Page 102 of This Side of Beautiful

I looked around the room at Frankie’s, Cedrick’s, and Brian’s concerned gazes. We were a family, and they would help Janae remember that she could handle whatever came her way. Maybe I was placing too much pressure on her, too, and she could receive their comforting words better than mine.

Frankie straightened her shoulders and smiled at Janae. “We’ll hook this makeup right back up and throw a wig under that hat. Landon is going to get that hair right, and we’ll stay up all night after the show celebrating.”

Janae nodded and blew me a kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you more.” I tapped my heart with two fingers and walked out of her dressing room to a worried Del, Santiago, and Charles.

Del hurried beside me and whispered, “What’s going on?”

I said nothing until we returned to the dressing room while Jeri worked on my hair. “I don’t know if Janae will be okay, though she says she will be. Apparently, her mother said something, and it shook her. I don’t know what went down.”

“Have you met her mother?” Del asked.

“We were supposed to officially meet after the show.”

“Her mother is a piece of work. It probably wasn’t a good idea to allow her to see Janae before the show.”

Charles snorted. “No shit.”

Santiago looked at me in the mirror. “What’s our plan B if she can’t make it?”

“Janae is hitting the stage,” I reassured him. “Just might be sitting on a stool or maybe leaning against the keyboard or something until she gets her confidence back. We can start off with our songs, giving her time to relax. Maybe give them ‘Stuck Between’ from our second album. She’ll remember who she is once the crowd screams for her and the music hits.”

My cell rang. I picked it up from the vanity without looking at the caller.

“She’s ready,” Brian said, loud enough for everyone to hear my phone’s speaker.

Del slowly exhaled while the men grinned at each other. I smiled at my reflection. My hair was finally wild and free.

Like Janae.

Chapter Thirty-Five

janae

An hour earlier

“Janae, why are you socold? Your teeth are chattering,” Frankie said as she started prepping my face for makeup.

“I can’t seem to relax. Been trying all day. Landon has tried everything. Warm bath, music, a massage.” Although I hadn’t been taking my meds consistently, I’d tried to reach Dr. Brownson to see if I could take extra pills or get something else to take the edge off, to no avail. Even my time in Del’s studio with Cedrick and Landon, which had initially worked like a salve, seemed like a far-off memory.

“Sex.” Jeri giggled from the wardrobe rack. “If he gave you a bath and a massage, sex had to follow.”

Despite my bad nerves, I managed to smile. “Yeah, we did.”

Frankie pressed concealer around my eyes as she added, “It’s just another show. Besides, it looks like you have more love here than anywhere else.”

“I also have more haters here, too.”

“Is that woman, who we will never name, still harassing you? Get over it. It’s been years. She’s the stupid one, staying married to him. You’re not the only one he’s been caught with. He’s for the streets,” Jeri retorted.

“He is for the streets, but L.A. is her city, too.” I pushed out my breath, trying to regulate my nerves.

Frankie looked at me in the mirror. “Have you heard from your ex since you’ve been home?”

“No.” I slowly met her eyes. “Landon would be upset if he knew I still wanted acknowledgment from my ex. Adam doesn’t mean anything to me. I just thought that since I’m back in Los Angeles, he would’ve sent me a note or something saying he’s proud of me. Performing at the Forum was a goal I shared with Adam that never happened.”

“Why does it matter?” Frankie asked.

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