“Yeah, we’re all here,” Ron responds in a loud and clear voice. “You have all our attention. What’s up, man?”
“Great, great,” Eli answers, sounding calm and cool. I can practically see him reclining back in his chair in his swanky office in L.A.. “A couple of opportunities have come up for next week that I think would be good for you guys while you’re here in L.A..”
Just like I thought, good news. I just hope it doesn’t interfere with Mayzie flying in. I was hoping to go with the SUV to get her at LAX.
“The first one is a club opening, Elements, the night of the first show. If you guys make an appearance after your performance, it will be good press.”
We all acquiesce, giving some form of “yeah” or “no problem” to let him know we’ll be there. Mayzie will be jet-lagged so it will be hard on her, but she’s always prepared for this. We’ve gotten used to things being thrown unexpectedly into the itinerary, and so has she. Hopefully we don’t have to show at this club for too long.
“Good, glad to hear it. Thanks, guys. And just one more thing, this one’s for Jack. Jack?” He calls out, letting me know he’s addressing me individually.
“Yeah, Eli. I’m here,” I say, leaning forward.
“That pretty wife of yours flies in while you’re in L.A. doesn’t she?” I have to say, I’m never sure how to react when he says that. He always refers to Mayzie that way. It’s hard to blame him, she is pretty. Fucking gorgeous is more like it. It’s better than just saying ‘that wife of yours’, and I know he’s just being complimentary as he likes to lay on the charm, but still, I feel I should try to figure out a way to broach the subject with him and ask him to just refer to her by her name.
“Yeah,” I affirm. “She flies in the afternoon of the first show.”
“Perfect!” I hear him clap his hands. “Listen, Shred Magazine wants to do a piece on rock couples. They want to feature four couples in the industry, rock genre of course. They’ve got George and Erin Stockwell on board, as well as a couple others. I pitched you and your wife to them and they want you in it.”
“No shit! Really?” I ask. I’m flattered they want to do a piece on Mayzie and me and our relationship.
“No joke. It’s just a brief interview,” his voice gets very nonchalant. “I know you two are pretty private about your relationship, but you won’t have to share too much. You can keep it surface-level, and there will be some sort of a sexy photo shoot to go along with it. What do you think? I know it packs your schedule pretty tight for that day…”
“No, it’s fine. Just let me talk to Mayzie first, but I think she’ll be down for it.” I know I am; I’m pumped to do something like this with her.
“Great, great,” he says, again. “How is she getting out here by the way? Commercial?”
“Yeah. She and our dogs get into LAX around one o’clock on Thursday. I’m hoping I can pick her up.”
“Jesus! Flying commercial with two dogs? That’s rough.” He blows out a whistle. “Wait a minute. I’ll be in NYC the night before for a charity event. I’ll have my pilot drop by Motor City that morning and we’ll give her a lift back here.”
“Are you serious?” I ask in grateful disbelief. This is so generous, and I like the idea of Mayzie flying out to L.A. comfortably, and the dogs not having to be stuffed into crates in the cargo area. “That would make the trip so much easier on her.”
“You’re damn right it would,” he concurs. “She won’t have to worry about checking your dogs and then you don’t have to risk the paps swarming you at LAX.”
“Thank you, Eli. I really appreciate this.” I shake my head, truly thankful that he’s willing to go out of his way.
“No problem. And if you could just shoot me a text by tonight with the final word on the Shred shoot, that’d be great.”
“You got it. Thanks again.”
“See you all in L.A..” He signs off.
While the rest of us appreciate the doors that Eli has opened for us, Mayzie isn’t exactly president of his fan club. Don’t get me wrong, she’s just as thankful as we are for the opportunities he’s created for us, but while he’s an amazing agent, he’s something of a ladies’ man. We don’t see him often, mostly at charity events and album wrap parties, but he’s never with the same woman twice. As far as I can tell, he isn’t hurting anyone, but it is a little… off.
“On his private jet, are you serious?” exclaims the love of my life on the other end of the phone.
“Yeah, I’m serious,” I say, in an equally excited tone, before I change it to one of recognizance. “Look, I know he’s not your favorite, but it would make for a much easier trip for you baby,” I’ve got her on speaker phone while I get ready in the dressing room before the show.
“It would,” she acknowledges. “And it’s not that I detest the guy, he’s just kind of a man-whore.”
“So is Tyler, and you love him,” I point out. Tyler is my friend that I used to bartend with before Turn it Up got its break.
“Yeah, that’s different. He’s… okay; I don’t really have a reasonable argument for that one. There’s just something different. Maybe it’s the fact that Eli has… power. It kind of gives the womanizing a creep factor.”
“That’s an interesting concept, I’ll give you that,” I nod, even though she can’t see me, as I slide one of her hair ties onto my wrist.
“But that is really generous, and I do like the idea of the dogs riding in the cabin with me. It’s always so stressful for them traveling in those crates. It’s the hardest part of the whole thing.”
“I know baby, and I’d like to be able to spare you that experience, at least once,” I reason, while I roll up the cuffs of the army green button down I’ve thrown on and left open over a black tank.
I hear her blow out a breath. “Okay, I can’t pass that up. But if the plane is full of scantily clad females, I’m out.”
A chuckle erupts from my chest and out of my mouth. “You got it baby,” I start to fasten my watch around my wrist. “And what do you think about that article for Shred? Can I tell Eli we’re a go?”
“Yeah,” she draws out the word with fondness. “I think that sounds like fun. We don’t have to reveal too much do we?”
“No, doesn’t sound like it. George and Erin are doing it too, and you know they wouldn’t be if it was something that dug too deep. I know you’re going to be exhausted though, what with the flight, the show, and the club appearance the night before.”
“I can roll,” I can envision her shrugging her shoulders.
“My girl can roll,” I smile fondly, as I put my chain with its cross over my head. I hear voices getting closer in the hallway and look over my shoulder to see the rest of the band come in through the open doorway. I pick up my phone, and take it off speaker. “It’s almost show time sweetheart,” I say quietly.
“Okay. Have a great time out there and tear it up for me!” I can hear the sweet smile in her voice.
“I will, and hey… will you sleep with your phone tonight?”
“Yeah,” Her voice is quiet and sweet.
“Good. I love you.”
“WE LOVE YOU MAZE!” Chris bellows out from behind me. I close my eyes and try to show no reaction.
Mayzie giggles, used to Chris’s antics. “I love you, Jack.”
3
Mayzie
Headed down the interstate to meet Eli at the private airplane hangar the next morning, my brother Ian’s truck is full to brimming with me, my luggage and our two big dogs.
“Whose plane are you flying on again? Their agent’s?” Ian asks after a stretch of silence.
“Yeah. Eli,” I confirm, as I go through my carry-on one more time, making sure I have everything.
“You’re movin’ up in the world. Need an escort to L.A.?” he asks. Knowing him, he’s just trying to score a ride on a private jet. I have to say I’m kind of looking forward to it myself. I’ve flown with the band on one a couple of times, and it defini
tely ruins you for flying any other way. It will be nice to be so comfortable on the way to L.A., and having the dogs with me will make both them and me happy, taking a lot of anxiety out of the equation. The company I will be with isn’t my first choice, but I’m sure I can survive a few hours.
Eli has made great things happen for the guys in the band, and he’s always treated me respectfully when our paths have crossed over the last six months since they signed with him. He’s just kind of a dog. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve known a few, but there’s just something about the way he plays that game. I can never seem to put my finger on it. There’s just something about the way he looks at a woman that makes me squirm.
We pull up to the security gate, where a guard confirms my name, business, and my I.D., before waving us through. As we approach the wide open entryway to the hangar, I see Eli’s jet waiting with the staircase entry already lowered.
Ian whistles as he puts the truck in park. “Wow.”
I lift my eyebrows and nod in agreement before opening my door to get out. Ian gets my larger suitcase out of the bed while I open the back of the cab to leash the dogs. I’ve dressed casually and warm with my hair in a ponytail, for comfortable traveling, but I’ve got a change of clothes in my carry-on for when we land in a warmer climate.
“Mayzie!” I hear Eli’s voice echo throughout the hangar. Ian and I look up at the same time to see him standing at the top of the stairs, just in the doorway to the jet. He is, as always, impeccably dressed and groomed. His expensive suit was clearly tailored just for him, and I don’t think I’ve ever not seen him in a pair of shiny, pointy leather shoes. His black goatee is neatly trimmed and compliments his olive skin tone. His green eyes flash with his smile as he greets me with a friendly wave. There is only one thing about this dude that appears unkempt: his black hair probably takes an hour to style just right to look like he doesn’t give a shit.
“Hi Eli,” I give him what I hope is a demure smile. I pull my carry-on up higher on my shoulder and walk the dogs towards the stairs. Ian follows, pulling my suitcase. “Thank you so much for this,” I say gratefully, as he meets us at the bottom of the stairs.
“It’s my pleasure,” he answers, giving me a charming smile before leaning in to kiss my cheek. I try not to go stiff, but my skin sure crawls at his closeness. “Happy I could offer you and your dogs a nicer lift.”
A crewman accepts my suitcase from Ian, and a flight attendant in a black pencil skirt and matching cardigan offers to take the dogs up into the cabin and give them some water before takeoff. I’m feeling good about this already.
“This is my brother, Ian,” I introduce the men, and Ian takes a hand out of his pocket to shake with Eli, as they exchange pleasantries. I turn and give my brother a hug before following Eli up the stairs, giving him one more wave before I enter the cabin.
The inside of the jet is the perfect combination of elegance and comfort. Sleek designs in tan and brown make up the interior design, and plushy leather lines the passenger seats as well as a loveseat.
Once we’re in the air, Eli takes out his laptop, phone, and a couple of file folders. I guess there’s no rest for the wicked in his line of work. I unbuckle and walk over to the love seat by the opposite windows, excited to stretch out with my Kindle. The dogs amble over to me, and both get comfortable on the floor right beside me. He seems focused on work, which is fine with me, as I delve into a romantic comedy novel.
After a while, the attendant from earlier comes out… bringing her ample cleavage clearly on display. She’s ditched her cardigan and her blouse is missing a couple of buttons. Eli looks up from what he’s doing as she sashays over to us. He sits back in his seat, resting his hands on the chair arms like he’s taking in a show. And there it is. I look down at my Kindle, desperate not to watch the interaction. There is no way that is actually her uniform. She offers us champagne, which I politely turn down in favor of sparkling water, before quickly snapping my head back down to my reading. Eli accepts the offer, and she nods and smiles as she swings her low, black ponytail over her shoulder and goes to retrieve our drinks.
“No champagne?” He asks, his face turning to me. “Come on, have a drink with me,” he shrugs and grins as if to say, what could it hurt?
“Oh,” I start, trying to seem casual, like I’m not weirded out by him ogling the attendant. “Alcohol and flying don’t really mix well with me,” I finish with a friendly smile and a shrug, and go back to my tablet.
“Fair enough,” he complacently nods.
Moments later, Cyndi, as the nametag on her boob reads, comes back out with our drinks. After handing me my glass with a lime wedge and a smile, she turns to Eli and bends down slowly to hand him his flute of champagne. Aaand back to my book! Ugh.
I can hear murmuring and cooing coming from their direction, and I try like hell to tune it out. I read the same sentence what feels like two hundred times. When I see her walk away in my peripheral, I think it might be safe to look up. Wrong. Eli is watching her ass as she disappears into the cockpit, and the look on his face chills me to my core. He’s staring, and it shows more than a mild interest, or even a hope that he’ll get lucky. He looks like it’s already a done deal. Like it’s a given. As if in his mind, she’s already in his bed and he’s just trying to decide how he’s going to take her. The feeling it gives me sits like a cement brick in my stomach. I pull my eyes away from him immediately and reach for my drink, hoping the bubbly carbonation will settle the uneasiness I’m feeling, or at the very least, the action will distract me.
I don’t see Cyndi come back for a while, and it doesn’t take long to shake off the jitters, so I get back to my book. Even so, I’m still counting the minutes.
Several chapters later, there’s still another couple of hours left of the flight, so I lie all the way down on the love seat, curl onto my side, and pull a blanket that’s been neatly pressed and folded nearby, over my legs. A rest might actually be a good idea, seeing as how there will be the show tonight followed by the club appearance, and I’ll be going through it all on Eastern Time.
I continue to read, and I must have dozed off, because I’m startled awake by the sound of rumbling thunder. When my eyes open all the way and I reacquaint myself with my surroundings, I’m perplexed at what is going on around me. The noise that woke me was Trooper… growling. I’ve never heard him growl ever before, and it throws me. Eli is squatting down near me, but he stands abruptly when he sees I’ve noticed him. Trooper growls again, freezing Eli in place. He stares at Trooper, a mixture of annoyance and fright on his face. My mind is torn in two directions. The part that is trying to figure out if I was imagining that growl is reassured that I wasn’t when he makes the sound again. I scramble into a sitting position, immediately reaching to stroke Trooper’s head. I start talking to him to try and calm him down, and figure out what’s going on. This is so unlike him, and I’m worried something’s wrong. I’m hoping it just has to do with the flight and he’ll be better after we land. Penny is up now, with her head in my lap, probably wondering what she missed.
Eli clears his throat, realizing he needs to back away. He takes a step back, but before completely retreating, holds my Kindle out to me.
“Your tablet fell on the floor,” he stammers. Clearly Trooper spooked him.
“Thanks,” I say, hesitantly taking it from him.
“Is he okay?” He gestures at Trooper, as he takes his seat.
“I don’t know,” I say, putting my Kindle down and resuming petting Trooper, who seems to have returned to his normal docile demeanor. His eyes look back at me over his shoulder and his tail thumps gently on the thin carpet of the floor. “I hope so. He never growls.”
“You know, it’s this cologne,” Eli says, throwing his hands up like he’s had an epiphany. “It set another dog off before. I didn’t even think about it before the flight. I’m sorry.”
So that’s what smells like a hormonally charged teenager mated with a roided out rugby player…
on a yacht. Probably not what he was going for, but glad that mystery’s solved. I don’t see how it would have an effect like that on a dog, however.
A thought does enter my mind. A thought of what a dog’s growling can be indicative of, but I quickly dismiss it. I have to, for now. I don’t want to believe I’m trapped on an aircraft at thirty thousand feet with that kind of person. I send it to the recesses in the far back of my mind, not allowing it to prod at me for right now.
“So,” he says, rolling his shoulders and sitting back, like he’s trying to shake off the whole incident. “Tell me about Mayzie. How are things with you? How’s the blog?”
Trying not to worry about Trooper and wanting to actually like this guy that has done amazing things for Turn it Up, I bite and follow him down this path of small talk.
“It’s good,” I nod, trying to relax and not come off as too skittish. “I do a weekly post, and I have some really supportive readers, so I’m lucky.”
“I bet you’ve got a lot of great things to say,” he says warmly, his green eyes looking more kind and less piercing.
“I think so,” I nod again. “I keep it light and fun, and offer little insights into living this life, being in this industry.”
“I like it, it’s smart,” Eli says appreciatively. “You offer curious minds little glimpses into the life of a celebrity couple while still maintaining your privacy, and you manage to deliver it in a tone that’s entertaining. Well done.”
“Thank you,” I say sincerely, and I feel my cheeks glowing a little. I truly am flattered by what he said; it was a genuine compliment. “Although Jack and I don’t see ourselves as ‘celebrities’.”
“Though you are… by definition,” he sweeps his hand outward in an explanatory gesture. “You’re well-known, and admired by the public.”
Still Her (Turn it Up Book 2) Page 2
