Page 51 of The Wiener Across the Way

She was a vision, her voice captivating the audience with every note. But while she had us all dazzled, something wasn’t right. It was that same something I’d seen in her after her performance earlier today.

Kelsey was on the verge of burnout, and it pissed me off that she had to do these two shows back to back. I understood hustle. But her manager should be fired for letting her work herself to the bone like this. Who the fuck took care of Kelsey when she wouldn’t take care of herself?

Her sweet, young assistant, Penelope, tried. I could see how much she cared, but she was also obligated to do what Kelsey, and probably her record label and manager, told her to do. After this show, I was going to conspire with Penelope to get Kelsey some time off, or at least some fucking sleep.

As her song continued, I noticed her gripping the microphone stand more for support than performance. Then she closed her eyes. To anyone else, I imagined they thought she was just really getting into the music. But my spidey senses were screaming that something was wrong.

“Son.” My dad grabbed my shoulder. “I know that look. She’s going down. Get up there. I’ll call nine-one-one.”

My muscles reacted faster than my brain. Her voice faltered, a note cut short. She swayed, her hand reaching out to grasp something for balance. I lunged forward, shouldering past club staff and security with the best of my defensive line skills. Time went into slo-mo, but my focus was pinpoint on my way to her.

I reached Kelsey just as she collapsed, catching her before she hit the ground. The world around us faded into a blur. All that mattered was her in my arms. I gently laid her down on the stage, my hands shaking but efficient as I checked her pulse and breathing.

Her pulse was there, steady but faint. Her breathing was shallow. I should be relieved she was alive, but I wanted to murder someone for letting this happen to her in the first place. Her record label, agent, manager, assistant, me, and even her were my current hit list. But that needed to wait. Once I knew she was going to be okay, I was protecting her the way I should have already. To get her out of here, to somewhere quiet and safe where she could rest, recover.

With careful urgency, I scooped Kelsey into my arms, her head resting against my chest. I could feel the heat of her skin through her stage clothes, a stark reminder of her vulnerability.

“Make way,” I barked, my voice cutting through the stunned silence of the crowd. The sea of people parted, their faces a mixture of shock and concern.

Every step was fueled by a fierce protectiveness. I was not just carrying a superstar off stage. I was carrying the woman who had unknowingly claimed my heart, the one I’d do anything to keep safe.

The paramedics must have been close by because they were coming in the back door and met me backstage. I gently laid her down on their stretcher, brushing her hair from her face. Her breathing seemed to have steadied, but she was still out cold.

Penelope dashed toward us, clearly freaked the fuck out. I knew exactly how she felt. “Kelsey? Oh my god, oh my god.”

“Did she hit her head?” one of the EMTs asked.

I wanted nothing more than to keep holding her against me, to feel her breath on my neck so I knew she was alive. But I stepped back so the medics could do their jobs. “No. I caught her before she hit the ground.”

“Drugs?”

Penelope pointed her phone like a weapon. “No. Kelsey isn’t that kind of rock star. She does not do drugs.”

The paramedic didn’t even look at her and kept on with his tasks like a pro. “We’re not here to accuse or arrest anyone, lady, we’re just trying to help her.”

“Is she going to be okay?”

“The doctors will know more once we get her to the hospital.” The EMT looked at those of us surrounding her. “But her pulse is steady and she’s breathing fine.”

Now I was the one who was ready to pass out. She was going to be okay. Fuck, I hoped there wasn’t something seriously wrong with her.

“Who’s coming with us in the ambulance?”

Penelope looked right at me. “Go, Declan. I’ll be right behind you with her security detail.”

I nodded and followed the EMTs out to their bus. There was barely room for me in the back, but I squished myself in and tried my best to keep out of their way. Luckily Aspen isn’t a big community, and we were at the hospital before I even had time to worry that she still hadn’t woken up yet.

One of the EMTs put her hand on my arm. “Don’t worry, kid. AVH is a level-three trauma center, and Flight for Life is just a dispatch away.”

None of what she’d just said actually made me feel any better.

They whizzed her into the emergency entrance and all I could do was trot behind them, listening for any scrap of info to know that she was okay. “Twenty-six-year-old female. Lost consciousness. No head injury, no indication of drug use. BP one-twenty over eighty, heart rate seventy-two, pulse ox ninety-five.”

The doctor took one look at Kelsey, blinked a few times like she recognized who she was about to help, and then got that I’m-in-charge-now look. “Take her to exam one. Let’s get some fluids pushed and see if we can wake up sleeping beauty.”

Then the ER staff whisked her away, and I was left standing in reception, staring at the wide-eyed receptionist. “Was that Kelsey Best?”

I nodded and put my finger up to my lips. “Yes, and let’s keep that between you and me and the doctor for the moment. I’m sure Kelsey would appreciate that.”

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