“Mom!”

“Mrs. Gomez,” Emily says very politely. “No one intends on taking Hailey away from you. We want to help her move forward with her life, that’s all.”

Mom stares at her, her arm tightening around mine. “She’s my daughter.”

“She is, and that will never change.”

Mom’s chin quivers as she looks up at me. “I thought it would be nice to have you come see the boys. It’s been a while and they miss you.”

“Um…” I glance at Emily, not wanting to be rude, but she’s clearly not welcome to come along.

Emily smiles. “That’s a great idea. It will give me time to check out the neighborhood around your apartment and set up. I’ve done some research on the area already, so I’d like to get my bearings by borrowing your car, if that’s all right?”

“Yeah,” I answer, slightly stunned.

“Okay, let’s go then.”

 

***

 

Lauren sits munching away at a bowl of cereal as I struggle with the tai chi Emily makes me do.

“That’s hot,” Lauren says with a mouthful of food and points at me with her spoon.

“Shut up,” I say in a singsong voice.

“Seriously, it’s no wonder celebrities are so skinny. You seem to always be exercising. Mind you, if I had a butt load of money and plenty of spare time, I’d probably be paying to burn off my excess calories to make me a sexy hoochie mama.”

“Lauren!” I start laughing.

Emily stops the movements. “Tai chi helps clear the mind—”

“A good coma does that too,” Lauren mutters.

“Lauren!” I laugh harder.

“All right, I get it.” Emily flicks off the music. “We’ve been at this for a week, and I’ve seen dramatic improvements in your mood, so I think we should do something different today.”

“Oh!” Lauren grins. “Are you a personal shopper too?”

Emily scowls at me, with a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “Your roommate is a real comedian.”

I shrug. “I like her. She keeps a gun in her top drawer. It helps me sleep at night.”

Emily flashes a wary glance at Lauren. Lauren grins in response. “Scares people better than any blackbelt.”

“I’m calling Jeff to check on the boys.” Emily slips out of the room.

Lauren chuckles. “I love her. We should keep her.”

“She’s great, huh?” I sink onto the chair beside Lauren and steal her bowl of cereal.

“Yeah, no wonder she married Jeffrey Halloway the womanizer. Only a tough cookie like that could convince him to settle.”

“You know, he’s actually not a womanizer at all,” I say, waving the spoon at her. “Complete misconception.”

She raises an eyebrow. “How much time have you spent with those people?”

“I guess a lot more than most.”

“Yeah.”

“But they’re cool. I like them.”

“I wish I could be BFFs with a rock star.” She leans forward, her eyes twinkling. “By the way, you need to update me on the Lucas situation.”

“Nope.” Emily wags her finger at Lauren as she moves swiftly and gracefully through the room, her phone propped on her shoulder. “No boys. Say hi to the boys, Hailey.”

“You realize that sounded completely contradictory,” Lauren says.

Emily raises an eyebrow. “Her roommate is very sassy,” she says into the phone. “All right. Hailey, it’s Collin.” She hands me the phone before I even respond.

While Collin talks, Lauren glances between me and Emily, tilting her head slightly. Emily turns toward the kitchen. “I’m going to make us a proper breakfast.”

Later, while Emily is at the grocery store, Mom drops by. She glances around as she enters. “Where is everyone?”

“Lauren’s probably in class,” I answer. “And Emily went to the store.”

“What are you doing?”

“Watching TV.” I sit back on the couch. “I get a day off.”

“Do you think you could spare a few minutes for your sad, old mother?”

“Mom.” I pout. “You are neither sad nor old.”

She smiles, but a hint of sadness does glimmer in her eyes. “We haven’t gone to the chocolate factory in a while. I’m really craving their mint fudge.”

I shoot to my feet. She used to take me there all the time as a treat. I think that was the only way she could afford something special for me—free samples. “I think a visit is in order. Let me change.”

At the chocolate factory, we stand by a window watching the huge barrels churn the chocolate when she says, “Hailey, your grandparents contacted me while you were in L.A.”

My stomach does a somersault. She hadn’t spoken to her parents in years. “What?”

She looks at her hands on the rail, slowly nodding. “They said they watched you on the show and couldn’t be prouder.”

“Is that why you’ve been touchy lately?” I ask, grasping her arm. “Mom, I’m not going to trade you in. You’ll always be my mom.”

She rests her hand over mine. “I’m afraid with all this exposure, people we’ve hidden from will find you and take advantage of you by not revealing who they really are. My parents found us, so who’s to say…”

My dad. The thought of him showing up sends a chill of fear through me. “Mom, maybe you should show me what Dad looks like.”

She flinches back. “Peter Johns died, Hailey.”

Everything inside me freezes. I don’t know how to react. My father died? “When? How?”

She looks up at me, tears gathering in her eyes. “Two years ago. He was drunk and wandered onto a train line where he passed out.”

“Oh my…” I cover my mouth, feeling sick.

“So you don’t need to worry about him.” She walks on to the next viewing area.

I hurry after her. “Mom, that’s serious! Why didn’t you tell me? Doesn’t he have any family?”

She shakes her head. “He never remarried and had no kids that I know of. His parents disowned him years ago, so they probably don’t care.”

“But why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugs. “You never really knew him, and he was a dark stage of my life. I guess I just wanted to protect you.”

“Mom.” I grasp her hand, sighing. “I wouldn’t have gone looking for any of his relatives or him. I remember him hitting you and me.”

She winces. “You remember?”

“Not in great detail, but yes.”

“Oh, sweetie.” She throws her arms around me. “As soon as he laid a finger on you, I left. I only stayed because I thought I was doing what was best for you.”

“I know.”

“He had a job and helped pay the way. When my parents tried to take you from me, I thought it was my only way to keep you. Maybe I was selfish, but I’ve always loved you so much. I never wanted to let you go. But now…now I have to.”

“No,” I say softly, stroking her hair. “Mom, I’ll always be your little girl.”

She pulls back and clasps my face. “No. You’re a grown woman now. You’re smart, talented, and beautiful. You turned out just how I wanted, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

“Mom—”

“Your grandparents want to meet you.”

I draw a sharp breath. “They won’t expect me to—”

“They won’t expect anything of you. They know you’ll be twenty-one in a few months, so you’re an adult, and they respect that. They just want to know you. It turns out, they’ve been looking for us for a while.”

“Really?” I can’t help the smile. For so long I thought it was just Mom and me.

She nods. “They’ve made arrangements to meet you after you come back from the final episode, if you want to?”

“Yes!” I squeeze her arms. “Mom, are you…”

“It’s fine, baby girl. I should reconcile with them anyway.” She sighs. “I was just a kid when I left. I ran scared, but now I see they wanted to help me. Do you resent me for taking you away from people who could have given you so much love?”

Her words sting. She’s always loved me so much I’ve never considered needing more. How long had she suffered telling herself that? “No, Mom.”

She rests her hand over my heart. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me. Even though your father broke my heart, I’m glad I didn’t get rid of you like he wanted. There were times when I’d just hold you and thank God I’d been given such a bright light during my dark times.” She gently strokes the ends of my hair. “I’d hate for anyone to put out that light. That’s why I’m afraid for you. I see Jeffrey and his agent moving in on you like vultures and it makes me crazy, and sending his wife with you stung. I feel like he’s trying to steal you from me.”

“Mom!” I shake my head. “He’s just a rock star. Just because he’s rich and famous and is giving me a hand to kick off a music career, doesn’t mean he could ever replace you. You’re my mom.”

She smiles, brushing her thumb across my cheek. “It’s good to hear it, sweetie. I love you so much.”

I wrap my arm through hers as we walk along. “And I’ll be careful. I promise. But I want you to know that Jeff is looking out for me. He won’t let anyone exploit me.”

“But what about him?” she asks softly.

I nod. “I trust him.”

“Why?”

“Why?” I ponder it carefully before I answer. “He believes in me when no one else does. He listens to me. Mom, don’t be upset, but…” I chew my lip. “Marco and I never got along, and Jeff has kind of stepped in as a father figure for me. I always wanted one, and you always loved his music.” I shrug.

“Yes, I probably played “Late Night Muse” to you too many times.”

I chuckle. “I thought of you when I sang it on the show, and I told him it’s your favorite too.”

“How sweet.” She pats my hand. “On the topic of the show, tell me the story with you and that sexy Lucas.”

“Mom!” I giggle, blushing.

“What? He’s gorgeous, and there’s been plenty of pictures flying around of you two kissing and having rather intimate moments.”

“I know.” I huff, my heart aching again. “We parted on less than cordial terms.”

“Has it got to do with Tom or his brother?”

I pause our walk, staring at her. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Know exactly what’s going on.”

“Well…” She pulls out her phone. “I figured out the Tom part on my own because I know you and know you are still hurt by that, but the brother part…” She flashes images up of Isaiah and me arguing outside my hotel room.

“Oh my gosh!” I snatch the phone from her. “Vultures! They must have followed him up the elevator!”

“Sweetie—”

“It’s not fair. Isn’t anything private anymore?”

She shakes her head, her gaze falling. “This is why I don’t want you in that world.”

I huff, fighting back tears. “Isaiah and Lucas are fighting, constantly, and they shoved me into the middle of it. I love Lucas, but I’m afraid that he’s only making moves on me to spite—”

“What did you say?” A wide smile spreads across her face.

“What?”

“You love him?”

Leaning back against the wall, I wrap my arms around myself, carefully considering her question. Lucas is wonderful, and he’s always been respectful, albeit distant at the beginning. But the way he kissed me and how he held me made me feel so safe. I smile. “I do, but…”

Mom grasps my elbows. “Take your time. No one’s rushing you. He ached along with you when he came here. I saw it all over him. He struggled to see you hurting so much. I’m surprised he didn’t hunt down Tom and strangle him. Don’t be afraid. Let go of what Tom did to you. A real man would never look at another woman when he’s truly in love. And the way Lucas looks at you…” She flicks through her phone and pulls up an image of Lucas and me smiling as we look into each other’s eyes. “You have him.”

My heart flutters. The way Lucas looked at me in that picture, his smile—that can’t be faked. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“When I see him, I’m going to tell him I love him.”

She claps her hands. “Perfect! I’m going to get my grandbabies yet!”

“Mom!” I laugh.

 

***

 

Emily prepared a wholesome meal of salad and grilled chicken with some kind of spicy seasoning. I want a steak. But I eat it respectfully.

“How was your day?” she asks as she sits beside me.

“Mom took me out.” I don’t dare mention all the calories worth of chocolate we consumed.

She smiles. “Your mom seems lovely. You’re very lucky.”

“I think so.” I stuff lettuce into my mouth.

“What did you talk about?”

I shrug, chewing quickly so I can answer. “This and that. We talked about how she’s afraid for me being in the spotlight, then about Lucas and Tom.”

“Did that help?”

I nod. “Yeah. I think so. Mom pointed out all the weird and irritating things Tom always did, and it made me feel better. She also helped me realize I’m in love with Lucas.”

Emily stops, her fork dropping from her hand. “She did?”

I smile at her shock. “Yes. Surprise.”

A slight smile curls the corner of her lips. “But I thought you were trying to avoid him until he sorts out his family problems.”

“Well, yes…” I push the food around my plate. “He still needs to do that, but Isaiah is stubborn, and I’m not going to lose my chance because of him. I used to be afraid of taking risks, but lately, I feel like I’ve taken a million. I feel like my life is better for them, you know? I may have lost Tom and pushed back my graduation significantly, but I’ve gained so much more. Lucas is part of that. If losing Tom means I can be with someone I love more and respect on a higher level, then I’m glad he cheated. Well, at least, I’m glad he gave me an escape. The cheating part still hurts.”

She grasps my hand. “Well done, Hailey. You’re a fast learner.”

Pride swells inside me. “Really?”

“Oh yes. I’m very impressed and proud of you. I think you’re ready to face the world again.”

I feel like a giddy schoolgirl. “There’s just one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Help me figure out how to tell Lucas?”

She grins. “Done.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily flies back to L.A. with me. I need to be back a few days before the finale to practice with the other contestants. When we arrive, Jeff meets us and takes us back to their house.

The boys make us lunch, and we sit outside to eat. The whole time the boys chat nonstop about school, asking me questions and goofing off.

After we’ve stuffed ourselves, Jeff says, “So, Hailey, Emily says you’re doing better.”

I grin. “Much better. I’ve sorted things out with my mom, so I’m ready to move on with my life.”

“That’s good to hear.” He glances at Emily, and she nods. “Would it be safe to tell you what I’ve been dealing with, with the Murphys?”

Hesitating, I let out a long breath. What if he tells me Lucas really was just playing around to mess with Isaiah? But then again, maybe it would be better to know before I make a fool of myself by telling him I love him. “Sure.”

Jeff grins, cracking his knuckles. “Their issue isn’t you. After days of battling it out and a colossal headache for me, it all boiled down to the death of their father.”

How cliché. “Okay.”

“It turns out, Isaiah blames Lucas for his death. Clarissa slotted Lucas into the father role, which makes Isaiah furious because he blames Lucas. The three younger kids also place Lucas on a fatherly pedestal, and they’re all angry about Isaiah sleeping with Lucas’s ex-girlfriend. None of them have completely accepted their father’s death, thus making Lucas fill his role, thus the overprotective and somewhat aggressive way they stand by him. Since he’s fallen for you, they all want you to be with him and have turned on Isaiah because he also has feelings for you, and they don’t want a repeat of the last girl because you…” He pauses, pointing at me with a smile. “You, they love. All of them. They consider you to be part of the family, and you make them happier than they’ve been in years. They don’t want to lose you because they don’t want to deal with another loss in their hearts.”

I sit back, unable to form any words. “So…” After all that, only one thought crosses my mind. “Lucas’s feelings for me are real?”

Jeff smiles gently. “Very real. He’s head over heels crazy about you.”

Grinning, I look to Emily who has a wide smile from ear to ear.

“I guess things really are looking up for you,” she says.

“Hey!” Collin suddenly says. “Hailey will be here for a few days, right? She should stay with us.”

“Yeah!” The younger two leap up, crowding me.

“No, I couldn’t.” I raise my hands.

“You could use the pool house,” Emily says, motioning toward it. “That way you could have some privacy, and I can make sure you’re doing all the things we talked about.”

“I’m supposed to keep doing those?” I ask.

“Yes. Life coach. Life.”

I want to see Lucas again and tell him everything. I want to tell Clarissa we will be best friends no matter what, and to tell Isaiah that I’m sorry.

“If you’re thinking about the Murphys,” Jeff says, apparently able to read my mind now, “you won’t be allowed to see them until after the show. They’ve been put under a tight watch, along with Jessica.”

I frown. “Jessica?”

His face darkens. “Yes. I’m not too pleased.”

I shudder. She’s younger than me! I can’t believe someone could be that desperate to win. Not that I dislike Jessica. In fact, I feel bad for her, especially now. She’s obviously smitten with Isaiah, and the times she’d been unkind to me had to do with him. To her, I’m the villain ruining everything, and soon, when I help Jeff expose Steven’s philandering ways, I’ll be the devil to her.

“So, will you stay with us?” Collin asks, snapping me back to the present.

I look at Jeff. “Would that be weird?”

He shakes his head. “The pool house is independent of the main house. You wouldn’t have to interact with us unless you want to.”

“She’ll want to,” Vinnie says with a grin.

“My mom lived in a pool house for a while,” I say, glancing out the window to the small structure. “When she was pregnant with me, and for my first two years. If she can do it, what’s a few days?”

Looking back at Jeff and Emily, I catch them exchanging quick glances. What was that? Concern? “If you don’t want me to stay, I’m happy to go to the hotel again.”

“No,” Emily says quickly, smiling. “We’d love for you to stay.”

 

***

 

The next two days I spend in rehearsals. I hadn’t realized how many friends I had in the top ten, Vanessa included, until the rehearsals for our group performance. Without the Murphys to fall back on, I branch out with my friendships, realizing how incredible my fellow contestants all are.

In the evening, I ride home with Jeff and we sing our song together, refining our harmonies and perfecting the parts. We sound great together, to my surprise. I’ve never felt so happy.

I lie in bed in the pool house, trying to drift to sleep, when my phone lights up the room. I sit up and see Clarissa calling. I snatch up the phone. “Clarissa?”

“Hailey!” Her bright voice lifts my spirits. “I’ve been dying to call you. I miss you so much. I’m so sorry for us acting all crazy and scaring you away.”

“You didn’t scare me away,” I respond with a smile.

“I know. You needed space. My brothers…never mind my brothers. I hope you’re okay. Are we okay?”

“Yes, Clarissa. We’re still friends.”

“Good.” She lets out a long sigh. “Lucas is making me do a duet with him for the final.”

I chuckle. “I know.”

She groans. “He told you, huh? I’m freaking out.”

“Why? You’re really good.”

“Not at solos. Everyone will be staring at me, and if I mess up, I won’t have anyone to cover it.”

I shake my head as I drape my arm over my face. “Clarissa, you’re great and really cute, so just have some confidence.”

“I wish I was more like you. You’re so brave, soloing.”

Me? Brave? “It just takes practice. I know you can do it if you believe in yourself.”

“I do believe in fairies!” she chants.

“You’re hilarious.” I roll my eyes at the Peter Pan reference.

She giggles. “I really have missed you. Make sure we can chat after the show, or maybe you could stay with us again? I’m sure Mom and Lydia won’t mind you in with us.”

“I’d like that.” I smile, thinking of how close I’d be to Lucas, but knowing that if all of Jeff’s plans pan out, there’s no way I’d be able to go to the hotel.

“Where are you staying, anyway?” she asks. “I’ve watched out for you here, but I haven’t seen you.”

“No, I’m somewhere else.”

“Where?”

Should I tell her I’m staying in Jeff’s pool house? Is that too weird? I decide against it. “Just laying low in a Best Western. The media will never look for me here.”

“Huh. Makes sense.” She lets out a long sigh. “How are you doing, anyway? Are you over Tom? I heard you signed with an agent.”

I grin, and eagerly talk for the next half hour about everything that I’ve discovered…except falling in love with her brother.

 

***

 

We’ve finished rehearsals for the last time. The show is tonight, and I’m terrified. Jeff looks me in the eyes for a moment as the others head out and I nod. Dawdling to pack my things, I soon end up alone with him.

“Any questions?” he asks, casually looking over the sheet music.

“Are you terrified?” I whisper.

He looks up at me. “Yes, but I know it needs to be done. You shouldn’t worry. I said I’d protect you, and I will.”

Grunting, I lean against the table beside him. “I’m still terrified. For being just the girl next door, I’ve brought a lot of scandal to this season.”

He clasps my chin between his thumb and finger, turning me to look up at him. “You’re more than just the girl next door. You’re remarkable. I couldn’t be prouder.”

I grin, having never wanted to please someone as much as him. Jeffrey Halloway is proud of me!

“Hailey?”

I glance toward the door, and a middle-aged man and woman step in. They dress classy—him in a suit, her in a knee-length A-line skirt and blouse with pearls—but I’ve never seen them before, so I don’t know how they know me.

“Your grandparents.” Jeff clears his throat. “Excuse me. I have last-minute preparations I must see to.”

My grandparents? I swing around as they approach.

“Hello, Hailey,” the brown-haired woman says gently with a smile. “I doubt you remember me.” She offers me her hand. “I’m your Grandma Becker.”

Mom said they wanted to see me, but I hadn’t expected it to be like this. I thought, by what she said, she meant after the show, once I’d gone home. My palms sweat, forcing me to dry them on my jeans before I grasp her hand. “Hello.”

Tears well in her eyes. “You’ve grown into such a beautiful young woman.”

I pull away, uneasiness settling in at the sight of her tears. I don’t know these people, but I should know them. They know me; they remember me as a baby. Why is this uncomfortable?

The blonde man, his hair now splattered with gray, offers me his hand, but he remains calm, even if his hand does tremble slightly. “I’m your Grandpa Becker.”

I take his hand and he holds it firmly. He has a strong handshake, a warm hand, but surprisingly soft skin. Apparently, he’s not a hard labor man. From what Mom told me, he worked in a corporate office, and along with the old family money, labor was never a concern for him. I meet his gaze and he smiles. “We’d like to take you to dinner if it doesn’t interfere with all this?”

“It—it should be fine.” I try to smile, despite how intimidating they are. “I have an hour before I’m supposed to be at the auditorium.”

“We better get going.” He offers me his arm, which is clad in a white business shirt.

Looking up from his arm to his gray-streaked hair, I examine his face. Mom. Those eyes. I reach out and grab his arm, trusting those eyes completely.

My newfound grandparents take me to a fancy Italian restaurant with dim lighting and a cozy fireplace. I let them order first, checking for price limits and their level of class. I order seafood ravioli, careful to avoid anything creamy. Then, they introduce themselves properly.

“My name is Patrick Becker,” my grandfather says. “I’m not really sure what you would prefer to call me. I think as an adult and having not known you as a child, it would be fine if you skipped Grandpa.”

“Patrick,” I say softly, the name feeling odd on my lips. But Grandpa does feel stranger.

“And I’m Felicity,” my grandmother says, resting her hand over my wrist.

“Felicity.”

They both smile, exchanging looks.

“We weren’t sure how you’d react to us,” Felicity says. “We have no idea what Iris has said about us.”

“Nothing really,” I answer.

Felicity draws a sharp breath and glances away. Crap, that hurt her. “I mean…” I have no idea how to recover from that. “Nothing bad.”

“It’s okay,” Patrick says. “We parted on less than amicable terms. We shouldn’t expect her to have said much about us.”

“What happened?” I glance between them.

“We wanted your father to take responsibility for you,” Patrick says, touching my arm. “And if he didn’t, we wanted to adopt you so Iris could go to college and live her life.”

“But Mom wanted to keep me, so she ran away,” I respond.

Felicity’s eyes fill with tears. “We loved both of you. We didn’t want it to turn out the way it did.”

My gaze darts between them. “Did you look for us?”

Patrick’s grip tightens around my arm. “Every day. Your mother is good at hiding. She always made sure she was paid by her employers in cash, she didn’t get her driver’s license until she remarried, and the few times we did find her, she made it perfectly clear we weren’t welcome in her life.”

“But when we found out you knew about your father, we had to see you.” Felicity runs her thumb over my knuckles.

Tilting my head, I meet her gaze. “Why does my father’s death change things?”

They both lean back, staring at me.

That’s disconcerting. Like I said the wrong thing. “What?”

“Hailey.” Patrick pats my hand. “You should talk to your mother about that. We thought she’d told you since you came on this show.”

“Was he a celebrity somehow?” Did he end up playing pro football? “Is that why Mom’s freaking out about me getting an agent?”

“You have an agent?” Felicity beams. “That’s wonderful!”

“Thank you.” My heart lifts with her excitement. “He’s negotiating a recording deal as we speak. We have to wait until my contract with the show expires, but it’ll be on its way soon.”

“How exciting.” The way her face lights up reminds me of Mom when I make her proud. “Tell us about how it happened.”

I tell them all about the show from the very beginning. They listen intently, soaking up every word I say. When my time to be back for the finale draws near, my grandparents look obviously disappointed.

“Will you come visit us?” Felicity asks, pulling out a pen and notepad.

“I don’t think I could afford a flight to Pittsburgh,” I say.

“Don’t worry about that.” She hands me an address and phone number. “When you’re ready, we will take care of it.”

“I couldn’t—”

“Please, Hailey.” Patrick squeezes my hand. “We’d love to spend time with you and to introduce you to your uncles and cousins.”

My heart jolts. “I…I have cousins?”

“Yes.” He smiles. “Iris has two older brothers. The older one, Zane, has children just a little younger than you.”

“Wow.” I stare down at my half-eaten food. I never knew my mother had siblings. She must have run scared, which makes me wonder what frightened her so much. This couple seems like loving parents. Maybe they aren’t showing me the whole picture, just one side of the story. I love my mom; I know her better than anyone. I can’t believe she’d run off without a reason.

“We’re staying for the show,” Patrick says. “Come stay with us afterward?”

Lucas comes to mind. If things go well with him…“I’ll have to see what I have going on.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The top ten from last season open the night. The tension from the group of former contestants sends fierce electricity into the crowd as the couples who’d engaged in the affair and are now divorced enter the stage. The adulterers are together, holding hands, while their scorned exes keep well away from them.

From my vantage point—at the front of the audience with the current season’s top ten—I hold my breath, hoping nothing will explode.

Then, the scorned woman turns, marches over, and slaps the other woman. The audience roars, jumping to their feet and pressing forward. Security huddles around us, while Lance and Jeff practically jump onto the stage. The announcer rushes out to create a diversion and cut to a commercial.

“Hailey!” someone yells.

I swing around. A group of guys around my age press against the security. “Show us your tits!”

Good heavens! I turn away. Vanessa grabs my wrist, pulling me closer to her.

The arguing on the stage grows louder. Looking up, I see Jeff talking to the scorned ex-husband while Lance tries to calm the now irate ex-wife. Steven remains in his chair, his arms folded and a slight smirk curling his lips. I want to smack that smirk to China.

Several of the contestants from last season start to get involved, escalating the situation further. Jeff points toward us. “Get them all out.”

“No!” the ex-wife wails. She scans the current top ten, then her eyes lock on me. “Hailey Becker!”

Me? What? Why?

“You know how this feels!”

“Hailey!” Jeff points at me. “Get out. Quick.”

But before I can react, the ex-husband leaps off the stage and grabs me. “Come with me.”

I try to pull free. “What? No way!”

He yanks me up to the stage, despite my struggling. He shoves me at Jeff. “You can’t talk because of her.”

“I’m not having an affair, especially with her!” Jeff snarls, grasping my arms firmly. He moves to guide me back off the stage, but the man grabs me again.

“Fine. I will.” He plants a kiss right on my lips.

His ex-wife gasps as I shove him off. “Kyle!”

He grabs me, pulling me completely free from Jeff, and kisses me again. Oh, my freaking gosh! Gross!

His ex screeches and pulls me back by the hair. “How dare you!”

He laughs. “How dare I?”

“She’s practically a child!”

I flail to pull my hair free. Why am I in the middle of this?

Jeff pulls me away from them as their argument escalates. “Get out.”

I take several steps to rush away, but the other couple cuts me off. Jeff rushes forward and pulls me behind him. “She’s not part of this.”

“Poor Jeff,” the man says with a pout. “Are your womanizing ways failing you?”

“We’re not on Jerry Springer.” Jeff moves to lead me off the stage, but my hair is wrenched backward.

My yelp draws Jeff’s attention and he swings around. “Enough!”

Everyone freezes, the fierce tone in his voice catching them off guard. He isn’t the type to ever raise his voice.

“Let Hailey go,” he says slowly, calmly. It sends a chill through me.

The woman releases my hair.

“All four of you, get off the stage this instant.”

The two couples scurry away like scolded children.

Jeff leads me toward my seat when I notice the cameras following us, the red lights glowing. With a glance back, the smug look on Steven’s face tells me everything. He knew that would bump up the ratings. Everyone loves a good scandal.

Jeff guides me back to my seat, and Lance appears beside him. “Is she okay? Are you okay?”

I nod, but wipe at my mouth, still feeling that man’s lips and saliva on me. So gross.

“Why don’t you go backstage and get cleaned up?” Lance says, stroking my back.

Jeff nods. “That’s probably a good idea.”

“Okay.” My hands tremble as I stand again.

They motion to a security guard. He leads me out the back as the show restarts. Careful to keep me away from the couples being dragged into a room by several stagehands, the guard takes me to a dressing room. My appearance in the mirror makes me groan. My hair and makeup are a mess.

“Thank you,” I say to the guard.

He nods and shuts the door to leave me in peace.

I work on my hair and makeup quickly, then pause to take a deep breath. Drama seems magnetized to me of late. I need to cool down before I return out there…

“Isaiah!”

He pouts as he shuts the door behind him. “I’ll be your boyfriend, if you want that. I’ll do anything to be with you. You’re so hot.”

I grunt, completely exasperated. “No, Isaiah.”

“Why not?” He steps closer to me. “You think Lucas would be more fun than me?”

Working to smooth out my mussed curls, I do my best to blow off his advance on me. “It has nothing to do with that.”

“Why does everyone love Lucas? What’s so great about him?”

I rub my neck. “It’s hard to explain.”

“Then try. I don’t get why I can get most women to jump in bed with me, but then the few really good ones always pick him instead.”

“He’s…” I hesitate. I don’t want to offend Isaiah. He’s still my friend, after all. Maybe if I’m honest, he will mend his slutty ways. “He’s respectful, and honest, and responsible.”

“Boring.”

“No, Isaiah. You’re fun, and exciting, and an adrenaline rush, but that’s not something permanent. I can trust Lucas completely. That’s why I chose him.”

Isaiah lets out a long breath, slumping. “You’ve already made up your mind then.”

I nod. “It’s not that I don’t care about you, it’s that—”

“Whatever.” He swivels on his heel and walks out, slamming the door.

That didn’t go well. I’ll need to catch him later, to really explain things. I don’t want to hurt him. But right now, I have a huge, high-risk exposé I need to worry about. With a heavy sigh, I check myself in the mirror one last time and head out. The guard meets me in the hall, making me wonder why he let Isaiah in, and leads me back to my seat between celebrity performances.

Finally, it’s time for the finalist performances. First up is Jessica. She performs well, but the zing from the crowd is lacking. Glancing around, I see most people chatting, eating, daydreaming. A few fans wave banners for her, but most people seem completely uninterested. Harsh.

Several hands shoot up and wave. I look over, and the teens launch to their feet, waving more fervently. A banner lifts in front of them that says, ‘WE <3 LUCAS.’ Then they flip it and it reads—‘HAILEY + LUCAS 4EVA.’ My grin makes them bounce up and down, shaking the banner.

Several other audience members notice the movement, and more banners fly up—‘HAILEY #1,’ ‘Hailey has our vote!’All around, banners rise with my name on them. My jaw falls open. This is crazy! How can I be so popular? I’m just…me. I don’t even notice Jessica finish her act.

In unison, all the banners flip and show different combinations of my name with Lucas’s. My heart soars. I’m delighted by so much support. Then, a security guard steps in front of me.

I turn my attention toward the stage. Steven stands facing out to the audience with his hands on his hips. He signals for a commercial. When the cameras cut, he grabs a mic. “Keep your banners facing that way. Lucas is the only one in this final, not Miss Becker.”

“It’s rigged!” someone hollers.

It certainly is.

All the banners flip back around to show support for me. Steven grits his teeth, his eyes darkening. It looks bad for him, and after the Murphys’ act, Jeff and I are going to expose him and the fixed comp, confirming all the fans’ suspicions. I’m suddenly terrified.

Security makes their way through the crowd, starting an uprising as people refuse to lower their banners. Knowing something has to be done, I stand.

All eyes turn to me. I gesture with a flick of my hand to flip the banners. They all do. I grin and give a thumbs-up. The crowd cheers. Wow.

Satisfied the crowd is now subdued, Steven signals for the show to continue but throws me a fierce glare as he sits. My stomach tightens, gripped by fear.

Soon the Murphys emerge. A great roar erupts from the audience. I watch as the family comes out youngest to oldest, and my stare locks on Lucas. My heart flutters, and my stomach fills with butterflies. Every physical cliché erupts over me as I stare; just the mere sight of him sends happiness through my entire being. He looks amazing—his dark hair shining, his bronze skin smooth and perfect. But he keeps his gaze low, an acoustic guitar held loosely at his side.

They all wear white, which seems to highlight the brown of their skin. Could a family be any more gorgeous? The boys all wear white button-down shirts, their collars open, and white dress pants and shoes. Clarissa and Lydia wear matching white sundresses, with lacey trimmed knee-length skirts and tan boots.

Clarissa’s gaze catches on me and she gives me a winning smile. Jeff has done well with them tonight. They look clean, wholesome, like brown von Trapps.

They stand in a line and Lucas lifts the guitar, slipping a strap over his head.

Clarissa steps forward.

My heart skips as Lucas plucks the opening notes. It’s a beautiful melody, simple, uncomplicated. But Clarissa trembles. Please don’t freak out, Clarissa.

She looks to Jeff, then she looks to me. She smiles, and softly, her sweet voice echoes around the room. She’s never taken a solo before, so everyone falls silent. She’s beautiful.

 

I never thought I’d find someone like you.

My dear, you gave me a friendship that’s true.

Stay with me now,

Please don’t run away.

I’ll keep you safe in my heart.

 

I gasp as tears fill her eyes. She looks at me again as her family joins in for the chorus. This song is for me. Me. Lucas knew they wouldn’t win, so he…

 

We love you, our friend.

Forever, you will be one of us.

Our sister.

 

Everyone has to know what this song means, who it’s about. Everyone is staring between them and me. I’m about to cry. I clutch at my heart, unable to look away as Lucas steps beside Clarissa.

 

This one’s from me to you…

 

All the girls scream as he starts to sing. He grins that gorgeous grin of his as he plays a few extra bars while they quiet down. Then he looks right at me.

 

Things were never easy for me and you.

I was afraid, and you were too.

People came between us,

We let them keep us apart.

But honestly, from the beginning, you stole my heart.

Before you turned from brown to gold,

Before that boy crushed your soul,

You had me, beautiful girl.

Because from the moment you first sang like an angel,

I fell madly in love with you…

 

The screams erupt again. He bows his head, smiling as he strums. “Because, Hailey, I’m in love with you.”

I gasp, leaping to my feet. “Lucas.”

He hurries toward me as the crowd goes crazy. The screams are deafening as he leaps from the stage.

Isaiah marches off.

My gaze locks on Lucas as he pushes through to me. I can’t breathe. The other contestants force the security out of his way as he climbs over the seats to me. “Hailey—”

“I love you too.” I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him.

He fumbles to move the guitar onto his back, then locks his arms around me, kissing me fully. Lucas. I press against him, running my fingers through his hair on the back of his neck. His arm muscles clamp around me, and I resist the urge to name each one as it tightens, encompassing me with his love.

Lucas.

Then I realize it’s not just me saying his name in my head.

“Lucas!”

I snap back just in time to see Isaiah grab Lucas and punch him in the face.

“Isaiah!” I grab his arm.

Isaiah swings to me, grasping the back of my head. “I would have given it all up for you.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” I stare firmly into his eyes. “I know everything you’ve done, even since we met. Every one of them.”

His jaw tightens.

“What a beautiful song!” Drusilla says loudly, clapping. “Come up here, boys, so we can finish the segment.”

“I love you, Hailey,” Isaiah says, completely ignoring Drusilla. “Not him. He’s only doing it because I love you.”

“No.” I push him off me. “You only think you do. If you did, you wouldn’t have slept with Jessica, Whitney, and Dr—”

“And we are on commercial!” Drusilla practically yells. She scrambles from the judges’ seats with Lance trying to stop her. Her eyes are ablaze as she hurries toward me. She flicks off her mic, checks no one is filming, then checks Isaiah’s mic is off too. She leans in close. “You would do well to keep your mouth shut, sweetheart. Let’s keep this show focused on that sweet, romantic gesture your little boyfriend just did, hmm?”

My chest rises and falls as my fight struggles to the surface. How dare she attack me! I’m not the one screwing around with contestants half my age! I grit my teeth, preparing to say something, until Jeff catches my attention. His palms are down, motioning from behind Lance and Steven to stay calm. This isn’t the moment to reveal all. Not yet.

I turn my gaze away, stepping back from both of them.

“No.” Vanessa pushes up beside me, pointing at Drusilla. “I demand to know what’s going on. Did you sleep with Isaiah?”

“Don’t be absurd!” Drusilla folds her arms. “I’m a married woman. I have children his age.”

Oh, that makes it so much grosser.

“Enough.” Steven’s voice over the speakers gives me chills. “This is getting out of hand. Security, remove Drusilla.”

“What?” She swings around to him, wide-eyed.

Security rushes at her, dragging her away.

He stares at me, his lips pursed. “Miss Becker, you better be careful what you say or you’ll get your ass handed to you in court. People don’t take kindly to slander.”

The crowd is silent.

I grit my teeth. I’m not afraid of him anymore. He deserves what’s coming.

“Hailey.” Isaiah grabs my shoulders again, swinging me around to face him. “I swear to you, if you give me a chance—”

“Oh, give it up.” Vanessa shoves his chest. “You’ve lost, slut. Now move on.”

“Harsh,” I say softly.

She shrugs, folding her arms.

I glance around. “Where’s Lucas?”

Isaiah steps closer to me, blocking my search. “Who cares?”

I glare up at him.

“I’m here.” Lucas’s voice comes from below us. He grins up from the chair beside mine, holding his nose. “Sorry, Isaiah can pack a punch when he wants to. Nosebleed.”

“Lucas!” I sit beside him, resting my hand over his as he holds a tissue under his nose.

He looks into my eyes. “Don’t you have something you need to do?”

“Lucas, you’re hurt.” I stroke his forehead.

“Yeah, it’s nothing.” He grins. “The show must go on, right? You need to perform.”

“Get back on the stage!” a producer yells. “We can’t keep this commercial break going forever!”

Lucas takes a deep breath and stands, still holding his nose. “No, the best is yet to come.” He looks at Isaiah.

Isaiah stands taller, snarling.

Lucas lowers his hand, staring him dead in the eyes. “Right, kid. Get your ass up on that stage. You’ve made your point, now stop messing around.”

Isaiah turns red. “Don’t talk to me like that!”

“Mmm. Well, do you remember what Dad used to say about life kicking you in the pants?”

Isaiah slumps. “You had to bring that up.”

Lucas tilts his head toward the stage. “We’ve got issues, yeah, but they need us.”

Isaiah looks to his younger brothers and sisters, all watching in a huddle. He lets out a gush of air. “Yeah. Okay.”

The brothers return to the stage together. My jaw practically hits the floor. It’s that easy? What the crap?

Several crew members check Lucas for evidence of his bloody nose before the family lines up again. No one turns Isaiah’s mic back on.

They bring the show out of the commercial with a bright sign saying ‘APPLAUSE.’ Everyone claps, but the tension is high. It’s apparent something unspoken is going on.

The three remaining judges give an excuse for Drusilla’s absence, laughing it off, before going into their praise for the performance. Steven hands out a stock response. “Good luck, you sound great.” Lance leans forward with a smile.

“I loved it. It’s rare we get an original piece in the finals. Who wrote it?”

Lucas raises his hand and Clarissa wraps an arm around his waist.

“Of course. And you, Lucas,” Lance waves a finger at him. “You’ve been holding out on us all season. What a voice!”

The girls in the audience scream their agreement.

Lance laughs. “You too, Clarissa. A family full of talent right here. None of you should ever be too shy to shine.”

Clarissa giggles as Lucas gazes down at her proudly. I touch my heart, proud of her myself.

Jeff then speaks. “I agree with Lance. You guys are going places. If you don’t win tonight, after all this support…”

The crowd roars.

Steven leans back, folding his arms.

“I’ll be shocked.” Jeff’s image on the screen grabs my attention. He’s driving his point home loud and clear. The Murphys deserve to win. I’d even feel safe betting the votes are in their favor. But they won’t be going home as winners tonight.

“Right, thank you.” Steven motions for them to head offstage.

Once they disappear into the wings, Lance leans forward, grinning. “Wow, they were amazing tonight, right? Who knew Clarissa and Lucas could sing like that?”

Jeff chuckles. “Maybe that was their plan all along—to wow us at the end.”

“They were good,” Steven says coolly. “But I think Jessica performed well too. She has worked just as hard as they did. Anyway, the votes will show who did their best tonight.”

“Definitely!” Lance laughs lightly. I have a feeling he has no idea what’s going on behind the scenes. But how could he not know?

The stage crew motions for us to make our way up to the stage while the highlights for the season are played over large screens. My snippets are so weird to see, especially when people roar their approval.

The top ten acts stand in our first position for the approved pop tune. When the highlights end, we break out in song. It’s a song written by the show, about rising up and taking chances. As we move into the second chorus, my stomach tightens. In a moment, Jeff will—

“Hang on!”

The music stops.

I turn slowly, my heart racing. This is really happening. Everyone stares at him as he stands with his hand raised.

“Hailey,” he sings, just like we practiced. “Stop telling me lies.”

I step forward, staring at him. I can do this. I can do this.

“Baby, you have been cheated, and lied to and shoved aside. This isn’t your story. This is a façade. Tell me the truth, love, end it all now.”

Everyone falls silent. It’s my turn, but I take a deep breath before I sing. “You screwed us over, you made us believe, then you went ahead and crushed our dreams.”

Steven jumps to his feet.

“Don’t stop now, sweetheart,” Jeff sings as he leaps on the judges’ table. “Tell us the truth.”

“No one wins in this game,” I sing. “Not me, not them, not…”

I pause as Jeff makes his way to stand beside me. “Hailey.”

He takes my hand, meeting my gaze. Despite my terror, I nod and we duet.

 

The game is over, but the truth is, it never began.

The winner was chosen before the show ran.

None of us stood a chance.

 

Jeff takes over. “All along I knew it was wrong. But I feared what it meant I’d become.”

“I wouldn’t agree to share his bed,” I sing. “And after the elimination, I fled.”

“Enough!” Steven jumps to his feet, turning red.

Jeff stops singing now as he hurries forward. “She should have won, Steven. All the votes put her in first the entire time she was on the show. You stole it from her!”

“Cut!” Steven yells.

“No, don’t you dare!” Jeff points at the camera. “This will go live and won’t be edited. I’m tired of it. I can’t let you take advantage of these girls anymore.” He snatches an envelope from the table. “The votes haven’t even closed yet, but the winner is already decided.”

“Jeff!”

Jeff rips open the envelope. “Jessica Lang.”

He flashes the paper in front of the camera so everyone can see.

A collective gasp erupts from the audience.

The show’s crew clamors around Jeff. He swings around and yells, “Hailey, run!”

I bolt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting out of the auditorium is impossible. The only opening is to go backstage. I force my way through as security runs after me. Weaving my way through the passages, I manage to reach an exit. Shoving it open, the crowd outside screams my name.

Security turns on me.

I cuss, searching for a break.

Then, someone grabs my arm. I swing around to see Emily. “Quick.”

She drags me behind her to a black SUV and we climb in. Inside, Ted Gallagher talks on his phone. “…The lawyers have already been organized…I have Miss Becker now…We will be at his home. Make sure the community security is put on alert and locks them down…Thank you.”

Ted turns to me. “Right. I have a feeling your things all got left behind?”

I nod, my heart hammering like crazy in my chest. I can hardly believe what just happened!

He pats my knee. “This isn’t over yet, sweetheart. But Jeff and I sure as hell will protect you. Steven will come after you first, thinking you’re the easy target, but Jeff has locked you up like a legal fortress. You’ll be fine, so don’t be afraid.”

I nod, not really comprehending. My adrenaline pumps through me like a freight train.

Emily’s hands shake as she wraps them around mine. “Hailey, are you okay?”

I give a halfhearted nod, but can’t speak.

“Jeff has made sure you’ll be safe.”

I look into her eyes. “Will he be okay?”

She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “He’ll be fine. He’s been taking care of scandals for years.”

Ted leans forward and hits a button, lowering a TV screen. “Do you ladies mind? I want to check on him.”

We both nod, so he turns on the TV. The channel is playing commercials, but it doesn’t last long. Emily clutches my hand between hers as the show’s slogan flashes on the screen. Martin Rush is on camera trying to smile, but he’s failing.

“What an exciting show tonight, guys! We’re backstage looking for the Murphys right now to get an interview while the votes are being counted.”

Ted scoffs. “He’s either well paid or well threatened.”

“Where’s Jeff?” Emily asks softly.

“Hmm.” Ted taps on his phone. “He’s still in the auditorium.”

My grandparents came for the show and saw that insanity. What a terrible way to start things. But…“My mom!”

Emily digs into her bag, pulling out her phone. “Call her.”

With trembling hands, I dial her number.

“Hello?” she answers, her voice trembling with emotion.

“Mom, it’s me.”

“Oh, Hailey!” She breaks out into loud sobs. “Baby, are you all right? I’m going to kill Jeff!”

“I’m fine,” I say, trying to keep myself from freaking out. “Jeff’s going to take care of me. He’s putting me up in his house for a while—”

“This is not happening!” she says in a shrill voice. “He’s not going to steal you from me. I’m going to kill him!”

“Mom, whoa.” Her reaction startles me. “He’s not stealing me. He’s just keeping me safe for a while.”

“He set this up! He wants you, but he can’t have you!” She hangs up.

I stare at the phone as I lower it. “Mom’s freaking out.”

Emily squeezes my hand. “Everything will be okay.”

We arrive at the community gates and find the paparazzi swarming around. Ted grasps my head. “Get down. It’s better if they don’t know you’re here.”

I fold over and Emily throws a blanket on top of me.

We get through the gate and rush to the house. Media helicopters hover overhead, so Emily orders the driver to take us into the garage. Inside, she hurries me out and into the living room where the boys sit, leaning forward, watching the TV.

Their heads snap around as we enter.

“Mom! Hailey!” Collin hurries over. “What’s happening?”

“Why don’t you boys go to bed?” Emily says.

“Because it’s only eight thirty.” Collin motions to the clock.

Emily purses her lips. “Fine. Just turn that off.”

“No!” The other two boys’ heads turn around.

“We want to know what’s happening with Dad,” Vinnie adds. “Please.”

Emily rubs her eyes with defeat. “Okay.”

I wrap my arm through hers and we sit with the boys to watch.

At the moment, they’re talking to Jessica who blubbers. She’s saying nothing coherent, but I do catch, “Mom, I’m sorry.”

“What happened?” Nine-year-old Zach asks, tilting his mop of brown hair back from his face.

“Don’t worry, dear,” Emily responds in a tense voice.

There’s a loud bang out the front of the house. The boys flinch, and Emily shoots to her feet.

Ted steps in the door to the room. “It’s okay. Some reporters broke through, but security is taking them away.”

Emily bites her knuckles.

I can’t help feeling like this is my fault. If I hadn’t agreed to do the stupid song, none of this would be happening now. “I’m sorry, Emily.”

Her moist eyes overflow as she clutches her hand. “You don’t need to be sorry. Jeff couldn’t take it anymore, but they’d locked him in with the contract. Then, when Steven set his eyes on you, he just snapped. He couldn’t let anyone hurt you.”

Shaking my head, I’m completely bewildered. “Why? I don’t understand.”

“Because we love you,” Collin says softly.

“But…” I stare at him, examining the bone structure of his face. His blue eyes, his brown hair…I look up at Emily. “Do you dye your hair?”

She folds her arms in front of her chest. “That seems like a strange question right now.”

“I know. I’m just wondering where the boys get their hair color.”

“Their dad,” she answers, stepping over to Zach and running her hand through his hair. “When he first got his record deal, they said this color wasn’t ‘rocker’ enough, so he had to dye it dark.”

The TV erupts with a clamor of yells. We turn to see what the commotion is about. Lucas and Isaiah push out of the building with Lydia and Arnie between them, and Clarissa and Levi keep close behind them, their arms entwined.

“Where’s Dad?” Zach asks in a mousy voice.

Emily sits beside her son, pulling him into her arms. She doesn’t answer, just kisses his head.

“Isaiah!” a male voice calls out. “Did you have sexual relations with Drusilla?”

Isaiah hangs his head but doesn’t answer.

“Did you have sex with Jessica Lang?” a female voice yells.

Lucas’s hand flies out and grasps Isaiah’s shirt. Isaiah glances at him and nods.

“Clarissa, did you have sexual relations with Steven?” another male voice says.

Clarissa’s head snaps up, her eyes wide as her mouth hangs open in an O. “No!”

Lucas releases Isaiah and wraps his arm around Clarissa, whispering in her ear.

Then, the crowd strikes. Isaiah is ripped away from them. Lydia squeals as his arm is wrenched from her grasp.

“I can’t watch.” I cover my face. They’re going to rip them to shreds, and I’m hiding here, safe and sound.

“Lucas!”

The sound of Jeff’s voice makes me look up again. With my hands over my mouth, I watch as Lucas turns, shoving his siblings toward Jeff, who leans from another black SUV. Once they are climbing in, Jeff jumps out beside Lucas, and they shove through the crowd. They grab hold of Isaiah, pulling him free from the barrage of paparazzi, and drag him toward the SUV.

But Jeff looks the worse for wear. His hair is everywhere, and I swear I can see shadowing on his jaw. I exhale into my hands, closing my eyes.

Collin leans against my shoulder. “Dad’ll be okay. He’s the toughest guy I know.”

We watch as Jeff, Lucas, and Isaiah climb into the SUV, and the vehicle forces its way from the crowd.

Ted returns to the room, talking on the phone. Mostly he’s saying, “uh huh,” but we watch him as he stares at the carpet. When he hangs up, he rests his hands on his hips. “Hailey, Jeff has your things. He’s on his way home, and he’s bringing the Murphys. Isaiah’s head is on the chopping block for sleeping with Drusilla, so he needs to lie low too.”

“Ew,” Collin whispers. “She’s so…old.”

I suck my lips in, trying not to laugh. The whole situation is so not funny, but Collin’s blunt response releases a valve of tension.

Ted rubs his temples. “I think the boys should be in bed before they arrive. Emily, can the Murphys stay in the basement?”

Emily nods, shooting to her feet again.

“Good. Let’s get things set up so they can crash when they arrive. The younger ones aren’t coping well.”

My heart breaks. Arnie and Lydia are both so young. Too young for all of this scandal.

Collin grabs Vinnie’s arm. “Come on, let’s get to bed.”

Vinnie shakes his head. “I want to see Dad.”

“He’ll come up to say goodnight. Let’s go.”

“But—”

Collin gives his arm a sharp tug as he glares at him. Vinnie scurries up the stairs. Collin then grabs Zach’s shoulder. “Come on, buddy.”

Zach nods and the two head upstairs together.

Collin’s maturity amazes me.

Emily takes my hand and guides me downstairs to help her. The basement is a wide room with hardly anything in it, just a few extra couches, old mattresses, and racks of canned and bottled foods. There’s a bathroom and a tight bedroom, but that’s all.

We slide out the mattresses and cover them with blankets.

I slip into the bedroom and turn the sheets down. Emily follows me in.

“This room is for Kessa,” I say with reverence. “She must be heartbroken by all this.”

Emily squeezes my shoulder. “You love them.”

“So much.” I run my fingers over the sheets. “This is all so frightening.”

She wraps her arm around my waist. “Come on. You need rest too.”

We head upstairs, and as we pass through the kitchen heading toward the pool house, the door to the garage bursts open. Lucas stares at me for a split second before he runs at me, throwing his arms around me. “Hailey! You’re all right.”

Clinging onto him, I bury my face into his shoulder. He’s the best thing in the world right at this moment, despite the smell of sweat, hairspray, and smog lingering on him. We cling to each other, as if our very lives depend on never letting go.

More arms fly around us. I turn my head. Clarissa’s face rests on Lucas’s shoulder beside mine, and Levi buries his face against my shoulder.

“All right, guys,” Jeff says, his voice heavy. “You all need rest.”

“Jeff!” My head snaps up as I search for him. Emily hugs him as he kisses her head. He meets my gaze. He looks worse than he did on TV. His left eye has purplish bruising, and there’s blood on his black shirt. But he smiles at me.

Lucas releases me, forcing the others to let go too. “Come on, guys, we’ve had a big night. Mom will be here in a minute, so we should be ready when all our stuff gets here.”

“I’m taking a shower first,” Levi grumbles.

Clarissa folds her arms. “I think Isaiah should get the first shower. A long, cold one.”

Isaiah doesn’t speak. He stands in the doorway, his head hanging.

“Clarissa.” I grasp her shoulder. “I’ll take you to where you guys are staying.”

They follow me downstairs and set up where they will sleep, with Isaiah isolated in the corner. He doesn’t fight his scorn, just sits on the mattress and grabs his head. As much as he brought it on himself, I do feel bad for him.

I head upstairs again to give them a moment to settle in. At the top of the stairs, Jeff meets me. He doesn’t say anything, just tilts his head for me to follow.

We head to the back porch where he hands me a chamomile tea. We sit together on the bench, sipping in silence. I’m honestly just glad he’s okay.

“I got this for you.” He places my handbag on my lap. “You might want to make sure everything is there.”

I rummage through it and find everything in place. “Thank you.”

He nods, staring across the garden. “Your grandparents caught me before I left. They’re going to bring your mom out.”

“She won’t come,” I say softly, swilling the tea. “She’s freaking out.”

“I know.” He nods to my bag. “It’s been ringing nonstop. I answered it once and she about ripped my head off.” He smirks, chuckling. “She’s got some fire that one. No wonder you’re a spitfire at times.”

I chuckle too, loving my mom more than ever. Leaning against his shoulder, I ask, “Why me? Out of all the contestants over several seasons, why me?”

He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Because you’re remarkable.”

“That’s not a very good answer.”

“No.” He runs his fingers through the tips of my hair. “You remind me of myself when I was younger. A better version of me.”

His arm slides away from me as he stands, gazing across the yard. “There are things I regret every day, and when…” He rubs his temple. “You should get some rest. We have a huge fight ahead of us.”

“Yeah.” He hasn’t really answered why me well. Sipping my tea, I stand. “Well, goodnight, Jeff.”

As I pass him, I see pain in his eyes. “Hailey.”

I stop on the bottom stair to look up at him.

His words seem to catch in his throat before he finally says, “Goodnight.”

He turns and walks into the house.

I stand, staring after him. What had he wanted to say? Inside, Kessa’s crying announces her arrival. She sobs softly as Jeff and Ted help her downstairs. Wanting to give them the privacy they need, I make my way into the pool house and shower.

As I come out in my sweat pants and tank top, Lucas turns from beside the bar.

“Lucas!” I drop the towel in front of me.

He rushes at me, kissing me passionately. I wrap my arms around his waist, loving his freshly showered, soapy smell. He pushes his hand into my hair as he cups my cheek. I press against him, wanting to hold onto his safe feeling forever. After such a frightening night, his presence is such a relief.

His lips break from mine, but only barely. “I love you.”

I grin like an idiot. “I love you.”

“I’m going to ask you something, but don’t think the worst.”

“Okay?” I look into his eyes, barely inches away from my own.

“Let me stay with you tonight. I don’t want sex. I just want to hold you and know you’re safe. I want to wake up in the morning with you in my arms and know you telling me you love me wasn’t a dream.”

I giggle, feeling more like an idiot by the second. He laughs at my childish giggling.

“Of course you can stay,” I finally say.

“Good.” He lifts me up, carrying me to the bed. He sets me down, then climbs in beside me.

I stare at him as he nestles down, pulling me tightly into his arms. Our legs entwine, and up close, I can see the lighter ring of brown around his iris. He watches me as I run my fingers over his strong, stubbly jaw, down over his Adam’s apple, then up to his full, Polynesian lips. He’s so gorgeous.

He kisses my fingertips, closing his eyes. “I’m glad the song worked.”

I let out a soft giggle as I nuzzle closer to him. “I was going to tell you that I love you anyway.”

He grins, revealing perfect, white teeth. How did I never notice how Osborne-esque his teeth are? “Good night, Hailey.”

“Good night.” I rest my head in the crook of his shoulder and fall asleep.

 

***

 

I wake to soft kisses on my cheek and neck. Smiling, I rest my hand on Lucas’s jaw. “Good morning.”

“Did you sleep well?” he whispers in my ear, giving me goose bumps.

“Wonderfully.”

“Good, because we’ve all been called into the house for a meeting.”

I groan, burying my face into the pillows. I was having such a good time, and he had to go ruin it by reminding me of the nightmare that happened last night.

“Hailey.” He softly presses kisses along my bare shoulders and back. “I’ll be right there with you.”

I tangle my fingers into his short, dark waves. “Can’t we stay here a little longer and pretend last night never happened?”

He takes a deep breath. “I have to help my brother.”

Rolling onto my back, I look into his eyes. “After everything…” I run my hand down his cheek. “I found a good one with you, Lucas Murphy.”

He runs his finger over my chin. “I swear, Hailey, I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”

“I know.”

He leans down and kisses me. I close my eyes, enjoying my heart fluttering as he wraps me up with his body.

When he pulls away, he climbs from the bed, but not before I catch a glimpse of something on his calf. “What was that?”

Rushing after him, I pull his pant leg up.

He twists to see his calf. “Oh, that’s just my tat. It’s a traditional Samoan thing.”

I slide his pants up further and find the tattoo wraps around his entire leg up to his knee. “I’ve never seen this before.”

“Because I usually wear long pants.” He tugs the cotton sweats down. “I’m thinking about getting a sleeve too, but I’m not sure yet.”

“Samoan, huh?” I climb to my feet. “I wondered what you are.”

“But you were too chicken to ask.” He winks at me.

We dress and head into the basement.

The Murphys huddle together, except Isaiah. He’s still curled up in bed, but facing everyone. If he truly did think he was helping them win, he must feel like utter crap in so many ways now, especially since his family, who he made his poor choice to help, has ostracized him. Lucas kisses my cheek and heads straight to him, sitting on the bed beside his brother. The rest of the kids stare, confused. Lucas leans over to talk to him quietly, and I’m amazed by the complete one-eighty the two have taken with their relationship. Isaiah gave Lucas a bloody nose less than twelve hours ago!

Clarissa’s arms wrap around me. “Hailey. I’m so glad you’re okay. When the song changed, I totally freaked out. I didn’t know any of that was going on. Now I know for sure you should have won.”

I shake my head. “Jessica can have it. The poor girl.”

Clarissa squeezes me tighter. “No one knows what’s happening now. We turned the TV on earlier and everyone is still in a frenzy over it all. No one knows if the show will be cancelled, what will happen with the winners or with…with Steven.” She says his name with a hushed hiss. “Hailey, tell me, did he try…with you?”

I give a slight nod.

She gasps. “What did you do?”

I meet her gaze firmly. “I got kicked off.”

She covers her mouth, her eyes wide. “That’s not right. And to think I thought Jeff was trying something on you. But all along you were conspiring together. Why did he pick you?”

I give the only answer I can think of that makes any sense. “Because I’m the wholesome girl next door who should have won, but I turned Steven down and faced his wrath. I’m the only one with the power to do it.”

She nods, her dark eyes pooling with tears. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” She blinks, and the tears run down her face. “But Lucas did, didn’t he?”

“Yeah,” I say on a sigh.

Jeff clears his throat behind me. We face him as he stands by the door, flanked by Ted and Emily, and behind them, my grandparents.

“So,” Jeff says, looking directly at me, “I’m making arrangements for you all to head home. Hailey, you and Lauren will be relocating to a more secure apartment. She has people helping her pack your place and move into the new location. But I’d recommend laying low for a while, all of you, and Isaiah will be staying with me.”

Everyone gasps. He’s sitting up beside Lucas but averts his eyes when we look to him.

“Drusilla’s team is taking action against him, so I need to keep him close. I didn’t anticipate the backlash to go after him as well. The rest of you are covered, so pack your things and we will get you out on a one p.m. flight.”

He tips his head for me to follow as the Murphys hurry to pack. We head upstairs and my grandparents follow. The four of us gather in the kitchen.

“Hailey,” he says gently. “You will be going with your grandparents.”

“To Pittsburgh?” I ask, alarmed. “No, I have to go home. Mom will—”

“No, no, I mean home. They have…” He clears his throat. “A private jet.”

My eyes widen.

“Yeah.” He stares at his feet. “The Murphys will go with you, but I’m not sure how much you’ve told them, so I didn’t want to announce that detail without your consent. Your grandparents want to go with you to see your mother. She’s not coping well with all this.”

Felicity grasps my shoulder. “She’s been running from many things for a long time, and now she’s being forced to face them. But as long as she gets you back, I think she will be fine. She loves you more than anything, and everything that’s happened is tearing her apart. We’ve made arrangements to meet her at the airport.”

Pressing my hands against my waist, I take a deep breath. “But what about last night? I can’t just—”

“Leave that to me.” Jeff squeezes my shoulders. “I did this, so it’s my responsibility. You just focus on staying safe.”

“Okay.”

 

***

 

“Wow!” Clarissa dashes through the private jet. “Hailey, your family is loaded!”

Lucas wraps his arm around my waist. “Let’s go home.”

We sit beside my grandparents, and everyone talks and laughs. My grandparents are better than I could ever hope for. Felicity holds my hand the whole way, smiling at me with sparkling eyes.

When we land, she takes a deep breath, her hand tightening around mine. Patrick wraps his arm around her, rubbing her shoulder.

The younger Murphys and Kessa head out first, but Lucas stays with me and my grandparents.

“You go out first,” Patrick says, smiling gently. “I think Iris will feel more secure if she sees you before us.”

Lucas holds my hand tightly as we head to the private waiting area. Before we make it through the door, Mom throws her arms around me. “Hailey! Baby girl!”

She sobs, and I need Lucas to help me move her to sit on the chairs.

“Mom.” I stroke her hair. “I’m okay.”

She shakes her head. “Hailey, sweetie. Let’s just go home. Let’s forget about all of this. You can focus on finishing school and leave all this behind.”

“Mom.” How can I tell her that’s impossible now? So much has changed.

“Iris?”

Mom tenses at the sound of Patrick’s voice. Her nails dig into me.

“Iris, sweetie, we’ve been trying to find you.”

She swings around, glaring at him. “No.”

Felicity’s chin quivers, but she keeps it together. “We’re not going to take Hailey away from you. She’s a young woman now, and you’ve raised her so wonderfully.”

Mom’s arms squeeze so tightly I can hardly breathe.

“Mom, please.” I say softly. “I’m not going anywhere. They just want to be in our lives.”

She looks up at me, tears streaming down her face. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She nods, and keeping her arm around me, we stand together. “Mom. Dad.” She lets out a long breath. “Why don’t you come meet my husband and sons?”

Felicity sobs as she pulls Mom into a warm embrace.

 

***

 

Lauren and I live downstairs from Lucas now. I’m so amazed when I pull up and the guys are helping Lauren move in all our beat-up stuff. Lucas and I walk over, hand in hand, and our friends let out whistles and whoops. It seems his friends all knew he liked me, and Lauren definitely wanted us together.

All of them talk frantically about Lucas’s song for me and even start singing it. Apparently, they recorded the performance to memorize it.

That night, Lucas crashes with me, sleeping in my bed again. He strokes my hair as we lie entwined. “Hailey.”

“Mmm?” I close my eyes.

“Isaiah told you I’m a virgin, right?”

“Mmm-hmm.” I nuzzle closer to him.

“Well, I know it’s old fashioned, but I don’t want to have sex until I’m married, and with everything Isaiah is dealing with now, that decision seems wiser than ever.” He sighs, kissing my head. “So, it’s not you.”

“I know.” I squeeze him.

“You know, I’m not angry at him.” He softly kisses my cheek. “Despite everything, he’s still my brother. I wish I could help him more, but I think he’s in the best hands with Jeff. Everything that’s happened…I guess these are his consequences. I just wish it hadn’t come to this. I wish he’d talked to me about all this sooner so I knew, even way back in middle school, what was going on. I just thought he wanted to spite me.”

He pushes his fingers into my hair, so I look into his eyes. “But so you know, he does really love you.”

He pauses, gazing into my eyes as he waits for my reaction.

I run my hand down his neck. “I think…” I’m not really sure what to say. “Maybe one day he will realize why I love you instead.”

His face relaxes, and he kisses me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost everyone is out at school or working. Even Lucas has gone to see his family. The Murphys are doing well, except Kessa is constantly worried about Isaiah. Drusilla’s lawyers are aggressively going after him, claiming he seduced her. Thank goodness Jeff’s team is tough.

I’m doing my school work online when the doorbell rings. Staring toward it, I consider ignoring it. Then it rings again, and the person knocks. “Hailey?”

I sit up straight. “Jeff?”

I grab a pair of pants, as I’m only wearing a t-shirt and panties, pull them on, and answer the door.

“Hello, Hailey.” He slides off his sunglasses, revealing his red and puffy eyes.

I glance around for Ted or Emily, but seeing no one, stare up at him. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be handling all that legal stuff?”

He bows his head. “Can I come in?”

“Ah…” I glance behind me at the half-unpacked junk pile of a living room.

“Don’t worry, I won’t judge.”

“Don’t you need someone with you?”

He shakes his head. “I need to talk to you, privately.”

“I’m not really comfortable with that.”

He frowns. “I’m not going to try anything on you. I just want to talk.”

I stare up at him, weighing the pros and cons. He has always been insightful and helpful, if a bit overbearing and rude on occasion. But he’s just saved my tail and continues to keep it covered, along with the Murphys and any future contestant Steven decided to take advantage of. Plus, after Lucas’s huge romantic gesture that’s gone viral and I can’t go anywhere without seeing it, it’s not like he’d hit on me. I step back, motioning for him to enter.

He steps in, examining the room as I close the door. I can’t help noticing him wringing his hands. “You and Lucas living together now?”

“No. Still just me and Lauren. Lucas and I aren’t ready to go that far yet.”

He smiles at me with a hint of pride. “You’re an amazing young woman, Hailey.”

“Ahh…thanks.” I gesture for him to sit. “Do you need something to drink?”

“Yes, actually, I would like some water.”

I pull a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Are you back at school?”

“Still online,” I say, handing him the bottle. “Because of the show’s contract, I can’t record for a few more months, and Vanessa’s tour doesn’t start for another six. It gives Lucas time to graduate, and me time to do some summer courses to try and catch up on my degree. I really fell behind with the practical units.”

“I’m so glad you’re going to finish your degree.” He twists the cap on and off.

I sit facing him. “Are you okay? You seem nervous. Is everything going okay with the legal stuff? I mean, the media is destroying poor Isaiah and Jessica.”

He nods, snorting, but keeps staring at his hands.

“Am I in trouble?” I grab his wrist, suddenly frightened. “Or you?”

“I’m in some serious trouble, yes. Steven’s fighting hard to destroy me. Thank goodness I prepared for all this. He’s demanding for your head too, but you are untouchable. I may have modified your contract with the show a little.”

“Huh?” I lean back.

He shrugs. “When the contracts were handed out, yours was slightly different. It had a clause against Steven.”

“It did?” My voice is shrill.

He chuckles. “I thought you read it.”

“I did!”

“Did you look on the back side of the first page?”

“I…ah…” No. “But why?”

He shrugs, taking a sip of the water. “To protect you.”

“Why? Jeff, I don’t understand any of this.”

He lets out a long breath, his hands trembling.

“Are you nervous?” I grasp his hand.

He nods. “More than I’ve ever been before.”

I chuckle. “Really? Super star Jeffrey Holloway is nervous in my presence? Incredible.”

He smiles, shaking his head. “You’re very intimidating. I don’t think you have any idea how hard it’s been to work with you.”

“I know. I’m a pain.” I sit back, trying to keep the mood light, despite freaking out inside.

“No, I didn’t say that.” He lets out a long breath. “Tell me about how you grew up.”

“Um…okay.” Although that seems like the strangest question he could have thrown at me, I answer. “I was born in Pittsburgh, but when my mom left my dad, she moved us out west. I went to school, and all my memories are pretty much from growing up in the suburbs around here. My mom married my stepfather about ten years ago.”

“Were you happy?” He glances across at me.

I shrug. “As happy as a kid can be, I guess. I never remember wanting for anything. My mom made me birthday cakes, and I always had friends, even if I wasn’t Miss Popularity.”

“How old were you when your mom left your dad?”

I squint. “Why do you want to know about this?”

“I’m just curious.”

“I was five.”

He rubs his face. “Why did she leave?”

“He…” I swallow. “He hit me. Really hard. It broke my arm. I can’t remember what happened. Mom says he was drunk and wasn’t thinking clearly, but she couldn’t let it happen again.”

His head falls into his hands. “Hailey, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” I want to do something comforting, but all I manage is an awkward pat on his shoulder.

“I’m sure your dad regrets everything. As a father…”

Is he…crying? “Jeff, it’s okay. I’m fine now.”

“I have things I regret.”

“Your boys are terrific, and you have a wonderful wife, so why does it matter?”

He shakes his head. “Regrets eat at you, Hailey.” He turns to face me. “I regret so much. But I want to tell you about my biggest regret.”

“Ah…” I scan the room, uncomfortable. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I do. Because you deserve to know, for you and for Lucas, so you can cherish what you have and never let anyone tear it apart.”

I’m speechless, so I just nod.

He lets out a long breath, closing his eyes. ““The Late Night Muse” I wrote for a beautiful young woman.”

“Emily.”

“No.” He looks into my eyes. “I didn’t meet Emily until I was almost thirty, several years later. I was twenty-three when I wrote that song. I was on tour, traveling around the eastern states, when I met the most beautiful young woman I’d ever seen. And, being the famous womanizer I was, she fell at my feet.

“I took her to my room and slept with her, and promptly fell madly in love with her. I can still close my eyes and see her, and at times I can still hear her voice saying my name. But I kept her secret. Being on summer break, she followed the tour around, and I would sneak her into my room every night. She was, like the song, my late-night muse. She inspired music in me, and the album I wrote during that summer, to this day is still my biggest hit.

“But near the end of the summer, she came to me, crying. Her tears broke my heart, so I had her tell me what was wrong. She told me she was pregnant. That frightened me, but I stayed calm until she told me she wasn’t eighteen and she’d lied. She was sixteen.

“I freaked out and called in Ted. With my reputation on the line, he gave her a huge pay out and told her to get rid of the baby and disappear. She left in tears, and I should have gone after her. But with her being underage, our relationship would have ended my career right there.”

He pauses to take a huge drink of water, emptying the bottle.

“So she got rid of the baby?” I ask. “Jeff, I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head. “She didn’t. I thought she did, for several years, until her parents contacted me. They said she and the child needed me, and I needed to take responsibility for my actions. And I agreed.

“So, I flew out and visited with her parents. Her mother said they weren’t sure exactly where she’d gone, but she’d married and moved out. Together, we searched for several months until we found them. But I was afraid to approach her. She was married, so she had moved on. But when I saw her heading into her apartment, I knew I wanted her back. So, I knocked on the door.

“When she saw me, she panicked and demanded I leave. But I refused. I told her I’d take her back to L.A. with me and take care of her. She told me she didn’t have time to argue with me because she had to go. But I followed her and she picked up the most beautiful little girl I’d ever seen from the bus stop. A little girl with my hair and the biggest smile.

“So, I went back to the apartment to wait. When she came home, I said I wanted the little girl, and she lost it. She yelled and screamed and told me I had no right to her because I wanted her to be aborted. It was then her husband came home.”

He rubs his eyes, a tear running down his cheek. “He thought the little girl was his. She’d lied to him, and he was pissed. He kicked me out and started laying into her. Her screaming ripped my heart open, and I forced my way in to see him smack the little girl, then crush her arm.”

I gasp. That sounded so familiar. Flashes of my dad knocking me to the ground then crushing my arm surfaced.

“I tore him away, and we fought. He wanted to kill me and my daughter. By the time I finally managed to get him off me, the girls had gone.”

I squeeze my eyes closed. “No…” There was another man there that day. A tall, dark shadow. I’d forgotten. But it couldn’t be.

“They vanished well that time. With her parents help, we paid for the best P.I.s in the country. During that time, I hired a life coach, Emily. I needed help because I was losing my mind. I gave up on the woman, but wanted that little girl. My little girl. Emily helped me cope, and I fell in love with her, deeply in love, and we married. She’s had my back since the beginning, and helped and supported me with my search for my daughter.

“Then, about three years ago, one of the P.I.s found them. The woman had remarried and settled down, and my daughter was about to graduate high school. With Emily’s wholehearted support, I rushed to go find my girl. But I made the mistake of going to her mother first. Her mother and her husband kicked me out and told me to never come back. But I couldn’t give up on her. She needed to know she had three more little brothers.

“I went to her school and found out she was performing in the spring musical. I went to the show and fell madly in love with her. Boy, could she sing! But her mother was there too, so I couldn’t approach her.”

“What was the musical?” I ask breathlessly, trying not to freak out about the bizarre parallels to my life.

He shakes his head. “Every time I tried to approach her, her mother caught me and sent me away. Finally, I decided I needed a different approach, and sent in a lawyer.” He frowns. “Bad move. Her mother freaked out and came after me. She said she’d expose her age when she conceived my child if I dared try to take the girl from her. Ted told me to back off. So, I set up a scholarship and handed it to my girl through some fantastic covering up.”

I grasp my throat. This can’t be real. My scholarship had fallen into my lap out of the blue.

“Then, my turn came to pick the wild card city for the show. So, I picked hers. She’d be about twenty, and I’d go to her university to find her without her mother interfering. I didn’t expect her to come to me.”

“No.” I slide away from him. “No, are you implying…no.”

He looked into my eyes. “Hailey, when you walked onto that stage—”

“No!” I pull my knees up under my chin. “You’re confused. You must have the wrong girl.”

“No. I’ve been trying to get to you your whole life.”

I swear, grabbing my hair. “But my dad died two years ago. Mom left him…”

“Hailey.” He presses the heels of his hands against his eyes. “I wish I could have told you sooner. But with you on the show, I had to handle things carefully. I’d planned the sting to get Steven before the season began, and you being in the show complicated things. I had to protect you. When he went after you, I almost ripped his balls off with my bare hands.” He clenches his fists and he bares his teeth. “But you handled him perfectly.”

“I’m…” I’m reeling. His daughter? Me? “But…”

He digs out his wallet. “I’m fully aware this is going to look stalkerish, but…” He slips out my senior class photo. “You have my hair, just like the boys, and my eyes. Emily pointed it out when she saw this picture.”

I whimper. My heart skips. Jeffrey Halloway is my father?

He slides the picture back into his wallet. “Before I came here, I visited your mom, to check that it was okay for me to tell you. She said, after how much I’ve shown I care about you, she can’t deny me that, as long as I swore not to take you away from her. And so you know, I’d never take you away from your mom.”

We fall silent. He stares at his hands as they tremble.

I’m lost in overwhelmed mode. He’s my father? All these years…Mom’s adoration of him seems so different now. But why did she let me believe someone else was my father?

“Why didn’t she tell me?” I say weakly, tears forming in my eyes.

He moves his hands toward mine, brushing our fingertips together. “To protect you. A celebrity’s life…after being tossed out on her ass, she didn’t want you to live that way. I’m sorry, Hailey. It’s my fault. I should have been a man and taken care of you from the start.”

He breaks into tears.

Jeff is crying over me?

I’m his daughter?

He shuffles forward. “I’m sorry, Hailey. But I’ll keep you safe through all this. If you want nothing to do with me, I’ll understand.”

I grab his wrist. “Wait.”

As he slowly turns to look at me, my heart jumps into my throat. I do look like him. I slide closer to touch his cheek. I’ve admired him my whole life, and since getting to know him, I gave him the role of father figure in my life. I already love him as a father, but knowing he really is my father…

“This is hard to wrap my head around,” I say quietly.

He nods, frowning at his hands.

“But I want you to be my dad.”

“Hailey.” He clasps my face and kisses my forehead. “Hailey, sweetheart.”

“Be my dad.” I burst into tears and wrap my arms around him. “Please.”

He holds me tightly, kissing my head over and over. “I’d be honored.”

“I’ve always loved you.” I look into his eyes. “As a little girl, I’d play your albums and sing along. Mom thought it was cute, but now I know…”

“I won’t let you go again.” He buries his face in my hair. “It feels so good to hold you. I’ve loved you from a distance for so long.”

“Umm…”

My head snaps up at Lucas’s voice by the door. He squints as he rubs his neck.

“Lucas.” I run to his arms. “Lucas…Jeff, he’s…I didn’t know. But he’s…”

Lucas holds me against him. “What’s going on? Did something happen? Is Isaiah all right?”

He glares at Jeff, apparently suspecting foul play.

“No.” Jeff wipes his eyes as he stands to face us. “Hailey and I just had something we needed to talk about.”

I touch Lucas’s cheek, drawing his attention to me. “He’s…I can’t even say it it’s so surreal…He’s my dad.”

Lucas’s head snaps around to Jeff. “What?”

Jeff nods. “She didn’t know, but I’ve known all along.”

“Whoa.” He walks over and sits on the couch, grasping his hair. He shakes his head as he takes it in. Then, a slight smirk curls his lips. “I’m dating the daughter of a rock star!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucas holds my hand tightly as we stare over the garden. Our combined families inside make a heck of a lot of noise. I smile, amazed at how large my family has grown in such a short period of time.

Lucas’s arm wraps around my waist, pulling me closer. “Hailey, I want to ask you something.”

I smile up at him. After six months together, I love him more than ever. With most of the legalities behind us, and Jeff ending up not being sued, we’ve gathered the family to prepare to announce to the media that I’m Jeff’s daughter. Talk about stirring the water once it’s settled!

“What?” I say, kissing Lucas’s cheek.

He takes a deep breath. “I, ah…You know I love you. I think maybe you’ve been expecting this so…ah…”

His gaze shoots across to the house as he fumbles at his pocket.

“Lucas.” I grasp his wrist to steady his hand. We’ve talked about this several times. “I know what you’re going to ask, and I’m going to say yes, so don’t be nervous.”

He looks into my eyes, smiling. “Marry me.”

My heart flutters, and I giggle like a schoolgirl. Even though I’ve expected it, I still feel giddy. “Yes.”

He slips out a white gold ring. “Will this do?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” I give him my hand and he slides it on. I grasp the back of his neck and kiss him. How perfect! We’re in Jeff’s backyard, his beautiful house, with all my family—yes, all—Mom, Marco and the boys too, and all of Lucas’s family inside. Tonight is the perfect night for him to propose.

His arms wrap around me, holding me close, stroking my back. His right hand lifts and caresses my face. “Hailey.”

I rest my head on his shoulder. “Does anyone else know? I mean, I’d hazard a guess that Clarissa helped with the ring.”

“Your mom, actually.”

I look into his eyes. “My mom?” I touch his cheek. “She must be so excited.”

“Beyond words.”

I laugh.

“But, here’s the thing…”

 

***

 

Standing in front of the media is something I’m still not used to. Jeff tells them everything, explaining how I’m his daughter, but I never knew. Ted is on his other side. In many ways, I have seen firsthand the regret Ted feels for sending my mother away. That’s why he took me on and fought for an incredible record deal that even the biggest pop stars are in envy of.

That’s how Lucas and I paid to elope last night. No one even noticed. We just pulled Mom, Kessa, and Jeff aside, flew to Vegas, and were back three hours later.

Jeff and I each answer five questions, then we head off, leaving the reporters to speculate whatever they want. The truth is, they never tell the whole truth, or the accurate truth. All they want is a scandal.

Back at the house, Isaiah finally emerges from the basement. He has looked better. He managed to scrape out of his predicament with Jeff’s help, but at one point, it almost looked like Drusilla had him. Until her now ex-husband broke into the Halloway’s house and tried to kill him. Talk about dramatic. That act alone swung the odds in Isaiah’s favor, and he ended up with his rape charges being dropped. It seems her ex talked after that, saying he had video evidence that Drusilla willingly brought Isaiah home and slept with him.

Isaiah sits beside me at the kitchen bar, his head flopping onto the countertop. I rub the back of his head and he grunts.

“Bad day?”

He turns his head to look at me out of the corner of his eye. “Jeff is a freaking Nazi.”

I ruffle his hair. “He saved your butt, so don’t be too ungrateful.”

“Hmm.” He smiles slightly, examining my face. Jeff stopped him from drinking, and he hates it. But in his more lucid moments, I can feel the way he looks at me. He still tells Lucas how much he resents him for having me. Lucas tells him to get over it.

“How are you doing, pretty girl?” He slides his fingers around mine. “Still tolerating my brother…?” He lifts his head, his heavy eyes staring at my hand as he turns it over to see my ring. “Ah.”

“Yeah.” I slide my hand free of his.

“Man, I really messed up.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Just tell me something. Why him?”

I take a deep breath, resting my hand on his shoulder. “You know why, Isaiah.”

He lifts my hand and kisses my palm. “I do. Maybe one day I’ll be the man a girl like you could love.”

I smile, grateful he understands and doesn’t resent me or Lucas.

“Hailey!” Clarissa shrieks my name as she snatches my hand. “What is this? Are you guys engaged?”

Lucas hurries over. “About that…”

Once everyone has gathered around, we announce what we did. Shock fills the room, then Clarissa and Lydia’s squealing breaks the silence.

Isaiah tips his glass to Lucas. “I guess you’re no longer a virgin then, bro.”

Lucas chuckles. “Nope.”

My cheeks are on fire.

Isaiah offers his hand to Lucas. “Congrats. I couldn’t have picked a better one if I’d tried.”

Lucas shakes his hand. “Thanks, Isaiah.”

Isaiah kisses my head. “I can live with sister-in-law.”

That night, Lucas and I sit on the porch of the pool house, just staring up at the stars, when Jeff joins us. He sits beside me, looking up with us.

“You want to know something?”

Lucas and I look at him.

He gazes up, scanning the heavens. “I wouldn’t trade this past year for the world. I may have lost a great deal, almost lost my house, the show is completely reformatting…” He shakes his head. “Did you know those couples from last season were paid off to pretend to have an affair?”

I sit up, watching him.

He snorts. “Yup, they’re all still married and fine. It seems the network started sniffing around the show, sensing something suspicious going on, so Steven paid them off to distract the investigators. One of my couples, and one of Drusilla’s. That’s when Drusilla discovered what Steven was up to, so she decided to join in the fun.”

“At my brother’s expense,” Lucas mutters.

“He tried to get me kicked off because I’d confronted him and threatened him to stop. Instead, since I was too popular, they tightened my contract, hoping to drive me from the show. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just ran, but then, if I’d done that, Steven would be preparing to take advantage of another girl in a new season. But instead, Lance is running the show now, since he knew nothing about any of it and is incredibly loved.”

He grasps my hand. “But most of all, it brought you to me. Having a daughter gives me a whole new perspective on everything.”

I squeeze his hand. “I’m glad you’re my real dad.”

He kisses my hand, a proud gleam in his eyes.