Sing For Me (17 page)

Once she got closer to the phone, she noticed the name on the screen.

Rebecca Grant.

“Sorry, he left his phone in my room,” Chloe said once she picked up the call.

“I’ll call him back.” Rebecca hung up without another word.

Chloe frowned at the phone, at the lack of colors.

Between having to write a song for Ella and getting all excited about this trip, she’d pushed Rebecca to the back of her mind.

Chloe strode out of her room and pressed the bell outside Christopher’s room. “You left your phone behind,” she said when he opened the door.

He grinned. One of his hands took the phone while the other reached toward her waist.

As much as she would enjoy more time with him, she had something else on her mind. “Goodnight.” She gave him a light peck on his cheek, flashed a smile, and half jogged back to her room.

Once she was in her room, she grabbed her laptop and got on the Internet to run a search on Rebecca.

Various articles mentioned Rebecca, mostly as passing statements about her being Christopher’s personal assistant. There wasn’t anything interesting until another name caught her eye; Nicole Lane.

Apparently, Rebecca had been Nicole’s personal assistant for a couple of months.

That was too much of a coincidence.

She tried searching for more details on Rebecca, but there wasn’t anything about her before she entered the music industry.

She licked her lips as she closed her laptop.

There couldn’t be too many Rebeccas linked to Nicole Lane. Perhaps she should personally hand Nicole the song instead of giving it to Ella.

Chloe took Christopher’s outstretched hand. After grabbing her suitcase from the conveyor belt, he led her toward the exit.

“I’m kind of sad that we’re home.”

He lifted her hand to his lips. “I don’t care where we are as long as I’m with you.”

“Aww.” She pressed her shoulder against him.

Once they stepped out of the departure gate, screams sent different colors rushing toward them. She gasped, and Christopher draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“It’s all right,” he said and continued dragging her forward.

With another deep breath, she opened her eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Christopher! Christopher!” A throng of female fans screamed and bent forward, stretching their hands toward them. Some of the fans held pen and paper; some held out markers and Christopher’s CDs. Those who weren’t pushing anything toward them were busy snapping pictures.

“Christopher!”

She hurried along with Christopher’s warm arm holding her firm against him. The security of his arm around her didn’t stop the colors from swamping her, and they were beginning to make her dizzy.

She cringed her eyes shut, but it was too late; the effect was already taking hold of her.

She reached up and grabbed a fistful of Christopher’s shirt. “I don’t feel well.”

She felt Christopher’s arm tighten around her.

“Where are your earphones?”

Her legs gave way, and she couldn’t breathe. She panted, struggling to breathe while the colors fogged her sight.

“Stop! Please lower your volume,” Christopher said to the crowd. He placed his index finger against his lips.

Amazingly, the crowd complied.

“She has synesthesia. Loud sounds can be … overwhelming for her.”

The screams ceased and a hushed ‘shh’ spread across the crowd.

“Thank you.” Christopher turned back to her and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Deep breaths.”

She nodded and took in a deep breath.

“Better?”

She exhaled slowly. “Yes.”

He pushed her hand through her hair and gave her a peck on her forehead. “Where are your earphones?”

“In my bag.” She reached for her bag, but Christopher took it for her and grabbed her earphones.

He placed them over her ears, smiled, and said something as the colors and images disappeared from her sight.

“I can’t hear you.”

Good, he mouthed.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed a fan waving a bottle of water.

Christopher went over, took the bottle, and came back to her. “Here.” He opened the bottle and watched her take a sip. “Better?”

She forced a smile and nodded with a sigh. “Thanks,” she said to the fan.

Helping her to her feet, he said something to the crowd again. He took her hand and moved toward the crowd, signing a couple of autographs with his free hand.

She gently pulled her hand from his. “You go ahead. I’ll just …” She looked over her shoulder.

He grabbed her hand and shook his head, then lifted one side of her earphones. “I’m not letting you go anywhere on your own.”

The same fan who gave her the bottle of water waved again. Her finger pointed between the two of them and gestured for a photo.

“Oh.” She laughed and shook her head. “No. You go ahead,” she said to Christopher.

Christopher frowned, wrapped his arm across her waist, and posed for a photo. He kept his arm around her while he signed a few more autographs, then waved and led her away from the crowd.

When they got into the taxi, she pressed her face into her hands to get rid of the lingering numbness on her face.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded and dropped her hands. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have opened my eyes.”

“Don’t be silly. You didn’t know that would happen or you’d have your earphones ready.” He ran his hand through the ends of her hair. “Why did you keep trying to move away when I was signing the autographs?”

“I didn’t want to interfere with your work.”

His head tilted and his frown deepened. “So the next time someone comes up and asks for a photograph, you’ll walk away again?”

“Yes,” she said, not understanding the etch between his brows.

“No, you don’t walk away.”

“You’re the one they want a photo with, not me. I don’t want to be in the way.”

Christopher took her hand and leaned forward. “You’re not in my way; you’ll never be in my way. I … don’t care who wants what, but I never want you to walk away from me.”

“Chris.”

“Remember what you said about me losing my … heart? I found it.”

“Yes, and you found your voice.”

“Because I found you again.”

She broke into a smile before she could stop herself. “Is that a line from one of your songs?”

Christopher shifted closer to her and tightened his hand. “With me, you never have to walk away. I don’t ever want you to feel as if you don’t … belong. You’ll always have a place next to me.”

She sighed softly and parted her lips as he closed the gap between them.

Over a million views already!
Chloe grinned when she saw Josh’s text message. She turned to Christopher and showed him what Josh had sent.

Eric Staton had hired a videographer to film his entire proposal, and Jane Clarke had uploaded the video online immediately.

Two days after that, on their last day in Venice, Christopher got a call from Rebecca. She told him that the record label was interested in planning his return and recording a single.

“So, are you taking up the offer?” she asked.

“Provided it’s your song.”

She smiled and stepped out of the taxi while he paid the driver. She looked up at the Alice-blue house and waved at Amy, who was looking at them through the window.

The front door flew open and Amy came running out.

Chloe thought Amy was going to give Christopher a hug. Instead, Amy pulled her into a tight hug, so tight that it forced the air out of her lungs.

“Mom!”

Chloe coughed and laughed when Amy released her and did the same to Christopher.

“Josh showed me the video. You sang so well.” Amy turned to Chloe again and gave her another hug. “Thank you.”

“It wasn’t because of me; it—”

“It was.”

Chloe shrugged it off.

“Let’s go in,” Amy said, then paused and turned to her. “Oh, your mom called.”

“She wants the rent for the house.”

Amy gave her a sympathetic smile.

“I’ll pass it to you later.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to worry about. I won’t be staying at her house anymore, so you don’t have to worry about her giving you more trouble. I’ll be staying at Chris’s house.”

“Your house,” Christopher clarified. “I’ll get the key.”

Amy stretched her hand across Chloe’s waist and gave her another squeeze while Christopher hurried into the house. “Josh kept telling me that you’ll help him sing again. All these years, he kept saying that if you and Chris were to start talking again, things would get better. And I have to admit, I thought it was pure fantasy.”

“It has nothing to do with me,” she said. “His voice never left him. He just lost his heart to sing.”

“Is everything all right with you and your parents? I can’t believe your mom insisted that you pay a whole month of rent.”

“That’s her. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

“You’ve always been independent.”

She had to be. Her father was always traveling. When he was home, he would be busy polishing his car and avoiding her mom. Her mother was always busy as well; she was usually busy with being bitter and unhappy about her father.

Whatever problem she had, she’d better solve it herself, because depending on her mother’s mood, she would either get a lashing out or a lecture on how useless she was.

Since she was never particularly interested in either result, she often chose to do whatever she could on her own and stay out of her parents’ way.

“Christopher had already raided my kitchen before your Italy trip, but if you need more food, feel free to take whatever you want.”

Chloe nodded.

“How was the trip?”

“It was great. I enjoyed myself. I think Chris did, too. I’ll take you there some time.”

“That’s sweet.”

Christopher came down the stairs and threw the key to her. “I’ll drive you … there. Mom, can—”

“Take my car. I don’t need it.”

“Thanks,” Chloe said. “I’ll rent one tomorrow.”

“Rent one? You’re going to stay for a while, then.”

Chloe grinned and looked at Christopher. “Yeah, I think I will.”

“The room is right at the end,” the hotel manager said as they stepped out of the lift.

Chloe looked down the carpeted corridor, and there was Nicole, holding the door to her room open for her.

She smiled, nodded at the hotel manager, and made her way toward Nicole.

“Miss Brooks?”

“Just call me Chloe.”

Nicole waved her in. “I was surprised to hear you’re here. How did you know I was staying here?”

“Lawrence Morgan told me.”

Jason’s grandfather had plenty of connections in the music industry, so she called and asked for a favor. “I have your song.”

“Really?” Nicole gestured to the couch and walked over.

Chloe wasn’t sure what she was expecting. She’d run a Google search on Nicole as well, just to see how she looked and to guess what kind of person she was. She couldn’t write a song without knowing anything.

The Nicole whom she read about was a party girl.

But the Nicole standing in front of her, without any makeup, wearing an oversized white T-shirt that almost completely covered her black shorts, looked like any other teenager on the streets.

The colors from her voice weren’t of the usual electric colors she saw from party people either. Instead, the colors appeared mellow, similar to her own color.

Nicole grabbed the guitar lying on the couch and set it aside on a stand nearby. “Do you want any drinks?” She pointed to the minibar. “Help yourself.”

Chloe shook her head.

“Thanks for writing the song.” Nicole settled onto the couch.

“I didn’t have a choice.” She set the brown envelope down on the desk in front of Nicole. “I don’t know you well enough to write a song that will suit you.”

“I’m sorry. I know you must think I’m a horrible person. I tried asking around, but no one in my circle seemed to know how to get in touch with you. Even Jason refused to help.”

She smiled. There had always been a sort of silent agreement between her and Jason. They wouldn’t ask each other for favors in their jobs.

“I’m so tired of singing those silly songs. I’m eighteen; I want a song that actually means something to me. I want a song that will make listeners take me seriously.”

Chloe pursed her lips and took a seat on the couch. “I’m sure that song won’t mean anything to you because I don’t know you.”

Nicole leaned forward and took her hand. “Then will you write me another song? Something that will let people see that I’ve grown up.”

She had expected to see a spoiled and entitled Nicole, not someone who truly wanted to work hard at being a better singer. “I’ll consider it if you answer my questions.”

Nicole’s eyelids twitched as they narrowed slightly. “All right, what do you want to know?”

“How did you know Rebecca would be able to get you that song?”

Nicole pursed her lips. “It’s a long story.”

“I have time.”

Nicole nodded after a moment. “I have a habit of putting on my earphones and blasting music. But sometimes, I don’t have any music playing; I do that simply because I don’t feel like talking.”

“She thought you couldn’t hear her.”

Nicole got up and walked over to the minibar. “I heard her threatening someone on the phone. She wanted the person to hold off on ending Christopher Hunter’s contract. Then, when I got back to the company, it actually happened.”

She grabbed two bottles of water and strode over to hand her one. “But I didn’t think much about it until she tried to blackmail me.”

Chloe arched a brow. What dark secrets could an eighteen-year-old have?

“I refused to take part in a concert, the one I’m here for. There were a few other bookings that interested me. But for reasons known only to herself, Rebecca wanted me here. She said something about having to stay here to make sure that things go well. I have no idea what she was talking about.”

If Chloe had to guess, she’d say it was to make sure Christopher’s career remained on track.