Page 10 of The Music of Love

Something’s changing inside of me about how I see this man, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I just know that it’s happening.

I turn and see Josh and Kathleen giving me death-eyes, so I’m more than relieved when another guy with a headset shows up and escorts me to my spot beside the stage. It gives me a perfect view of the band, and I’m even closer than the people who paid for front-row tickets. Die-hard fans wouldkillto be where I am now.

When Cal walks out, the crowd goes so nuts the entire building shakes. I have to put my fingers in my ears to keep from going deaf, and that’s when I see it—the shift from the Cal I just saw back in his dressing room, to the Cal everyone else is going to see for the duration of the show.

That’s the Cal I’ve been seeing every time I’ve looked at the media. But I realize now that that’s not therealCal. That’s just the face he puts on for the public—his image. And for some reason, I’m the one he chose to show the real him.

7

Cal

I’ve hada lot of great shows in my life, but this has one has to be one of the greatest ever. And I know why too. It’s because of Reese watching me.

I wanted to impress the hell out of her, and I haven’t felt the need to impress the hell out of anybody since my earliest days as a musician.

It may sound arrogant, but these days, I pretty much assume that anyone in the crowd is going to be happy with my shows. I don’t slack, I don’t come on stage late, I don’t do any of the things that rockstars who phone it in can be accused of doing, and I always get a great reaction from my fans.

But tonight I was performing like it was my first—or maybe my last—show as Cal Shelton. Even my bandmates were shooting glances at me. I could tell by the looks in their eyes that they were wondering what I was doing. But I couldn’t help myself. Another sold-out show in front of me, and I was basically performing the whole thing for one snobby waitress, who when I met her, pretty much told me I was an asshole to my face. An asshole who she wasn’t remotely interested in.

But even after such an incredible show, I’m still a bit nervous as I come off stage and see her standing there waiting for me. How’s she going to react?

“Well?” I ask with a smile. “What’d you think?”

“I thought it was shit,” she replies, stone-faced. I stop dead in my tracks and stare at her.

“Seriously?”

She pauses, then laughs and pokes me in the chest. “Gotcha!”

“Oh, you saucy little wench!” I roar, snatching her into my arms in full view of everybody backstage.

It feels incredible to hear her giggling and to be holding her—to have someone real waiting for me after a show that I know isn’t a groupie or someone who wants something from me.

In fact, Reese is the total opposite of a girl like that. I had to fight to get her here and wasn’t even sure she’d come until I saw her walk through my dressing room door.

“I’m glad you came,” I say into her ear.

She looks back at me, and I can see her processing. It takes her a minute, but she finally responds. “You know what? So am I. I wasn’t sure I was even going to, but…”

It’s a beautiful moment. A moment I can see myself writing a song about, in fact. And it’s rudely interrupted when Kathleen and Josh come stampeding up like a couple of out-of-control bulls.

“Cal! Cal!” they both shout. “We need you! That idea we had? We can make it happenright now!”

Idea? I’m so caught up in the buzz from the great show I just had and the warm feeling of having Reese in my arms that I honestly have no idea what they’re talking about. Nor do I want to know based on how the two of them are behaving right now.

“Can’t you two see I’m busy?” I ask, tugging Reese down the hallway.

“She’s here,” Kathleen hisses. “Jenni Hinderman is hereright now!”

Immediately, I feel a stabbing sense of annoyance poke me all over, like I’m being bitten by thousands of hungry mosquitos all trying to drink my blood. “All we need is a few quick photos of you two,” Josh adds.

“No, we’re not doing that,” I snap, tugging Reese closer and walking faster down the hallway.

Kathleen walks faster to keep up with me. “Cal, just think about what we said–”

“And I saidno!”I snap loudly. “We’re not doing that!”

Christ, to go from such an incredible show, then to such a wonderful moment with Reese in my arms, to this nonsense? I’m going to have to have a real serious talk with these two about things moving forward.

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