Only Forever by Cristin Harber Page B

not.” My eyes burn with tears. “I’m sorry I interrupted.”
    He remains silent. My knees are shaking.
    “Okay, I’ll just head upstairs.”
    He steps wordlessly to the side, and I scurry by him. None of the three guards I passed on the way in slows me down, and I haul ass. Finally, I reach the top of the hall and turn toward my locker and vanity. I rummage through my purse, choke down a few swigs of water, and then do a super-fast redo of my eyes. The girl facing me in the mirror is terrified. I barely recognize myself. I’m suddenly scared that I have no idea what to do.
    “Two minutes, Ginger,” comes the familiar call from up the stairs.
    My hands shake. I call Grayson, even though he’s at work on some super-secret job. It rings… rings. Shit, shoot, shit! No answer. I have no idea what to say. His voicemail picks up. “Hey. Hi. Um. If I don’t talk to you first, I need you to talk to Cherry.” I take a long breath and tears sting my eyes. “I love you.”
    “Ginger! Come on up, girl.” The call echoes down the stairs.
    Shit. My God. I find Cherry’s name and hit Okay. It’s ringing.
    “Hey, Emma—”
    “Something’s wrong.” My mind spins. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but—”
    “Ginger, get your ass up here now!”
    One of Bruno’s security guards comes out from the dark hall. “Everything okay?” But there’s nothing nice or concerned with his question. His glare says, Hang up the damn phone.
    I smile. “Just checking on my kid.”
    I don’t know why I feel the need to throw that out there. It’s just a quick reminder to everyone that I have loved ones who would notice if I didn’t come home. God. I’m totally overreacting. No one’s going to kill me or anything. But shit —what did I just see?
    “Emma?” Cherry’s voice is pinched with concern.
    “I have to go. Have Ryan pick me up later. Okay? Call Ryan. He’s my ride.”
    “Emma! What’s going on—”
    I hang up the phone shakily. I’m overreacting. I’m overreacting.
    Another guard steps from the dark behind the one glowering at me. Crap. I’m not overreacting. “Just on my way, guys. Jeesh, everyone needs to calm down.”

CHAPTER TWO
     
    Emma
     
    “Ginger Raine!” the announcer’s voice booms.
    That’s my cue, and I’m not sure how my legs move forward. But they do, one shaky step at a time. My muscles quiver, my stomach churns, and I’m heading for disaster. I can’t dance—not now, and hopefully never again on this stage.
    Trussed up like a sexy, vampy princess, I move to center stage, completely cloaked from the neck down. The train on the robe spreads behind me as I sway. The music pounds. The lights dim, and shadows dance. Every night I’ve performed on this stage, I’ve been heartbroken and purging myself, torturing myself over the man I couldn’t stop loving. But now he’s back.
    I shouldn’t be here. But I’m too lost in fear to walk away. My absurd interaction with Bruno has me in a tailspin, and I can’t push away my thoughts. Grayson. Bruno. I’m frozen—I cannot move or see. I can’t do this job and can’t make my body start to dance.
    Murmurs from the crowd burn my ears. Laughter too. The announcer drops a joke—I can’t even understand the words. I’m frozen, and my mind runs faster than my thoughts of escape. Consumed by an overwhelming wave of emotion, my mouth dry, I can do nothing but think that I’ve got to get out of here. The announcer’s laughing too, saying I’m a Ginger Raine impostor and calling for the real one.
    I know the music. Only seconds have passed by, but it feels like hours since I walked on stage. I fold my arms and hold my sides, and my gaze falls to the VIP faces looking up from center stage.
    Grayson Ford stares back at me.
     
    Grayson
     
    One second I’m confused and glaring at the stage in disbelief. The next, I’m growling and gripping the wooden railing as I stand, ready to explode.
    “Emma?” The word bellows out from my