Ch 42: Singing Surprise

Impressed that Luke remembered a key fact about Michelle, I hugged him. I couldn’t believe he knew so many people. He told me one of his golf buddies was actually a musician and often played at clubs around the city. Luke texted him and set up an opportunity for Michelle that I knew she’d love.
At home, I congratulated Michelle on her awesome score, and we danced around. I told her to wear her new jeans and one of her chic tops because I was taking her out to celebrate. I changed into jeans and a magenta blouse. Along with some jewelry and stylish shoes, we looked ready to rock and roll.
In a small club on Wilshire, we met Luke at the door. Inside, a packed crowd sat at small round wooden tables with others standing to the back by the bar. A bright light illuminated the stage, while the rest of the club looked dark and a little dingy. Pictures of famous musical artists hung on the walls, with wood paneling running the length of the walls below. Luke had reserved a table for us near the front, and we sat down and ordered our drinks.
Michelle seemed chill, but excited. I told her little about what was to transpire that evening, trying to keep her in suspense. Luke and I told her about our successful day filming a water scene with Luke, complete with a re-cap of our water logged smooch. A few moments later, Luke’s musician friend took the stage. He played the guitar and sang with a back-up band consisting of a woman on the drums and a male bass guitarist.
While Michelle and I weren’t familiar with all the songs, we enjoyed bobbing our heads and listening to the lyrics. Luke held my hand, and I felt happy to be with him, enjoying the evening. Before Luke’s friend started his next song, he talked to the audience through the microphone.
“I’d like to perform a special song next,” he said. “But I’m going to need some help.” He looked toward Luke and nodded. “I need Michelle to come up here.”
Michelle looked at me as I tried to push her out of her seat. “No. I’m not ready. What is this?” she slowly stood up at the table.
“Go,” I said. Luke’s buddy waved her up on stage. Once she climbed the few steps, they walked back to the drum set and talked for a few moments. When they stepped back to the front of the stage, Michelle stood behind the microphone and Luke’s buddy stood next to her with his guitar. The band started playing and after a few beats, Michelle started belting out a familiar song. Luke’s buddy added his voice with Michelle’s, and they performed a heartfelt duet.
Michelle rocked it. When they were through, the crowd clapped. Michelle smiled wide and returned to our table.
“Thank you,” she said to Luke. “But I hate you.”
“Why? Me?” He said to her in jest.
Michelle punched me in the shoulder before sitting down. “I can’t believe you did that. Next time, don’t surprise me.”
“What? You were great,” I said, looking at her “Come on. You had fun.”
She downed the rest of her drink in one gulp. “It was fabulous,” she said. “It felt so good.”
“The audience really dug it,” Luke added. “You better call my producer friend.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Michelle said.
“No seriously,” Luke said before a pair of young girls in their 20s approached Luke.
“Can we get a picture?” one asked him. I watched as Luke smiled, and the girl snapped a photo of the three of them with her phone. After the first two girls, a few minutes later, another small group asked for a photo. Again, Luke smiled and the girls crowded around Luke.
“Your boyfriend is pretty popular,” Michelle leaned over and whispered to me.
“I know,” I said between clenched teeth.
When another girl came up to the table in a skimpy tank top, I knew it had to stop. “I just love you,” she said. She stood in front of Luke and pulled up her shirt, revealing two breasts the size of grapefruits and no bra. Luke tried to look away and told her to put her shirt down, but the damage was done. She asked for an autograph on her chest, which thankfully, Luke declined.
“Sorry, about that,” he said. “We should probably get out of here. I have an early day tomorrow anyway.” I could tell Luke was starting to get annoyed as the fans became more brazen. “Usually once one or two people approach me, suddenly more and more come out of the woodwork. Once a lady even showed me a tattoo she got of my face on her chest.”
“What did you say to that?” I asked. “Thanks ma’am, but I think my face would look better on a butt cheek?”
Luke laughed. “If only you had been beside me, I could have used a sassy comeback.”
I smiled, and we stood up to leave. On the way out, a middle-aged lady tried to pet Luke like a dog, rubbing her hand down his arm as we walked out. It was the first time Luke and I had been in a very public place. The golf club was private and the movie set had security. The red carpet premiere was invite only, even though there were dozens of fans. It was bizarre seeing young girls and even grown women fawning all over him, and it felt weird to have to share the man I was interested in with crazy lust filled ladies.
Finally, when we were walking to the car, some teenagers noticed Luke and started to run over to him. Luke looked irritated, but unsure what to do. Being in my badass cheeky mode, I thought quickly about what to do. I wanted to hide Luke, make him disappear like Houdini. But that probably wouldn’t work, so I turned to him and started kissing him. I pushed him up against my crappy Honda and wouldn’t let him come up for breath. When the excited teens reached us, they just stopped and stared. I continued to kiss Luke for another few seconds until I pulled away, turned to them, and said, “What are you looking at?”
They giggled like shy schoolgirls and ran off.
Luke grinned. “Thanks, Stella,” he said.
“Get a room,” Michelle said. We all laughed.
We departed separately, Michelle and I in my car, Luke walking to the garage where he parked. As we passed him we waved frantically, imitating the crazed fans we met earlier with Michelle poking her head out of the sun roof screaming, “I love you Luke Mulligan.” I laughed. Luke grinned and waved.
“Just be sure to keep your top on,” I said to Michelle as she slunk back into her seat.
“That was fun. Thanks,” she said. “Your boyfriend seems like a really great guy.”
“Not sure if he’s my boyfriend, but yeah, he is great.”
“Oh, he’s your boyfriend alright,” she said. “I just saw you suck his face off back there.”
I smirked. I wanted Michelle to be right. I looked forward to every minute I got to hang out with Luke, and I hoped he enjoyed my company just as much. But with so many girls throwing themselves at him, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was just waiting until a better one came along.