Kassidy's Crescendo (3 page)

Unbidden, a sigh of longing passed the lengths of Kassidy's aching heart. She forced herself to look away from him—even while part of her longed—and mourned.

 

****

 

Drew Wintower extracted his cellphone from the breast pocket of his suit coat. A dip of the head, a glance at e-mail missives, and he was instantly consumed by work-related matters, his focus far from the way Liam Douglas and the girls formed a tight, unbroken circle.

He tapped into a text message from the leader of his technical crew which read:
Load in is complete. Stage looks incredible.

Satisfied by that development, Drew tapped a reply.
Lighting check? Sound preps?

Done, tho we can't test wireless mics until the girls use them in rehearsal.

Perfect. Be there after the TV interview. We're leaving shortly.

Though deliberately removed from the Sisters family, outward appearances didn't tell the whole story. Not by a long shot. His focus drifted to Kassidy Cartwright and a hammering beat pounded through his blood.

He was keenly aware and most definitely interested. That's precisely why he hung back. Inclusion within the deepest reaches of this tightknit ensemble wasn't something he had earned.

Yet.

Still, the fact remained. Sisters in Spirit was about to leave its home base on the Eastern seaboard and take its show into foreign, uncharted territory. That's where Drew's contribution would come into focus—and he couldn't wait. He intended to transform their songs and dance into an elegant form of theater. In so doing, he'd redeem a tarnished reputation that never should have been called into question to begin with.

Forcing himself past that black cloud, he pocketed his phone and straightened his shoulders. He looked forward to soldiering on, wanting manufactured gossip and unfounded accusations to die a swift, much-deserved death.

Refocusing, he came upon the vision of Kassidy Cartwright. Drew watched her, glad she remained unaware of his regard. Musty heat and humidity combined with the subtle aroma of aged wood. He could have sworn the faint scent of cinnamon, orange, and earthy spice, filled the confines of the Renaud Dance House, delivering a lush tweak to his senses. Kassidy's influence yet again. He had already grown familiar with her scent.

Not good.

Still, while Liam conducted a review of the upcoming tour schedule, Drew dwelled on the exotic beauty with deep green eyes and thick waves of dark brown hair. She bore a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts. Even his own.

Again, not good. She presented far too tempting a treasure.

He wanted to call her KC, the nickname used by her closest friends, but that was an earned privilege. For the foreseeable future, their shared world encompassed professional progress and nothing more. That was fine. Why muddy a body of water he was working so hard to make clean? Innocent, pure, and radiant, she represented precisely the type of woman Drew knew he needed to avoid at all costs. He'd been burned before—by beauty, by charm, and by hopeful promise. He had walked the tightrope of mixing business with pleasure. End result? An unexpected, uncalled for bomb-blast leading close to professional ruination.

Never. Ever. Again.

Drew came around when he saw Liam glance at the face of his wristwatch and continue an ongoing conversation. “Ladies, you have just over two hours until your appearance on Tri-State Morning, so feel free to use the facilities here to shower and change. Costume selections have been sent ahead, so that's taken care of.” He grinned. “By the way? There'll be a chauffeured limousine parked out front to take you to the station. Hair and makeup will be styled by technicians at the studio.”

Kassidy's wide-eyed reaction to that piece of news prompted Drew to grin—and added an emphasizing punch to his pulse rate. Maeve, meanwhile, assumed a dramatic air, flipping her wavy mane of red hair. “At times like this, I find it best to just sink into the fantasy and run with it, don't you, girls?”

As one, the assemblage burst into giggles—except for Elizabeth Portier who sighed with an equal level of drama while she started to pack equipment. “You'd be better served by fantasizing about beautiful motions on stage, Miss Maeve. Keep the audience in the palm of your hand.”

“Yes, ma'am—and thank you for a great session today.” Aileen, always the soft-hearted leader of the group, gave Elizabeth's arm a squeeze. “We'll make you proud.”

Elizabeth regarded the girls one-by-one, features split by an expression of puzzlement and surprise. “Of course you will, you're very gifted.” Her lips curved and sly eyes narrowed. Their choreographer was nearing forty-five but didn't look a day over thirty. “I'm going to make certain you continue to prove it.”

Chatter and pre-interview nerves escalated while the quartet gathered their duffels and drained water bottles. They moved toward the shower and changing facilities of the dance studio Ganneton Productions had secured for their use just outside of Danbury.

Kassidy linked arms with her friends. In passing she treated Drew to a lingering look, added an extra sway to her stride. Her womanly wiles slid against liquid heat while he watched her without a blink, in an appreciative silence that captured her gaze in turn, and transformed her display of sassy playfulness to surprise—and attraction.

The morph caused Drew's nerve endings to sizzle with intrigue…and a red-hot danger alert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

From his vantage in the wings of Studio B, Drew focused on Kaytlin Somers. The effervescent host of Tri-State Morning angled toward a camera that rolled close then went hot. Styled in a chic peach suit, the bubbly brunette smiled brighter than the overhead lights that doused the living room style studio over which she reigned.

“Welcome back to the second hour of our show, folks, and do we have a treat for you.” Kaytlin shifted and leaned forward. “I want you to meet Aileen Brewer, Siobhan Douglas, Kassidy Cartwright, and Maeve Callahan. Together this quartet forms the Christian music group Sisters in Spirit—an ensemble of song and dance that's taking the east coast by storm and is set to claim hearts and fans across the rest of North America. Ladies, welcome to the show.”

Drew tracked the video monitor, where a smooth camera pan revealed the girls, two to each side of their host. Kaytlin continued. “Aileen, I'll start with you since I understand it was you and group manager, Liam Douglas, who brainstormed the idea of Sisters in Spirit and turned what was supposed to be a one-time performance into a fast-building phenomenon. Tell us how the ensemble came to be.”

“I'd be glad to, Kaytlin. You see, the four of us have known one another since high school, and our mutual passion has always been singing and performance. We reunited after graduating from college when we returned to our hometown of Westerville, New York.” She gave a delicate shrug. “At that point, I think we were all trying to get a handle on what would happen next in our lives. That's when Liam—who is also Siobhan's brother—told me about a variety show he wanted us to perform in, a fundraiser to support Catholic education. His idea was that we would perform, have a bit of a lark and a reunion, then enjoy the memory of it years later. Simple as that.” Aileen beamed and gestured outward, encompassing her friends. “His idea turned into the journey of a lifetime.”

Drew continued to study the monitor. Dressed in knee-length dresses of black lace and tulle, the quartet's hair and makeup was perfect. They presented the quintessential image of chic elegance with one very important component added to the mix: a charming, approachable warmth. Plus, the power of their friendship shined.

“So you weren't looking for the success, the audience reaction, and momentum that followed?”

The girls exchanged smiles. “No, not at all,” Maeve replied. “In fact, had someone told me a year or so ago that this group, this season of life, is where I'd end up, I would have most likely laughed out loud.”

Kassidy shrugged, graceful and lovely, causing Drew's heart to skip and thump. “Our group, its success, proves the point that God's plan and will comes to fruition no matter what our own plots and ideas.”

“What an amazing story.” Kaytlin focused on Maeve and Siobhan. “Your performances are music based, with three of you claiming the stage to sing covers of classic Christian contemporary music. But you, Siobhan, add a special twist—a unique element—in the form of dance. I'm sure our viewers would be amazed by the way you overcame the odds and recovered from a horrible car accident late last year.”

From there, history was exhumed. Drew watched via monitor while Siobhan claimed the camera, sharing the heartbreaking details of an icy spin out that had left her with a broken left leg and badly sprained arm. While Siobhan recounted the details of her recovery, Drew walked the pathway of his own recent past, falling into the memory of a meeting with Cameron Franklin, his boss at Ganneton Productions.

“Drew, I want to make it clear that in spite of what happened or didn't happen, between you and Roxanne Mitchell when her tour kicked off last year, we believe in you, and have nothing but confidence in your abilities. She asked that you be removed from her tour, and you agreed. No harm, no foul, except for innuendo.”

Drew wanted to chime in fast with a rebuttal, but Cameron seemed to sense his reaction and waved it off with an urgent shake of his hand. “Never mind all that. I'm willing to leave the matter right there because you possess the gift of making artists look good—larger than life even—by keying in on what will appeal to their chosen audience and bring an image, a message, to life. Liam Douglas at Zion's Peak Records is a close friend of yours, right?”

Drew fought to remain composed, struggling for control in the face of unwarranted scrutiny and unfounded accusation about his removal from Roxanne Mitchell's venture into live production of her adult contemporary music. “Yes, Liam and I went to college together.”

“Liam has been lobbying hard to secure your expertise for a nationwide tour featuring four Christian women. The group, Sisters in Spirit, has created quite a following along the east coast.” Cam's shrug hefted the shoulder line of a gray silk suit coat. “Thing is, their dancer just recovered from a debilitating car accident. We're not sure how or when the tour will play out, but I want to put you on standby. If the dancer recovers, if a tour is green-lighted, it could turn into a redemption story for you. I mean, rumors abounded about you and Roxy, but no way would there be a romantic entanglement with women who are part of a Christian performance group, right?”

Drew seethed, nearly lifted from his chair in front of Cameron's desk. A supreme act of will—and restraint—held him in check.

“This tour calls for your sharp eye and finesse. According to Liam Douglas, Sisters in Spirit is all about refined elegance and class. It'll be a good project for you to tackle, and it'll show the entertainment world that you're not…well…that you're able to be trusted…with…”

Drew choked back a growl, tempering a sense of frustration and anger. Instead, he plowed straight into the elephant standing in the middle of the room. “You want to show the world that I'm a man who can work with women without stirring up waves of gossip or controversy. That I'm not some kind of philandering heartbreaker. Is that what you're getting at?”

Drew didn't snap the words. Anger didn't light a match to his tone. Rather, he remained just as he should—professional, even keeled, and controlled. He had done nothing—absolutely nothing—wrong.

Cameron didn't flinch from Drew's steady gaze. “That's it precisely.”

Drew came away from the meeting split in half about which road to take. Part of him ached to silence those naysayers in the industry. Any tour manager and concert promoter would jump at the opportunity he was being given. Drew itched to take charge of the Sisters in Spirit tour. According to the details Cameron had outlined, no expense would be spared. This tour would feature top of the line staging, effects, lighting, and orchestration. Drew needed only to coordinate final logistics, assemble and refine staging from venue to venue and promote it like crazy. Ganneton and Zion's Peak wanted to make sure Sisters in Spirit found its way to a permanent slice of the limelight, especially after the way the group had stumbled into a whirlwind of passionate fans, successful performances, and a rush of momentum the likes of which most artists could only dream.

Once Siobhan received the all-clear, the girls were as excited about moving forward as the record and tour execs. They looked at it as a chance to bring God's message to an even larger audience. Out of respect for Liam's support, fueled by the motivation to prove his professionalism, Drew agreed to take charge of the tour. That's when he met the four women face-to-face during a Sunday dinner gathering at the home of Siobhan and Liam Douglas.

That's when he met Kassidy, and Drew knew if his noble intentions stood any chance at all of surviving, he needed to tread very carefully to ensure history didn't repeat itself. Attraction sparked to life the instant he saw her—a lightning strike that hit as soon as he took hold of her hand in an innocent nice-to-meet-you handshake, and a zing of electricity slipped merrily through his bloodstream.

After that, a formal meeting took place in a conference room at Ganneton Productions that included the female quartet.

Seated at a conference table with his clients, Drew began in a straightforward, blunt manner, first addressing Liam. “Theoretically what they're doing should bore people to tears. In simple terms, we have four performers, three of them singers, one a dancer to enhance stage presence. They sing hymns and cover pieces of contemporary Christian music. Should be a huge yawn.”