Her lips pinch. “We can’t let Rex get suspicious until the concert starts. Until the moment I take the stage, he’s gotta believe he’s in control. That means keepin’ the tracker in my guitar case.”
“Smart,” I agree.
“But we’ll need some help in LA. Somebody to keep Rex away from me and get the confession footage to the tech team. Like a bodyguard. We need a distraction, too. If I had a double dress up as me and cause confusion at the venue while we sneak in the back entrance…”
“We could hire some actors. It’s LA. They’re everywhere,” I suggest.
“No, we need people we can trust, not strangers who’ll turn my revenge into a social media project.”
“Caleb would be perfect. For the bodyguard role, not the playing you part. He doesn’t have the right curves for that.” I exhale a long breath. “Guess it’s time I told him what happened in Vegas.”
Tally snickers like a schoolgirl planning a prank. “And I think I know somebody who’d do a great job pretending to be me.” Her head tilts and she taps her chin. “How surprised would Erin be if I called her now, told her the truth about my identity and casually offered to fly her out to LA on a red-eye?”
49
TALLY
Erin dropsher suitcase as soon as I open the motel room door. She flies at me, arms outstretched.
“I gotta confess something!” she whines, squeezing me in the tightest hug of the century.
“Air!” I wheeze.
“Dang, sorry!” She lets go, twirling a strand of blond hair. “I should’ve told you on the phone last night. But when you called, I was overwhelmed and excited and I thought it was better to say this in person cause—” She pales, beginning to hyperventilate.
I put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, take it easy. Deep breaths.”
“I… recognized… you… when… we… first… met,” she gasps.
My jaw practically hits my boots.
She raises her palms, waving them around wildly. “I had your posters on my wall since your debut album. I own every CD. I traveled to every single concert I could reach. I bought every calendar, every T-shirt and mug and keychain and—I think you get the point. Guess youcould call me some kind of Tally Creed superfan.” She winces, arms dropping. “Ayousuperfan.”
I quirk a brow. “But you didn’t tell anybody in Pine Bluff about me when I was there?”
She shakes her head, dangly turquoise earrings slapping her cheeks. “No! I might not have made it as a choreographer, but I’ve seen enough of showbiz to know its ugly, dark side. If you were travelin’ in secret, I reckoned you must’ve had your reasons.”
My chest warms and this time it’s me who initiates a hug. She’s stiff as a board as I wrap my arms around her.
“Thank you…” I whisper, choking on tears.
Her breath stutters. “You don’t hate me? You don’t think I’m creepy?”
I pull back, wiping over my eyes. “What you’ve done is one of the kindest things anybody’s ever done for me.”
“It… is?”
“Yeah, you knew who I was, but you let me be plain old Tally. You made an effort to get to know the real me without an ulterior motive. You treated me with respect and like a human, not a doll.”
She blushes bright red, the flush sneaking into her hairline and to the tips of her ears. “Because you’re an incredible artist, but you’re a spectacular human as well. I just considered myself lucky I got to spend time around you.”
Suddenly I’m blushing, too. “And you didn’t demand anything of me. You didn’t try to sneak pictures or sell the information about me to the highest bidder. When I mistrusted the whole world, you offered me genuine friendship.”
“So, we can still become friends?” she asks meekly.
“We already are.”
Erin squeals. “Life goal unlocked! Oh my gosh, I’m friends with Tally Creed!”
