Hot Christmas Nights (15 page)
Read Hot Christmas Nights Online
Authors: Farrah Rochon
Encore! Encore!
Chapter 8
Christmas
Day
Ten Months
Later
Las Vegas, Nevada
T
he applause was deafening and, as Wendy finished her closing speech and walked offstage, she beamed with pride.
The Greeley Dance Company’s Christmas recital had been a raging success and, if the standing ovation that she’d just received was any indication, her choreography was a big part of the reason why. Her students had danced beautifully, giving as much to their onstage performances as she had given to them during countless hours of instruction and rehearsals. Now that it was all over, the nostalgic emotions that had been swirling around inside of her all day were threatening to bubble to the surface and spill over.
This was the third recital that she’d been a part of, but it was the first one that she alone had choreographed from start to finish. It was sort of like her official coming out with Greeley and she’d done it spectacularly. If she could’ve jumped up and clicked her heels together, she would’ve. Instead, she settled for a dainty fist pump and a quick little victory shuffle.
Blinking back happy tears, Wendy quickly made her way through a maze of backstage corridors to her dressing room.
A cast party had been planned for right after the recital and she wanted to grab a few minutes of alone time before it started. She couldn’t wait to get out of the floor-length, royal-blue sequined dress and the strappy, four-inch heels that had been in cahoots to silently torture her all evening.
Luckily, the cast hadn’t yet begun drifting backstage and the stagehands were too busy dealing with the close of the recital to notice her, so her getaway was clean. And thank God for that because she was exhausted. The next time anyone set eyes on her, she thought as she walked into her dressing room, collapsed back against the door and closed her eyes, she would be wearing a pair of leggings, her favorite ballet flats and a freshly scrubbed face.
As far as appearances went, she planned to put one in at the cast party and make her excuses as quickly as possible. Greeley’s founders, as well as a whole host of sponsors and patrons would be there; therefore skipping it altogether would be rude. But she had a plane to catch later that night, so after she shook a few hands and posed for a few pictures, she was out of there.
As much as she was going to miss working with her students at Greeley, she missed being home in St. Louis with Frazier even more. They were still a few months away from their first wedding anniversary, but she already knew that she wanted to share a million more anniversaries with him.
They had only just moved into the home they’d finally stopped debating about purchasing. Frazier’s investment firm had grown so much that he was now splitting his time between two branches and her dance studio was holding its own. She was so ready to be home again, sharing her life with the love of hers, that longing for it brought fresh tears to her eyes.
After a quick shower, Wendy slipped into black leggings and a matching cashmere tunic, then sank down into an overstuffed chair to begin the arduous task of putting on her shoes. By the time she was done, which was at least four minutes later, she was slightly winded and even more eager to get home.
She’d only been away from Frazier for three days, but she missed his helping her with things like zippers, socks and shoes with an outrageousness that bordered on obsession. Three days felt more like three years and, as if that wasn’t bad enough, today was Christmas and they were apart. They had agreed that he would travel with his mother to Chicago, since Wendy had to be in Las Vegas for the recital, but still.
As if sensing her thoughts, a dull thud reverberated through Wendy’s midsection.
Relaxing back into the chair’s cushions, she wrapped her arms around the area and cradled the beach-ball-size source. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one missing Frazier. The wee one currently hiding out in her tummy wasn’t scheduled to make an appearance for another three months, but he or she was already making a statement.
A light knock sounded at the door and then a woman’s voice called out, “The cast party starts in ten minutes, Miss Wendy.”
“On my way,” Wendy called back and slowly pushed herself up and out of the chair. She waddled over to the dressing table, quickly smoothed her hair into a bun at the top of her head and dabbed on lip gloss. One hour, she promised herself. One hour of making the rounds and munching on hors d’oeuvres, and not a second longer. After that, she was going to treat herself to some real food and then head straight for the airport.
She picked up her cell phone from the dressing table, checked for any missed calls and then shot off a text to Frazier.
I love you.
She was imagining him sitting in some stuffy parlor in Chicago, listening to his mother’s and his aunts’ lively chatter and wishing for a cold beer, when she opened her dressing room door and froze.
“I love you, too, baby,” Frazier said, grinning devilishly.
Shocked, Wendy launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her up and against him in a grip that accommodated the baby bump between them, but was still so sure and masculine that she almost swooned.
The kiss he laid on her was deep and possessive, capable of sending a rush of pleasure straight to her core. After reveling in it for several seconds, she pulled back from his lips and stared up at him.
“Babe, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Chicago.” He set her on her feet and she instantly leaned into him again, pulling his face down for another kiss.
“I caught a flight back here a couple of hours ago. You didn’t really think I’d miss your last recital of the season, did you?”
His words, combined with his infectious smile, warmed her from the inside out. “You saw it?”
“Yep. All the way from the balcony, I saw it.” He dropped a kiss on her upturned lips and then on her forehead. “It was wonderful, baby. Perfect. I’m proud of you.”
There they were again, the tears that lately Wendy couldn’t seem to control. Seeing them made Frazier chuckle and Wendy blush. “Aww, baby, don’t cry. It’s Christmas Day and I’m holding the best gift I’ve ever gotten.” He swiped at her tears with the pads of his thumbs and then drew her into a gentle hug. “Merry Christmas, beautiful.”
God, she loved him.
Wendy buried her nose in Frazier’s neck, held on to him for dear life, and whispered, “Merry Christmas, Frazier.”
* * * * *
For my brother-in-law Earl F. Milloy—the World Traveler—you are now in the best place of all… At Home with the Lord! Rest well, Good Brother! We will love you always and forever!
Velvet
Tied Up in Tinsel
Chapter 1
B
rooklyn Samuels nestled into the plush leather seat of the chartered jet. Her heart raced as the Falcon 2000 soared closer to its destination. Brooklyn was en route to New York from Los Angeles for a weekend of festivities surrounding her best friend’s post-Christmas wedding. The impending nuptials were not responsible for her nervousness. She couldn’t have been happier for Pepper and Michael, who had been college sweethearts. The source of her angst was Landis Keates, the former star of their university’s football team. The four of them—Brooklyn, Landis, Pepper and Michael—had attended college together, but Brooklyn hadn’t seen Landis since she’d made her drastic transformation.
She was no longer Brooke Lynn Samuels, the shy, overweight coed who was invisible to the hunky linebacker. In college, Brooke had lacked confidence and social graces; aside from her dormmate Pepper who had taken Brooklyn under her wing, she’d had very few friends. Brooke had never partaken in any of the school activities; her only outlet had been music. Although she had been a premed student, she’d never had any intentions of becoming a doctor, which had been her parents’ dream. Brooke had had her sights set on stardom. And to achieve her goal of becoming a professional singer, Brooke had hired a vocal coach and studied with him when she wasn’t in class or cramming for an exam. By the time she’d graduated, she’d not only had a bachelor’s degree but enough confidence in her singing ability to head to New York. She had been Broadway bound.
Living in New York had been an exhilarating experience for Brooklyn. Although she shared a cramped one-bedroom apartment with three other people, her spirits were high. Being in a city filled with people from all walks of life helped her to fit in comfortably with the masses. She was pursuing her dream and was no longer that shy college girl. Her focus had been on landing an agent, which she did. With her considerable singing talent, she’d had no problem finding representation.
Her agent had set her up on auditions, and Brooke rushed through the crowded streets of Manhattan on a regular basis. Brooke had walked as a means of transportation and was oblivious to the miles she had trekked, which led to her gradual weight loss. The pounds had melted away until she was a svelte size six. Although Brooke never had a problem with wearing a larger size, she’d been ecstatic with her new figure. Brooke had then decided that she needed a complete makeover, starting with her name. She’d reasoned that her birth name didn’t seem glitzy enough for a singer, so she’d combined her first and middle names and legally became Brooklyn, forgoing a last name like some entertainers did. She’d then lightened her jet-black hair to auburn with honey-blond streaks and traded her baggy wardrobe for formfitting, sexy clothes. She’d looked and felt like a star.
Following her drastic transformation, Brooklyn had begun booking gigs regularly. After years of singing in the chorus, she finally landed a lead role in a musical, which led to more leads, which led to a deal with a major recording label.
Brooklyn’s overnight success had taken twelve long, hard years, and now she was a megawatt star, touring the country, selling out concerts and gracing the covers of magazines.
Throughout the years, Brooklyn remained close to Pepper, never forgetting the close friendship they’d shared when she was an unpopular nobody.
During their college days, Brooklyn and Pepper had bonded like sisters. Pepper had confessed one afternoon that she had no real interest in having a career. She had only gone to college to find a husband. Although Brooklyn had thought Pepper’s way of thinking was antiquated, she hadn’t judged her friend. Brooklyn had told Pepper that getting married was the furthest thing from her mind. Besides, the only guy that Brooklyn would ever consider marrying—Landis—had never even given her a second glance. Pepper had tried to set Brooklyn and Landis up on a double date with her and Michael, but it had never happened.
When Pepper announced that she was getting married and asked Brooklyn to be the maid of honor, Brooklyn cleared her schedule and also offered to sing at her friend’s wedding.
Michael, Pepper’s fiancé, and Landis were also buddies in college, and when Pepper told Brooklyn that Landis was going to be the best man, Brooklyn suddenly felt like that shy, overweight coed from years ago. Landis hadn’t given her a second look in college and had no clue that he was her secret crush. Brooklyn was curious to know whether or not Landis knew her new identity. Before heading to New York, she had called Pepper to find out.
“Hey, girl, I can’t wait to see you in the flesh. Your picture was amazing on the cover of
Essence,
” Pepper had said.
“Thanks. I can’t wait to see you, either. You have to come straight to my hotel suite once I arrive. I’ll order room service and champagne so we can spend a few hours catching up.”
“I would love nothing more, but don’t you remember that I’ve planned a gathering for the wedding party?”
“I’ve been so busy that I forgot all about it, but I’ll be there for sure.”
“Instead of checking into a hotel, why don’t you stay with us?”
“Sounds like a plan. Congratulations again on your new penthouse.”
“Thanks. Now that Michael’s the managing director of the investment firm, we can afford our dream place in the city.”
“I can’t wait to see you. So…will Landis be at the party?”
“He most certainly will. He’s a part of the wedding party, and so are you. I can’t believe that you’re going to sing at my wedding!” Pepper exclaimed.
“It’s nothing, really. I’m just singing one song,” Brooklyn said modestly.
“And that one song will be amazing. You’re one of the hottest singers around with platinum-selling CDs, who just so happens to be my best friend. I still can’t believe that you’ve cleared your calendar for my wedding. Oh, and I’ve scheduled a rehearsal with the church’s pianist so you guys can go over the song.”
“Thanks, and, Pepper, it’s my pleasure to be a part of your big day. So…does Landis know about my transformation from Brooke Lynn Samuels into Brooklyn?”
“Nope. I had Michael tell Landis that our wedding is going to be quaint with family and old college friends, which is true. I made him promise not to tell Landis. Besides, I thought you would want to see the expression on Landis’s face when he sees how fabulous you look. The moment he lays eyes on you, he’s going to know you’re Brooklyn. You’re world-renowned now, so he’ll recognize you instantly.”
“Yeah, but he won’t know that I’m Brooke Lynn from college. If I had gone to our ten-year college reunion, we would’ve seen each other and he would know that I was that overweight girl in his statistics class. I haven’t seen him since college. I’m sure he doesn’t have a clue about my transformation. To be honest, the thought of seeing Landis makes me nervous.”
“Why? He’s still the man of your dreams and maybe now you guys will finally connect. Being in the same industry, I’m surprised you two haven’t bumped into each other over the years,” Pepper said.
“I did see him once at a Grammys after-party, but I didn’t get a chance to speak to him. After all of these years, I wouldn’t even know how to approach him.”
“Don’t worry. I have the perfect ice-breaking game planned for the gathering.”
“Really? What type of game?”
“You’ll see when you get here. Look, I have to run. I’m meeting Michael at the dance studio for our tango lesson. Have a safe trip. Love you.”
“Love you, too. Bye.”
As Brooklyn replayed that conversation in her head, she couldn’t help but wonder what type of game Pepper had planned.
“Would you care for anything else before we land?” the flight attendant asked.
“No, thank you. Maybe John would like something,” Brooklyn said, turning around and looking in the direction of her burly bodyguard.
“Okay, I’ll check with him.”
“Ms. Samuels, we’ll be landing shortly,” the pilot announced over the intercom.
Anticipation gripped Brooklyn again as the plane made its descent into New York. Within a matter of hours, she would be face-to-face with Landis, and the thought of being in his presence made her stomach flutter. She was nervous and sexually aroused at the same time.