Pretend To Be Mine

by Suzie Nelson

  Lowering her hand, Danica smiled at them and gave them a few shots of her standing there. “Okay guys, you’ve had a few pictures. Now tell me, what’s the word around town about my story?”

  Both of the photographer’s looked at each other in complete surprise as they had not expected to see Danica, never mind talking to them. “Just what’s in the papers, love. You know, that you pretended to date that Ramsey fella so you could work at his fashion label.” The man that answered was as blunt and straightforward as a spade which is how most of the newspaper photographers were. They weren’t shy about sticking a lens in the face of a celebrity so why would they be shy about telling the truth?

  “Well, I’m going to be on the Morning Daily show tomorrow. So everyone will hear my side of it soon. Night guys.” Danica didn’t see the harm in spreading the word about her interview as she had already been confirmed as a guest and any further buzz would help her to change the bad press.

  “Thanks for the shots, Danica.”

  She turned to walk away when one of the men shouted out, “he’s in there waiting for you.”

  “Who?” Danica looked at him confused.

  “Jordan Ramsey. He’s been in there for a couple of hours waiting in the lobby. I’ve been out here the whole time and he ain’t moved.” Danica wasn’t sure why he was telling her that or whether she needed to worry that it would end up in the papers. “Do you want to give us a quote about why he’s here?” The two men looked optimistic that they were getting a huge scoop but Danica didn’t have any major revelation for them.

  “Your guess is as good as mine.” She smiled and then walked past the doorman and into the lobby. Danica could see Jordan sitting on one of the long chaises that were decoratively placed for guests. She took a deep breath in mentally preparing herself for her next battle.

  Jordan stood up as soon as he saw her walk through the doors but he just remained by the chair fiddling his fingers in a nervous fashion. “Danica, can I speak with you for a moment, please?”

  Tired of a drama filled day, Danica just wanted to get the conversation over and done with. “Jordan, I really shouldn’t be speaking with you. If you have anything to say pass it along to my lawyer or Chelsea, I’m sure you will be hearing from her.” She tried to walk straight over to the elevators where one of her doormen was waiting to press the button.

  “Please, Danica, I just want to talk.” Jordan took a few steps closer but still remained at a distance. He was wearing the same outfit from the morning but he had a stylish black leather biker jacket on over his shoulders. Danica had caught a quick glimpse of him when she walked in but was trying her best to keep her eyes averted.

  “Your floor, Miss Cliffe?” The doorman pressed the elevator button and they waited for it to arrive.

  “Yes, thank you.” Danica stood with her back to Jordan hoping that he would just let her go upstairs. If he came towards her she didn’t know if she would be able to keep her cool and ignore him.

  “Danica, I didn’t know about the statement.” Jordan had walked over to her side and was now only a few feet away. “It was all Edward. He got his assistant to give the statement and I didn’t know anything about it, I swear.” His voice sounded desperate but she had heard it all before. He had sounded desperate and needy the night he came up to her apartment and she had given in, but not today.

  The thick silver elevator door slid open and Danica rushed inside with the doorman. He pressed the button to her floor but Jordan put his foot across so that it couldn’t close. “Danica, listen to me! I’ll do anything to make this right.”

  The doorman pushed back on Jordan’s arm but clearly didn’t want to get into a brawl. “Sir, remove yourself from the door!”

  “For Christ’s sake, Danica, I broke Edward’s nose because of what he did – just listen to me!” Jordan pushed back determined that Danica would hear his side.

  “Wait!” Danica reached out and put her arm on the doorman’s indicating that Jordan could talk. “It’s okay.” She didn’t know what he could say that would make her change his mind but she was surprised to hear that he had attacked his own brother. “What did you do to Edward?”

  The doorman stood back while Jordan still held the door with his foot. “He made some comments that I won’t repeat but he deserved it – it was him that released the statement. I and Barrack didn’t know anything, otherwise, I would have stopped it before.”

  “But you broke his nose?” Danica wasn’t entirely surprised to hear that it had been Edward who released the statement as his intense stare gave her the creeps.

  “Well, I don’t know for sure. I punched him in the nose so it could be but I left without finding out.” Jordan looked flustered after his little tussle with the doorman and it was awkward as all three stood in close proximity with the tension between Jordan and Danica.

  She looked up at him and wished that she could throw herself into his arms and believe every word he said but she still had Chelsea’s warnings in her mind. The Ramsey brothers were known for being ruthless in business and Jordan could just be using her for entertainment as bored billionaires do. “I can’t talk to you Jordan, you have to leave.”

  Disappointment spread across Jordan’s face as he realized that she still didn’t want to hear his pleading. “But Danica, what about us?”

  “There is no us, have you not seen the papers?” Danica was cold and didn’t try to conceal her disenchantment with him.

  “There has to be something I can do to prove that I wasn’t a part of all this! Something I can do to put this right.” The elevator door pushed against Jordan’s foot and he shoved it back to the annoyance of the doorman.

  Danica was about to shout at him again and tell him to leave her alone when she thought of something that might just help both of them. “You’ll do anything, will you?”

  “Anything!”

  Danica stepped forward and looked Jordan straight in the eyes. “You can go on the Morning Daily show tomorrow and tell them that the whole thing was Edward’s plan. From us getting together to his statement this morning – everything was Edwards plan to improve your stock price.” Danica held his gaze as she watched his brain consider the implications of blaming his brother for everything.

  Jordan’s eyes changed from desperate to heartbroken as he contemplated betraying his deceitful brother to win back the love of his life. “Okay, I’ll do it,” he sighed and the fire which had previously burned within him quickly faded. “I’ll go on the show and I’ll tell them anything you want. I will say it was all Edward, he’s done enough shit to me in my life… he can pay for some of it.” Jordan looked up at Danica hopeful that she would let him upstairs with her. “Can I come up so that we can talk?”

  Danica knew what he wanted and it wasn’t to talk. She couldn’t deny that her body yearned for him when they were together even in the middle of this fiasco. She still wanted him but she could not be sure of his real intentions until he had proved himself. She leaned forward and gently pushed him off the elevator. “No. We can talk tomorrow after the interview.”

  As the elevator started to close, Jordan looked at her feeling completely helpless. “I’ll be there. I promise.”

  The doors finally closed with Danica and the doorman inside and on their way up to her apartment. She leaned herself back against the wall and gave out an emotional sigh.

  “Are you okay, Miss Cliffe?” Having awkwardly witnessed the whole conversation, the doorman wasn’t sure if he could help a clearly distressed resident.

  “I’ll be fine, thanks. Once everything is done tomorrow, I’ll be fine.” Danica realized that the doorman had heard the whole plan and panic flashed in her mind. “Please do not repeat anything that you just heard.”

  The doorman turned with a warm and trustful smile, dressed in his dark green uniform and matching cap. “I didn’t hear anything, Miss Cliffe.” He winked at her and then the doors opened onto her floor. “I’m sure it will all bl
ow over tomorrow, Miss.” The doorman said his goodbye as Danica prayed that his prophecy would come true.

  Chapter 10

  “Chelsea, you should probably know that Jordan is going to be here.” Danica had waited until the last moment to tell her manager that she wouldn’t be alone during the interview.

  “What?” Chelsea stopped drinking her coffee and spluttered out her question as the door to the studio opened.

  “Welcome, welcome!” One of the Morning Daily show producers walked over with her arms open ready for a showbiz hug. “Danica, it’s so great to have you here!” They hugged with air kisses on both cheeks as Chelsea tried to keep her shit together although she was fuming mad with Danica. “We have make-up set up just over here if you could follow me.”

  The producer headed through a crowded studio, filled with cameras, the show set and lots of people rushing around fiddling with wires and props. In the corner, there were several make-up stations with lit up mirrors and swivel chairs where Danica could see Jordan getting prepared.

  Chelsea grabbed Danica’s arm as they walked over. “What the hell is going on, Danica? This was not the plan – what is he doing here?”

  Danica waved her arm free of Chelsea’s hold and gave her look that implied she wasn’t going to talk about it.

  “Miss Cliffe, if you’d like to sit here. Tiffany is going to be doing your make-up today.” The producer pointed at a vacant chair for Danica to fill which was two chairs left from where Jordan was sitting. He raised his eyes over and took a quick glimpse at Danica as his own makeup artist applied a thin layer of foundation.

  “Danica. Miss Kane,” he said both their names as a greeting but his voice was monotone and without any feeling.

  Chelsea gave him a look of daggers and she would have preferred to spit in his face but Danica was still her main object of rage. “Mr. Ramsey, I see you are here alone this morning. You didn’t feel the need to bring your older brother to fight your battle this time?” Chelsea got in with her first jab and tried her best to pretend as though she knew he was going to be here all along.

  “Not today. I believe he suffered an injury yesterday and isn’t taking interviews.” Jordan remained still not giving away the nervous ball of emotions that were knotting his stomach.

  “Oh, how unfortunate. I do hope it is an injury to the face that will permanently wipe the smug look off his face,” Chelsea spoke without realizing how close she was to the truth. Danica cringed as Tiffany started to apply primer and she tried to turn her eyes to get a look at Jordan.

  “Please try and keep your face still, Miss Cliffe.” The make-up artist pulled her face back so that it was straight in front of the mirror and Danica awkwardly smiled.

  Jordan had turned up for the interview which was good but she had no idea if he was going to do as she asked. All night, Danica had been remembering the devastated look on Jordan’s face when she asked him to pin all the blame on Edward and she hadn’t been able to close her eyes without seeing his disturbed brown eyes flicker before her.

  He said he loved her and that he was willing to do anything to win her back but would Danica still want him if he went as far as to betray his own brother even at her request? Tiffany turned to the counter behind her and Danica took the opportunity to look at Jordan. He was sitting alone, dressed and ready to go but he looked solemn and completely lost in his own thoughts. Part of Danica wanted to shout out to him that he didn’t have to go through with it; that she would love him either way but another part wanted to see if he would prove his love. He could go on live national television and say something completely opposite to what they had agreed and Danica needed to find out the truth.

  “Jordan, darling, it’s such a lovely surprise to have you on the show today!” As Danica watched Jordan, the show’s presenter Sally Joy appeared at his side with a phony welcoming smile. “When I got the call last night confirming that we would have both you and Danica here, I just knew we were in for a special show.” Sally Joy leaned in and kissed him on the cheek whispering something into his ear that Danica couldn’t hear. Jordan didn’t look comforted by the secret words and Sally walked over to Danica looking smug.

  Sally had the usual day-time TV presenter look with a straw bouffant of red hair, sprayed to perfection, blood red lips and a silky loose fitting dress that appealed to any age. Danica hardly ever watched the show but she knew that Sally was loved throughout the country for her mix of humor and hard-hitting questions.

  “Danica! You are a vision, why I’m not sure I’ll be able to sit next to you when you will clearly steal all of the attention.” Again, she air kissed Danica on the cheek and as she turned to walk away she slipped in a few parting words. “I hope you’re ready.”

  Immediately, Danica was filled with dread wondering if Jordan and Sally had prepared a plan for her downfall live and in full color for everyone to watch. She turned to Chelsea and had a moment of pure panic. “I’m not sure I can do this, Chelsea.”

  Danica wanted to hear reassuring words from her manager but Chelsea was in no mood to pander to Danica’s needs. “Well, I’m not sure I can be your manager anymore but we all have to do things we don’t want.” Chelsea scanned the shows contract while Danica continued to look at her for comfort.

  “No, I’m serious. I don’t know what Jordan is going to say and I think it might be best if we just leave.” Danica stood up from her chair but Chelsea blocked her path.

  “You listen here, Danica. You’re the one that wanted to be a fashion designer and used this deal to get ahead and you’re the one that wanted to work with these moron Ramsey brothers, and you are definitely the one that got him to turn up today. So if you want to have any chance of getting your career back you better get with the program and get your ass on that stage because this is the last straw. If you walk out now, we’re are done. I won’t be your manager after that.” Chelsea was fierce and as serious as a nail in a coffin. “You hear me?”

  Danica swallowed, embarrassed by the fact that Jordan probably heard every word of what Chelsea said. She looked around at all the cameramen’s faces and then looked back at Chelsea. “Okay. I can do this.” Danica knew that she didn’t really have any other option and without the interview and Chelsea, she would have absolutely no chance at being able to piece her career back together.

  “We go live in sixty seconds people. Everyone to the stage!” A producer shouted out and Danica watched as Jordan passed her with a dim expression.

  Chelsea unexpectedly slapped Danica on the back and offered some last-second encouragement. “Now you go give that entitled son of a bitch what he deserves!” Chelsea pushed Danica forward and she hesitantly made her way on stage and took her seat next to Jordan.

  Side-by-side they sat on a bright red couch with Sally Joy sitting opposite them on her own single seat. They looked like the perfect couple, Danica dressed in a white printed sundress with her mane of blonde curls resting on both her shoulders. Jordan was wearing a crisp white Ralph Lauren shirt and dark jeans but the awkward tension was evident to anyone watching.

  The cameraman rolled in closer to them and before the red live light lit up, Danica and Jordan both looked at each other. His eyes weren’t filled with happiness or sadness and Danica didn’t know how to convey her fear of losing him, so they just stared both filled with apprehension.

  “We go live in 3, 2, 1…”

  “Good morning America and welcome to the Morning Daily with me, your host Sally Joy! Coming up on today’s show we have the UK’s most loved chef, Jamie Oliver, cooking up a storm in our kitchen. He will be showing us how to make a classic English Sunday roast dinner with a delicious twist and then we will be hearing from our very own Alexis Wane on the latest trends that are captivating the catwalk this spring…”

  Danica could feel the heat from the lights blazing down on her and she wondered if Jordan was as nervous as she was. In the distance, behind several cameras, she could see Chelsea walking around on
her phone probably making backup plans in case Danica ruined the interview. She tried to keep a smile on her face as Sally Joy continued to her introduction but Danica became more and more distracted by the glaring lights and her sweaty hands. She still wanted to reach out and touch Jordan’s knee; to do anything else but what they were doing.

  “But first, we have a once in a lifetime interview with a couple that has been constant news ever since we first saw them together. Danica Cliffe and Jordan Ramsey are here to tell us the truth about their relationship and that tape.” The camera rolled back taking in a shot of the whole stage and as it did Jordan reached across and took Danica’s hand in his. Danica wanted to cry from a sheer buildup of emotions and although she was at first relieved to feel his touch, she realized that he was holding it as part of the show.