Flirting with Fame

Hi Reader! I’m Kaye Kennedy, author of Flirting with Fame. I hope you enjoyed reading Tai & Bellamy's story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I sat down for an interview with the happy couple to give you an inside look at their relationship. I know I’m happy for them, and I’m sure you are, too. So without further ado, let's see what they had to say, shall we?

We're sitting inside Bellamy's tour bus which is parked outside of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Kaye:

Thank you so much for inviting me to the show. You were amazing, Bellamy. Not that I'm surprised because you always are, but it was great to see you in a stadium setting. Are you enjoying being back on the road playing these big venues?

Bellamy:

I'm glad you could make it. And, yes, I am happy to be on another stadium tour. As much as I loved doing my Manhattan residency--because that's what I needed at the time--being out on tour again has been fantastic. There's nothing like playing to a sold out stadium.

Kaye:

I can only imagine. It was definitely more intense than your residency.

Bellamy:

For sure. There's an energy at a stadium that is simply unmatched in smaller settings.

Kaye:

I could feel it. There were so many times where the crowd's singing drowned you out.

Tai:

I always joke that the audience is going to put her out of a job.

Bellamy:

Laughs. There's some truth in that. Sometimes I stop singing and I don't know if they even notice.

Kaye:

Oh my gosh, I totally got swept up in your show that I forgot to congratulate you on your engagement!

Tai:

Thank you.

He drapes his arm over Bellamy's shoulders and she places her hand on his thigh.

Kaye:

Let's see this ring.

Bellamy:

I love it so much.

She wiggled her finger, showing off her large emerald cut diamond with a tapered baguette on each side.

Kaye:

It's stunning. I have to give you credit, Tai. That proposal was epic.

Tai:

I'm still kind of surprised that I pulled it off.

Kaye:

Bella, did you have any idea that Tai was going to propose?

Bellamy:

Not at all. I was completely shocked.

Tai:

I'm just glad you said yes.

Bellamy:

She slaps him playfully in the abdomen.

Of course I said yes. Did you really think I wouldn't?

Tai:

Nope. I was completely confident.

Kaye:

Oh, really, Tai? I seem to remember it differently.

Tai:

Damn. Way to call me out.

Kaye:

It's not like Bellamy didn't read the epilogue.

Bellamy:

Yeah, you were far from confident.

Tai:

Fine. I was nervous, but can you blame me? Look at this woman. I still can't believe that she has agreed to marry me. I'm waiting for her to wake up and realize she's way out of my league.

Bellamy:

Stop it. I'm incredibly lucky.

Kaye:

You two are so sweet together. Although, it did take you a while to realize that you were meant for one another.

Tai:

I'll own that. I kept pushing her away.

Bellamy:

We're both to blame a little, but we got it right in the end.

Tai:

That's all that matters.

Kaye:

Have you started planning the wedding?

Bellamy:

Sort of. Not really. Much to my mother's dismay.

Tai:

That's putting it mildly.

Bellamy:

She texts the both of us every day urging us to pick a date and secure a venue so that she can start planning.

Tai:

She's been calling Val, too.

Bellamy:

Rolls her eyes.

She's so ridiculous. I've told her we're not planning anything until after this tour wraps.

Tai:

We've only been engaged for a few months. There's no rush. For now, I'm enjoying calling her my fiancée.

Bellamy:

Exactly. Plus, we've already hired Gwen to be our wedding planner, so it's not like we haven't done anything.

Kaye:

That's wonderful! She's amazing. Does that mean the wedding will be in New York?

Tai:

That's the plan.

Bellamy:

My mom isn't going to be happy about that because she wants it to be in Los Angeles, but oh well. New York is where we met and Tai's mom is there, plus a lot of our friends are, too. It just makes sense.

Tai:

And Gwen has found us some pretty cool venue options.

Kaye:

Do tell.

Bellamy:

Radio City Music Hall is an option, but I'm not sure we'll be able to cut the guest list down enough for it.

Tai:

We could if your mom wasn't trying to invite all of Hollywood.

Bellamy:

She's not trying to invite all of Hollywood. Only fifty percent.

Tai:

It's not easy to have a small wedding when you've won Artist of the Year for two years in a row.

Bellamy:

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings if they're not invited.

Tai:

I know, sweetheart. It's fine. I like Jazz at Lincoln Center better anyway.

Kaye:

Oh, that's a beautiful venue with the glass wall behind the stage overlooking the Manhattan skyline and Central Park.

Bellamy:

I haven't been there yet, but the pictures look nice. Tai has though, and I trust his opinion.

Tai:

I know you'll love it.

Bellamy:

I think it'll be cool getting married in a theater because that's how we met and also--

She cuts herself off and her eyes widen.

Tai:

I think it's safe to tell Kaye. It's going to be formally announced soon anyway.

Kaye:

Yes, please tell me. I promise to keep it quiet until I can share.

Bellamy:

Okay, fine. I'm so excited it's been nearly impossible to keep this a secret. I'm going to be on Broadway! I got the part of Elphaba in Wicked.

Kaye:

No way! That's absolutely incredible!

Bellamy:

I know! It's always been a dream of mine to be in a Broadway show, but I never imagined I'd land such an iconic role.

Tai:

Of course, you did. You're unbelievably talented. Idina Menzel should be shaking that you're about to usurp her crown as the Elphaba.

Bellamy:

I don't know about that. She set the standard for the role. I hope I'm half as good as she was.

Kaye:

I have complete faith that you'll crush it. When is this happening?

Bellamy:

Once I finish this tour, I'm taking two months off, then I start rehearsals.

Kaye:

Well, I'll be there opening night. Congratulations again. That's truly wonderful.

Bellamy:

Thank you.

Kaye:

Tai, I want to switch gears to you for a minute. How have you been since leaving the NYPD and taking over as Bella's head of security?

Tai:

It was a tough transition at first because a lot was changing. Not just with my job, but going on tour with Bellamy meant leaving New York, which is something I'd never done.

Kaye:

Are you enjoying being on the road?

Tai:

I am. I didn't think I would, and I'll be honest, it took some getting used to, but the most important thing to me is being with this woman. It's pretty incredible that we get to spend all of our time together.

Bellamy:

I'm glad that his job is much safer now. I would be a wreck if I had to go on tour without him, especially knowing that he could be in danger.

Tai:

And I would never have been able to leave someone else in charge of keeping you safe. That's my job.

Kaye:

Speaking of which, I hate to bring us down, and I know it's been some time now, but how have you both been since the Alex incident?

Bellamy:

Good. My therapist has gotten me to view Alex and Sandie as different people. That helped a lot with my guilt. 

Tai:

You've come a long way. I'm proud of you.

He kisses her temple.

Kaye:

I'm really glad to hear that. The other thing the readers want to know is how's your mom, Tai?

Tai:

She's doing fantastic. Her symptoms haven't come back and she's playing the piano again. She's even teaching a few private lessons.

Bellamy:

I have to add that she's an amazing human being. Not only because she made this guy, but she's an impressive woman. I really admire her and I'm honored that I get to be her daughter-in-law.

Kaye:

Well, it sounds like everything is going wonderfully with you two. I couldn't be happier to hear all of the good things you've got going on. You both deserve it.

Bellamy:

Thank you. We're definitely excited to see what our next chapter brings.

Kaye:

As am I. I'm sure the readers are, too. That's a great segue into the next book, which is Erik and Aubrey's story. Can you tell the readers anything about that?

Tai:

Erik is one of my best friends, and I want him to find the kind of happiness that I've found. His journey with Aubrey has been...complicated, to say the least. She's cool, though. Frankly, Erik needs someone like Aubrey. They're opposites in a lot of ways, so they balance each other out.

Bellamy:

Agreed. I like Erik a lot. I think he's hilarious. But Aubrey is so cool. She channeled my grandparents and she knew things about me that she couldn't possibly know. It was wild.

Kaye:

That's quite fascinating. I think she and Erik make such an interesting couple.

Bellamy:

They definitely do! Oh, and that whole thing with his dad's wedding was so crazy. Like one of the craziest stories ever.

Tai:

Yeah, I was surprised by that, but it explained a lot.

Kaye:

Before we give too much away, I think this is a good place to stop. Thank you both for taking the time out to chat with me and I wish you all the best as you begin your life together.

Erik & Aubrey's story, Flirting with Faith will be available on Amazon on June 29, 2022. Happy reading!

Thank you for reading Flirting with Fame! If you loved Tai & Bellamy's story, please take a minute to write a review on Amazon, GoodReads, or BookBub.

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The Flirting with the Finest Series follows the officers on the Special Investigations Task Force as they fight crime and fall in love.

Flirting with Faith

An opposites attract, fake relationship romance between NYPD Detective Erik Moore and forensic medium, Aubrey Chatham.