by B. L. Wilde
“Getting ready to go on stage. I’m his PA.”
“I want your job,” she pouted.
“I don’t mind swapping,” I teased, looking toward the attractive blonde man. The redhead was giving me her bitch brow, but I had no idea why.
“The kitchen is through there,” he said with a warm smile, “and I’d be careful who you swap jobs with. Molly doesn’t do a normal nine to five.”
“Neither do I,” I grinned. “Thank you.” I felt their eyes on me as I made my way toward the kitchen.
“You can take a thermos of coffee to him, if you want.” I heard Mr. Kirkham behind me once I found the kitchen. “Here.” Watching him reach to get a thermos and pass it to me, I smiled.
“Thank you. He’ll be fine after this, I promise.”
“You seem to be very good with him. I’ve never seen Alex put in his place by a woman before.”
“We have a love-hate relationship.” He laughed at that. “Don’t let me keep you. You must have a lot to do.”
“I do, indeed. I need to get my girlfriend before she works out what’s going on. I can’t believe I pulled all this off without her finding out.”
“I think it’s beautiful what you’re doing for her.”
“Thank you. Let’s hope she says yes.” He grinned before leaving.
“Drink this,” I ordered, passing the coffee to Alex as I entered his dressing room. He didn’t protest.
“Oliver is pissed off with me.”
“As he should be! You promised him you wouldn't be drunk. Look at you!”
“I always knew he’d get his happily ever after. He’s rich, handsome, and sits behind a desk all day. I’m never in the same place for too long, so it’s impossible for me. Besides that, the ones I want never want me back. It’s so fucking ironic. I can have any woman I want, yet that one…” He was rambling. I had no idea what about.
“Stop rambling like a drunk! You’re on stage in ten minutes. Focus!”
“I’ll be fine. You go and take a seat. Give me a few minutes to warm up.” I had to trust him.
Jade, Mr. Kirkham's girlfriend, was stunning. As I watched them greet their guests, I realized that they made a perfect couple. The pure devotion and love bounced off of them. Neither could keep their eyes away from each other. It made me wonder what a love like that felt like.
As the band began to play, I took a seat. I hadn’t heard Alex sing since I was fifteen.
I knew the three songs Mr. Kirkham had asked Alex to play. Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen, When We Were Young by The Killers and When A Man Loves A Woman by Percy Sledge. However, I didn’t know what order Alex would be playing them in.
The music to Secret Garden began to play, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Kirkham lead Jade to the floor. All I was focused on, though, was Alex as he took to the stage. His body looked tense. He was searching for something. When his eyes found mine, he took a deep breath and began to sing.
I’d been transported back to my teenage years. No one’s voice had ever held me the way Alex Harbour’s did, and that hadn’t changed. My heart began to race, my pulse so loud, I could hear it in my ears. This is what he did to me. How he made me feel.
His voice was still raw, the gravelly tone mixed with a softness spoke to me in a deep, unchanging way. Everyone else faded away. All I saw was him.
Chapter Thirteen
“Are you sure the two of you can’t stay any longer?” Jade asked, still giddy from Mr. Kirkham’s proposal. She’d said yes, of course.
“Unfortunately, we have to catch a flight to New York,” I sighed. “Congratulations again, though. It’s been lovely to meet you both.”
“I want an invite to the wedding, Ollie, and I don’t mean as the wedding singer,” Alex teased, shaking his friend’s hand.
“That can be arranged, so long as you bring the lovely Natasha as your date,” Mr. Kirkham replied. Alex nodded while I blushed. Jeez, these two men were both so hot. How the hell was Jade so composed standing there?
“Look after him, Jade,” Alex grinned.
“Oh, I plan to. You have nothing to worry about.” We left the lovers gazing into each other's eyes as they rejoined their party.
“Mr. Kirkham and Jade are a lovely couple,” I mused, taking a seat on the private jet a while later.
“I think Ollie's met his match. They’ll be good for each other. In a lot of ways, he’s like me. He needs a strong woman to tether him to reality.” I was a strong woman. I could keep Alex grounded, too. Stop it, White!
“You did great once you sobered up.”
“More compliments, Straight Lace?”
“You gave me a huge bedroom. You deserve them.” Joking was the easiest way to dissolve the direction of the conversation.
“True. I’m going to take a nap. Wake me just before we land.” That meant I could watch him sleep. Oh. My. God, I was turning into such a perv, but I couldn’t help myself.
“You can wait here. Gina and I won’t be long,” Alex murmured. Being here at Rock Records was a little daunting for me. This music company was twice as big as Flavour Records.
“Good luck.”
“He’ll need more than luck. He needs a damn miracle,” Gina said as she glared at Alex. “You have one song. One original song for this album!”
“It will be fine.” He turned, winking at me before making his way down the corridor. In the short time I’d known him, I’d learned that he could sweet talk his way out of anything.
I sat reading my emails as I waited. My parents had sent me an update on their world cruise, complete with photos. I hadn’t managed to meet up with them yet. Truthfully, I hadn’t even asked Alex if I could take a few days off to see them. My parents understood that I was busy at work, though. Even if my mother did kick up a fuss about it.
An hour later, Alex and Gina emerged from the meeting. Alex had a smug smile on his face. He’d obviously gotten his own way again.
“How did it go?” I asked, closing my laptop and standing up to greet them.
“They’ve pushed the deadline back so I can work on more material,” he grinned, looking down at his phone. He seemed a little distracted.
“That’s great.”
“He’s got to sign up for a stadium tour next year, though.” Gina stressed. “He’s hasn’t toured in five years.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” I frowned, looking between them.
“I don’t need to worry about that yet. It’s months away.”
“Alex, you can’t hide your head in the sand. You have to do this. You’ll lose your label deal if you screw around with them this time.” Gina was getting more agitated by the moment.
“We can talk about this later. I’m going for a drink with Milly before my flight home,” Alex glared. Milly Crown? Of course that’s who he was referring to. She was living in New York now. “Do you want to come, Nat?” Gob smacked, I gazed at him. Why would he invite me?
“I…um…I…”
“You can say no. It’s fine.” He chuckled at my reaction. I’d always wanted to meet Milly, but something told me Alex needed some time to talk to his friend. They hadn’t seen each other for months.
“I have a few things to sort out for Diego’s party, actually,” I lied. Everything was already taken care of. All I had to do was get a dress for myself.
“Okay, I’ll only be across the street. I’ll meet you back here in a few hours. Get the receptionist to make you a coffee or something. I’m taking Steve with me.” I grinned up at him. “What?”
“I’ll be fine. Go.” With a shy smirk, he nodded and then left.
“He has no idea what he’s gotten himself into.” Gina sighed, slumping down on the couch. “He thinks he can write an entire album on his own in four months.”
“That doesn’t seem like such a task.”
“Nat, Alex hasn’t written an album in over ten years, and even then, he wrote those with Matt Higgins. He can’t do this on his own.”
“Maybe you should have more faith in him.”
“The man can’t stay sober or drug free for more than three days. How the hell does he think he can write an entire album?” I was beginning to understand why Alex felt so isolated at times. Even his own manager didn’t believe in him.
“Gina,” the receptionist called from over her desk. “You’re wanted back in the boardroom.”
“Great,” she mumbled under her breath. “If I don’t see you and Alex before I get back, have him call me tomorrow.” Nodding, I watched her make her way back down the corridor.
Growing tired of waiting at reception, I’d texted Alex to let him know that I would be in a coffee shop down the street. He didn’t reply, but I knew he’d read the message. He and Milly had a lot of catching up to do. It made me wonder what their friendship was based on. Had Diego been right? Was it all about the parties? Or was there something deeper? Was Milly someone he could confide in? Did she help him with his burdens from fame?
Sitting there strumming my fingers along the side of my coffee mug, I watched people hustle around outside. I loved New York. I’d been here a few times for work and with Liv on a girly weekend break, but being here with Alex, it was different. New York loved him. They welcomed him with open arms. He was spotted everywhere he went, and the hysteria only seemed to multiply. Laughing, I saw a group of women run past the window. I had one guess where they were heading. Word must have gotten out that he was drinking in a bar with Milly.
We needed to catch our flight in an hour, so I decided to call Steve. Shane hadn’t come on this small trip with us. He was busy getting the security ready for Diego’s birthday party next week.
“Nat,” he answered on the first ring.
“Steve, is Alex almost done? Our flight leaves in an hour.”
“Let me ask him.” Crap, I didn’t want to ruin Alex’s fun, but he did have a lot to do. I heard muffled voices and a few laughs. “He said meet him in the bar.” Oh no!
“B…but…I…”
“Natasha, get your ass over here now.” Alex was suddenly on the other end of the phone. “I’ll leave once you’ve met Milly.”
“Okay,” I sulked.
“Are you pouting?” How the hell did he know that? “I’m not asking you to come to a party. It’s just a bar. Steve will wait at the entrance for you. I’m in the VIP area.” With that, he hung up. I wasn’t even dressed to go to a bar. I was in my usual attire of denim shorts and a top. Why did he always do this to me?
Checking my reflection in the mirror, I gave Steve a shy smile as I pulled up outside the bar. At least my hair looked tidy in its braid.
“Is he sober?” I shouted over the music, following Steve inside.
“He’s only had a few drinks.” I noticed Alex and Milly as he spoke. Even in a dim lit room, Alex’s presence was strong. He was laughing and looked so carefree while doing it. Maybe that was the effect Milly had on him. She was his closest friend, after all. It shouldn’t have bothered me, but I couldn’t help but feel envious of her. She’d been there through the ups and downs of his career. She knew him better than anyone.
She was beautiful, too. Gazing at her, she looked like a movie star. Her deep, red hair was catching the shine from the spotlights, intensifying her beauty. She was thin, elegant, and held Alex’s attention better than any woman I had ever seen him with. I had to remind myself that she was a lesbian.
As if Alex could sense that I’d arrived, he turned and his eyes locked with mine. My mouth went dry. I had to remember to put one foot in front of the other as I moved toward him.
“Here she is,” he beamed, touching my arm before turning to look at Milly. “Mill, this is Nat.”
“My replacement,” she teased, taking a step closer. “Wow, you are cute!” she gasped, looking me over. “And look at those eyes!” This woman was making me blush.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Milly. Congratulations on the talk show, by the way.”
“Maybe you can help me persuade Alex to come be a guest. The fucker keeps declining my offer.”
“We’ve already spoken about this,” Alex laughed. “You know too much about me to go on live TV, Mill.”
“You’re no fun,” she pouted, moving to take a seat on one of the couches.
Alex turned, giving me a warm smile. “Do you want a drink?” I looked at my watch. We needed to catch our flight soon. “Nat, we can catch a later flight. Relax.”
“I’ll have a vodka and coke then, please.” He grinned, obviously happy with my response, and beckoned a waitress over. Three waitresses battled to get to him first, and I fought to hold in a giggle as I joined Milly on an opposite couch.
“You’ve noticed how all the pussy swarms around him too, huh?” she snorted. “It’s a good thing Shane and Steve know what they’re doing. Alex is a pussy magnet. Has been since the moment he could play a guitar.”
“Do you remember that time in Madrid? When they were climbing from balcony to balcony to get to my room?” Alex took a seat next to me, stretching his arm out on the back of the couch.
“The ninja fans? Shane had no idea where they were coming from. He soon stopped them, though.”
“What can I say? That’s the effect I have on most women.” Alex shot his eyes toward me as he spoke.
“Ha! Most? You’re too modest! What are we drinking then? Shots?” Milly clapped her hands together as the waitresses brought my drink over.
“We’re only having a few, Mill. I have a flight to catch later.”
“Don’t be silly. I haven’t seen you in months. Let’s party while you’re here. You can crash at my apartment tonight. You both can,” she offered, batting her eyelashes at him. Alex looked torn and I didn’t want to ruin his fun. I didn’t see the harm in going back to LA in the morning. It wasn’t like we were going clubbing. I could sit and have a few drinks in a bar with Alex Harbour and Milly Crown. Shit, I was a lucky bitch!
“I can rearrange our flight for the morning, Alex. It won’t be a problem.” My voice was too quiet.
“Are you sure?” he asked in surprise, raising his eyebrow at me.
“Yeah. It’ll be nice to have a drink and let my hair down, too.” He chuckled, shaking his head at me. My choice of words was funny because I’d never actually let my hair down since I’d arrived.
“Okay, now that everything has been decided, can I get the shots in?” Milly grinned.
“Yes, line them up,” Alex replied. What was I getting myself into?
It couldn’t get more embarrassing than having your teenager celebrity crush standing outside, holding your hair back while you got violently sick on the sidewalk. Why did I drink so much?
“We shouldn’t have let her down those last shots,” Alex called toward Steve. Milly was already waiting for us in the SUV to take us back to her apartment, but I needed to quit being sick before I could get in the car.
“You go back to the apartment. I’ll catch a cab once I’ve stopped throwing up,” I mumbled, still looking down at the ground. I hated being sick.
“I’m not leaving you here!”
“Alex, you’ll start to attract attention. I don’t want pictures of me throwing up on the sidewalk all over the papers in the morning. Go!”
“No, I’m not moving. Maybe you should try some water?” I tried to stand up straight as Steve passed Alex a bottle. “Take a few small sips in case you throw it back up.”
“You seem to have a lot of knowledge when it comes to drunken women.” Stumbling, I took the water from him.
“I do, but you’re the cutest drunk I’ve ever had to look after.” In my drunken state, I did a girly giggle and blushed. He was going to tease me about this in the morning. “Come on, let’s get you back to Milly’s so you can sleep this off.”
“You think I’m cute,” I sniggered, hiccupping.
“I think you’re more than cute, Straight Lace,” he sighed, holding me around my waist as I tried to get into the SUV. More than cute? Wow!
“If
you’re sick on me, you’re paying the dry cleaning bill,” Milly threatened as I sat opposite her. Holding my hand up, I was going to reply, but I passed out instead.
I vaguely remember being carried and placed on something soft. A blanket was put over me, and I felt soft lips press against my forehead. No more alcohol for me; I’d never hallucinated on drink before.
Hangovers: I’d had my fair share over the years, but this one rated up there in the top five. My head was thumping so hard that I couldn’t focus on anything except the pain.
“Here, take these.” Looking up, I saw Milly smiling down at me. Jeez, she looked fresh and stunning.
“What time is it?” I groaned, holding my head as I sat up.
“It’s just past ten. Alex is taking a shower. You can have one after him. I’ll lend you some of my clothes to travel back in.”
“Thanks.” She was so nice.
“You seem to be settling into my old job well.”
“You left me quite some shoes to fill, Milly. You’re a damn legend.”
“You’re doing just fine,” she winked. We both turned as Alex walked out of the bathroom dripping wet, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Biting the inside of my cheek, I tried to contain my desire.
“You’re awake,” he grinned, stepping closer toward me. I could see the droplets of water weaving down his well-defined chest. I’d never wanted to lick a chest so much in my life. “How are you feeling?”
“Hung over. I…I… I’ll go and have a shower now.” He was getting too close. I made my escape and rushed into the bathroom.
Once I’d showered and changed into the clothes Milly had left for me, I felt much better. The clothes weren’t really my style, though. I was wearing a skirt, for a start, and a short white top that showed off my stomach a little more than I liked, but it was good of her to lend me the clothes.
Alex stopped eating his breakfast when I walked out. “You look…nice.”
“I knew she would have a killer pair of legs in those heels,” Milly winked, looking pleased with herself. “I’ve got to head over to the studio. Lock up when you’re done. I’ll see you two at Diego’s party next week. I can’t wait!” She pecked us both on the cheek and was gone.
