Sing With Me

FROM THE AUTHOR

"The ideas that eventually turned into Sing with Me came to me during a visit to New Mexico. I fell in love with the region, aptly nicknamed The State of Enchantment. My wife and I took a road trip from Palm Springs to Taos, and the pop divas we listened to along the way inspired my new characters. Further inspiration came from soaking in hot tubs under the stars, watching live music in the local bars, and eating delicious meals spiced with green chiles. We visited art galleries and hiked trails backdropped by stunning mountain ranges. The romantic setting galvanized me to begin Sing with Me as soon as I returned home."

—Bette Hawkins

Chapter One

Ashley Archer stood on the red carpet, trying not to think about how many cameras were pointed at her. She’d attended countless awards shows but could never grow used to it—especially the merry-go-round of appointments with stylists and beauty therapists. Her eyebrows had been tinted and plucked, her nails painted, and her platinum hair color freshened. She’d accessorized her sequined black gown with long white gloves because being styled like a 1950s movie star gave her borrowed confidence. It was overwhelming anyway, with photographers yelling at her and onlookers screaming. She patted the borrowed diamond necklace, afraid to lose it.

A TV host with dazzlingly white teeth stuck a microphone in her face. She recognized him from one of the morning shows. “Ashley, tell us who you’re wearing?”

“Valentino,” she replied, dutifully giving a spin with her hand on her hip.

None of this came naturally, but she was doing her best. A Vanguard Music nomination was a big deal. As the cliché said, she was grateful just to be nominated. Still, she’d prefer to be in a warm bath with a good book. She loved making music, but the rest was a circus she could do without.

“Do you think you’ll be taking home a statue tonight?”

“There were a lot of excellent records this year. I’m honored to be among the nominees.”

“What’s it like to be up against Gigi Lark?”

Ashley stiffened at the sound of Gigi’s name, even though she’d expected it. It was their first time competing against one another in a major awards category, so it was all anyone was talking about. She hoped her smile looked genuine. “She’s a very talented artist. I wish her all the best.”

The TV host nodded impatiently, clearly hoping for some dirt. “What did you think of her album? Everyone’s saying she’s the one to beat.”

“I’ve been so busy that I haven’t heard it all the way through yet, but I hear it’s wonderful. Thank you so much,” she lied, grateful when her publicist, Julia, finally pulled her away. She’d listened to the album and loved it, but she would never give Gigi the satisfaction of saying so.

“You’re doing great. Just keep deflecting like we practiced,” Julia said quietly, poised and elegant in her pantsuit.

Ashley kept the smile on her face and leaned closer to Julia’s ear. “Can we please go inside now? Every question’s going to be about her. I’m already over it.”

“Just do a couple more. You want to project the image that it doesn’t bother you, right?”

“Ha. You’re so good at getting me to do what you want. Do you think I’ll finally meet her tonight?”

“I hope so. I’d love to see that moment.”

It was bizarre that even though they were on the same record label, Gigi and Ashley had never spoken to one another. Their conflict had played out through the press and social media, Internet drama at its finest. When they were both nominated for a Vanguard, Ashley assumed they’d finally come face-to-face. Instead, the category’s big photoshoot was canceled, and Gigi had missed the nominee luncheon due to food poisoning. Supposedly.

Ashley went down the production line of reporters, feeling like a phony. She was grateful when she came to the section where fans hung over a barrier. She signed as many autographs as possible and posed for selfies. As she reached the end of the line, a fresh wave of screaming rose from the crowd.

Someone big had arrived.

“Gigi!” a group of teenage girls shouted.

Gigi Lark stepped out of her limo, and Ashley caught a glimpse of red hair and a shapely leg. She craned her neck to check out what she was wearing and saw Gigi’s emerald dress glittering under the lights. Ashley bet she didn’t have the same trouble choosing an outfit—she was always so glamorous. She was made for the pageantry in a way Ashley wasn’t.

“C’mon, Ashley. Let’s get you to your table,” Julia said, whisking her away.

Each table in the opulent ballroom was set with place cards, bottles of Moët, and fresh flowers. She hadn’t brought a date. Luckily, she’d been seated with Endless River, an Americana band performing tonight. She’d met them before, and they were nice guys. One of them had brought along his wife, Natasha, who made her husband switch seats so they could sit next to one another.

“I was so excited when I realized you’d be on our table. We saw you play at the Bowl last year. You were incredible,” Natasha said.

“Thanks, that’s very kind.”

They’d been chatting for a few minutes when she noticed Natasha looking over her shoulder. She turned her head, and her heart lurched—Gigi was only a couple of tables away with her wife by her side. Even with their backs to her, she had to admit they made a stunning couple. Gigi had pale skin, green eyes, and a curvy figure. Hayley was petite with long, wavy black hair. They sat with their heads bent together like there was nobody else in the room. Ashley felt a strange envy at how close they seemed, though she was perfectly happy being single.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to bring it up, but it must be weird for you that Gigi’s here on your big night. That you’re competing for the same award,” Natasha said.

“Sure. A little. The whole thing’s really been blown out of proportion.”

When had this thing even started? Clickbait articles laid out timelines, but Ashley tried to avoid those. They’d released their first records and grown famous in the same year, and the rivalry started soon afterward. She knew what the whisper campaigns said no matter how often she downplayed it. Everyone thought each was insanely jealous of the other. It annoyed her that they’d been pitted against one another from day one, as if the culture didn’t have room for two successful female artists.

It was a shame that Gigi had fanned the flames, even writing a thinly veiled diss track about her. Who could blame Ashley for hitting back now and then?

The award show’s host was Tom O’Leary, a stand-up comedian who’d just clinched his own late-night show. He was relentless about her and Gigi, cracking cat-fight jokes with lame meow noises. Knowing the camera would be on her the whole time, Ashley laughed and played it cool, doing her best to be a good sport. She was dying to look at the monitors to see how Gigi was handling it, but she’d have to wait until the GIFs started circulating.

The show finally moved on to awarding Best New Artist, and she headed to the restroom to collect herself, feeling eyes on her all the way. She sighed, wishing the focus could be on celebrating the music. She wasn’t expecting to win but was proud of the album she’d poured so much into.

Ashley touched up her lipstick, drawing out the time until she had to return to the table. She heard flushing behind her and froze as Gigi Lark’s wife approached the sink beside her. Ashley didn’t look away from her reflection, blotting with a tissue.

Hayley washed her hands, their eyes finally meeting in the mirror. “That’s a great shade on you.”

Ashley slowly put her lipstick in her clutch, unsure how to play it. Was there a chance Gigi’s wife didn’t realize who she was? That was impossible. “Thank you.”

“I feel duty-bound to say you shouldn’t blot with tissue. You’ve never had a makeup artist tell you that?” she asked, her voice sweet and bubbly.

Ashley threw the tissue in the trash, smiling despite herself. Hayley was kind of charming. “Maybe they think I’m a lost cause when it comes to this stuff.”

“Then lucky I’m here. Tissue will take out some of the color and leave little bits behind. Paper’s better,” she said, swiping a thumb over Ashley’s mouth.

Ashley took a step back, trying not to make a big deal out of it. That was odd, but maybe she was one of those people who had no concept of personal space. “Thanks. I’ll remember that.”

“Here,” Hayley said, opening her purse and taking out a paper square. “Redo your lipstick, then use this. You’ll see the difference, I promise. You have beautiful lips. You want them to look perfect.”

Was Gigi Lark’s wife actually flirting with her? Jesus. She had to say something. “You’re Hayley Doran, right? I’m Ashley Archer. I’m not sure if you recognize me.”

Hayley stared at her in a way that made it clear she’d known the whole time. “Nice to meet you.”

“You’re Gigi Lark’s wife, aren’t you?”

“Georgia. I can’t be caught calling her by her stage name. She’s really precious about that.”

“Right. Anyway, I should be getting back out there.”

“Stay a while. Let’s talk,” Hayley said, brushing fingers along her arm. “I’ve always wanted to meet you. I love your music.”

“That’s sweet, but I really should go,” she said, quickly walking past her, her face hot. As if this night wasn’t awkward enough.

Endless River was about to perform, and she was grateful for the distraction. When it was finally time for her category, she’d almost forgotten the bizarre interaction. They’d chosen a pair of young actors starring in an upcoming romantic comedy to present the award. While they bantered onstage, Ashley kept her expression neutral.

As they read each artist’s name and played music video clips, she clapped and smiled, trying not to turn her head again. Gigi was a magnet—the green dress and red hair pulling her in. She couldn’t surrender.

And the winner is… So, this was what it felt like for your soul to leave your body. Did she accidentally move when they called Gigi’s name?

She clapped harder. It was cruel to film a person while they were losing. It was especially awful to film her as she lost to the woman she’d been publicly feuding with for seven years.

Gigi went up on the stage, her hourglass figure looking heavenly in her gown. She delivered a heartfelt speech without a glance at the piece of paper in her hand. She thanked her wife first and didn’t stumble over Ashley’s name when she thanked her fellow nominees. She could afford to be generous. She’d just won a Vanguard.

If their rivalry was a game, Ashley had just lost in front of the whole world.

Cheryl W.
My two favorite parts to this book, that elevated it to be a wonderful read were, the writing style, which made the characters and dialog shine. And the humor was excellent. The interactions were terrific and gave me warm fuzzies throughout the book. My second favorite part was when Ashley and Georgia composed their music together and even though we couldn’t hear it in the book, It was so real, I felt it!

This was my first read from Bette Hawkins and I can’t wait to read more of her back catalog. This is in the top five books that I've read so far this year.

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Fiona S. - What can I say other than I LOVED IT!