HONESTLY

Chemistry

After a couple weeks went by, I felt even more confident about putting my best foot forward with my very public relationship with Reed.  I couldn't make any strides with Nate until this situation was all finished so why not focus on the task at hand.

I still checked my phone constantly, never missing a call or text, making sure Nate hadn't tried to get in touch with me. Lily was delighted she could get a hold of me at a moment's notice. Her time had become more valuable after Reed was officially a new client.

Our next appearance as a couple was by far the biggest one yet. Reed and I were honored when we were asked to perform at the country music awards. The show was always a hit. The producers were famous for placing different musicians together to create unique, one-time performances that fans would gossip about for days after.

I first heard from Lily, then Walt, and then from Reed, what the production team was asking Reed and I to do. Someone decided it would be a genius idea for Reed to join me on stage for the last part of, "Honestly." They thought his presence alongside me would be some kind of ratings gold.

Walt agreed immediately. He believed his two, powerhouse musicians singing in primetime together would be a publicity win for everyone.

I expressed to Walt, "Under no circumstances would I sing my song to someone else on stage."

"You're not singing to him, you're singing with him," Walt said in a dismissive tone.

I bitched and moaned to Lily, explaining the optics would be horrible for Nate to see, like rubbing salt in his wounds.

Lily reminded me that "Ricky's" couple status was on track to end in just over a week. Reed and I had become that happy, boring couple.  We made sure we did not have any missteps along the way. We didn't overshare, we were not overly affectionate, and we seemed to have our crap together. The tabloids couldn't find any mistakes to pounce on.

Our scandal had turned into a normal relationship, and people moved on to more juicy and salacious gossip. Lily assured me the press release, about Reed and I confessing our difficult decision to just be friends, would be buried under other news. We would quietly walk out of the spotlight and be back to living our lives the way we wanted.

Our performance on the show would be the most important part of the puzzle. Walt informed us we had to play our cards right. We had to appear like individuals, separate artists who admired one another more so for their talent than anything else.

Walt's rules were clear, we would be separated on stage with a good distance between us while we performed. At the end of the song, we would simply come together, hold hands just briefly enough to take a bow, and then walk off the stage.

Like I did with every encounter with Reed, I texted Nate and explained everything that was going to happen before it happened. Even if he didn't want to give me the courtesy of responding back, I wanted him to know I didn't want this to be the end of us.

As I waited backstage with Reed, my palms were sweaty like usual. Lily checked my hair and makeup, and made sure my black, lace, slip dress was perfectly placed as to not show too much. She also examined Reed's hair and made sure not a strand was out of place as his long locks were tied back in a tight ponytail. He wore a simple, form-fitting, black suit with a white, button-down shirt underneath without a tie.

The two of us looked more like a couple about to hit the town for a fancy dinner at some swanky restaurant than a couple about to perform on country music's largest stage.

Finally, the producers told me I was next up. Lily gave me a soft tap on my butt, her usual ritual to wish me good luck. Reed noticed the exchange and smiled at Lily, amused at the way she expressed her encouragement. He asked her if he would be receiving the same treatment as her newest client. She quickly blushed at the thought, then came back to real life, reminding him how awkward that would be if someone secretly snapped those pictures.