by Imani King
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Leo… and the tabloids… and Jasmine
He sat at the diner, head in his hands.
“Well fuck me,” he moaned, looking at the newspaper.
Nigel grabbed it from him. “Well you seem to have pissed that woman off pretty thoroughly,” he said.
“How the fuck did she get photos?” he asked. “And goddamn but they look so incriminating. But I never did anything with her.”
“This was the girl that stormed out the other week?” Riff asked.
“I suppose so. She was pissed. Said she’d sue me, but I never figured anything would come of it. Suing me as a nobleman would be difficult for her. Anything that can be solved in any way by money or connections would be difficult. Publically shaming me, however – well that’s different. That’s easier. And much more effective.”
Reg took the magazine from Leo. “Looks like they’ve got some more pics coming.”
Leo turned whiter than usual. “What do you mean?”
“Well they say so right here,” said Reg.
“Bloody hell,” Leo said.
“Well it’s rather badass, don’t you think?” said Nigel. “No such thing as bad publicity. Probably will work quite well for Origin of Species, especially since the Grammy performances are going to be announced pretty soon – and everyone will know we’re performing ‘Reckless Love.’ But… I suppose it does complicate things that you’re a nobleman. Makes the story even juicier. Though I don’t know what anyone was expecting you to do on tour, besides, well… act like a rock star. Hardly shocking, in that sense.”
Oh Lord, Jasmine. What is she going to think when she sees these papers? Have they gotten to England yet?
He pulled out his phone to check the time, and saw a text from his brother. He opened it up:
Thanks for again cementing my status as the good Wellington-Kerr son. You’re in all the papers.
Perfect. Just perfect.
“What am I going to tell Jasmine?” He practically wailed, hiding his face in his hands.
Riff looked at him “Yeah, she’s not going to like this, I imagine.”
***
Jasmine woke up early, as she was planning to go for a walk and grab a coffee before rehearsal. The day was a bit overcast and breezy but not too bad. She pulled on some jeans and a light sweater, grabbed her purse and headed out. Her heart was light, blissfully unaware of the smear campaign about which she was going to learn all the sordid details.
***
Throwing one magazine down after another in front of the assembled women, Jasmine was wild-eyed.
“Did you see this? He told me that he was sleeping alone on tour. And there are pictures of him with tons of women! I am so angry I could… I could…”
“Just spit?” Jessa suggested, a helpful look on her face. Jasmine glared at her. “What?” She asked weakly. “It’s what people say.”
“Look, that doesn’t matter. What matters is he fed me a stack of lies, and now I might be pregnant.”
Kerry’s mouth dropped open. Then snapped shut.
“Well, who called that one?” Robyn said, shaking her head and looking at her friend. “Sorry, shit. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t freaking know.” She sat down with a thump on the couch. “I don’t freaking know.”
All ideas of rehearsing forgotten for the time being, the girls talked for nearly an hour before finally Kerry interjected, “Just to let you guys know, I did get some good news today. From our new promoter.”
“Oh yeah?” Jasmine said, voice flat. “What is it? I could use some good news.”
“He wants us to play at the Grammies,” Kerry said. “No details, but it looks like we are going to be accompanying a rock band. Should be good for us.”
“Huh. Never thought something like that would happen,” Jasmine said. “I guess that’s pretty cool. Although it kind of pales when I consider everything else that’s going on, with that snake, Leo Wellington-Kerr. I wonder if he’ll be there?”
“I imagine he might. It’s a rock show after all.” Robyn looked thoughtful. “I wonder who we’re playing with?”
“Not sure. But I guess we can’t afford to say no,” Kerry said carefully, “no matter who’s there. But are you going to be ok with that, Jasmine?”
“Of course.” Her voice was hard. “The quartet is my number one priority no matter what.”
They looked at each other.
“Quartet foreva,” Jessa intoned. Admittedly, a little weakly. The others just looked at each other, worry written on their faces.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
The Quartet Goes Home
“Well that was some trip,” said Kerry, arranging her things in her suitcase for the flight home.
“I’ll say,” Robyn agreed. “But I am glad we came. Not so sure that Jasmine can say the same thing.”
Jasmine stuck her head out of the bathroom where she was finishing her makeup. “Yeah, I am not sure either. I mean, I had some of the best times of my life here. But also the worst.” She shook her head. “And wouldn’t you know, I threw up again this morning. Do you think it’s nerves? Or am I doomed to have a European love child?”
Kerry laughed, a little sadly. “Who knows? But since we have to be getting back you can check in with your doc, and soon you can take a test and find out if you’re preggers or not. And then you can decide what to do. And at least you know that Leo has the kind of money that if you keep the baby, you will be set. You won’t have to scramble.
“But until you have the time to sort it all out, Jasmine, it’s all about the Grammies, ok? We have to make this performance the best of our lives. You know millions of people will be watching.”
“Do we know any more details?”
“Nah,” said Kerry. “I haven’t heard anything. But they’ve emailed us the music and once we’re in the states and then we’ll have a few days to rehearse before the show. So I’m sure as long as we focus, it’ll be fantastic.”
“Can we see the music?”
“Sure, look on my tablet,” said Kerry. “It’s all here, but it’s an arrangement someone did – nothing obvious as to who it’s by.”
They gathered around the tablet with their instruments. In the moments before they started playing there was a bit of a crackle of excitement in the air, and it carried through the quick reading of the piece.
“Um,” said Robyn. “I hate to say it, but I think this is Reckless Love.” They looked at her. “That new song by Origin of Species, Leo’s band. I think we’re playing with them.” She shrugged. “I hear it everywhere I go, so I’ve kind of memorized the chord progression by now, and there is a string quartet in the recorded version.”
“Ugh, could things get any worse?” Jasmine cried, stricken. “Why, why?”
“And I think this song is probably about you,” Robyn continued gently. “Are you sure we can go through with this?”
“Did Leo invite us on purpose?” Jasmine said. “Did he do it before this story broke? Or will he be as surprised as anyone else?”
The music playing in the cab on the way to the airport confirmed it. “That was Reckless Love, the hot new single from Origin of Species,” said the jocular voice coming from the speakers. “What a wild band!”
“That Leo Wellington-Kerr sure has been in the news lately,” said the other announcer. “He’s quite the ladies’ man!”
“I’ll say! Who can blame them. One of the world’s most popular bands, and a huge family fortune – what woman could resist his charm?”
“From the looks of things, apparently hardly anyone,” laughed the voice. “There’s a new woman every day, it seems!”
Kerry leaned over to the driver while Jasmine grimaced and covered her ears. “Can you please turn this to another station?”
They couldn’t believe it, but when they got to the airport, Reckless Love was playing there as well. The song could be fueling the story, or the story the song, but however things
were going, the fact was that it was reaching critical mass. It became crystal clear to Kerry just how important it was to them to do this performance, but at the same time, how hard it was going to be on Jasmine to play the song with Leo after news of his dalliances was made public. If it were any other concert, she’d say, let’s cancel.
But it was the Grammies. It was a huge deal. And to be playing the number one song, well, that was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up, no matter who boffed who.
The quartet was the priority and that was the way it had to be – and the way it had to stay.
***
“Hmmm, which color?” They were at a posh boutique in Beverly Hills: Rodarte, their new manager discreetly flashing around her black credit card. The plan was that they were all to choose matching dresses for the concert. Unfortunately, Jasmine was off in the bathroom at the coffee shop down the street, throwing up the latte and muffin she had nibbled at in an attempt to settle her stomach.
“So, um, should we get all the same color, or…?” As she tried to fill the awkward silence, Robyn’s eyes were wide, taking in the gorgeous designer gowns and shoes that filled the small boutique. Each was a work of art in itself, the designer’s edgy esthetic perfect for a rock show.
“Better to get the corresponding fabrics,” said their agent, Roxanne. “That way you can have continuity, but still everyone is in what flatters them.”
“Good plan,” Kerry said, fingering the pieces. She couldn’t wait to make a few choices and try them on, but Jasmine still wasn’t there. It was everything she feared: Jasmine gets involved with someone, and then she’s less available – not around when the quartet needs her the most. Still she had hoped that if it had had to be like this, the situation would have been different. That Jasmine would be less available because things were working out with Leo, not that she was probably pregnant from a guy who obviously didn’t give two shits about her. And having to back him on stage on one of the most important nights of her life.
She sighed.
This was their big opportunity to get these garments, gowns that they would never have been anywhere near their budget, and if she had to pick something for Jasmine she would. The other girls had been holding up their clothes to their bodies in the mirror, and each had amassed a small collection. She could choose something to go with whatever they decided, for both herself and Jasmine if need be.
But the other part of her really wanted to share this success with her best friend. She grimly pulled a few dresses for Jasmine along with the gowns for herself, trying not to let Jasmine’s absence ruin the experience for them.
Jasmine was on her knees in the coffee shop bathroom, nearly in tears with retching. Not only was she ill from typical morning-sickness, the fact that she even had morning sickness in the first place was stressing her out to the point that she was doubled over. She decided to go and buy some saltines and ginger ale, as soon as she had retched the last out of her system, but she knew she wasn’t going to be able to enjoy the dress shopping. Grabbing a cab with the last of her money, she hightailed it back to her apartment to lay down.
Closing her eyes, she laid back and thought about the pregnancy test she had taken that morning. How the lines had formed between her brows just as they had appeared on the plastic tube, indicating only one thing: she was pregnant.
What would she do. Would she even tell Leo? Or just take care of it? Or should she raise the baby on her own? She had no idea what Leo’s family would think of a bastard child with a comparatively “low-class” woman such as herself, not exactly another noble, but she knew it wouldn’t be a situation where they were dying to host a baby shower. Would they disown him, or welcome her? It didn’t matter. It’s not like she could marry him with the current situation.
Still he had asked her to trust him. When he had told her how things were on tour, he specifically said that he was struggling to be faithful. Could she even imagine trusting him?
It wasn’t above the tabloids to lie.
But there were so many pictures, so many women. And why hadn’t he called her?
Jasmine drifted off to a fitful sleep.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Origin of Species
I’ve got to talk to Jasmine. I hope she doesn’t think I’m avoiding her. Leo was afraid of her reaction. What if she freaked out and ruined everything? Would she trust him, after their talk? His stomach turned over. Half of the women who’d come forward he hadn’t even met. The other half he’d been with, but it was old news. But that’s not what the tabloids were putting forth. They said he was with a girl a night. Or several. And yes, he’d been so in the past – but not anymore.
How was it even a story? Who cared? But they said whatever they wanted about the biggest stars of the day, and didn’t care who they hurt in the process. That was their business model.
Nigel poked Leo’s shoulder for the second time. He turned over in his compartment on the bus to look his friend in the face.
“Leo! Glad I found you. Graham is on the line. He wants to talk to you about the Grammies.” He held out his phone.
“Leo here,” he answered. “What is it, Fearnley?”
“Well, Leo, just checking in about the award performance. And congrats on all the publicity lately – it’ll do some good for the CD.”
“You’re congratulating me? You can’t be serious.”
“Of course I’m serious,” Graham laughed. “It’s the best thing that could have happened, aside from one of you getting arrested. That would be even better, but if they haven’t put Nigel away yet, they’re probably never going to catch him.”
“I’m sat here thinking the world’s come to an end and you’re congratulating me. Bloody brilliant.”
“Oh don’t be so dramatic. Actually, scratch that – continue on being dramatic – there’s nothing better for a rock band than some real drama.” Graham hooted on the other line, no doubt counting his money in his mind. “And you’re delivering in spades.”
“I’m not quite sure I share your enthusiasm, Fearnley.” Still, Graham’s positive attitude was loosening the feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“No doubt, but in no time this will all blow over, so enjoy it while it lasts. To be twenty-six again,” Graham said wistfully. “And as successful as Origin of Species!” He cleared his throat. “Anyway the Grammies people are over the moon about all the fuss, as you can well imagine, though they’re pretending shock. Did I tell you they approved the proposal to have your song played before the song of the year category? I’m sure you’ve heard that it’s nominated.”
“I wasn’t aware of that,” Leo said thoughtfully. “Well that’s one good bit of news.” He imagined telling Jasmine, how she’d be so excited for him.
“Absolutely. And kudos. An inspired song, Leo.” He cleared his throat. “You’ll also be happy to hear that we’ve approved the string quartet arrangement, and the group has accepted the gig – manager contacted, papers signed. It’s all going to happen. And it’s going to be big. You’ll blow the Yanks away!”
“In a manner of speaking,” Leo said drily. Maybe things weren’t as bad as he thought. If Jasmine were planning to play the Grammies with him, the biggest concert they’d ever had, she couldn’t be mad, could she? He had been busy night and day with this story breaking, and hadn’t been in touch. He should text her. And he would, when the fear left the pit of his stomach.
What if she didn’t understand? What if he lost her? Like he had lost everyone he truly loved?
There wasn’t much time to explore that thought, in any case. Riff was urging him into rehearsal. Aside from their regular polishing, they needed time to learn the arrangement. Since it was different from the album version, and with a new group, it needed to be tight.
“You’re not too worried about this show, are you, Leo?” Riff asked as they entered the rehearsal space, which was littered with their instruments and cases, the walls covered in graffiti. The room was in an old factory, which had been
repurposed strictly for artists, and Graham had rented the whole floor so that they wouldn’t have to worry about being bothered, or bothering anyone else with their late night practicing, and this one definitely going to go into the wee hours.
Leo tried to keep his mind where it needed to be – on the performance.
Jasmine will understand if I can’t get in touch right now. She’s a musician. She knows what it’s like when things get busy. And I’ll see her at the Grammies. But his belly was tight with fear, and he knew he was lying to himself.
The thump of the bass drum announced the beginning of Riff’s slow groove, and Leo did what he did best: got lost in the music.
