by JN Welsh
“Thank you.” She hadn’t shed any tears that he could see but she rubbed her red eyes.
He returned to his seat across from her and when he thought about everything Paul had done, he gripped the seat arm on either side of him until his knuckles whitened. “Why do you let him handle you like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like he still has some claim on you,” he scoffed. “Does he?” He didn’t want to believe it because of what was happening between them, but how could he trust her if she had any allegiance to Paul?
“No, he doesn’t.” The tension in her jaw was visible and he wanted to stroke her cheek. “Paul’s good at fooling people and then throwing a tantrum when he doesn’t get what he wants.”
He scanned her body for any evidence to the contrary. When he was satisfied, he asked, “Why’d you two break up?”
“That’s none—” She stopped herself.
The material of the blanket was taut against her fingertips like a shield and she was quiet for what felt like hours.
“Leona,” he called. She didn’t have to answer but he prayed that she didn’t shut down.
She let out a shaky breath as if readying herself for the confession. “While I was promoting him and working my ass off on his behalf he was... H-he was cheating on me, among other things. When we broke up he bad-mouthed me and pretty much lied or told some warped version of the truth. It affected my family. Things got real ugly.”
“Hmm. That’s a dick move.” Luke’s eyes widened for a moment before narrowing. He had a feeling there might be more to this story.
“You’re not surprised?”
“No,” he responded.
She cleared her throat. “Why’d you and Ivy break up?”
“My fiancée cheated on me, too.”
“You two were engaged?” Her eyes widened. She tempered her surprise. “I-I’m sorry.”
“It’s cool, Leona.” He should feel shittier after the admission but he didn’t. Ivy was his past, but Leona? He stashed his thoughts about the future away.
“Is that why she left your tour? To be with that other guy?”
“Yeah.” He omitted the details because Paul had already had her wound up. He didn’t want to be responsible for adding any more bad news on her.
Dead air hung between them until at last he spoke.
“I’m sorry about what happened between you and Paul, but...”
Leona waited when he didn’t continue. “But?” she prodded.
His entire body sighed. “You don’t have to keep letting him hurt you. He’s not worth it. You deserve more than a prick like Reese.”
“I’m over him...been over him.” Her eyes locked with his, no bullshit or curtain of doubt. “I’m just not over me and what I put up with, or all the shit that was left in the aftermath. But I’m working on it.” Her lip curled into a half smile and it took all his efforts not to leap out of his seat and kiss the small dimple at the corner of her mouth.
He reached into his bag and pulled out a box of animal crackers. He stared at the box for a moment. He may have needed the soothing treat after the ladder of emotions that were undoing him at the seams but Leona needed it more. “Here.” He handed her the box.
Leona gawked at the red container, then back at him. “Luke.”
“They’ll make you feel better. I promise.” The hard expression he was sure had been engraved on his face earlier finally softened.
“Thank you,” she said. As she dug into the box and popped a few in her mouth, he was glad to be a part of her comfort and not her turmoil.
“Can we make a deal?”
“Sure.” She was way too agreeable, but animal crackers did that to you.
“No more departures from the tour, Leona. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
Chapter Fifteen
Operation: Distract Leona from her conflicting feelings about Luke was in full effect. She even went as far as to have Sara and Sebastian manage Luke’s sound check. The two had done a great job filling in for her when she’d been summoned to New Orleans. If he requested her, she adhered to the minimum requirements of the contract, but she kept a physical and emotional distance.
In Colorado, the team prepared for two concerts in addition to a featured photo shoot and interview with Trendzy Magazine. With all the recent happenings, Leona had forgotten about Izzy’s arrival. Though the timing wasn’t ideal, Leona was still delighted her friend was coming out to Denver.
“Hello, love.” Izzy’s accent was a fresh new sound. She hugged Leona tight.
“I missed you.” Leona returned her friend’s embrace. “How’s Peaches?”
Izzy’s face contorted with guilt. “I have a bit of bad news.”
Leona froze. “What? She’s sick, right?”
“Well, yes, but she’s in recovery.” Izzy pushed her hair behind her shoulder.
Leona frowned. “Recovery?”
“Yes. See, I changed her water, like you instructed, but I might have put too much of that solution or salt or something. The pet shop guy said I almost boiled her. Anyway, she’s fine now. Mitchell’s taking care of her while I’m here.”
Leona gaped openmouthed at her friend. None of the news put her at ease, especially since her brother’s feeding forgetfulness was worse than Izzy’s.
“She’s absolutely fine. See?” Izzy pulled out her smartphone and showed Leona a short video of Peaches swimming around in her tank.
Leona exhaled. She was a ball of stress and it wasn’t only because of Peaches’s near death experience. “Okay.”
Izzy put her arm around her. “Come on. Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
The two women went to a restaurant close to their hotel.
After they ordered, Izzy began her inquisition. “So, how are things going?”
“Great.” Leona’s avoidance of Luke, since she’d walked zombified to her hotel that night in Miami, had turned into a full-on hide-and-seek situation after their brief trip to New Orleans.
“Yeah?” Izzy inspected her cobalt blue painted fingernails.
“I miss New York and the family, but I’m seeing so many more places than any other tour. This is definitely the biggest one.”
“And Luke?” Izzy leaned in for a secret. “Anything sizzling with you two yet?”
“Don’t,” Leona said.
“Why are you blushing? My, Leo, I would think that something’s happened.”
Leona was silent.
“Something has happened, hasn’t it?” Izzy’s delightful demeanor energized the entire restaurant.
Their food arrived and Leona prayed that eating would silence any further admission and distract Izzy altogether.
“Come with the details.” Izzy tapped her fork against her plate.
Leona munched on her salad. “We may have shared a small kiss, but we’re on tour so nothing else will happen.”
Izzy dropped her fork. “Lies. You both got a taste. It’s a snowball effect from here on out. I knew it from the beginning.”
“You knew what from the beginning?” Leona asked. Izzy was doing nothing to ease Leona’s ever-growing tension.
“You and Luke. You fit somehow. I can’t really explain it.”
“I’m in New York, he’s based in California, and he’s my client. It wouldn’t work.”
“So you’re thinking about working it out?”
“No!” Leona said. She shook her head and then lowered her voice. “No.”
“Mmm-hmm...” Izzy delivered through pouted lips.
Leona had to get off this topic. “I saw Paul.” Not the best choice.
She thought it best to give Izzy the consolidated version of how she and Paul came to be in the same room before she heard anything through the grapevine.
“What?” Izzy raised her
voice.
“Yeah. He’s working with Christian Sacks from Tres Armadas.”
“Absolutely amazing. How does he get to work with all these great people? Silly me, it’s because of his past hits.” Izzy stared at her for a long moment.
Leona shook her head. “Whatever. It’s the past.”
“He’s a fraud. Aargh! I really don’t like that guy.” Izzy stuffed her mouth with food.
“Anyway, Christian and Luke are good friends, which helped the situation.”
“Luke was there? With Paul?” Izzy asked. “The plot thickens. Do tell.”
Leona recounted the story. She had tried not to make Luke the topic of conversation but as her and Izzy’s chatter navigated back to him, Leona’s worries intensified.
“Something is definitely up with those two.” Izzy swirled her glass of iced tea. “I’m always impressed by your ability to keep a tight lip, but you let Paul get away with it. Again.”
Leona fidgeted with her fork. “You’d prefer I say something so I can be hounded by the press? Again? No way. I’ll plead the fifth.” Every time she heard someone was working with Paul, the old familiar guilt and anxiety popped to the surface like a buoy that had been held underwater.
“One day, you’ll have a reason to speak out, and I want to be up front and center for the show.”
Leona hoped Izzy was wrong. That wasn’t a display she ever wanted to be on. “Okay, enough about me. How are things with you? I saw the Milan cover. Gorgeous.”
“It’s my best yet. The success is filling up my already busy calendar but that’s not a bad problem to have.”
Izzy had started the magazine a few years ago and had only a few subscribers. Now Trendzy was not only one of the hottest fashion magazines, it was getting praise from fashion’s toughest critics.
“I’m so proud of you, Izzy. You’ve come such a long way.”
“We both have, love.” Izzy squeezed Leona’s hand.
“So.” Leona squinted at her. “Are you dating anyone?”
Izzy glanced at her sideways. “Leona Sable, you’re well aware that I don’t date.”
“I just thought I’d ask. It may change someday when you tire of Boy Toyland.” Leona laughed.
“Haha,” Izzy joined. “Anyway, I’d much rather hear you tell me what a great kisser Luke is. He is, isn’t he?”
“Hey, let’s finish up and get you your exclusive.” Her deflection was obvious.
“Okay, chicken.” Izzy plucked pretend feathers off her.
“Come on.” Leona mimicked Izzy’s accent.
* * *
Leona’s team had secured a space in the hotel ballroom for Luke’s photo shoot. The space was large enough to accommodate the wardrobe rack, makeup, and changing area for the models, and the staged scenes for the photographs. Izzy’s assistants bustled around prepping costumes and doing makeup.
Leona was happy to give Izzy this opportunity with Luke. They had helped each other in their careers whenever possible, but this was the first exclusive Leona was able to offer.
They found Luke and Sara talking by the dressing area. Sara laughed at something he said and her hair swung around her shoulders, and Luke wore a boyish smile on his handsome face. The scene was one she’d seen him share with near everyone who’d worked with him.
“You okay, love?” Izzy’s voice grew bubbly. “You’ve been eyeing him since you walked into the room. My God, Leo, that man is like ice cream. If you don’t hurry up and lick him, I will.”
Leona nudged Izzy and couldn’t help but laugh.
The two approached Sara and Luke.
“Hey, Leo.” Sara met them halfway and hugged Izzy. “I haven’t seen you in a long time, Isabelle. How are you?”
“I’m well, thanks. And you?” Izzy responded.
“Good.” Sara presented the room. “Everything is ready for you to work your magic.”
“The ballroom is perfect,” Izzy said.
The three of them gathered where Luke sat.
He greeted Izzy. “Nice to see you again.”
He was sexy and metropolitan in a fitted bronze, retro suit with black shirt. His shirt, unfastened four buttons deep, revealed part of his defined chest.
Her growing feelings for Luke were the reason she avoided him. The lousy slime Paul left on her in New Orleans had made her withdraw. But Leona had opened up to Luke on the plane and allowed him to crack her emotional armor. She had to get back in control and distancing herself from him had become priority number one. She couldn’t, however, deny how drawn she was to Luke. She was starving and he was a brunch buffet.
“Leo?” Sara waved her hand in front of Leona’s face. “Hi.”
“Huh?” Leona did her best to regulate her reaction back to normal.
Izzy chuckled at her clear distraction from watching Luke.
“Ready to head to the venue? Diesel will be back in about two hours to get Luke to the stadium,” Sara explained.
Leona started to make her exit with Sara. “We’ll leave you guys to it.”
Izzy stopped her. “No way. You’ve been touring with Luke and can give me your opinion on whether or not I’m doing justice to his image, especially since Sebastian isn’t here. You know how my creativity goes wild with a new subject.”
Leona was about to complain.
“Do you mind, Luke?” Izzy asked.
Luke locked eyes with Leona and answered Izzy. “I don’t mind.”
She sunk into his eyes, her breathing visible.
“Brilliant.” Izzy went to work.
“Sara, you go on ahead. I’ll get to the stadium with Diesel and Luke when we’re done here,” Leona said.
“Okay.” Sara said her goodbyes and was gone.
Izzy set Luke on a plush, off-white couch and positioned her models around him. The women were dressed in provocative, elaborate costumes frequently seen at EDM concerts and festivals.
“Fantastic, Luke. Ladies, an arm around him...legs out to the ends, just so. Relax your shoulders, love.”
Luke glanced her way just as a model placed a slender leg over his thigh.
“Give us that scrumptious, sweet, syrupy smile, handsome,” Izzy crooned, and Luke’s genuine merriment made Leona’s knees weak.
The frequent snaps of the camera capturing Luke’s image sounded throughout the ballroom. “Lovely.” Izzy adjusted him to shoot his different profiles.
Luke changed twice more before Izzy called for a five-minute break.
“What do you think, so far, Leo?” Izzy pensively held her camera to the side.
Leona’s eyes ping-ponged between her friend and Luke. “The couch will make a great cover.”
“But?” Izzy raised her eyebrows to encourage Leona to be quick with her response.
Luke also awaited her opinion.
“It’s not that he’s uncomfortable,” Leona said. “But he’ll be more relaxed behind the DJ table. It’s also how the fans know him best.”
Izzy nodded. “See, this is why I need you.” She loopy-looped her index finger at Luke. “Go on, love. Do your thing.”
As Leona predicted, Luke was a natural behind the DJ table. Now in his signature outfit, he worked the equipment. He played music and danced, as did the models, while Izzy captured it all. He mixed in his song “Get Up and Move for Me,” and Leona swayed to the music.
Izzy danced over to her. “Doesn’t this sound familiar?”
“Yeah, it’s his song.” Leona knew she was stating the obvious, but she had been listening to Luke’s music for months now. Shouldn’t it sound familiar?
Izzy pursed her lips. “No, not like that. Listen. I mean really listen, Leo. The song reminds me of something.” She strained to hear meaning in the music.
Leona listened more intently to the lyrics. She grinned as Izzy performed her bouncy d
ance. Leona recalled a younger image of Isabelle Fisher doing those same moves.
Leona swirled her lightly fisted hands around each other. She and Izzy activated and their smiles widened.
“Paris!” Both women shouted in unison and giggled like the teenagers they were when they first met. They hugged each other and jumped around.
“The rave at L’Essence with the Lexionic Twins.” Izzy bobbed her head and waved hands in the air.
Leona moved her shoulders to the beat. “And that DJ at the end. He was so ah-mazing.”
“This song could have been about us,” Izzy cheered.
They danced like they were the only two in the room.
Luke’s unmoving body caught her attention. Normally, he’d bob his head in time to the beat of the music nonstop. Now he held a dazed expression on his face, his mouth agape. At first Leona thought he might be angry but he wasn’t angry at all. He was in shock.
Chapter Sixteen
Luke was thrust back to the night almost a decade ago when the Lexionic Twins let him deejay at the end of a rave at club L’Essence in Paris. He had thought of that night countless times, and of the two girls that slept on the couches, spent from dancing. He’d never expected to see them again, let alone that one would be his current tour manager and the other doing an exclusive on him for her magazine.
Leona and Izzy, as girls, had inspired him to keep reaching for his dreams. Leona had blown him a kiss back then. Now, as she danced, his heart swelled. Leona was more than his manager and the woman he wanted. She meant more to him than either of them had realized.
“Holy shit.” He still couldn’t believe it. Now, if only he knew how to play this.
Diesel arrived and Leona pulled him to dance. The burly man, who he’d become friends with over the past weeks, reluctantly two-stepped with her. When Izzy sandwiched Diesel against Leona, the trio decided it was time to wrap it up.
“That was a blast, Luke. You were lovely. I’ll send you lot my final choices for approval.” Izzy packed her camera.