Page 124 of Places I've Never Been

“Why not? Nobody will notice if we sneak off to a quiet corner for a little bit. Especially at the after-party.”

“They’re hunting for photos exactly like that. Remember?”

“They’re never getting another photo exactly like that. If they do, my new manager will be put on a spit and roasted.”

“Your new manager is much more likely to put you over her knee and spank you. If Jordanna can handle Della, she can make mincemeat of you.”

“She’s a marshmallow.” He gave her a toothy grin. “Besides, she thinks I’m adorable.”

“She thinks everyone’s adorable at first.” She saw Della waiting up ahead and waved at her. “Della!”

Della grinned at the cameras while she waited for them to catch up. “We’re almost fashionably late. Everybody else is already sitting down.”

Mattie gave her sister a quick hug, then the three of them went inside.

Mattie waitedthrough award after award with her stomach slowly tying itself into tiny macramé knots. She’d never realized before just how long it took them to go through the list of nominees, plus the commercial breaks, plus all the performances. Sitting on literal pins and needles would have felt more comfortable.

During one commercial break, Mattie, her sisters, and Delusions of Glory all clustered into a huddle in the aisle next to their seats. Mattie and Adam stood in the middle of a circle that included everyone they cared most about in the world. Cameras pointed atthem, and heads turned occasionally in their direction. Every now and then, someone waved. She wasn’t sure how much of the buzz was for her and how much for Delusions of Glory since they were both up for a major award, but the tension in the air only ratcheted up her own nerves to the point where she could hardly sit still.

She felt like a kid waiting for Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy all at once. She flexed her hands to use the pent-up energy, but it didn’t help.

Piper grabbed her hands. “If you don’t stop that, you’ll be a meme by the time the show ends. Now smile and laugh like I just said something funny.”

Mattie pursed her lips but resisted the urge to stick her tongue out.

“Only a couple more to go,” Lizzie said with a calm smile. “Almost there.”

“This is taking forever,” Flynn muttered.

“Yeah, can’t we skip ahead?” Brandon hissed.

“Patience, gentlemen,” Adam admonished. He exchanged exasperated grins with Cooper and LT.

Mattie let out a nervous giggle. “I’m with Flynn, this reallyistaking forever. I think they’re deliberately going slow to torture us.”

“If you don’t win, I’m boycotting these awards for the rest of my life,” Della muttered.

The music queued them to get back in their seats, but since everyone had taken the opportunity to crawl out of their seats, it took several minutes to get settled.

Finally, the Song of the Year presenter stepped on stage. Sarah Nash was not only a great lyricist, she was last year’s winner. Mattie loved her style because the folksy song reminded her of her dad.

Sarah read the list of nominees with a smile and comment for each one. Mattie envied the cool, laid-back composureAdam held on to in the face of all this stress. She had trouble keeping the frozen smile planted on her face with the camera pointed directly at them.

“And Song of the Year goes to…” Sarah fumbled with the envelope. “Ouch, paper cut. Hold on. Almost have it.”

Mattie squirmed in her seat.

Adam gripped her hand.

“‘Truth Is I Love You,’ by Mattie Bellamy and Adam Brooks, Brandon Brooks, Cooper Peady, Flynn Mackie, and LT Sullivan,” she called out.

Everyone sitting around Mattie jumped up and shouted.

“I knew you’d win!” Della beamed. “You write the best songs and now you have proof!”

Mattie hugged everyone she could reach on her way out of the row and down the aisle whether she knew them or not. When she stepped up on stage clutching Adam’s hand, the applause grew louder, and included a few catcalls. She clutched the award statue they pressed into her hands and peered out at her sisters.

Lizzie looked so proud it made Mattie tear up. Piper shot her a thumbs-up. Della hopped up and down and pumped her fist in the air.

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