“Maybe we add a third song to the duet lineup, but I come onstage with her and sing it.”
“No. Absolutely not. You’re the main act, and your arrival onstage is a big deal! You have to make a grand entrance,” she contends adamantly.
“It was just a thought,” I concede. She’s right, after all. The label would be pissed and so would the fans that didn’t show up for the opening acts.
“Don’t think any more, then,” Katelyn replies dryly, making me laugh out loud.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Andi finishes practicing her set, and the stagehands rush to set up the stage for Fireflies. Andi comes bounding down the steps, still full of energy and excitement, and I stand to greet her. She flies into my arms, and I instinctively lift her off the ground, spinning her around as her arms squeeze me tightly.
She squeals her delight and excitement, and I can’t help but laugh. My mind automatically wanders to imagine how she’d sound making different kinds of noises while in my arms. I bury my nose in her hair, nuzzling through it until I reach the skin of her neck just below her ear. It takes every ounce of my willpower not to voice my every thought of what I want to do to her.
Hopping back down, like she didn’t just rock my entire world, she talks animatedly about her rehearsal.
“Oh my God! That was so amazing!” Her face lights up, and she hops up and down on her toes.
“Just wait until you have an arena full of people watching you and cheering you on,” I smile as I say.
“I doubt it’ll be full when I’m onstage, Travis. Everyone waits until the main act takes the stage, including me, but I’m still just thrilled to be a part of this.” She smiles brightly.
Katelyn gives me a hard look, as if she already knows I’m considering offering to join Andi onstage to help bring in more people. I can’t offer, I know this, but it’s killing me nonetheless. “I bet you’ll be surprised at how many people show up.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll be happy regardless of how many people come to hear me,” she assures me. “And I love the cover songs the label picked for me! Can I add an extra verse or two to one of them?”
“Run the lyrics by me and I’ll find out,” Katelyn replies.
“Okay, great. I’ll work on the wording and get it to you.”
“Have a seat and watch Fireflies perform while you have a chance,” I say, motioning to the seat next to mine.
Katelyn gives me a warning look and walks off, leaving Andi and me alone. As she sits, I wrap my arm around the back of her chair. Inching my hand closer and closer to her, I don’t think she notices my thumb caressing her shoulder blade when she becomes engrossed in the performance onstage.
When Cami starts singing a slow song, I rise and extend my hand to Andi. “May I have this dance?”
She looks up at me from under her lashes, her smile demure and beautiful. She takes my hand and I pull her into my arms. As Cami belts out the words of a love song, Andi and I sway in the darkness in front of the stage. The spotlights only illuminate the stage, but there’s enough light for me to see Andi’s gorgeous face.
“You honestly were great up there,” I tell her.
“Thank you,” she replies. Her cheeks fill with a beautiful shade of pink that shows even in this dim lighting. “I watched a lot of videos of your performances to get an idea of what I should do.”
“Are you cyberstalking me, Andi?” I ask teasingly. She lowers her face, unable to hide her smile or her nervous laugh. “I’m flattered. And shocked to find out you’re a creeper. Maybe I need to increase my security.”
“Stop it!” she laughs. “There are so many videos of you online it’s impossible tonotcyberstalk you!”
“Sounds like a guilty conscience to me,” I deadpan, but keep swaying to the slow song. “Anything else you feel the need to confess?”
“I think that’s enough for now,” she replies, pursing her lips to the side as she considers my question.
“Thereismore!” I laugh. “Now you have to tell me.” I squeeze her lightly to prod her, but also because I selfishly want her as close to me as I can get her.
“Oh my God,” she groans, shaking her head, and I have to withhold my own groan.
Bending down to her ear, I urge her again. “I’m not giving up, Andi. You might as well go ahead and tell me.”
“I may or may not have Googled you,” she says quickly.
“You what? Did you just say you Googled me?”
