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“I don’t compare myself,” Mia said without a hint of bitterness. “Everyone else does that for me.”
“I know one person who doesn’t. Nate. You are his star.”
Mia’s cheeks heated at Patricia’s knowing grin. Because she doubted the stylist would believe anything she had to say to the contrary, she said nothing at all.
Twenty minutes later she was in a car heading for the venue. She’d followed Ivy’s day on social media and saw that her sister was excited about her look for that evening. She’d teased bits of the dress all day for her fans. It was a toss-up which Ivy loved more, fashion or performing. She talked all the time about starting her own clothing line and sketched ideas in her free time.
Determined to bridge the gap developing between her and Ivy, Mia texted her twin to ask if she liked her gown, but received no reply.
She decided to go early in order to slip past the media while they were still in setup mode. Her decision turned out to be sound, but she was surprised at how many people wanted to talk to her. Unlike the commotion caused when Ivy and other big stars walked the carpet, Mia was able to take her time with several of the reporters she knew. If they were surprised to find her walking the red carpet on her own, they made no mention of it.
Once she was inside the theater, several producers Ivy had worked with in the past approached her to chat. Apparently word had gone around that Mia had been working with Nate these last few weeks. Most everyone wanted to know if she was writing as well as producing. She kept her answers vague, but by the time she reached her seat, she felt as if she belonged.
It was a heady sensation, but one she reined in almost immediately. So what if she belonged? It wasn’t as if she was free to pursue her dreams. Not as long as Ivy needed her. Yet Nate’s question continued to plague her. How long was she planning to keep her life on hold so she could watch over her sister? Ivy was a grown woman, no longer a fragile seventeen-year-old girl getting a taste of stardom for the first time.
Besides, in seven months, Mia’s priorities would undergo a massive change. She fanned her finger over her stomach. Pregnant. A chill raced through her at the thought of how everyone around her would react to that news. She imagined her parents would be disappointed in her for not being married. Despite having a daughter who pranced around half-naked onstage, they were conservative when it came to family values. Mia was afraid of how Ivy would react. She hoped her twin would be happy for her, but Ivy rarely liked it when good things happened to Mia.
And how would Nate react? What was going on between them was fun and exciting, but it was also new and undefined. They’d known each other only a few months and weren’t exactly dating. To go from lovers to parents without all the stuff in between would be a huge leap. But there wasn’t any question in Mia’s mind that it was one she was ready to make. So when did she tell Nate?
Tonight was too soon. When Ivy’s album was done? Mia shook her head. At the rate things were going, with her sister lobbying to switch producers from Nate to Hunter, getting the recording finished by the end of November wasn’t going to happen.
Tomorrow they were heading back to Las Vegas. Thursday was Thanksgiving and she and Nate had talked about spending the day together, cooking a special dinner for Trent, Savannah, Melody and hopefully Kyle. She would tell Nate then.
* * *
Blinded by the flash of dozens of cameras, Nate squelched his irritation as he walked the AMAs’ red carpet with the other members of Free Fall. Although he’d convinced Mia to accompany him to the event, he’d been unable to persuade her to walk beside him past the gauntlet of paparazzi and press. Nor had he caught a glimpse of her to see how Patricia had styled her. The curiosity was killing him.
Behind them Ivy posed and vamped for the cameras. Tonight she’d abandoned her signature high ponytail for a sleek side bun that complemented her romantic red ball gown with its tiers of gauzy layers. The halter top bared her back and shoulders, but offered full frontal coverage. Fabric roses circled the high neck and waist. The deep scarlet tint showed off her light olive skin and caught every eye.
Nate put on his easy grin and posed with his bandmates. They took selfies and signed autographs for their fans. It was great to step away from his role as front man and let the other guys answer the interviewers’ questions. All the while his mind was on what awaited him at the end of the red carpet.
After what felt like a ridiculous amount of time, but was only about a half an hour, they entered the theater and headed to their seats. He saw a woman sitting in one of the seats assigned to Free Fall, her brown hair knotted at the nape of her neck. All Nate’s tension fell away as he reached the row and realized it was Mia. While his heart thundered in his ears, he suddenly realized he’d half expected her not to show.
She stared straight ahead with fixed concentration, as if by holding herself perfectly still no one would notice her. She was completely mistaken. For starters, she was wearing the exact opposite of Ivy’s gown. This dress boasted a deep V that bared Mia from throat to waist, yet somehow managed to look elegant rather than overly sexy. Nate realized it was the gown’s off-white background and the sprays of vivid printed flowers with their hints of sparkle that gave the dress a feminine vibe.
Her expression softened as she saw him approach. Nate’s pulse hitched at the relief in her eyes. Or maybe it was just how perfect she looked. And smelled. This last he noted as he sat beside her and brushed her cheek with his lips.
“You look gorgeous,” he signed, not trusting his voice. Although he’d been cleared by Dr. Hansen to talk a little, he’d grown accustomed to communicating with her in ASL.
“You look pretty great yourself.” She glanced past him at his other bandmates and gave them all a sweet smile. “Are you guys nervous?”
“Nah.” Mike, their keyboard player, had his arm wrapped around his smiling wife.
Their base player, Dan, was riding solo tonight. His very pregnant wife had opted to cheer from home. “Hell, yeah.”
“Sort of.” This last came from their drummer, Brent, who had a stunning blonde in a sequined mini on his arm.
Mia laughed, the sound light and musical. “I would think you guys are old pros at this. How many Grammys have you won?”
Nate took his seat as he listened to Mia banter with his bandmates. Sitting beside her, he was a little surprised at his light-headedness. The weight he’d been carrying all afternoon lifted. He took her hand, lacing their fingers together, and brought it to his lips.
The theater was filling with musicians. They were fifteen minutes away from the start of the show. Beside Nate, Mia was a bundle of restless energy.
“Did you see Ivy?” she asked.
“She was behind us on the red carpet.”
“How did she look?”
