CHAPTER 28 ALEXIS
“Alexis, thank you so much for joining me today. I’d like to start at the beginning. Why did you decide not to marry your manager, Brooks Donovan?” Jolene begins.
“It never felt right to marry Brooks,” I begin. “It’s complicated, but my father who was also my agent carefully crafted my image to look a certain way. I always believed it was because he was trying to protect me, and he was. But he was also protecting his own interests with the company, and it mostly had to do with money.” I tread carefully since I don’t want my dad to come out of this looking bad…even though he did behave badly. I still want to protect him to some degree. “When the media linked Brooks and me together four years ago, we didn’t bother correcting them. And the next natural step was marriage, right? My dad and Brooks made all these plans for this huge wedding, but in the meantime, I’d met someone and I’d fallen in love. If not for that, I might’ve actually gone through with the wedding.”
“Can you take us back to the moment when you made the decision to run out on your own wedding?” Jolene asks.
“I felt this immense pressure the entire day. I needed to make a choice, and I should’ve done it far sooner. I knew the man I loved was a mere twenty minutes away, and I knew my father and Brooks and all the guests were waiting for me to walk down the aisle. My security guard, Gregory—he was going to walk me down the aisle, and he told me it was time. I looked toward the exit, and I looked at the door that would take me down the aisle, and I knew in my heart there was only one right choice. I took Gregory’s keys and bolted.”
“And you ran to Danny Brewer?” she asks.
I nod. “Yes. Danny and I met at the Vegas Heat stadium on opening day when I was there to sing a few songs. We slowly got to know each other as I toured across America and he played an entire season that ended with him winning the World Series. Over that time, I fell in love with him, and I knew he was the man I was destined to end up with. I couldn’t marry Brooks when my heart was with Danny.”
“Rumor has it you married Danny. Did you marry him so you wouldn’t have to marry Brooks?” Jolene presses.
This is why I wanted her to interview me. Others might’ve been scared to ask that question, but I want the truth to be known.
I shake my head. “Initially, Danny offered that as an option. But when we decided to go through with it, we did it purely out of love. It was Danny and me, Gregory, and Danny’s mom. That’s it. She officiated. Gregory walked me to Danny. It was small and intimate, and that’s how I knew it was perfect. It wasn’t a lavish affair with hundreds of guests. It wasn’t a gaudy diamond that didn’t fit my style. It was just about the two of us and our love, and I will never forget what a beautiful moment it was.”
“So your father didn’t know?”
I shake my head. “He didn’t find out until Christmas Eve when I had to be back in Los Angeles for the live special.”
Jolene nods. “How did he feel about that, and what’s your relationship like with your dad now?”
“I’ll start by saying we’re on great terms now. But he wasn’t happy when he found out.” I go on to explain how Brooks was holding something over him. I even go so far as to say he was being blackmailed. It’s a criminal offense in California, and at this point, I feel like Brooks should pay for what he’s done.
I don’t hold back when I tell her about D3 and how Brooks was plotting right under his father’s nose the whole time. I tell the truth about how I felt like a prisoner in my own home until I took control of my life. And I’m honest about how it was falling in love with Danny that opened all the doors to all of it.
He made me see my own worth, and it was only with his support and encouragement that I landed in the position where I am now.
“What a comeback story,” Jolene says. “So what’s next for you, Alexis? More movies? More music?”
I glance up at Danny.
He doesn’t know about my plan yet, but Charlotte and Gemma have been working around the clock to make this happen over the last few days, and this morning before I came here to this interview, I signed on the dotted line.
His brows dip as if he can read on my face that I’m about to say something that even he doesn’t know about.
“I’ll finish filming Break Free by the end of the month. Then I’m going to take some time with my husband before he has to report for the season, and I’ll work on my next album in the spring,” I say, not giving away my big reveal just yet.
“Any hints as to what’s coming on the new album? Will your recent experiences be reflected in your music?” she asks.
I nod. “I’ve been writing new songs all through falling in love with Danny and taking control of my life. I have several song titles in mind. ‘Unapologetic,’ ‘Unraveled,’ ‘Secrets.’ But I’ve decided I’m calling the album Taking Control. It sums up so much of what I’ve done in the last few months with my life, my career…just everything.”
“Wow,” Jolene says, and tears shine in her eyes. “And you’ll be touring that album once you release it?”
I shake my head, and I glance over at Danny as I say the next part. He looks confused as I shake my head.
We can refilm this segment if we need to. I need to tell my husband first.
I draw in a deep breath. “Just this morning, I signed a two-year contract with Caesar’s Entertainment. I’ll be headlining a show in Vegas so I can have a home base close to my husband.”
Danny’s jaw drops, and he takes a few steps across the room. “You…you what?” he breathes.
I stand, and I meet him midway as he takes me into his arms. “I don’t want to go on a six-month tour that’ll take me away from you. I know you’ll be traveling for games, but you’ll also be home for half of those games, and when you’re home, we can be together.”
His lips drop to mine, and he pulls back and leans his forehead to mine. “I can’t believe you did that for me.”
“For us,” I correct, and he kisses me again.
And the best part? The entire thing was caught on camera, and we’ll get to watch it again and again.