Page 7 of Meant To Be - Irresistible Bachelors

I stare out of the window as I try to hide my pink cheeks. I can’t let them see me blushing over Leo Colt. I doubt I’ll fall in love, but I’m sure my heart will practically beat out of my chest the first time I lay eyes on him. I just hope I can contain myself and that I don’t come off looking like a silly schoolgirl with a crush. I’ve always been told that I’m mature for my age, and I want him to see me that way too.

A huge crowd is waiting outside as our limo approaches the stadium. The smiling fans wave signs in the air, some of them with my face on them and some of them with Leo’s face. I start to get nervous again as we ride past all the screaming fans. I know I should be used to it by now, but performing in front of thousands of people still makes me anxious. My nerves will settle once I’m on the stage, but until then, I’ll be on edge.

“Look at all of these people.” Kenny sounds shocked. “The concert doesn’t even start for another four hours, and they’re already lined up outside.”

“Aren’t you excited, Nikki?” Lisa asks.

“Yeah.”

I manage to say this with a smile, but deep inside, I’m a nervous wreck.

The limo pulls around to the back of the stadium and lets us out by a private entrance. I stretch as I climb out and look around to see if Leo’s limo has arrived yet. If it has, he must be inside already. I guess we’ll just have to exchange hellos after the show. I shake thoughts of him out of my mind. I’ve got to focus because I have a show to put on.

“Nikki!” a woman wearing a headset calls out.

As I turn toward her, she and a few other people wearing headsets all surround me.

I feel ambushed, but I know it’s part of the routine. They’re here to rush me into hair and makeup. I wave goodbye to my friends as I’m swept away to transform into Nikki Minx, the pop star. They usher me into a room where men and women are already waiting for me with curling irons and makeup brushes in their hands.

Looking glamorous is part of being a celebrity, but honestly, I prefer a natural look. The only time I wear makeup is when I’m on stage performing and when I’m doing interviews. Normally, I like to keep a bare face, and I would never wear any of the outfits that I wear on stage out in public. My record label thinks glitz and glam is better, but if it were up to me, I would flaunt the simple look. But I get it. Marketing is everything, and they want me to be the sultry, voluptuous songstress who makes every boy that crosses my path fall in love and every girl want to be like me.

I plop down into the chair, and the hairstylist and makeup artist immediately start to work on me. I close my eyes as they transform me into a pop diva. Leo keeps popping back into my mind; I just can’t get him out of it. I haven’t even met the man yet, and he’s already all I can think of. Maybe Kenny’s right – maybe it will be love at first sight. It might be on my end at least, but Leo more than likely won’t even think twice about me.

It’s silly of me to want him to see me as more than just a pop singer – to want him to get to know the real me. He’s almost twice my age, and he’s only here to revamp his career. He didn’t sign up for this tour to look for love; he came on board to get his foot back into the music industry. I can’t make googly eyes at Leo Colt, the world’s greatest rock star. I have to keep things professional, no matter how utterly dreamy he is.

4

Nikki

I gently tug on my form-fitting bodysuit. This is one of those outfits that I would definitely never wear out in public. Sure, I look great in it, and it shows off every last one of my curves, but it’s skin-tight and a little uncomfortable. My stilettos click against the floor as I walk down the hallway. My private dressing room must be somewhere down this hall, but so far, I haven’t had any luck finding it.

Pretty soon, I’ll have to go on stage, but I need some time alone before I do. I like to give myself a pep talk before each show to calm my nerves. I wrap my hand around a doorknob and turn it, but the door won’t budge. The door eventually opens when I push harder, but it’s just a closet. I close it and continue walking down the hallway.

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