“Cool…gotta go…see you tomorrow.” Click. Gibson was gone and I was left holding my cell to my heart, instantly missing him and it had only been seconds since I had felt he was right here with me in the room.
CHAPTER 39 - MEDIA EVASION
Gibson
Hearing the nerves in Chloe’s voice made me ache to hold her, but I knew she’d thank me when she found out what I had in mind. Lying in bed thinking about how my life was before I met her…well I was at a crossroads and I had found a window where I was feeling a void in my life and was given her number at just the right moment.
Chloe saved me. From myself, from a meaningless life full of excess and low morals, from a life where I never knew what it felt like to truly love someone. Since she’d been in my life, Chloe had taught me a huge amount about myself.
Before Chloe, I’d never given a fuck what anyone thought, or considered the feelings of anyone that came on to me. Sure I cared about people…I cared a lot. I always tried to pay my success forward. All the money I earned was way too much for one man, and although I had a large payload of workers to keep, there was still tons left in the pot to help projects that really mattered.
Three weeks ago, I signed a deal on a new project that I wanted to share with Chloe and I was kind of nervous about that, but I get the feeling she’d be happy about it, so I’m excited to share it with her.
Privilege comes with status and there are a lot of perks to that as well. At first it was like Christmas every day when there were new threads or cell phones, tablets and shit arriving, then I got to thinking that a lot of people would never own some of that kind of stuff. That’s when I decided that instead of wearing it once and promoting it, I’d do something sensible with it.
Wonder what some of those designers and corporate executives who took the decision to send their stuff to me would think, if they knew half the shit was being worn in a third world country by people who had to wash their garments in a dirty river. Most of the goods were sold at auctions to provide medical supplies and sheets for the hospital programs in the third world that I supported.
One of the things I loved about Chloe was that she was kind of embarrassed by wealth. She was definitely not a gold digger that’s for sure. Accepting of the things that she needed to have, but she was financially solvent in her own right and low maintenance. She never seemed to need anything. I loved the simplicity about her, and how she looked with her casual dress code and her natural beauty.
Reaching for my cell I swiped the screen and her smiling face looked back at me. She had captured my heart before I’d even spoken to her properly and once I knew her, she’d blown my mind, body and soul apart when no one else had even scratched the surface.
Once the screen went black, I placed the phone back on the nightstand, turned on my side and punched my pillow. The travelling to get where I was had made me tired, so I fell into a fitful sleep.
“Whoop! Get you’re hairy ass out of bed and get in the shower, you’re a man with a plan and Chloe will be here in two hours. We’ve got to finish our preparations. The staff are arriving and Chloe’s parents are on the terrace being fed breakfast as we speak.”
Johnny was pulling the cord to open the heavy black out drapes and paradise inched into the room through the sheer glass in front of me. Clicking the latch, Johnny slid the pocket doors open and they disappeared into the walls. My morning started with an uninterrupted view of an incredible azure, blue expanse of water stretching out before me.
Swinging around to place my feet on the floor, I sat up and I stretched my arms in the air and then stood up. The marble floor felt cool under my feet as I padded my way naked onto the balcony. “Jeez Gib are you gonna put a bag over that or something? You’ll put me off my breakfast dude.”
Glancing down at my morning wood I snickered and turned giving Johnny as serious a face as I could, “Yeah, sorry Johnny. I forgot you got traumatized by the size of mine. Never mind, you’ve got a nice personality, buddy.” Slapping his back Johnny shrugged me off and started laughing hard.
“Fuck you, dude, just wait until you’re an old married man and you’re complaining your wife won’t put out when I’m out getting laid every night. You won’t be so smug then—when your big dick is just an annoying inconvenience in baggy-assed pants.”
Gesturing at my dick standing proud, I snickered again, “Johnny…look…it’s never gonna happen.”
We continued with our playful banter and Johnny inclined his head in the direction of the shower. “Get your ass in there and try and make yourself a bit more appealing Gib, Chloe sees you like that she might run into the rotors on the bird in her effort to make a hasty retreat.”
Leaving the room, Johnny stopped and banged on the wood with the palm of his hand. “You did good Gib— Chloe…taking care of her n’all, she’s a good girl and I know she makes you happy. Just make sure you don’t fuck it up.”
Looking him dead in the eye, I nodded slowly at him. I didn’t like to be reminded, but I was glad that he thought enough of me and Chloe to risk delivering a warning to keep on the right path with her.
After showering, I headed off to find out what was happening and was encouraged when everyone was completely on the ball. Everything I had envisaged for the day was coming together and I had to keep hugging Cathy, Chloe’s mom, who was an emotional wreck but thankfully this time a happy one.
Days to prepare meant there was less likelihood that anyone would have wind of our plans, and this was exactly what I needed Chloe to see I could achieve. I’d hired this tiny island in the British Virgin Islands owned by a media mogul. It was used by a few elite celebrities to recharge their batteries and relax without the world’s media on their back. Ironic the owner made his living out of pursuing others, and provided an escape like that.
Sitting a mile long and half a mile wide in the middle of nowhere, the island was the perfect place to ensure that there would be no one to interrupt us. In fact, the only people staying on the island, after the wedding was Chloe and me. Johnny and Emma were sleeping on a charter yacht on one side of the island and Jerry and Lois on the other.
When I heard the chopper had left Tortola ten minutes earlier, I glanced at Cathy and tried to control the bounce in my knee while I sat waiting nervously for Chloe to arrive. “Gibson she’s going to love what you’ve done. I mean I’ve not seen the whole effect, but I couldn’t ask for more of a fairy tale wedding for her.”
Just as she finished speaking I heard the sound of the helicopter in the distance. Looking up at the cloudless blue sky, I wondered if the island had the same effect on her as it had on me, when I first saw it.
Shaped pretty much like a rough diamond, it was edged by the whitest sand and the lushest green foliage I’d ever laid eyes on. The three wooden huts on stilts on the water front looked incredible with their hot tubs and oriental style lay out, each with private sun decking. Up at the top set back on a small hill was the rugged looking main house which had an infinity pool and a huge wooded terraced area and a grand wooded treetop view out over the Caribbean.
The master suite I’d been in this morning was where I’d take Chloe tonight and the staff were busy preparing that, but today she’d be in one of the huts preparing for our amazing day. As she flew overhead, the rotors of the bird created a breeze and my open white linen shirt rippled in the wind behind me.
Watching the helicopter’s descent I started running up the carved out wooden steps in the hillside to get to the helipad and arrived just as Chloe was exiting the helicopter door. She was hunched over her hair blowing in the wind and an expression on her face that probably mirrored mine. Relief. We’d missed each other dreadfully this past couple of days and I was desperate to hold her.
As soon as Chloe saw me she ran and jumped up onto my body, her legs wrapping tightly around my waist. Cradling my head in her hands, she leaned forward until her mouth found mine. There was nothing shy about my girl at that moment and that made me so hard I wasn’t sure I
was going to make it to the wedding without making a dishonest woman of her first.
Grinning happily, I walked with Chloe still wrapped around me and her arms tightened around my neck. As soon as the helicopter engine whine stopped she murmured into my ear, “Gibson it’s perfect. Thank you, I love you so much.”
Giving her a half-smile and feeling awesome that she approved, I turned and laid a kiss on her cheek. “No, thank you. I can’t wait to make you my wife. I half wondered whether to see you or not before the ceremony, but I figured that fate had thrown us together and all the bad shit had already happened, so because we’re less than conventional, I had to be here when you arrived.”
Once I’d settled Chloe, Cathy and the girls in their huts, we had a team on hand to pamper the ladies and we guys had a relaxing massage. It made me sleep for two hours. I vaguely heard the water taxi arrive. Johnny sat up and nudged me. “Gib the pastor is here, we gotta get dressed.” Just as he said it, Jerry came up the stairs and onto the decking.
“Fifteen minutes until dusk, Gibson. Pastor is here. The island staff guys are being taken back to the mainland with this boat and then coming back for Chloe’s parents, Ruby and the pastor. Everything is ready.” Suddenly, I was really nervous. Really nervous. This was our wedding day and I’d taken responsibility to get it right for Chloe, so I was praying that I’d called it just right and she’d have a day that she’d remember for the rest of her life.
By the time I’d got dressed the last of the natural light was fading and I headed down to the old beat up motor boat that was waiting for me. Within a minute of it pulling away from the jetty it was pitch dark. Instantly, I thought about Chloe and her issues with boats and that made me fearful that she’d fall in the water or some other crazy assed stunt that would ruin her day.
I shook that thought aside and wondered about her reaction to all of it. Planning had been meticulous and when it was time, Johnny and Jerry hit the lights. Directly opposite Chloe’s hut, about fifty feet out in the water, I was standing on the deck of a pontoon boat, which was covered in tropical flowers, rigged up with ten thousand tiny, white string lights.
The flat bottomed boat was draped in white and rose-colored silk with the flowers and lights winding up every pole of the structure. Rose petals were scattered the length of the white wash board floor deck. Johnny, Cathy, George, Ruby and Jerry were the only guests on board the boat. Jerry for our security, and Johnny as my witness. There was a roof on the boat offering even more privacy, so even if one of the staff had a telephoto lens the angle the boat was parked at would challenge even the most professional of photographers.
Along the beach were a hundred torch lights each side of her hut and the island’s lilac flood lighting on the hillside made a perfect scene for Chloe to step out to. Jerry hit the sound system and “Take Me To Church” by Hozier rang out. That was my one indulgence I’d allowed myself in all of this. I loved that tune.
Watching her step into the boat, I could see that Chloe’s hair was down and my heart stopped beating when I held my breath as she settled into the boat safely. It felt like an age for her to get to me and glancing nervously at the pastor. His face beamed, obviously enjoying the whole experience that I was giving her. I was just hoping Chloe’s smile matched his.
We’d practiced this…Johnny pretending; to be Chloe, me and the pastor. And I was supposed to stand in a certain spot and wait for her to come to me, but as soon as the put-put noise from the small outboard motor stopped, I headed for the back to help her on, not trusting anyone else to keep her safe.
Chloe stepped off the boat and straightened up into my arms and smiled warmly. “You just can’t stop being my hero can you?” Smiling widely, my appraising eyes ticked over her face then I had to kiss her. The pastor cleared his throat and I broke the kiss, put my hand up to silence him, and kissed again more passionately. When I broke the kiss I smirked at Chloe because her eyes were already drunk with lust.
Turning to face the pastor, I caught Johnny shaking his head at me. “What? The dude knows I’m a rock star…he should expect that kind of behavior from a guy like me. I have needs.”
Grinning, I took Chloe’s hand, stepped back and perused my girl seeing her properly in the light for the first time. Her dress was absolutely perfect. Perfect for her. Perfect for the occasion. Perfect for the setting. She looked effortlessly flawless. “Wow. Damn. Sorry.” Clearing the lump that had lodged in my throat, I tried to speak, “Chloe, darlin’, you…you leave me …” shaking my head I had no words because she had called it just right. Leaning forward I kissed her again and a tear rolled down her face.
“I know, Gibson….you…me—I know.” Grinning nervously at her broken words, I tucked her hair behind her ears and kissed her softly again,
“I got you, darlin’,” Working a swallow I choked and the significance of what we were doing suddenly hit me. The pastor shuffled his feet and flicked the pages of his ornate looking book he was holding and I squeezed Chloe’s hand tightly. Immediately, Chloe responded by squeezing mine back.
Neither of us had written vows for each other…we didn’t need words…I would have made an ass of myself trying with the flowery-cheesy-shit I kept spouting involuntarily around Chloe, but I did ask to say one thing to her before she agreed to be my wife. “Chloe I will love you my whole life, this is not a promise— it’s just the truth.”
Chloe cried again and I smiled softly, brushing her tears away with my thumbs as the pastor struggled on, trying to conduct a marriage with two unruly participants. And I don’t think he was too impressed when he asked if I took Chloe to be my wife and I answered, “Hell yes!”
When he finally said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Chloe and I both took a deep breath and exhaled heavily before laughing at each other. My heart swelled in my chest with pride at my beautiful wife and how she had come so far in such a short time.
After the wedding ceremony, we got into the small boat and headed for the shore. I asked Chloe to look up. Millions of stars twinkled in the huge dark sky, the moon was almost eclipsed in its cycle and the heavens shone brighter for it. “Sorry we’re having our wedding at night Chloe, but it was the only way I could give you the stars.” Chloe smiled and touched my face then leaned forward and kissed me. Another corny line, but fuck I meant it.
“And, the night time thing…it was a way of guaranteeing that only we know we got married today. We’ll tell the world when we get home.” When I Winked at her, Chloe’s face lit up, delighted that I’d achieved a drama-free day for us.
“This is why you were so confident no one would know when I told you my worries about the media and fans.”
New worries about Chloe I had been suppressing, mainly about getting back into my music and all the drama surrounding that, made me feel concerned, but I tried to push them back because I had been blocking some of those things, and could envisage many hurdles to come. We hadn’t even started to think about touring again and helping Chloe adjust to the full force of life in the limelight.
What happened with Kace was a major failing on my part but I had learned a hard lesson there and I’d protect her with my life in the future. In the meantime I had to demonstrate to her the gift of love and trust she gave me wasn’t accepted lightly.
After a few family photographs with Cathy and George, one with me and the boys, and another Ruby and Chloe we were done. These were the only guest pictures taken. Pictures of Chloe and I were taken by Johnny to mark the day, but to maintain our privacy there was no official photographers or wedding planners.
By the time we said goodbye and watched them pull away from the jetty, Chloe looked pretty tired, she’d had a long day with the travelling. Leading her by the hand from the small jetty up the main house we shared a moment of quiet reflection.
When we reached the bedroom I lifted her up and kissed her hungrily. “Are you ready Mrs. Barclay?” Chloe grinned and nodded bashfully and I dipped down to sprung the handle on the door. The room wa
s lit with hundreds of rose scented candles and a trail of rose petals lead out to the terrace where our wedding feast had been set.
Chloe suddenly seemed nervous and I squeezed her arm pulling her into me. “Too late to change your mind now, darlin’.” I teased grinning wickedly, feeling delighted she was finally mine and awesome feeling I had about her was like nothing I’d ever expected to feel for any woman.
“Sit. I have a wedding gift for you.” Chloe looked puzzled. Hours of debating about what to do for her had resulted in what I had in front of me. Buying something for her didn’t seem like enough, so I had two things that I hoped would show her that I had really thought about it. I was sitting across from her and I slid an envelope over the table. “For you.” I said, tapping the envelope and smiling nervously. Chloe tentatively slid it off the end of the table and picked it up.
“What is it?” Gesturing at her by inclining my head at the envelope, I said nothing and she started opening it. Inside was the final agreement on a piece of land with permission to build ten properties to support survivors like Chloe. Before Chloe could react, I pulled the envelope away from her and slid a small package in front of her.
Tapping it lightly with my middle finger, I prompted for her to open it. “Fast Base Tone” by Chloe Jenner. Staring open mouthed in shock at me, she looked like she’d frozen, and my confidence in what I’d done wavered.
“Where…how…did you get this?”
“Your mom.”
Chloe’s new wedding band glinted by the candlelight as she drew her hand down the ruby red, hard back book cover, staring in disbelief at the glossy picture. Slender, shapely legs in cute ankle boots and fish net stockings donned the cover. Blinking rapidly she stemmed her tears from falling from those gorgeous inky blue eyes. “It’s me…it’s my legs on the cover.”
Trusting Gibson (Last Score Book 2) Page 34