AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you Cailin McCall?” one of them asks. They clearly have noticed they are both waiting for me.
“Yes, I am. The one and only. As in, I only booked one of you, so I’m a bit confused right now.” I put down my luggage, which is already weighing on my shoulders.
“Allow me to explain,” says the driver wearing an all-black suit and black gloves. “Mr. Slater sent me to pick you up. I have specific instructions to escort you to his location.”
“Oh, that’s nice of him.” I wonder if he surprised all his crew members with drivers. “I guess I won’t be needing you to take me to my destination,” I tell the other driver, who is dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. “I’ll be taking this service, but I will pay you for your time.”
The driver nods and I give him my debit card to scan.
“You’re not some psycho planning to kidnap me, are you?” I ask the other driver. “I’m going to snap your photo and text it to Jax.” I do exactly that.
Jax replies back immediately.
Jax: Ah, great. You met Stan.
Me: If you assure me that Stan is not a serial killer, I will get in the car with him and let him take me to the tour buses.
Jax: Just trust me. He’s not taking you to the tour buses.
Me: What do you mean? We all have to meet up in an hour there.
Jax: I told everyone I’m running late and to push things back an hour. That something important came up.
Stan is staring at me as I text. So I tell him I trust him, hand over my bags, and climb in the backseat of the car while I continue texting Jax.
Me: I see. Pulling the old pop star running late trick. May I ask where Stan is taking me?
Jax: My house.
His house. Well, now I’m really awake. Talk about a shot of adrenaline. I was not prepared for this at all. Why is Jax Slater sending a car service to bring me to his house? I’m so grateful I mouth-washed, but now I am regretting that I did not reapply deodorant. This is not how I imagined meeting one of the world’s biggest pop stars—and my new client—for the first time. I take out my scented lotion and lather it on my arms and neck. Hope Stan likes the scent of the tropics.
Me: Your house?
Jax: I didn’t want the first time we meet to be in front of a bunch of people. Don’t worry, Stan will drive you separately to the meet-up location so no one will suspect a thing. I’ll show up a few minutes later in another car with my bodyguard.
Me: Of course you have a bodyguard. Will this bodyguard be present when I arrive?
Jax: No one will be blocking my body when you arrive.
* * *
Before I fully process what’s happening, Stan pulls the black SUV up to the biggest house I’ve ever laid eyes on. He puts a code into the gate and proceeds to drive up a very lengthy driveway. Eventually, we arrive in front of a fountain. Stan steps out of the car, opens my door, and tells me that he’ll be waiting here while I’m inside.
My legs feel like liquid as I slowly approach the door. I’m nervous like Angela Chase was as she watched Jordan Catalano walk over to her, right before he took her hand and led her down the hallway in My So-Called Life. I know something big is going to happen, but I’m not sure what’s in store. I knock on the door and Jax quickly opens it. He’s wearing a pair of blue jeans and I think it’s one of the pairs he sent me a picture of, that I said I liked. His plain light green shirt is hugging his chest and showing off his bulging arm muscles. They’re decorated with more tattoos than I remember.
He holds a steady face, bites his lower lip, and motions for me to come inside before closing the door.
“Thanks for the ride.” In person, his eyes are a deep blue and I’m already drowning in his love, but I can’t show that one bit.
Jax takes my hands in his and says, “Thanks for trusting me.” I’m mortified that my hands are sweaty and still trying to wrap my brain around this, but yet, I feel like my hands have found a cozy, new, protective home.
We awkwardly stand facing each other in silence for a moment, eyes locked and soaking in every detail of the other. Jax stands about six feet three inches tall. He’s about a foot taller than me and I make a mental note to book a chiropractor appointment, because for the next month, I plan on never taking my eyes off Jax. His face is worth the neck pain. We both smile and I begin to laugh, breaking the silence.
“This is a big surprise, Jax. I cannot even believe I am standing here, and that you sent a car service to get me and bring me to your house. Why did you bring me here?”
“I wanted to meet you in private,” Jax says. “This might sound weird, but stay with me. You know how some couples do that first look thing at weddings? I only know this because, you know, I was a groomsman in Ridge’s. They did that. An intimate moment between the couple that takes place for only them. The wedding is the show, for everyone else. But that moment, it’s just the two of them.”
I stumble on my words. “You wanted to create a special moment to meet me?” Me. Cailin McCall. The good girl who says the wildest thing she’s ever done is go to the store without makeup.
