by Kylie Walker
“No problem man.” Asher ran a hand through his rustically red hair. “I’m all for charity that helps the kids in need.”
“That’s the goal,” Roman nodded as he gave a sideways glance to Trevor. “As soon as we heard about this event, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity for press coverage and giving back.”
“It’s not just about impressing the cameras,” Trevor reminded Roman. “I do it for the kids.”
“Of course.”
A few minutes later, the driver pulled them up to the curb and let the trio out of the car. A few paparazzi cameras clicked as they made their way inside of the hotel that was housing the event in a conference room.
“Trevor Jameson, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” Tony Abernathy, the founder, and director of Kids Cove walked up to Trevor with a proud smile and beaming brown eyes.
Tony was in his mid-fifties, but he was as physically fit glowed with athletic health. He enthusiastically pumped Trevor’s hand and gave him a fond slap on the back as if reuniting himself with his long-lost son.
It was a fitting greeting. Trevor had shelled out hundreds of thousands over the past several years to the charity, especially now that he had more money in his pockets to spend.
Trevor wasn’t able to spend as much time volunteering because of how the music industry had sucked him into the world of fame and fortune. He felt like he could compensate in other ways by shelling out a hefty check to them every so often. Trevor didn’t mind. It was his money, and he could spend it how he damn well pleased. If it meant giving back to a wonderful cause, he was all over the opportunities.
“It’s good to see you, Tony,” Trevor smiled. “We’re thrilled to be here today, showing up for the children who don’t have a voice and need the representation.”
“Thank you,” Tony nodded and placed his hands on his hips. “We are truly honored to have you here.”
“It was great timing that we just so happened to be in town touring,” Roman mentioned. “The very same time you were planning this event.”
“You mean that was just a coincidence?” Tony cackled and slapped Trevor on the back again as he continued to laugh at his own joke.
“A great coincidence,” Trevor laughed along with him.
“Are you still making a speech?” Tony asked as he eyed Trevor with hope.
“Absolutely,” Trevor nodded. Trevor wasn’t shy when it came to public speaking. He sang and performed in front of hundreds and thousands night after night, and he was used to the attention.
“Great.” Tony slapped his palms together with excitement. “If you guys just want to follow me behind the little curtain on the stage, I’ll be more than happy to make introductions for you before you walk out there to speak your praise to the masses.”
“I don’t know if I want to call it that, but sure.” Trevor nodded with amusement. “That all sounds great man.”
It was a charity brunch, and people were sitting at round tables enjoying croissants and mimosas, scones and eggs. The people attending the event were also involved in both the charity and the foster system as a whole. Many were shareholders who wrote checks to the cause on a quarterly basis.
Trevor listened to Tony as the introductions were made. His heart raced as he walked out onto the little makeshift stage in the banquet room. Everyone clapped politely. All eyes were on him.
“Good morning and thank you for coming,” Trevor began and cleared his throat. He adjusted the microphone attached to the podium and scanned the crowd.
That’s when his eyes trailed to Emelia. He found her, among the sea of faces staring back curiously at him. His heart skipped a beat. His palms were sweaty, and he wiped them subtly across the wood podium.
Her eyes glistened with interest as she stared at him with a genuine smile of warmth displayed across her face. Her chin rested gently in her hand, and her hair was feathery like silk from an eagle, only a beautiful chestnut color that reminded him of being by a cozy fire at Christmas time.
Trevor cleared his throat again. “As some of you may be aware, this charity cuts deep for me. I was in the foster care system as a child, and I know how difficult it might be for a child going through the same obstacles I faced growing up. If anyone can relate to those kids, it’s me.”
He stared back out into the audience until his eyes landed back on Emelia. For some reason, he needed to look at her in order to get through the remainder of his speech. His voice was disconnected from the rest of his mind and body. It was as if he were floating up out of himself, but all he could see on the drift into the sky and the clouds was Emelia and her painfully beautiful face.
After he made his speech, the crowd gave enthusiastic applause. A few people stood up to give him a standing ovation, and the rest of the place followed suit.
Trevor rushed off the stage, feeling like he might become emotional. He didn’t even get a chance to find Emelia again in the crowd.
“That was terrific,” Tony beamed as he greeted Trevor again behind the curtain. “I can just tell by the way you talk about the charity; it really means the world to you.”
“I lived through the hell,” Trevor said. “I can’t help but have the system wired and ingrained in the way I am now. It will always be a part of me, like a battle scar.”
Tony smiled. “That’s a fantastic way to view the negativity that happened to you with a positive set of eyes.”
“Hey, can you guys excuse me for a moment?” Trevor looked at Asher and Roman, along with Tony. I just need to mingle a bit.”
“Absolutely.” Tony politely moved out of the way to let Trevor pass. He wanted to find Emelia and thank her for coming. More importantly, he wanted to inhale the scent of her flowery, coconutty perfume and be inches from her, not across an entire banquet hall.
He walked through the crowd, saying hello to various people who approached him or posing for a photo op. He shook a few people’s hands as he humbly grazed past.
And there she was in a red sundress that made her the brightest flower in the room. She smiled warmly, looking healthy and refreshed and so damn beautiful it made his chest ache.
Trevor scooped her up into his arms, holding her close. He never wanted to let go.
Chapter Eighteen
Emelia had watched Trevor up on the podium speaking from his heart. She was bursting with pride for him. It was a pull like a magnet that had an intense grip on her. She couldn’t stop wanting him. And yesterday, when he’d taken care of her and helped her finally free herself from Grant, it was like all her emotions for him multiplied.
There was something different about Trevor. Something beneath the surface of his bad boy rock star reputation. He had that charitable kindness, a passion for a cause much more significant than himself.
She was entranced by watching him up on a different kind of stage this morning at the brunch. He was clean-shaven, and his dark hair was a little dishelved. Every time she was near him, her heart raced. Her cheeks flushed. She lost control of her emotions.
Emelia loved getting to know Trevor. It was as if little by little, he was allowing her to strip off his layers of mysteriousness. He was dark, brooding and handsome. But underneath that hard exterior, there was a delicious softness inside of him that Emelia felt compelled to explore.
She was one of the few who could see through that filter of the bad boy persona. Well, her and the rest of the people in the room, listening to him talk and tell stories about his passion for feeding into the aid and rescue of foster children in need.
Emelia didn’t know much about Trevor’s childhood, but she was aware that he too had been a foster kid at one point, and somehow or another the story was that he moved in with Roman and his family in middle school. Apparently, Roman’s family had become foster parents themselves in order to take Trevor in. It was a selfless act, and as Trevor spoke, she could hear the gratitude in his voice about the kindness of those willing to dig him out of the trenches.
“He’s so charming, right?”<
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Emelia had been sitting at a table with people she didn’t know. She smiled at the fifty-something lady sitting next to her with silver hair, red-rimmed urban glasses and a dreamy expression on her face.
“Yeah.” Emelia chuckled and nodded politely. “He’s not bad to look at.”
“And he really seems to care so much.” Another woman chimed in with her two cents. She was probably in her mid-fifties too, with dark, severely cut hair. “He’s not like all those fake celebrities.”
“I actually know him,” Emelia said.
“You do?” The silver-haired lady raised an impressed eyebrow. “In person?”
“Yep.” Emelia nodded with a beaming smile. “I am on tour with him.” Though, now that she and Grant had broken up, she wasn’t really sure what her place with the band was anymore.
“What’s it like traveling the country?” The woman with the midnight colored hair quizzed.
Emelia leaned back in her seat with a deep sigh. She smoothed her sundress with her hands and smiled nostalgically. “It’s incredible. I love experiencing all the different cities. There is so much beauty in the world, out there and ripe for the taking. I’ve always loved travel, so this opportunity was just perfect for me.”
The silver-haired lady adjusted her glasses as she studied Emelia with purpose and intrigue. “You’re very lucky,” she groaned as if she were suddenly a teenage groupie.
“I know.” She was fully aware of her blessings, and she never wanted to take them for granted.
She could watch Trevor talking, or singing, on a stage of any kind, no matter what, all day. Then, Trevor had ended his speech by stating that he hoped he could make a difference in the world, and it all started with donations, big or small. The crowd cheered and clapped, giving him a diplomatic standing ovation that made even Emelia’s heart swell.
A hoard of people was standing around after the speech, and Emelia found herself getting lost beneath the dozens of faces. She didn’t recognize anyone. She still felt the remnants of her illness, a little weak, a little dizzy. But she wasn’t going to miss out. When she had seen Trevor’s note, she’d jumped at the chance to come.
She wanted to scope out Trevor, hunting him down so she could offer her congratulations on his success at today’s event. There were dozens of socialites and fancily dressed people. She hoped she fit in with her plain sundress and gladiator sandals.
Then, Trevor emerged from the crowd and came straight at her, scooping her up in a hug that melted her heart. She breathed a sigh of relief and hugged him back.
“I have to go meet with a couple of people in the back. You okay to keep mingling for a little while yet?”
“Of course. Do whatever you have to do.”
With a quick kiss on her cheek, he left. She grabbed a champagne flute, made her way to the buffet where a variety of snacks had been laid out.
“The chocolate covered strawberries were always your favorite.”
She spun to the sound of Grant’s voice. He stood slightly to her left, hands in his pockets, a crooked smile on his mouth.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
He shrugged, stepped forward and plucked a berry off the tray. “Nothing. Just wanted to see our important, self-inflated boss at work spilling his heart. Too bad he’s a hypocrite.”
She narrowed her eyes, the urge to flee consuming her. Not bothering to excuse herself, she side-stepped Grant and moved to leave.
“I wouldn’t get to cozy with him, Emelia. It’s only going to hurt you in the end.”
His voice was tight. Warning flags went through her mind.
“Are you threatening me?”
He bit into the strawberry, made a show of it, slowly, juice running over his chin.
“I don’t know. Am I?”
Her nostrils flared, her chest constricting. Grant pulled some stupid shit sometimes, but this passive-aggressive anger thing he had going on was actually frightening.
“You need to leave.”
“Nope, nope I don’t. Everyone was invited to this little soiree. So if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to continue mingling.”
He gave her a wink and disappeared into the crowd, tossing the half-bitten strawberry back at her.
It landed at her feet; the top chewed off like a tiny missing head.
Emelia kicked it away. Nothing good was going to come of this.
Chapter Nineteen
Trevor was conflicted about pursuing Emelia.
He knew how breakups were. They left you vulnerable, unable to make clear-headed decisions. He didn’t want to rush her, make her do things she might not do with an otherwise completely clear head.
She’d slept beside him in bed last night, and it had taken all his control to keep as much space between them as possible. The warmth radiating off her body, her sweet scent, had tortured him all night long.
They already had a friendship brewing. The last thing he wanted to do was to push things and ruin it all.
First things first. He needed to gather the crew and the band for a meeting to talk about Grant. That pissant was not going to ruin this show for them. The guys would usually groan and protest whenever Trevor suggested a sit-down, but he didn’t care. This was a severe offense. If Trevor couldn’t trust Grant behind the scenes, then how could he rely upon him when he needed him for their band practices and sound checks?
They’d gathered in a meeting room at the hotel.
“Thanks for coming.” Trevor glanced around the room.
As far as he knew, Grant was none the wiser about being caught in the act for a second time. He also was confident that Emelia had no idea what was going on either. That was for the best. He needed to keep a firm line between his professional and personal lives.
He wouldn’t let Grant get away with this scum bag behavior. Fool him once shame on them. Fool them twice, well, let’s just say Trevor wasn’t in the business of getting the wool covered over his eyes. He didn’t have the patience for it.
“What’s up, man?” Asher’s eyes glistened with concern. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere. After the speech, you disappeared into thin air.”
“I know.”
Roman narrowed his eyes. “Is everything okay? Is the press here again trying to stomp all over your philanthropic work?”
“No.” Trevor licked his lips. “Nothing like that.”
Asher and Roman exchanged a glance. “What are you talking about dude?” Asher pressed.
“I’m calling a crew and band meeting before we check out today.”
“What’s going on?” Roman looked a little slighted, probably because Trevor hadn’t confided in him.
“It’s Grant. And right now, that’s all you need to know. We’ll meet in 45 minutes, right here. Be on time. And spread the word that Grant’s not to hear a word about this.”
To Trevor’s surprise, the crew filtered into the conference room right on time. He waited for the sizeable crowd to get seated, then thanked them for coming.
“What is so important that it couldn’t wait?” Colton breezed past him and plucked an apple from the bowl on the table. He took a hefty chomp right through the middle and began chewing violently loud.
Trevor grunted. “Dude, close your mouth when you chew.”
Asher laughed. “Gonna start calling you, T-Rex.”
“Fuck you.”
Laughter bubbled up from the room. Trevor held back a smile. He had a damn good crew. They were reliable, efficient and set up a hell of a show. They had the back of every band member, and he was well aware they couldn’t function without the crew at their backs. He needed to cull the herd as it were. And more, he needed to cover his ass.
“Grant’s going to be trouble. And I want everyone behind the scenes to watch every move he makes while setting up and taking down. In fact, those who aren’t manning the lights and set changes need to watch him during the show too.”
“Whoa,” Colton put down his apple. “What happened?”
“He didn’t do anything to me directly,” Trevor explained. “But the behavior he’s exhibiting on this tour is not something I can tolerate.”
Lucas frowned and leaned against the table, crossing his arms together. “Dude, you really need to be more specific.”
“I caught him cheating on Emelia,” Trevor blurted out and searched the faces of his band brothers. “Twice. And now he’s trying to blackmail me.”
Colton shook his head in disbelief. “Why would he want to blackmail you? About what?”
Everyone was staring at him.
“It doesn’t matter what it’s about, just that he’s threatened it. His behavior on this tour has been less than exemplary. Until I can fix it, I want a hundred close eyes on him at all times.”
“We don’t have another company to go with,” Roman reminded him. “Not to mention, we are in the middle of the tour. How could we hire someone else on the spot like that?”
“I’m going to get Burt on it immediately.” Trevor countered.
“I think I might have an idea,” Asher offered. “The original company we were supposed to go with contacted me just a few days ago. They said their other contract fell through at the last minute due to budgetary issues for the client. I told them we had already reserved a company, but we would keep them in mind for next time. I didn’t know any of this Grant stuff had happened, or obviously, I would have told them to hang tight while we discussed alternative options.”
Trevor gave a nod. “We might have a chance here. I’ll have Burt call them.”
“No, I’m on it right now.” Asher pulled his phone from his back pocket. “Give me like five minutes.”
Asher went into the hallway as not to be distracted. It seemed like an eternity to Trevor before he finally pushed the door open and re-emerged.
“Well?” Trevor finally asked. “What did they say?”