by Holly Jaymes
Dane and I left, going to a suite to avoid my being seen there, and ordered lunch. While we waited for room service, we had a drink from the mini-bar.
“So, what do you think?” Dane asked, sitting on the expansive couch that overlooked the fountain in front of the hotel.
“About what?”
“Lisbeth? You think she has what it takes?”
I stood at the window, scanning the other windows of the hotel, wondering if Victoria was behind one of them. “She has the talent, no doubt. And if she’s able to start getting endorsement deals, she’s smart. Or her manager is.”
“It’s a little early for that, don’t you think? She has a college following but-”
“If I could have had endorsements before I left the gate, I’d have had them in a minute.” As it was, I didn’t do many endorsements although I was asked a lot. I didn’t need the money or exposure now, but when I was where Lisbeth was now, I’d have done an endorsement. “This business is fickle, you know that. My career could end in a moment.” I sipped my drink.
“I doubt that would happen. You’re squeaky clean. A pop star image in a bad boy body. Perfect.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I’d be more popular if I had a bad boy image in a pop star body.”
“Those types do burn hot, but then they fizzle out fast. You have longevity, Pax. You have talent, and you don’t do crazy shit that makes my life hard. Lisbeth strikes me as having a good head on her shoulders, but she’s young and she doesn’t know what’s coming. That’s why you’re here.” He finished his drink, rose from the couch, and went to the mini-bar to refill it. “I’d also like you to see if you can push back that makeup deal with your sister’s friend.”
“What?” I jerked around to look at him.
“I’m sure it’s fine, but like I said, I don’t want her doing anything that messes up her music career.”
“It’s fucking face goop, Dane. Good-for-the-Earth face goop at that.”
“I know, but we need to establish her as a music star and then she can pawn goop. I don’t want her to be a model turned artist. She was mine first.”
I stared at him like he was nuts. “Everyone knows she’s an artist first.”
“Not everyone. Not yet.”
“I’m not sabotaging her deal.” Jesus, Victoria would rip my eyes out if I did that.
“I’m not saying stop it, just push it off until after we get her album made.”
I shook my head. “That’s not my job. I’m Lisbeth’s peer, not her manager or her boss.”
“As her peer, you can advise her-”
“I’m not doing it, Dane.” I downed my drink and set my glass on a table nearby. I was ready to leave the room.
He held his hands up in surrender, his drink sloshing around in the hand the glass was in. “Fine. Jesus, Pax, what bee got up your ass?”
“I’m not the type of person who does what you’re asking.”
He studied me. “What is it between you and the goop lady?”
My jaw tightened. “I told you. She’s a friend of my sister’s. A good friend.”
“Is that it? Is she your friend too?”
“Yeah, sure,” I said nonchalantly.
“How friendly?”
“Jesus, Dane. She’s my sister’s friend. She’s a good person with a solid business and a massive following on social media. She could help Lisbeth as much as Lisbeth can help her.”
“Fine. Just don’t leave them alone.”
I gaped. “I can’t dictate who Lisbeth spends time with.”
“Then arrange to spend time with your sister’s friend. Keep her away from Lisbeth.”
“You’re being crazy!”
“Am I? I saw how you looked at her when we entered that room. You may not have fucked her, but you’d like to.”
“Jesus.” I turned away, hating that he was right. Hating that he’d seen that in me.
There was a knock on the door, indicating our lunch was here. I took the time to get my shit together and was glad that our discussion moved away from Lisbeth and Victoria to my own career during the meal.
That evening, I entered the small venue Lisbeth was playing at from the back and was escorted to a table off in the shadows so I wouldn’t be seen. I dressed in slacks and a button shirt to avoid that bad boy look that might give me away.
I knew the minute Victoria arrived. It was like the air in the room changed. I watched her from my dark corner. She was still in that sexy short skirt and form-fitting coat that dipped low in front showing a peek of silky white cloth. I wasn’t sure how she did it, but everything she wore was sexy on her.
I waved down a waitress. “Can you send that woman there a glass of your best dry white wine? Let her know it’s from me.” I handed the woman extra cash.
“Yes, Mr. Ryder.”
I was used to being called Mr. Ryder now, even though it was my middle name.
I continued to watch Victoria, feeling like a voyeur as she sat at the table, pushing her long hair back as she settled in and crossed those magnificent legs. Oh, how I wanted her to wrap them around my waist as she’d done six years ago.
The waitress with the wine approached her table. Victoria looked over in my direction. I gave her a small wave. She frowned and looked down at the wine and then back to the waitress. For a moment, I thought she was going to send the wine back.
The waitress walked away. Victoria looked over at me again, and I waved her over to me. I gave her a look that said I’d come over there and expose my presence if she didn’t. I didn’t want to because this was Lisbeth’s night. But I would. I was that selfish.
She blew out a breath, stood, picking up her wine, and made her way to me.
“Are you stalking me?” she asked.
“Would you be mad if I was?” I stood and held out a chair for her.
She sat. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here to see Lisbeth Garner. My record label wants me to help her adjust to the fame she’s about to experience.”
“Oh.” She looked out over the crowd and I wondered if she was disappointed that I wasn’t stalking her.
“Seeing you here is icing on the cake. I understand you’re working an endorsement deal with her.”
“Yes.” She still wouldn’t look at me.
It was frustrating because I wanted to kiss her again. I wanted to fuck her again. But she seemed immune to me. Or at least wanted to be immune to me. Was she upset that I’d kissed her? She’d run off so quickly, I suspected she was.
“Victoria. Are you mad about that kiss?”
She stiffened, and slowly her head turned to me. “Why did you do that?”
I let out a nervous laugh. “Because I wanted to.” I leaned closer. “I still want to.”
Her breath hitched. I loved it when it did that.
She looked down at her drink again. “That’s not a good idea, Pax. You know that.”
I remembered Dane’s words about having a pop star image in a bad boy body. For once, I wanted to be a bad boy. I wanted to tell Lily to mind her own fucking business about me and Victoria.
But I nodded. “Listen, I’m supposed to tag along with Lisbeth a bit.”
Victoria’s eyes glared at me. “Does she know that?”
I frowned. “Not yet, why?”
“Because I’m supposed to have dinner with her after the show.”
I smiled, feeling like everything was coming together. “That’s perfect. I’ll join you.”
“What? No.”
“Why not? I can help. I helped you already. I vouched for you to Dane. We can both help this young woman at the start of a very bright career.” Victoria huffed out a breath and looked toward the stage. “Why are you upset at me? Whatever it is, I’m sorry. Can’t we spend time together, with Lisbeth? It’ll be fun.”
She looked at me. “Like London?”
God willing, I thought. “If you want.”
Her eyes narrowed, turning hot. I jerked back at the venom i
n her eyes.
“If Lisbeth wants you to tag along with us for dinner, I won’t object, but I won’t be another mistake.”
The lights dimmed, indicating the start of the show. I was glad for it, because Victoria’s comment was like a slap in the face. It was a reminder that I’d been a fucking asshole six years ago. She had every reason to want to avoid me. Especially avoid a repeat of what happened before.
7
Confusion
Victoria
Pax was confusing me. Was he wanting to repeat what happened in London? Why would he do that? Or was I projecting my own unwanted desires onto him?
Fortunately, the lights dimmed and the show started. I didn’t really hear the first songs because I was still lost in what was going on. I’d told Pax that I was coming to Las Vegas, but he didn’t tell me he’d be here too. Why? Did he come because I was here? No. He was clearly here for Lisbeth. So why not tell me that he planned to be here when I told him I was coming? Is he just toying with me?
I tuned him out, which was hard because I could feel his heat and inhale his manly scent next to me. But soon, I was immersed in the stories that Lisbeth told through her music. The more I listened, the more I knew the business relationship we formed would be beneficial to my company.
“She’s something, isn’t she?” Pax moved his chair closer and leaned in. His breath brushed over my ear and I had to close my eyes as a wave of longing and pain over our history flowed in my veins.
“She is.”
He was quiet for a minute, but didn’t move away. Tension built in me as I wondered what he was doing. Finally, I turned my head.
His face was right there, millimeters away from mine. His eyes filled with guilt. “It wasn’t a mistake,” he said gently. I swallowed and turned back to watch Lisbeth. “I know I said it. I guess you heard it but I didn’t mean it. Lily was upset and I just…I was trying to make her stop,” he said. I continued to face forward. “You told her it was nothing too. Was that true?”
I closed my eyes again, hating that somehow, I was the bad guy.
I turned my head again to face him. “No. But what could I say after you’d told her it was a mistake?” I shrugged and returned my attention to Lisbeth. “Besides, nothing would have come of it, right? I mean, even if Lily didn’t catch us, we couldn’t have been a thing without her knowing. And you live in London while I’m in California.”
“All that is true,” When he didn’t say more, I chanced a glance at him, and he added, “But if that is true, why are you still pissed at me?”
“I’m not.”
His hand was on the back of my chair, and I felt his fingers touch a few strands of my hair. “You seemed mad at the wedding.”
“I wanted to make sure Lily didn’t see anything going on between us. I was acting like I used to act.”
Finally, he moved back in his chair. “This isn’t how I remembered you.”
“Yeah, well, that was a long time ago.”
He didn’t say anything after that and I was able to listen to the music again. When the set ended, Pax and I were escorted to the back to wait for Lisbeth while she changed.
“Why a cabin?” he murmured as he leaned against the wall outside Lisbeth’s dressing room.
“What?”
“Why are Lily and Wyatt at a cabin ten minutes from where they live? Why not just fly to Europe for their honeymoon?”
That question was out of the blue. Sure, Lily and Wyatt had a bit of a whirlwind relationship and Pax hadn’t ever met Wyatt before the wedding, but still. Why was Pax even thinking about it when he was here for Lisbeth? And how was it possible that he didn’t know a secluded cabin was ideal for a honeymoon?
“For a guy who has written songs about love, you don’t know much about it, do you?”
He glanced at me like he was surprised by my sharp tongue. I really needed to tone it down. No wonder he thought I was mad.
“That’s where they first got together,” I answered him.
“I thought he was protecting her at some place at the lake?”
I nodded. “Yes, but to escape paparazzi, they went to his family’s cabin and ended up getting snowed in. Two young, attractive people stuck in the snow… One thing led to another.” I nearly added that for them it wasn’t a mistake, but decided that would show my hand, that yes, I was still hurt by his comment.
“With no protection.”
I shrugged. “Wyatt had some sort of high school injury or something that he was told made him infertile. Anyway, the end result is they’re back where they started. It’s quite romantic.”
He nodded, waited a beat, and then said, “I’m romantic. You know I am.”
I blew out a breath, wishing all the images of our night in London would stop flashing in my mind. “Yes. I remember.”
He nodded again like he was glad I recognized it. The door opened and Lisbeth, followed by her manager Ethan came out.
Her face lit up seeing Pax and she covered her mouth as she did a little squeal and bounced. “How’d I do? I didn’t see you in the audience. I was so nervous, but I didn’t see you and that helped.”
He straightened from the wall. “I thought it was great. You’re going to be big, Lisbeth.”
She turned to look at Ethan, standing next to her. “He liked it.”
“Of course, he did,” Ethan said, rubbing a hand up and down her back.
Pax glanced at me and I knew he was questioning their relationship too.
“I’m starving. Let’s go eat. Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m going to have dinner with Pax Ryder.”
I tried not to be jealous that he was taking over my dinner with her. I wanted her happy and I couldn’t deny that being an old friend of Pax’s could help me seal my deal with her.
We piled into the limo Pax and Lisbeth’s label guy arranged and drove to a little place out of the main strip. It was a vegan restaurant that turned out to be pretty good, as Lisbeth had said. We sat at a round table and I did my best to keep my distance from Pax.
Since my goal was to get her agreement to endorse my product line, I asked her, “So, did you try out any of the products?”
She smiled. “I did. I loved that face cream. It was so light and yet, my face feels so soft now. And it smells so good. How do you add the scents?”
“Some of it is simply from the ingredients. Some we use essential oils.”
“We’re not doing business over dinner, are we?” Pax asked. I frowned at him. “We need to celebrate a great show from Lisbeth,” he said, lifting his wine glass.
“Pax Ryder thinks I did a great show. How surreal is that?” Lisbeth beamed and I had to rethink the idea that maybe his being here would help. So far it seemed to be a hindrance as he distracted her from my being here.
“You have talent, Lisbeth,” Pax said.
“Do you have any words of advice for her?” Ethan asked, reaching over to squeeze Lisbeth’s hand.
Oh sure, I thought. We can’t talk about my business, but they can talk music business. Then again, they were both musical artists.
“Remember what got you here. The music. You’re going to be pulled in a hundred different directions to do all sorts of things that don’t involve music,” Pax started. It was official. I didn’t need to be here. I was a third wheel… Well, fourth, but of course that didn’t make sense. The point was, I was the odd person out in this group. “Keep yourself grounded by remembering the music and surround yourself with people who truly want the best for you, not something from you,” Pax finished with a glance to Ethan.
Ethan seemed to realize Pax’s meaning. “I have the best intentions for Lisbeth.
“I’m sure you do.” Pax focused his attention on Lisbeth. “From now on, everything you do will be scrutinized. You’ll be judged, often unfairly. Things you do will be taken out of context. So, all your decisions need to be evaluated. You don’t want to get into a situation in which you hurt your reputation.” I wondered if he was thinking about Lily. “
Business decisions in particular need to be fully vetted. You’ll have some wiggle room to salvage a bad decision when you’re big, but right now, you don’t want to do anything that will stop you from reaching your potential.”
I glared at him. Why is he sabotaging my business deal?
Lisbeth rolled her eyes. “You sound like Dane.”
“Dane’s a smart guy. He can take you to the top, Lisbeth, if you don’t muck it up.”
Lisbeth looked at Ethan. “I wonder if we should wait on the deal then?” She looked at me apologetically. “I love the products, but I don’t want to do anything to disrupt my career.”
I swallowed as I worked to figure out my next move. Did I ride this out and find another time to pitch her when Pax wasn’t around? I didn’t know how long he’d be here so I wasn’t sure when I could get her alone.
I smiled. “Lisbeth, you have to do what’s best for you, of course. But let me ask you this, how is Dane going to get your music to the masses? Advertising, radio play, and maybe interviews on talk shows?” I asked. She nodded. “But how many of your fans watch tv or read things with ads, listen to the radio, or watch talk shows? Wouldn’t they more likely see you on social media or something streaming on their phones?”
I chanced a glance at Pax who had a smirk on his face that almost had me thinking he was amused or proud.
“That’s true,” Lisbeth said.
“I have over a hundred million followers on Instagram alone.”
“Maybe she should pay you,” Pax quipped.
I ignored him. “The point is, I value my business’s reputation just like you value yours. Like Pax said, you want to keep your reputation clean as I wouldn’t want anyone questionable endorsing my product. It goes both ways, you see.” She nodded. “I understand that you need to think about this and confer with your manager, but you should consider that you don’t currently have anything to market. You haven’t cut your album yet, so there aren't any ads or radio play or interviews. However, you and I can work together and by the time that album drops, you’ll have a large number of people ready to buy.”
“It’s definitely something to consider,” Ethan said.