I can’t behave in the same way. I won’t. If I’m going to be the girlfriend of a rock star, I will have to suck it up.
I’m not the only one going through the mounting pressure of lying to everyone while keeping this relationship under wraps. I’m not the only one battling the pressure of my job. Easton’s enduring the same battles, if not more, due to the rapidly increasing spotlight. Maybe balancing our relationship while touring is becoming too much for him, and we need to talk this out.
At the same time, Easton’s a private man. Even if we weren’t hiding from our parents and went public, he would still be concealing our details—ferociously.
Facts.
I reason with myself that I’m feeling especially vulnerable because I spilled some of my heart into a text.
Unlocking my apartment door, I stand on the other side, letting my purse drop from my shoulder to the floor while I glance around the empty space. Deciding to grow the hell up, I shoot out another text for my sanity’s sake.
Have a good show tonight. X
I hit send and am surprised when I see reply bubbles instantly start dancing.
EC: It will be.
Unsure what to make of his cryptic reply, I text back as though I haven’t run through a gauntlet of conflicting emotions the entire day.
Feeling a bit cocky, are we?
EC: Maybe…Knock. Knock.
Who’s there?
EC: Joel.
A knock sounds on the other side of my apartment door, and I scream in surprise. Joel’s laughter echoes just outside before he speaks up. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this, Natalie.”
Opening the door, I can’t help my smile before I leap into his arms, relief coursing through me. “That’s Easton’s freaky timing, or yours,” I scold. “You two have these surprise attacks coordinated down to a science.”
“Come on,” he says as I pull away and beam up at him. “You have to get packed.”
“Packed?” I ask, my spirits lifting insurmountably as my phone rumbles in my hand.
EC: Do as your told, Beauty.
“Case in point,” I say, lifting the message for Joel to read. “It’s witchcraft.”
Joel chuckles, “We’re a well-oiled machine, don’t even try to figure us out.”
I narrow my eyes. “Do I want to know exactly how many women you two have practiced this act on?”
“You’re the first. How are we faring?”
“Meh.” I shrug.
“No more time for chit-chat, the plane is waiting, and we’re going to have to fight traffic to get to it.”
“It’s kind of presumptuous of him to assume he can summon me on a whim.” Even I can hear the bullshit in my statement. “What if I had plans?”
“Then I would have had to kidnap you because I was ordered to, in no certain terms, ‘collect his soulless ginger and get her side stage.’”
“Reid isn’t there?” I ask, excitement clear in my voice.
“Nope, he left this afternoon.” Joel claps his hands together. “No more time to explain. Easton wants you at the concert. We can get there in time for the second half if we hurry.”
“Hell yes! Twenty minutes?” I ask.
“Better shoot for ten.” He jabs a thumb toward the elevator. “I’ll wait downsta—”
“The hell you will! Get in here.” I yank him inside my studio, and he chuckles as I race to the fridge and pluck a Coke and a beer from the shelf before holding each up to him. “Thirsty?”
“I’ll take the Coke, sweetheart. I’m driving, and your boyfriend will have my balls if I take a sip of alcohol before I do.”
“He’s overprotective,” I say, another surge of relief coursing through me.
“Of you, yeah, he most definitely fucking is.” I hand Joel the Coke and lift a brow.
“Are you being cryptic right now?”
“Little bit,” he glances around. “Cute place,” he muses silently at the size of it before he pops the top of his Coke.
“Thanks,” I grab the remote from my ottoman and thrust it toward him. “Make yourself at home. I have every sports channel imaginable. I’m going to,” I jerk my head toward my bedroom.
“I’m good, go,” he waves me away as I race to pack.
Here Comes My Girl
Tom Petty
Natalie
Though Joel drives like a bat out of hell to get us to the interstate, we end up stuck in over an hour of traffic, which has me fuming and Joel panicking. The second we board the plane and are buckled in, we’re cruising toward the runway.
“Whose plane is this?” I ask, checking out the large cabin, this private jet far more luxurious than the first plane Easton chartered for me.
“Not sure,” Joel averts his gaze.
“Bullshit. Please tell me this plane isn’t on loan from a big-breasted pop star or anyone of a similar nature.”
Joel chuckles. “I’ll let him explain himself.”
I search for any clue and come up empty. “Oh, I’ll make sure he does.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” Joel says from the oversized, plush seat opposite me, opening our window shade as we turn onto the runway.
Vibrating with excitement, I reroll the sleeve of Easton’s jacket to my forearms and secretly marvel at the quick outfit I made out of it. Keeping the top open enough to show a little side boob, I belted the rest around tiny black shorts. I finished the look with black stilettos that are already killing my feet but will hopefully be worth the pain. “I can’t wait to see him play. It feels like it’s been forever rather than two months.”
“He had the whole stadium on their knees last night. It was fucking epic.”
“I know I texted you, but I just want to thank you again so much for sending me the videos. I’ve seen some of the footage online, but it’s entirely different because you take them side stage, so it’s almost like I’m there.” I press my hand to my chest. “Means a lot, Joel.”
“It’s my pleasure, sweetheart.”
“Does Easton know you take them?”
“He’s caught me recording a few times, but I don’t think he suspects I send them to you. I think he believes it’s a proud papa-type thing.”
“Is it?”
“Oh, hell yeah, it is,” he grins. “But I know he hates it that you aren’t there.”
“I wish I could be. I would go to every single show.”
“He knows.” Joel unbuttons his suit jacket, looking every bit the bodyguard he is. “You know, I can tell, even from the few concerts you attended, that his energy is different when you’re there. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still incredible and brings it every night, but it’s just different.”
Within seconds of speeding down the runway, we’re airborne.
“You don’t have to tell me these things, Joel.” I grin, “but you can keep telling me if you want to.”
“I’m paid to protect him, nothing more. I wouldn’t lie to you, Natalie. Not about stuff like this.”
“So, you’ll lie to me about other stuff?”
He responds partly through a chuckle. “You forget I’ve seen you in ‘hell hath no fury’ wrath mode, so maybe?”
We share a laugh as I glance out the window while we ascend through a cloud. Once on the other side, amber light fills the window and the cabin as we chase the sunset. Replaying the emotional hours I suffered prior to this moment, I find myself speaking up. “Has Easton explained why we’re being so secretive about our relationship?”
Joel nods. “He told me when you left Seattle.”
“Damn, so back then?”
Joel nods.
“Wow. Hard to believe that was only four months ago. So much has happened since then. Especially for Easton.”
“For you both,” he prompts, “and that’s some story.”
I harrumph. “Easton doesn’t even know the half of it, the stubborn ass. But which part are you referring to?”
“Theirs, yours, how you ended up in Seattle. All of it is pretty remarkable.”
“Do you know Easton and I were born only six days apart?”
Joel nods. “That’s crazy coincidental too.”
“Did you decide I was crazy when he told you why I came to Seattle?”
“No. I knew you were good people minute one. We all go through things, Natalie. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“Have you seen the movie?”
“Yeah, back when it first released. I loved it.”