Ask For It

by Selena Blake

  “Yeah. Whatever. Formal, informal, I don’t care. Just get me something. This could put us back on the map!” She heard the excitement in his voice and her stomach soured.

  “I’m not interviewing him.”

  “Yes you are. It’s your job. It’s your new assignment in fact.”

  “Look, John. Trevor’s private life is no one’s business but his. If he wanted to do an interview, and decide what topics are off limits, then I’d agree. But he doesn’t. So there’s not going to be any interview or any article.”

  “Don’t be stupid JJ. He’s a celebrity. His life is an open book. He knew that when he signed up. Speaking of which, what the hell is this about you writing a book?”

  “What are you talking about?” She pushed the words through tight lips and gave up looking for the closet organizers. Instead she sank down onto the cold cement floor and leaned back against some boxes.

  “Your publicist called and asked if I’d be willing to write a review for your book. I told her she had to have it wrong, you couldn’t possibly have written a book.”

  “Why the hell not?” she asked, her temper getting the better of her.

  “Well, for one, it might not even be legal. I’ll have to look over your contract and secondly—”

  That was all it took for her to snap. She hung up on the controlling little twerp and made a beeline for her car.

  Trevor was in the middle of his workout when a New York number flashed across the top of his cell phone. Normally he didn’t answer calls while he was working out, but he’d been distracted all day so it’s not like the call would be interrupting anything at the moment.

  He leaned forward on the bench and put the kettle bell between his feet.

  “Wyatt.”

  “Mr. Wyatt, this is April Reynolds. I’m Julia’s publicist at Barkley books. I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk.”

  “Ugh, sure,” he said, frowning. What the hell did she want? And more importantly, how had she gotten his phone number?

  “Great. I’m scheduling appearances for JJ’s new book and I’d like to know if you’d be willing to come to the New York and Atlanta signings to help her promote it. I don’t have exact dates yet, but if you’re willing to attend I’d be happy to work around your schedule.”

  Trevor stared down at the newly installed gym mat and felt the walls closing in. Had JJ put her up to this? How did her publicist even know they were dating?

  “Why would I do that?” he heard himself ask. It’s not that he didn’t want to be there for Julia. Hell, he’d make every signing he could.

  “I-ugh-I’m sorry. Jessica Ross told me that the two of you were dating… and well, your picture was in the paper this morning, so I assumed—”

  “My picture’s in the paper?”

  “With JJ, yes. Wyatt Partying with Reporter. That’s the headline.”

  He massaged his forehead but the pounding ache didn’t go away. So much for being lost in the New Year’s Eve crowd.

  “I’m going to have to get back to you.”

  He hung up. A little flashing light caught his attention. Geez. He had six voice mails. When had that happened?

  He didn’t have it in him to listen to them yet and none were from friends or family. Instead he clicked Brady’s number.

  “Hey Trevor. Thanks for getting back to me.” There was a hint of sarcasm in his agent’s voice.

  “I didn’t listen to my voice mail yet.”

  Brady let out a quiet curse but Trevor caught it.

  “What’s going on?”

  “You’re all over the papers again, man. They want to know who JJ is and everything else. You know the drill.”

  “Great. Fucking great.”

  “I’m turning your PR back over to Chastity.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “You know very well I do. It’s her job. She does it well. You need her on your side, Trevor. Give her five minutes of your time so that we can move past this.”

  Five minutes. Trevor sighed again. “All right.”

  “I’ll have her call you. Keep your phone on.”

  JJ stabbed the caramel and chocolate ice cream with her spoon. Snuggling in the corner of one of Gretchen’s matching sofas; she listened to Baby’s latest speed dating adventure.

  “I just don’t think you can get to know someone that quickly,” Gretchen said.

  JJ agreed but kept the comment to herself. Going on five months and she still have no idea what was going on in Trevor’s head. After the call from John this morning, she’d hid out at her loft, afraid that if she went back to the new house there might be paparazzi waiting. Or worse, following her.

  But no one had followed her, luckily. Her phone was a different matter.

  “It’s not about getting to know someone well, it’s about seeing you have enough in common to go further,” Baby said.

  “So you’re looking for a boyfriend now?” Gretchen asked and topped off her wine glass.

  Baby was quick to shake her head. “But I wouldn’t mind dating the same guy more than once. I’ve been on too many first dates and I’ve had too many sloppy first date kisses.”

  “So… you’re looking for monogamous sex?”

  Baby’s face lit up. “Yeah. That sounds about right.”

  JJ thought about the two phone calls from snoopy reporters, the email from that blogger who made it her mission to follow celebrities to the ends of the earth. And the fact that Trevor hadn’t called, texted or emailed all day. She had no real cause for concern… except, she was concerned.

  It wasn’t like him to go so long without being in touch… He had to be getting calls from the media. She hadn’t been able to look at the articles since she’d spent the afternoon on edits. And finishing up her closet shopping online.

  “Everything okay?” Gretchen asked and JJ glanced over and found her friend staring at her. She tried to shake off her unease.

  “Yeah.”

  “How are edits coming?” Cindy asked, pouring another glass. The Chardonnay was aged in ceramic rather than oak and JJ had to admit, it was yummy.

  “Done. Finished them this afternoon and sent them off to Scott just before I came over.”

  “Well, woo hoo for that! We should have gotten champagne again.” Her friend’s smile lit up the room.

  “I’ll just take some more Chardonnay, thanks.”

  “G, where’s the notepad?” Cindy asked.

  Soon they were filling out their thoughts on this week’s wine and Baby broke out another carton of Ben & Jerry’s. Despite the cheer of the holidays, today had called for ice cream. JJ had taken it upon herself to bring eight or nine flavors.

  “Cherry is my favorite,” Baby said with a cute smile.

  “So how are things with T-man?”

  JJ thought back to their weekend in New York, how attentive he’d been. How much fun they’d had partying together, counting down as the ball had dropped. And then that steamy kiss at midnight.

  “Earth to JJ. Come in JJ,” Cindy said with a teasing smile.

  “It was good.”

  “Was good?” Cindy asked.

  “Have a good Christmas?” Gretchen added.

  “Sorry. New York was good… I just…” She sighed. “John called this morning.”

  “This doesn’t sound good.” Cindy sat forward, curling her arms around a pale aqua throw pillow.

  “Evidently the publicist at Barkley called to ask him for a review or something. I think he just likes giving me a hard time because I’m a woman. But the story must be out there because Gretchen saw my book mentioned and I’ve had two other reporters calling. One email from a celebrity blogger.”

  “Aww, what’s wrong with getting your book out there?” Baby asked.

  “It’s the invasion of privacy,” Gretchen told her.

  She wasn’t about to tell them what had happened to Trevor, but she now understood why privacy was such an issue for him. If his uncle was still alive or there
’d been anyone else to watch over his cousin’s store after the whole ‘theft snafu’ he probably wouldn’t have been working at the store that day.

  The thought of not seeing him again, not meeting like that and falling in love with him… she didn’t want to think about it. So instead, she finished off the pint of fudgy-chocolate goodness.

  “What does Trevor say?” Baby asked.

  JJ let out a long sigh. “That’s the thing. I haven’t heard from him.”

  “Since…”

  “This morning when I left the house.”

  “Did you check your texts?”

  “A billion times.”

  “No email either?” Gretchen asked.

  “Nope.”

  They all fell silent. JJ tried not to let her mind run away with her, but she loved him so much. If there was something bothering him, she wanted to be there to help him fix it. And if she couldn’t fix it, at least she could be there to support him.

  “Maybe something came up. Or maybe he’s on the phone,” Gretchen said, obviously tried to put a cheery spin on things.

  JJ remained quiet. Cindy had been too quiet this evening and JJ noticed her studying the carpet a little too closely. Come to think of it, there hadn’t been the usual discussion about one of her books. Plot problems, nor character antics.

  “Everything okay, Cin?” JJ asked.

  “You’ve been quiet tonight,” Baby added and they turned their focus on the pensive blonde.

  “Adam and I broke up,” she whispered.

  She said the words so quietly JJ thought she had to be hearing things. But Baby scooted down the couch and wrapped an arm around Cindy’s shoulders just as the first tear fell.

  JJ hopped up to find a box of tissues.

  “We’re just—too far apart,” Cindy was saying when JJ returned. “Three years younger—” Hiccup. “—than me.”

  JJ settled onto the armrest and kept the tissues at the ready, trying to decipher her friends tear filled words.

  “I thought about moving,” Cindy said, reaching for a tissue. “But he didn’t want me to be away from my friends and family. I thought that was sweet. But I— I want to be with him. I—”

  She sniffed and blotted her tears. After sucking in a deep breath, she continued. “If I’m honest, I don’t really want to move. I hate the desert. Nice to visit, wouldn’t want to live there.”

  “Why doesn’t he move here?” Baby asked gently.

  Cindy shrugged. “He didn’t really say anything beyond his company’s there. And it’s still so… young. They only took over three months ago. It’s not like we’re married,” she said and JJ could tell that her friend was trying to justify why the relationship wouldn’t work.

  Suddenly, she felt extra blessed that Trevor both loved her and made the move to Atlanta, sparing her the stress of being separated from everything she’d ever known. It couldn’t have been easy for him. If anything, giving up Antonio’s meatballs was a terrible hardship.

  “Plus, the relationship’s still so new… I’m just not sure it’s worth uprooting everything for.”

  JJ squeezed her shoulder. “When it’s worth it, you’ll know.

  Cindy nodded and wiped her tears again. “I’m sorry you guys. I didn’t mean to get all blabby on you. I want to hear about everyone’s Christmas. It’s been forever since we’ve seen each other.”

  They all agreed and chatted about presents. Decorations. Food. Always food.

  “Did Trevor buy you anymore shoes?” Baby asked. “Because that last pair was To. Die. For.”

  JJ smiled. “No. No new shoes.”

  “Well…”

  “What’d he get you?” Gretchen added.

  JJ smiled. “One of his original jerseys. He’s not sure if it’s the one he was wearing the day we met… but that would have been extra sweet. And also, a key to his house.”

  “I can’t wait to see it,” Cindy said.

  “Me too.”

  “Well, we’re thinking of having a Super Bowl party at the new house, if you guys—” Her phone interrupted her. “Are free,” she finished and she glanced at the number.

  John. Figured. The asshole had called her again in the middle of the afternoon to discuss her latest “assignment.” She’d let it go to voicemail.

  She was so close to telling him to shove it.

  “John,” she told them.

  “Hah. This I want to hear,” Baby said.

  Smiling, JJ pressed the speakerphone button. Professionalism be damned.

  “JJ. My star reporter! Have you talked to Trevor yet?”

  JJ’s jaw literally dropped open. Snapping it shut, she steeled her spine and took a deep, calming breath. In. Out. Do. Not. Scream.

  “No. I’ve been busy doing my job.”

  She saw Baby smother a snort with her hand. JJ rolled her eyes and shook her head. If she hadn’t lived the last nine months, she wouldn’t believe that any person could be such a roller coaster of sexist pig and seemingly sincere. But lately he’d stopped apologizing after the fact and just stuck his foot in his mouth.

  “Interviewing Trevor Wyatt is at the top of your job description.”

  “He’s not going to agree to an interview and I’m not asking him.” Besides, wasn’t there some sort of boyfriend/girlfriend code of ethics she’d be crossing? It wasn’t exactly attorney client privilege. Maybe if they got married she could get out of it.

  John’s next words knocked the smile right off her lips. “Interview him or start looking for another job.”

  Her own shock was mirrored on the faces of her friends. Baby was shaking her head violently and JJ held up a finger, requesting that she stay silent.

  “Are you saying you’ll fire me if I don’t interview him?” she spat the words back through the phone lines. Every nerve in her body was at full alert, hot and pissed off.

  “Just do the interview, Fairchild.”

  He hung up on her.

  JJ turned off the screen, held the corner of the phone to her forehead and counted to ten.

  Baby spoke first. “He can’t fire you!”

  “He’s the boss,” JJ said, knowing that her tone was mocking and unprofessional. But she was among friends. Her best friends. And right now she wanted nothing more than to figure out how to kill him off in her next novel.

  “No. I mean he cannot fire you. I highly doubt your contract would allow it. And I could throw all sorts of reasons at the bastard that a woman should not be interviewing her boyfriend. Conflict of interest…” Baby said and went off on a tangent.

  JJ settled back into the sofa and reached for her wine glass. She’d definitely be calling a cab tonight. Between her headache, heartache, and the extra glass of wine she was planning on drinking, she was in no condition to drive home.

  “I’ll worry about it tomorrow.” She thought about it as she sipped her wine. “You know what; I’m not going to worry about it. I’m done worrying. D-O-N-E, done. He can fire me if he wants to. What’s the point of working so hard with such a jerk for a boss? It’s not like I even enjoy the job anymore. He can stuff it.”

  There was a moment’s long pause as the four of them looked at each other. Wow. That had been a long time coming. Ten months or maybe more.

  Gretchen giggled. Cindy joined in. And before long, they were all laughing themselves silly.

  “You go girl!” Baby said.

  “What she said,” Gretchen added.

  “How very ‘unsouthern’ of you,” Cindy teased.

  Yeah, JJ’s mom probably wouldn’t have approved of that outburst, but when amongst friends, one should let one’s hair down. And say it like it is.

  “Wow. That felt good.” JJ smiled. Really good.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Trevor heard what Chastity was saying but couldn’t get past the words “going public.” Attending that New Year’s Eve party had been about giving Julia an experience she’d never forget, not “going public.”

  “The advantage is we can get
ahead of the story, spin it how we want to—”

  “You’re going to spin my relationship?” Trevor all but growled the words. Could this day get any worse? No. He probably shouldn’t wonder that. Doing so was an open invitation for mischief to wreak more havoc on his life.

  “We can release the information you want to release. Give them enough that they’ll leave you alone.”

  He liked that part of the scenario. Was Julia done with girls’ night yet? He needed to call her back and let her know what was going on.

  “Brady’s going to hate that idea,” he mused. All the more reason to do it.

  “Leave Brady to me. He just likes the single-guy/star-athlete appeal. What he doesn’t realize is that I can sell happily attached, non-womanizing athlete far better. You’d probably increase your female fan club twenty-five percent.”

  He hated when people talked about his life in terms of numbers. As much as he’d lived by stats, when public relations gurus and image consultants started describing his fan base by percentages he started to feel like a patty of ground beef. And after everything that had happened with Stephanie, the idea of putting himself back in the cross hairs brought up his defenses.

  “I’ll need to talk it over with Julia, this affects her too.” In some ways even more than it affected him. He could just imagine her fellow journalists turning the mike in her direction at the next game.

  “Absolutely. Talk it over with her. She’ll understand the importance of us telling the media what we want to and that we need to do it ASAP. And don’t worry about Brady.”

  Trevor wasn’t worried about Brady. He rarely gave a shit what his agent thought. He certainly wasn’t going to stress himself out when there were much more important things to be worried about at the moment.

  After he hung up with Chastity he decided to give Brady a heads up on things just so he could head off the inevitable questions and calls. Sometimes he wondered if his agent got off on scandals that made his clients more popular. There were very few situations the man couldn’t turn to his clients’ advantage, thanks to Chastity.

  “Everything set with Chastity?” Brady asked as soon as the call was connected.