Beware of Boys (25 page)

Charly smiled. “Have you ever been stuck between a dollar and a dream? Wait. Don't answer that—just think about it while you perform. Oh, and another thing, I'm not here for the concert. I'm here for Bobsy, and other girls. All girls . . . girls like us who need guys like you to help us.” She walked over to him, then kissed him on his cheek. “I'll meet you on stage. It's all under your control now.”

Charly stood stage left next to Butter Pecan. She peeked out into the audience every so often. The Staples Center was huge and dark and crowded, and for the life of her, she couldn't spot Coop. She knew he was there though, somewhere in the first row. Despite his protests about being seen, his seating was unavoidable thanks to the arrangement her people had made with management. M
kel hit a high note, pulling her attention back to the stage, and like just about every girl in the audience who screamed, Charly felt him. It was as if he were serenading her and her alone. His voice was that melodic. His words came across that genuine. She could tell he was feeling every lyric he sang. The live band he had accompanying him switched songs, moving into a more hypnotic, uptempo beat. Her boots tapped in rhythm to it on the floor, and her head bobbed like M
kel's.

“Whew! It's hot up here. Are you hot out there?” he asked the audience, who answered back. “You sure?” he asked again. “ 'Cause if you're not, then I'm not doing my job! Ladies, are you sure I'm doing my job? You need me to get hotter for ya?” He held the mic toward the audience, then smiled when the females in the audience yelled out yes and screamed. M
kel held his hand in the air, then pushed it palm-down toward the ground, telling the band to lower the volume. “Okay. Okay. I'm going to make it a little hotter out here, but first, I need some assistance in getting this sweat off of me,” he teased, making the girls scream. He shot Charly a look. “But this time I'm going to do it a little different. I need professional assistance. . . .”

Charly shook her head, then turned to Butter Pecan, who stood by. “No, he isn't. I know he is not calling me out to wipe his sweat off him.”

Butter Pecan laughed, then handed Charly a white towel. “You two did it, now you two fix it.”

M
kel stopped, and turned. He stared at her now, then held the mic close to his mouth. “Yes, professional assistance. Someone who can
extremely
make me over. Ya know, like that show many of you girls love to watch,
The Extreme Dream Team
? Charly. Charly St. James, come on out and wipe this sweat off my brow. It's the least you can do to make up for assaulting me when I was saving you.”

Charly put on her best face and walked out, smiling and waving. She'd been here before, and now she wasn't nervous. She walked straight to M
kel and gave him a tight embrace, then whispered between clenched teeth almost the exact words he'd said to her at RiRi's concert. “This charade isn't for you. It's for the fans, Bobsy, and more importantly, all girls who are hurting. If you can be professional enough, do us all a favor and play along.” She let him go, then swallowed her pride and patted his forehead with the towel. She reached out her hand for his mic, then turned to the audience. “Thank you all for watching the show, and please know that me and the entire crew of
The Extreme Dream Team
love you very much. It's because of you all that I'm no longer stuck between a dollar and a dream.” She clapped with the audience, who clapped and cheered with her. “And it's because of M
kel,” she began, then cupped one hand around her mouth and pretended to whisper into the microphone, “and two other great guys whose names I don't have to mention—hint, hint, Lex and Faizon—that
The Extreme Dream Team
gets to help with a fabulous retreat for girls in Las Vegas. You all give it up for them. Love you again, and remember to tune in!” She handed the microphone back to M
kel, then reached up to hug him again. She whispered in his ear, “I was stuck between making the project happen so I can get a spinoff show and my dream of helping girls like me. But you know what, M
kel? I'm not stuck anymore.” She looked at him with pain filled eyes. “I'll take helping girls who have problems like I had over a spinoff any day. Don't you remember what it's like to struggle and hurt and feel like there's no one to help?” she said, then walked off with a pasted-on phony smile.

Butter Pecan nodded his admiration for her as she made it to stage left. His mouth formed to say something, but he didn't speak. His eyes left her and widened.

Charly turned to see what has captivated him, and came face to face with a sweaty M
kel. “What—?”

“I remember,” was all he said, cutting her off. Then he grabbed her and kissed her.

C
harly rushed. She hopped on one foot, pulling her slingback strap over her heel as she made it to Lex's dressing room. Her heart was pounding like never before, and she began to question ever dealing with the opposite sex again. She was sure that since encountering the guys and their project, her pulse had never raced so quickly. Ever since she and M
kel had clashed in the sneaker store, her emotions had been on a roller coaster. She was angry one minute and anxious the next, and she was getting tired of it.

“What took you so long?” Bobsy asked, leaning against the wall next to Lex's dressing room door.

Charly smiled. Bobsy was wearing a dress and makeup, and didn't look a thing like a boy anymore. “You look good, Bobsy. I'm glad the hospital released you.” She shook her head. “Don't ask me why, but I talked to Faizon, or whatever he's calling himself until he finishes filming.”

“Steel,” Bobsy said.

“What?” Charly asked.

“Steel. That's his character name. Anyway, you're late, but right on time. There's a huge fight going on in there.” She pointed to Lex's dressing room. “Did you know Coop was coming?”

Now Charly paused. She had had no idea Coop was going to show, and hadn't seen him after he'd dropped her off at her hotel room. “They're fighting?”

Bobsy shook her head. “Figure of speech. But they're working things out. At least they were before they made me leave.”

Charly nodded, approaching the door. “Okay, I'm on it,” she said, putting her palms against the door, getting ready to push it open.

“Don't!” Bobsy said. “Don't go in there.”

The door swung open, making Charly lose her balance. She tumbled forward, and fell into M
kel's chest. He grabbed her. “Hey! You okay?” he asked. His tone was smooth and calm. “Future wifey.” He laughed, and a deeper, raspier voice laughed with him.

Charly looked behind M
kel and saw Coop. She smiled, then looked up into M
kel's eyes, and was met with warmth. “I don't know about all of that. Just because we kissed . . .” She bit her lip, flirting, then stood up straight. “I'm glad to see you all worked it out. I'll be right back. I'm going to see Lex.”

“No!” M
kel and Coop said in unison. Their tones were serious. “Don't do that! He's getting in fight mode and needs a minute.”

Charly shrugged, then rolled her eyes. She'd come too far and risked too much to wait. “Whatever,” she said, then walked around them. She heard footsteps following behind her, and knew it was them trying to stop her. Lex's arm movements could be heard in the air, swishing.

“Charly,” M
kel's voice called from behind her in a loud whisper as she turned the corner and spotted Lex shadow boxing.

She picked up speed, wanting to get to Lex before M
kel and Coop caught up to her. He was only a couple of feet away, she noted. She lengthened her steps, then reached out to touch his shoulder. “Hey—” she began, then stopped. Her face cracked. The room darkened. Her body was airborne, moving upward, then backward, and then lowering to the ground.
What's happening?
She wondered, then heard a faint voice.
They say a person's hearing is the last to go, so I can't be dead. Yet.

“Oh, ish!” Lex's voice yelled. “I didn't mean to knock her out. I was just warming up . . . and something touched me. Made me jump. React.”

 

Something warm was touching her hand, and the wind had a minty smell. Charly inhaled, enjoying the cool sensation and wishing the air always smelled so sweet. She smiled, relaxed, then tensed. She flailed her arms. Someone was trying to drown her in ice water, she was sure.

“She's up. She's up. Charly, are you okay? Can you hear me?” a beautiful, raspy voice asked.

“Charly, love. Squeeze my hand if you hear me. C'mon, love. You're scaring me.”

Liam. Oh my Liam
. Charly smiled. She could never hear his accent enough, and loved the way he spoke her name. She opened her eyes, and almost jumped out of her skin. There in front of her, only inches away from her face, were the two finest dudes she'd ever met. M
kel, whose breath was minty, and Liam, whose hand was warm, were both kneeling beside her. “What happened?” she asked, trying to sit up. “Why am I on the floor?”

“Well,” Lex said, suddenly standing over her. He was scratching his head and pacing. “I kinda knocked you out.” His expression said he was sorry. “You can't sneak up on people like that, Charly. M
kel and Coop said they tried to stop you. Bobsy too. Please tell me you're all right. I need to know you're okay before I go out here in this ring and lose. I can't win with you back here hurt, and if the press finds out about this—skip the press, if the boxing commission or the police find this out—I won't be able to fight anymore.”