Alex helps me fix my make-up and I change back into a dress with my boots. I want to be comfortable with these few fans, not some stuffy, pissed-off rock star. I sigh when the knocking starts. I know it’s Ian and he’s either pissed or about to be pissed. He hates meet and greets, doesn’t understand why I feel the need to spend time with people beneath me. The more he bitches, the more I have Alex schedule.
Alex opens the door. Ian stands in the doorway, one eyebrow raised. He’s asking if I’m ready. I nod and follow him and Jones down the hall. There are still fans lingering behind security. I give them a little wave before disappearing behind another door.
This is how I love a meet and greet. Music is turned on as I enter the room, playing softly in the background. Everything is relaxed. A few fans, milling around talking to each other, enjoy complimentary drinks on me. It’s me giving back. Tonight I have four sets of fans who won a chance to meet me from the tickets they purchased and one fan and a lucky guest are here because of a radio trivia game.
I introduce Alex and myself to each of the fans, giving them ample time to ask questions and for us to get to know them. The questions center around touring or what it’s like to be on stage. I’m thankful there aren’t any personal questions.
“Hi, I’m Hadley and this is my best friend, Alex.” I shake the girl’s hand in front of me. Her eyes are a bit glazed over and I wonder if I’m about to be attacked.
She shakes her head. “Sorry, I’m Dylan.”
“It’s nice to meet you. You’re my radio winner, right?”
My wor
ds make her face light up like she’s just won the lottery. This is why it’s so important to know your fans. “I am. I’m so glad I won.”
“Did you come alone? Wasn’t your package for two people?” I always have a concern with someone keeping the extra ticket for themselves and only giving the winner one. It’s happened before.
“Oh no, I brought my friend. He’s sitting down over there.” She turns and points to the guy sitting on a stool in the corner of the room. His eyes are wandering around until he looks right at me, through me. My smile is automatic, nothing forced. He sits up a little straighter before dropping his eyes to his suddenly very interesting can of Coke.
My face falls when he looks away. Why did he do that? When he looked at me, my heart began racing so fast I thought I was going to pass out. Different from the exhilaration I feel on stage. This is real, like the sun shining on just the two of us, our hands a magnetic force field bridging the gap. My palms sweat just thinking about being able to hold his hand. The rush I’m feeling now is like no other. I’ve never been one to believe in love at first sight. Can it exist after one simple look? I keep staring, hoping that for one brief moment he’ll look up, but he doesn’t. Can he feel my eyes trying to get him to look at me? I want to know more – no, I need to know more – about this girl’s friend. I take a step forward, the gravitational pull too strong for me to resist. Alex’s hand comes down on my arm, halting my progress. I turn to Alex. “I have to know him. I have this feeling, Alex. I can’t explain it.”
“He’s very cute,” she says, looking over my shoulder. I follow and have to agree. Although cute doesn’t describe him fully, I want to say gorgeous and I need to know him.
“Can you find out his name for me?” Alex nods and walks over toward him.
His eyes go wide as Alex approaches. He quickly looks at his friend for help, but she’s talking my ear off. I’m not listening, I can’t. I’m studying him and his reaction to Alex. He opens his mouth to speak and they shake hands. He looks so nervous and out of place. I want to rush over there and talk to him, just to hear his voice.
Alex comes right back to me, the look on her face is priceless. “His name is Ryan Stone and he’s extremely shy,” she whispers. I look at him out of the corner of my eye. He’s looking at me, but looks away as soon as I make eye contact.
“Excuse us for a minute,” I say to his friend. Alex and I move to the side, away from unsuspecting ears. “He’s cute, Alex.”
“Very. What are you thinking?”
I look back toward Ryan. He’s still watching me, but this time doesn’t look away. “After party in my suite,” I say to Alex without breaking contact with Ryan.
“Ian is going to flip,” Alex reminds me. She’s right, he will, but I don’t care. I want to know who this Ryan is and this isn’t the place.
Looking back at Alex, I shrug. “We're here for three days. I want to meet some locals. He can’t fault me for being hospitable.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Alex says as she pulls me into a hug. “He’ll fault you for anything that he didn’t suggest.” Alex chuckles. We talk about who to invite and I say screw it and invite all of them over. Maybe I can let loose tonight.
“Listen up,” Alex says loudly. The music is turned down and the chattering stops. “As you know, Hadley loves her fans and is happy you guys came out to the show tonight, so we’re extending an invitation for her after-party. If you’d like to keep your evening going, come see me.”
Ian storms over to me and grabs my arm, pulling me into the corner. “What are you doing?”
“What?” I ask innocently. “I’m not tired and want to hang out. It gets sort of boring for Alex and me just hanging out with each other.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re Hadley Carter. You don’t get to just invite people over to your hotel whenever you want.”
I rip my arm out of his grip. “Thanks for reminding me, but in case you’ve forgotten, I sign your paychecks.”
“You pay me to protect you.”
“No, Ian, I pay Jones to protect me, Anal Anna to do my hair, make-up and pick out my clothes and you to handle my affairs. I’m an adult. If I want to have people come over to a hotel room that I’ve paid for, I can.”
Ian rubs his face, clearly set off by my little temper tantrum. “I don’t get you sometimes, Hadley. One minute you are itching to get home and the next you’re doing something like this. I’m looking around here and can’t fathom how any of these people interest you. Each one is beneath you.”