FanGirl Squeal (RockStars of Romance Book 1) (5 page)

“I’m a little upset,” I admitted. “I saw his publicist tell
him to come talk to me and he was about to. Next thing I know, he was hauling
ass out of the club and didn’t come back.”

“What did he look like?”

I closed my eyes and shivered a little. “Oh girl, whew! He
looked so damn good! He had on jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt. You could see
his muscles and tattoos. He hadn’t shaved so he was kinda scruffy,” I laughed. “All
I kept thinking was stay with your friends, Savannah. That man is engaged.”

“You wouldn’t have done anything if he wasn’t,” Amy laughed.
“You’re a punk when it comes to approaching guys!”

“I wouldn’t punk out with Cash though,” I protested. “That
man could get it in a heartbeat!”

“Yesssss!”

“If he looks that good tonight, we’re going to have a
problem,” I stated. “Especially since we have Meet & Greet passes.”

Tonight is the night that I actually get to wrap my arms
around Cash Myers, give him a big hug, and tell him how much I love his music.
Tonight is the night I beg and plead for thirty minutes of his time, just to
get an exclusive for my website. I was told not to beg and plead but I will if
I have to.

Amy smiled excitedly. “What do you think you’ll actually say
to Cash? I know what I’m going to say.”

“You’re married,” I teased. “Don’t say anything that’s going
to get you divorced.”

I didn’t have to think about what I’d say to Cash. I know
exactly what I’ll say to him if he agrees to a sit down, but that will be
between me and him.

“I have a list of questions I’ve been compiling over the
years,” I told Amy.

“Do you think there’s any truth to the latest rumor about
him and Victoria breaking up?”

I shook my head. “Not at all. They’re perfect together. I
mean, c’mon. We haven’t seen Cash this happy in years. Even his music is
happier. All couples fight. He didn’t look like anything was wrong last night.
But then again, I wasn’t in front row like Tampa. Girl, you should have been in
Tampa with us. Front row was amazing! I was just waiting for his sweat to hit
me when he started soloing on
You and I
.”

“Damn girl. How many shows have you been to this tour?”

I shrugged and rattled them off. “Hollywood Bowl, Atlanta,
Tampa, Jones Beach, Red Rocks, Seattle, Portland, and now this one, so eight.
Oh, wait. Nine. Brandon and I went to Vancouver. We’re still keeping that a
secret from Troy.”

“That’s not too bad. I’ve been up and down the East Coast.
Boston was everything. I love when Cash goes home because he plays his ass off.
He sat at that piano and played like six songs. Next tour, you have to come see
him play in Boston. It’s an experience you’ll never forget,” Amy assured me.

“How can you be married and go to all those shows? Doesn’t
Jason get pissed?”

 “Jason doesn’t understand it,” Amy admitted, “but he
doesn’t get pissed. I told him that I work for concert tickets. I’m home every
night with him, cooking his meals, taking care of his house. But come summer
tour season, I’m hitting the road. And the money I spend doesn’t affect our
household budget. I was Team Cash when I met him, and I’ll be Team Cash when
he’s gone. He was complaining a little this morning so I told him that at
twenty-seven, he’s lucky I’m not telling everyone he’s my starter husband. He
shut up after that.”

And this is why I love my best friend. The stuff that comes
out of her mouth is so unfiltered. She’s the best.

“I can’t believe that the tour is over,” Amy whined. “This
has been one of his best. I don’t want it to end.”

I giggled at my friend, but I absolutely feel her pain. This
has been one of the best tour experiences I’ve ever had. Better than seeing
Prince and Bon Jovi. But all good things have to come to an end. Cash has been
touring since December. I’m sure he needs a break.

“Do you think he’ll go back to New York or stay in L.A.
after tonight?”

“You know I have my fingers crossed that he’ll stay in L.A.
for awhile,” I grinned. “There’s nothing like walking into Mr. Chows and seeing
Cash Myers sitting at a table. But he’ll probably go to New York. The rumor is
that he’s leaving the west coast. If I paid seven million dollars for a condo
in Tribeca, I’d move too.”

“O-M-G!” Amy squealed, a high-pitched squeal that every
fangirl, young and old, would have immediately recognized as a classic *fangirl
squeal*. “You saw the pictures I forwarded you, right? Of his condo?”

I nodded. “And we’re not going to mention that to anyone. The
fact that we know what the interior of Cash’s apartment looks like is creepy,
even for us.”

Amy threw her hands up. “Hey, I didn’t ask his designer for
them. Jessica Cannon is a world class bitch. She knew my firm lost the bid for
that design project. She was just trying to brag about finally snagging a
celebrity client. I could have designed something much better.”

“Yeah, but whose idea was it to forward the pictures to me?”
I laughed.

“Don’t say I don’t do anything for you,” Amy said and
lowered her sunglasses.

I drove down the highway towards the strip feeling happier
than I have in years. I turned up the music and Amy and I sang along to Cash’s
first CD. Even if it’s only for a few days, it feels so exhilarating having
someone around who shares my same passion and who just gets it. And, in less
than five hours, we’re going to meet Cash Myers.

****

“You are not wearing that!”

The horrified expressions on Brandon and Troy’s faces when I
stepped into the living area of my suite at The Capri were priceless. Amy and I
practically fell into each other as we broke out in a fit of giggles.

“What the hell is that?”

I looked at my and Amy’s black tank tops. I thought they
looked great. They were Amy’s idea. She got them made for us and a bunch of
other fans. The SUPERFAN t-shirts were making appearances at shows since
January.

“Savannah Denise Ford,” Troy said slowly, oddly sounding
like my father. “You are not going to host a party for The Capri and meet Cash
Myers wearing a SUPERFAN t-shirt! Have you forgotten everything I taught you
about behaving properly in public or do you just enjoy embarrassing yourself?”

“I’m not embarrassed by my shirt. I think it’s cute.”

And it was. This is Vegas and the concert is basically outside.
I’m not trying to be a fashionista tonight. I’m trying to be comfortable and
cute.

“They’re cute,” Amy defended our shirts. “At the Virginia
Beach show, Cash mentioned how much he loved them. His sister even tweeted me
asking how she could get one.”

“Insert fangirl squeal,” Brandon muttered as blatant sarcasm
reared its ugly head. “We’re twenty-seven, you know.”

“You two don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing. You are
not going to be there. Now get out so we can finish getting dressed.”

Brandon and Troy gave us hugs before I practically pushed
them out of the door. I love my boys but they had to go. We’ll hook up with
them after the show.

“Please don’t let her do anything silly,” Troy called over
his shoulder. “We’re counting on you, Miss Amy!”

“Can’t make any promises!” Amy called back.

We finished our hair and made sure we had all the
essentials; cameras, batteries, portable phone chargers then headed out of the
suite to meet our driver. This time, the casino had provided a car to take us
back and forth from the venue.

Concert tailgate parties are very similar to football
tailgates. Lots of food, beer, liquor, and rowdy fans. Plus, there’s always the
chance that the artist will ride through for an impromptu meet and greet. The
Capri had an open tent and bar set up in the parking lot with games, chances to
win Meet & Greet passes, and a DJ. It was my job to get people over to the
tent and I was in charge of the games.

I was having a ball! I was with my people…fellow Cash fans!
Plus, there was an abundance of fruity adult beverages and I’ve never turned
down a free drink or two. About an hour into the party, Amy and I started
spotting our friends, dressed just like us.

“Savannah! Savannah!”

Over all the noise, I heard a child’s voice yelling my name.
I looked around just in time to see Michaela Patterson running towards me as
fast as her little legs and portable oxygen tank would let her. I knelt down
and opened my arms to catch the ten year old.

“Hey!” I squealed and hugged her as tightly as her frail
body would allow me to.

Michaela’s SUPERFAN shirt was the smallest size Amy could order
and she was still swimming in it. A black and white Cash Myers bandanna covered
her bald head. Despite the rosiness in her cheeks and her bright blue eyes, it
was obvious that Michaela was a very sick little child. I held onto her a few
seconds longer before standing up to hug her parents, Abby and Craig.

The Pattersons are the most loving and caring family I’ve
ever met. Michaela is their miracle child. It is not fair that they may lose
her to cancer. They deserve more, so much more.

“It’s so nice to see you guys again!”

“You know we’d never miss this show.” Craig grinned at his
little girl. “She’d never forgive us.”

“We almost didn’t come,” Michaela piped up. “Stupid chemo.
But I told my doctor that this might be my last chance to meet Cash so the
doctors said I could fly.”

Abby’s nod was so painful and subtle that I barely caught
it. The simple up and down movement of her head was a sorrow-filled indication
that this would actually be Michaela’s last chance.

“Did you get Meet & Greet passes too?” I asked Michaela
who shook her head no.

“But I’ve been praying so hard,” she answered. “Three times
a day for a month,” she boasted proudly. “It’s gonna happen.”

Yes it will
, I said in my head. I excused myself for
a second and hauled ass to the tent to speak with one of the casino reps. They’d
been giving out Meet & Greet passes as prizes for the last two hours. Surely,
they had to have three more.

“Tom, please tell me you have more passes,” I shouted, out
of breath from my mad dash to the tent. “I need three. I’ll even pay for them
if I have to.”

Tom, angry that he was in the heat, shrugged. “All I’ve got
is one left. You can have it if you want it.”

I snatched up that lanyard holding the pass so quick that I’m
sure Tom thought I was crazier than he did when he saw my shirt. I ran back to
Abby and Craig who had introduced themselves to Amy.

“Here’s the deal,” I said. I held up the one pass I’d gotten
from Tom and removed my own lanyard from around my neck.

“I got Michaela a Meet & Greet pass and one of you can
have mine so she won’t be alone. It’s the best I could do.”

Abby’s eyes filled with tears as she watched her baby-girl
throw the lanyard around her neck and jump up and down. Abby hugged me so
tightly I could barely breathe.

“You are such an angel. I love you.”

I wiped tears from my own eyes and squeezed my friend’s
hand. “Michaela is family. She’s a part of this.”

Abby looked at the pass I was still holding then at her
husband. “You’re the one who got her hooked on Cash,” Abby chuckled. “You
should go with her.”

“No,” Amy said and slipped off her own pass. “You can go
too.”

Abby gasped. “Are you sure? You just met us!”

“Hey!” Amy shouted. “We’ve been Facebook friends for three
years. That counts!”

Abby was at the point that she was going to start bawling
any second. Craig put his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

“I know it hardly equals this, but we’re definitely taking
you guys to lunch tomorrow,” he said.

“Great. I’ll make sure to order the most expensive thing on
the menu,” I teased. “You better go get in the line. We’ll see you inside. You’re
right behind us, right?”

“Third row, center stage!” Michaela let out her own *fangirl
squeal*. “OH MY GOD! I’m gonna meet Cash! See Mom, I told you He wouldn’t let
me down this time! I’ll tell Cash you said hi, Savannah!”

As the Pattersons walked away, I blinked my eyes rapidly to
keep the tears from falling. I didn’t mind giving up my chance to meet Cash to
a girl who might not ever get the opportunity again.

“Well, best friend,” Amy said as she put her arm around my
shoulders. “I guess we’ll just have to stay on our Grail quest.”

“I guess so, but it’s definitely worth it.”

“Definitely.” Amy smile was mischievous. “Sooo… weren’t
there hot guys with  Jell-O shots earlier? Let’s go find them.”

“Encore! Encore! Encore!”

Twenty thousand people yelled, clapped, and pounded on their
seats for a good five minutes even though everyone in the building knew that
Cash Myers never finished a show without an encore.

Cash stood on the side of the stage with his band and two
backup singers. He was downing a bottle of cold water while Brittany tried to
mop some of the sweat off his face and neck with a cloth towel. His mother,
Jennifer, stood in front of him with her arms folded across her chest.

“We had a hard out at eleven,” Jennifer said.

The LiveNation rep beside her nodded. Both of them had every
right to be angry. There was a $5,000 fine for going over the two and a half
hour time limit. And $10,000 for every minute he was onstage after 11:15. At
this point, Cash already owed $150,000. He didn’t care. This was Vegas, the end
of the tour, and the first time in six months that he’d gone over his time
limit. His fans deserved an encore and he was going to give them one.

“Well, I can’t not go back out there,” he stated without a
care. “I’m just going to do two songs.”

A few minutes later, Cash strapped on his signature strat,
Bonnie, and walked back to the mic. His wavy brown hair was messy and his
t-shirt was drenched with sweat. He cleared his throat and looked over at the
sea of fans…his fans. He’d played for them for two and a half hours. If he could
have, he’d play for them all night.