Belong to You(15)

Why couldn't the asshole just fire me and get it over with instead of  dragging it out? I plastered on my best fake smile and spoke. "Oh, I  love it here. The clientele is very posh and I enjoy performing in the  Overture Club." I didn't really think the clientele was posh; in fact, I  hated the freaking word posh. But I knew it would be what the arrogant  asshole wanted to hear, so I had to try to salvage my job.

"Good, good. I'm glad to hear it. Well, you must be doing something  right. Mr. Heston has informed me that he will be coming to your show  tonight. He mentioned that he has heard many good things about you and  wanted to see for himself." Lyle stood, leaning against the desk with  his ankles crossed and arms folded across his chest, posturing himself  as a parent would when they were giving a child a reward for good  behavior. I wouldn't have been surprised if the asshole patted me on the  head. "So, Sydney, I don't have to tell you how important tonight's  show is. Mr. Heston is a busy man and this hotel is a reflection on him,  so everything needs to be perfect tonight." Ummm, not too much  pressure.

Lyle walked back around the desk and motioned his arm that he was  finished. I was a minion who was being dismissed. "I'll be at your  performance tonight also. Break a leg Sydney."

Great, I thought, now I have to change up my performance for the old  rich guy. What does one sing to a wealthy old man? I suddenly had  pictures of myself dressing up in the infamous white Marilyn Monroe  dress and softly singing Happy Birthday Mr. President to a seventy five  year old crotchety hotel mogul sitting with a twenty year old ditzy  buxom blonde clinging to his arm.

As if she was reading my mind, my phone buzzed with a text from Sienna.  Hey rock chick, plans for tonight? Let's go to that Piano Bar on 55th  when you get off for a few? I'm having Syd withdrawals. U up for it? XO  Si

Her texts always brightened my day. When I was with Michael, he would  get annoyed at how often we would text back in forth, but it never  stopped us. Sounds good. BTW what do I perform for an old rich hotel  mogul that is coming to see my show tonight?

Two seconds later. Oral sex, man's favorite performance at any age.

I walked right into that one. While that's tempting, I was thinking more  along the lines of a singing performance than a humming one. LOL.

He's old huh? Since you've been gone … Aretha baby. Your voice kicks that song's ass! XOXO Meet you at midnight?

Perfect, thanks! TTYL Xo Syd

I went about my routine and did a few practice songs when the band  arrived. They were impressed with my rendition of Since You've Been  Gone, so I was glad that Sienna has suggested it. I wasn't really  nervous about singing in front of Mr. Heston, I had sang in front of  large crowds and I didn't often get stage fright. But the reality was  that I was broke, and his opinion mattered because I needed my job. I  was an idiot about my finances when I left Michael. I left him  everything, even our joint savings account. At the time, it was a pride  thing; I didn't want to admit that I needed anything from him or us, so I  left with just my clothes. Now I was starting to think that taking half  the savings and some of the furniture would have been the smarter thing  to do. But it was too late now, and I was determined to make it on my  own one way or another.



The crowd started to roll in slowly during my first set. I wasn't sure  what Mr. Heston looked like, but I didn't see anyone that could be him. I  knew Lyle would be making a big fuss over him and the staff was all on  high alert to attend to his every need.

Two songs into my second set, I spotted Lyle sitting at a table set in  the front, a little bit off to the side. He must have had come in on my  break, because I hadn't notice him earlier. He was sitting with a man  older than him, but not quiet the definition of a crotchety old hotel  mogul that was in my head. The man was probably in his fifties, with  salt and pepper hair and masculine strong features. He was distinguished  and handsome and his face was vaguely familiar, although I couldn't  place where I knew him from. I thought perhaps that the two men were  still waiting for Mr. Heston and the other gentleman was also an  employee of Heston Hotels.         

     



 

A few songs later I was near the end of my set and there was still no  sign of Mr. Heston. I belted out the Aretha song that I had added for  the old man and said goodnight to the crowd. On the weekends, the band  had to stay to play for another hour, but after my singing ended, they  took the volume down and stuck to background music.

Lyle called from his table, as I was leaving the stage. The man truly  had no manners, how difficult would it have been to walk a few steps  over to me and ask me over to his table. Pushing my thoughts of the  pompous ass aside, I put on my best fake smile and walked to his table.  The gentleman that he was seated with stood as I approached, forcing  Lyle to follow suit, which I secretly enjoyed. Lyle would never have  thought to stand when a woman approached on his own.

"Sydney, this is Mr. Heston." I looked to the gentleman and tried to  hide my surprise. Damn, the old guy was even better up close. He had  light green eyes that stood out against his tan skin, which I hadn't  noticed earlier because of the light glare on stage.

"Hello, nice to meet you Mr. Heston." We shook hands and Lyle invited me to sit with them.

"What can I get you to drink Sydney?" Mr. Heston ignored Lyle's empty glass in front of him when the waitress approached.

"Just a water, please. My throat needs to cool down after I perform and  adding alcohol has the opposite effect." I felt the need to give an  explanation so I wouldn't insult the man who stood between me and paying  my rent next month.

He nodded and gave his order for scotch to the waitress. Lyle began  talking about the upcoming annual Heston shareholder meeting and how  honored I should be that Mr. Heston had taken time out of his busy  schedule to come see me sing. I nodded and smiled and did my best to  look interested as he spoke. But I found the way that Mr. Heston was  looking at me to be distracting. It wasn't lewd or improper; rather I  got the feeling he was looking for something in me, watching me,  observing.

At some point, Mr. Heston got bored of Lyle talking too and I was  grateful when he interrupted him mid sentence. "I really enjoyed your  show Sydney, how would you like to perform at our annual shareholder  meeting next week? We were supposed to have some famous boy band, but I  hate that crap and I find you to be captivating when you sing. I know  it's short notice, but if you are free next weekend, I'll messenger over  a contract tomorrow and let my assistant know about the change."

"Wow, that sounds great. I have a few things lined up for next weekend,  but I'm sure I can rearrange them." Damn it, I'd have to rearrange that  bubble bath I was planning on taking next weekend. No one wants an  artist that isn't in demand.

He smiled at me and threw back his drink. He stood, giving me a glimpse  of the rest of him, and I couldn't help but notice the whole package was  pretty damn good. Tall, fit and broad shouldered. He wore low hanging  navy blue trousers and a French blue tailored dress shirt that looked as  if he had recently opened the collar and removed the tie. If only I was  a few years older.

"It was very nice to meet you Sydney. He leaned in close as he shook my  hand and lowered his voice. "And I'm a big Aretha fan, so let's keep  that one for next week, shall we?" He winked and released my hand. I  watched as he left, and the view was as good going as it was coming.



Sienna was sitting at the piano playing and singing when I walked in to  the bar we agreed to meet at. A crowd sat around her at the piano, some  of them probably thought that she worked there. I had no idea what she  had done with the pianist, but it was typical Sienna. "Do I need to look  for the pianist tied and gagged somewhere?" I raised one eyebrow in  question.

Her painted red lips and glossy white teeth smiled up at me in sharp  contrast to her pale skin. "Get your skinny ass over here and join me  babe." Sienna scooted her butt over to make room for me at the piano  bench. It didn't take long before we had the entire bar singing "I Will  Survive" along with us. My mom had always said that Sienna and I were  contagious. We were always able to get lost in the moment and have fun  when we were together, and somehow, others always joined in.

Sienna stood up after we ended the song and took a dramatic bow, her  unruly curls flopping all over as she flipped her head up and down.  "Cover for me for a while Lenny." She turned and spoke to the regular  piano player as if she was the employee and he was helping her out. I  was also pretty sure his name wasn't even Lenny.

We laughed our way up to the bar and ordered our usual tequila shots. I  told her about Mr. Heston coming to see me sing and his offer for me to  sing at their shareholder meeting instead of the previously booked boy  band. She was excited and told me about a potential gig that she was  working on for us to sing together at the wedding of one of the NY  Yankees.