Appassionato (7 page)

Emma shook her head. “I was exhausted.” She found her favorite purple suede heels and slipped them on, walking to the full-length mirror on the back of her bathroom door to see if they looked okay with the rest of her outfit. The slim, dark jeans looked good with her fitted purple blouse. The fabric was shiny and stretchy, and she loved the way the short sleeves made her arms look thin and pretty. What she liked best, though, were the silver snaps that held it closed instead of buttons. She couldn’t do anything to disguise her curves, but in this outfit she looked almost skinny, so she was pleased. The purple shoes complimented the black, and she slipped on the thick silver bracelets she’d set out earlier. Her hair was loose, falling around her shoulders in soft waves, the silver from her earrings peeking out from between the strands. She’d actually broken open the mascara for once, highlighting the black liner she’d applied not five minutes ago. She wondered if she should cover up the marks on her arms then decided the bracelets hid them enough. Most people would just think she had a pair of very unique tattoos.

“I understand being tired, but Emma, aren’t you excited? I mean, you’re probably going to meet them, right?” Julie asked.

Emma fidgeted with her hair one last time, wishing she could avoid the question. “I know, Julie, I know. It’s just—” she sighed.

“You’re nervous.” Julie smiled and rubbed her friend’s arm compassionately.

“Yeah.” Emma sat down on her sofa. She looked at the pink nail polish that peeked through the open-toes of her shoes. “I mean, yeah, I was exhausted from the situation today at the school, then I was really nervous about the concert, then I just sat down and zonked out.” Emma carefully didn’t mention how she spent a good half-hour eavesdropping on Jake and Duncan while they had their little heart-to-heart in the dressing room. She didn’t think Julie would understand her fear. Her friend was a fan of Duncan’s and would probably love to be telepathically attached to the man. Emma, though, had spent most of her life alone. The sudden invasion of her mental privacy was as upsetting as it was comforting.

“Well, okay, I don’t know how you could sleep, but at least you’re rested and ready for the show! Come on.” Julie grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled her up. “Time to go!”

* * * *

Two hours later, Julie stopped her car in the parking lot a few blocks west of Madison Square Garden. Emma felt her stomach flip over and silently congratulated herself on having the good sense to not eat anything heavier than an apple for dinner.

“Oh my God, I’m so excited!” Julie said after they’d paid the attendant. “Look! You can see the Garden from here!” She pointed and Emma obediently looked down the street at the venue’s distinctive outline. “Do you see it?”

Emma grinned. “I see it, I see it! I’ve been here before, you know,” Emma teased, but Julie just laughed and grabbed her hand.

“Let’s go!”

Two blocks later they were walking past the tour trucks parked in back of the building. “Thank God the parking wasn’t far,” Emma remarked, trying not to get a heel wedged in the metal grates that dotted the sidewalk. “I can’t walk very far in these shoes.” She let Julie tow her toward the front entrance, trying to ignore the way Jake and Duncan felt in her head. The proximity made her even more aware of the two men. She could feel them as they moved around backstage, and the mental double-vision was making her dizzy.

“I told you it wasn’t far. That parking lot’s pricey, but it’s worth it.” Julie shoved them both through the crowds. They walked up the wide steps, and Julie tugged her towards the VIP entrance. “Come on, I think we’re supposed to go in here.” Emma balked and Julie pulled on her hand. “Oh relax, it’ll be fine! Seriously.”

Emma shook her head but stopped trying to hold back. Julie had no idea. Duncan and Jake knew she was there. She could feel their anticipation. Her heart tripped alarmingly, but she gamely moved forward with Julie, hoping everything would be okay. She laughed to herself as Julie showed the ticket attendant their paperwork. What did she think was going to happen? She knew they were nice guys. Even if they hadn’t taken up residence in her head, just watching the interviews she could find of them on the internet assured her they weren’t typical rock-star assholes. Most of the interviews she could find featured Duncan, but she’d managed to track down two that had Jake, including the infamous Oprah segment. She smiled as Julie tugged again, exasperated with Emma’s timidity.

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to throw up with nervousness,” Emma said when they finally broke through the crowds and into the hallway leading to the floor near the stage. “We’re practically on the damn stage here.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. And the lights shining in his eyes will make it hard for Duncan to see much in the audience. I’ve been in the front row here before, a few years back. Different concert.” Julie grinned, maneuvering them both down the rows of chairs. Emma tried to keep her feet as the number of people grew larger the closer they got to the front. She could feel the excitement in the air, and she took a moment to look up and out in the vast interior of the arena. There were ads scrolling along electronic billboards, and the noise level was near deafening just from all the people talking and milling around. She was abruptly glad she’d remembered her earplugs. “Hey, I think we made it in time for the opening act. Look, they’re uncovering equipment at the front of the stage.” Julie pointed, but Emma was too distracted to pay attention.

“Julie, they know I’m here.” Emma stumbled into her friend’s back when Julie finally halted. “They don’t have to see me.”

Julie swiveled around to look at her. “Um, seriously?”

“Yeah,” Emma replied, nervous. “I can feel them, too.”

“Holy shit, that is so cool.” Julie breathed, gesturing to the folding chairs right next to the stage. “I think those are our seats.” Julie began making her way through the people. “And, wow. I thought maybe it was just a burst here and there that you got or something, like a bad phone connection. You’re saying that you can feel them all the time?”

Emma nodded. “I mean, it’s not like television or anything. It’s more like having a stray thought in the back of your head, and if I concentrate, or one of them concentrates, it comes into focus. And I know things without knowing I know them, you know?” Emma explained, sitting down with relief. She really wasn’t used to wearing shoes this high.

Julie stared at her then sat down too. “That is so weird. I mean, it’s cool, but it’s weird, too. Isn’t it weird knowing they can, what, feel you? See you?”

“Yes, exactly.” Emma was relieved that Julie was finally getting the idea. “That’s why I didn’t want you to tell anyone. I’m not used to this yet. I don’t know if I’m ever going to get used to it. And I have no idea how Jake and Duncan feel about it. It’s not like we’ve actually had a conversation.”

“So, you can’t, like, talk to them in your head?”

“No,” Emma replied. “At least not yet.”

Julie frowned. “What do you mean?”

Emma sighed. “Remember how those kids at school acted when their parents tried to separate them?” Emma asked. Julie nodded. “I have the feeling that it was physically painful for them to be away from each other. And remember, Duncan, Jake, and I haven’t actually met. What happens when we touch each other?”

Julie pursed her lips. “I have no idea.”

Emma nodded grimly. “Exactly. What will happen? I mean, the kids’ marks didn’t even manifest completely until they were touching. What does it mean that mine are completely formed and we haven’t even met? I’m a little scared, to tell you the truth. And I’m connected to two people, not one.”

“Oh man, it’s like the most freaky blind date ever.” Emma looked at her friend then laughed.

“Yup.”

* * * *

“Duncan, she’s out there,” Jake said urgently, grabbing the other man’s arm and dragging him closer to the wall.

Duncan nodded. “I know.”

“You know?” Jake said, running his hand through his hair distractedly. “Of course you know. How could you not know?” he muttered.

Duncan smiled and pulled Jake into a hug. “Dude, you have to calm down. You’re freaking me out.”

Jake sighed, looking up at his friend. Duncan was wearing his tight leather pants and boots and a sparkly T-shirt that hugged his body. He could tell that Duncan wasn’t as cool as he pretended, but he was an excellent performer. His hair was mussed, probably from running his fingers through it, and Jake realized that Duncan was trying very hard to be calm as he pulled his friend closer. Jake took a deep breath, willing himself to chill out. “I’m not used to performing in front of billions of people, Duncan,” he said apologetically.

Duncan nodded. “I know.” He tucked his face down into Jake’s hair. “Why don’t you see if you can find out where she’s sitting? I can feel her here, and I know she’s got her friend with her, but I can’t pinpoint her location. And I can’t really take off to go look for her, but you can.”

“Okay. Her friend’s name is Julie, right?” Jake asked. He reluctantly stepped back, getting himself under control. He wasn’t helping Duncan with his freak-out.

“I think so.”

“It is so weird that we know that. All right, I’ll go see if I can find them.” Jake winced as he heard the opening notes of Mizar. It was incredibly loud back there near the side monitor speakers, and he had forgotten to put in his earplugs.

“Here,” Duncan said, grabbing Jake’s arm as the other man turned away. He held out a pair of small plastic cones. “You left these in the dressing room.”

Jake smiled at his friend, sudden affection overwhelming him. “Thanks, man.”

“Anytime. I have to go do my warm-ups now.”

“Okay.” Jake watched Duncan walk off toward the dressing room, the stiffness of his shoulders betraying his anxiety. Jake frowned, knowing that Duncan wished he could go look for Emma, too. Dammit. He wished Duncan could come with him, but there was nothing he could do about it. Duncan needed to run through his vocal warm-up or he wouldn’t be able to sing. Jake ran his hands through his hair one more time then put in the earplugs, sighing with relief as the ear-bursting music faded to a dull throb. He walked to the edge of the stage, stealthily peeking out into the audience. It was difficult to see because of the lighting, but he thought he could make out the first row. Was that Emma? He squinted but still couldn’t tell. He was going to have to go down there. He sighed, frustrated as he fingered the two backstage passes he’d arranged to have made earlier. He didn’t want to go into the crowd because he was afraid he’d be recognized. Maybe if he put on a hat? He wandered backstage, intent on finding Amanda, Duncan’s makeup artist, costume designer, and all around fixer-upper. She would be able to help.

* * * *

Emma tapped her foot to the beat and watched Julie dancing. She didn’t expect to enjoy the opening act, but they were good. She looked at the stage, wondering what all the stuff covered with black fabric was going to turn into when Duncan began performing. She knew that the headliner usually put on a much more elaborate show, but she hadn’t been to enough concerts to truly anticipate what was going to happen. She tried to relax, reminding herself that there was nothing to fear. She knew from her dreams and her newfound mental landscape that both Jake and Duncan were really nice guys. She could also feel their anxiety in the back of her head, tickling at her emotions. That should have made her calmer, knowing that these two incredibly successful men were nervous about meeting her, but it only made her apprehension more vivid. What if they didn’t like her in person? What if she looked completely stupid and frumpy next to rock star Duncan? She shook her head, catching Julie’s concerned frown. Emma smiled at her friend, and then the music stopped. The deafening cheers of the crowd swamped them for a few minutes before the lights came back on and people started filtering out towards the refreshment stands during the intermission. Emma sat down, enjoying a brief respite from the craziness that was a rock concert.

“Wow, Mizar was really good.” Julie smiled at Emma.

Emma nodded as she removed her earplugs. “I didn’t expect to like them.”

“Well, wait until you hear Duncan sing live.” Julie sat down and took a sip of her water. “His voice is amazing. I have never heard a guy hit the kinds of notes he does. And you know what’s even more incredible?” Emma shook her head, bemused by her friend’s enthusiasm. “He not only sings really high notes, his lower register is ridiculously good. It’s incredibly sexy,” Julie said. She put her drink down carefully so that the open bottle wouldn’t spill.

“I looked him up on the web after—” Emma blushed as she stumbled over her words. Julie raised an eyebrow suggestively, and Emma rolled her eyes. “Well, after the dreams and stuff. I mean, I have his first album because I like his music, but I never saw any interviews or live performances. He’s really good.”