Jasper became panicked; it was his, and he wasn’t sure he wanted anyone else to have it. He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to start singing it the way he did. Well he was pretty sure he knew, but he wasn't ready to admit it to himself or anyone else.
“No, it’s not ready yet, that was just for you guys. I’ll share it when it’s ready.”
“Jasper, you’re writing again. You have to embrace this burst of creativity. You have to give the label something to salivate over. If you do, maybe they will let us use our own stuff again. I would love to play something with substance again.”
“I’ll think about it, Dustin, let’s just practice, okay?” Jasper’s skin itched, and he needed to expend some of the erratic energy built up inside of him.
They practiced for around an hour when someone came and knocked on the door. Liam ran to answer, letting the band know he was ready for a break. When Liam moved from the doorway, Jasper got his first look at the intruders. They were girls, four of them and from the gleam in their eyes they were ready to party. Jasper knew they were there for the coke and any progress they made at practice was probably out the door. One of the girls had hair the color of Hailey’s, and he wondered what Hailey was doing before going to pour himself a drink.
“I love the new song, Jasper. I listen to it when I'm working out all the time.” The redhead had slid up beside him when he wasn’t paying attention to her, now standing in front of him.
“Thanks, it’s crap though. I didn’t write it.” He wanted her to know his tone meant he didn’t care about it.
“I thought you wrote all your songs?” She scooted up onto the cabinet he was mixing his drink on and smiled.
“I didn’t write that crap. Look in the album at the fine print, you’ll see that I didn’t write it. A lot of the shit that’s out there today isn’t written by the artist. It will open your mind to the world of bullshit out there, little girl.” He swigged his drink. Obviously, his tone didn't deter her.
The girl bristled. “I’m not a little girl. I’m twenty-one.”
Jasper laughed and walked away from her sinking onto the couch to watch his bandmates, as they got incredibly high and attempted to flirt with other twenty-one-year-old girls.
Jasper got up and went to the corner with his drink. He scowled into it and clinked the ice on the side of the glass. He felt as if he was in the middle of something big. With the scandal Tara had thrown him in, Jasper knew he had a choice he needed to make. And from the conflicting thoughts in his head, he needed to make it soon.
He could dive into the life he pretended to live. Finally agree to take the drugs offered to him at every practice or after every gig. Become the bad boy rock star and stop giving some of the proceeds of his merch’ sales to the different charities he anonymously sponsored. He wouldn't jump into a relationship like he did with Tara. That was where he needed to be smarter if he chose that lifestyle.
Or, he could stop pretending to be something he wasn't. Actually, let his fans and the label know he wasn't the bad influence he was made out to be. Stop singing the cookie-cutter shit forced down his throat and start singing from his heart again. Even if that meant losing the label and maybe his band. It wouldn't be the first time he had to sing in dive bars just to pile up enough money to pay rent and get some groceries.
Both choices terrified Jasper. He stared at the bottom of his glass as he tried to figure out what his next step should be. The bottom of the glass refused to answer his question. With disappointment and anger, Jasper threw back the last of his drink chomping on the melting ice cube. He wasn't any closer to figuring out what he should do next.
Hailey immediately came to mind, but with Jasper on the cusp of a breakthrough as to where his life should go, he pushed thoughts of her away. He knew what Hailey would want him to do, and as nice and fluffy as that decision sounded, it had the chance of ruining what he had worked so hard to make for himself and his friends. He might complain about the label and the restraints they were constantly putting around him, but he loved the freedom it afforded him. At least it used to afford him before they blew up and became famous. Now that freedom was being restricted with annoyingly pop-like lyrics.
Jasper got up and walked to the sink to make himself another drink. Liam had his hand creeping up one girl’s leg while she kissed her friend. Dustin had two of his own on his lap. Both girls were taking turns making out with him and Dustin was valiantly trying to pay attention to both girls.
Jasper abandoned his half-made drink and went to grab his gear to put it away.
“Hey, man. Why don't you join us?” Liam said not moving his hand.
Jasper shook his head at him now with the same girl that was trying to hit on him when they walked in. “Nah, I'm going to get out of here.” Jasper walked toward the door.
“Come play with us,” one of the girls said, rubbing her body as if that would entice him to stay.
“I'm going to go play somewhere else. Have fun. Don't get too messed up tonight, guys. We have practice tomorrow and the label is getting pissed at us for missing so much.”
“When did you become such a wanker?” Liam yelled at his back.
Jasper shut the door not bothering to answer him, and not really having an answer for him.
Chapter Seven
Hailey arrived home from work with simple plans to have some Chinese food and watch movies. She had a desire to call Matthew and invite him over to make herself feel better, but when she reached for her cell, she couldn't make herself dial the number. He hadn’t really talked to her at work that day and he was sending her mixed signals. Was he embarrassed to be around her? It certainly seemed that he only wanted to talk to her when they were alone.
She’d even gone by his office, but he’d been on the phone. After he’d held up one finger and continued talking, she gave up and went to lunch on her own. She wasn’t getting a great feeling in her gut about his intentions with her anymore. Hailey tried to convince herself that he was busy with work, and she shouldn't let him cause her to be self-conscience. He had clients too. There had to be a reasonable explanation. Even as she thought it, she didn't wholeheartedly agree. She’d picked up the phone again to place her take-out order, when it rang and scared her.
Hailey's heart stopped. Could it be Jasper calling? She didn't have time to think why she wished it were Jasper. Shouldn't she have wanted it to be Matthew? When she saw the name on the screen, she knew this phone call was going to be better than any silly boy's call.
“Hello, stranger!” Her friend Sam yelled on the other end. “You’re coming out with me tonight, I don’t know what to make of this whole Jasper Daly thing, and I need details.”
“What are you even talking about, Sam?” Hailey hadn’t had a chance to speak to her friend, so she hadn’t mentioned that she had taken on his account. The only way she could know, was if someone else had told her.
“There’s a picture of you with him in the park, he’s holding your hand. The gossip columns are going nuts, Google Jasper and girl in the park. I also read the blog post Jemma did on what happened with Jasper and that crazy bitch Tara. It was fantastic. His statement screamed that it was written by Hailey. Well, only because I know you. Now I want every dirty drop of gossip I can wring out of you. So get ready because I’m coming over and we’re going out. You can’t avoid me when you’re seeing a celebrity. I can’t believe you would keep something like that from me.” Sam yelled even louder than when she’d answered the phone. Her tone was one she used when she was going to get her way.
“We aren’t seeing each other, Sam,” she started to say, but her friend had already hung up and probably was calling a cab to come over at the moment.
Hailey didn't have much time before Sam arrived. Even in traffic, it wouldn't take her long to make the short ride over to Hailey's apartment. Shuffling around in her bag Hailey pulled out her tablet and Googled Jasper and the girl in the park like Sam had told her to. Sure enough, hundreds of pictures of the two
of them on the morning they’d spent in Central Park popped up. Under most of the pictures, bloggers and entertainment gurus were speculating who the mysterious girl was. Some even went as far as to assume she was the one that would be the one to turn Jasper on the straight and narrow path of goodness. Hailey snorted, hoping that assumption was correct. If she could pull off this job, it was going to set her up for an amazing career in PR.
Hailey stashed her tablet back in her bag and got off the couch. Knowing Sam, she wouldn’t leave her alone until she did. Reluctantly she looked in her cabinets for something she could eat quickly. Sam would be plying her with drinks in order to get the low-down. Hailey wanted to get a jump on tonight. Settling on peanut butter and jelly, she made herself a sandwich and ate it while figuring out what to wear. After a quick shower, she threw on a long flowing tank top and a pair of wide legged pants. Just as she was getting her plate cleaned, Sam knocked on the door.
“Hello, Hailey.” She beamed at her when she walked in. “Just once I’d love to see you wear something tight and sexy.” Sam eyed her clothing, as if she wore garbage instead of the sensible outfit she had on.
“What’s wrong with this? It's not that bad. It was my grandma's favorite tank.”
“You hide yourself beneath all the big clothes you wear. I don’t know why. You’ve got a hot figure.”
Hailey followed Sam into the kitchen.
“Thank you, but I like to be comfortable, and that would make me uncomfortable.” She indicated Sam’s tight purple dress with cutouts beneath both breasts.
“What does Jasper think of your choice of clothing?” Sam raised an eyebrow as she pulled a bottle of champagne from her bag.
“That’s what I was telling you, you didn’t let me finish. Jasper is my client, I’m managing his social media, but we aren’t together. I can’t believe you thought he’d go for me.”
“Well why not? You’re as hot as any of those bimbos he dates, but you’re smart. That’s the kicker, you’ve got the looks and the brains. Hell, I would date you if I went that way!”
“You’re really into building up my confidence today, Sam, but I promise there’s nothing going on there. I’ve actually been sort of seeing a guy from work.”
“Matthew?” Sam rummaged around for glasses.
“Yes, actually, he finally asked me out.” Hailey wanted to ask Sam what she thought of his abrupt departure and strange behavior at work, but she left it at that. Sam was a straight shooter and didn't pull punches when you asked her a question. After the week Hailey had, she wasn't sure she could handle anything that wasn't coated in sugar.
“Well good for you. Cheers to us having a spectacularly good night.”
Once they finished their champagne, Sam called Uber to come and get them and they were off. She always insisted on going to the loudest and most crowded clubs. Hailey cringed at the thought and remembered Jasper's reaction when she told him he needed to go talk to the paparazzi. She empathized with Jasper's claustrophobia. It was like the more people there were in a tiny spot the more fun Sam could have. They got in immediately because the bouncer knew Sam. Sam abandoned Hailey in the middle of a ton of people to get them both shots. She reappeared later with shots and dragged Hailey to the side where she’d found a table. They sat down and clinked their glasses together before slugging them down.
“Okay, so Matthew asked you out, and you went out. What happened afterwards?” Sam said, twirling her empty shot glass.
“Well, actually it was kind of weird,” Hailey started to say.
“Sam!” A loud booming voice was yelling right beside Hailey’s ear. She turned to see a large man in a vest without a shirt underneath, crouched down and staring at her friend.
“Tom!” Sam screeched.
The random guy, who was probably no more than a past hookup, squeezed to sit next to Sam before whispering in her ear. Hailey sighed, her shoulders rounding forward. She’d wanted Sam’s opinion, but any chance of a meaningful conversation was out the window. Hailey took the empty shot glasses and went to the bar to get another.
“Hey, hey you.” A drunk girl at the bar leaned over toward her nearly falling off her stool.
Hailey moved to catch her. When she seemed balanced back on the stool, Hailey let go.
“I know you. You were with Jasper. I know you.” The slurred words were cut off when the man next to her pulled the girl back upright, as she started to fall over again. He scolded her, and they argued, forgetting Hailey was standing next to her.
Hailey found herself wishing she’d never gone where there would be photographers and Jasper in the same place. Jasper might have been used to being in the spotlight, but Hailey was not. She hated the way she looked in pictures, and now drunk strangers in bars had seen her and recognized her. She ordered another shot and a drink for both of them, figuring it was going to be a long night, before making her way back to the table where Sam and Tom were now making out.
Hailey now understood why Sam had asked her out tonight. Sam and her DJ must be on the outs. This was what Sam always did. She’d apologize the next day for being such a bad friend, and then she’d do it again when she and her next boy-toy broke up. It didn’t matter how many times it happened. Hailey made a decision to tell her the next day that she would no longer go out with her alone anymore. She was already weirded out that someone had recognized her. It would have to be with a group, or no go. She wouldn’t give in either. This was the last straw.
Sam and Tom didn’t pay her any attention as she sipped her drink and downed both her and Sam's shot. They eventually got up from the table and left her. She assumed they were going to the bathroom to get it on, or to the dance floor. With Sam, you could never be sure. The outcome would be the same either way. Now she had to decide if she should stay and be the lonely girl sipping her vodka at a table where more drunks might recognize and accost her, or if she should pack up and leave.
She found herself wondering what Jasper was doing and before she knew it, she was slipping into the hallway away from the loud music and people to call him. When he answered, she didn’t even say hello. Her brain was screaming at her to abandon whatever crazy plot she came up with. Being alone while drinking was a bad thing.
“What does it mean when a guy asks you out and spends the whole time talking about work? Then he kisses you but doesn’t want to stay over. Then he’s weird at work?” she blurted out.
“Sounds like it means he’s an asshole. This that brown-nosing guy?” Jasper's smooth accent was soothing to her ears.
“One and the same,” she said, smiling that Jasper still didn’t approve of Matthew’s praise. It made her feel validated.
“Why don’t you come over? I'm just leaving practice. We can have a conversation about it. Where are you anyway?”
“I’m at the club with my friend Sam and she’s abandoned me for random bathroom sex like she always does.”
“She always has random bathroom sex?”
“No, but she always leaves me hanging for a guy. It never fails, it’s why I’ve decided I’m not going out with her alone anymore.” Hailey's filter must have fallen asleep, because she was saying things she never normally would have.
“Okay, well that sounds like a good plan.” He laughed, and she felt all tingly inside. It could have also been the alcohol, seeing as how she didn’t often drink that heavily.
“Okay, I’ll see you soon. I don't want to be alone. You won't leave me for some random bathroom hook-up, will you?”
“Never,” he answered, sounding sincere.
Hailey might have been a little tipsy, but she did take a minute to question going over to a rock star’s hotel room by herself. Even drunk, she still had a sense of self-preservation. Was she just asking for trouble or sending him the wrong message and did she care? She contemplated it and shrugged it off as she threw her phone in her purse.
“Hey, I know you.”
Hailey turned around and faced yet another drunk girl stumbling toward her.
“You were with Jasper.”
Hailey tried to smile politely and walk past her.
“No, you tell me what it is that’s so special about you. You’re not pretty, what the hell are you even wearing?” The girl grabbed her shirt and tugged at it.
“Back off, you crazy drunk.” Hailey wasn’t really in the mood for some crazy girl, so she pushed past her. Jasper had made her feel better about being ditched. No drunk woman was going to make her feel bad.
The girl toppled over on her high heels and hit the floor. “You bitch,” she screeched as she struggled to get up.
Hailey made her quick exit before she could find her feet. “There’s a girl in the hallway who can’t stand up straight. She just fell over back there.” Hailey pointed for one of the bouncers and then called a cab to go over to Jasper’s place. She gave the driver the address and then took a compact out of her purse to try to make herself look decent. Her cheeks had the pink flush they got when she was drunk and they stood out against her bright hair.
She could have looked worse, so she decided not to worry about it. Besides, she wasn’t trying to impress anyone, was she?
***
Jasper decided to stop and get some food before he met up with Hailey. He was once again going to give her advice about a guy he didn’t think appreciated her. There was something about Matthew that rubbed him the wrong way, and what Hailey blurted out when he’d answered the phone confirmed it. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what he didn't like besides the way he treated Hailey, but he knew there was more. He stopped by the ABC store first for a little whiskey to have with his dinner. It was going to be a long night if Hailey wanted to talk about Matthew's advances.
He wanted to get her something too, in case she was hungry, and picked up way too many dumplings and eggrolls with rice and noodles. If she’d been drinking, which judging by her cute slurring words she had, she’d definitely welcome some junk food.
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