Chapter 3 #2
“I am,” I say smoothly as guilt twists me like a pretzel.
If he ever finds out who I am, he’s going to hate me.
I just need to make dang sure that he never connects me with Jovie Chord.
I can’t believe he doesn’t even find me remotely familiar.
Crazy, considering I was friends with his sister and have been in his childhood home a couple of times.
“Are you planning on becoming an interior designer?”
“Maybe,” I hedge. “Right now I’m just trying a few things—seeing what sticks.”
“I get that.”
I shift the focus. “What about you? You’ve been so successful. What’s next?”
He exhales slowly. “That’s the million-dollar question.”
I take a leap. “I heard you broke from South Bound. Are you doing okay?”
“I’m fine.” His voice goes flat as a veil slips over his eyes.
He’s not ready to talk. At least not yet. “What’re you doing now?”
He gives me a sardonic smile. “You’re looking at it.”
“Writing new stuff?”
“Trying to. Getting back to basics—lyrics, melody, the heart of it. Mostly, I’m trying to remember why I wanted to go into the business in the first place.”
He wouldn’t be the first musician to hit it big and then become disillusioned with the profession.
When you shoot to the stars, there’s nowhere to go but down.
I say that like I know when I’ve never been fortunate enough to leave earth, much less soar to the stars.
If I were a real journalist, I’d be writing under my real name rather than drudging up dirt on other people.
I’d like to think I’m a step above the paparazzi, but Axel would argue otherwise.
I want to press him more about his split from the band, but my instincts shout that if I do, he’ll put up a blocker. I steer to a safer topic. “It sounds like your party is going to be amazing.”
He shrugs. “I guess.”
“You’re not excited about it?”
“It’s Zoe’s thing.” He pauses. “She and my manager felt like it would be good timing, considering what happened with South Bound.”
“Are a lot of notable people coming?”
“They are.”
Silence stretches between us. “Well, I’d better get back to work.” I throw him a smile. “Someone has to get your house ready for the big shindig.”
“There’s plenty of time. Let’s go again.” He throws me a taunting grin. “That is, unless you’ve forgotten the rhythm.”
“Not on your life.” I tap out the beat.
He picks up the trumpet, and we fall into rhythm once more—music filling the space between us, every beat winding my tension tighter. What in the heck am I doing? There’s no way I can fall for Axel Cox … again. He has a girlfriend, and he loathes me … err, Jovie.
My phone buzzes midway through the song. I ignore it and keep playing. It stills for a second and vibrates again. When we finish, I put down the drumsticks and pull out my phone. “It’s Bianca. I’d better get it. Hello.”
She launches in with, “I told you to answer your phone when I call.”
“Sorry, it took me a minute to get to it.”
“That was much longer than a minute.”
Keenly aware that Axel is listening, I bite back a snarky retort and keep my voice pleasant. “What can I do for you?”
“For starters, you can get the job done that I hired you for.”
What a horrible woman. I’m so glad I don’t actually work for her. “I finished a tree this morning, and the lights are faulty. I’ll have to do that one over.”
“It goes with the territory,” she snips. “Don’t let me down.”
“I’ve got it under control.” I look at Axel.
“Call me this afternoon to give a full report.”
“Will do. See ya.” I end the call. “I need to get back to work. Duty calls.” I move to stand, but Axel holds up a hand. “Hang on.”
“What?” I ask, bemused.
“How about I make you a deal?”
Curiosity nibbles at me. “What sort of deal?”
“I know this is a big ask, but I’ve been asked to perform at a charity benefit on Christmas Eve. And seeing as how I’m short a drummer, I could really use your help.”
I startle. “My help?”
“Yeah. I’ll pay you well for your effort.” He studies me with a hopeful expression.
This could be the break I’ve been hoping for. But I’m not going to take his money. That would be low—even for me. “I’d have to practice.”
He grins. “I think we can work something out.”
“What type of benefit is it?”
“It’s to help hurricane victims in the town of Mt. Pleasant.”
My blood runs cold. “Mt. Pleasant?”
“Near Charleston, where I grew up.”
Needles rain from the ceiling and pierce every inch of my body. “How’d you get roped into that?”
He raises his eyebrows. “I’d hardly call it getting roped. It’s for a good cause.”
I offer a sheepish grin. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I was just wondering how you got asked to help. Did your manager set it up?”
“No, the woman in charge of the benefit was my music teacher in elementary school. She and my mom are friends.”
I didn’t realize that Mom and Axel’s mom were chummy. I knew that Mom taught Seth—Axel—back in elementary school, but I didn’t realize they kept in touch. Gah! This is getting stickier by the minute.
He gives me a hopeful look. “So … will you do it?”
My own mother is getting Axel to perform at the benefit.
Oh, the irony. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
She didn’t mention anything about it to me.
Of course, she has no idea that I’m Jovie Chord and that Axel is a favorite topic for my column.
I clasp my hands together and squeeze to the point of pain.
“It’s so kind of you to offer, but I don’t think I’m qualified to—”
“Anyone who can play like that is qualified.” He eyes me in amusement.
“I’d love to do it, but I’m slammed with decorating for the party. Bianca’s riding my case. I don’t see how I can fit it in.”
“It’s a shame for your talent to be wasted on wrapping lights on tree branches,” he says drolly.
“Thanks, but I made a commitment.” The excuse sounds flimsy, even to my own ears. Axel Cox is asking me to perform with him. Anyone in their right mind would take this chance. Or at least anyone who didn’t have a secret to harbor.
“What if I took care of that?”
I’m curious despite myself. “How?”
“I can hire a group of workers to decorate, and you’ll be off the hook.”
“You have no idea how tempting that is.”
“Then say yes.”
“Bianca said you didn’t want a barrage of workers going in and out of your house. That’s why she hired only one person—me—to decorate.”
He waves a hand. “Yeah, I said that because I know how Zoe and Bianca tend to blow things out of proportion. But in this case, I can call my housekeepers. I trust them, and they’ll be thrilled because I’ll give them a hefty bonus.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. It’ll help them and me. Whaddaya say? Will you help me out? Please.” He crooks a grin that does strange things to my insides.
Everything in me wants to give in just to appease him, but that would be a dumb move.
There’s no way I can perform with Axel at the benefit in my hometown.
Everyone will recognize me, and then he’ll start asking questions.
At this point, it’s looking like I won’t even be able to attend the benefit for fear of running into him.
And that’s a shame because I was looking forward to it.
My parents and brother will be there, which means I’ll have to spend Christmas Eve alone, moping around my parents’ house and eating copious amounts of sugar cookies.
He leans forward. “Come on. Say yes.”
Why does he have to be so appealing with those arresting eyes and chiseled jaw?
I can almost hear Harmony screaming for me to take the deal.
From a writing standpoint, it’s the chance of a lifetime, allowing me to spend one-on-one time with Axel.
And I won’t have to touch another infernal tree.
Of course, there’s no way I can actually perform, but I could pretend that I’m going to and then develop a sudden sickness the day before.
He’ll resent me for leaving him in the lurch.
However, he’d detest me even more if he found out who I am. “Okay, I’ll do it.”
A large smile breaks over his face. “Let’s get to work.”
“Maybe you should call in your workforce first.”
“Sounds good.”
“Oh, we should probably keep it on the down low that I’m not the one decorating for the party.
That way, I can stay on good terms with Bianca.
” No need to rock the boat there. If she gets wind of me performing with Axel, she could get squirrelly, worrying about me getting too close to Axel on account of her.
Also, something tells me that Zoe won’t take it well that I’m performing with Axel.
Speaking of which, I might as well call out the elephant in the room right off the bat.
“Hey, will Zoe be okay with me performing with you?”
He looks puzzled. “I don’t see why not.”
Heat rushes to my face. “Yesterday, I heard y’all talking after she saw us playing together. She seemed bothered that I’m here. I don’t want to put you in a difficult position.”
“You let me worry about Zoe. All you need to be concerned about is learning the songs.”
“That, I can do.”