The Billionaire’s Fan (The Whispering Oaks Society)

Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Asher

My publicist, my agent, and everyone in my circle have been blowing up my phone since arriving back in Empire Bay. Upon landing, notifications lit up my cell phone, along with my bandmates. Once I realized what happened, I put out a brief statement with the help of my PR team and spent the rest of the time trying to get in contact with Jordyn.

Except she wasn’t answering her phone and wasn’t replying to any of my many attempts. After a few hours of trying, I finally got a call from her, except it was her friend Ryan.

He grilled me. It was a little scary, but I remained calm and answered all his questions. After a good ten minutes of tongue lashings from him, he finally told me when and where to go.

I drive like a bat out of hell from Empire Bay to Fairhaven. I pull my car into the driveway and practically run to the front door. Before I could knock, the door swung open and Ryan waved me in with his finger to his lips.

“She’s delicate. She’s extremely drunk. And she’s passed out on the couch.” Ryan says leading me into the kitchen.

My hip rests against the counter and Ryan is on the other side of the counter, putting space between us with a look on his face that is desperate.

“What the fuck do you think you were doing? You were gone for one night!” Ryan whisper-shouts at me.

“I know. I know. It looks bad. But I swear, nothing happened.”

“And that kiss?”

“Surprised the shit out of me, too. It must have been for shock value, something to post online or something. But there was never a kiss that was reciprocated, just that one in the press photo.”

“You admit to it?” Ryan pales.

“The one from the meet and greet, yes. Honestly, she wasn’t the only one. There was one other chick, but thankfully she didn’t hold my hand.”

“There was another?”

I see the look on his face and realize he’s thinking something different from what I mean.

“Listen, during meet and greets, fans tend to get bold. Some get handsy, some will barely touch any of us. I mainly keep my hands at my side and lean in during these. Or I hover a hand at their back, still not touching. I don’t want anyone to think that I touched them inappropriately or get the wrong idea. The woman in the photograph was bold. The other woman was towards the middle of the meet and greet. She leans in and I leaned away just in time.”

“And the woman who made contact? Not once, but possibly twice?” Jordyn asks from the doorway. Her hair is in a messy bun, she has creases from the couch on her cheek, and her eyes are a little glassy. She pushes off the wall and stands beside Ryan, leaning lightly on him.

“Twice? Oh, the other shit. Last night, the guys and I went to a few different places. We had a small group with us. I didn’t know any of them. The guys made friends with them before I got there. We drank a lot. At the last place we went to, I got tired of drinking, tired of standing, and most of all, socializing. I sat down in our private section and a woman joined me. Nothing happened. Nothing at all.”

“You said you were drinking a lot. How can you be so sure that nothing happened?”

“I didn’t black out. I was aware. She sat beside me in the club. She asked standard questions about being in the public eye. And that was it. We went our separate ways until I saw her standing against the railing at the performance of Good Morning, World .”

“So, she stalked you?” Ryan asks.

“I wouldn’t say something like that. She’s a fan. Fans do weird shit sometimes. But I promise.” I lock eyes with Jordyn. “I swear it to you. Nothing happened. We spoke briefly at the club, and that was the only conversation we had.”

“She just felt bold enough to kiss you the next day?” Jordyn asks, “And hold your hand?”

“That was a surprise. She walked up. We said good morning. And then they took the photos. I honestly was going through the motions of a meet and greet. I greet the fan. I take the photo and they move along. Aside from her being bold as hell, and when I put space between us, she was moved off stage and that was the last of it until I saw the photos online. What we don’t see is that I removed her hand from mine and put space between us after the contact.”

Ryan says nothing but pulls his phone out of his pocket and taps on the screen, so I continue.

“Nothing happened. We went our separate ways. I can ask for hotel footage of me going back to my room alone and practically carrying Tate. You can check out the camera footage from the club. I promise you. I would do nothing to jeopardize anything between Jordyn and myself. I’m crazy about her. I’m crazy about you.”

“He’s right. He pulled away.” Ryan chimes in, turning his phone and laying it face up on the counter.

A video plays and you can see the moment that I untangle our hands and step away. You can see the look of shock on her face as the rest of the photos are taken. And then you can see my tight smile as she walks away.

Jordyn takes Ryan’s phone and replays it. She looks at the video, then at me.

“What about at the club?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing happened. We talked, maybe ten, or twenty minutes before I got up to leave. Nothing happened. I only have eyes for you.”

“Nothing happened?” her eyes have tears in them.

“I swear by it. It’s you. Only you.” I step around the counter and we face one another. I’m hesitant to reach out and touch her in case she recoils, but I place my hand on hers on the counter.

“Ryan, can you give us a few minutes alone?” she asks him, looking at me.

“I’ll just be in the other room, holler if you need me.” Ryan leaves the room, leaving us alone.

“I’m sorry.” I start, “I’m sorry that this shit has affected you.”

“You warned me. You told me that sometimes stuff like this happens. I just didn’t expect it so soon.”

“I released a statement as soon as I got off the plane. We have everything flagged and my team will take care of anything that pops up right away, like damage control.”

“What do you need damage control for?”

“Okay, so when my ex, Serena, and I first got together, I was photographed with her best friend. Nothing was happening there, we were just out picking out a birthday present. Since I didn’t know Serena super well, I needed someone who did. Well, the press ate that shit up. And things were taken out of context, repeatedly. I had to do damage control repeatedly, because Serena and her friend were basically always together, and we were sometimes at the same places, which got more people talking. So a lot of damage control was put into place. That’s nothing new in the industry. It’s part of the game. My team is prepared for this and whatever may come up.”

“So, what else can come up?”

“So far, it’s just saying that I’ve moved on from dating you, or I’ve cheated on you. I’m not sure what the motives would be for the woman I was photographed with, but that’s not something that we need to worry about. We just go about our lives, maybe make a few planned appearances.”

“Planned appearances?”

“We show a united front.” I clarify.

“And what would that do?” she questions.

“It shows that we’re not affected by external pressures. That we are strong together and aren’t planning to let some crap interfere with what we have.”

“Okay, I like how that sounds. What’s the plan?”