Crescendo

Chapter 2

When the curtains closed for the final time, Miranda placed a note into my manicured hand. The address scrawled over the miniature stationery took us an hour out of the city. The barrage of neon lights had transformed into a sea of trees.

I made out the figures I could in the dark while Tessa opened a bottle of sparkling cider. I hadn't lived so far out of city lines since-

The cork popped, and I jerked at the sudden noise.

Tess chuckled. "A little on edge?"

I released my hold on my chest. "A bit." When Miranda invited us to the party, I assumed we would visit the ever-famed Leight condo. But that wasn't the case, and now I was on high alert. After a mesmerizing performance, we were attending an after-party at the musician's own house.

Excitement tingled at the base of my spine and climbed further into my throat with each passing moment.

"Drink this." Tessa handed me a half-full champagne glass. "It'll help calm you down."

I accepted her offer, knowing that if I didn't calm down, we'd both be miserable. The cider was a welcomed remedy.

My anxiety attacks weren't as common as they used to be, but when one sneaks up on me-

Don't think about that right now.

I sipped lightly as we made our way through the darkness. When the car rounded the last curve, a house came into view. It glittered beneath the night sky, wrapped in dozens of string lights.

Tessa swore. From the outside, the house appeared humble, yet modern. Instead of the ten-floored mansion typical of a star, a quaint home with stunning Christmas lights waited in front of us. My jaw loosened.

Is he not as pretentious as the media makes him out to be?

I had kept up with the rumors. Daniel Kane is a flirt, a cheat, and a pompous asshole. From the age of twelve, when he debuted, I started reading Teen Weekly magazines. His face was shamelessly plastered onto all of them, and each one detailed his latest sin.

But this? I had trouble piecing together the truth.

The flashing lights danced to the sound of the Moonlight Sonata, playing out of a hidden speaker on the lawn. Mechanical white deer fed off the grass while snowflakes fell from the ceiling.

"Do you think he likes Christmas?" I asked, unable to pry my eyes away from the spectacle. Instead of teasing me, Tessa shook her head and waved me out of the car as soon as the driver parked.

I gathered my belongings and stepped out into the night. The cool winter air enveloped me; I pulled my coat tight and headed toward the front door.

Tessa and I marveled at the Christmas wonderland our host, Daniel Kane, surrounded his house with.

My heels clicked on the entry stairs. A frosted wreath hung on the door and sparkled in the limited light. Before I could knock, a burly man ushered us inside.

We thanked him.

"No need to be out in the cold any longer than you have to." His rosy cheeks and kind eyes soothed my nerves. "May I take your coats?"

"Oh," I hesitated to give up my outermost layer of protection.

Tessa gave me one of her famous looks, then answered for us both, "Yes, please." She handed over her beige jacket and prompted me to do the same.

I sighed and followed her lead.

"Thank you," I slipped the suede coat off my shoulders, "I appreciate it."