“I’m sorry if I have led you on. That wasn’t my intention. I just want to forget about this. Let’s just focus on my music.” he laughs at me.
“You’re beyond crazy you know that?” I shake my head at him.
“Please, just forget about pursuing me. I’m not worth the hassle.” he grips onto me even tighter and his stare intensifies. He is looking into my soul. I feel uncomfortable.
“What happened to make you like this? I know that you’re hiding something. But what is it? I can’t read you. I don’t know what you’re thinking. You’re a blank canvas that I’m desperate to create a picture on.” A tear falls from my eye. I can’t do this. He needs to leave. I wriggle myself out of his grip and I head in the direction of the door. I pull it open and I ask him to leave.
“I think it’s time that you left.” he presses his lips into a hard line and he marches over to the door. He looks down at me, before he crosses out into the hallway.
“I won’t stop until I find out your secret.” I frown at him.
“Please just forget about it. And will you please accept that our relationship is strictly professional? Nothing can ever happen between us, you got that?” He shoots me a cold look as he walks out into the hallway. He slides his hands into the pockets of his shorts as he answers my question.
“As you wish Miss Harper.”
The door bangs and I fall back against the wall. My heart is pounding. I pull the hair tie out of my hair and I run my fingers through the ends. I am defeated. I can’t believe what has just happened. Why did he have to get carried away? Why couldn’t he just have thanked me for the water instead of kissing me? His lips were cool and soft. I liked them, even though I know that he is all wrong for me. Our relationship can’t go beyond professional and now he knows that. I feel awful, but I know it’s for the best. I won’t jeopardise my dreams for a quick fling with Mr Gucci. I’m tired, so I pull myself off the floor. I slowly walk to the large bedroom. I flop myself down onto the extra comfy bed and I pull the satin covers over me. My eyes close and I begin to fall asleep. Images of Jonathan in his workout clothes cloud my mind until I drift off into a deep sleep.
The noise of my phone wakes me up. I spring out of the bed and I run into the lounge. I scramble over to the kitchen and I grab my phone from the counter. My heart starts to race –what if it’s Mr Wilde who is calling me? What am I going to say to him if it is? I shake myself out of my fear and I let out a sigh of relief, when I see that it’s my mom who is calling me. I quickly answer her call.
“Hey Mom,” I say in a sleepy voice. I think that I’m still half asleep. My mom replies in an urgent voice.
“Sweetie, I have the most amazing news!” Her voice is wild and fuzzy. I smile at the sound. It’s really nice to hear my mom’s voice. I have missed her so much since I moved from Dallas.
“I have some news as well, but you go first.” My voice is firm as I fix myself a glass of water. I can hear my mom breathing down the phone. I get the feeling that she is about to burst. Her news must be major.
“Okay, now don’t freak out, but your old Mom is getting married!” I smile and then tears start to form in my eyes. I am so happy. I can’t breathe. I am so glad that Pete has finally grown a pair and asked my mom to marry him. My mom has been with Pete for about four years now. They met at a baseball game of all places. My mom hates sport and she was dragged along by one of her friends. At half time she went to grab a soda and that’s when she saw Pete. He offered to buy her a drink and they instantly clicked. She melted at his sweet, caring smile and he was instantly attracted to her. My mom is very beautiful. She has caramel coloured hair –just like mine, blue eyes and a very slim figure. Pete has average looks, but he is the most awesome guy. He really loves my mom and she feels the same way about him. I think the main reason that we stayed in Dallas for so long was because of Pete. When she met him, she finally had a reason to stay in the one place. He made her feel special and wanted; my mom deserves to be happy. Pete is amazing. He and I get on like a house on fire. I know that he is the right guy for my mom, and I am over the moon that they are finally going to make it official.
“That’s awesome news. I’m so happy for you.” I gush. My mom laughs down the phone. Then she turns the attention around to me.
“So tell me about your news sweetie. Are you okay?”
“Yeah I’m fine. I got singed. I have an eight week trial with a massive record label. It’s really exciting.”
“That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you. Give me all the details.” I smile at my mom’s reaction and I explain about Mr Phillips. I am careful not to mention Mr Gucci. I know that my mom would advise me to stay away from him. She has been through so much with me in the past. I am scared that if I tell my mom about him, that she will see right through me. She will guess that something’s going on between us. She knows me too well. My mom was sad when I left Dallas, but she knew that it was for the best. She wanted me to get away from Brandon and all the drama that went along with him. I have made her proud of me for the way I have turned my life around. I don’t want her to think that I am returning to my old ways. “That’s just amazing. And you have a wonderful new apartment now. And I bet you have a load of advisers and really cool music people to guide you?” Crap my mom is on a fishing trip.
“Yeah the apartment is great. I’m gonna miss living with Sydney though. She is such a good friend. I haven’t really met any cool people yet. Well except for Mr Phillips of course. My music producer is … nice … I guess.”
“Nice?”
“Yeah, he’s very …” How can I describe him? I close my eyes and there he is. With his dark hair, immaculate and his brown eyes glossy and playful. His smile is wicked and that line, oh my. His lips, our kiss and the scent of his strong cologne are flooding my mind. Wake up Ashley! “He’s very talented. I have heard that he is the best in the business. I’m excited about working with him.”
“Him?” My mom asks. I can just picture her expression. I bet she is raising her dark eyebrow in disapproval. I clear my throat as I prepare to answer her prying question.
“Yeah, my music producer is a guy.”
“Hmm.” Another disapproving tone, I don’t like the sound of this.
“Go on, I know that you wanna say something.” I say in a joking tone. My heart starts to race. I gave her the green light to scold me, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not scared and dreading hearing my mom’s, no doubt, harsh words.
“Sweetie, you moved to THAT city to follow your dreams. I’m so proud of you for how you turned your life around. Please don’t let all your hard work be for nothing.”
“Mom, I have changed. I’m not the girl that I used to be. Mr Wilde is just my music producer. I’m not looking for love. And anyway he and I would never work. He is just so … annoying. He makes my temper rise and my head ache just with one look. Trust me, I’m not gonna go there.”
“It sounds like you have given it some thought. Tell me something does he have black hair?” I bite my lip as my heart starts to pound.
“Yeah he has black hair. What does that have to do with anything?” My mom laughs at my remark.
“You are a sucker for the tall, dark and handsome type. Let me guess he’s stunning, right?” I need this conversation to be over. I can’t keep up the pretence. My mom is going to see right through me. I don’t want her to know that Mr Wilde gets under my skin. She will read more into the situation than is necessary. You have come too far Ashley; you will not go back to being the way you were.
My mom and I talked for a little while longer. But to my relief, she dropped the conversation about Mr Wilde and I, instead she gushed about her wedding. I laughed as we discussed wedding dresses. I had to hold back my tears when she told me how Pete proposed. My mom works as a temp at one of the local hospitals. She came home from work and Pete had written the words will you marry me in red rose petals. She said the living room was filled with candles. He even cooked a meal for the two of them. She
said that when she saw him standing in his cheap suit. She knew that she wanted to marry him. So she said yes and now there is going to be a wedding. A little annoying thought bubble rises to my surface at that thought. My mom is getting married. There will be a wedding and I will have to return to Dallas. That thought cripples me. I have so many memories of that city and none of them are good. I had a complicated time whilst I lived there. I don’t like to think back on it. I would rather just move on with my life here in Los Angeles. But my mom means everything to me and there is no way that I would miss her big day.
Sydney is on her way to pick me up. I have a shift at the café and I need a ride. The door buzzes and I immediately rush to answer.
“Hey I’ll be right down.” I say as I throw my light pink sweater over my shoulders. I grab my bag and my phone from the dresser and I slip out of my new apartment. I run down the stairs and I smile when I see Sydney climbing into her car. The roof of her old Mustang is down and the sound of GREEN DAY is belting from the tired speakers. She turns down the volume as I jump into the car. She is dressed in her usual grungy clothing. Her dark poker straight hair is glued to her face and her lips are painted a dark shade of purple. She starts the engine and she slowly pushes her foot down onto the gas pedal. The song is still too loud for my ears, so I take matters into my own hands. I turn the radio down and Sydney disapproves.
“Hey I was listening to that.” she exclaims. I shoot her a remorseful look and then I begin to tell her all about my day. I want to share with her the good news about my mom. I also want to tell her about my little mishap with Mr Gucci.
“Sorry, but I have a few things that I need to talk to you about.” Sydney slows the car down even further. Man she frustrates me with her slow driving. I try to focus on her and not the tooting horns of the other motorists. “My Mom is getting married.” I gush.
“Well it’s about time.” I laugh. She is right. It seems as if I have been waiting a lifetime for Pete to purpose to my mom. But now he finally has and we have a wedding to look forward to. Great a trip to Dallas that’s the last thing I need
“Yeah, I’m so happy for them. Pete is the only guy that can make my mom smile and cry at the same time. They are made for each other.”
“So when is the wedding?” I shake my head.
“I’m not sure, but the wedding will be in Dallas.” Sydney tightens her grip on the wheel. Her eyes quickly dart to mine. I know what she is thinking.
“Are you gonna be okay about going back to Dallas?” she asks. I exhale.
“I’m not okay with it, but what other choice do I have? I can’t miss my mom’s big day. I would feel awful and far too selfish if I made the day all about me. I will just have to power through … somehow.”
“Well you know that I’m here for you, right?” I smile. Sydney is such a good friend.
“Yeah of course I know that.”
“So how was your workout with Mr Gucci?” I bite my lip as a sudden image of him rushes into my mind. I shake my head, hoping to shake him from my thoughts.
“The actual workout was fine. The aftermath was rancid.”
“Oh, what happened?” I sigh at Sydney’s question.
“He kissed me.” Sydney swerves at my news. I scream. Luckily she manages to steady the car. It’s a shame that isn’t the case for my heart. I’m shaking. “Jesus Sydney. Are you trying to kill us?”
“Sorry, but he kissed you? That’s huge. What happened? I need all the details.” I compose myself. Then I tell Sydney everything. She is surprised at how I acted, but I think that she understands my reasons. “Don’t feel bad. He’ll get over it.” I laugh. She’s right.
We pull in front of Pacos –the small café that I work at. I thank Sydney for the ride and she toots the horn as she drives away. I fix my bag onto my shoulder and I push open the heavy restaurant door. It’s busy and it looks as if I have arrived just in time. The three other servers looked rushed off their feet. I scramble to the back and I tie my black apron around my waist. I fix my hair and then I begin my evening of busting tables.
Six
My phone wakes me the next morning. I slowly reach over and I scowl when I see that it’s Jonathon who is calling. We haven’t talked since our little mishap. I don’t know if he is still mad at me or if he has gotten over it. My heart starts to race as I slide to answer.
“Hey,” my voice is sleepy.
“I’ll be twenty minutes. Be ready when I arrive.” His voice is shallow and rude. He must still be annoyed about what happened the other day.
“May I ask what we are doing today?”
“Must you always answer with a question?” he says in a dark voice. I blush –that’s me told. “We’ll start with a workout and then hit the studio. That’s if you still wanna work with me.” I clear my throat.
“Of course I still want to work with you. It’s just … what we talked about, is still very much a factor. Our friendship, working relationship whatever you wanna call it can’t go beyond professional. I would really like it if you could accept my conditions and move on. I really wanna work with you on my music.”
“Babe, I’m already over it.”
“Really?”
“You sound surprised, why?”
“No reason, I’m glad. And to answer your question, I’ll be ready by the time you arrive.”
“Good,” he hangs up. I jump out of bed and run towards the shower. I quickly wash and I part-dry my wet hair. The door buzzes and I scramble to find my footing. I fall, but I manage to pick myself up. I brush off my anxiety as I pull open the door. There he is, standing in front of me. He is wearing black Adidas shorts and a white soccer sweatshirt. He looks so hot. Focus Ashley. He looks down at me, in my tiny shorts and extra tight tank top. My wet hair is caressing my skin and it tickles. I hold in my smile as he ushers me with more demands.
“Let’s go. Now.” His voice is urgent. He must be in a hurry. I throw my bag across my shoulder and it falls and rests onto my hip. I step out into the hallway and then I follow Mr Gucci down to his car. As always he opens the door for me. I climb into his car and I sink into the white leather seats. He jumps in beside me. He starts the engine and pulls away. We drive in complete silence to the gym. Then we work out in that same silence. We grab some food at a local diner, again in silence. He drives us to BeatBox records, but this time we have the music of Kanye West to fill the silence. He ushers me out of the car and into the building. I feel uncomfortable in my tiny workout clothes. I feel that everyone is staring. I hate being the centre of attention. I try to compose myself as I follow Jonathan up the stairs. We reach the top floor and Emily –Mr Wilde’s assistant is walking towards us. She has a clipboard in one hand and a BlackBerry in the other. She smiles when she reaches us.
“Good morning Mr Wilde. Miss Harper.” she greets us in her sweet voice. Jonathan briefly smiles at her as he continues to walk and signals for us to follow him.
“Do I have any messages?” he asks in a firm tone.
“Yes sir, your father called again. Do you still want me to tell him that you’re out of town?” I shift my eyes onto his. Why is he lying to his father? I shake myself. It’s none of your business.
“Hmm … no … I’ll deal with him later. Is there anything else?” he says urgently. He briefly pauses as Emily checks over her notepad.
“No more messages sir, but may I remind you that you have a meeting at 1.30?”He nods as he starts to walk again. I follow him.
“That’s all for now Emily.”
He leads me to his office and he slams the door. He slouches down at his desk and he smugly rests his feet onto the wooden surface. I grimace at him. He is staring into my eyes. I feel very uncomfortable as I stand in my little short shorts. He smiles as he jumps up from his lazy position. He walks over to a shiny black cabinet. He pulls open the drawers and he takes out slim fit dark jeans and a black polo shirt. In one swift movement he pulls off the soccer sweater, revealing his tanned and toned body. He is ripped. Wow n
ow he is even more stunning. He smirks at me as he catches me staring. I blush and he laughs out loud.
“Would you mind turning around?” he says in a smooth accent. I blush again as I turn to face the door. I close my eyes, crap this is embarrassing. I can hear him pulling his jeans onto his body and the sound of a belt clicking against itself. He clears his throat and then he asks me turn back around. “You can look now.” he says smugly. I turn around and he is still shirtless, but his slim fit jeans are nicely positioned onto him. I smile as my eyes fall onto his belt. Of course it’s Gucci. He pulls the black polo shirt over his head and it clings to his stunning body. He gently runs his fingers through his hair. Making sure that it’s styled to perfection. He spikes the ends and then he finishes his look by spraying himself with some expensive cologne. He sits back down at his desk and he folds his arms across his chest. I feel uneasy as he stares at me. Man I wish that I had brought some extra clothes. I never feel self-conscious, but somehow I do when I am around him. His dark eyes look right through me. I can’t function when he stares this hard. “So now we gotta get you changed into something more … comfortable.” I smile, but then it fades.
“I would love to, but I haven’t brought any clothes with me.” he rolls his eyes at my confession. He pushes a number on the speed dial of the desk telephone. Emily answers instantly.
“Mr Wilde, what can I do for you?”
“I need you to bring Miss Harper one of the outfits that Kathy Blake sent over.”
“Right away sir.”
I am stunned and confused, who the hell is Kathy Blake and why is she sending me outfits? Mr Gucci senses that I am confused, so he tries to explain –in the least sensitive way possible.
“Your clothes are horrible, so I got you some new ones.” I’m annoyed who the hell does he think he is?
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