Chart Toppers (Star Maker Book 3) (32 page)

“I
will.
 
I’ll have it delivered when
you’re home so we can give it to her together.”

He
grinned and leaned down to kiss her and then stopped, wincing in pain.
 
She stood up and guided him back to the
bed.
 
“You lay down.”
 
She sat on the edge of the bed, stroking
his hair.

He
smiled.
 
“This is a nice view.
 
I like staring up at you.
 
It’s kind of nice to be taken care of.”

“Yeah,
something you never let anyone do for you.”
 
She leaned down and kissed him.
 
“Are you hungry?
 
Do you want food?”

He
nodded his head.
 
She called room
service and placed an order for them.
 
By the time she was done and returned to the bed, he was out cold,
sleeping soundly.

Kit
stood on the side of the stage with Dr. Stone, Dr. Winters and one of the best
spine surgeons in the country, Dr. Weston, watching the show.
 
The massage therapist was back at the
hotel setting up in the room.
 
They
had all worked their magic on Sully, and he was doing well with the show,
performing like a pro.
 
Dr. Weston
had given him an epidural steroid injection in hopes of helping him along while
his back healed over the next few weeks.

They
finished their final encore and Sully walked off the stage.
 
Danny immediately wrapped a robe around
him and escorted him quickly through the backstage area with his doctors and
Kit following in close step.
 
Fans
caught a glimpse and were disappointed that they couldn’t get an
autograph.
 
Danny put him in a limo
with Kit, two bodyguards, and the doctors.
 
They were off to the hotel.

Sully
chatted with the doctors about how he felt as they headed back.
 
Kit stared out the window, momentarily
tuning out the conversation, consumed by the volume of her thoughts.
 
This was all becoming very surreal.
 
Everywhere they looked a fan was
lurking.
 
She was instantly reminded
of Sully’s comment about the tour being intense.
 
The words were starting to haunt her.

The
doctors left for the night, scheduled to fly out the next day.
 
The massage therapist was staying for
the next week to give Sully massages twice a day.
 
He sat down on the couch, exhausted and
looked at Kit.
 

He
shook his head.
 
“I’m too young for
this shit.
 
I feel like an old man.”

She
finished pouring them drinks and sat down next to him, passing a drink.
 
She took a sip and reached over to
massage his neck.
 
“This is only
temporary, babe.
 
Remember, this is
from an accident…” She grinned and continued.
 
“This isn’t from old age.”
 
She winked at him and played with his
hair at the base of his neck.

He
leaned back into her hand, thoroughly enjoying it.
 
He chuckled.
 
“Ok, you’re right.
 
It just feels like I’m old.
 
When I was a kid, I thought twenty-nine
was over the hill.”

She
laughed.
 
“Me too.
 
Amazing how things change.”

He glanced
over at her.
 
“When are you
leaving?”

“Tomorrow
before soundcheck.”

He
sighed.
 
“Ok.”

She
pulled his face toward hers gently with her finger.
 
“Hey, don’t be sad.
 
We’re almost to the break, sweetie.
 
Just a few more weeks and you’ll be off
for a week at home with me.
 
And I
don’t have anything scheduled except you and me time.”

He
grinned.
 
“I like the sounds of
that.
 
It’s something to look
forward to.
 
Something to get me
through the next few weeks.”

She
nodded.
 
“Exactly.”

Kit
leaned over and answered the phone in Sully’s room the next morning.
 
They were enjoying their time together
and hadn’t left the bed except for room service.
 
She was annoyed, but upon hearing
Giselle’s voice, relaxed.
 
“What’s
up, G?”

“Are
you sitting down?”

“I’m
laying down, so give me the news.”

“Kit,
Grammy noms came out this morning and baby, I’m predicting you’re gonna pull a
double win.”

Her
eyes widened.
 
“What?
 
G, what are you talking about?”

“Here
are the nominations: Album of the year ‘Triple Tango’ and Record of the Year
for the song ‘Stoop,’ by Jade Riff.
 
Congratulations, Ms. McKenna.
 
It’s official.
 
You are a
double Grammy nominee!
 
And on top
of that, get this, GT was nominated for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Performance
and Jade Riff was nominated for Best New Artist.
 
The phones have been blowing up since
the noms came out.”

Kit
screamed so loudly that Sully jumped.
 
He stared at her, wondering what had been said to her on the line
figuring it had to be good news with that kind of reaction.
 

“Oh my
God, G, that is the best news ever!
 
I have to go tell the guys.
 
I’ll call you from the airport before I board my flight.”

She
hung up the phone and looked at Sully.
 
“Babe, you guys got nominated for two Grammys!”

His
eyes widened as a large smile spread across his face.
 
He screamed with joy like she did and
hugged her tightly.
 
“Holy
crap!
 
What categories?”

She
grinned.
 
“Album of the Year and
Best Hard Rock Performance.”

He
screamed again, hugged her and gave her a long passionate kiss.
 
“I knew it.
 
I knew having you produce our album
would push us to the top.
 
Baby, we
did it!
 
We are gonna win!
 
C’mon, let’s throw some clothes on and
tell the guys.”
 

She
nodded and called room service to send up bottles of champagne while they
dressed and prepared to tell the band.
 

Once
they all assembled and the news was sprung, screams and shouts of joy ensued
along with champagne fights, jumping up and down on furniture and lots of laughter.

Sully
heard a voice murmur something to him.
 
When he didn’t stir, the voice became louder.
 
“Mr. Foxx.”
 
He jolted awake to see the driver
leaning into the back of the limousine, looking at him.
 

He
stared at him, trying to focus.
 
“Yeah.”

The
driver grinned.
 
“Welcome home.”

Sully
got out of the limousine and stretched.
 
He smiled when he saw Kit standing on the front step, waiting for him
and smiling.
 
She yelled out to him.
 
“Welcome home, baby.”

He
walked over to her and hugged her while the driver placed his bags and guitar
case in the foyer.
 
They wished him
a Merry Christmas, and he was quickly on his way.
 

Sully
looked around and smiled in awe.
 
“You decorated the place for Christmas.
 
It looks great!”

She
smiled and kissed him.
 
“I wanted
you to have a good holiday and feel some sense of normalcy for the next week.
C’mon, let me show you.”
 
She walked
him around the house and saved the best for last.
 

She
took him into the entertainment room and pointed to the tree.
 
He looked at the tree from afar and
thought he recognized the topper.
 
He got closer and smiled when he saw all the decorations on the tree and
the train running below it.
 
When he
turned to her, he looked like a child with a smile of wonder and a twinkle in
his eye of excitement.

“Where
did you get this stuff?
 
This is how
the tree looked when I was little.”

She
walked up and put her arm around him.
 
“I know.
 
I talked to your
mom.
 
I told her what a hard tour
this has been for you and that we wouldn’t be coming out for Christmas.
 
She sent Christmas to us and told me
exactly how to set everything up for you.”

He
grinned and gave her a long, slow kiss and then a long embrace, not wanting to
let her go.
 
“This is so amazing, so
thoughtful.
 
Thank you, baby.”

She
gazed into his eyes.
 
“I meant what
I said a few weeks back.
 
It’s just
you and me this week.
 
Whatever you
want to do.”

He
chuckled.
 
“You’d even watch the
Bears game with me?”

She
nodded.
 
“Uh-huh.”

He snickered.
 
“And eat lots of junk food?”

She
laughed.
 
“Yes.”

He
smiled.
 
“This is going to be a
great week.”
 
He pulled her toward
him again and started kissing her.

The
unseasonably warm weather was a blessing to Kit and Sully.
 
They were taking full advantage spending
the day after Christmas poolside in side-by-side chaise lounges enjoying the
sunshine and each other’s company.
 
Sully hadn’t spoken one word about the tour, or music for that matter,
which concerned Kit to no end.
 
He
hadn’t sung, picked up a guitar or played their piano since he walked through
the door.
 
He was leaving in four
days to go back on the road, and she was curious how he felt about it, but
didn’t want to broach the conversation.

She was
drifting into sleep while 38 Special’s ‘Caught Up In You
’
played in the background on their stereo.
 

Sully’s
voice peaked her attention.
 
“This
song is all about you.”

She
propped herself up and looked at him.
 
“Huh?”

“Nothing.”
 
He remained expressionless behind his
dark sunglasses.

She
grinned.
 
“I like this song.”

He
nodded.
 
“So do I.
 
Listen to the lyrics.
 
Every time I hear it I think of
you.
 
I’ve always liked 38 Special.
It would be great if the band could get closer to that.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a rocker through
and through, and I love our stuff, but I’m burning out very quickly on hair
band, hard rock.
 
I’m missing the
soulfulness, the blues, southern rock and country rock, all kinds of rock that
isn’t hard rock.
 
And I’m way over
the hair.”

She
reached out and grabbed his hand.
 
“What’s going on, babe?
 
You
haven’t mentioned the band or singing or music since you walked through that
door three days ago.
 
You haven’t
even played.
 
That’s not like you.”

He sat
up and sighed, taking his sunglasses off and rubbing his eyes.
 
“I’m burnt out, Kit.
 
I’m running on empty, and I still have
to do this for another five months.
 
I don’t know how I’m gonna do it.
 
My voice cracked the other night when I was singing.
 
The notes are a stretch for me to
hit.
 
I don’t know what’s going
on.
 

“It’s
hard to get up in the morning.
 
I’m
drinking more than I probably should.
 
I fight with my brother daily.
 
Danny’s good at what he does, and he’s an asset to our team on the tour,
but it’s just like we’re kids all over again.
 
Jimmy and I keep fighting too.
 
He’s having problems with Diana.
 
Tony and Amy are getting a divorce, so
he’s been a real peach to deal with.
 
Remo’s partying like there’s no tomorrow with a constant line of
groupies at his disposal.
 
And on
top of all that, the fans want a piece of us at any cost.