His Curvy Bride - Nichole Rose Page 0,2

be able to sing in the same room with him.

"She couldn't sing."

I blink, caught off guard. That is not what I expected Riley to say. How does a backup singer become a backup singer if she can't sing?

"I know!" Riley says like she's reading my mind. She throws her hands up in the air. "I don't know whose demo tape she sent the studio, but it definitely wasn't hers. Not even auto-tune could help her. I think she just wanted to get close to Bentley and Kasen."

"She is not lyin'," Kasen says, grimacing like his head hurts. "It was a train wreck."

"So you need me to find a replacement?" I ask, though we all know that's not why I'm in this room now.

"Not exactly," Riley says, precisely like I knew she would. "I want you to be his backup singer."

"I'm not a singer."

"You should be," she and Kasen say at the same time.

"No. No way." I shake my head rapidly back and forth. "I don't sing. I can't sing! There will be people and Bentley and people and Bentley!"

"What's wrong with Bentley?" Kase asks.

My cheeks burn as everyone looks at me. I keep my mouth shut, refusing to meet their gazes or tell them that I have a massive crush on Kasen's guitarist. I also refuse to discuss the last time I sang for anyone. I was sixteen, auditioning for a reality show. After I sang, the producer told me I had a pretty voice but was too fat to make it. A bunch of other hopefuls heard him and thought it was hilarious. It crushed me. I haven't sung in public since.

"Oh," Kase says and then purses his lips like he's thinking hard about something. Which, let's be honest, is never a good thing. When Kasen plots, bad things happen. Kind of like when Riley asks how much I love her. Neither leads anywhere good.

"Come on, Cami," Riley pleads, clasping her hands together like she's praying or something. "Please, please, please? I'll never make you talk to Logan on the phone ever again. And I'll clear everyone out of the studio who doesn't absolutely have to be there."

"Including Bentley?"

"Yes."

"No," Kase says, looking at her like she's crazy. "You can't kick him out. It's his album."

"Are you sure?" Riley asks him as if she thinks he's just making up the rules as he goes along or something. Which he probably is because that's what Kasen does. But I think he's right this time. Dang it.

"Would you kick me out of the studio if I was supposed to harmonize with a backup singer?" he asks.

Riley's face falls. "I can't kick Bentley out," she tells me. "It's his album."

My stomach roils and churns. I don't want to do this. Singing in front of people gives me the worst anxiety. My heart races and I feel like I'm going to pass out. It's terrifying. I'm much better suited to being behind the scenes, helping Riley help artists flourish.

"Please, Cami?" she pleads. "This is the best song on the album. It may actually be the best one he's ever written. If you can't do it, the studio may scrap the entire album."

And then Bentley will never get the attention he deserves. All the studios want pliable young artists who have decades ahead of them. No one wants to take a chance on him because he's in his thirties and isn't easily led. People say he's a dick, but Kasen and Riley say he just doesn't care for most people and likes to forge his own path. They've put their asses on the line to get him this opportunity because they believe in him so much. He deserves this chance.

"Fine, I'll do it," I sigh, unwilling to let his career crash and burn when I can help prevent that from happening. Even if we've never met before, I like him a lot. I don't want him to fail. Besides, all I have to do is sing a few lines and then it'll be over. How hard can it possibly be?

Riley squeals so loud she wakes up both babies.

This is so going to end in disaster.

Chapter Two

Bentley

"Are you sure this girl can sing, Kasen?" I growl, pacing around the studio in restless circles. The chick the studio sent to sing backup vocals was a complete disaster. I've heard dying cats who sounded better than she did. If this new girl doesn't work out, I don't know what I'm going to do. The song doesn't work without