Reid closed his eyes, his mind drifting to when he met Jess nearly five years ago. For the first two years, they had been inseparable. But everything changed the night a talent agent approached Reid. Within a few short months, he had a record deal with an independent label and a single skyrocketing up the charts.
The stars seemed to be aligning for Reid, but like most things in life, his fame came at a price. The influx of outside interest in his personal life took a toll on their relationship. Six months after being discovered, in a moment of sheer idiocy, he ended things with Jess. By the time he came to his senses, she wanted nothing to do with him.
“Jess, it took me three years to find my way back to you. These last seven months have been everything I’ve ever wanted. I won’t lose you again. I promise.”
Jess sat up and turned to face Reid. “We both made mistakes. Neither of us was prepared for how much your music career would change our lives. I just want to make sure we’re heading in the same direction this time. All you have to do is keep your promise, and everything will be how it should have been.”
“I promise, Jess,” he whispered. “I’ll never break your heart again. Everything will be different this time.”
Wrapped in a blanket, Chloe stared at the contract on her lap. There was never any question as to whether or not she would sign. Her financial situation aside, this was the biggest career opportunity of her life. For the next year, she would be traveling with one of the hottest acts in the music industry. The enormity of the situation made her want to scream with excitement and vomit from nerves. While she’d toured with many bands over the years, this would be on an entirely different level. Bigger venues, more fans, and a lot more media attention.
After all the negative press Reid had received in the last year, the tour had the potential to be a media circus. Chloe knew even though she wouldn’t be the one in the spotlight, the opportunity for disaster was high. She had so many questions, but her speed dial was sorely lacking in famous friends she could call for answers.
There was one person in her contacts, however, who had firsthand knowledge of dealing with the paparazzi. Chloe’s childhood friend, Josie Bane, lived and worked in Hollywood. A year ago, Josie had found herself at the center of a tabloid frenzy when word got out that she was dating Anders Ellis, an A-list actor and all-around Hollywood heartthrob. She was exactly the right person to call for tips on how to avoid the media glare.
Realizing she needed to start packing, Chloe crossed the room to her closet and pulled down her suitcase. After dialing Josie’s number, she placed the call on speaker and started pulling clothes from her drawers.
“Hello?”
Chloe bounced a little when she heard the familiar voice of her childhood friend. “Josie? It’s Chloe.”
“Oh my God, Chloe! How are you? What’s new?”
“I’m good. Great, actually. As a matter of fact, I’m in the middle of packing.”
“If that’s something you enjoy, you’re welcome to come pack for me when you’re finished. I’m in packing hell. What are you packing for, anyway?”
“You’re not packing,” a second voice chimed in, one Chloe recognized as Madison, Josie’s best friend and sister-in-law. “You’re talking on the phone while I pack. Who are you talking to?”
“Let me put her on speaker and you can hear for yourself,” Josie snarked.
Chloe giggled. “Hi, Maddie! I see you’re keeping Josie in line.”
“Chloe,” Madison said, surprise clear in her voice. “Josie’s mom mentioned you the other day. I guess she’s been talking to your mom.”
Chloe groaned. “I’m sure my mom called to complain about how much of a disappointment I am.”
“Your mother is a witch,” Josie grumbled. “She’s going to wish she’d been nicer when you stick her in a shitty old folks’ home.”
The thought made Chloe laugh. “True.”
“You said you were packing. Where are you going?”
“I’m coming to LA, actually! You’re not going to believe this. I can’t even believe it, but I was hired to tour with Reid Ryder on his Secret Visions Tour. I’m heading out to LA for rehearsals before it starts.”
“Holy shit, Chloe! That’s amazing. I love his music, and Reid is hot.”
“I’m going to tell Anders you said that,” Madison laughed.
Chloe giggled when she heard Josie groan. “Oh no, you’re not. If you do, you’ll be stuck dealing with him. How long will you be here, Chloe? Where are you staying?”
“I fly out day after tomorrow and will be there for about a week. I’m not sure where I’m staying. Tom, Reid’s tour manager, is supposed to book something for me.”
“No way! Tell him not to bother. You’re staying with me. Maddie can come over, and we’ll drink tequila and be silly.”