Second chances Book 5/6

Chapter 3

Kris takes advantage of being in Barcelona to play tourist for a few hours before returning to the hotel, satisfied, lying on the bed next to Kate.

"Thank you, Kate.

— Did you enjoy your visit?

— Thanks again, Kate. I liked London, Paris. I love Barcelona. Thank you.

— Stay with me, this is just the beginning.

— I will never leave you, Kate.

— That's what I wanted to hear at your interview. Are you ready to work a little?"

Sitting at the table, she looks at Kate's plan for Nimes. So far she's having fun, her real gig will be at the bullring. Kris is becoming aware of the Kate Valentine machine while watching the program.

"Why didn't you tell me before? I didn't know it would be something huge like that, I thought it would be intimate, like the others."

Kate bursts out laughing, wiping her eyes.

"The arenas of Nîmes! Have you ever heard of it? You thought that was the name of a theater?

— Um yes.

— Oh no, my dear, it's going to be huge. Outdoor concert. I have singers and musicians arriving tomorrow. The stage will be set up tomorrow too. As soon as the show is over tomorrow night, we're off to France. We will rehearse with everyone. You don't know all my repertoire, I'm going to keep almost all the songs from the last three concerts, but without the little extras. It will be pure Kate Valentine. I attack by heating up the crowd with Up and High and Going faster. Then my ballads and I alternate my hits. I modified certain songs to extend them just in music. My costume designer prepared me a nice thing for the moment when I will alternate for the first time between a soft piece on the piano and a more rock piece on the guitar. My long dress will disappear to leave me in jeans and a classic T-shirt. Take away my doubt, have you already watched my concerts?"

Kris doesn't answer, tapping on her phone, turning it to the side.

"Kris? Have you ever seen me on stage?

— Sure, you were fantastic at... Daytona," she smiled, pausing the video.

"Actually, you didn't know who I was until you responded to my job offer!" asks Kate, looking at Kris with narrowed eyes, wondering if she's actually ever seen her on stage or even just watched one of her clips.

"Don't exaggerate, I listen to you... when you're on the radio. But it's true that I don't listen to the radio much and I don't watch television.

— You're fired!" Kate grumbles.

"Say it you love me," laughs Kris.

"I like you," smiled Kate.

"What am I doing? I'll look like a dumb if I don't know what you're doing in Nîmes!

— What you've been doing since day one, you'll be my shadow. You operate on instinct. You will know what to do and when to do it."

It's a strange feeling to leave your hotel room when you normally go to bed. Kris follows, after all it's the job she chose, although she didn't expect to wander from country to country like that from the start. Getting into the minivan, Kris went to join Kate on the reclining back seat. It wasn't a long drive, five hours on the road, but the fatigue was starting to build up. Using her jacket as a blanket, she wasted no time in closing her eyes, lulled by the confined sound of the passenger compartment and the rolling. When she opened her eyes, Kate was sleeping with her head against her shoulder, it was still dark so she closed her eyes smiling.