Haunting your stereo
The other woman
Got my red dress and high heels on
Lips painted red like in the magazine spread
Things have been rough. Jameson went as far as hiring me a bodyguard for when I go out because I received death threats calling me a homeworker. People can be so mean behind their keyboards. They don’t even know me, and they hate me. Some have said they would buy my music just to burn it. It’s pretty fucked up. Of course, Jameson has received his own fair share of hate, but for every fan who has turned on him, there are five more ready to defend him. In their eyes he’s a God. I am just an evil temptress, and no one is good enough for their man.
The guys in Jameson’s band have been welcoming. Mainly Austin. He’s picking Ruby Jane up from the airport. Jameson convinced Thea and Rodney to allow her to come out and spend the week with me. I can’t wait to see a familiar face. They should be at the house by the time I get there. I’m staying at Jameson’s place. It’s nothing like the house he bought back in Nashville. All windows and ultra-modern, a true bachelor’s pad with everything stainless steel and black leather.
The gate closes and my bodyguard opens my door and sees me safely inside. It gets annoying having a babysitter, but I know it is for my safety. “Thanks, Frankie.”
“No problem, Ms. Mathews.” He’s a large man with a bald head who wears nothing but suits and dark sunglasses. He is all business too.
“I told you to call me Peyton.” He doesn’t respond and when I open the front door, I hear Ruby Jane’s loud voice echoing off the walls.
“Peyton!” She squeals taking a run at me and nearly tackling me to the ground.
“Easy. I think you squished a kidney.” I laugh, hugging her back. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too. I am so sick of touring colleges.” She rolls her eyes. “This house is bitchin’.”
“It totally is. How was your flight?” We walk toward the kitchen, and I drop my bag on the counter. Austin is in the living room watching some stupid Hollywood gossip show. And of course, Viola is on there with live coverage of her A-list baby shower.
“It was okay. I sat next to this really cute surfer. I got his digits too and thought maybe you could take me to this party he invited me to.”
Austin’s head snaps in our direction and he has this weird almost jealous look on his face. I tuck that away for later though. He is way too old for her and I think Jameson would kill him. “How old is this surfer?”
“Not too old,” she evades answering, and I laugh.
“I’ll think about it,” I respond, watching Austin from the corner of my eye, but he appears oblivious to the conversation now. I look back at the TV and want to scream. The tagline for their piece is Jameson Lewis’ love child gender reveal coming up next.
“Ignore her, Peyton. She will get hers when Jameson gets the court order on that DNA test. He’s got that attorney your Dad recommended working on it.”
“I know. It’s just she infuriates me. She’s a big boobed Barb,” I grumble and Ruby Jane giggles. My Dad got a rush put through with the divorce. Barb took her settlement and ran. I hope it is the last we see of the bitch. She was forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement about being married to my father and anything to do with me or Jameson before she was given her money
“A what?” Austin asks, looking over at us as I take some strawberries and fruit dip from the fridge.
“A royal see you next Tuesday,” Ruby Jane tells him, and he doesn’t get it based on the blank expression on his face.
“A cunt,” I inform him with a laugh.
“Noted.” He winks at Ruby Jane and she blushes. God, they have trouble written all over them.
“You know she just graduated from high school, don’t you?” I point out.
“Shut up,” she hisses, and he looks surprised I am calling him out.
“She’s your best friend’s little sister and like seven years younger than you. He’ll bury you in the backyard.”
“It’s not like that,” he lies with a red face.
“Whatever you say, but it’s your funeral,” I warn. I don’t get to say anything more because the gate intercom is buzzing. Steven’s daughter is here. That man works fast. Layani is amazing at her job, and I can see her being someone I’d want to hang out with. She’s a little older than me, a single mom who lives and breathes fashion. I make her promise to let me treat her to lunch soon for the look she put together for me.
It’s so not something I would have ever dreamed of picking for myself. I am a jeans and t-shirt girl, but when I put on this red satin dress that has a retro Hollywood feel about it, I’m in love. It fits me like a glove. Ruby Jane smoothed my hair into big waves, and I put on my red lipstick. Austin is whistling when we ask for his opinion.
The next day Ruby Jane and Austin accompany me to the beach. Steven ends up casting them as love interests in the shoot against my reservations, but I go along with it. I’m on the pier with one of those old-style microphones, lip-syncing to the song. The guy filming it all gets a few shots of Ruby Jane having a picnic on the beach and rolling around in the sand with Austin. Jameson is going to have a shit fit.