The girl was a little shorter than the hostess with a wild head of curly red hair. She was swimming in a plain white polo that was obviously too big and a pair of unflattering black pants. This had to be her, but she was nothing like what he’d pictured. She was younger than he thought she’d be. He figured that made sense, since social media was so new in the world of marketing you’d need someone young to understand how to operate.
“Hello, Jasper, I’m Hailey Finch.” She stuck her hand out to him.
He laughed as he shook it. Noticing her sweaty palms made him want to get under her skin.
“Is something funny?”
“No, it’s just that you’re so formal. I’m not used to it.” He sat down and pointed to the seat across from him. “Please sit.”
“Alright.” She started to say something else, but the hostess interrupted her leaning over the table to show off what she had to offer him.
“Get you anything… food, drinks, my phone number, Jasper?”
He assumed the elevation in desperation was because another woman had joined him. “We’re good, thank you.” He waved a hand and turned back to Hailey. Ignoring the hostess completely. “You were going to say?”
“I was going to say we need to get ahead of this Instagram thing. We need to have a press junket so you can make a statement to several news outlets at once.”
“Man, you are straight to business aren’t you, Little Bird. Why don’t you have a drink first, get to know me?”
“I’m sorry, bird?” she asked and tilted her head sideways.
“Finch.” He smiled. He decided he liked her. She was different.
“Okay, well I don’t want a drink, but I’ll take a water if we need to get to know each other. I'm on the clock.” She pulled a large pink sweater out of her bag and pulled it over her head.
She really did hide her figure. He was used to women who wore the tightest and smallest piece of clothing they could find. She was an anomaly.
“How old are you, Little Bird?”
“I’ll be twenty-five shortly. How old are you?” she fumbled her words. She acted as if she wasn't used to flirty banter. “Big Bird?” Her cheeks flashed with pink.
“That’s a good one,” he said, laughing. “I’m going to be twenty-eight next week, actually. The media likes to say I’m anywhere from twenty-one to twenty-four. I’m fairly certain I don’t look that young, but if it's on the internet. It must be true.”
“Well, I can see them trying to keep you younger for the fan base you attract. I’ve read some of your less than PC offenses and it seems to me this is the worst thing you’ve done so far. So either you’re not getting caught or you’re a closet good boy.” She smiled at him as the waiter came in and she asked for water.
“Maybe you’re right about that,” he took a large sip of his whiskey, “and maybe you’re very wrong.”
The truth was Jasper was nothing like his persona in the media or on stage. His true self he kept hidden, and the fact that the band had gotten so big so fast had really taken him for a spin. He’d never wanted his art to go mainstream. He loved playing in dive bars and tiny venues getting to personally know his fans. Now that he was mainstream or sell-out as he would like to think of it, he was less willing to share some of the lyrics he wrote. That’s why they found themselves singing songs that other people wrote for them. He told his mates he wasn’t feeling creative when he was really keeping it all to himself, he didn't want to share anything he had done with the label. As soon as he did, they would own it and take the soul out of it.
“I think I am, but only time will tell. Don’t worry, Jasper, I’ll figure you out. Whether you are a good guy or bad guy as long as you follow the path I lay out for you everything will be fine.”
“Is that so?” Her confidence intrigued him. She was so sure of herself, or at least it seemed that way. “Okay, so I do this press thing and say what exactly?”
“I can write it out for you and you can tweak it to where it sounds like you. It’s basically going to say that you’re very sorry for the personal pictures and that this kind of vulgarity was out there on your social media. You have broken up with the young Miss Jackson and take your privacy very seriously. You were unaware of Miss Jackson's intentions and were appalled when you realized what she had done.”
“So, that’s great, really good work. The thing is Tara will have a shit fit if I publicly talk about dumping her.”
“Well then, she’ll look like the petty one. I’ll be prepared with a counter statement if she does anything. This is my job, I'm fully trained to handle anything Tara throws at you.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll put my reputation in your hands now because I don’t really have a choice.”
“Great, I'll take that as a vote of confidence and ignore the sarcasm. You know you’re a lot nicer than I thought you’d be.”
Something inside of him recoiled, and he had the urge to hide his true self again. She was getting too close even though he’d just met her. Was she a mind reader?
“It’s too bad about Tara though, she had some of the nicest tits I’ve ever seen on a girl. I mean, I’m really going to miss them.” He watched her face change to a look of discomfort. Self-sabotage had been accomplished. He could tell by the sweaty hands and refusal to drink Little Bird was a bit uptight and wouldn't take kindly to his dickhead statement.
“Well, alright then. I’m going to email you the rest of my ideas. Here’s my information, write yours on the back of this please.”
She slid her business card to him and the napkin from under her water where he wrote his email and phone number. Her face was flaming red in the darkened booth.
“Thanks, Little Bird,” he said.
“Have a good night,” she said quickly, and left.
He almost felt bad that he’d flipped the switch like that. His main defense mechanism with anyone was to be the biggest jerk possible. He had learned it was the only way to get around the label and their controlling ways. If he was rude to them they left him mostly alone.
The hostess returned once Hailey left. “So now that your girlfriend is gone, we can have a little fun.”
He hated girls that threw themselves at him in such a desperate way. When Tara did, it was attractive because she could have anyone she wanted. It was flattering. This girl didn’t flatter him.
“That girl is a lot classier than you, sweetheart, that’s why I date her.” He threw some money on the table for the drinks and walked out the back where his car waited. He pictured for a minute what it would be like to date someone like Hailey Finch. It might not be that bad.
Despite getting out the back of the restaurant, somehow the fans knew. He had a feeling it was the hostess, who is probably mad that he’d rejected her. He really needed to stay away from women. They crowded around him in a suffocating group, grabbing at his clothes and one of them scratched his face as they flailed around.
“Back off,” he yelled, but the frenzy just continued. The girls were crazy, they were pushing magazines and headshots in his face. His stomach started to turn. “Carl, help me.”
His driver jumped out of the car and ran around. He was a large intimidating man and Jasper was able to get behind him.
“Back off,” Carl’s booming voice startled the girls as he gently pushed those in the front away. “This is not how you get a celebrity’s autograph. You basically accosted him. Now everyone go over there and let us leave. I will not hesitate to call the police.”
The girls whined, but they did what they were told. Jasper was happy he had backup. This would have never happened before he was signed. He missed the old days. It was clear to him that two more seconds of that scene and he’d have thrown up all over the girls closest to him. He tended to get really claustrophobic.
Jasper leaned back in the seat and relaxed. Carl got in the car, still wagging a finger at the young girls pouting on the sidewalk. A news crew had shown up and was setting up to interview some of them.
&nbs
p; “Great, now the news headline will be Jasper Daly hates his fans.”
“If I were you I’d hate them too. Young women don’t have any class or manners anymore...” Carl launched into a story about his younger days, and Jasper leaned back and closed his eyes letting Carl's voice soothe him. He didn’t hate his fans, they gave him the money and nice things he had. He would have never been able to live the way he did if it wasn't for them. He hated the type of fame he’d accomplished. When they signed onto the label his fans were so excited for them, but the more they were controlled by the label, the more he alienated the loyal ones. They no longer sang to people who liked serious music, music that changed the world. It was now to people who liked boy bands, and he was half a step away from being one of them. That’s what he couldn’t deal with. The knowledge that he was insignificant in the music industry because he sang mainstream drivel. Something he swore he would never do.
They pulled up outside of his hotel and he nervously looked around for any girls that might have followed him there. He was pretty sure some of the gossip columns knew he was there, but for the most part he’d been able to keep it quiet. There weren’t any screaming girls around so he quickly got out of the car and went up to his penthouse apartment at the top of the hotel. He’d pay little Miss Finch a visit the next day and keep her on her toes. At the moment, he just wanted to sleep. Turning off his phone, he fell into the bed hoping not to get up until the next day.
Chapter Two
Going into work the next day Hailey was determined to look at the meeting as positive. Sure there had been a strange moment between them when it felt like he completely switched gears and started talking about that chick’s rack, but he seemed more or less on board with her ideas.
Her office was the epitome of organized. She had folders color-coded for everything. Her other clients, a model and a singer, were well taken care of. They’d commented to Bill how great of a job growing their accounts to get them a following she’d done. With them and Jasper, everything was falling into place.
Hailey's mom died of cancer when Hailey was four and her grandma took over her upbringing. Hailey always played by the rules wearing the clothes she wanted her to and being a good little girl.
“So report on the meeting last night, it went well?” Bill rushed into the room and startled her.
“It did go well. I think he’s on board with a lot of my ideas and I feel pretty confident we can get his reputation back to slightly dangerous rock star.”
“That's good, it means you don't have to meet with him again for a while. I've heard he can be quite the asshole.”
“He wasn't too bad, really. I felt like he might be a bit misunderstood,” Hailey said, defending him for some strange reason. He really wasn't that bad until he started talking about Tara’s endowments.
“Don't tell my daughter that, she loves that he's the bad boy of pop music, or something stupid like that she said the other day.” Bill rolled his eyes at his teenage daughter’s love for the pop star.
“It's not really pop music is it?” Hailey thought it was more a softer version of metal or post hardcore, but not pop.
“No, it's definitely not pop music,” an Australian accent came from near the door.
Surprised, she turned around. Jasper stood there smiling at her. He was wearing his guy-liner and had his hair all gelled up. He looked a bit different than he had the night before. He looked hot.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought we could continue getting to know each other. I'd show you what it's like to be me for a day so you can really manage my social media in an authentic way.”
“Do you really think that's necessary? I have work to do.” Hailey really did have a lot of work to do. She hadn’t even started working on his press junket, and her other clients needed her attention as well.
“She's working for me now isn't she, boss man?” Jasper pointed at Bill and raised his eyebrows.
“She is yes. Hailey, I suppose you have to do what the client wants.” Bill had a worried look in his eyes, as if he knew he was sending her out to the wolves.
“Thanks for nothing, Bill. I'll remember this next time you want me to bring you a chicken sandwich from the corner shop.”
Bill acted very professional and stuck his tongue out at her. She was joking, of course. It was actually kind of thrilling to go on the town with a rock star and see what he liked to do on a good day. She was surprised he'd shown up at her work, but there was no use arguing with him.
At that moment, Matthew walked into the room and his eyes widened when he saw them.
“Mr. Daly, wow, welcome, I’m a big fan. Love that new song.” Matthew’s smile looked like it might break his face. She couldn’t tell if he was that excited or if he was faking it that hard. Either way it was a bit unnerving.
“Well, I don’t,” Jasper said, and walked out of the room leaving Matthew with his mouth wide open.
Hailey couldn't help but giggle.
“Hold on,” she said, stopping Jasper before he could walk out the door. She walked up to Sam and pulled a brown paper bag out. “I made you your favorite,” she told the elderly security guard.
“You're a doll,” Sam said to her giving her a toothy smile.
Hailey kissed Sam's paper thin cheek before walking back to Jasper.
“What was that?” Jasper asked, staring at Hailey intently.
“That was Sam. His wife passed away a year ago. I make him lunch on the days I come in. When Marie died, he started to lose a lot of weight, and it worried me.”
“Hi, Sam,” he said, walking up and shaking the security guard’s hand.
Sam made small talk with Jasper before going back to work. “Come on, let's get out of here.” Jasper walked out of the building.
“You don't like your number one hit?” She caught up with him as he made it outside remembering what he’d said to Bill. “I listened to it last night, it’s catchy.”
“That's it, it's catchy. I hate songs with no substance. Songs that are catchy. They don't do anything for me and here I am putting that garbage out into the world.”
“So you don't like your own band’s music?” Hailey was confused as to why he’d put anything out he wasn’t into. She would hate to do something she wasn't committed to, especially when it was something from the heart.
“Not really, but don't tell anyone, Little Bird. You keep that part of this day to yourself.”
“Fine, but you can sing anything you want to can't you, why would you sing something you didn't like?”
They'd arrived at a car with tinted windows and he opened the door.
“Get in, this is our ride.”
Hailey realized he avoided the question but didn't push it. “Where are we going?”
“You'll see.”
“Hi, I'm Hailey.” She leaned in between the front seat to talk to Carl.
“I'm Carl. It's nice to meet you, Hailey.” Carl had a friendly face. It made her feel at ease.
“I'll be running Jasper's social media accounts. I guess we will be seeing a lot of each other.”
“I'm looking forward to getting to know you,” Carl said, navigating the car through traffic.
Hailey leaned back in the seat and stared at the passing scenery. She had been so busy working, that driving around on a workday was a luxury she wasn't going to take for granted.
To her surprise, they ended up in Central Park and Jasper got out opening the door for her.
“We are going to go watch some old people play checkers.”
“That sounds like a strange way to spend your time,” she replied, exhilarated he didn't take her somewhere stuffy.
Hailey noticed a homeless man sitting on a bench. She pulled out a twenty from her wallet and went to talk to him. “I wish I had more to give you,” she said, handing him the money.
“No, young lady, you keep it,” he tried to push the money back to her.
Hailey laughed and looked at her frumpy cl
othing. “Is it because I'm dressed like this? My grandma taught me how to dress. She did a good job with everything except my clothing.”
“I think you’re beautiful,” he told her.
“Please take this,” she said. This man telling her she was beautiful was what she needed now.
He took the money and kissed her hand before winking at her. “You have an amazing woman here,” the homeless man said talking around her.
Hailey jumped forgetting Jasper was behind her.
“She is pretty great,” Jasper responded, leaning down and handing the man a hundred-dollar bill. “Have a good day. I've got to get this girl somewhere.” Jasper grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him.
She was running after him when he stopped and she plowed into his back. He spun around and threw his arms out wide. For a minute she almost stepped into them for a hug, but shook herself out of that nonsense.
“You are not what I expected. Now let's go see some old people play checkers.”
Hailey couldn't stop her eyebrow from cocking at the thought of watching elderly people play checkers.
He read her uncertainty. “Wait until you see how into it they get.”
He took her hand again and led her down to where a bunch of tables were set up. Not one of the men and women sitting around paid them any attention. They were deeply emerged in their games. She was aware he was still holding her hand when they stopped underneath a tree and stood to watch. Instead of pulling it away, she let him.
“Horace, you're taking too damn long,” one of the men said. He wore a pageboy cap and pants pulled up to his underarms.
Managed 1: A Rock Star Romance Page 2
