Chapter 5 Alexander #2
“We need to keep moving, we’re on a tight schedule today,” she says, briefly looking up from her phone. She returns her gaze to the screen, continuing to type away. So much for being the easy one to manipulate.
We’re only three interviews down and I’ve got another nine to go before we have a brief break. I try not to be difficult—I don’t want to be accused of being a diva for always keeping journalists waiting—but I need a moment. I opt for the line that always works.
“I’m going to piss myself if I can’t grab just two minutes to go to the toilet.”
Lucy looks up, dropping her phone into her lap, and nods. “Fine, go,” she says. “But quickly.” Mission accomplished.
Removing the small microphone and placing it on the seat, I attempt to make my way to the main door in hopes that I might catch a glimpse of Christopher, but Lucy stops me.
“There’s a toilet back there.” She gestures behind her.
Quick, think on your feet.
I need to take a shit. Nope, too many people here, that’ll be too embarrassing.
Ah, that’s it.
“I need to get something from my room,” I say, though I’m not all that convincing judging by the look on Lucy’s face.
“We can send Rob to get it for you when he gets back.”
Usually, I’m grateful that Lucy runs a tight ship. She prevents me from getting caught up for too long with people or in situations that I want or need to be rescued from. But this time, her efficiency is working against me.
I force a smile on my face as I walk past the film crew and into the bathroom, but I don’t lift the toilet lid.
Instead, I sit down, pulling my phone out of my pocket and turning Airplane Mode off.
A bunch of messages and email notifications flood my screen.
Ignoring them, I scroll to my “I Am Social” folder, where I keep all my social media apps, and open up Instagram.
I hit the search tab and enter Christopher’s first name, then realize that’s all I have to go on.
Other than his name, the fact that he’s originally from London, and he’s here for his sister’s wedding, I don’t know anything else.
I look at posts tagged with the Landmark Hotel, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but all I see are a flurry of videos of me leaving the hotel, interspersed with images of guests underneath the palm trees in the atrium or from their balconies. None feature Christopher.
Why do they make it look so easy on TV shows to find information on someone?
I look to the right, where a landline is attached to the wall, next to the toilet paper. It’s a strange place to take a call, but a lightbulb moment hits me.
I reach for the phone and dial zero, automatically getting an answer.
“Concierge, how may I assist you today?”
“Hi, yes. Can you put me through to Christopher’s room please?” The way the words come out of my mouth makes it sound like I have a stutter.
“Do you have a surname, sir?” comes the response.
“I don’t, but he’s in the room next to me…” A beat passes while I try and work out the number. “Room 506.”
“One moment.”
The line goes silent for a moment, then connects, and my heart begins to beat harder in my chest. But after twelve rings, I admit defeat and hang up. I pull myself up off the toilet seat and flush, pretending that I haven’t just spent the last couple of minutes acting like a stalker.
Is this what Rob has to contend with? Is this the level my fans go to just to try and get in touch with me?
Rob greets me when I open the door, making me jump.
“Lucy said you needed something from your room?” He rubs his hands together.
I motion him to one side of the hallway, out of earshot of anyone else, and lower my tone to a whisper.
“Not exactly. I need you to find out more about that guy from the gym earlier.”
“Is there a problem?” Rob’s posture snaps upright and his eyes narrow.
“No. The complete opposite. I was a dick earlier when we left the gym and I want to apologize, but he’s not answering his room phone, and I only know his first name, so I can’t message him on social media.”
“Want me to get the team to run a background check on him, get you all the information you need?” Rob cuts me off, his eyes widening in eager anticipation.
I know it’s standard protocol to run a background check on anyone I work with, but it does feel a little too invasive for a guy I’ve just met.
“Can you just keep an eye out for him in the corridor to see if he returns?”
The eagerness in Rob’s eyes disappears.
“That all, boss?” His chin tilts down toward his chest, like a puppy wanting to be thrown a bone.
Maybe I could do with a little help. After all, one quick google search by Christopher will bring up pretty much anything he’d want to know about me. It’s not like I can do the same for him.
“Whatever you can find would be great. Oh, and I guess we’ll need to get something from my room, so Lucy doesn’t catch on.”
Rob gives me knowing look and a tilted grin, hinting at mischief.
“Sure thing, chicken wing.” He elbows me in the side and lets out his infectious laugh as he walks away.
I desperately want to chuck something at him.
Damn him and that awful nickname. He still uses it regularly, despite my arms no longer being as scrawny as they were ten years ago.
But, next to his, I guess they’ll always be puny.
And I’ll always be that wiry kid he was put in charge of protecting, and a part of me likes that.
As I make my way back to the interview chair, I see Connie sitting on the armrest. She greets me with a half smile before returning to her usual neutral expression. She briefs me quickly before the next interviewer comes in.
“Alison from This Morning is somewhat of a national treasure here in the UK,” she says.
“Her interviews always go viral. They’re fun and playful, so you’ll be fine.
She played Connect Four with Beyoncé and had Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in pieces with her jokes.
” She pats my arm and heads out to the door to get Alison as I sit down and put the microphone back on my shirt.
Although I often give Paul and Connie a hard time, maybe because they still treat me like a child, they do look after me.
Erica rushes over, readjusting my hair and misting me with spray to give me a healthy glow, while Laurie helps readjust the mic.
“Sorry again about last night, babe,” she says. “I promise it won’t happen again.” Laurie’s face looks whiter than mine was after I was sick this morning.
“Don’t worry about it. At least they got their money’s worth,” I say, waving off the apology. She gives me a small smile as she backs away.
After another quick test and a thumbs-up from the sound guy, Connie walks Alison in and over to me. Alison’s turquoise and yellow dress and gold bangles match her bright megawatt smile as she sits down and greets me.
“In three, two, one…” the cameraman calls out.
“Good morning, viewers! Today we have an extra special guest with us, who’s taken time out of his busy schedule while here in London to talk to us about life on the road, his latest single, and more… Alexander Morgan.” Alison points her cue cards at me.
And with that, I switch on the charm, turning it up to an eleven.
“The honor is all mine, Alison. I’ve been looking forward to this interview all week, wondering what games or questions you have in store for me…”
As the camera rolls and the interview continues, I catch Rob out of the corner of my eye. He gives me a thumbs-up sign, and I can’t wait for the interview to end. Has he seen Christopher? Has he found out something about him?