Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
He asked if I would be adding any songs to my set from my days living in New York City.
There’s one song in particular that I really would like to share with him. One I haven’t sung since I was doing auditions in cramped studios in Midtown Manhattan.
The audience is still applauding as I walk over toward the members of my band. “Do you guys know ‘Somewhere’ from West Side Story?”
Ewan’s eyebrows nearly fly off his head. I’ve asked him and the rest of the band to do the unthinkable. Perform a song that wasn’t on Rouge’s preapproved set.
Brooks and Reid don’t look too keen on the idea either. They’re exchanging nervous glances from behind the piano.
“Yes, yes, I know. Rouge didn’t approve the number. But she’s not here tonight. She’ll never know.”
Ewan shakes his head.
“I won’t tell if you don’t.” I draw a line across my lips and lock it with a key.
Brooks shifts his gaze back and forth. Reid rubs at the back of his neck.
I get it. My sister casts a long shadow, and just because she’s not physically present doesn’t mean news of this diversion won’t get back to her.
But you know what? I don’t care if it does gets back to her. She’s not my keeper. And she doesn’t control everything that goes on here. Why, this very night, I broke the rules and brought a man—a handsome, charming man—as my guest for the evening, even though I’m not technically a member.
I lower my voice. “I’ve begun to think that Rouge isn’t as in control here as she likes to think. I promise, I won’t let any of you get into any trouble for this. I’ll take full responsibility.”
Ewan, Brooks, and Nash still look unconvinced, but Pierce gets to his feet, pointing his drumsticks at the other bandmembers. He then shrugs as if to say, “Come on, guys. One extra song won’t kill us.”
Reid is the first to nod, and then Brooks. I walk over to Ewan. “I can sing with just them if you’d like. I can plunk out a few chords on the piano myself.”
Ewan takes a deep breath in, looks over his shoulder, and then finally bows his head. He sits back down at the piano.
I return to my microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to go a little off program tonight. A lot of you know that, before I was the full-time singer here at Aces, I was pursuing a career in musical theatre in New York City. I’d like to share with you one of my most cherished songs from that time of my life.”
I nod to the band, and they start playing.
The music is sweet yet haunting. The lyrics are bittersweet yet hopeful. And just so there’s no confusion in my intentions, I direct the entire song toward the Clubs section, where Harrison is taking it in.
I start the song singing softly, almost breathy, and let it gain strength until the final note, which I let ring out into the entirety of the club. People from Spades put down their drinks, Diamonds their cards. For the first time in my life, I’ve brought every eye in Aces Underground on me.
It’s intoxicating.
I forgot what it felt like to perform to a captive audience.
I release the final note and applause roars through the entire club.
I take a bow and then gesture to my bandmembers to do the same. A single tear runs down my cheek and lands with a tiny splash on the stage.
I look up, directing my focus back to Harrison in the Clubs section. He’s on his feet again, his cigar completely forgotten in the ashtray on the table next to him.
I place a hand over my heart and mouth the words “thank you” to the audience. I scan through the crowd, trying to make eye contact with as many people as I can.
My heart is soaring…until it drops into the pit of my stomach.
Because there’s one person who isn’t applauding. One person whose lips are fused into a straight line, her arms crossed, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against a nearby table.
My sister has come back to Aces early.
7
HARRISON
My God, she’s brilliant. One of the best singers I’ve ever heard.
And she’s so damned beautiful, too. Angelic in her cream-colored gown that shows off the graceful curves of her body.
I’ve heard that last song before. I’ve never been that big of a West Side Story fan, but any theater scholar worth his salt will be familiar with every song from it.
But I’ve never heard it sung the way Bianca just sang it.
It was so different from the rest of her set. It had so much of her heart, her soul in it. It was like the other patrons and I were getting a rare glimpse into her soul. Her other songs were great, and she sang them with even more gusto her second time around, but it was nothing compared to her encore.