To Die For - Davidson King Page 0,27

only royalty I will bow down for.” The place erupted in cheers and I laughed. The excitement was electric.

“We have amazing performers here tonight, and starting us off with the help of Cher and the need to Believe is the lovely Tess. T. Bagg.” Atlas waved his hand, and the queen took the stage. Long black hair, a silver dress, and attitude.

“Believe” by Cher began to play, and Tess put on a killer performance with a few background dancers. The place was jumping, and the drinks were flowing.

After Tess was Anita Licks lip-syncing “Genie in A Bottle” by Christina Aguilera. It was outstanding, and I had to make sure I didn’t get lost in the show and forget the patrons.

“For our next performance…” Atlas said with a smile. “It’s double the queen.” Loud shouts and cheers filled the club once again. “We have Carmalina Cherry Pop.” He waved his hand and a slight-figured person, with a bright-red wig and a dress covered in cherries, walked up next to him. There was something familiar about her, but I couldn’t place it. “And singing with Carmalina Cherry Pop is Ivanna Grindsum.” He turned, and onto the stage walked Sparkles. It didn’t matter what he wore—I’d know that body anywhere.

“Hi there, sugar,” Carmalina said into the mic.

“Are you two ready to sing us some Tay Tay?” Atlas laughed as he spoke.

“We have a double whammy for you tonight,” Ivanna—Sparkles—said.

“Then let’s hear it.” Atlas moved away, and once he was off the stage, the first notes of “The Man” by Taylor Swift began, and Sparkles had the mic.

He was absolutely flawless. Once the chorus began, the backup dancers were dancing and lip-syncing right along. Carmalina danced around the stage, rubbing against the dancers. But my eyes followed Sparkles all around the stage. I could hear people shouting but didn’t care what they wanted, Sparkles had my attention.

The wig he was wearing I’d watched him comb at his desk. His makeup was perfection, and he glowed. He was wearing a skintight pink-and-white jumpsuit and heels that were insanely high. I didn’t know how he wasn’t falling on his face.

Right as the song was ending, it morphed into “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton, and Carmalina stepped up and started to sing. But where I thought Sparkles would leave, he sang right along with her. They were amazing. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Sparkles did this every day.

I was so lost in the show, it wasn’t until Shane nudged me that I moved. Atlas was just taking the stage again, and Sparkles was waving as he walked down.

I hoped he wouldn’t leave so I could talk to him like he said we would. I then got lost in the many drink orders coming our way and listened as the show went on, but nothing grabbed me like Sparkles’s show.

Chapter Sixteen

Lane

“That was so much fun!” Nolan said as he took off his bright-red wig. “I’m so glad you talked me into it.”

Nolan had surprised me when he overheard me on a call talking to some friends about being part of the show at Joker’s Sin. He said he’d spent an entire summer a couple of years ago in a traveling drag show. So when he showed me his act, I knew Atlas would love it.

“I have to admit, it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be.” I sat down and removed my shoes. “But there’s no way I could wear shoes like this all day, every day.”

Nolan chuckled and we were quiet as we cleaned off our makeup, changed, and tried to stay out of the way of the other performers. This had to be making the LGBT Center a lot of money. It felt so good to do something like this—as if it were washing away some of my own sins through the years.

Once we were all changed, we went out to hit the floor. I needed a drink and as we walked over to the bar, I saw Nolan’s boyfriend, Seth, waiting for him. He was an ER doctor and was so excited he had the night off to watch the show.

“You were both amazing.” He smiled and kissed Nolan, and my heart ached just a little bit. I sort of wanted that kind of love.

“What can I get you?” I turned and came face-to-face with a beaming Max.

“I would love some ice water and a mango margarita?” I said.

“You got it and…oh, Nolan, were you Carmelina?” I knew