I swear he’s about to lean in for a kiss when a knock on the door startles us.
“Two-minute warning.”
“Shit, I have to find Slate.”
“He said to meet him onstage. He was too chicken to face you.”
Too chicken? I don’t know what on earth for. I press a kiss to Sawyer's cheek and go take my place.
“Next up, we have again the amazing and talented Slate Knox, doing a duet this time with Amelie Rossi. This piece will count towards his end of year grades.”
Slate looks amazing in his tux, minus the jacket. He makes my worries fade away. I tune out the crowd and focus on him. Every step the way we rehearsed it, yet this time it feels different. The sexual chemistry is off the charts between us now and I think everyone agrees with the whistles they’re giving us.
When the final line comes up and he pulls me into him, our mouths are so close - they’re just supposed to give the illusion that we are about to kiss - but he doesn’t stop; his lips touch mine and everything fades to black as the curtains are drawn and the crowd goes crazy.
“Wow,” I say, pulling away. He rests his head against mine.
“That was incredible.” He places my hand on his chest above his heart and it’s pounding. Maybe I’ll switch to music because that was so fun. But I would miss spending time with Sawyer alone if I gave up our lessons. Maybe he would still offer to tutor me in self-defence.
“OMG,” my incubator says, trying to sound young. “You were so good, Amelie, I didn’t know you could sing.”
“There is a lot you don’t know about me,” I snipe.
“That is what is so good about this, you have a chance to get to know each other again. I’m sure there is a lot you don’t know about your mother,” Monty pipes up, trying to keep the peace.
And whose fault is that? Not mine. I didn’t abandon my family.
“You are so right, Monty. We have already spoken with the other boys, and we’re all going to dinner tonight at Pierre’s. We are meeting out front in an hour.”
“Dress nicely please, Slate. Amelie, we had a dress sent to your room.”
“Um, thanks.”
“Amelie and I are going to go and get ready. Thank you both for coming to see us perform.” Slate takes me by the hand before they can respond and drags me from the building.
“What’s with the niceties back there?”
“You need to learn when to play your cards with my father.”
“I’m starting to see that. I will meet you here in forty minutes.”
The dress they sent me wasn’t as fancy as I imagined. Just a plain black cocktail dress that sits at my neckline, it pulls tight across my breasts.
Not sure she will approve of the boots I have paired with it, but if she knew me well enough, she would have sent me some heels to go with the dress. Knowing I only own boots and chucks back home. We never had a need for heels. The only heels I own are the ones I wear to school and the white hooker heels Kalen supplied with my Halloween outfit. Neither suitable.
It does look cute though. I add some jewellery and dark Smokey eyes.
Giving myself a once over I throw my keys into a clutch of Elsie’s I still have and race out the door.
Sawyer, Onyx, Slate and Kalen are all waiting where I only expected Slate to be. A hard lump forms in my throat. They look spectacular. I take in Kalen first in his usual style, pants and a white shirt tucked in, suspenders which he does justice and a pair of boots. I’m relieved I’m not the only one wearing boots.
The twins are both dressed in black slacks and form fitting white button ups. Both wearing their fancy Nikes.
Sawyer is wearing a full suit. Dress shoes and all. Whoa.
“You look utterly fuckable,” Kalen says when I approach.
“I will take that as a compliment, let’s not keep the parents waiting.”
