Chapter 10
Dalton
I’VE DOUBLED DOWN since I found out just how much Raleigh’s profession means to her.
I hadn’t meant to stress her out that night at Mae’s show, but I played it too cool and got burned for it.
She was right, I didn’t need to be drinking on the job.
I’d gotten too cocky too quickly and thought I might be able to take a moment and try to add a few pieces to the puzzle that is Raleigh Davis.
Despite us being here for Mae, she was clear that all communication from me and my team should go through Raleigh.
We’ve done our best to ease the extra work by putting together a precise plan of action before each event.
She’s signed off on each of them without complaint, which I hope means that she trusts me to do a good job.
Raleigh runs a tight ship, that much is for sure.
I don’t want to be the one to let her down.
Tonight’s red carpet event will be the first real test. The girls’ stalker has been released with a restraining order, and while I doubt he’d be dumb enough to show his face here tonight, his release was a reminder of the importance of our new position.
There’s also the uncertainty of a new reporter that Raleigh mentioned having an affinity for publishing the truth about Nashville, no matter how dangerous those truths could be to the artists.
Obviously having been through the media wringer before, Mae shakes it off and simply reviews her talking points for questions and a possible acceptance speech.
Even with the extra edge of the unknown out there, preparations for the event are still easier than it had been with Trenton.
There’s far less alcohol involved and complaining is lesser still.
Raleigh and Mae go over the plan for the evening and the rest of the glam team converses as they curl Mae’s hair and work on her makeup.
I’ve staked a claim in a corner while the boys take care of the car.
When Mae is swept into the room next door to get into her dress, Raleigh relents and finally admits to my presence. “I looked over the plan for tonight,” she starts, pushing away from the wall where she had been planted but stops a few feet away.
“Do you think it’s tight enough?” I ask, genuinely wanting her opinion.
“You’re the professional,” she says, crossing her arms in a move that seems defensive.
“It’s alright, Raleigh. It’s airtight.” Not knowing where else this conversation could go, I turn to step outside. She stops me with a slight hum.
“It’s just, with…”
I turn to see her hugging herself tighter.
“Him?” I ask, meaning the stalker. She’d heard about his release then.
Of course she had. My guard is instantly up for her.
They'd both been tough the night of, but to know he got no more than a slap on the wrist and a potential paper to sign signifying empty promises, I’m sure they didn’t feel great about it.
“Yes”—she swallows—“I just don’t want any surprises.”
I nod in agreement. “We’ll be careful.” I see the slightest upturn of her lips before it’s all banished for a real smile for Mae in her stunning gown.
Raleigh is almost like a proud mother. I hadn’t seen it before, but Raleigh is full of protection and pride for Mae, more so than the average publicist. The sad thing is, I don’t know if Mae realizes that.
The two of them admire the completed look together and then her team gathers her skirts for the trek downstairs. Taking a step back, I let the long procession pass me by before I can be smothered by 12 layers of dress and the guarded aura of the woman in command.
Once in the car, we depart in an abundance of quiet.
Glancing at the rearview mirror, I find Raleigh tapping away on her phone, and Mae mouthing what I can only imagine are her talking points from the flash cards from earlier.
Mae’s fingers find their way to her mouth whenever she gets caught up, and Raleigh reaches across and removes them without lifting her eyes from her screen.
It’s just one more example of their complete ease with one another, they don’t even have to think about it.
Raleigh must feel my gaze on her because she glances up from underneath her lashes and scowls. “Keep your eyes on the road,” she says before returning to her work.
I’m not even in the driver’s seat but I listen anyway.
***
Red carpet events are a whole new beast when it comes to accompanying Mae.
Nobody ever cared much about Trenton and his walk.
He didn’t really care all that much either, but Mae eats up every second of it.
Raleigh and I watch from beyond the line of photographers while one of my men trails her on the carpet.
“Smile,” Raleigh mumbles next to me. I trace her eyeline straight to Mae and notice that she is, in fact, not smiling.
“Should we be worried?” I ask, leaning in close enough that my breath makes an indentation in her hair next to her ear. She tosses it over her shoulder and turns to me.
Surprisingly, she doesn’t scold me, merely answers my question. “Not particularly worried,” she starts, her fingers thrumming against her leather-bound notebook. “We’re just trying to give everyone a softer look.”
Squinting back beyond the photographers, I try to see Mae in a different light.
Despite the strong look on her face, I can’t imagine her as anything but a bright young woman.
“Who’s been saying that she needs one?” I ask, turning back to Raleigh.
She meets me with a disconsolate look. It seems she’s about to answer but then Mae’s moved on to media row and Raleigh hurries to catch up.
The first reporter on the line is a young woman, can’t be much older than Mae, with a fury of curly hair.
Raleigh stiffens beside me as the young professional introduces herself as Genelle Cienski with The Nashville Reporter.
It’s the woman the girls had discussed earlier.
Mae seems to realize this at the same moment because an easy smile comes across her face.
Confident and excited to take on the challenge she had been preparing for all afternoon.
Genelle flashes a brilliant smile as the camera starts rolling. “I’m here with Mae Evans, the Queen of Nashville herself. How are you tonight, Ms. Evans? We noticed that your man isn’t on your arm tonight. Anything to say about that?”
The last thing Mae needs is any extra drama by answering this question wrong.
Luckily it’s not the trap that Genelle deems it to be.
“Trenton is on a short concert stint at the moment.” I catch the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gaze at Raleigh.
The publicist is nodding so Mae returns her attention to the interview.
“We love working together, but we also love to surprise each other with individual side projects. I’m sure Trenton is watching from his hotel in Phoenix right now.
” She gives a little wave to the camera.
“Good job, girlie,” Raleigh whispers, pleased with Mae’s short and sweet answer.
“Do they always try to lead into stuff like that?”
“Oh, did they not get personal with Trenton?” She asks it with humor in her voice, but she’s not laughing.
Genelle, not flustered by the lack of drama, pushes on.
“We’re all excited to see you here tonight, Mae, and I think it’s wonderful that you’re supporting such a wonderful cause.
Do you want to talk a little about what’s inspired you to get involved with Clean for All and their mission of offering support for recovering addicts? ”
“Oh, shit,” Raleigh says from beside me. Leaning forward it seems like she might leap into the middle of the interview at the drop of a hat. She sees something I don’t, and I hate it.
Mae’s soft smile shines on as she recites the answer she’d practiced all day. “I just know what that type of struggle can do to a family—”
“Like you and your mother,” Genelle says, uninterested in the PR answer being fed to her. The starlet’s face falls but only for a moment. “Is she part of the reason you’ve taken on such a cause?”
I don’t know much about Mae’s past but this insinuation is an overstep in my opinion.
Clenching my fists tightly, I take a big lunge forward.
Raleigh is instantly tugging me backward.
Her steady hand in mine immediately zaps all the fight or flight from my body.
Luckily, she’s stopped me before I can garner any attention.
“She can handle this. Just let her work,” she admonishes, pulling her hand back as if I were on fire.
I nod and flex my hand that’s now absent from her touch.
I think I may make another move if it means her hand would find mine again.
Mae’s composure returns and she manages to go on and answer the inquiry with every bit of grace and sass I’ve come to expect these last few weeks.
“Tonight isn’t about me, Genelle, but feel free to talk all about me at the Country Music City Awards.
We both know I’m all people will be talking about anyway.
” Without another word, Mae gathers her dress and steps away toward the next media outlet.
Despite being abandoned, Genelle has a knowing smirk on her face, as if that was exactly what she wanted from Mae.
“How much damage did that do?” I ask, keeping my eye on the young reporter as she smoothes down her hair and laughs with her cameraman.
“Probably less damage than telling everyone about her mother. I’m sure there will be some chatter about it all when Genelle writes her story over the event tomorrow, but hopefully, the rest of the night goes well.”
We move down the line and Raleigh waves to a man in passing. “Are they always that ruthless?” I ask, imagining all the straight teethed and made up reporters as vultures circling their injured prey.
Raleigh sighs in annoyance but answers me anyway.
“Very rarely. Genelle’s new. She’s looking to get her name out there.
That kind of approach only works if she’s equally as tough on the inside.
She’ll face a lot of flack for it by Mae’s fans and the other outlets that have deals with the record label. ”
“Would you ever want me to intervene?” I ask. “I promise it’s my last question tonight.”
“Somehow, I highly doubt that,” she says with the subtlest smile.
“I’m serious. I don’t want to screw anything up for either of you, but would you want me to step in?”
She scoffs with a teasing smirk and the roll of her eyes. “I’ll leave that up to you.” It’s not at all the answer I was looking for or expecting.
“Oh, come on, I know you have an opinion. You have one on everything else.”
She laughs at that and I’m glad she sees it as a joke, not a harmful jab.“I know I do. I have an opinion, but I kind of want to see what your limits are.” Mae waves and Raleigh steps away from me to meet her. The immediate absence of her has me uncomfortable.
“I thought we were past the test phase of our relationship?” I cough out. With the same flirtatious look as before, she glances back at me.
“Oh, babe, this isn’t the half of it.” I watch after her as she leaves, collecting Mae and heading toward the grand double doors leading into the ballroom.
With the girls out of my sight, I tap my earpiece and inquire after the rest of the team.
I have a man meeting them at the door and another at the car ready to come to us whenever we need.
Taking a deep breath, I let myself soak in the responsibility.
I knew I’d be able to handle the job, and the clients have only made it more desirable.
I’ve found that I actually care about their well-being; my reaction to the uncomfortable question and the anxiety on their faces had been enough to prove that to me.