CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: “CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU”
-‘I need to keep you close to me, so I can keep you safe,’ I whisper in her ear as we are wrapped up in each other’s arms on the sofa in my room. –‘Don’t you trust me?’ I let out a little laugh. –‘It’s more like I don’t trust anyone around you… You know what, I’ve got an idea. You should come with me to our meeting later today, and bring your people.’ –‘My people?’ –‘Yes,’ I reply, laughing at her confused face, ‘Your people.’
-‘And may I just ask you, Miss, why you brought Miss Jessie J and her manager?’ asks Mr Dylan. –‘It’s because, I have a brilliant idea. We found us a support act for our Europe Tour.’ –‘You mean you want Jessie J to tour with you?’ he asks, frowning. –‘Yes. I would love to have her on tour with me. It will be good for all of us. Jessie J will get bigger here, she could come to America with us next year, too. And of course it will be all over the papers that we’re supposed to be dating. So, more publicity, for everyone. I think it’s a great idea.’ Mark, Jessie’s manager, nods, and eventually a smile appears on Mr Dylan’s face. –‘Here are the tour dates, will you be able to make it?’ Mark looks at the dates, and quickly talks about some things with Jessie. –‘This is a big chance. I think we should do it.’ They mumble some more things and eventually Mark stands up, and sticks his hand out for Mr Dylan. –‘We’re doing this. It was nice meeting you all, and Emeli, Jake, is it okay if you come with us? We need to talk some things through about performances.’
-‘So I was thinking, it would be great if Jessie and Emeli could sing a song together. A love song would be perfect.’ –‘Yeah, you’re right, that would be great,’ Jake replies, smiling politely at him. –‘What about Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You by Frankie Valli?’ –‘Yes, I love that song!’ exclaims Jessie immediately. –‘Ah, great. We could call some dancer and make a whole performance of it!’ suggest Mark enthusiastically. –‘Yes, and we could pair them up together to dance, this is going to be brilliant!’ says Jake, high-fiving Mark. How old are they!? –‘So, we’re singing Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You together, cool,’ I say to Jessie, who gives me a small smile. –‘Jake, is it okay if I bring my dog? I wouldn’t like the thought of him spending two months with my mum, she spoils him too much.’ –‘I’ll ask Rick about that. Any further questions?’ Jake asks. –‘What time are we meeting tomorrow to practise?’ –‘Let’s say half past six, here?’ –‘Sounds alright, see you tomorrow. Are you coming J?’ I ask as she doesn’t move. She shakes her head. –‘Yeah, yeah, sorry, I’m coming.’
Next morning, we arrive at the studio. –‘First, we’d like you to practise the song, we’ll start later with the dancing. Here are the lyrics. Miss Jessie, I’d like to suggest you take over the second part. Oh, and by the way, we fixed everything with the label yesterday evening, and it’s okay for us to cover it. Where was I? Oh yeah, Emeli, you’ll take the first part, chorus together,’ Jake explains. –‘Alright, it’s all clear, shall we just…’ –‘Let’s listen to the song first a few times, so you know how it goes.’ Jessie giggles. –‘I know how it goes, it was my favourite song, it still is one of my faves,’ she says smiling cutely. The kind of smile that makes you stare at her and smile too, just because the smile is so smile-y. And I’m not making sense again.
After listening to it more times then necessary, we walk through it all one last time. –‘Alright, Phil, hit it boy!’ says Mark, smiling friendly at Jim, who was holding his guitar, ready to roll. –‘Jim, you know when to start right?’ He nods and, here we go.
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off of you
You'd be like heaven to touch
