Finding Jordie: Things aren't always what they seem. (The Love Lies Bleeding Series Book 1) (15 page)

“Yeah, I think he’s read it,” Emma said as they continued to laugh.

“Clearly, I’m missing something here.” I frowned and looked from one of them to the other.

“Clearly,” Nathan said.

Emma busted out laughing even harder at Nathan’s attempt to be serious.

“Stop it. I am still your mother, and it isn’t nice to make fun of people.” I sulked.

“This was my breakout film.” Nathan placed his hand on mine and rubbed my knuckles with his thumb.

“Sorry, Mom. I’m just happy, and I’m sorry I teased you.” She batted her eyelashes.

“Apology accepted, thank you.” I nodded with my lips pursed. I headed for upstairs, taking my coffee with. Once I was on top of the roof I lit a smoke. I peered over the edge to see what it looked like out front.

It was fairly quiet—only seven or eight of them out there in the morning.

I finished my cigarette, headed downstairs, and quickly got ready.

“Let’s go, Emma. The car is here.” I knocked on the wall as I passed her room.

When she came out she gathered her backpack and iPod off the table and gave a chuckle when she saw Nathan waiting at the open front door.

“What’s so funny?” Nathan asked her.

“Just the fact that
you
are standing there waiting to see me off to school. Greatest thing
ever
,” she managed to say through her splitting grin.

“Let’s goooooo, you.” I guided her out.

Nathan opened the door to outside and let us pass first. Frank was still on duty and standing in front of us, arms extended against the crowd. The questions were coming at us from everywhere again. Nathan stopped at the top of the steps and put his hands up.

“Guys seriously, I don’t know what more you want from us. You know as much as we do.” He flashed a camera-worthy smile. Not my smile of course, but it sure was a mesmerizing one. “Now, please could you let us through so this young lady isn’t late for school?”

Immediately a tight spot opened up for us to walk through. Frank signaled to someone and then gave the okay for us to walk, as he led the way to the car. Lizette and Ted walked over with Brandon.

“Be good,” I said to Emma. “If you need me, call me. Love you.”

“L.Y.T.” She climbed in the car after Brandon and the car pulled away.

Nathan and I got into Frank’s car quickly. He was already in the driver’s seat, ready to pull off. I noticed three other vehicles were following us.

“This will eventually die down, right?” I asked in a small voice looking out the window.

“Eventually... a little.” Nathan chuckled.

“Where are we going?” I looked over at him.

“First stop is Starbucks, Frank, please.” He flashed me a little smile. “After that DoubleTree in Times Square.”

Frank nodded and the blacked-out window between us started to close.

“What’s at DoubleTree?” I asked curiously as he took my hand in his.

“I have a meeting about a film here in New York City.” He smiled
that
smile.

“Really? When? Soon?” I couldn’t keep the excitement out of my voice.

He chuckled and leaned over, planting a soft kiss on my lips. “It’s just a meeting. I don’t know any details yet. You’ll find out as soon as I do.” He gave my hand a squeeze.

Apart from a star struck barista who just about shit herself when she saw Nathan, the Starbucks run went pretty smoothly. Exiting the car at the DoubleTree was a challenge though because we were swarmed again. Nathan took my hand and followed Frank’s lead. Right as we approached the doors he stopped and asked Frank to wait, please. He led me over to where the young ladies were. He took some pictures with them and chatted with them for a minute or two, taking the time to ask their names and where they were from. One girl, who was alone, asked for a picture with the both of us. He happily obliged. Me, not so much, but I guessed I needed to get used to this. While Nathan was busy signing autographs for the others, she told me how happy she was that he was so happy.

“Normally, he will snap a picture or two or sign something, but he’ll look grumpy the whole time. Nothing like this.” She beamed. “It’s really nice to see a genuine smile on his face. You’re one lucky lady!”

I liked this girl.

“I know I am. Thank you,” I said as Nathan took my hand and led me inside. The brown haired girl and I exchanged one last smile as she waved goodbye like a giddy child.

“That was sweet of you.” I squeezed Nathan’s hand.

“I enjoy meeting people who enjoy meeting me.” His smile made the corners of his eyes crinkle a bit.

“It’s the ones that ruin it that I don’t admire so much.” He scowled as he glanced back, eyeing the crowd of paparazzi. “They ruin it for me and for the fans. It bothers the shit out of me, but what can I do? So I make the best of it when I can.”

“One of the girls said you used to look grumpy when you’d stop for fans.”

“Grumpy? Hmm, maybe. I would always be worried who was tweeting or texting what to whom, wondering how much time I had left before it became chaotic.”

We stopped at the elevator.

I pulled my hand back. “I’ll stay down here.”

“Why?”

“This is your work Nathan, I have no business...”

“It’s just a meeting—besides, it’s a huge suite. You won’t be in the way.” He reached for my hand again, tugging me toward the elevator.

“No, really, I’m okay. I’m going to go to the Starbucks and get another cup of coffee and a muffin or something.” I let go of his hand and took a step back.

He sighed and motioned for Frank to go with me.

“I’ve managed on my own for this long. I’m fine on my own for an hour.” I scowled at him. “Frank, I’m fine. Nathan, I’ll see you in a bit.”

Nathan exhaled loudly and leaned in to brush his lips softly over mine. “You’re like a mule.” I felt the corners of his lips quirk up against mine. “I’ll be in the executive suite on the top floor if you change your mind.”

“Lord have mercy.” I rolled my eyes and puckered my lips in a true brat fashion.

“See you in a bit.” I stole a quick peck on the cheek.

I walked out to the bustling Times Square sidewalk, ignoring the small group of photogs around me on a mission for coffee number two. I noticed the brown haired girl standing on the curb about five yards ahead of me with man holding a camera. It looked as if he was giving her a hard time.

“Hey!” I shouted and waved my hand above the crowd to gain her attention. The guy with the camera saw me and scurried off like a cockroach. I made my way through the people with a bit more urgency and I reached for her arm. When she turned my way I could see she was on the verge of tears.

“Are you okay, sweetie?”

“That asshole took my camera. He asked if he could see the picture I took with Nathan and you. Once he had it in his hands he offered to buy the picture from me.” She managed to croak this out through the sobs. “I told him no several times but he was just being so persistent. It gave me the creeps. I was just about to run. Then he took off... with my camera.” She dropped her shoulders and covered her face with her hands, sobbing harder.

“I’m really sorry about your camera,” was all I could think of to say to the poor girl. I felt so bad. “Want to get some coffee with me while I wait for Nathan?”

She raised her head and her smile was so wide you could barely see her red-rimmed eyes. I couldn’t help but smile at her reaction.

“My treat.” She sniffled and wiped her eyes.

“We’ll see.” I raised my voice to be heard over the bubble of paps we pulled with us. By the time we got to the Starbucks door I had just about had enough. I stopped in the doorway and turned to face them.

“Guys, what exactly is it that you want from me right now?” I used the same tone Nathan had from my rooftop.

“I’ll take a latte,” one of the men joked.

I snorted. “Honestly. I mean, can I have a cup of coffee and a muffin in there without feeling like I’m under a microscope? Please?” I placed my hands together in a begging way. “I just want to have a little chat with my new friend here.” I smiled at the brown haired girl. “And if any of you know who the asshole is that took her camera, tell him he is a douche with a capital D.” I smiled sarcastically sweet. “Now, if you have everything you need, right now I’d
love
some coffee.” I turned my back to them and walked into Starbucks.

“Thanks, Jordie... Thank you. Jordie... Thanks.” Their voices meshed together. I looked over my shoulder and saw they were all headed back in the direction of the hotel. I sighed and shook my head. We ordered our drinks and went to look for a table. The only spot available was next to the front window. “Of course,” I mumbled, taking a seat. To my surprise though, nobody was out there snapping pics.

The brown haired girl was a doll. I wanted to keep her. Her name was Isobel—twenty-two years old and graduating from NYU that May. While we were chatting a tall young guy with messy brown spiked hair and a bit of facial scruff walked in. I couldn’t avoid noticing his eyes were the color of his hair. He was a good-looking guy. Then I realized he had a huge camera around his neck. I immediately attempted to turn my head but we made eye contact before I could.

“Crap, busted,” I grumbled as he approached our table.

“Excuse me, ladies.”

Well, at least this one is cordial.

“I heard what happened to you, miss.” His attention was focused on Isobel. “I had an extra one in my car. I thought perhaps you could make better use of it than I, since I have a few of my personal favorites already.” He gave a guarded grin as he placed a box with a Cannon camera in it on the table. “Some of us made calls while we were waiting, and nobody knows who the guy is who took your camera.” He sounded apologetic. His eyes never strayed from hers.

“Thanks.” She smiled up at him.

“Ladies.” He nodded and gave me a polite smile before he turned for the door.

“Well, wasn’t that nice of him?” I raised my eyebrows while taking a sip of coffee. “He was cute, too.”

She blushed and let out a small giggle but quickly composed herself, clearing her throat and sitting up straight. “Yeah, it was. It’s not the camera I’m so upset about, though. It’s the pics on it. My dad passed away about six months ago. Pictures from his visit here last year are on there. I never transferred them from the card. Lesson learned.” She sighed as she ran her finger across the box in front of her.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s tough losing a parent, especially so young,” I barely whispered. This kid was tugging at my heartstrings like a friggin’ puppeteer. My parents died when I was young. I knew the heartache first hand.

We moved past our sour-moment-of-death and creepy camera thieves chat and really got to talking.

“...so she claimed she cut my hours because of the bad economy. But then she hired her daughter and gave her my regular weekend shifts.” Isobel sipped her frappuccino through the straw.

“Well, that’s pretty rude. What did you do?”

Isobel suppressed a smile. “I told her to shove her economy excuse up her ass and I walked out.”

I grinned. “Exactly what I would’ve done.”

“Yeah, well it felt good. But now I don’t have a job and my mom is working three jobs to get me through the last few months of college.” She grimaced. “So there’s that.”

I blinked at her. “Today is your lucky day, Isobel.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just happen to need some help at my place. Can you take drink orders and serve through crowds?” I laughed. “It’s some long hours though. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, four P.M. until about three A.M. and nobody leaves until everything is cleaned and ready for the next night. The money you’ll make is worth it though. I’m pretty easy to work for as long as you show up, treat everyone with respect, and do your job.” I smiled at her.

“Yes! Yes, I can!” Her eyes lit up.

“All right then, can you come in tonight? Rachel will show you around and let you know what’s expected of you.” I grabbed a pen from my bag and pulled a napkin over.

“Sure I can. Where is it? What’s the name? What’s the scene?” Her eyes were wide with excitement.