Grace Under Fire (Buchanan-Renard 14)

SIXTEEN

The ride to The Garden seemed to take forever.

“Jax, you weren’t exaggerating. There’s already a huge crowd in line.”

“They’re everywhere. Getting you inside is going to take muscle.”

“I’ve got plenty of that,” she said.

Her phone buzzed with a text. Michael pulled her cell out of his pocket and handed it to her. He noticed how her hands shook and opened the text for her.

“It’s from one of Xavier’s assistants telling you three tickets are in an envelope with Detective Samuel’s name on it at the will-call window.”

“I sent the text requesting tickets while my hair was being curled,” she explained. “Now I have one less thing to worry about.”

“Okay, here we go,” Jax called out. He turned the corner and headed to the back entrance. The car was all but swallowed up by screaming fans, both male and female. There were so many the car actually rocked.

“They think Xavier is in here,” Isabel said.

“Jax, you’d have a better chance of sneaking past the crowd if you weren’t driving a limo,” Nick said, stating the obvious.

Michael agreed. “This is a beacon.”

“The windows aren’t just tinted. They’re also bulletproof,” Jax told them.

“There is that,” Noah said.

“If you want to get people out of your way, you should let Isabel drive,” Michael suggested.

Noah, Nick, and Michael had a good laugh. Isabel wasn’t amused. “That’s not funny,” she snapped, which only made them laugh all the more.

Jax ignored them. He continued to drive at a slow pace until they finally reached the steps to the doors. Isabel was amazed he hadn’t run over anyone. Guards blocked fans from coming closer.

“I don’t want to get out of the car,” Isabel whispered.

Michael made her laugh then. “I don’t, either.”

“You’re going to have to show identification because you’re armed,” Jax warned.

“We know the drill,” Nick told him. “Are you ready to have some fun, Isabel?”

She nodded. “I’m ready.”

Noah exited the car first and held the door open. Then Michael got out with Isabel, holding her close to his side. Nick led the way through the guards, who quickly surrounded all of them. The screaming and cheering had intensified, making conversation impossible. Isabel walked with her hands down at her sides. She wasn’t about to hold on to anyone. Once inside, she strode down the hallway with her heels clicking against the concrete floor, following two guards leading the way to Xavier.

It seemed there were twice the number of staff members inside the suite this time, and everyone was busy on a phone. The room, with all the activity, resembled a call center. It was hectic, but happy, for everyone was smiling. Isabel could feel the energy. She couldn’t remember anyone’s name, so she said hello to all of them. Several waved to her; others smiled and nodded while they continued their conversations on their phones.

A young woman Isabel did remember rushed forward to greet her. “Oh my God, Isabel, you look gorgeous. Wait until Xavier sees you.”

“This is Amy,” she told her escorts. “She’s part of Xavier’s creative team, and she wanted to give me a nickname. Did you come up with a good one?”

“I did, but Xavier wouldn’t hear of it.”

“Is he here?”

“Yes, but he’s on the phone doing an interview. He’ll be out in a bit.”

Isabel remembered her manners and introduced Michael, Nick, and Noah to Amy. She noticed most of the women in the room were staring at the men, and she couldn’t blame them. They were mighty fine-looking. Who wouldn’t stare? She was no longer the focus and that was just fine with her. It removed some of the pressure she was feeling. She even managed to smile, a real smile that wasn’t forced.