it seems, as well, but each person in attendance has paid a gasp-worthy sum to attend tonight’s performance. All of the proceeds go to the charity. Chris and Kace are taking nothing.
About twenty minutes into the four of us mingling, Kace and Chris take their places at tables near the front of the room to sign autographs, and do so with me and Sara happily in tow. The eagerness to meet them, to chat with them one-on-one for just a moment, creates quite the lines.
When finally showtime arrives, Kace is not shy about kissing me, as Chris does Sara, before the two of them disappear behind the stage. Sara and I are quick to claim our VIP seats side-by-side, up front again. Kace’s entire crew is here, including, unfortunately, Kiki and her ten miles of cleavage in a white silk gown. She waves at me and I give her a nod. Jon Snow took a knee. I will not take a knee for this woman and the wave feels like a knee. Sara nudges me and gives a low laugh. “You really don’t like her.”
“Would you if she were working for Chris?”
“Probably not, but Kace has eyes for no one but you. That’s obvious. And if I might, speaking from experience, with men like Chris and Kace, you will never erase those who admire and define them. It’s part of who they are. It’s how they handle that admiration that defines their character. From what I’ve seen, Kace gets a thumbs-up.”
“He does,” I agree readily, thinking about pretty much everything he’s ever done for me. Thinking about his offer to help find Gio. “And I know he has fans,” I add. “Kiki just rubs me wrong.”
“Well, just remember, she can’t do anything he doesn’t allow her to do. It’s about Kace, not her.”
It’s sound advice, given just as the lights go down and the show starts, and all thoughts of Kiki are gone. To the crowd’s delight, Kace plays songs from horror movies, and Chris paints the characters. Everyone is in the spooky October season, as the crowd starts singing “One, Two, Freddy’s Coming For You,” as Chris paints Freddy Krueger.
There is much more that follows, and we are treated to Kace’s music and Chris’s talent in abundance. Kace plays half the music he performs for the event on his Stradivarius and half on a donated instrument for the auction. His skills are beautiful with either violin, but the Stradivarius is distinct. My ancestor knew what he was doing. Now, the rest of the world still wants to know how and they can’t figure it out. Some say there are people who would kill for that formula—and have, considering my father’s demise—people who believe the family has it hidden. Gio and I would be the only living family.
When the show ends, there are six paintings to auction off and of course, the donated instrument. The final haul for the charity is massive and Kace and Chris are obviously pleased.
When all is said and done, after the chaos at the front of the hotel when we arrived, we are directed to the back door to depart. That is where we say our surprise goodbyes to Chris and Sara. “We’re headed home to San Francisco,” Chris says. “We’ve been gone for weeks.”
“We need to be home for a bit,” Sara adds, hugging me before she looks between me and Kace. “Hope to see you both in two weeks for the final shows.” She smiles at me as they exit the hotel.
Kace takes her lead, catching my shoulders and pulls me close. “I want you to go with me.”
I’m still stunned by the magnitude of this man’s devotion to me and as much as I want to go with him, I feel the pull of home. “I’m just worried about Gio, Kace,” I admit, and it feels good to actually say that to him rather than think it, hide it. I have to tell him everything there is to tell and soon, before we talk to Walker. Is it even safe to trust them? I’ll trust Kace with my secrets. I’m not sure about a bunch of strangers, but can Walker help if I tell them half the story?
“Walker is damn good,” Kace says. “Two weeks from now, if all goes well, you’ll have Gio back.”
“There they are!”
At the sound of Kiki’s voice, Kace rotates us, his arm around my shoulders, as her, Marvin, and really the whole crew, rush toward us.