the air and caught them and skipped out of the hotel room. Despite the dreary topic of conversation, he felt better for having spoken with his mother.
But he had no plans to meet with his father while he was in America. He was here to sing, dance and have a good time, and the most promising time seemed to lie with hanging out with Cee-Cee and her truculent friend, Phoenix. He sent the text with the address to Cee-Cee:
I’m on my way.
----
T he frozen yogurt treat curled from the machine into the cup. Baby Joe, awake now, reached for the frosty sweetness, and Cee-Cee giggled as she pulled his hand out of the way. He vocalized his displeasure with a grunt.
“He’s a demanding little one, isn’t he,” Ashley chuckled. He reached for the baby to let Cee-Cee free her hands to finish fixing her yogurt. She hurried to the caddy where candies, nuts and syrups were arrayed.
Once the three of them had what they wanted, they took a table near the wall and Cee-Cee strategized how to get Ashley to agree to her terms. He smiled at her so openly and honestly that she felt a little guilty about what she had to do.
“Gosh, he’s the cutest! His mum must love him to pieces. She’s your younger sister, right? How old are you again?”
“Twenty-two. She’s, uh…twenty. She was very young when she had him.” Cee-Cee shrugged, embarrassed to admit it. “But, I mean, it’s not like she doesn’t have a future just because she’s a young mom. She’s in school now, and she’s working. I’m trying to talk her into continuing her education after she gets her bachelor’s. She’s so smart.”
Ashley didn’t respond like most people did when she confessed her sister had been a teen mom. He smiled and said, “Very young and very brave to not have taken an easier route and given him up. She’s also blessed to have you as an example of how to go after her dreams.” He beamed at the toddler.
Cee-Cee felt her heart melt a little more for this rock star with the kind words and gentle eyes. He was so the anti-asshole. Why weren’t there more men like him?
“Yeah, she’s a great mom. I’m proud of her.” She meant that. She really did. Recalling some of her ungracious thoughts about Josey, she was certain she had been unfair to her sister lately. She had never thought of herself as a role model, but maybe she really had been instrumental in Josey sticking to school and work.
She made a vow to herself to start encouraging her more, like she had today. She was enjoying having Baby Joe along, too. He was a riot. But she had work to do, and that meant steering the conversation in the right direction. Turning to her briefcase, she addressed the issue at hand. “So, have you and your manager heard from Briton’s council yet? I had a meeting with them earlier today.” She pulled out her tablet and set it on the table away from Baby Joe’s grasping hands.
“Hmm, the sexy, charming Phoenix Briton. Why would I be hearing from him or his council? He made it clear the night we met that he wasn’t interested.”
“They’re planning a fundraiser, and they want you to perform at the event.”
Ashley scooped a spoonful of frozen yogurt into his mouth. “Your doing.”
She grinned. “After seeing you perform at the Yellow Lounge, I was impressed. You’ll appeal to exactly the demographic Briton is targeting. Now, I’ve convinced Phoenix this will help his campaign, but he has some legitimate concerns about having you at the fundraiser.”
“Such as?”
“He’s worried you’re too public. Your face is all over the Internet, and Phoenix just isn’t like that. He wants to ensure that if you come to the show, you’ll stick to the stage. I guess you could say he needs reassurance you’ll keep things…professional.” Ashley guffawed, knowing exactly what she was hinting at. His laughter caused Baby Joe to giggle as well, which made Cee-Cee chuckle. “In order to mollify him, I took the liberty of bringing along some
But he had no plans to meet with his father while he was in America. He was here to sing, dance and have a good time, and the most promising time seemed to lie with hanging out with Cee-Cee and her truculent friend, Phoenix. He sent the text with the address to Cee-Cee:
I’m on my way.
----
T he frozen yogurt treat curled from the machine into the cup. Baby Joe, awake now, reached for the frosty sweetness, and Cee-Cee giggled as she pulled his hand out of the way. He vocalized his displeasure with a grunt.
“He’s a demanding little one, isn’t he,” Ashley chuckled. He reached for the baby to let Cee-Cee free her hands to finish fixing her yogurt. She hurried to the caddy where candies, nuts and syrups were arrayed.
Once the three of them had what they wanted, they took a table near the wall and Cee-Cee strategized how to get Ashley to agree to her terms. He smiled at her so openly and honestly that she felt a little guilty about what she had to do.
“Gosh, he’s the cutest! His mum must love him to pieces. She’s your younger sister, right? How old are you again?”
“Twenty-two. She’s, uh…twenty. She was very young when she had him.” Cee-Cee shrugged, embarrassed to admit it. “But, I mean, it’s not like she doesn’t have a future just because she’s a young mom. She’s in school now, and she’s working. I’m trying to talk her into continuing her education after she gets her bachelor’s. She’s so smart.”
Ashley didn’t respond like most people did when she confessed her sister had been a teen mom. He smiled and said, “Very young and very brave to not have taken an easier route and given him up. She’s also blessed to have you as an example of how to go after her dreams.” He beamed at the toddler.
Cee-Cee felt her heart melt a little more for this rock star with the kind words and gentle eyes. He was so the anti-asshole. Why weren’t there more men like him?
“Yeah, she’s a great mom. I’m proud of her.” She meant that. She really did. Recalling some of her ungracious thoughts about Josey, she was certain she had been unfair to her sister lately. She had never thought of herself as a role model, but maybe she really had been instrumental in Josey sticking to school and work.
She made a vow to herself to start encouraging her more, like she had today. She was enjoying having Baby Joe along, too. He was a riot. But she had work to do, and that meant steering the conversation in the right direction. Turning to her briefcase, she addressed the issue at hand. “So, have you and your manager heard from Briton’s council yet? I had a meeting with them earlier today.” She pulled out her tablet and set it on the table away from Baby Joe’s grasping hands.
“Hmm, the sexy, charming Phoenix Briton. Why would I be hearing from him or his council? He made it clear the night we met that he wasn’t interested.”
“They’re planning a fundraiser, and they want you to perform at the event.”
Ashley scooped a spoonful of frozen yogurt into his mouth. “Your doing.”
She grinned. “After seeing you perform at the Yellow Lounge, I was impressed. You’ll appeal to exactly the demographic Briton is targeting. Now, I’ve convinced Phoenix this will help his campaign, but he has some legitimate concerns about having you at the fundraiser.”
“Such as?”
“He’s worried you’re too public. Your face is all over the Internet, and Phoenix just isn’t like that. He wants to ensure that if you come to the show, you’ll stick to the stage. I guess you could say he needs reassurance you’ll keep things…professional.” Ashley guffawed, knowing exactly what she was hinting at. His laughter caused Baby Joe to giggle as well, which made Cee-Cee chuckle. “In order to mollify him, I took the liberty of bringing along some
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