by Kahlen Aymes
I realized that since we landed and after our onboard conversation, I was thinking of her as Missy and not Melissa, but her tone with Jeremy was definitely more formal. She had the grace to flush and turned away from him quickly. Nothing more was spoken until we’d all checked in. I could see by the shocked expressions on their faces that Liz and Michelle were uncomfortable with the exchange.
The other’s made plans to stow their gear and then meet downstairs for food and drinks. I walked to the elevator with Missy and pressed the up button.
“Listen, Jeremy didn’t mean anything before. He’s just an eager young kid.” My tone was gentle, but she was still cautious.
“I know,” she began, glancing up and over at me as we stood next to each other, waiting. The elevator’s arrival announced with a ding, and then the steel doors slid open, and we walked inside. Due to her earlier reaction, I hadn’t offered to help her with her bag, so she pulled it behind her. I had a suit bag and my duffel, carrying both easily over one shoulder. “It’s just…” she stammered a bit, and her eyes flitted to mine and then away again. “I prefer to keep things professional. I have to set boundaries early on.”
“It’s not a problem, but if you do get this job, remember what I said. You’ll have to work with these people. Just consider that it will make things a lot more enjoyable if you can make a few friends.”
She looked indignant, which was confirmed a second later when her chin shot out. “I understand, and I meant no offense. I’m sorry if I was short with him, but I’ve seen that look before, and I have no intention of encouraging it.”
“Noted.” I rubbed the back of my neck in resignation. My own attraction for her was making me uncomfortable given her current attitude. Beyond the co-worker thing, she just seemed closed off to men. All men. It wasn’t my business, either way, but it didn’t sit well for some reason that I didn’t even try to reconcile. “I’m sure he’ll keep his distance now that you’ve been clear with him, but if you want to break the ice with the others, we’ll be in the bar. Otherwise, I’ll email you a copy of the itinerary, and you can meet us in the lobby at 8:30 in the morning.”
The elevator doors opened on my floor, and I started to walk out. “Jensen,” she called, so I put a hand out to stop the doors from closing behind me as I turned back toward her.
“Yes?”
“It’s not personal. The professional thing.”
I shrugged. “Okay.”
“It’s just that… even though this isn’t the position I wanted originally, being independent is important to me. For me, and my son, and that’s my focus. I don’t want anything to mess up my chances.”
“Socializing with the crew isn’t part of the requirements for getting the job but trust me when I tell you that doing the job long-term will be more enjoyable if you like your crew and they like you because it will help your working relationship. That said; it’s not okay for you to be made to feel uncomfortable or for some jerk-off to get pushy.”
“I understand. Thank you.” The woman I spoke to on the plane had disappeared and in her place was one who seemed scared to death. “Will the other girls be in the bar, later?”
The elevator groaned and tried to close, but I held it open. “They usually do join.”
“Okay. I’ll be down, then.”
“You’ll be fine. See you later then, Missy.”
She smiled softly at my use of the nickname and seemed to relax. She nodded as I let the door to the elevator go and made my way down the hall, searching for my room number on the doors. I had been inclined to shower and order room service, but now, I felt I needed to meet the others in the bar.
“Fuck,” I mumbled aloud as I found my room and opened the door, dumping my bags and computer on the bed nearest to me. I didn’t want to go to the bar, but I wasn’t as confident as my words implied. I wasn’t sure the other guys would leave her be and even if their interest wasn’t overbearing, I had no idea how she’d take it. Plus, I’d basically pushed her to join the others, so I’d be an asshole if I didn’t participate as well and be there to run interference if needed.
I flipped on the television and then checked my phone for messages.
There was a video message from Teagan, which I knew would be the goodnight call from Remi. I smiled as I opened it and her precious little face lit up the screen. I looked forward to this call every night.
She was waving happily. “Jensey!” She used both of her hands to blow me several kisses in swift succession. “Mwuh! Mwuh! Mwuh! I asked God to make sure you came back safe so we can play at the zoo again!” She waved again, and I couldn’t help the tightening that compressed my throat or the burning in the back of my eyes. Such a short time ago her little life hung in a precarious balance. “Mwuh! Mwuh! Mwuh!” She resumed blowing kisses into the screen.
“Come on, Remi. Time for bed, baby” Teagan said in the background. “Tell Jensey goodnight.”
“Oh, okay,” Remi grumbled and climbed into her bed, scrambling under the covers while her mother filmed it all. “Night night, Jensey! I love you! Come see me when you get home!”
Teagan said goodnight as she tucked Remi in and then the video ended leaving me sad that I’d missed talking to my little girl. I closed my phone quickly, then cleaned up. I washed my face, splashed on some cologne, put on a fresh button-down, and I was out the door. I didn’t shave, because it was the end of a long day, and even if I was attracted to this woman, I couldn’t, or shouldn’t, do a damn thing about it.
Most of the others were already in the noisy bar and gathered around a few tables in one corner when I entered the dark space. My eyes found Liz and Michelle, conspicuously without Missy, at the end of one of the tables. There were two chairs free there, and I walked over to take one of them.
The group burst out into a chorus of guffaws and shouts as they saw me enter.
“Jensen!”
“It’s about time, man!”
“Now the party can start!”
“Get out your wallet, Jeffers!”
I put my hands up to quiet them down with a wry twist to my expression. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Ladies,” I nodded to them as I pulled up one of the chairs and sat down. Within seconds, the waiter was asking what I wanted to drink, and before I’d ordered a draft beer, Jeremy was hovering.
“Is Missy coming?” he asked eagerly.
“She said she prefers Melissa,” I glanced up at him. He’d certainly forgotten the rebuff she’d given him in the parking lot. “I think she will but chill out. If you don’t, she’s liable to kick you in the balls.” I smiled and reached forward to grab a nacho from the plate at the center of the table. “Wasn’t that message delivered in the lobby?”
Liz and Michelle laughed. “Yeah, back off, Jeremy,” Liz admonished. “You’re just a kid. She’s sophisticated. Even if your balls had dropped, there’s no way she’d be interested in you. Give it ten years.”
I shook my head, and my mouth twisted wryly. “Not even then.”
“Thanks a lot,” he muttered, moving away, clearly embarrassed.
Those within hearing range burst out laughing, myself included. Leave it to Liz. She didn’t pull any punches. Jeremy’s face turned a bright red, and he left to rejoin a group of the crew around his own age at the other end of the table.
Liz rolled her eyes. “Give the kid a break, you guys. He’s cute.”
“He’s jailbait,” I added.
Michelle’s head cocked to one side, as she looked him over, clearly sizing him up. “Oh, I don’t know. He’s over eighteen.”
“The next thing I know, he’ll be reporting you for sexual harassment, Michelle.” The waiter came and sat a glass of beer in front of me, and I handed him my credit card. “One round for everyone, please.” The DJ was calling a middle-aged couple up to the microphone to do their rendition of New York, New York at the same time that Missy walked into the dark bar; scanning the scene for us. She wore jeans and the blouse from her suit but had discarded
the jacket and took her hair down. She was even more stunning with her blonde waves flowing around her shoulders and the men in the bar, including those in my crew, all noticed her entrance.
“Yes, sir,” the waiter said.
“See that young woman walking in?” I nodded in her direction. “Add her drink to the order, as well, please.”
He nodded and left, and I stood and indicated the empty chair between me, and Liz.
It only took a few seconds for her to reach our side of the bar. The guys all stood as she approached. “Would you look at that?” Michelle murmured. “They’re all acting like she’s a brand-new toy at Christmas.”
“Blame their dicks. They can’t help it,” Liz stated dryly. “Pathetic display of testosterone.”
A dimple on one side of my face deepened as I fought to laugh out loud at Liz’s sarcastic retort. She had a dry sense of humor that I found intensely amusing. Michelle giggled softly.
“What will you have?” I asked as Missy sat down next to me.
“Just a glass of white wine,” she said softly and then repeated it more loudly for the waiter to hear over the sad wailing of the couple on the podium.
I couldn’t help but notice the contrast between her and the other two women. The other two were pretty, but Missy was softer, finer… more beautiful, and I wasn’t the only one to notice. There was an air of vulnerability about her which called out to my masculinity, despite her attempts to hide it. It was incredibly attractive. I sucked in my breath and reached for my drink.
Over the next couple of hours, various members of the crew came over to meet Missy and had short conversations with her, while Liz or Michelle were up singing or ordering more drinks at the bar.
I didn’t move from her side all night, instinctively sensing her apprehension when some of the larger, more boisterous men sat down beside her. Even though outwardly, she appeared confident and secure, if aloof, the way her eyes glanced off of mine told me she was nervous. Suddenly, I found myself wanting to know why and I felt unnaturally protective. I had to remind myself that I barely knew her and if I knew what was good for me, I’d mind my own damn business.
It was getting late, and I glanced at my watch and met Missy’s eyes. “Are you doing okay?”
Her striking eyes flashed up to mine. “I’m fine. Why?”
I half shrugged, reaching for the glass containing the last couple of swallows of my third beer. “Not sure. I sense you’re a bit guarded.”
She lifted her wine glass to her mouth and took a sip, and at the same time, she stiffened. “I’m fine.”
It didn’t escape my notice that everyone else had two or three drinks while she was still nursing her first glass of Chardonnay. Apparently, she wasn’t ready to talk about it.
“Okay,” I answered. “I’m going to head up. I still have some stuff to go over for tomorrow, and I’m sure you’re beat. You had a three-hour head start on your normal day today, right?”
“Yes,” Missy nodded gratefully. “I am really tired.” She started to get up, but then sat down again, her expression indicating she was considering the implications of leaving with me.
“Liz and Michelle will be going up soon. I’ll mention that I want them to walk you out.”
Missy smiled; relief flooding her expression. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. See you at breakfast.” I stood and threw a twenty on the table to tip the waiter and then said goodnight to the others. I walked up to where Liz was ordering drinks for herself and two other people. “Hey,” I said, leaning on the bar next to her. “Can you walk Missy out of here? She’s tired and wants to go to her room.”
Liz looked at me pointedly. “She’s a big girl with two perfectly good legs.”
My eyes met hers, silently imploring that she do as I ask. I cocked my head to one side. “Can you just do it, please?”
“Why can’t she go with you?” The alcohol was making Liz a bit indignant.
“I don’t want people getting the wrong idea.”
“Bullshit.” She paid the bartender for her drinks and then I closed out my bill. “You don’t want the other guys making a move. You’ve got your own eyes on her.”
I shook my head with a bland look planted firmly on my face. “Wrong. I just want to fill my job so I can take the promotion, and I don’t want these over-eager idiots scaring her off.”
“Uh, huh,” Liz said knowingly. “That’s why you stayed so close to her all night.”
“Right; to keep the idiots away. So, will you do it?” I gave her my best pleading look. “Please?”
“Okay, I’ll do it.” She picked up the drinks she’d ordered and turned away from the bar. “But you don’t fool me with your weak-ass excuses, Jeffers. You’re into her just as much as any other guy here. It’s written all over you.”
I met her eyes and cocked my head. My mouth flattened wryly as if to say, please. Liz’s brows arched, and her eyes widened knowingly.
Yep, I was busted.
MISSY
It was hard to not like Jensen Jeffers; the past two days had proven that.
He was kind and considerate. He was handsome, funny, and smart. And, to top it all off; he was hot. I mean, really hot; the total package kind of hot. He was tall and built with broad shoulders, dimples, and dark blue eyes that seemed to look right through me and make my stomach flutter. He had an easy camaraderie with everyone, and it was clear that he was well respected. He led this group, even though there were producers and the director who were technically supervisors. I found myself wondering what kind of crazy his ex-wife was to let him go.
I was making a concerted effort to keep my cool demeanor around him, just as I did with all of the other men, but it wasn’t as easy. Jensen picked up on her distant persona last night at the bar, and it unsettled me, only serving to reinforce that I had to be careful. He could read me, despite my efforts to keep everything inside.
His easy-going demeanor was comforting like my brother Ben’s; just his presence alone set me at ease. The problem was, I was afraid to be at ease because then my guard would drop, and I might do or say something I shouldn’t. I couldn’t let myself get too comfortable with him, too soon.
As I watched him work, both in front of the camera and behind it, with men and women, my respect for him grew. He treated everyone the same, and I admired that greatly. I’d been around my share of arrogant assholes, who thought their looks, their contacts, or their money, gave them some sort of right to treat people as if they were insignificant or somehow beneath them. Jensen didn’t have Derrick’s money, but he did have all the rest of it in spades, and I couldn’t imagine him ever acting so arrogant, uncaring… or violent.
I cleared my throat as I stood beside Eric, the cameraman I’d sat next to on the flight. He was filming Jensen during an interview of one of the Ram’s defensive backs just before we finished up for the day.
At first, I blushed when we were in the locker room earlier in the day. Big, burly men were half dressed or completely nude milling around, but thankfully, during this interview, the players was dressed in their uniforms.
Michelle was in the booth getting ready for the live show, and Liz was chasing around making sure the teleprompters were working properly. They all had everything they needed all lined up before the game began. The technicians had the lights and the rest of the equipment wired and hooked up with power sources before we’d even arrived that morning.
I’d been with Jensen all day Saturday listening to the calming tone in his voice and the respectful way he talked, being surrounded by the incredible scent of his cologne, graced with the easy smile that was ever present on his handsome face. I wondered if I was overly sensitive because I hadn’t been this close to a man, other than Ben, in such a long time, or he really was that amazing? Whatever it was, he was hitting me like a ton of bricks. Even my horrible experiences with Derrick couldn’t make me put up my usual wall.
Even though my heart and instincts told me that every man wasn�
�t as hateful as Derrick had been; in this man I had proof. The pain, bruises, and fear that I lived with day-in-and-day-out for years had me on guard with every man I’d met since my divorce, but something about Jensen Jeffers screamed safety… and that made my heart swell. I wanted to drown in my thoughts and let myself feel for him.
It was stupid. I hardly knew him, and yet, I wanted to trust him. I wanted to know him. I wanted to feel his arms around me. I found myself imagining what it would be like to kiss him. I’d never felt like this before, even in the early days with Derrick.
After we finished at the stadium, the entire crew ended up back at the hotel bandying around various evening plans. Some wanted to get dinner and crash, a few others wanted to go to a restaurant in Hollywood, but about half of the crew decided to go to Disneyland for the evening, including Liz, Michelle, Jeremy, and Eric.
“Hey, little lady,” Eric said. “You gonna come along? Disney isn’t just for kids, you know.”
“Well,” I glanced at Jensen and then back at Eric. “I’d love to, but my son would be heartbroken if I went to Disney without him.” My shoulders lifted in a shrug and I offered an apologetic grimace. “He’s always wanted to go there.”
“Ah, no worries,” he nodded. “I understand.”
“Are you sure?” Liz asked with a smile. “It’s a lot of fun.”
I nodded. “I’m sure.”
As the crew split off in groups only George Nelson, another of the career cameramen, Jensen, and I were left standing in the hotel lobby.
“Do you want to get dinner?” Jensen asked, of both George and I, using his thumb to point behind him at the door to the hotel. “Somewhere else besides the hotel? The food here is almost as bad as the karaoke singers.”
An easy smile slid over my mouth. I was inclined to agree. “Sure.”
“George?” Jensen asked again.
George’s dark gray eyes glanced between us, a thoughtful, but wise expression settling on his kind features. “Nah. I’m gonna get a shower and room service. Gotta call the wife, or she’ll divorce me for sure.” He patted Jensen’s upper arm and nodded at me. “You two kids have a nice time.” With that, he walked off toward the elevators and left the two of us standing in the lobby.