by Suzie Nelson
“It doesn’t matter if we are a few minutes late, Blake has reserved us some seats.” Jordan stood in front of a large oval mirror that hung in the lobby and he ruffled his thick brown hair. Everything had been settled between Danica’s people and his, the contracts had been signed and the number of public appearances agreed. This evening fashion show which included Jordan’s brother, Blake, would be their first official appearance as a couple and would hopefully get the rumor mill buzzing.
“We need to be there with all the other celebrities so that the photographers get some good pictures of you guys arriving together. I don’t want you having to sneak in late and miss the red carpet entirely.” Barrack tapped his Prada loafer and looked down at his expensivewatch. “This is ridiculous, I’m going to call Chelsea and find out where she is.” Barrack pulled out his phone from his pocket as Jordan continued to check over his outfit. Barrack had dressed him in a slightly shimmery dark Versace suit with a fitted white shirt. It wasn’t Jordan’s normal style but he had to admit he looked pretty good.
Before Barrack had a chance to ring Chelsea, the elevator pinged and the silver doors opened. Danica stepped out dressed in a slinky black Valentino dress that was completely backless. Her long blonde hair was pinned up but she still had a few curls gracefully resting on her shoulders. She was stunning. Jordan was completely speechless as she was everything he would ever want his own girlfriend to be.
“Finally, where have you been?” Barrack was not distracted by her beauty and always on point with his duties.
“Sorry, I couldn’t decide on what dress to wear.” For a split second, Danica looked shy and Jordan lurched forward to offer his compliments.
“You look lovely.”
They both smiled at each other and for a brief moment, it felt like a real date.
“Thank you. My stylist told me that you were wearing black so I thought we could match.” Her cheeks flushed pink as she felt Jordan’s eyes search her up and down.
“We are running late people! Let’s get going,” Barrack interrupted with a rude awakening of their reality and pushed them both into the elevator. They stood side by side, each feeling the tension between them but not knowing if their desire was shared.
A short car ride later, they arrived at the fashion show. “Are you ready to do this?” Barrack looked at both of them and was pleased with his matchmaking skills. They looked like the perfect couple; the handsome billionaire with his doting model perched on his arm. Jordan and Danica looked at each other and both wished that they could say something about the natural attraction but it was not the time to offer real emotions.
“Don’t forget you two, lots of hand holding, public displays of affection and smiles. I want to see lots of smiling.” Before they could wish each other luck, Barrack threw open the car door and they emerged as a newly formed couple out into the flashing lights and screams of hopeful fans.
“Jordan!” “Danica! Danica over here!” The paparazzi immediately went into a frenzy to take photos of the couple posing arm in arm and their names were shouted out in every direction. Jordan spotted the familiar face of Calvin Hutt, a well-known radio and TV presenter waiting on the sidelines for an interview with the fresh-faced couple.
“Danica, Jordan, this is an incredible surprise to see you both arrive together. Is there something you would like to share with your fans?” Calvin shoved a microphone in their faces and eagerly waited for their announcement.
Both Jordan and Danica hesitated not knowing who should speak first but Jordan decided it was best for him to do the talking as it had been his arrangement. “Well, yes Calvin. As you have probably guessed myself and Danica are in a relationship.” Jordan smiled down at Danica and she wrapped her arm around his tightly.
“Wow, that is amazing news. Everyone at Hutt Radio wishes you both well with this new romance. But tell me, how did you two meet?”
“In a diner.” Danica blurted out at the same time that Jordan answered, “At a show.” They shot each other quick glances but Calvin was quick enough to pick up on the confusion.
“I’m sorry, how did you meet?” He moved the microphone back over to them and started to quizzically scan the pair.
Danica placed a single hand on Jordan’s chest and looked up at him admiringly. “Shall I explain, darling?” She didn’t wait for Jordan’s consent but turned to Calvin and with the sweetest smile started her story. “It’s silly really, Calvin…we have known each other for a while as we both work in the fashion industry and we have met many times at shows and events but we had never really spoken. Then one day we bumped into each other as a complete coincidence in a diner, here in New York. We had both ordered these amazing raw zucchini spaghetti to go but they only had one portion left, so we shared.” Jordan could see how easy it was for Danica to put on her charm and get any man to listen to her, even if it was a complete pack of lies. He held her and wondered if he should admire her skills of persuasion or be concerned.
“That is so cute. I had no idea Jordan that you shared Danica’s clean living lifestyle?” Calvin was put at ease and his concerns had been washed away by Danica’s simple story.
“Oh, yes. I would say Jordan is even more passionate about clean living than I am. He is relentlessly trying to push the vegan agenda.” Danica tapped his chest with her hand and gave him a cheeky smile.
“I am?” Jordan couldn’t help but question her as she announced to the World that he was a fully-fledged practicing vegan.
“He’s so modest, Calvin, and such a joker.” Danica playfully ran her hand through his hair.
“I can see that.” Calvin turned his attention back to Jordan. “So Jordan, the public normally only see the business side of you – no personal information. Is this the beginning of a new Jordan Ramsey?”
Jordan glanced down at the round microphone and wondered how best to answer. He grasped Danica’s waist and brought her closer to himself, feeling the heat of her body against his. “I just hadn’t met the right girl until now, Calvin.” Jordan took the opportunity to get intimate with Danica, so he leaned in and kissed her straight on the lips which surprised both her and the reporter. “Danica brings out another side of me…I’m just crazy about her.”
The pair smiled and then made their way into the glamorous hotel where the fashion show was being held.
“I wasn’t expecting you to kiss me so publicly.” Danica looked up at Jordan and although she knew they were to play the part of a couple, she hadn’t expected him to dive straight into the intimate role.
“I wasn’t expecting to be called a vegan.” Jordan gave her a cheeky smile and the pair shared a private moment of attraction which was quickly interrupted by Jordan’s brother, Blake.
“Jordan!” Blake waved his hand at the couple and they made their way through the crowd over to him. “Hey bro, it’s mad outside. Did you get in ok?” Although they looked similar, Blake and Jordan were complete opposites. Blake was easy going, chilled out and happy to go against the trends whereas Jordan was always business focused and level headed. They were each other’s yin and yang, there to support each other through trials and the closest brothers anyone could find.
“No problem, just a few questions from reporters.” Jordan turned to Danica to introduce her to Blake but assumed that they had probably already met. “Danica, this is my younger brother Blake. He has a friend with a collection on the show tonight.”
Danica shook Blake’s hand and then remembered that she had seen his face at a few of the shows. “Yeah, I think I’ve seen you around before. I model at most of the shows, so I might have seen you at one before.” Danica could see the resemblance between the brothers but Blake had a more youthful and reckless air about him.
“Oh, I know who you are, Danica. My friend would kill to have you wear her collection but her little label would never be able to afford you.” Blake kissed Danica’s hand and for a split second, Danica wasn’t sure if he was flirting with her or showing a camp inclination.
> “Is your friend out back? You didn’t want to hook them up a job with Jordan atRamsey?” Danica was wondering where Blake’s mysterious fashion designer friend was and why he hadn’t used his contacts to help her out a bit more.
Jordan stepped in to quickly explain the situation before Blake could start a preach on the tyranny of monopolization by big brands and corporations. “Blake’s friend, Shelby, does not like to be associated with big brand corporations. Although Blake here comes from money, he likes to associate with free-thinkers and deny his family name and wealthy brothers.”
“Yeah man, Shelby could easily just become one of the many faces that work at Ramsey and churn out the same bland rip-offs that they make every year. No offense, bro. But she’s more of an artist than a business person. I’m in the music industry but I and Shelby share the same ideas about freeing people from social conformity. You know what I mean?” Blake was the poster boy for rebellious upper-class young men that have the security of trust funds and the means to be creative vagabonds.
“I know exactly what you mean.” Danica thought Blake was interesting and exactly the type of person that she would be friends with. Although her manager had created the clean living angle, Danica did genuinely care about humanitarian issues and social ethics. She could see herself hanging out with Blake on some indie music gig or posting a selfie on Instagram wearing Shelby’s outfit as a good will to help her get noticed in this cutthroat industry.
Just as she was envisaging herself with her new best friend, Jordan slipped his hand down her back and whispered into her ear, “we should be getting our seats before the show starts.” Her back trembled at his touch and as she turned to face him she thought about Jordan’s hands touching her whole body.
“We’ll catch up with you at the end. Make sure you come and say goodbye before you run off to the after-party.” Jordan and Blake gave each other a well-rehearsed fist pound that they had been doing for years.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Danica. I hope to see you more in future.” Blake bent down and gave Danica a playful courtesy as he walked away behind the stage screen.
“I love your brother. He’s so interesting and unique.” As Danica offered her compliment to Jordan she saw his face twitch slightly in irritation and she wondered if he misunderstood her meaning. There was no attraction between her and Blake, at least not on her side, and she didn’t want Jordan to think that she liked Blake romantically. “I don’t love him, I mean he’s…he’s different from most people. Refreshingly genuine.” She stuttered through her words and realized she had made herself sound more embarrassing than before.
“He’s definitely different, that’s for sure.” Jordan reached out his hand and indicated for Danica to sit on a bench that lined the catwalk.
She still couldn’t tell from his face if he understood her comment or if he was displeased about something she had said. Danica sat down as the lights started to flash and music pumped. For the next hour, they sat in awkward silence pretending to watch the procession of models while each of them was secretly thinking of the other.
***
“My phone is ringing off the hook! The press is going mad for you two lovebirds!” Barrack slapped Jordan’s back in delight the following morning, as he plonked himself down on the empty seat next to Jordan. “You guys have only been at one public function and already I have reporters calling me for interviews and wanting to know what you and Danica get up to in the bedroom.”
“The bedroom – that’s absurd.” Jordan couldn’t believe the audacity of the media asking personal questions and trying to pry into his personal business. For a second, he completely forgot that the whole relationship was a charade.
“Of course it is, but they don’t know it’s all completely fake.” Barrack was clearly impressed with himself and he sat there with an air of gloating. “I have to say you and Danica did a really good job of looking like a real couple. I couldn’t believe it when you planted a kiss on her during your interview with Calvin. They lapped that shit up!” Barrack laughed to himself as Jordan recalled Danica’s soft lips and how he wished he had have made the kiss last longer.
“It’s not that difficult to kiss an attractive lady like Danica. She’s very easy to get on with.” Jordan continued to scan the morning papers. Barrack lifted an eyebrow in Jordan’s direction as he sensed his friend was starting to get attached to their hired model.
“Any man certainly wouldn’t refuse to kiss her but are you starting to feel real feelings for her?” Barrack watched as Jordan tried to conceal his expressions.
“No, not at all!” Jordan sipped his coffee and hoped that Barrack wouldn’t notice the heat that had flooded his cheeks. “I’m just saying that she’s easy to get along with. She’s not the total airhead we thought she would be and it’s a nice surprise – that’s all.” Jordan tried to focus on reading the morning headlines but he could still feel Barrack’s eyes scrutinizing his every look.
“Good. Obviously, it’s not for me to tell you who you can and can’t have a relationship with but if you two really did have feelings for each other, it would definitely complicate matters. Never mind the media nightmare we would have if anyone ever found out how it really started.” Barrack pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his emails as he became less concerned about Jordan’s attachment to Danica.
For a few quiet moments, Jordan read over the papers and was relieved to see no mention of the previous scandal that had plagued his company. Instead of those awful headlines, he now saw pictures of himself and Danica smiling happily at each from the previous night’s fashion show. All the reporters commented on how the new romance was a surprise but that it was a welcome change to see Jordan Ramsey show any human side. Although the plan was clearly successful, Jordan couldn’t help but be hurt by the mention of his cold and inhuman personality which he didn’t think was an accurate reflection. It was true that he always kept his personal life private but he wasn’t heartless or void of emotions as some of the articles suggested. As he mulled about the descriptions he wondered what his brother Edward thought of the news headlines. If anyone was cold and unfeeling, it was his money driven brother Edward.
“Have you had any word from Edward today?” Jordan didn’t know how his older brother would react to the new media focus on them but hoped he would see the benefits.
“Yeah, he sent me a quick email congratulating me on my media spinning magic. He’s already noticed a small increase in Ramsey’s stock price but it’s going to take a bit more to get us back where we were.” Barrack continued to filter his emails as Jordan gave out a small sigh and relaxed back into his chair. It was just typical of Edward to email Barrack and not even say a word to his own brother when they literally lived a few floors apart.
“Well, at least he might get off my back for a while.” Jordan knew that he could be open with Barrack about his frustrated relationship with Edward as they had been friends longer than work colleagues.
“Here’s hoping.” Barrack winked and then pushed himself up off the couch. “Anyway, I have a lot to do today. Lots of interviews and appearances to arrange. Keep an eye on your email – I’ll be sending through details about our next appearance.” Barrack headed to the elevator as Jordan remained reading the newspapers and online magazines.
Danica looked stunning in every picture and it was hard to forget the silky black dress she was wearing. Jordan remembered every moment shared between them, the small looks, the kiss and how he had run his hand down her bare back. He knew it was all fake, just for show, but he had enjoyed every moment spent with Danica. He had enjoyed the way she had teased him during their interview and how she wasn’t shy to take control. As he scanned image after image of them together he wished more that they were a real couple.
Chapter 4
“It’s pretty crazy outside, bro. It might be best to go out the back entrance.” Blake, Jordan, and Danica stood in the lobby of New York’s trendy restaurant, Le Coucou, debating ho
w best to leave. They had just spent the evening dining togetherwith some of their high-fashion friends while all eyes in the restaurant pretended not to stalk the now famous couple.
“We can’t go out the back. This will be Barrack’s doing, we have to go out the front way and make sure that everyone sees us together.” Jordan peered over his brother’s shoulder at the front entrance and could see dozens of photographers waiting for a glimpse of the couple. Jordan was dressed in black Guccisuit and a silky gray shirt that Danica thought suited him perfectly. “That’s the whole point of this dinner.” Jordan had just hinted to Blake for the first time in Danica’s presence the real meaning of their fake relationship and she felt embarrassed.
All night they had been sat next to each other, sharing easy conversation with Blake’s friends. Occasionally, Jordan had wrapped his arm around her shoulder which secretly aroused her. The warmth of his body radiated through Jordan’s shirt and Danica loved feeling secure and protected as he shielded her.
Danica genuinely liked both Jordan and his brother, and their evening together had been exactly the type of date she would want from a real relationship but now she was being tormented by their agreement. She couldn’t look up at Blake and acknowledge his look as she had hoped that they could become real friends, even after her agreement with Jordan had ended.