Kassidy's Crescendo Read online

  Kassidy didn’t appear to mind. Lifting gracefully, she stood and smiled into his eyes. Such transcendent joy in her gaze—such contentment. That was the key ingredient, Drew discovered. Contentment. Kassidy Cartwright could take or leave every circumstance of her life based on her love and trust in Christ.

  Amazing.

  “C’mon, handsome. I’m getting hungry. Let’s join the others for brunch.”

  He ignored the sassy invitation and squeezed her hand, using a tug to keep her in place. “KC. Thanks. Thanks for all of this. I really mean it.”

  “I’m glad you’re here, Drew. I really mean it.”

  He shared a grin with her and stood. She didn’t need the reassurance. She was relaxed and happy—thoroughly compelling.

  She tilted her head and studied him for a few seconds. “You know, you might feel like you need an introduction to God, but you don’t. And God doesn’t need an introduction to you. He’s known you forever. He’s loved you that long, too.”

  His shoulders bent. Resistance fled. He stared at her in wonder. “Where does that come from, KC? That absolute faith? That conviction? How did you find it?” The answer just might satisfy an escalating ache in his heart.

  “By finding God’s goodness at the end of every empty pathway that stretched in front of me. If you like, I’ll go into detail once we’re away from the crush and press of the tour.” She slid her hand against his forearm in a tender caress. “There’s too much distraction in the here and now, and this is important. I’ll tell you all about it when we get to Westerville. Promise.”

  7

  Perhaps the evocative endnote of Mass is what stirred Kassidy’s senses. Maybe it was the way Drew barely relinquished a visual hold on her during rehearsals.

  Regardless, attending church with him became a turning point, a shockwave sent straight from God. During the sound check that afternoon, she moved through the orchestration of Amazing Grace and wondered about the spin, the dance, of taking Drew on a journey through the pages of her life once they visited her hometown next week.

  Since every venue varied, practice concluded with a few shifts in sound amplification and the usual bout of lighting adjustments. Through it all, Kassidy realized Drew constantly tracked her. Being the object of his undivided focus left her tantalized, yet riddled by questions. What intrigued him? Why had he joined them today? Was he motivated by a genuine quest for God or a worldly conquest over her?

  “Great job, ladies. Thank you.” Drew trotted on stage from the wings. Before dismissal, he looked toward audio techs at the rear of the theater and received a unanimous thumbs-up from the crew. “With that, we’re all set. Rest up, and we’ll see you back here tonight. It’s going to be a great show.”

  Drew sent Kassidy a lingering look, as though he wanted her to stay. Momentarily flummoxed, she wasn’t sure what to do. Meanwhile, the girls sashayed past. Maeve and Siobhan exchanged knowing looks. Aileen, meanwhile, sent Kassidy a suggestive brow waggle. “Guess we’ll see you in the green room, KC.”

  Kassidy would have sassed back, but the venue emptied, and she had eyes only for Drew—along with more questions than her heart could hold.

  He stepped forward, intensity singing between them. “I see the storm clouds brewing in your eyes.”

  So, he was a mind reader. The murmured opening prompted Kassidy to lower her lashes and scuff a toe lightly against the floorboards. Cupping her chin, Drew aligned her gaze to his.

  “Some days I wish I were better at playing poker.”

  Drew didn’t laugh at her weak tease. “I’m not playing games, KC. Not at all.”

  Perfect entrée. Could she find the guts to grab it?

  “I know that.”

  Drew arched a brow. The left corner of his mouth curved upward, drawing her focus, stirring a fluttery sensory reaction.

  She gave herself a solid internal shake. “Seriously, I do.”

  “But you wonder. You have doubts.”

  “I suppose I won’t have any doubts once I’m sure what we shared today was about God. About faith. This isn’t about me…or us…or the potential for us…or…”

  He stroked her cheek, trailing a blaze of warmth with nothing more than the glide of a lone fingertip. “KC, until now, I would have said going to church was about you. You, and you alone.”

  She nibbled her lower lip. “What about now?”

  “Now it’s definitely about both.”

  She gave him props for honesty.

  “For the time being.” She refused to let the darkening of his eyes, their sharpness, intimidate her from a truth in need of confrontation. “What about when the tour is over, and your time with Sisters in Spirit is finished? What do you think will happen then? It’s not far away, you know. What do you see when you look down the road?”

  Drew pursed his lips, studied her for a moment before he moved even closer. “Do you know what I love about your group?”

  Taken by surprise, Kassidy shook her head.

  “Stage presence. Stage presence isn’t something that can be taught. It can only be enhanced. I’ve noticed the way you take control of the stage, the way the audience responds when you perform.”

  Drew slipped an arm around her waist and propelled her across the stage in a silent dance. He moved smoothly, but with just enough speed and fluidity that she had to either keep up with him or stumble. She opted to keep up.

  “What does this have to do with—”

  “Stick with me. I’m getting there.” Drew continued their dance. “What I see for Sisters in Spirit is all about production value. Choreography. Especially when three singers are working in concert with a dancer.”

  The low register of his voice tickled the inside of Kassidy’s ear. His cheek brushed against her hair, and his breath skimmed soft against her skin. Kassidy swallowed, unable to focus on anything but Drew’s voice and the delicious way it felt to be held by him.

  “You’ll need to move with as much grace, with as much sense of timing as Siobhan.”

  His words slid like silk through her bloodstream. Sparks ignited and popped against her nerve endings. Were it not for the steady hold of his arm and the secure tuck of her hand in his, she would have melted into a weak, dizzy heap on the floor.

  Drew took her on a spin in time to the strains of a piece of music only he could hear. “You just tensed up. Relax. Don’t think moves—think flow. What I’m talking about involves enhancing your natural ability to sing, and fill a stage.”

  She found it difficult to catch her breath. His hand felt warm against the small of her back; his fingers curved against her hand while they swayed and moved. “Is this part of the job description of a concert promoter?”

  “For me? Here and now? Yes, it certainly is.”

  He leaned just far enough away to catch her gaze and smile. The quirk of his lips, that full mouth, sent another sizzle of pleasure gliding through her senses.

  “On stage, you achieve that effortless grace because you trust what you know. You know that the notes, the music, the performers will fall into place. You know what’s coming and you’re prepared for it.”

  Without warning, Drew swept her into a deep, fast dip, centering her with ease and steady grace. Dazzled, pulse racing, Kassidy went taut, fighting the pull even as he moved deeper into her soul.

  “But sometimes life takes you by surprise. When that happens, you trust that everything will work out the way it should. You know me, KC. You know me better than most people who have been part of my life for years. I don’t understand how, or why. I don’t need to. I just need to trust. And so do you.”

  “All I can do is try.” she whispered.

  “But there’s so much skepticism in your eyes. So much doubt.” His breath whispered between them. “I’ll treat you with the reverence you deserve, KC, if you’ll only let me.”

  Unhinged, Kassidy clung to him. The connection they shared sang through her soul, but physically, Drew pressed no further.

  “Stop holding
on so tight and trust me.” He held her secure, but didn’t allow her to straighten or regain her feet. His eyes, rich and deep, pierced the deepest chamber of her heart. “Trust me.”

  Her spirit quickened. What should she do? The moment between them had transformed from playful to intent in the span of time it took for her pulse to beat. Passion enveloped her, and took a blow-torch to resistance.

  Pulled into the invitation, she freed her hands from their death clutch against his shoulders and curved her arms above her head. Relying solely on Drew’s support, Kassidy kept one foot planted and extended a leg, stretching back slowly and fully. When she closed her eyes, a sensation of freedom swept through her soul just as sweet as a summer breeze. So did the one thing he had asked for. Trust.

  And his hold never wavered.

  “That wasn’t so tough, now, was it?”

  The soft-spoken words garnered her full attention. She still rested in his arms but met his gaze straight on. “Not yet.”

  “I won’t drop you, and I won’t let you down, KC. Please learn that about me.”

  Quiet and intimate, the words swirled through her spirit in such a way that her heart and mind attempted to blend—to reconcile love and passion to the man who held her with such gentle care—like a treasure. Kassidy’s guard dissolved. She leaned back, studying his eyes in earnest. Drew accepted the scrutiny without a flinch.

  Lingering within his hold, she sent forth a silent invitation. With her eyes, with the slant of her lips and tilt of her head, she gave the unmistakable signals that she would welcome his kiss. Drew glided a thumb slowly and softly against the line of her lower lip. Kassidy went weak; her lashes drifted closed in response to his touch.

  “No. Not yet, KC. The timing’s not quite right.”

  She blinked and scrambled to a stand, cheeks instantly hot. Drew held her in place while she craved nothing more than a fast exit.

  “Don’t mistake what I’m saying.” Only then did she realize his free hand was clenched into a fist; his posture hummed with a tight vibration of restraint. “Kassidy, I want to kiss you. I want to kiss you so badly it burns in my chest. No woman—and I mean no other woman—has ever made me feel this way.”

  “Then why—”

  “Because I want to be the kind of man you’ve waited for. Because I’m trying to find my way to you and all that you believe in. I want to be worthy of you. Let’s not derail that effort with an abundance of chemistry that could easily overwhelm us both.”

  He stepped to the spot right before her, front stage center, she realized with no small sense of irony. Drew slipped an errant wave of hair away from her cheek and over her shoulder.

  “I’m in no hurry, and like I said, I’m not playing games. I respect you too much to overstep my bounds. But know this: I’m going to kiss you. When I do, it will be with all that I am; it’s going to take you by complete surprise, and it’s going to be amazing. Not because of me. Not because of you. Because of us. Because of what comes to life whenever we’re together. You’re like a crescendo, KC; you’re building inside of me swift and sure. Have a good show, and I’ll see you later.”

  He turned smoothly and exited the stage.

  Shaken, Kassidy gulped. Oh, had she ever met her match. What on earth had she unleashed? She fought to remain standing and breathe properly. Somehow, she stumbled her way down a crowded, narrow corridor until she reached the green room.

  As soon as Kassidy entered the room, giggles and twittering came to an end. Her friends went silent, exchanging grins, and meaningful looks. Promptly defensive, Kassidy frowned. When more laughter was choked back, the frown became on outright scowl.

  “Ooo-kaay….” In an instant Kassidy knew she was busted for her stage moves with Drew, but she mustered as much dignity as possible. “Did I miss something?”

  “No, not really.” Aileen couldn’t seem to contain a devilish grin. “We were just remarking about how warm it is in the theater today.” She turned to Kassidy and batted her lashes. “Did you happen to notice that fact…or were you…otherwise occupied?”

  That tore it. Kassidy shot her friend a scathing glower and grabbed a big handful of cotton balls. Snarling, she tossed them straight at Aileen. The wench just laughed.

  “Aww, look. Snowfall. What a perfect way to beat the heat. Hey, don’t blame us for being concerned when you didn’t follow us back here after rehearsal. We peeked at you from the wings, saw you were happily engrossed, then promptly vamoosed.”

  Friendly antics aside, Kassidy’s mind rolled and tumbled. Like an expert playing a game of chess, Drew executed a strategic yet utterly seductive chess move, leaving her edgy and thoroughly aware. Expectant. That recognition broke through Kassidy’s trance at once. Yes, she longed to surrender her heart, but could she? They were so different…yet so very much the same. And while he was courting faith, he hadn’t yet professed a firm commitment to following Christ. Could their lives ever happily combine? Kassidy had no idea, and her heart, her mind were at war, fighting against a mix of love, desire, and fear.

  Aileen must have picked up on Kassidy’s disquiet; she turned back to the mirror when a freshly-arrived stylist went to work finessing her hair, drawing a close to the private aspects of their conversation. Siobhan, meanwhile, spun her chair around and the imp made an exaggerated study of Kassidy’s face, which Kassidy tried valiantly to meet without blinking. Of course, the attempt failed. She could never hide anything from these girls, nor did she want to. Nonetheless, she needed a large shot of discernment before she could share what she felt for Drew.

  “You know, KC, your cheeks are so rosy you’ll hardly have the need for blush tonight.” Opinion shared, Siobhan spun right back around to face the mirror and stroke a layer of clear gloss across her lips.

  Kassidy sighed. “Siobhan, get over yourself.”

  Right on cue, out stepped Maeve from behind the confines of a tall, tri-fold changing screen. She whisked past, freshly switched from sweats and a t-shirt to a great pair of black skinny jeans and a white hoodie. She shot KC a goading grin. “Gee. Grouch much? And is it just my imagination or do you seem to be a bit out of breath? Are you sure you’re OK to sing tonight?”

  Kassidy growled beneath her breath and scowled as their other hair stylist, Melanie, went to work with trimming sheers and a comb so Kassidy’s hair would be uber-fresh once styled in full before tonight’s show.

  Aileen swept close and nudged Kassidy’s shoulder, whispering, “A word of advice? Channel any excess energy into the show tonight. You’ll bring down the house, guaranteed.”

  Following a playful chortle from her friends, KC slumped even deeper into her chair.

  But it turned out Aileen was right—blast it all. An electric wire had slid into Kassidy’s system. When she hit the stage that night, when she occasionally spied Drew in the wings during the course of the show, she thrilled at the way he followed her motions with undisguised interest and intent.

  That was all it took. High energy and excitement propelled KC into the performance of her life. Especially when she launched into her trademark cover of the song “Rocketown.”

  8

  Drew tucked next to Kassidy and peeked through a plate glass window located at the back end of a venerable brown brick building identified as Stanley Newman Elementary School. The locale initiated an event Kassidy dubbed “A Walk Through My Life.”

  The end of a one-week hiatus drew near, and Drew’s head was filled with details of a return-home pair of performances that would happen this weekend at the spot where everything had begun for Sisters in Spirit—the Westerville Theater. After driving in from the city yesterday afternoon, he’d dropped his suitcases in the guest bedroom at Liam’s condo then continued on to the home of Kassidy’s parents where he was welcomed with a sumptuous dinner of homemade stuffed cabbage, salad, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven.

  “The school season is only a couple months old.” Kassidy took in the view of the classroom.
r />   Drew followed suit. There were vibrant, crayon-crafted works of art tacked to the walls, rows of impossibly small desks and chairs.

  She tapped a finger against the glass. “That was my Kindergarten classroom. Mrs. Tendiglia was my teacher. I remember pushing open the main door of the school. I remember sitting on that bench in front of the classroom door. I was scared to death, waiting for the first day of school to begin. But I was excited, too. I couldn’t wait to be a part of it all.”

  “So it’s a happy memory?” Drew craved more. He wanted to experience the deeper roots of her life and its history.

  Kassidy didn’t look away from the interior, but a smile touched her lips. “Yeah, it is. It’s a scary memory, too. Mom walked me in, and I wore a blue and white sailor dress because she insisted I look my best for the first day of school. Thankfully every other parent did the same thing.”

  They shared a laugh.

  “She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, trying to be discreet about the PDA because of all the other kids, but I remember the way her eyes filled. I remember she squeezed my hand tight then turned to leave. I wasn’t afraid, really, until she walked away.”

  Catching his eye, Kassidy pointed toward a playground not far away. “Jungle gyms.” She breathed bliss into the two words. “I discovered them in the second grade. From that point on, dresses at school were no longer an option.”

  Drew laughed all over again, picturing a young Kassidy; he slipped with ease into the pages of her life.

  “Time for middle school,” she directed. “It’s not far away.”

  Rays of sunshine fought a losing battle against an onslaught of dark, laden clouds. Kassidy and Drew claimed their bikes and he followed her lead. Along the way, she pointed out landmarks like the homes of old friends, favorite corner sundry shops devoid of homogenized franchising. Westerville was a peaceful place, full of homey welcome. He loved it at once.