A French Girl in New York ( The French Girl Series #1)

Chapter 36

"Sweet, sweet, sweet! That was Maude Laurent's new hit single 'Betrayed But Not Broken.' Didn't you feel a shiver going down your spine? It was­­—"

Lindsey angrily turned off her radio. Steven Jordan was always exaggerating and speaking in superlatives, and she refused to give any credit to anything he said. Or what any radio commentator had been saying these last few days. Hell, even the music critics were wrong. 'Betrayed But Not Broken' was sloppy, boring, and certainly not worth listening to. This entire buzz around Maude Laurent would die down soon.

Lindsey shuffled to her Mac and scrolled down the web page.

"Damn it," she muttered.

The download craze of Maude's new single still hadn't subsided! It had exceeded 'Paris Versus New York City' in less than three days!

Lindsey threw her Mac across the room in a fit of rage then crumbled limply to the floor.

                                                                    *** 

 "As requested, Maude Laurent's hit single coming right up!"

The music streamed from the taxi's worn out radio as Tim took in two new passengers in Brooklyn. He hummed the soft tune. He knew the lyrics by heart because his teenage daughter had already downloaded and listened to the song a million times.

"Put the volume up," a hipster in a woolen knit hat urged.

Tim promptly did as he was told with a gleam in his eye.

"Do you know that I drove Maude Laurent in this cab?"

"You're joking!" the hipster's girlfriend said.

"Not at all. She wasn't famous back then," Tim explained as if back then had been years ago instead of a few months back. "She was with Matt, and they both gave me autographs. I knew she'd become famous. She left me a large tip."

"Tell us everything you know about her."

"Well, there's­­—"

"Shh," the hipster urged. "First let us listen to the song, then you can talk."

Tim shushed and smiled.

                                                                              *** 

"Melodious, harmoniously backed up by strong vocal skills, Maude Laurent is the voice of today's generation," James Baldwin finished, laying the latest edition of the New York Times in front of a pleased Alan Lewis.

"I always knew she'd make it big," Alan Lewis sighed. "Number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. I'm so glad I discovered her talent."

James Baldwin wisely ignored Alan's comment.

"We have some arrangements to make, Alan."

"Don't worry. Her schedule is packed.  She's due to appear soon on the David Letterman  Show, on the­—"

"That's not what I'm talking about Alan. We have to talk about a tour."

Alan's grin disappeared.

"Is she ready? That's the real question."

"She is more than ready, Alan. You have to trust her."

"She has to start small. With a concert, see how it goes."

"I knew you would say that," James grinned, satisfied. "And I have the perfect plan."