Page 87

Alex stared up at her. “I’m concerned. I’m not going to deny it, but I can’t live my life being afraid. Most likely it is a practical joke.”

“True,” Morgan said. “So, we’ve thirty minutes to get you focused and ready.”

“Thank you, for supporting me.”

Morgan softened her gaze, let her own fear dissipate a little. “What else am I going to do?”

Alex reached for her hand. “It’s going to be fine.”

When Sasha took the stage, she was almost blinded by the super trouper trained on her. The audience rose to their feet to clap, unaware of the threat she faced. Smiling, she gave a small wave as usual and addressed the audience.

“Hello, thank you for the welcome. As you probably all know already, I’m not one for talking too much, not when the music can say far more than I ever could. So, tonight, I’m going to sit right here and let the music take you on a journey, one I hope you will enjoy.”

Another round of applause rang out.

Alex took her seat and began to play. With each note she hit, she moved further away from the goings on around her. Only one thought other than music was allowed to intrude into the peaceful, calm space she felt safe within: an image of Morgan, standing off to the side of the stage. Out of sight to everybody else, but here.

A focus point.

Her supporter.

Francine had queried it, her eyes narrowing at the idea of why Alex needed Morgan nearby, but Morgan had ended any suspicions instantly when she’d answered,

“If anything were to happen, I want to be able to get to her instantly, not dealing with climbing up onto a stage in this dress.”

Morgan’s warm eyes settled on her, her mouth curved into a supportive smile as she leaned against the wall and watched. In that moment, Alex was playing only for her.

By the end of the third movement, Alex closed her eyes and finally felt safe enough to allow the music to take her away from it all. She felt herself floating above the audience, looking down on herself as her fingers blurred and moved up and down the scales, hitting note after note perfectly until finally, she played the last one and her soul was thrust back into her body with the force of the eruption of sound.

Loud clapping and whoops from the audience erupted as they rose to their feet and applauded the musical genius in front of them, who had entertained them and brought something new to the chapel.

Standing,Sashatook her bow before leaving the stage and falling into Morgan’s arms. “It’s over.”

“Not quite.” Morgan smiled as a rousing encore was demanded from the enthusiastic crowd. “You’d better get back out there.”

“Fine, one last—” She stared into Morgan’s eyes. “This one is for you.”

Morgan felt a rush of something heated. It melted her within, burned her skin and imprinted itself in the nerve endings that tingled around her body.

Reappearing on stage, Sasha breathed in the atmosphere, the excited crowd still applauding at the prospect ofmore. Like a chemical reaction the feeling rushed through her, electrifying her nerve endings.

“This is something unfinished, something I’ve been inspired to work on recently and well, I hope you like it. It’s called ‘Euphoria.’” She caught sight of Morgan, mouth gaping with surprise. She wanted to tell the world about her, make them understand with every note she played. These feelings that had escaped her for so long, that now rushed through her any time she thought about Morgan, feelings she knew only came because of Morgan.

The music rose and fell, hurried then slowed and ended with a crescendo of high excitable notes that had her almost jumping from the seat, and when she finished, the crowd jumped to their feet.

Allowing the breath to escape her body, she stood once again and bowed to her audience, before turning towards Morgan and grinning. She had to know, didn’t she? She had to hear that and know how Alex felt.

And as she was about to bow once more, the sound erupted around her. Pop, crack, crack. The microphones amplified the sound around the hall. Alex didn’t get a chance to think before Mike crashed into her, dragging her away and off the stage towards Morgan.

They didn’t stop.

“Keep moving,” he directed, leading them both away from the potential danger. Morgan ran, her doctor's bag bouncing against her leg and off the wall of the narrow corridor, until finally, they rounded a corner, and Alex’s dressing room was right in front of them.

Mike pushed the door open and held it, ushering Alex and Morgan inside, before he slammed it shut and stood against it.

“What the hell was that?” Morgan said breathlessly as she almost collapsed against the vanity desk. She turned quickly and moved towards Alex. “Are you okay?”

Mike shook his head. “Dunno, but I wasn’t taking any chances.”