I can’t help it, I laugh. He tries this intimidation tactic with all his clients but he knows I don’t pay any attention to it. Even so, he continues to try, and I continue to ignore it.
“That would be because I don’t have an answer for you yet.” The band is on a tight time schedule and need to know asap, but I refuse to be pushed to make a quick decision I might regret.
His long sigh confirms his frustration. “Do you think you might have an answer by the end of the day?”
“I’m not sure,” I answer honestly. I want to tell Jett before I tell Michael and I’m not sure if I’ll be seeing him again today. He left before breakfast this morning to head to the recording studio, and I got the impression he was in for a long day.
“Okay, well you figure it out and let me know. Soon.” He ends the call and I stare at Erin, the knots in my stomach forming again.
“Fuck,” I mutter.
I have a bad feeling about this.
* * *
Erin leaves after we discuss my dilemma some more. I’m no closer to a decision and I decide I need to see Jett – maybe seeing him will help me decide. Grabbing my phone, I find his number and dial it.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he answers on almost the first ring. His voice alone causes butterflies in my tummy.
“Hey you. I’m just calling to see if you guys are hungry. Do you want me to bring you all some lunch?”
“Let me check with the guys,” he says, and I hear muffled voices while he checks. A minute later, he comes back on. “Sounds good, baby.”
“Any preferences?”
“None of us are fussy so just grab whatever.”
“Okay, no worries.”
He’s quiet for a beat and then quietly says, “Thank you.”
I can hear the genuine thanks in his voice and it spreads warmth through me. “See you soon.”
A minute later I leave my house and about forty minutes later I enter the recording studio after stopping on the way to grab lunch. I had to text Jett for the address and then I had to call him for directions because it’s tucked away in a nondescript building in The Valley that I struggled to find.
The minute he sees me, he stands from where he was sitting with Van at a table and comes my way. Taking the bags of sandwiches and drinks out of my hands,
he brushes a kiss across my lips and asks, “Anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?”
“Has anyone ever told you how dangerous you are?”
He laughs and bends his head so he can whisper in my ear. “Is it working?”
Nodding, I assure him, “You have no idea just how much it’s working.”
“Good.” His voice has changed from soft to firm, almost possessive, and it hits me in all the right places. Jett has a way of making me feel all woman, and as if I am the only woman in the world.
West’s voice interrupts our moment. “Okay you two, enough. I’m hungry and need food.”
Jett distributes the food and I notice the tension that’s obvious between him and Van who is still scowling at him like he was the last time I saw him. I can’t help but wonder how the heck they are going to make it through an album together at this rate, because it doesn’t seem like either man is willing to back down.
I take a seat next to Jett and look around the room. “So, have you knocked out a few songs this morning?” I joke, trying to break through the tense atmosphere.
West chuckles. “Yeah, babe, we’ve nearly finished the whole album.”
I love his teasing tone and play along. “Awesome, so I can have Jett all to myself in a few days?”
“Well, if he’s not down with that, I’ll happily step up and take his place,” West flirts with me.