15. Jackson
CHAPTER 15
JACKSON
H ailey was edging up on her breaking point.
She was quiet the whole day after the spa, sleeping most of the long drive down to Atlanta. Then at her show, I could see she was scared, lingering backstage when it was time to go on. She went with Mina and Constance when they came to get her, but I could see she was shaking as she got on her bike.
“Hey, Mina, uh…”
Mina ignored me, or she didn’t hear. She went up and hugged Hailey and whispered in her ear, something that made her laugh and relax.
“See? You’ll be great. Now, go knock ’em dead.”
The bike started up, too fast, too soon. Hailey almost went flying, but she caught herself. She rode out teeth bared, half-snarl, half-smile, white-knuckle gripping the handlebars. When she came to a stop, she stayed put at first, then she seemed to remember what she’d come for. She swung herself off the bike and hollered hello, and the audience roared back at her, and she was okay. She shone through her performance and through three encores, and through an interview with Atlanta Beat . Through her usual meet-and-greets with VIP fans. It was only on the bus she let her smile fade away, and she dropped into her bed cubby, perched on the edge.
“Is it over?”
“What, the show?” Mina knelt next to her. “You feeling okay?”
Hailey laughed, shaky. “I can still feel the beat. Like I need to keep dancing, or…” She trailed off.
“Get some sleep,” Mina said. “They loved you out there.”
Hailey didn’t say anything, just pulled up her legs. She folded herself into her cubby and pulled down the screen. A few moments later, I heard her music come on, filtered faint and tinny through her earphones. I waited till I figured she’d gone to sleep, then I headed up to the front of the bus. Mina was in her usual spot, in a circle of screens. I sat down next to her.
“Mind if I sit?”
She straightened a screen I’d bumped. “You already are.”
“I guess I am. I’m worried about Hailey.” I paused for Mina’s objection — no, no, she’s fine — but she made none. She closed her laptop.
“Tell me,” she said.
“Well, she seemed more than nervous going on tonight. I think she’s been scared since her accident. And I think part of that is, she’s just too tired. She’s had no time to process what she’s been through, not just her fall, but the change in her life. The first night I met her, she said, uh—” I broke off, not wanting to overstep. What Hailey had told me had been in confidence.
“She said what?”
I took a deep breath and went on. I wasn’t telling Mina anything she didn’t know. “She said she’d been in Florida recording her album. She had no idea how famous she’d got. That’s a lot to take in, and she’s had no time to do it. She needs space to breathe. Whatever you can give her.”
Mina toyed with her phone. “Like, a night off? Maybe a movie?”
“Yeah, that’d be great. A nice, lazy?—”
“This’ll be perfect.” She tapped on her phone. “She’s been invited to a premiere this Friday. It’s that new action thing, the one with the dinosaurs. With Dashiell Creed.”
I bristled. Dashiell Creed? That manscaped gym rat?
“She was just saying she’s been single a while. He’ll be a great date for her, and for her profile. I think he might even be up for an Oscar.”
My vision went red, pure jealous rage. Hailey on some red carpet with Dashiell Creed? Letting him shield her from the camera flash? Maybe he’d even say something funny, and she’d lean in, giggle. Put her hand on his chest.
“No.”
Mina had been texting, chattering on. Now she paused both, and her brows drew together.
“Did you just say no?”
I’d snapped back without thought, and for the wrong reasons. To keep Hailey from falling for Dashiell Creed. But some glitzy premiere would just make it worse, another night smiling and playing her role. What she needed was quiet. A night to be her .
“I caught her on Long Island trying to sneak to the beach.”
Mina stared at me. “What, at the spa?”
“Yeah. She just wanted a minute alone. That’s what she needs, a break from her fame.”
Mina pulled a face, and I was sure she’d say no. But once again she surprised me by letting out a deep groan. Leaning forward to bounce her head off the front seat.
“You have no idea that strings I pulled to get her that date. But that’s her only night free for a while. If you say she needs it off — now, are you sure? ”
“I’m sure,” I said.
Mina snatched her phone up and fired off a text. A response pinged back and she fired off another. “Done,” she said. “And Dashiell’s publicist hates me.”
I felt lighter. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me.” She shrugged. “Hailey’s still my best friend. What she needs, she gets. Just promise me you’ll keep her safe.”
“That’s what you pay me for.”
“Speaking of work…” Mina flipped her laptop back open, and I took that as my cue. I headed back to my seat to wait for Hailey to stir.
Hailey slept through the whole drive up to Nashville, then zombie-walked the short trip to her suite. A TV crew joined us on our way to rehearsal, and stayed to film Hailey with her dance crew. She had lunch after that with her opening act, and then a photoshoot for some athleisure brand. It wasn’t till late that I caught her backstage, sponging caked makeup off her tired face. She caught my eye in the mirror.
“Hey, Jackson. What’s up?”
I wasn’t sure I should tell her while she looked so worn, if the news would perk her up or just tire her out. She’d been scrubbing a while now under her eyes, trying to wipe off her eye bags with her mascara.
“You’re staring,” she said.
I looked away. “Sorry.”
“Not to be rude, but did you need something?”
“You do,” I said. “You need a night off.”
“Yeah, and a massage, and a cold beer. What’s new?”
“What’s new is, you’re getting one. This Friday.”
She froze, her makeup sponge poised in mid-air. Her eyes went round, then dark with suspicion. “By a night off, you mean…?”
“A night to yourself, no work. No stress.”
Her lips pinched together. “You mean on the bus?”
“No, not the bus. I mean here in town.”
“And that’s the whole night? With nothing to do? No facials? No seaweed wraps? No personal trainers?”
I grinned. “Not a one, unless you get them yourself.”
She shook her head, her disbelief plain. “So, I can lie all night up in my suite? Get a bucket of chicken and eat the whole thing? Watch every Real Housewives there is back-to-back?”
“If that’s what you want.”
Hailey’s lips twitched. She narrowed her eyes. “And what about if I want to go out?”
“You’d have your security, but you can go.”
Her face fell so sharply I felt her heart break. “All right,” she said. “Guess I’ll stay in.”
I stood feeling stupid, and a little sick. I’d come in here bursting with my good news, and all I’d managed to do was bum her out. There had to be something here, some shred of joy. Some hidden upside that’d bring a smile to her face.
“I can do better. You want to go out?”
“Not with your crew, I don’t.”
“What about just me?”
Hailey went still again. Her eyes sparked with hope. “We could do that? Like back in LA?”
“I’ll have to clear it with Mina, but I don’t see why?—”
She shrieked like a kettle and jumped out of her chair, and flung herself full-force into my arms. I caught her easily and held her tight, her nose digging in as she buried her face in my chest. I could feel her hot breath, her damp, fresh-scrubbed skin. The rise of her chest as she breathed in. After a while, she stepped back and looked up, but she didn’t pull out of the circle of my arms.
“So, where are you taking me?”
“This isn’t—” I shut my mouth, sealing the words in. Hailey cocked her head.
“This isn’t what?”
I’d been about to say it wasn’t a date, but why spoil her joy? Why spoil my own? Where was the harm, to pretend for one night?
“It’s a surprise,” I said instead.
“Just the two of us, promise?”
“Yeah. Just us two.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. Slid her hand up my back. I thought she might pull me down for a kiss, and I thought I might let her, and kiss her back. Instead, she sighed and laid her head on my chest.
“Was I just a total B?”
“You could never be that.”
“You brought me a silver lining and I found the cloud.” She chuckled against me, a soft, breathy gust. “I’ve been so tired, is all.”
“Let me take you home.”
She fell asleep in the limo, heading for our hotel. I watched her hair riff with the puff of her breath and thought about where we might go on our date.