Fifteen Minutes

One of the married guys—also a finalist—overheard their conversation. He walked up. “It’ll come down to you two. No one else is close.” He nodded at the rest of the group. “We all know it.”

Zack wasn’t sure, but the guy’s words only added to the headiness. “Thanks, man. Seriously.”

“It’s true.” The guy gave Zack a hearty fist pump. “One day I can tell my kids I sang on the same stage as you.”

The possibility existed, Zack could see that now. But he believed it existed more for Zoey. Tonight for the first time Zack could see Zoey winning. Her voice was as pure as Carrie Underwood’s and as strong as Chandra Olson’s. All wrapped up inside a blond, blue-eyed high school cheerleader. The perfect all-American girl. Viewers were going to love her.

William Gaines entered the room with two assistant producers, and in a flurry of motion he took the spot at the front of the room. The contestants fell silent. “Well done, people. That was one of the greatest live shows since we started ten years ago.” Gaines beamed, making eye contact around the room. “Now.” He clapped a few times, clearly in a hurry. “We have a very tight schedule.”

The list was daunting. Wardrobe needed everyone immediately for a fitting. They would wear three different outfits for tomorrow’s kickoff show and no one could leave until the decisions were made. Production had brought in a few pairs of pricey jeans for Zack. He could hardly wait to sort through them.

“While that’s happening,” Gaines continued, “you will return to this room one at a time for your exit interviews. Remember, ten of you will go home tomorrow.”

A strange feeling came over Zack. He desperately didn’t want to go home. Just a few months ago if he’d been cut he easily could’ve climbed in his truck and driven back to Kentucky. No regrets. But now . . . now that he had come this far he wanted to keep winning, keep singing in front of that audience with cameras aimed at him from every part of the venue.

The next two hours passed in a blur, with production assistants whisking them from wardrobe to the interview room until everyone finished taping. Only then did Zack turn on his phone and see the missed call from Reese. His heart soared. He couldn’t wait to talk to her, couldn’t wait to hear what she thought of his performance. Other than short teasers on the Fifteen Minutes website, she hadn’t seen him compete until tonight.

Zack picked most of what he needed for his three outfits for the kickoff show and then filmed his exit interview. His emotions were raw; so much had happened that day already. As he talked about leaving the show, putting the adventure behind him, he felt his eyes grow damp. He chuckled and shook his head. “No one ever wants the ride to end.”

When the interview wrapped, he felt sick to his stomach. All the way back to the wardrobe room, he assured himself that they wouldn’t cut him. Not this round. He could already feel himself singing again next week, moved by their applause and shining for God. Because that’s what all this was about. He’d make the cut, right? God knew he needed to stay on the show to save the farm and help his sister. Zack stared at his phone. He also needed to talk to Reese. As he reached wardrobe, he hesitated and then slipped into the men’s room down the hall. He took the last stall and locked the door. Leaning against it, he quickly turned on his phone. The screen came to life slowly. Come on . . . work! He stared at the dark screen, willing it to come to life. As soon as it did, he called her. Today more than ever he felt out of touch with her and his family, everything about his life back home. He hadn’t led worship or been to church in two months.

On the fourth ring the call went to voice mail. “Hey, it’s me.” He could hear the urgency in his whisper.

In the distance he heard William Gaines’s voice over what seemed to be a megaphone. “Buses are here! Everyone finish what you’re doing. We leave in three minutes.”

Zack groaned. “Baby, I’m sorry. I can’t talk. I promise I’ll call you as soon as we have a break.” He didn’t know what else to say. His words felt stiff and unnatural. Even leaving a message for her felt different now. He heard Gaines’s voice again. “Sorry . . . gotta go. Love you.”

Using cell phones was against the rules except during breaks. Zack turned his off and hurried back to wardrobe where Gaines was directing contestants toward the exit. “If you haven’t picked your wardrobe for tomorrow, you’ll have to find time in the morning.” He spotted Zack. “You finished in here?”

“Yes, sir, almost. Did the interview. I’ll get my shoes figured out tomorrow.”

“Good.” Gaines would’ve made a successful drill sergeant. “Get on the bus. Seats are assigned.”

Zack’s place by the window next to Zoey didn’t surprise him. Clearly the producers were fans of what they perceived to be happening between the two of them. As long as Reese knew the truth.

“They’re filming a music video tonight—a promo piece or something.” Zoey leaned in close to him. “You know what I hated?”

“What?” He was aware of her knees against his legs. The seats had barely any legroom.

She settled her shoulder into the seat back and faced him. “Filming the exit video.” Her eyes held his for a long moment. “I don’t want this to end.”

He smiled and felt himself relax. “Me, either.” He could be himself around her, so he closed his eyes and for a few heartbeats he stayed that way. They hadn’t stopped moving since hours before the show.

Gaines stood at the front of the bus as it pulled away. He rattled off their itinerary for the night. They would be bused to a media party at a club on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to a celebration at Cullen Caldwell’s house and finally to a photo shoot at the Hard Rock Cafe. No surprise that the whole thing would be videotaped.

At every stop, the Fifteen Minutes producers had bodyguards and roped-off pathways. Somehow people had found out their itinerary and hordes of fans greeted them wherever they went. Again the feeling was heady for Zack. Like he’d become someone else. Or like it was all some crazy dream. A couple of girls outside the Hard Rock were in such a frenzy over seeing him that they started shaking and crying, screaming his name. Gaines came up alongside Zack. “They love you, man. It’s a whole new life.”

Zack could picture being greeted this way everywhere he went. For years, maybe. Reese would be there, too, in time. And when he was finished with the show, when no one could tell him what to do, he would get back to talking about his faith. He grinned at Gaines. “I could get used to it. Definitely.” The crowd was too loud to say anything else.

By the time they returned to the hotel it was after midnight. The group moved to a private lobby, where the contestants could hang out away from the public eye. Zoey took his hand and tried to lead him to a quiet corner. “Let’s talk.” Her eyes spoke to him in a personal way, as if he’d known her forever. “Come on. So much happened today.”

“I can’t.” Zack eased his hand free. He smiled at her, but he could only think about Reese, how much he had to tell her. “I need to call her.”

Zoey nodded, her eyes sad. “Reese?”

“Yes.” He gave her a puzzled look. Why would that surprise Zoey? “She and I, we haven’t had a real conversation in a week.”

“Hmm. Okay.” She hesitated, her eyes holding tight to his. “If you can’t reach her, call me. I’m not tired.”

“Zoey . . .” A momentary gust of desire came over him. He waited till it passed. “It’s late. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Her shoulder lifted in a girlish shrug. She waved as he walked away and he could feel her eyes follow him.

No matter how much he loved Reese, he had to be careful. Part of him wanted to stay back and hang out with Zoey. They’d been together all night, but there hadn’t been any time to talk. Not really. He forced himself to keep walking. Nothing good would come from hanging out with Zoey tonight. She looked stunning from the moment she took the stage, and she made him laugh in the midst of the madness. No, he couldn’t spend time with her. Not when he was still so high from his performance and hers. Yes, Zoey was a part of his life today. But Reese was his future. He needed to talk to her, hear her voice so he could find gravity again.

My son, no temptation has seized you except what is common to man . . . I will always give you a way out.

What was this? Scripture now? Zack kept walking toward his room. He didn’t need a way out, not when he wasn’t doing anything wrong. He was singing better than ever. It was okay to enjoy the ride, have a little fun in the process. God had let him make it this far; He would hardly want Zack to sit on the sidelines pining for home. That feeling came at night when he turned off the lights. But the days belonged to Fifteen