Page 78 of Wilde Secrets

Logan’s hands landed on her shoulders, and he ducked his head to meet her eyes. “Are you ok?”

She nodded, not sure she could speak past the lump in her throat.

The woman on the stage finished her song, and waved at her friends in the audience.

It was now or never.

Harper’s face paled, her hands twisting in the hem of her tee shirt.

“You don’t have to do this.”

Her eyes snapped to his. “I know you’re trying to help, Logan. But I want to do this.”

His eyebrows shot up so high they disappeared under the lock of hair that flopped over his forehead.

She shook her head. “I’m nervous, yes. But I can’t spend my whole life hiding and wishing. I need to do this.”

Logan nodded and smiled. “Alright. Show them what you’ve got.”

She gave a nervous laugh and placed one foot on the steps that led up to the stage. Harper remembered an old trick she’d used when she had performed as a kid. Pick one spot in the audience and focus on it. Logan had found an empty chair at a table to the front of the stage, so she focused on him. He sat, denim-clad legs spread wide, and arms crossed over his broad, flannel-covered chest and met her eyes.

Whatever happened, he’d be sitting right there the whole time.

The stairs could have been a tightrope over a canyon for how hard Harper’s heart beat as she put first one foot and then the other in motion.

When she got to the top, she chewed on her bottom lip and glanced at Logan. Rowan had pulled up a chair by his shoulder, Cassie on his other side.

She felt a rush of emotion for the Wests. They’d seen how big a deal this was for Harper and were adding their support to Logan’s.

You can do this.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to approach the microphone. It was too low, so she adjusted it to the right height with shaking hands. A screech of feedback had the crowd groaning and their attention shooting toward the stage. Harper froze.

Oh god. Oh god. They’re all looking at me.

The seconds ticked by, Harper’s wide eyes darting around the room as her heart pounded in her chest. And then the soundtrack kicked in through the speakers.

Harper’s eyes jerked to Logan’s and her near-panic eased as he gave her a small smile and a nod. He would be there the whole time.

Harper hummed along with the music, not paying attention to the screen with the lyrics that lit up in time to the music. She took a deep breath, turned to smile a shaky smile at Logan and then closed her eyes.

The familiar notes washed over her. She’d chosen this song because it reminded her of her mom. It was one she would sing in the shower when she thought nobody was listening. Harper would stand in the hallway listening as her mom poured her heart into the lyrics.

And now Harper did the same. She was vaguely aware of the dead silence that hung over what had been a noisy dinner crowd, but she kept her eyes closed.

She could feel Logan’s reassuring presence. She didn’t want to risk breaking the spell that had her finally on stage after what had been more than ten years of never singing a note in front of anyone other than her sister.

Her heart settled into a steady rhythm, and she let herself get lost in the music. Swept away, it was only in the final notes of the song she opened her eyes. Logan could have been the only person in the room, as she immediately locked gazes with him.

She’d done this for herself, but she’d also done it for him.

“I’ll always love you.”

She broke off, the backing track fading away leaving her in stunned silence. Logan slowly stood and began clapping, the rest of the room joining in.

A warm glow filled her chest. Is this what it felt like to Isla when she sang to packed stadiums?

“Thank you,” she said into the mic, and turned to leave the stage.

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