FanGirl Squeal (RockStars of Romance Book 1) (30 page)

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Cash looked down at his phone. Olivia’s name flashed across
the screen. Savannah was so into the music that she just nodded when he excused
himself to go outside and take the call.

“You’re killing me, kid,” Olivia said as soon as Cash
answered.

“What did I do?”

“I had no idea you were going to L.A. this weekend. We had
you scheduled for band rehearsal tonight and tomorrow. You’re going on tour in
Europe in a week. Don’t you think rehearsing with your band is more important
than wooing some blogger chick?”

“How did you know I was out with Savannah?” Cash replied.

Olivia chuckled snidely. “You don’t make it in this business
without knowing a few folks, Cash.”

“And stop referring to my girl as some blogger chick,” Cash
demanded. “If I need to be at rehearsal tomorrow, I’ll be at rehearsal
tomorrow. But I’m spending the rest of the night with my girlfriend.”

“Don’t let your personal life negatively affect your career
is something that I tell all of my clients,” Olivia stated. “You’re not new to
this industry, Cash. You know how things work. Nothing good for your career can
come from dating a gossip blogger.”

Cash clenched his jaw tightly. “That’s enough. My personal
life doesn’t need commentary from my manger. Your job is to-”

“I don’t need you to tell me what my job is,” Olivia cut him
off sharply. “I’m doing my job. I’m damn good at my job. I need you to not make
my job impossible to do. I’ve worked my ass off pulling together a European
tour for you in three months when it usually takes up to a year to plan. The
least you could do is show up for rehearsal and act like this is something that
you asked for. I don’t interfere in what you do when you’re off the clock, but you’re
not on a break, Mr. Myers. Remember that.”

“Whatever,” was the only response Cash could think of right say.

He didn’t like being scolded like a child but Olivia had a
point. He’d messed up by not getting properly prepared for his tour. His
European fans didn’t get to see him nearly as much as his American fans and
they deserved everything to be perfect. He couldn’t slack off just because he
missed his girlfriend.

“I’ll be back in time for rehearsal,” Cash assured his
manager. “This won’t happen again.”

“That’s all I ask,” Olivia said before hanging up in Cash’s
ear.

Cash went back inside and joined Savannah at their table.
The opening act was just finishing. The break gave him a few minutes to tell
her about the phone call.

“Don’t you think she’s right?” Savannah asked. “You can’t
put off work because you want to see me. I’m always going to be here. I’m not
going anywhere, Cash.”

It was that last sentence that solidified Cash’s feelings
for Savannah. There was substance in her words and conviction in her eyes. He didn’t
have to worry about leaving her for a month while he toured Europe. She’d be
there when he got back. He’d tell her about the baby then. Out of nowhere, her
father’s voice snuck into his head.

“How are you going to protect her?”

Any way that I can
, Cash thought. He slid his arm
around Savannah’s waist and held it there for the rest of the headliner’s set.

By the time the hour-long set ended, Savannah was feeling a
bit tipsy and had sweated off most of her make-up while dancing to the upbeat
blues jams that Erica Steele and Joey Clausen had jammed to. Cash had enjoyed
the show too. He had worked on a couple of Erica’s songs for her new album and
the saxophonist was only getting better every time she hit the stage solo.

Cash escorted Savannah to the exit and was hit with a
barrage of flashing lights. Word had gotten out or someone had alerted the
paparazzi that Aiden Tyler and his wife were at the House of Blues. The paparazzi
went nuts when they realized they’d gotten lucky with a two-for-one as Cash and
Savannah walked out behind the Tylers and waited for their drivers to bring
their cars around.

The clicking of shutters and flashing of camera lights lit
up the sidewalk. Cash tried his best to ignore it. He, Aiden, and Sunny weren’t
new to the attention. He was concerned about Savannah, but when he looked over
at her, she was having a conversation with Sunny and they both were ignoring
the cameras.

“Yo Cash!” Aiden turned around and spotted Cash. “What’s up,
man?”

“Nothing much,” Cash replied. He was surprised that Aiden
even knew his name. They didn’t travel in the same circles.

“Congrats on the album, dude,” Aiden said. “It’s bad ass.”

“Thanks. I’m about to go over to Europe for a month and
tour.” Cash replied, clearly taken aback that someone as successful as Aiden
Tyler was paying his music any attention.

“I love touring in Europe. They appreciate good music. When
you get back to L.A., we need to get in the studio together,” Aiden said. “We
can jam with my band and see what happens. People will lose their shit if you
and I do a project together.”

Aiden Tyler was currently holding an honorable mention on
Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Guitarists list and he’d only been in the industry
for fifteen years. Cash was honored that the best blues guitarist since Stevie
Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton wanted to jam with him. It was an opportunity he
couldn’t turn down even though they didn’t play the same kind of music.

Aiden had ventured into mainstream pop once or twice, but
Cash lived there. He didn’t play the blues that often, but he could if he
wanted to. Sharing studio time with an artist like Aiden Tyler was like hitting
a homerun off the Yankees.

“Yeah, that works for me,” Cash replied casually, trying to
downplay his excitement.

“That’s your girl over there talking to my wife?”

Cash nodded. “Yeah. That’s Savannah.”

“She’s fine,” Aiden commented. “Looks like she and Sunny are
going to be BFFs soon.”

“They’re talking about shoes, I’m sure,” Cash laughed. “I
think Savannah and my sister both worship the ground Sunny walks on.”

Sunny Tyler may have been married to music powerhouse, but
she was no slouch herself. Far from a regular girl, that’s for sure. Brittany
and her friends spent hours watching Sunny’s fashion videos on YouTube and
spent thousands of dollars on Sunny’s RainDrops collection. Cash only knew this
because he often had to take Brittany shopping. To Brittany, Sunny was her
generation’s Rachel Zoe. She was going to freak out when Cash told her that she’d
met her idol.

Cash’s Phantom pulled up. A red Lamborghini Huracan pulled
up right behind it. The valet got out and tossed the keys to Aiden while Cash
and every other man in the vicinity stood with their mouths hanging open. Cash
had only seen pictures of the sports car. He was tempted to run his hands along
the smooth exterior but knew better than to touch another man’s car.

Cash looked at Aiden. “Is that you?”

Aiden nodded with all the swagger and boastfulness his ego
could muster. “Just got it last week.”

“That car doesn’t come out until next year.”

“For regular folks,” Aiden laughed and reached for his wife.
“You know how things work for people like us. Holla at me when you get back.”

Aiden and Sunny got into the Lambo and sped off leaving Cash
shaking his head in absolute amazement while he and Savannah climbed into his
Rolls Royce. After seeing the Lambo, Cash felt like he was climbing into the
backseat of a Camry.

“Did you see that car?” Cash said to Savannah. “And he wants
to book some studio time together when I get back. Can you believe that?”

Savannah burst out laughing. “Aww, you’re fangirling over
Aiden Tyler! Is he your mancrush?”

“No!” Cash laughed too. “But come on, that’s Aiden Tyler we’re
talking about. That dude has eleven Grammys! He’s played with Clapton and the
Stones.”

“OMG, I can’t believe you’re acting like one of us. You do
realize you sound just like one of your fans, don’t you? Besides, you’re just
as good as Aiden Tyler. You have Grammys too. Your fans have fans,” Savannah
laughed.

“Yeah, but Rolling Stone isn’t putting me on their Greatest
Guitarist list any time soon.”

“Because you’re not just a guitarist. You’re a pianist too.
You and Aiden are just different kinds of musicians. I think it’s awesome that
you idolize him. I’d be concerned that you were too big for your britches if
you didn’t.”

“So, I have something to tell you,” Cash said, conveniently
changing the subject. “Since our pictures are going to be everywhere soon, I
think you should know that I had a rather long talk with your parents.”

“I know,” Savanna smiled. “My father told me. I was
wondering when you were going to let me know.”

“I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret,” Cash explained. “I
just didn’t want to tell you over the phone and I knew I was coming out here.
Did he tell you what we talked about?”

Savannah shook her head no. Cash was surprised to hear that
Dr. Ford hadn’t given his daughter a detailed run-down of their conversation.

“All he said was that he was going to keep his nose out of
our business and that he’d try to get my mother to do the same. What did you
talk about?”

“You and me obviously,” Cash answered. He kissed Savannah’s
forehead when she began to frown.

“I basically wanted to tell them about myself and how much I
care about you. I wanted to tell them that I’m not with you for any other
reason except that I love you.”

“When it comes to my parents, actions are what matters to
them. People say things all the time, but to them, it’s not what you say, it’s
what you do. My mother is never going to accept us, I guarantee that. Ashley
will take my mom’s side. My dad, I think will be okay as long as he sees that I’m
happy.”

“That’s what I gathered from the conversation,” Cash paused.
He looked over Savannah’s shoulder as the car sped down the highway.

“They made some good points though. We don’t know how people
are going to react by us being together. I’m not the first white celebrity to
date a black woman, but people can be cruel and ignorant. I just want you to
know that we are in this together. I won’t let you deal with that bullshit on
your own.”

“Well, I’m glad that you realize that most of the ignorance
will be directed towards me,” Savannah sighed. “I admit, I’m very concerned but
there isn’t anything we can do about it. I’m always going to be black and I’m
always going to love you, so there’s nothing they can say that will change
that. As long as you don’t let it change how you feel then we won’t have a
problem.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Cash Myers.”

The month Cash was gone seemed to fly by. I didn’t have a
spare moment to spend dwelling on the fact the he was in Europe without me.
Work has consumed every minute of my day.

Awards season and Fashion Week are the busiest months for
any entertainment journalist and/or fashion blogger. Both were approaching
fast. Being photographed talking to Sunny Rain, the most sought after celebrity
stylist in the country right now sent my stock through the roof. We were just
talking about how bad our feet hurt. Cash and I weren’t double dating with the
Tylers. He’s not her newest celebrity client. I don’t even think my man has a
stylist on his payroll, and I’m pretty sure I’m not Sunny Tyler’s new best
friend. However, those were the headlines the next day on every popular gossip
site. This is why people should not trust paparazzi. Nevertheless, the rumor
mill is sending a ton of work my way because of that one shot. At least no one
wrote that Cash was slumming it with me in Beverly Hills.

After our date, he had to get back home to rehearse for his
tour; something about a new band, I wasn’t paying attention. I flew home with
him and spent a week in New York until he left. When he wasn’t rehearsing or
meeting with his road manager, we did couple things together.

People are beginning to speculate on the nature of our
relationship. I am surprised that it doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it
would. So far, only the people who hate me professionally have gotten under my
skin. Bloggers like Melrose and Aubrey James, who rarely take the time to
investigate the truth and recklessly post about celebrities’ lives as if they
aren’t real people always have something to say. When a journalist’s work, no
matter how low on the totem pole they are, starts to reek of jealousy, it’s
time to take a step back and reevaluate life. That’s one thing Melrose and
Aubrey haven’t learned yet.

With the speculation on if I’m really Cash’s new girlfriend
running amuck, there are also the people who are “just gonna die if Cash and
Victoria don’t get back together.” These drama queens are the worst of them
all. It’s one thing to wish your favorite celebrity hooks up with your other
favorite celebrity. It’s a whole other thing to wish death on his new girlfriend.
These people freaked me out before I started dating Cash Myers. Now, not only
do they freak me out, but I’m considering hiring security for when I go out.
They don’t like me at all. Nothing about me.

My phone and email are constantly full of requests for
interviews and comments. Nicole and I do this regularly. We’re always calling
publicists and managers and utilizing our sources to get the scoop so it feels
very strange being on the other end of that conversation. But since Cash has
been overseas this whole time, I don’t want to talk about our relationship with
him. Right, I’m just focused on work.

“Done!” I shouted and threw my hands in the air.

Nicole burst out laughing and tossed me a small bottle of
Gatorade like I’d just finished running a marathon.

“You finished all those articles?” she laughed. “Are you
serious?”

With my mouth gulping down large swallows of the cold
beverage, I nodded. I actually felt like I’d just finished a 5K run. With
deadlines rapidly approaching and Cash flying home from Amsterdam today, I
wanted nothing more to clear my To-Do list so that I can have some free time
with my man. He’s so busy that I don’t know when this might happen again.