take all their money. Unfortunately, Chase cleans the rest of us out. And by the end of the night, something about this whole scenario doesn’t feel nearly as terrifying as it did just a few hours ago.
And I wonder how things can change so quickly.
***
The Chicago concert is even more incredible than it had been in Minneapolis. There are over twenty five thousand people there. And this time, I watch the entire thing from back stage. Zack gave me a back stage pass for the tour that allows me access to anywhere I want to go. I spend most of the concert taking photographs of the band members and the crowd. I consider it a practice run since I haven’t done this type of photography before. I know before the night is even done it’s going to be a learning experience. I make a mental note half way through to order a new lens to help with all the flashing lights.
I freeze half-way through the concert and lower my camera. I’m standing just off to the side of stage, in full sight of Zack, as they begin to play what is quickly becoming one of my favorite songs. It’s a song about how girls grow up to be women and how men should protect them and care for them and treasure their gift. It’s about how fathers should teach their girls to be strong and the truth about boys and how cruel they can be. I absolutely love it, not only because the beat is perfect, but whenever I watch Zack when he sings it, I know this is the kind of man he is. Someone who will treasure and protect and watch over the people he loves.
It’s the song he sang directly to me when we were in Minneapolis, and I smile even wider now, when I notice his eyes directly on me. He sings the entire song, never once looking out to the crowd. It’s almost as if I can feel him promising me that he will always treasure me, and a growing warmth blooms within me.
It leaves me breathless and I struggle to maintain a professional and calm composure the rest of the concert while I have a myriad of emotions running through me. Confusion, happiness, doubt, trust, hope, fear; they’re all inside me, running rampant while I try to figure out why I’m so happy around him, why Zack makes me nervous and yet, calm, and why I ever decided to go on this tour with him in the first place.
“You must be Nicole.” I jump in surprise at the soft voice suddenly next to me. Even amidst the loudness it sounds as smooth as butter. Next to me, is the most stunningly gorgeous woman I have ever seen in my entire life. She’s short, with jet black hair, a perfectly heart-shaped face, and curves women pay high amounts of money for and it’s all fitted perfectly into a sleek silver dress with hot pink stiletto heeled boots. She’s tiny, and beautiful….and I have no idea how she knows my name.
She obviously notices my confusion, ignores the way I’m drooling over her boots, and offers me her hand. “I’m Chloe. Garrett’s fiancée?”
My shoulders relax immediately and I take her offered hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Garrett’s talked a lot about you.”
Her wide smile shows off perfectly white teeth. Is there anything that isn’t absolutely beautiful about this woman? “Garrett’s told me a lot about you, too….or well, he’s told me a lot about what Zack says about you.”
Her eyes are twinkling happily as she dishes out this little piece of very interesting gossip. I feel like I should be nervous about what Zack has said, but I’m not. Instead, I want in on the news.
“And what’s that?” I ask with an arched eyebrow.
“Not my place to say. I’m sure he’ll tell you soon enough.” Chloe shuts her mouth and smiles a smug little grin. She’s feisty, and I like her instantly. We head back to the common room before the concert’s over so we can talk a little bit more without the music blasting in our eyes. Chloe reminds me a lot of Mia with her perky attitude, but she’s so much smaller. Garrett isn’t all that big, but she’s so tiny I feel like he could just pick her up and toss her around whenever he wants to go somewhere with her. Even with those amazing boots and four inch heels, at least, she’s