by Skye Turner
I laugh and nod. “Hey girl, I am. This is Sean. Sean, this is Josie.” She nods and squeezes his hand. “I know who you are. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
He smiles at her. “I know who you are, too.”
She chuckles. “Yet, I’ve never been able to get your band on my show.” Her brow arches and she smirks. “Let’s remedy that. I just told Rafe the same thing and I’m relentless. Just ask Daisy and Summer.”
I laugh. “I have a feeling that’ll change now.”
She winks and signals to her cameraman. “No doubt. Now, let’s get down to it.” He puts the camera back on his shoulder and uses his fingers to count her down. As he points at her, she says, “I’m here with Summer Anderson of Sweet Southern Sass and Sean Scott of Destiny Fades to Blue, the industries newest “surprise” couple. This is your first major event since coming out as a couple a few weeks back, right?! Is it living up to your expectations?”
I hesitate for a second to see if Sean or I will take the question. He squeezes my hand to indicate that I should. So, I do.
“Yes. We’ve of course been touring and doing all of the press that comes with that. But, this is the first time we’ve been a united front as a couple at any event.”
Sean nods and winks into the camera lens as Josie smiles, “Well, you’re certainly a gorgeous couple. This has been the highlight of the night thus far.”
Josie laughs and asks one more question. “Who are you looking forward to seeing tonight?”
Sean grins. “I’m a huge James Black fan, so I’m hoping to finally get to at least introduce myself.”
Josie’s eyes widen and she chuckles. “Funny… when I asked him this question, he said that he was hoping to bump into the band tonight.”
James Black? James Black said he wanted to meet Sean and the guys in the band?
Damn, he’s like the top dog in Hollywood and he’s apparently a fan of Destiny Fades to Blue.
Holy wow…
Josie says a few more trivial things into the lens and then the camera man wraps and signals he’s off. Josie pops out her earbud and laughs as she reaches for my hand. “I want y’all, both bands, on the show soon. I wasn’t kidding. Have Roman call us and get it booked, okay?”
I nod and then we’re herded the remainder of the way to the front doors. The entire half a block walk has taken almost an hour and a half. We’re stopped several more times for photos and interviews.
When we reach the lobby of the beautiful building, I sigh and roll my shoulders. Rafe and Daisy are waiting for us so we head over and wait for the rest of the crew. Within twenty minutes, we’re all together. Sands is with McKenzie though he barely even acknowledges us. He’s typing on his phone, ignoring everyone.
Sean leans over. “That dude is a dick.”
I nod. “Yeah, he is. I cannot stand him. None of us can. But McKenzie stays with him…”
Rafe apparently heard the tail end and leans back to whisper. “He’s in the tabloids more than we were. She can do so much better…”
Sighing, I glance behind me. Fannie is talking to Xavior and something he said has her giggling while Russ just kind of follows along beside them. McKenzie is behind them, with a slight frown on her face with Sands walking behind her, oblivious to anything but his phone.
God, I want to punch him in the dick and laugh as he hits the ground.
Sean pulls on my hand and I look up at him. “You’re really tense. It’s very obvious that you don’t like him, but don’t let him ruin tonight. Besides, with the way you look in that dress and the things it’s doing to me… I don’t want anything else on your mind later tonight when I get you alone…”
My heart starts racing at his words. We’re stopped with the crowd trying to get into the room and to their tables. Taking in the proximity of everyone around us. I reach behind me and cup Sean through his pants. He jerks under my hand and I smile. He leans down and his hot breath tickles my ear. “Keep that up and you’re going to find out just how dirty your boyfriend is, sweetheart.”
I want to know…
Lord, do I want to know…
His hand covers mine and he presses it against his groin. I moan under my breath and shudder as he steps directly behind me and presses his erection against my ass.
He nips my ear. “Just you wait…”
The crowd moves and then we’re nearing our table. Sean stays behind me until we sit. Once everyone is settled, he leans over and gestures for me to lean closer to him. “I’m so hard right now, my dick could be used as a meat skewer. You’re going to pay for this later.”
Looking right at him, I mutter, “Promises, promises…”
Before he can reply, the emcee for the night takes the stage.
His eyes blaze at me so hotly I can practically feel them on me throughout the entire event.
Sean
Last night was pretty good for the most part. The fundraiser was long and tedious, but it wasn’t that bad. We did our three song performance with the girls and as we were leaving the stage, a man stepped out and halted us. Looking up, I saw that it was James Black. He held out his hand and introduced himself to us. We talked for a bit and he told us that he was a huge fan of the band. I told him that I was also a fan of his and we exchanged information. We also let him know that if he was interested, we’d love to have him at the concert tonight. He said they’d just wrapped filming on his latest film, the film based on the bestselling book about his life, and he’d love to.
He and his wife are going to come to the concert tonight before they head back home to their family in Louisiana in a couple of days. They actually don’t live very far from the girls’ house.
It was very cool. We’re music celebrities so we know a lot of other artists, athletes, models, and actors, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have people that I personally fan out over.
I’m sitting next to the guys while the girls are in front of standing mics at the radio station, our last appearance of the day before the concert. Rafe and Daisy are pretty much handling the interview, so I’m able to remember last night.
As we were leaving the fundraiser, a model I’d previously been involved with, who is not unknown for dabbling in drugs, stopped us. Summer instantly froze as Danica wrapped her skinny arm around me and hung on my neck. It was pretty obvious, at least to me, that she was high. “Hey, Sean. Long time no see. You aren’t turning in, are you?” She gestured around at the other girls who were with her. “A bunch of us are heading out, why don’t you come with us? You know how much fun we can have…”
Reaching for her hands, which were cold and made me uncomfortable, I untangled them from behind my neck and stepped back. “Hey, Danica. Sorry, I am turning in. Long day tomorrow.” Her eyes narrowed on me and I smiled at her as I reached for a tense Summer and pulled her into my side. “Have you had the pleasure of meeting Summer, my girlfriend?”
Summer’s body became even tenser as Danica froze and ran her glazed eyes over her before blatantly dismissing her. She sneered at me. “So, that’s not a rumor? You really are dating this fat country cow?”
Danica is a bitch. She always was and is always in the tabloids as starting fights with other models so I’m not sure why her cattiness surprised me. But, it did.
Before I could even say anything, Summer stood to her full height, much shorter than Danica’s five foot eleven, and smiled coldly. “I’m afraid it is most certainly not a rumor. Sean and I are dating and have been for quite a while.” Her gaze trailed over Danica in much the same fashion as Danica just did. “Apparently he’s into women who eat instead of those who snort powder.” She finger waved and pulled me. “We do need to be going now. Sean’s right. We have a very long day tomorrow… and an even longer night.”
I was stupefied. My petite girlfriend just went toe to toe with one of the cattiest bitches in the industry.
Only once we got into the limo, she closed off. She kind of ignored me and even though we stayed in the same room last night, w
e didn’t have sex and this morning, she got dressed quickly and went off to meet Daisy before the first interview without speaking two words to me.
We’ve been together all day, only she’s still not talking to me. She’s giving me the cold shoulder and it’s really pissing me off.
I didn’t do anything.
We finish the last interview and I honestly can’t tell you the first thing that was talked about all day. The longer I sit here with Summer ignoring me, the more pissed I get, and after all day of being virtually ignored, I’m ready to blow up.
Security surrounds us and we prepare to leave the radio station. Both bands and both of our managers are in the circle. The others are looking sideways at Summer and I and I know that they can tell something is going on. Only to be honest, I don’t know what the fuck I did or what Summer thinks I did. Rafe catches my eye and mouths, “What the fuck?!” before he nods at Summer.
I shake my head and tighten my lips as I shrug. He frowns and glances down at Daisy, who is also staring at Summer.
What the hell is going on?
Summer is obviously mad at me, but I don’t recall doing anything.
I don’t like not knowing what the fuck is happening in my own life.
Reaching out, I grip the top of her arm and pull back slightly. Her head turns and I lean down. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you giving me the cold shoulder, Summer?”
She snaps, “You know why!”
I know why?! What the fuck is she talking about?
I don’t know shit! All I know is that I didn’t do anything that I can think of and my girlfriend looks like she wants to stab me or take pliers to my dick.
She pulls her arm free and walks up closer to the other girls.
Rafe slides in next to me. “Seriously, man. What the hell is going on?”
I shake my head in utter disbelief. “I have no fucking idea.” I look at my best friend in confusion. “Dude, I have no idea. I’ve apparently fucked up, but damned if I know how or why. Though, I think I’m supposed to.”
Rafe stares at me and then he chuckles. “Oh boy… Ok, I’ll talk to Daisy and see if I can gain some insight. You’re breaking my heart man.”
I watch as Summer gets into the first vehicle with the other girls and Dyse. Roger opens the door to the second and we all slide in. He climbs in and shuts it before tapping on the glass. As we pull away, I groan. “Are all women so fucking confusing?!”
Roger laughs heartily. “Of course they are. That’s what makes them worth it.” He claps my shoulder.
Dear God…
Chapter Nineteen
Summer
Sean cannot really be that clueless, can he? I mean… really?
Last night, that model just completely disrespected me by acting like she didn’t see me and then she called me fat!
She called me fat and he didn’t say anything. He introduced me as his girlfriend, yes, but then he just shut up.
Why wouldn’t he correct her or have something to say to her?
I know she’s bitch. I’ve seen her face all over. She’s always starting fights and throwing tantrums. She’s also always photographed after doing drugs, usually with the tell-tale powder signs near her nostrils. She looked like she was wasted last night. And she’s so skinny.
She’s a supermodel… She’s a supermodel that Sean has had sex with. A supermodel who is a hateful bitch and does drugs. But… Sean had had sex with her.
I can’t even be mad about that. I know I can’t or that I shouldn’t. It was before me. I shouldn’t get pissed at him for that, but I am. And to make it worse… when she came at me, he didn’t say anything.
I was shocked by how much of a bitch she was to a total stranger, but then white, hot, fury took over. I’ve always had a temper. I probably shouldn’t have said anything, but she pissed me off. And Sean pissed me off by just standing there in silence.
Oh, you can say I’m your girlfriend, but you can’t take up for me when some drugged out beanpole who needs a Twinkie calls me fat?!
I’m stewing as I stand here. We had the second set of the night for tonight’s concert and we just finished it. I can still hear the audience as they clear out of the packed Staples Center. It was a sold out show and tomorrow night is the same.
Sean and Rafe invited James Black to the concert tonight after meeting him last night and he came. He and his wife, AJ, are great. They’re backstage somewhere with the guys.
Daisy took off, probably to find Rafe, about two minutes ago and Fannie and McKenzie are heading back to dressing room to decompress before being taken back to the hotel.
I have nervous energy and I’m just so mad at Sean. I don’t want to snap at the girls when Sean is the one I’m mad at, so I hung back and I’m packing up my own fiddle. I rarely do that since we have the roadies for that stuff but I just need something to do.
After carefully settling my beloved fiddle into her case, I straighten and raise my arms above my head to stretch and try to work out some of the knots in my back.
A sound behind me has me turning. Jake is standing there. He raises his hands. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I was just coming to grab the wireless mics.” He points to the mics beside my fiddle case. “I’ll just get them and be gone.”
He sounds so weird. He’s uncomfortable being around me.
I did that…
Shit! I made this awkward by trying to date him when I cared for Sean and now I’m with Sean, only I’m furious at him…
And Jake, sweet Jake, is acting like he can’t get away from me fast enough.
Son of a bitch!
I sigh. “Jake…”
He looks up. I can see on his face that I hurt him.
SHIT!
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry for the way everything happened…” My hands tighten at my sides. I don’t know what to do with them.
He nods. “It’s ok. We only went on one date, Summer. I liked you, but it’s my own fault for waiting so long to ask you out. Had I acted earlier, maybe things would be different.”
Would they though?!
Even if Jake had asked me out as soon as the tour started… I would have had feelings for Sean.
I frown at him. “I just hate that you’re so uncomfortable with me now. I’m sorry. You’re such a good guy and I handled it all wrong. I should have been honest with you about Sean. That would have been the right thing to do…”
He chuckles puts two mics in his pockets before and tossing the last one from one hand to the other. “I am uncomfortable, Summer. But that’s not your fault. I’m uncomfortable because I really liked you and I kind of feel like an idiot. Had I known that you were already involved…” He looks away and then back at me. “If I’d had a heads up, it might not have felt like the rug was pulled out from under me…” Another uncomfortable laugh escapes him. “Just what every man wants to hear from the woman he cares about… ‘You’re a nice guy’. It really doesn’t even matter now though…” Turning on his heel, he heads back toward the stage and calls out without turning around, “I need to get this boxed up. Have a good night, Summer.”
My chest hurts. Jake just said that he cared about me and I hurt him.
I am a horrible person.
Without even meaning to, I quickly cross the floor and grab his arm. He looks at me in surprise as I say, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I liked you. I really do like you, Jake… I’m sorry.”
He smiles sadly. “Yeah, I liked you, too, Summer. But again, it doesn’t much matter now. Take care of yourself and watch yourself with your boyfriend. I’d hate to see you get hurt.” He walks away and my shoulders fall.
Sighing, I turn to head back to meet Fannie and McKenzie. Maybe I can ride back to the hotel with them if they haven’t left yet.
My feet freeze and my breathing halts.
Sean is standing directly in front of me, glaring at me. His face is hard as the lights bounce off of his hair. His nostrils are flaring. He takes
a deep breath and pinches the bridge of his nose as his eyes close before he pins me in place with the fury in his eyes.
Sean
What the fuck did I just walk up on?
Fury is racing through me at what I just saw. I came back here, after sending James Black and his wife off, to find my girlfriend and the guy she was dating when she chose me in an intimate conversation.
Her hand was on Jake’s arm…
She froze as soon as she saw me and the look on her face has me ready to break shit. She looks guilty. What is she guilty of?
What the hell?
Crossing my arms, I say coldly. “Decided you’d rather be with the sound tech over the rocker, did you?”
Her mouth drops open and her face pales as she stares at me in shock. But, she doesn’t deny it.
Is she still seeing him?! How could she be?
Does she want to be with Jake and not me?!
It feels like someone just took a fire poker and stabbed me in the chest. I don’t know how to deal with the feeling, so I react the only way I know how. I snap at her. “You’ve fucked the dirty rocker and had your fun, so now you’re over it and realize you’d prefer the regular guy… Really, Summer?!”
Her eyes widen and she gasps as she stares at me, looking completely stricken.
Oh shit. I just fucked up, didn’t I?
Does she not want Jake? Did I misread that because I’m upset she’s been ignoring me?!
She stares at me for a full minute and then her eyes harden. I can physically see her back straighten and her eyes shutter. The look on her face could freeze lava. “Screw you, Sean. Screw you!
“I was talking to Jake because he walked up while I was putting my fiddle away. He didn’t know I was back here. In fact, he tried to get away from me so fast his feet were practically smoking.”
Her eyes flash golden fire and I feel my stomach clench tightly. “I hurt a good man… for you. You know that. And I feel bad about it. Jake is a nice guy, Sean. I was apologizing for the way shit went down…” She closes her eyes and inhales deeply before releasing it in one whoosh. “Yet, here you are… once again, snapping at me because you think Jake is a threat. He’s not a threat to you, Sean.” She laughs harshly and shakes her head. “Hell, the only threat to you is you. You stand there while an anorexic model with a blow problem that you used to screw insults me and do nothing about it… then when I’m taking time for myself so I don’t punch you in the face, you spy on me again, and blow everything you think you see out of proportion.
