Read Front Man: One Night in Paris for Free Online Page A

face look thinner?
    "You're meant to be on stage right now, you know. People paid a lot of money for those tickets. If it was me, I'd be mad as hell."
    "They're not just there for me, you know."
    "Jack, no disrespect to the rest of the guys, but it's not Compass without you."
    " Pfft. Who's going to want to see me now, huh? You've seen the pictures. You know what they're saying. I'm finished, Sara, that's all there is to it." A note of anger had crept into his voice.
    "Jack..." Sara trailed off, unsure how to convince him otherwise.
    "See? Nothing to say, is there?"
    "Yes there is, if you would just give me a minute! Look, people on my own street don't even recognize me. I'm not going to pretend I know what it's like being you, and having my life laid out on the front pages every day. But I know that people love you. They love your music, they love the band...that doesn't just go away overnight, no matter what the newspapers might write. And...I haven't known you very long. But I know enough about you that I know you would never have done anything to hurt anyone. So whatever's going on here, they've got their facts wrong. I guess I just don't understand why you're hiding away and taking it like this. Why don't you fight back? Stand up for yourself? Whatever the truth is...it can't be any worse than what they're saying. Right?"
    Jack narrowed his eyes, and Sara thought she caught a glimpse of a tear. She took his hand and squeezed it. They walked in silence for a couple of minutes, letting Jack gather his thoughts.
"Sara...I'm not the guy you seem to think I am. I never sold drugs, never; I don't even touch the stuff myself. But that doesn't mean I'm a good person. I've done plenty of shitty things in my time, things I don't even like to think about. Those pictures...that wasn't a great time in my life. I was trying to help someone I loved, but I screwed it up. I let them down. And I'm not going to drag all that out into the open for the sake of my career, I'm just not. Anyway, if they knew the truth...nobody would look at me the same way again. It all ends the same, Sara. I'm done."
    "Fine. Give up then."
    "I'm not giving up. It's for the best."
    "And what are you going to do now, huh? Go rot in your mansion somewhere, become a recluse? Have plastic surgery and get a job in Safeway?"
    "Man, I never was much good as a check out chick. I don't know, ok. I'll figure something out. Come on, it's freezing. Lets get you back to the hotel, we'll order some room service, then you can yell at me some more."
    "I'm not hungry."
    "Sara...I'm sorry ok? Jesus, what do you want me to say?"
    "Your band are out there right now, playing the songs you wrote, with that asshole Michael singing your words. All because you're scared of...what exactly? A few stupid journalists?"
    "I...I'm not scared, ok, it's just...once they start digging, once they know they're on to something, they won't let it go. If I argue, they're going to keep asking questions, and eventually my whole goddamn life will be down there in black and white. I've worked too damn hard to keep my past private. Some things are best forgotten."
    "Some things, or some people?"
    Jack shook his head.
    "You're not going to let this go, are you? Dammit Sara."
    They had reached the main street, and as the traffic whizzed past, Jack waved hopefully at passing taxis. Eventually, a battered black car with a cracked sign pulled up, and they slid into the back seat. Jack crossed his arms over his chest and stared out of the window as they travelled back towards the hotel. Then he felt a soft touch on his shoulder, and Sara wrapped her arms around him.
    "I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear, "I'm trying to understand, I am. It's just hard when I don't know the whole story. But you're Jack fucking Carter. You can't give up on your life like that, you just can't."
    He squeezed her tight, breathing in the scent of her, feeling her soft hair against his cheek.
    "Driver?" he said suddenly, eliciting a