by Suzie Nelson
“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.
“Danica, Jordan, thank you for joining us on the Morning Daily this morning.”
“Thank you for having us,” thankfully, Jordan answered for them as Danica tried to maintain her steady smile.
“Now, for anyone that has not seen the headlines over the past few days, an audio recording was released in which you could hear Miss Cliffe and Mr. Ramsey negotiating the terms of a relationship. Please, could you confirm, for the first time, if that recording is of you both?”
“It is,” Jordan answered bluntly as Sally leaned in.
“The recording isn’t very clear but it sounds like you, Danica, are trying to arrange some sort of benefit from being in a relationship with Jordan. Could you explain that for us?”
Danica hesitated and her mind went completely blank. Jordan squeezed her hand and turned to her. “It’s okay, you can tell her the truth.” For the first time he gently smiled at her and she felt at ease to just say exactly what happened.
“We had decided to have a purely public relationship. We would attend events together, be photographed together and I negotiated to be a designer at Ramsey as part of the contract terms. That is what you can hear on the tape.” Although it wasn’t eloquent, Danica managed to explain part of her truth but it was inevitable that it would lead on to more questions.
Sally gave a shocked face to the camera and sat back in her seat. “Wow. I’m a little stunned to hear you confirm that the relationship was fake and that you did it to get a position within Jordan’s fashion label. I’m sure all our viewers at home are going to be equally surprised to hear that an apparently successful model, by all accounts, would use that fame to leverage a deal for an undeserved position.” Sally paused to let the viewers absorb the information as Jordan squeezed tighter on Danica’s hand.
“It wasn’t like that.” Danica had to defend herself and she couldn’t help but to jump in and correct Sally’s assumption.
“No?” With twinkling eyes, Sally engaged Danica in conversation hoping that it would ignite a heated debate. “You can be heard quite clearly in the tape demanding full control of a whole line at the Ramsey label. How would you explain it?”
Danica couldn’t understand why Jordan was just remaining silent and it dawned on her that he wasn’t going to defend her or clear her name so she had to fight for herself. “It’s true that I asked to design a whole collection but it was not my idea to start the fake relationship. My management was contacted by Jordan’s people, they wanted to use me as a fake girlfriend and the designing thing was just part of the terms.” Danica released her hand from Jordan’s grip and pointed at him. “If you want to know the truth you should be asking him.”
Jordan looked at her but she was so enraged by the questioning that she couldn’t tell if he was hurt or disappointed by her outburst.
“Jordan, you have already released a statement denying Miss Cliffe’s claim that you initiated this public relationship. Can you make it clear to everyone watching what the truth of this murky deal is?” The camera rolled in closer to Jordan and Danica knew everything depended on his answer.
“Everything that Miss Cliffe is saying is true.” Shocked, Sally leaned back and put a hand over her mouth. “It was my PR team that approached Danica’s management and proposed the deal for us to pose as a couple. It was at my request that we met in a downtown diner which is where the tape was recorded. The designing thing was just part of the deal, the rest of our conversation can’t be clearly made out.”
Danica sighed but kept her composure as she had finally been cleared of all the lies spread in the media. Sally reached for Jordan and put her hand on his arm as though she was consoling him. �
��So why, Jordan, did you release that statement? Why did you try and blame Danica for the whole twisted arrangement?”
Jordan turned and looked at Danica and she knew that he really was going to betray Edward. His eyes beheld her as a loved one does, taking in all her beauty and seeing none of her faults and then he turned back to Sally. “Well, Sally, the truth is that the whole sordid deal was a scheme to improve my company’s reputation and the stock price of all the Ramsey businesses. The deal, the phony relationship, the statement blaming Danica, everything was masterminded by my bro…”
“No, Jordan, stop!” Danica cut in just before Jordan could name Edward and everyone froze wondering what she was going to say.
“But Danica I will…” Jordan looked at her confused for a second as he was fully prepared to dump Edward in order to win her back but Danica couldn’t see him do that, even to the likes of Edward.
“You don’t need to.” Danica put her hand back in his as Sally Joy looked completely lost at the scene that was unfolding in front of her.
“Jordan, Danica. Emotions are clearly running high as we reveal to the nation the truth behind your public romance but we must hear everything. There is clearly something that you don’t want to share with us but I would urge you to relieve your consciences as everything eventually comes out into the light.” Sally Joy was enthralled by the amazing interview that was being captured but she couldn’t let it end while there was such an obvious secret not being shared.
“You want the truth, Sally? The full truth?” Jordan suddenly had a surge of confidence as he held Danica’s hand and saw the hope in her eyes.
“Yes, Jordan, unburden yourselves and share with us everything.” Sally was on the edge of her seat thinking about the explosive ratings she was going to get from this drama.
“It was all a fraud – the whole relationship was meant to be a fake to distract the media from my business scandals. But from the very first time I saw Danica in that wretched diner, I knew that I loved her.” Jordan lifted Danica’s hand up to his chest and she moved closer to him. Her heart was racing as he declared publicly his love for her and she beamed with joy. “It may have all started out as a shifty deal just to win media attention but I am head over heels, 100% in love with this woman. She is not just a beautiful model and talented fashion designer, she is kind, caring, compassionate and everything I have ever wanted.”
The camera rolled back to get a full view of the couple clutching each other’s hands and Danica could see Chelsea standing at the back completely gobsmacked. Sally Joy was also looking a little stunned but she was able to control her expressions for the camera.
Jordan moved off the couch and rested one knee on the floor. Now everyone knew what was coming and were at a loss. “Danica Cliffe, we have not had the best start to a relationship, in fact, it’s probably the worst start possible but I’ve known since the moment I laid eyes on you that I wanted to spend every moment of my life with you.” He held her hand up to his mouth and fixed his gaze on her pale blue eyes. Danica was lost in his words, unaware of the cameras, the lights and the TV presenter that was anxiously waiting on the sidelines. In front of her was a man that was willing to do anything for her love and she wasn’t going to waste any more time doubting the validity of his feelings.
“Danica, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?” Silence filled the studio as every eye in the place and watching via the screens waited for Danica’s reply. Jordan, himself looked up at her anxiously, not truly knowing how she would respond but hoping that she wanted the same thing as him.
Danica’s soft pink lips parted and in a gentle voice, she said, “Yes. Yes, there is nothing I would want more in this life than to be your wife.” Simultaneously, they broke out into smiles of pure joy and embraced. Still on his knees, Jordan wrapped his arms around her waist and she clutched his face with her hands as they kissed with the whole world watching.
“Oh my goodness! Congratulations!” Sally patted Danica on the back as she made her way to the center of the stage. “Well, you heard it here first and we all witnessed that fabulous proposal. It’s official, Danica Cliffe and Jordan Ramsey are in a relationship and they are engaged to be married. This is the first proposal we have ever had on the show and hopefully, we will be able to follow it up with the actual wedding. Stay tuned for more details as we will be returning after this short break with some more questions about this exciting romance.”
“Run commercial!” The red on-air light went out as the cameras rolled back and everyone in the studio applauded the couple that were still locked in each other’s arms.
“That was amazing! My ratings are going to be off the charts!” Sally Joy was ecstatic knowing that she had the best news scoop for the day while Chelsea was still frozen in place just watching the pair kiss.
Tears started to stream down Danica’s face and Jordan pulled away concerned. “Danica, what’s wrong?” He wiped them away with his thumb as she looked at him with watery eyes.
“I’m just so happy, Jordan. I just can’t believe everyone knows and now we can finally be together.” Danica had a mixture of emotions running through her from relief to shock, but she was mainly overjoyed that they could start a new life together, hand in hand as a couple.
Jordan kissed her again and renewed his promise to love her. “I’m going to make you happy for the rest of your life. Nothing is ever going to part us again…it’s just you and me from here on out.”
With tears still falling down her cheeks, Danica took his hand and they stood up together. “Just you and me, Jordan. Just you and me.”
THE END
Arouse Me
Chapter 1
Alicia Stringer paused to enjoy the view from her top floor office in the United Nations building. She kicked off her Gucci high heel boots and tucked her feet under her legs.
“Ahh,” she sighed as she took a few deep breaths and smiled. Life was good for the owner of Sincere, her matchmaking service for only the richest men and women in the world. It used to be the United States, but several years ago when the penthouse office suite became available in the United Nations building, she soon recognized she had a much larger market for which to cater. It did mean a lot more traveling, but for the nearly 6-foot-tall, voluptuous Alicia Stringer, it gave her the opportunity to see places she only dreamed of growing up in Brooklyn.
The intercom buzzing snapped Alicia out of her moment of peace. “Yes, Eleanor, what is it now?” Alicia was the boss, and she constantly reminded her staff that she wanted to know about everything that was happening in her exclusive, personalized business. The interruptions got to her on occasion; however, any irritation she felt passed quickly: Sincere had made her very rich, although she still had a long way to go if she ever wanted to be on the same level as her clients.
“Mr. Stringer for you, Ms. Stringer. Line One.”
“Thank you, Eleanor,” she said as she put up her middle finger towards the door to the reception area. The woman was the best assistant ever, but why she could not remember to take a message when her father called, she had no idea. “Hey, Pops. What’s up?”
“It’s hard to say, Ms. Baby of the family who never calls or even sends a quick text message. Shit. Elvira could do it, and we wouldn’t even know. Yes, your Mother is fine. Thanks for asking.”
“It’s Eleanor, Dad, not Elvira. Are you calling with a purpose?” Alicia loved her parents, her three older brothers, and her two older sisters, but she was the black sheep of the family in their eyes. She left Brooklyn to attend NYU and never went back. Stringers Deli was known worldwide. Alicia sometimes met with prospective clients there because the deli was that well-known, and the food was delicious. But the 15 minutes it took to hug and kiss the brothers and sisters and parents really ate away at her schedule. Still, she knew that her family was better at knowing the good ones from the scammers any day. She smiled.
“What do you think?”
Alicia miss
ed the whole conversation. “Sure Dad. I am going to Venice late next week. Does that still work?”
“What’s the matter with you, Lisha? I…were you even payin’ attention? Geez, I’ve got a good one for you, and you talk about Italy.”
“Sorry, Pops. I’m going in a dozen different directions. Did you say you have a potential client for me?” Alicia sat up in her chair. One thing she never did was say no to the family; they all had ‘the gift.’ They saw it on the outside but never got how to tell what the truth was from the heart. “So tell me about her.”
“Not her…HIM. Ian Forsythe. Ya know who he is, don’t ya?”
“Everyone knows who Ian Forsythe is. I’ve tried like a half-dozen times to have him meet with me but he’s never interested. How did you meet him?”
“At the deli, of course. He was in running clothes and a baseball cap, but once you look into those blue eyes, it’s hard not to know who he is. I made him a Bullwinkle and he ate the whole thing. Long story short, I went and sat with him for a few minutes, and he said he heard about the deli from a business acquaintance in Beijing. China! Of all the places!”
