Center Stage - Chapter 32

It’d been traveling a lot over the last year, doing the show and the tour following it, not to mention all of the meetings and recording, and I’d even had them send me a car a few times.

This however, was my first time in a limo. I wasn’t sure I got what the hype was a ll about. I mean, it was cool to not have to drive and the leg room was nice, but I was a poor country boy at heart still, and I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place.

I also didn’t love the suit I’d been told to wear. One of the managers at ARC had set us up to come by and get fitted for fancy clothes as soon as we landed back in LA, and a suit for me and a dress for Kat had been dropped off at our hotel a few hours before we had to be ready to be at the launch event.

Apparently, it was some big name designer, but I had no idea who they were, since this was the first thing I’d ever had that didn’t just come off the rack.

Kat, however, looked like a princess. They’d set up a hair appointment for her this morning and sent over this glittering blue gown that was tasteful yet but hugged her athletic figure perfectly. It also showed off her tanned and muscled shoulders and arms really well, making it difficult to not just stare at her all the time. Or it would have had I not been in my head so much, especially as we pulled up to where they’d laid out a long red carpet with a photo backdrop leading up to the club they’d rented out for the night.

We were sitting in a line of cars, with someone from the label’s PR team sending through cars one at a time so the people could get out, be photographed and then inter a small section where they could be interviewed.

When they’d told me this was the plan, I’d honestly been skeptical that was needed. I mean, this was my first major album release and it seemed unlikely that we’d have that many people worth a red carpet walk. Country Roads had been more or less a stealth release, with no real marketing for it beyond it being mentioned at our tour stops and a few digital ads on streaming sites, but it was all I had to compare this too.

So i was shocked when we’d been told there were several hundred people in the party, all either VIP industry guests, my people, or people from the label, along with a large contingent of entertainment reporters. I’d even heard there were some TV and movie people showing up, although no one mentioned any names.

They’d put me in the middle of the pack, so that there was hoopla going on when I showed up, but not so far back that the reporters were starting to scatter or get bored.

It was probably well thought out not having me go first, but it also gave me time to dwell on what was happening, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

“Stop looking so worried,” Kat said, squeezing my hand. “You’ll be fine.”

“Maybe. If this thing doesn’t strangle me to death,” I said, tugging at the tie.

“Stop, you’re fine,” she said, reaching up and pulling my hand off my tie so I didn’t mess it up.

“Easy for you to say. You look like a movie star or something.”

“You’re joking. This thing is so tight around the hips and they have the neck line dips so low the girls are practically on display for the whole world. And people from major publications are going to be taking pictures of it.”

“It’ll get people to pay attention to the launch, thought. Maybe we should show a little more,” I said, hooking a finger over the edge of the v and pulling slightly.

“Charlie!” she squealed, slapping my hand away.

“Hey, I’m just saying. We’re here to sell my album, and someone said sex sells.”

“Then you show some skin and sell it, cause this is enough for me,” she said, laughing.

That, more than anything else, helped me relax a little. I swear, her laugh had a magical quality to it, always able to get me to calm down.

“Thanks for being here, Kat.”

“Of course! I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. This is a huge moment for you.”

“For us,” I corrected her. “If this does anywhere near what Hal is thinking, based on the sale of the EP, we should be set. We can graduate college without having to worry about loans or what we’ll do when we get out. IT’s … it’s kind of crazy to think about, going from how things were when Mom and I first moved to Wellsville to this.”

“All because of your hard work. You deserve this, Charlie.”

Before I could say anything, the limo pulled to a stop. The door was pulled open and I saw Jean standing there in a suit. I knew she’d gone ahead with Mana, leaving Malik to rid up front with the driver, but I hadn’t realized she’d be there waiting for me when we arrived.

I guess it made sense. If someone in the crowd of people who’d been draw by all the photographers had any ill will, this was a perfect chance. I also couldn’t pay attention to that. Quinn had gone over how the whole red carpet thing worked and what I’d need to do, including getting out of the car.

I slid out and then stood in front of the door, reaching in to help Kat out so that no one got any unfortunate photos of her as she got out.

I pulled her out and held onto her hand as we strolled out onto the red carpet. The flashing lights were blinding, and the noise was overwhelming, with people shouting my name, but whose faces I couldn’t see because of the lights.

“Charlie! Over here!”

“This way, Charlie!”

“Kat, give us a smile!”

It was a lot, but it wasn’t that different than being up on stage with people yelling out at you from a darkened audience and a hundred different things to pay attention to.

Kat, on the other hand, was like a deer in the headlights, freezing in place and just staring wide-eyed back at everyone. I squeezed her hand and pulled her forward with me, putting my arm around her waist to steady her. She turned and gave me a little smile as she put her arm over my shoulder. After that, she got hold of herself a little more, but I kept my arm around her or my hand at the small of her back as we made our way up the carpet, just to be sure.

I might have been the man of the hour, but she was getting a lot of the attention, with as many, or probably more, pictures taken of her than of me.

The barrage of questions, though, was really hard to follow.

“Kat! How’s your Olympic training going?”

“Oh, um, it’s going well. I’m focused on…”

“Charlie, is it true you wrote a song about your parents?” someone else shouted, interrupting her before she could finish.

“There are some personal experiences in the album, yeah. But it’s not just…”

“Kat,” came another interruption. “Do you think dating a rising star like Charlie will affect your performance this summer?”

“Well, my relationship with Charlie is separate from my swimming career. I…”

“Charlie, how do you feel about potentially outselling your first EP?”

And so it went, with each of us getting the questions kept coming, one after another, barely giving us time to respond. Thankfully, we finally passed the gauntlet of photographers as the next car pulled up and we made it through to the smaller interview area, where people were standing next to each other, each talking to a different reporter. At least here, you were talking to one person at a time, so it was a little less chaotic.

I spotted Lyla and Tabitha up ahead. Lyla looked stunning in a deep purple dress that complemented her blue hair perfectly, and Tabitha was wearing a very sensible but still pretty stylish pantsuit. It worked for her, probably more than a dress would have, although maybe I thought that because I’d never seen her outside of blue jeans and flannel shirts, and definitely never in a dress.

I waved to them and they waved back, and then we moved up to our first interviewer.

“Charlie! What can you tell us about your new album?” the lady with an NBN labeled mic asked.

It was noisy enough with all the people talking at once that I had to lean forward to hear her.

“Well, I think it’s the most cohesive thing we’ve ever done. I love our first album, but it was kind of a jumble of all the stuff we’d worked on. This one really speaks to where we’re from and where we’re headed, and I think is a great look into who we are, as a band.”

I’d already decided that when talking about the touring or any of the music we put out, I was going to say “we” and not “I”. I might be the face of everything, but I didn’t want to take all the credit. Lyla and Seth were cool about it now, but that kind of thing could eat away at a group, and I wanted us to stay together for the long term.

“You had a lot more assistance on writing from your bassist, Lyla Grant, than you had on the first album. Did your schedule with the show and the tour force you to hand over the reins of songwriting more?”

“Well, my schedule was packed, but we never really look at our songwriting like that. I don’t think we ever really had a plan of who wrote what. Even on the first album, whoever comes forward with a song, if it works well with all of us, we roll with it. And trust me, there have been plenty of songs I’ve brought to rehearsal that got punted back to me. I think what actually happened is Lyla is really starting to feel comfortable and come into her own as a musician. She’s an amazingly talented songwriter and has way more of a sense of fun than I do. If it was up to me, every song I’d write would be a dirge. I don’t think we’d be where we are today without her.”

Kat didn’t really get any questions through any of these and just kind of stood next to me, smiling. Jean had also reappeared after I passed the photographers and was kind of lingering just out of camera shot. I also noticed Mana on the other side of the ropes, slowly making his way through the crowd that had gathered to watch as he, in turn, watched all of them.

We spent maybe thirty minutes going from reporter to reporter, giving short five-minute interviews. It was actually kind of grueling, especially since they all basically asked the same thing, but then we were finally through and into the party itself.

Any hope that things would have calmed down once I got inside went out of the window as soon as I stepped into the party. It was packed with people, it was dimly lit with flashing blue and purple lights pulsing along to the beat of very loud music. My music, specifically.

Jean had basically put herself at my elbow and seemed very jittery. The door was tightly controlled and they had pictures of this guy, and the venue security had made sure the other exits were covered, but this many people close together was clearly giving her conniptions.

“Wow,” Kat said.

“I know. Insane.”

I’d barely gone a few steps into the room when Cole appeared next to me, grinning ear to ear, “Charlie! Man, this is something. Thank you so much for inviting me.”

I had a sneaking impression he’d been near the front door looking for me. After talking, I figured we’d just start his trip early, coming out here, then going back to Wellsville with us, hanging out for a few days until we flew out to Tokyo. Besides this being a great moment for him to rub shoulders with industry people, I was actually looking forward to playing a last show at the Blue Ridge, at least for a while, and having him play with me would be a great way to cap things off.

I pulled him into a hug, slapping his back, and said, “Cole! Glad you could make it. You ready for the next few months?”

“Yeah, I think so. My mom’s going to water my plants and hold onto my truck, but it’s still kind of wild, being gone so long. Kat, you look amazing.”

She gave him a hug and said, “Thanks, Cole. You clean up pretty nice yourself.”

We chatted a little about the upcoming show and the Olympics and all the things we had planned for the next month or so when Kat elbowed me hard in the side. At first, I’d thought maybe she’d been bumped into, until I saw past Cole to who was coming up behind him.

People were turning their heads to look at her as she made her way through the crowd towards us, and I could see why. She was stunning in a shimmering gold dress that made her pale skin almost shine.

“Charlie, darling!” she said, pushing past Cole and air-kissing both my cheeks. “This party is fabulous. You must be so proud.”

“Thanks, Alina. I’m just glad people showed up,” I laughed. “I was skeptical when my publicist told me about the plan for this thing.”

“You’re joking? I don’t think you realize how much people are talking about you. The country boy who rode out of the mountains and took the country by storm? I think people were fighting for a ticket to tonight.”

“Really?”

“He’s clueless,” she said to Cole and then suddenly seemed to realize he was a stranger. “Hello, who are you?”

She was looking him up and down, taking in his tuxedo which Warren had helped arrange for him, and cowboy hat combo, a slow smile spreading across her lips.

“This is Cole. He was on The Stage with me and will be opening for me on tour. He’s also a friend. Cole, this is Alina.”

“Ma’am,” Cole said, extending his hand, which Alina took daintily, looking to Kat as if to ask if he was real.

“He’s a friend,” Kat said, although Alina seemed to take more from that than I’d heard.

“We should mingle,” Kat said. “Cole, do you mind keeping Alina company while we go say hi to people? We’ll meet up with you two a little later.”

“Uhh, sure,” Cole said, a little confused but not one to say no.

As Kat steered me away, I said, “Subtle.”

“Shut up,” she said, laughing.

We mingled for a little bit, with people I really didn’t know all saying hi to me. There were maybe a couple of hundred people inside, but it was impossible to tell. To me, it just felt like a packed wall of people, although I guess being the honoree or whatever you’d call it, since people tended to part and let us by.

Or maybe it was just Jean and her glare.

Finally, a familiar face came out of the crowd as a much healthier-looking Dakota pushed her way past people and threw her arms around me.

“Charlie!” She said, hugging me incredibly tightly.

“Hey. How are you feeling?”

“So much better. I’ve … I’ve joined a support group and am in counseling, and it really helps.”

“I’m so glad. You look good.”

“Thank you. But you. The album is so good. I managed to get my hands on one of the early review copies and I can’t stop listening to it. It’s so good.”

“No, it’s…” I started to say, only to earn another elbow in the side.

“What Charlie meant to say was thank you,” Kat said for me.

“Uhh. Yeah.”

Dexter showed up just about then and we talked for a little bit. To my surprise, I found out the two had started dating. Apparently, after the tour Dexter had gone to try and help Dakota finally get through rehab successfully, and they’d spent a lot of time together, until it developed into something more. I hadn’t seen it before, when we’d been touring, but together, they were actually pretty cute.

I continued to mingle and started to realize just how many people I actually knew were at the party. I ran into Eli and the rest of the guys from Nightshade, including their guitar player, who was also doing much better in his battle against drugs.

Three moments stood out as moments.

One was when I ran into Linda Chapmen. We were passing the bar still making our first cycle of the room, and she was holding court with some people when she saw me, stopping mid-sentence to push the crowd and rush over to me.

“Charlie! It’s been so long!” she said, hugging me.

She wasn’t wrong. I’d seen her during the Stage, but only briefly, as I’d had more show stuff to do. Past that, we’d exchanged a few text messages and emails here or there, but even those had dropped off a lot until I think the last one had been almost two months ago.

“I’m sorry. I keep meaning to reach out and talk, but things have been nuts, and…”

“No. You’re fine. Really. I remember when I’d first gotten serious press and how that had been, and I was never at the level you’ve gotten to. I can just imagine how it’s been at the level you’re at now.”

“Well, I’ll try to do better,” I said.

It was nice that she was letting me off the hook, but she was a big reason I’d gotten anything at all, so to just forget about her was wrong on so many levels. We spent a little while catching up, and I promised I would stay in better touch in the future as I was being hustled away to continue making the rounds.

Linda was expected, since I did know she was going to be there. The next person I saw, however, was a shock.

I was just finishing up talking with one of the admin people at ARC that I didn’t really know, but felt I needed to at least be friendly toward, when I heard, “Charlie Nelson, as I live and breathe!”

I turned to see JoDee Blanchard making her way through the crowd in this fabulous white dress that was somehow demure and simple while still being fabulous and gaudy.

I’m not sure if anyone else could have pulled that off, but she certainly did.

“JoDee!” I exclaimed, giving her a quick hug. “I had no idea you were coming.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I might not have discovered you, but I certainly can say I knew you when. And when I heard word that you were playing banjo on one of the songs, child. There was no way I was missing a minute of this.”

“How’d you hear about it? We were keeping it secret until the album dropped.”

“Charlie, do you think you can play banjo, which I taught you, and I wouldn’t find out.”

“Taught me?” I said, smiling.

“That’s what I tell people and I’m sticking to it.”

We talked for a bit, but it was hard to have an extended conversation. The party might be for me, but she was a bigger name than I’d ever be, and people were going mad for her. People kept stopping to talk to her, until she finally got pulled away, which was probably for the best, because otherwise I’d stay there talking to her the rest of the evening when I was really supposed to be schmoozing with as many industry people as I could.

I’d just finished talking to someone else who seemed to know me but who I had no idea who they were, when I noticed a commotion near the entrance. People were gathering around and excited about someone. The who became clear as the crowd parted, pushed aside by a couple of large looking guys, behind whom followed Trey Mitchell. He was just as magnetic as I remembered him being, and people were going nuts.

If I’d been shocked to see JoDee, that wasn’t even a fraction of the surprise I had at seeing Trey Mitchell. We’d met the one time, for the challenge on The Stage, but nothing from that interaction suggested that I’d ever see him again.

People were calling out and reaching to him as he passed, and he smiled and waved to them, but he was very clearly heading directly for me. Which was wild, because a lot of the people calling out to him were famous in their own right, and much more famous than I was.

Kat had frozen still and was holding onto my arm in a death grip.

“Charlie Nelson!” Trey said, extending his hand. “Man, it’s great to see you again!”

I think the only reason I held it together is that I’d met him that one previous time. Otherwise, I would have been in as much shock as Kat was.

As it was, my voice cracked a little when I shook his hand and said, “Trey, this is a surprise. I … hadn’t expected to see you here.”

I was actually proud of myself for keeping it together to act like it wasn’t completely wild that he’d shown up to my launch party. Kat turned and looked at me like I’d grown a second head or something, I guess for having the nerve to talk to him like something of an equal.

“Yeah, well, my management’s been on my case. Kept telling me about this kid I met on some reality show who’s making waves, and that I had to come out and see you,” he said, laughing and displaying his perfect teeth. “All kidding aside, I’d remembered how incisive you were when we did the bit for the show, and I was thrilled with what you did with the song. Ever since, I’ve kept an eye on you, ‘cause I knew you’d end up here.”

“Wow. That’s. Thanks,” I said. Stumbling over my words.

The fact that he had given even two seconds additional thought about me once the show was over kind of blew my mind.

“And who’s this lovely lady with you?” Trey asked, looking at Kat.

I swear to God, she squeaked when he turned the full force of his charm on her, gripping my arm like she was about to rip it off. I pried her off and put my hand around her waist.

“This is my girlfriend Kat. Actually, she is going to be swimming for Team US in a week at the Tokyo Olympics.”

“You’re kidding,” he said, looking at me and then back to her. “That’s amazing. You should be so proud of yourself. That’s quite the achievement.”

“Th... Thank you,” Kat managed to get out, turning about three shades of pink. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Trey flashed her his signature smile again. “The pleasure’s all mine. I have to say, you two make quite the power couple. A rising music star and an Olympic swimmer? That’s Hollywood gold right there.”

Kat managed to mumble something and went back to clutching my arm.

“Listen, Charlie, I’m mostly stopping by for the photo op, you know how it is, but I did want to say congrats on all your success. It’s not easy making it in this business, but especially at your age.”

“Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.”

Trey clapped me on the shoulder. “I know this business can eat you up, so if you ever need any advice navigating all of this, reach out to my agent. They’ll get you in touch with me. That’s a real offer, not just Hollywood bullshit. Alright?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

He clapped me on the shoulder one last time and then pushed back to the back of the club, going into where I guess the bartenders went to get stuff. No one stopped him, so I assumed his bodyguard already knew a back way out.

I turned to Kat, who was still staring after Trey with a dazed expression. “You okay there, champ?”

She blinked, finally coming back to reality. “Did... did that really just happen? Did Trey Mitchell really just talk to us?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, he did.”

She hit me on the shoulder, back to her old self, but I knew she’d be thinking about that for a while.

We circulated more, talking to both invited celebrities and friends whom the label was nice enough to fly out, like Chef, Mrs. Phillips, and Hanna, when the music cut out and Hal got up on the stage, stepping up to a mic that had been set up next to the DJ booth.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate you all coming out tonight to celebrate not just the launch of an extraordinary album, but the coming out, as it were, of our newest Arc family member. I’ve gotten to know him over the last year and I think the more America and the world get to know him, the bigger his star will rise. I could see, as could most everyone who watched The Stage, that Charlie has both a raw talent and an authenticity that is rare in this industry, even among the seasoned veterans.”

He paused for a second and said, “I am incredibly proud that Charlie chose to join Arc and I’m incredibly proud of Unexpected Paths and predict it will quickly become one of our best-selling albums. This isn’t just my being hopeful, mind you. The few journalists who received early copies have been singing its praises. I believe the Journal said it was a perfect blend of tradition and innovation, which considering the harsh words they have had for a few of our other offerings is quite the praise. I hope all of you have enjoyed the tracks we’ve played from it here tonight.”

I had read that review the previous morning and it had been glowing, although there were a few comments about ‘waiting to be developed genius’ that I hadn’t been sure if they were a dig or praises.

“But, I think you don’t want to hear from me, so I’d like to invite the man of the hour, Charlie Nelson, to come up and say a few words.”

I was honestly nervous as I went up to the stage. I’d played big crowds, but I guess it felt different when it was a room full of people you’ve looked up to in the industry. Or maybe because it was so many of my friends.

People who didn’t do this, I don’t think, would understand the strange split between being self-conscious about speaking publicly while having no problem standing in front of thousands of people, performing. It was different, though. I couldn’t really see the crowds and, when there were enough people, they all kind of blended together into a faceless mass. A smaller room with people who I knew and could see… that was terrifying.

Hal gave me a smile and a pat on the shoulder as he handed over the microphone.

“Wow, what a turnout. Thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate this album with us. I’m honestly blown away by the support. I have to say, while I always wanted to make music my life, I never thought I’d end up here, talking to people I spend my life idolizing. Which I guess is the point of the album, how we don’t always end up where we think we’re going to.”

I paused for a moment, looking for specific faces. “Before I say anything else, though, I want to make it clear I didn’t do this alone. Lyla Grant and Seth Bell are every bit as much a part of this as I am. They’re not just my bandmates, they’re my partners and really the heart and soul of the music. So how about a big hand for them.”

A light found the two of them standing together and everyone cheered. Lyla gave a little wave while Seth looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor.

“I guess since I’m recognizing people, I should also say thank you to Hal and everyone at ARC. I know my record in the industry has been rocky, so I appreciate you taking a chance on me, and I promise you I won’t let you down.”

“I’ll get you to sign something guaranteeing that later,” Hal said from a few steps behind me, loud enough for the mic to pick up, getting a laugh out of the crowd.

“There are so many people I could thank for getting me where I am. My best friend Hanna, Chef Li Tang, who has guided me through the hardest part of my life and always been a rock I can rely on, and Jennifer Phillips who has been like a mother to me when I needed one most. You guys have quite literally saved my life so many times, and I will spend the rest of it trying to prove to you that it was the right decision.”

Hanna was near the stage with Kat and I could see her beaming up at me. I really was happy she’d broken out of the insanity with Professor Cross and had come back to us. It had been hard, going through the last year without her.

“I also want to thank Linda Chapman, specifically. Many people don’t know that I very nearly didn’t get my first contract. That might not have ended well, but it got my foot in the door, and she’s responsible for that happening. Really, there are so many people I could spend all day thanking everyone who’s helped me, so if I didn’t mention you, please know that I recognize how much you’ve done for me and will never forget it. Your belief in me and your support has been invaluable.”

Everyone clapped, looking around like maybe I was talking to the person next to them.

“Sorry, one last one and then we can get back to the party. I have to thank the love of my life and the person who’s been by my side for all of this. Katherine Moore, who will be representing America next week in Tokyo…” I said, and had to pause as everyone cheered here and started a short but very vocal USA chant. “She’s every bit of a star as I’ll ever hope to be, and I can’t wait to see her dominate the games. I love you, baby.”

Kat turned bright red and hid her face in her hands.

“Alright, I think that’s enough from me,” I said. “We’re here to celebrate, right? So let’s party!”