Chapter Six

  Armin’s chest was going to explode. Every fiber of his being hated the fact that he was on his way to an event hosted by the object of his affection’s object of affection. He’d hate, hate, hated Jason Valentine even before that night, but as he sat in Luna’s car on the way to the Sarasota Sun Dome, his hatred morphed into what could only be described as a deep and intense loathing.

  It didn’t help matters that Luna looked even prettier than usual that night. Her hair was swept up in a messy bun and her bangs annoyingly brushed into her eyes every time she blinked. Even though he had teased her about her vintage dress, in truth the black velvet number she had created was adorable. She was adorable. It was hard for Armin to be seated in her tiny Toyota, finally warm against the outside world in a little bubble that smelled like her favorite coffee and her laundry detergent and her hair. He was positively steeped in her very essence for the entire semi-torturous thirty-minute drive as they both half-heartedly listened to NPR.

  Armin was still on edge as they pulled into the Sun Dome parking lot. The venue was already packed with parked cars and they had to run from their parking spot way in the back. Jason Valentine clearly had quite a following, as evidenced by the line leading to the auditorium entrance, and Armin suspected he was one of the only people there who wasn’t excited to see the enigmatic local celebrity. The poster over the front door with Jason’s stupid, smarmy grin almost seemed to mock him as they reached the will-call station.

  “Hi,” Luna breathed heavily as she approached the ticket booth. “Mr. Valentine put my friend and me on a list? He said we should be able to get in for free?”

  The unimpressed-looking teen behind the counter turned to her computer and clacked away at the keyboard. She looked up at them from heavily lined eyes.

  “Name?”

  “Luna. Luna Lloyd.”

  The will-call attendant scrolled through the screen. Her neon-green-painted nails drummed on the counter as she let out a bored sigh.

  “There’s no Luna Lloyd on the list.”

  Armin wanted to let out a loud “Ha!” of triumph. Of course she wasn’t on the list. Men like Jason Valentine weren’t to be trusted. But even though he had suspected this would happen all along, the look of disappointment on Luna’s face quickly turned off any kind of glee he felt. He kept his mouth sealed and tried not to look smug as Luna pleaded with the indifferent attendant.

  “Are you sure? I called the number he told me to call,” she said, her voice like a small deflated balloon. “I gave them my name.”

  “Nope, nobody named Luna or Lloyd or anything close to it.”

  “Well, what can we do?” she pleaded. “The show is starting in like fifteen minutes, right?”

  The attendant snapped her gum and clacked on the keyboard again.

  “We have a few tickets left in the front-row VIP section. They’re two hundred and fifty dollars.”

  “Two hundred and fifty dollars!”

  Armin clenched his jaw and stared in disbelief as Luna reached for her purse. His eyes popped open wide as she reluctantly produced her credit card from her wallet.

  “Luna, we can just go home,” he finally blurted out. “It’s stupid to spend that kind of money on… on a TED talk!”

  “We’re already here… it’s fine,” she said, handing over the card.

  Armin continued to fume in silence as the attendant rang them up and handed over their VIP tickets. It wasn’t in his nature to tell her or anyone else what to do, but in this case, it took all of his remaining self-control to keep quiet. Jason Valentine was clearly a lesson Luna was going to have to learn the hard way. Armin just hated that he was allowing himself to go along for the ride and watch it all play out.

  “Well, we’re still getting in to see the show at least,” she said, shrugging her shoulders hopefully.

  At least.

  Armin continued to bite his tongue as they fell in line and filed into the crowded theater. Booths for VitaWellness, NatureCalm, and Crystal’s Crystals flanked the entryway, as well as a booth selling books, branded yoga mats, and T-shirts from the show host himself. The cacophony of excited Jason Valentine followers filled the air as Luna and Armin were funneled to the VIP section where, to his utter amazement, the usher showed them to their seats located just left of front and center.

  “Oh no,” Armin said, slumping into his seat.

  “Don’t you see? This is fate! I can’t believe we’re front row!”

  Armin tried not to glare as Luna bounced in her seat, the physical signs of her earlier disappointment now all but gone.

  “I bet Jason will refund our tickets when he finds out what happens,” she said, setting her phone to silent. “This is going to be so good. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Armin huffed under his breath.

  As the house lights lowered, a loud drumroll filled the theater and a hush fell over the crowd. The musical intro he’d heard on the video Luna had shown him filled the air and the red velvet curtains rose on the stage to reveal a multi-screen backdrop with looping videos of the planets, stars, and nebulas.

  “It’s starting!” Luna whispered, squeezing his arm in the dark.

  Armin closed his eyes as the music phased out, overwhelmed by more emotions than he could name. He tried to focus on the warmth of Luna’s hand and the weight of her touch in an attempt to push away the unsettled sensation in his chest. Just then the voice of the show host cut through the silence, snapping Armin from thoughts.

  “What does your spirit guide look like?”

  Jason Valentine’s disembodied voice reverberated through the Sarasota Sun Dome followed by the roar of a big cat. The Manifest Vision host himself strode onstage, dressed in his usual expensive-looking suit and tie with his dark hair gelled back and his face freshly shaven. He waved to the crowd and walked with purpose, holding a leash in his hand as he was escorted to the center of the stage by a two-hundred-pound female Bengal tiger.

  The crowd gasped and then exploded into peals of applause as Jason took a bow. Armin cringed as he took in the entire scene, aghast at Luna’s fully enraptured face.

  How could she really like this guy?

  “What if I told you there was a tiger hidden deep inside of each and every one of you? A beast just waiting to be unleashed?”

  Jason Valentine pointed into the crowd, beginning his presentation. A blond woman dressed in black jogged onto the stage and retrieved the tiger, who looked just as out of place as Armin felt.

  “Thank you, Emily. That was Shoshanna, a three-year-old Bengal beauty. She’s one of my many muses on the path to manifesting my destiny. Ten percent of the proceeds from tonight’s show will go toward Shoshanna’s care at the Sarasota Big Cat Rescue. Let’s give Emily and Shoshanna another round of applause, everyone!”

  A resounding “Awww” filled the crowd, followed by another wave of applause. Luna elbowed Armin and gave him a smug look in the dark.

  “See! Ugh, he’s such a good guy,” she whispered.

  Armin felt queasy as Jason jumped into his presentation, taking everyone in the audience through the sands of time. A half hour passed as he preached about the powers of meditation and self-belief. He touted the importance of self-care, and listed the many ways that you could use astral projection and manifestation to bring money, love, and happiness into your life. When he started speaking about his own phony personal journey, Armin’s blood began to boil again. He shut his mind off and let his thoughts drift, until something the host said caught his attention.

  “And now, I’d like to bring someone up from the audience to demonstrate my favorite everyday self-guided meditation practice.”

  Jason looked out into the crowd as a spotlight searched over the hundreds of hopeful faces. Chanting shouts of “Me! Me! Pick me!” resounded through the Sun Dome as the spotlight dramatically cast around the audience. Armin’s mouth fell open wide as the spotlight finally stopped, landing squarely on Luna.

  “You there, miss. Would you please come up and join me?”

  Luna beamed at Armin, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. In that moment she was more radiant than he had ever seen her before. Seeing her wide smile and shining eyes fixed on the phony host onstage broke his heart. Armin knew that he could never make her beam like that. It’s over, he thought. I’ve lost her to Jason Valentine for good.

  “Oh my gosh, can you hold my purse and my jacket?” she squealed to him as an usher appeared at her side. Luna handed her things off to Armin without waiting for an answer, and followed the usher through the dark toward the stage.

  Armin sat speechless as he watched the girl of his dreams get whisked off to be put up on a pedestal. If he had ever had a chance with Luna, it was all gone now thanks to Jason Valentine and his slick presentation. He watched in horror as the one person he thought of all day every day, the one person who meant more to him than anyone in the world, took her place onstage next to the biggest faker he had ever seen.

  Chapter Seven

  Luna’s heart jackhammered in her ears as she was led toward the Sun Dome stage to the very man she had been dreaming of for weeks. Jason Valentine was larger than life, and he had chosen her to come onstage with him during one of the most important segments of his show. Her legs went completely numb as she floated into the spotlight in front of hundreds of other people who loved him just as much as she did.

  As she approached the stage, Luna realized that Jason looked different up close. She was stunned to discover that his face was caked with a layer of makeup and his dress shoes had thick lifted soles. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and positioned her to face the crowd, his massive arm positively swallowing up her shoulders.

  “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Lucy. Now, Lucy, have you ever done a self-guided meditation before?”

  Luna blinked and tried to find her voice.

  Lucy? Who was Lucy?

  “Luna,” she finally whispered. “My name is Luna.”

  “Luna! Of course, how could I forget!” He guffawed. “Here, please have a seat.”

  Before she could protest any further, Luna was led to a high-backed chair set smack in the middle of the stage. Jason stood behind her and placed his massive hands on her shoulders as she stared out into the crowd. Her head felt light and detached as she searched the front row desperate for a friendly face. Her pulse thudded in her ears as she finally spotted Armin and his horrified expression. Their eyes met and for a moment she wished she were back in the crowd sitting next to him instead of being put on display in front of a room full of strangers.

  “Now, Luna, I would like for you to close your eyes and envision a field,” Jason began, as the low, steady hum of Tibetan singing bowls surrounded her.

  Luna felt her tight, rigid shoulders relax as she followed his voice and instruction. The smooth, velvety vocals that she loved to hear every night before she went to bed hummed in her ears, and the reverberating sounds of the singing bowls bounced off her body. She could feel the weight of his words on the top of her head, flowing down her back and into her entire being as the world around her went black.

  ***

  Luna awoke with a gasp and shot up straight. She had been laid out on a white leather couch in a strange, dimly lit room with her coat draped across her chest. Muffled voices could be heard murmuring on the other side of the door, which was slightly ajar. One of the voices was Armin’s. She stood up on unsteady legs and opened the door to see Armin on his phone, a security guard to his right and Jason Valentine to his left.

  “Oh, it’s okay, she’s awake now. Hold on.”

  Armin reached out and — to her utter astonishment — pulled her into a hug. She couldn’t remember if Armin had ever touched her before, let alone ventured to hug her.

  “What happened?”

  “I’ve got the paramedics on the phone. You passed out onstage,” he said. “Here, can you talk to them?”

  Luna accepted Armin’s phone and reassured the operator on the line that she was fine. The last thing she needed was a huge ambulance bill, and she was feeling okay. Still, the idea of blacking out spooked her.

  “Are you really sure you’re okay? I can take you to the ER,” Armin offered as she handed him back his phone.

  Luna’s eyes darted to Jason and then the security guard. Jason was white as a sheet. The security guard looked bored.

  “No, I’m perfectly fine. I must have just gotten overwhelmed.”

  “Luna, I’m so very sorry,” Jason said, taking her hands in his. “I’ve never had anyone go that deep into their self-guided meditation.”

  “It’s… all right,” she said, looking down at their intertwined hands. “I don’t think it was anything you really did.”

  “Bright lights,” the guard says. “We see it from time to time. We usually got a medic on standby for occasions such as this, but she called out tonight.”

  “Oh,” Luna said.

  All Luna could focus on at that moment was the fact that Jason was still holding her hands. A thin layer of sweat dappled his upper lip and his forehead was creased with worry. The top button of his shirt was undone, and yet he still looked like a model in a commercial.

  “We stopped the rest of the performance right away,” he said, looking down at her with sincere, glassy eyes. “I assure you, we take this sort of thing seriously.”

  “Oh no!” Luna said. “I’m sorry I ruined your show.”

  “Think nothing of it,” Jason said, finally releasing his grip. He reached into his breast pocket and produced a small white business card. Luna examined the glossy front emblazoned with his face and the Manifest Vision logo.

  “Your friend here says that you had to pay for your tickets tonight, too. I intend to make that right.” Jason reached over and tapped the business card in her hand. “This is my personal cell phone number. If you’ll let me make it up to you, I’d like to refund you for your ticket, and perhaps a little more.”

  Luna looked down at the card and then back up at Jason. His million-dollar smile was back on display once again.

  What did he mean by perhaps a little more?

  “I think we should get you back home,” Armin cut in. “If you aren’t going to go see a doctor, you should at least lie down or something.”

  Luna nodded and slipped the business card in her coat pocket.

  “You’ll let me know how you’re feeling tomorrow?” Jason asked, putting his heavy hand on her shoulder again. Luna’s lightheaded sensation returned and her heartbeat fluttered in her chest. She managed to reply with a nod.

  “Get her home safe, pal,” Jason said, and pointed at Armin.

  “Sure will, boss,” Armin deadpanned.

  “Luna, you take care.”

  Jason squeezed her shoulder one last time and winked before turning on his heels and speeding down the hall. She watched dreamily as the security guard followed him, the squeaks of their shoes echoing through the dark, linoleum-floored hallway. Luna shook her head before turning her attention to a still half in shock, half annoyed Armin.

  “Wow,” she said, shrugging into her coat.

  “You said it,” Armin sighed. “Wow.”

  Armin handed Luna her forgotten purse as they ventured through the backstage maze, eventually finding a different security guard who showed them the way out through a side service door. They passed a horde of Manifest Vision fans as they walked around to the front of the Sarasota Sun Dome, each faithful follower eagerly waiting for their chance to take a selfie with Jason Valentine. Luna watched as he smiled and chatted with his fans, and thumbed the business card in her pocket.

  “So that was a dramatic night,” Luna said as they shuffled through the parking lot. “I don’t think I’ve ever passed out before.”

  “Well, I almost passed out myself,” Armin said, the smallest laugh escaping his throat. “This whole night was just one big joke.”

  “Hey, well, at least I’m getting a refund. And he gave me his personal number.”

  “He probably just wants to avoid any kind of litigation,” Armin scoffed. “You could have really gotten hurt.”

  Luna stopped in her tracks, then started walking faster.

  “You don’t think someone like him could be interested in someone like me, is that it?”

  “No!” Arrmin shot back. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know what you meant. You meant that he’s only being nice to me so I won’t sue him.”

  “Lu, of course he’s interested in you. He would have to be stupid not to be interested in you. That’s why he brought you onstage, right? I’m just…”

  “You’re just what?”

  Luna stood with her hands on her hips, daring him to say it. Wishing he would say it. Jealous. Say you’re jealous.

  “Nothing.” Armin shook his head.

  A heavy silence fell between them as they stood and stared at each other in the cold, dark parking lot. Luna shivered as a gust of wind cut through, rustling the fronds of the slash pines that lined the perimeter of the lot. The wind picked up again, blowing their silent wall away and forcing them to move. With her car finally in sight, Luna rummaged through her purse for her keychain.

  “Can I drive?” Armin asked. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea for you to be behind the wheel after fainting like that.”

  Armin’s eyes were softer now, his stance not quite as rigid. Luna didn’t know if he was annoyed with her or worried or mad or all three. Normally she would have argued with him, but in this case, she knew he was right.

  “Please, Lu. Let me drive you home.”

  “Here,” she said, dropping the keys into his open, outstretched hand.

  Armin unlocked the car and opened the door for Luna. He waited for her to get settled in before shutting the door, walking around to the driver’s side, and sliding into the seat. It was a strange sensation for Luna to be in the passenger's seat of her own car, but even stranger to have someone open the car door for her. She racked her brain as he started the engine to see if she could remember any one of her former love interests ever doing something like that, but she came up empty.