After the Storm (13 page)

“Come on, Sunshine, time to rise and shine!” Lexi said as she kissed Noah all over his face.

He groaned, ‘No,’ and rolled over.

“Up and at ‘em!”

“Lexi-love, it’s a bit too early,” he grumbled.

“No, it’s not. I’ve already been up for an hour. I’ve showered and have everything ready to go. All that is left is you, mister. Now get that sweet ass up.”

“No.” He snaked a hand out from under the blankets and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back into bed and snuggling up behind her. “Ahh, now this is perfect.”

“Noah, we have to get going.”

“Just a few more minutes, Mom, please.”

Laughing, she tried to wiggle out from his grasp but he just held on tighter and started tickling her ribs.

“Noah, stop! Please?”

“This is your punishment for sneaking out of bed and then getting me up so early.” He pinned her legs with his and captured her hands in his above her head. He moved his head down until they were nose to nose and whispered, “Now, what are you going to do?”

She opened her mouth to reply but closed it instead and gave him a speculative look. “Why don’t you have morning breath?”

He laughed. “While you were out playing with Pepper, I got up and got ready, climbed back into bed and waited for you. I figured it was the only way I could leave you speechless. I was having a great fantasy about us when you came back in to wake me up, would you like to hear about it?”

~*~

Lexi and Noah arrived at the senior center the same time the Troublesome Trio did and

Noah gave the ladies a weary look. “Good morning, ladies. All ready for the show?”

“You know it, sweet cheeks. We’re ready to bring down the house,” Leigh exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air.

“Excuse me, Noah, but would you mind helping an old lady out here?” Marie was trying to get the garment bags out of her trunk.

“No problem.” He was worried about getting another slap to the ass, but seeing the stress around her eyes, he decided maybe she really did need help and walked over to her car.

“Go ahead, ladies. Noah and I will be right there. Oh, don’t worry Lexi. I’m not going to jump him and have my way. Scoot.”

As soon as the others were out of sight Marie turned to him and grabbed his hands. “Noah, you’ve got to help me. I don’t think I can go through with this. Look at me.” She held a shaking hand up for him to see. “I can’t stop the shaking. I feel like I’m going to puke and I can’t catch my breath. Do you get stage fright? What should I do? Please, you’ve got to help me.” She squeezed his hands in a death grip.

Noah softened towards her, the ass-slapping forgotten. He pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back. “It’ll be fine, Marie. Come on, take a few deep breaths. Everyone gets some kind of stage fright before they go on. Some more than others. Didn’t Leigh used to be in show biz? Did you talk to her?”

Marie pulled away from him. “You’d think after all the years we’ve known each other, I’d be able to talk to her. But she’s so in control about this whole thing, the last thing I want to do is start putting doubts in hers and Evelyne’s head, too. Could you imagine if the three of us froze up there? Nope, this is all on me.” She nodded her head.

“My gut clenches right before I go on stage. I love it, it’s what I was born to do, but there is always that one moment right before I face the crowd that I wonder if I’m good enough. If I am going to forget a lyric or fall off of the stage.”

“Oh, honey, I’ve watched video of you in concert. You’re good enough.” Marie nodded.

Noah laughed. “Thanks, Marie. I remember the first time we played Madison Square Gardens. Madison. Fucking. Square. Gardens.” He looked down at Marie. “Sorry about cursing.” He continued after she nodded at him. “It was such a huge deal. We’d made it, but if we sucked here, well, we were done. My stomach started clenching hours before we went on. I couldn’t believe that we had made it. I was missing my mom; she had died a few years before. She was my rock and she’d never doubted me but here I was, all alone, standing on stage before the sound check, looking out over everything and not believing in myself.”

Noah looked out over the parking lot, lost in thought. “My gut was cramping harder and harder, my breathing was coming faster and faster, then I saw it. I saw the whole crowd before me, screaming my name, cheering for the band. All of them on their feet, fists pumping in the air. It was such a rush. I knew it was going to be okay. I went back to the dressing room and was fine for the show. You’re going to be great, Marie. If you make a mistake, you’ll be the only one that knows. Just go up there and do your best. If you are up there having a great time, everyone else will, too. Just feel the music. It’ll take you where you need to go. If that isn’t helping, I can go get you some Jack and you can have a shot.” He grinned and winked at her.

Marie gave a little laugh. “I’ll hold that in reserve. Thanks for talking to me, Noah. It’s good to know even big stars get stage fright. Let’s get this show on the road.”

By the time Noah and Marie walked into the cafeteria, the stage was busy with people setting up as Lexi directed people.

“Ready to work, what should we do?” Noah asked.

“Noah, can you help arrange the chairs and tables? Here’s a drawing of how I want them set up.”

“Oh course you have a drawing, dear. You might want to tone down your anal-ness if you ever want to marry,” Marie said with a knowing look.

Lexi closed her eyes. “I don’t have time for this. Besides Marie, I don’t think anal-ness is even a word. Can you go backstage and make sure that everything is set up, in order, for each performance? Here’s a list of what’s needed for which act. And no, I don’t need to hear anything else about my mad organizational skills. Scoot, both of you.” She looked up over their heads and started walking across the room. “No Fred, that doesn’t go there.”

Noah watched the way she moved with a gleam in his eyes. Even at that fast pace, the sway of her hips made him all but come undone. He gave a little yelp as Marie poked him in the ribs. “What was that for?”

“You know exactly what that was for, young man. As soon as you finish your job, you need to come back stage and talk to the three of us. Don’t you give me that look, and don’t make us come looking for you. It won’t end well.” Marie stormed off muttering under her breath.

Now what?
He looked at the drawing Lexi had given him, smiling at her precise notes, and got to work. The sooner he finished this job, the sooner he’d find out what he was in trouble for. He wanted today to go smoothly for Lexi, which meant he needed to make sure the Troublesome Trio was on the same page.

~*~

Lexi tried to keep everything under control and moving along. They were making good progress but they’d hit a snag—a problem with the lighting and sound board. She hoped Noah knew something about them and might be able to get them working again. She’d seen him go back stage about a half hour before and he still hadn’t returned. Knowing all three ladies were back there made Lexi worried but every time she tried to head in that direction, something else would come up that would need her attention. Making up her mind that this was her top priority unless the building caught on fire, she headed backstage and found Noah and the ladies deep in conversation.

“Excuse me, but don’t you all have jobs you should be doing?” It gave her satisfaction to see them all jump and stare wide-eyed at her. “Who wants to tell me what’s going on?”

Evelyne waved a hand at her. “Lexi, really. Noah is just giving us some tips to make our performance better.”

Lexi raised one eyebrow at them. “I’m not buying that. Anyway, ladies, you need to finish your jobs
now
. And Noah, I was wondering if you knew anything about lighting and sound boards. Ours doesn’t seem to be working.”

Noah put his arm around Lexi’s shoulders. “Come on, love, I’ll have that fixed in no time.” He looked back over his shoulder and winked at the ladies who laughed.

Lexi shook her head. “I don’t even want to know.” Once they were out of earshot, she continued. “Do you have any idea what they’re up to? What they are performing? I’m a basket case wondering what could go wrong.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’ll be fine. What’s the worst they can do?”

Lexi stopped walking and looked at Noah. “Really, Noah, you even have to ask that after all the stories you’ve heard and what they have done to you?”

“It’s all in good fun. Let them have their moment. Now, let’s see if we can get this working.”

Noah made short work out of fixing the equipment then jumped up on stage, grabbed a guitar, and sang a song to test it. Everyone stopped what they were doing and listened to him sing a what had to be one of his new ballads. Lexi stood, unable to move, locked in his gaze as she listened to the lyrics of his song. He sang of the beauty of finding love on the shores of the ocean, the words he’d used to describe their meeting and their feelings brought tears to her eyes. She would forever hold him close in her heart.

~*~

Lexi stood backstage with the ladies watching everyone file into their seats. It was a larger crowd than she’d expected. She was just about to go out front to put more chairs out, when she saw Noah out there already. People were staring and pointing at him. If someone did come up to him, he spoke with them briefly and gave them an autograph if they asked. She knew that he was risking a lot by coming here where so many people would notice who he was, which made her appreciate the fact even more that he’d done this for her anyway.

Marie came up and laid a hand on Lexi’s shoulder. “He sure is a catch, Lexi. Sexy as all get out and as sweet as can be. If I was fifty years younger, I’d give you a run for your money.”

“Hell, if I were twenty years younger, he’d be mine like
that
.” Leigh snapped her fingers.

Evelyne just laughed. “Honey, if I didn’t love you so much I’d be going for him right now. You wouldn’t stand a chance. I’d have him in my bed in no time, screwing his brains out, ruining every other woman for him.”

“Am I doing the right thing? I’ve lost my heart to him. I never thought I’d love someone after everything that happened, that someone would actually love me back. Now that I’ve got it, I don’t want to let it go. But how can we have a life together? I don’t want to live in L.A. and travel all over the world, a different city every night, watching him play to thousands of fans. That’s just not me.”

Leigh closed her eyes and sighed.

“Don’t worry honey, it’ll all work out. That man out there, he loves you. It’s as plain as day. He’d do anything for you. He sees his job as making you happy, and keeping you on your toes. Why don’t you try to keep him on his?” Marie had a twinkle in her eye.

Lexi turned to the three ladies that meant so much to her. They might like to cause trouble, but there was no one else like them in the world. She took a deep breath. “You’re right. I think it’s time Noah Matthews got a little surprise. Something to knock his socks off. I’ve got some ideas, but we don’t have much time. Will you help me?”

“Hells Bells, Lexi, who do you think we are? Of course, we’ll help you.” Evelyne grinned. “Let’s move it ladies, time’s a-wastin’!”

~*~

Noah kept to the back of the room, watching the acts perform, not wanting to distract from them by sitting closer. He was surprised at how good they all were. The two guys who ran the hardware store did a perfect
Who’s on First?
rendition. Lexi said they always did something by Abbot and Costello since their first names were Bud and Lou, though he wasn’t sure how he felt about the local bank president being such an accomplished magician. Then there was the hairdresser in town playing Beethoven with such heartache he wondered what had happened in her life that she was able to tap into that.

Noah felt his stomach flutter as Lexi’s name was called. He knew which songs she’d been contemplating singing but hadn’t actually heard her practice and was particularly curious because she had refused to let him listen.

A single spot light came on and illuminated her. Noah gasped and involuntarily took a step forward. Her hair fell in lush waves, the ends curling around the underside of her breasts. She wore a strapless, blue dress that hugged her curves and flared out below her hips. Jewels sewn into the gown winked at the audience whenever she moved. She walked slowly, sensuously forward towards the front on the stage and he watched in awe as she moved the microphone to her mouth and started singing. He closed his eyes, letting the lyrics flow over him. The song?
At Last
, most famously performed by Etta James.

Under some kind of control he couldn’t put his finger on, he moved through the crowd to get to the front. He had to be closer to her, felt her sincerity in every word she sang. Stopping at the stage, he looked up at her as she sang the lyrics directly into his soul.

They stood there, staring at each other while the crowd came to their feet, clapping and whistling. He surprised her by jumping up on stage after she had sung the last line, framed her face with his hands, and whispered fiercely, “I love you, Lexi. Now and forever.” The crowd behind them cheered even louder when Noah took her in his arms and kissed her like his life depended on it.