Chapter 20
ISAAC
Mr. Cash. Why did I know that name?
I sat down at two-tone pink-and-white table, a silver ice bucket at its center. A bottle of Dom Pérignon sat chilling away inside it, with three glasses waiting to be filled.
A waiter came over to pour for us.
“Thanks,” I told him.
“You’re welcome, sir.”
Oh? Jake was here? Good for Ollie to have some backup. But why did he seem so rattled?
“Darling?”
I tore my eyes off Ollie, facing Helen. “Yes?”
Her eyes narrowed, her forehead creasing slightly into a frown. “Are you spacing out on me?”
I shook my head, picking up my glass. “It’s good to see you, Helen.”
I hope you’re okay, I thought to Ollie.
“And you, darling.” She clinked champagne flutes with me, not introducing this mystery person yet.
My agent had clearly been at a spa. Her dark-brown skin gleamed with a post-facial glow. I was jealous. I’d love a spa day.
“What do you think of my outfit?” she inquired.
She wore a gorgeous orange pantsuit only she could pull off with a plunging neckline, complemented by lots of gold jewelry. She looked stunning.
“Amazing,” I said.
She patted her red-black layered bob. “Thanks.” Her honey-gold eyes inspected my clothes. “Same to you.”
“Thank you.” I sipped my champagne, eyes darting quickly to Ollie and Jake.
What were they talking about?
“Now, for introductions,” Helen said.
I put my glass down, doing my best to stay in step with this meeting. “Okay.”
“Isaac, meet Ben Cash.”
I offered him a hand. “Nice to meet you.”
He shook my hand, giving me a quizzical look. “You don’t know who I am.” He tugged on the sleeves of his powder blue shirt.
I know I don’t like you for saying that shit to me. “I’m sorry. I do recognize your name, though.”
He folded his arms, pouting.
Can I go home now?
“Ben Cash,” Helen chimed in, pouring emphasis into the delivery of his name. “The king of reality TV, remember? You watched the series when he worked on a farm for ten episodes.”
It clicked then. He’d been in so many different TV shows, always changing his hair color for each one.
“Of course,” I said with a laugh. “Sorry, my brain is all over the place at the moment. It’s so good to meet you. The farm show was genius.”
His pout became a smile. “Cheers.”
I sipped more champagne, wanting this over so I could be home with my brother and away from this bullshit.
And what did this have to do with the Hot Candy deal?
Ollie and Jake stopped talking, both men glancing over.
“Ben here is releasing an album,” Helen announced suddenly.
What the fuck? “He is?”
Ben’s cheeks flushed scarlet. “Why do you sound so surprised?”
Offended, was he? The public’s eardrums were about to be, too. I heard him singing on the farm show. His rusty pipes threatened my title as worst singer in existence.
“I didn’t think music was your thing,” I responded.
I’m not sure what his thing actually was.
“Are you judging me?” he snapped.
Just a smidge. “Hey, you do you, honey. All the power to you.”
He wrinkled his nose. “It’s the sex tape, isn’t it?”
“Excuse me?”
He huffed worse than me. “I knew it. I bloody knew it.”
“Now, let’s not be too hasty with the attitude here,” Helen tried.
“Attitude?” Ben barked. “He’s the prude looking down on me for fucking on camera. What an arsehole.” He picked up his drink, gulping it down angrily.
Sex tape? What was he banging on about?
“Isaac?” Helen’s stern tone pressed me to fix this.
Ah, of course. The tape really put him on the map, so to speak. Wasn’t it called something like “Ben’s Hole of Delights” or something awful like that? Made him famous, though.
“I remember now,” I said, tapping the side of my head. “See? Brain is a mess.”
He wasn’t impressed.
Damage control mode activated. “Let’s get one thing straight. I wouldn’t judge you for doing a sex tape, honey. In fact, I’ve almost been in a few myself.”
“What!” Helen roared, making Ben jump.
I rolled my eyes. “We won’t go there.”
“You never told me this,” she seethed.
“Because I hate seeing you turn such a fine shade of purple,” I rebutted.
That made Ben laugh and soften.
“Anyway, as I was saying.” I threw Helen a ‘shut the fuck up and let me work’ look.
“We all do what we must to make it, eh?” I piled on the charm, giving him a smile befitting my title as The Sun.
“If it’s a sex tape, then so be it. You’re the one laughing all the way to the bank.
” I meant that. I didn’t care how he made his money, it wasn’t my business.
And if he wanted to make an album, then so be it. I just wouldn’t be giving it a spin.
Ben put his drink down. “Sorry. People have been so rude about it over the years.”
I shook my head, planting myself firmly on his side. “People are fuckheads.”
He chortled. “Agreed.”
“Amazing.” I leaned back in my chair, willing time to move faster. “So, tell me about this album of yours. Unless you’re sick of me?”
Another laugh. “Nah, I like you. You’re fit.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind. And you’re pretty hot yourself.”
He blushed a tad. “Cheers.”
Helen kept her mouth shut, leaving us to it. She knew when to let me run with something. And if she wanted me involved in whatever she was cooking, those jammy lips of her better remain sealed.
“Go on,” I pressed Ben. “Talk to me.”
There, all relaxed in my presence now, any wobbles steadied. This shit was too easy sometimes. Call me arrogant, I didn’t give a fuck. I knew how to lay it on thickly.
My eyes wandered to Ollie again for a few seconds.
Why did he seem so uncomfortable? Was he allergic to famous people? Or was it Ben?
Hmmm.
“It’s a dance record,” Ben began.
I picked up the champagne and let the reality star speak.
“The first single’s coming out in the summer, and it’s going to be huge. Big marketing, big music video, big, big, big.” He spread his arms as if demonstrating length.
“Big, eh?” I responded.
“And you’re going to be in the music video,” Helen declared.
My head snapped round, cheeks heating, my sugary placating energy dripping away. “I’m what?”
“This is the surprise I told you about,” she said, getting all smug.
“You’re booked on a flight to Ibiza on Monday.
Hot Candy are styling the shoot. Ben signed a deal with them yesterday, and you’ll become their brand ambassador.
A perfect union of cash and gorgeousness to set tongues wagging. ” She laughed.
I felt myself blanch. “I—”
“You’ll be in Ibiza for two weeks to shoot the video and the first wave of commercials for Hot Candy.
No arguments from you, Isaac.” She held up a finger.
“I’m getting you out of this city. I don’t know what you’re doing here, but I’m pulling the plug.
I need you back to work, and this will be a lucrative opportunity.
” She tapped her glass with a long purple fingernail.
Flustered, I tried speaking but couldn’t find the words because those words involved House Aurora and The Sun.
“I’m so excited,” Ben said.
I couldn’t take this, a flush of stress heat creeping up my face. But Helen was right. This would all generate huge publicity, and Hot Candy were a popular fashion house. Irrespective of the quality of Ben’s music, this would be one lucrative union.
I wanted nothing to do with it. As much I missed my life, jetting off to Ibiza was out of the question.
“You just need to sign the contract at the meeting tomorrow,” Helen added. “And then we’re off for some much-needed sunshine.”
Ben agreed, the two of them clinking glasses in cheers to heat, beaches, and money.
I can’t… I can’t…
If I turned this down now, my career would be over in a storm of lawsuits and Helen’s wrath. It would be a slap in the face for her. She’d always been my champion, always fought for me, and I was about to lose her a lot of income.
But I had to let her down for the fucking greater good.
Guilt clawed through me like a pissed-off bear, my throat clogging up.
“Well, darling? Isn’t this incredible?”
I looked to Ollie as if he somehow held a lifeline to throw me. But a different guy snagged my attention.
Tony Gilbert stood under the floral arch, offering me a wave.
Oh. Shit.