Assure Her (Assured Distraction Book 1) (23 page)

“You can tell her and I’ll tell the other guys, too, but I want it kept in the band family only. They should know what I’m dealing with in case there are problems,” Chandler said.

“Speaking of problems, Cash. What are you doing about that mob out front of the hotel? We were lucky we made it in with our clothes on,” KeeMac heckled their distracted manager.

“Our own security should be out there by now. I spoke to hotel security and they lined people up for us. If we are happy, they are a private company and might continue on tour with us.” He never took his eyes off the phone as he spoke. “Chandler, I was looking up some other things here about your situation.”

“Find anything I need to know?”

“I did find something but it’s up to you if you want to know.” He looked up and gave her a hard look. She considered him for a moment then nodded. “Steel is playing on the last day of the festival here at Red Rocks.”

She stared at him and KeeMac could see what was coming. “Chandler, take deep breaths. The last thing you need is a panic attack in the restaurant where people are taking pictures and video of us.”

Cash glanced around the crowded restaurant and calmly shook his head ‘yes,’ confirming that Keeton was, in fact, correct about the eyes on them. “Chan, this is not the time to fall apart. You’re a professional, and you can handle this.”

“Harsh much, Cash,” Peri scolded him.

“I’m simply stating the obvious, Peri. This is a situation that is going to eventually have to be dealt with, and it seems like it’s going to be sooner rather than later. It’s still all up to Chandler.” Looking directly at her, he said, “If you want to wait until you get back to Austin to communicate with him, then that’s a plan. Please understand though, they tour internationally, and this may be the closest you’ll be to their location for a long time to come.”

Warding off the impulse to panic, she looked around the table at her newfound family, pulling strength from the comfort she found in their presence. “What do y’all think? Should I try to contact him now, or wait?”

Everyone agreed now would be the best decision. They knew she was anxious, and getting the initial contact over might alleviate some of her worries.

“How do I start though?”

“We have his damn cell number, remember?” KeeMac pulled the paper from his pocket. “Can’t believe that old lady rattled it off to me like that.”

Cash stopped them. “I think you should let me contact the band’s manager, and set-up a meeting for you. If he doesn’t want to do this, it could save you a lot of shit to deal with.”

“Cash’s right, babe. You need to let him set it up.” KeeMac pulled Chandler in and kissed her temple. “We’ve talked about repercussions from this.”

“I will let you, but I want it done ASAP. I’m tired of waiting.”

Cash scrolled through the contacts and tapped a number. “This is Cash Moore manager for Assured Distraction. I need to speak to Paul Harper, please.”

“This is his PA, Jennifer. Can I tell him what the message regards?”

“It’s a personal matter that needs his attention.”

“Just one moment.”

Turning to face the four at the table behind him, “I’ll be fucking glad when y’all get so famous that I can get a full-time PA!”

Peri chimed in with a loud whisper, “You best be talking to me!” The rest of the table laughed.

“Yeah, Cash, this is Paul. What’s up?”

After brief words of pleasantry were exchanged between the managers, Cash broached the reason for his call. “You know I’m managing Assured Distraction, and we’re on a two-month tour with Frission right now?”

“Yeah, I’ve been reading about their firebomb of success, man. Several of their songs are getting a lot of airtime right now. Congrats. Touring with Frission is great for their exposure, too. Some of the guys from Steel were talking about them recently too. Apparently they’re name as an up-and-coming new band is getting around the music scene right now.”

“Thank you. Yes, I’m really pleased with how things are falling into place for them. They’ve been working hard, and it’s starting to come back to them. We’ve had to replace the keyboard player, Jacoby, for a while due to an illness, but we found an outstanding person to take his place. She’s a newbie to the business but she’s had no trouble at, both on and off-stage, fitting in.”

“They were lucky then. That can be hard to do last minute before a tour.”

“The band feels very lucky they found her,” he agreed, looking directly at Chandler, and smiling.”

“So, what can I do for you, Cash?”

“So, yeah. It’s funny that you should mention that Steel has taken notice of AD’s rising popularity. While on tour, our new keyboardist discovered some information that relates to Ryder Steel, and I was hoping we could arrange a brief meeting between the two of them while we are both in Denver this weekend.”

“Oh, man. I don’t know Cash. The guys are enjoying their down time. They’re on the tail-end of a four-month tour, and then they turn right around and hit Europe for another four months shortly after. Couldn’t it wait until he’s back home and they could meet at the office?”

“Yes, it could wait but she’s anxious to get to the bottom of the information she was given.”

“Maybe you could give me the info and I can pass it on to him, and if he thinks it’s necessary to meet sooner, then we can make it happen over the weekend?”

“I’m not sure she wants to divulge the information to anyone else.”

“I’m thinking that’s the best way for Ryder right now though.”

“Hold on, let me ask her what she thinks.” Cash paused his call, and explained the counteroffer to Chandler while the others listened attentively. She was disappointed but agreed if that was the only way to see him.

“OK, she’s agreed to it.”

“So shoot. Or do I need to let my PA take notes?”

“God, this would be so much easier if they could just meet and then she would only have to go through it once.”

“Like I said though, probably not gonna happen right now, Cash.”

Cash gave the manager the short version of the story and waited for him to reply.

“No fucking way, man. Do you know how many skank groupies make this claim about these guys every single year? Tell her to send our lawyers a request for DNA, and they can sort it out.”

“Hey, now wait. That’s not what this is about, Paul.”

“That’s
always
what it is, Cash. Women crawl out of the woodwork from all over, making claims and accusations, looking for their fifteen minutes of fame and more money than they know what to do with. There’s only one way to handle this. Have her lawyers get in touch, until then goodbye, Cash.”

Shutting his phone, Cash looked at Chandler and shook his head in disappointment. “Sorry, Chan. Looks like it’s going to have to wait for now.”

Tears pooled in aqua eyes and spilled over before he could say another word. She knew there was going to be problems but not this quickly. She was suddenly revisited by the sense of loss she felt when she was told her parents had died. It was like reopening the wretched void of loneliness to realize she had no real family in the world. She had a sudden, overwhelming urge to go back to her room and curl up in her bed.

“What did he suggest she do?” Peri was trying to help.

“He suggested her lawyer send a fucking DNA request to his lawyers and let them hash it out.”

Chandler fell apart at that piece of information. KeeMac was so angry when he saw her reaction to that news, he stood up from the table, cradling her against his chest and walked out of the restaurant not caring who was taking pictures of them. Arriving at their room, he laid them both down on the bed, wrapped strong arms around her trying to offer her some comfort for what he was afraid was the first of many heartaches for her over this situation.

****

C
ash was banging on their door bright and early the next morning.

“Where the fuck’s the fire, man? What the hell could you want this damn early?” KeeMac grumbled.

“I called but your phone is off. I’ve been knocking but you didn’t answer,” he said, barging in past KeeMac who was glad he had bothered to put on boxer briefs to answer the door.

“She’s in the shower, right?” KeeMac nodded, dialing room service for breakfast and coffee.

“I have an idea. She was so damn broken up over that response from Steel’s manager last night. Peri and I spent half the night tossing around ideas.”

“Uh, huh?” It was too damn early in KeeMac’s mind to be this energetic.

“They have to do sound check, just like everyone else. I checked the schedule and theirs is tomorrow morning. AD has sound check tomorrow morning, right before them. If we can get close to the bastards, maybe a chance meeting can occur between the two bands. Paul said himself that Steel had taken notice of you guys, so that would be a good
in
for us, to have let the bands meet
by chance
. Chandler might have to do a little charming, not flirting, since it’s her dad. But if she can get the asshat to take notice maybe they can talk long enough to get a longer meeting with him. I know it’s not an ideal location, to put that kind of family shit out there, but it’s the best plan we could come up with that just might fucking work.”

When Chandler walked in the room, KeeMac and Cash were both pumped about the idea. She was more reluctant when they pitched it to her.

“Maybe I should wait ‘til we can all sit down and talk. I don’t want to cause problems for him. And obviously, he’s had these kinds of problems before.”

“Yes, but the letter said he was your father, long before he was famous. Why would your real mother name him when he was a nobody, unless he was really your father? She must have been pretty damn sure of it.”

After thinking it over, she replied to them both. “OK, I’ll do it. But you better find me some good wine to drink if this goes wrong, because I’m going to seriously drown my sorrows in it if this goes badly.”

The day was theirs to do with as they pleased and band chose to all drive up to one of the nearby ski resorts together. It was summer but they had man-made snow for tubing and a ride that came down the mountain like a sled roller coaster. In the afternoon they rode the gondola to the top to have a late lunch and enjoy the view in the sunlight. It was a rare occasion for them all to enjoy an afternoon together.

They went their separate ways when they got back to the hotel. KeeMac kept thinking about getting Chandler along on that gondola ride again for some hot high-altitude sex but she refused because it was too dirty. He gave her hell about being a princess and promised her she would like it but she still refused.

“Chan, if you won’t let me do you on the gondola, let’s get in the hot tub on our patio. The temperature’s dropping and it’s already heated up.”

“‘Do you’, huh?” She laughed at his romantic referral. “That sounds great. We’ve had a fun day. That’s the first time I’ve been out with the band. I really enjoyed them but I’m exhausted now,” she said, pulling out her bathing suit.

“Oh, noooo. This is our own private hot tub. No suits allowed.” He shook his head as he stepped behind her putting his hands on her shoulders. “I love how soft your skin is, babe.” He swept her dark hair away over her other shoulder and started kissing the spot below her exposed ear knowing she couldn’t resist. His fingertips worked their way down, barely caressing her arms, causing all the fine hairs to stand up as if begging for his attention.

Breathlessly, she rebutted, “It’s on the patio, and the other hotel’s not that far off.” Her protest came out in barely a whisper, “People will see us.”

“It’s dark, Chan, and we won’t turn on any lights, just music. And there won’t be anything for them to see. We’ll be in the water,” he paused in his reasoning to place several more kisses down her neck and shoulder, then added, “and I’ll be inside you.” His words were so soft, so seductive, pleading in her ear, as he nipped at the tender edge of it, each phrase accentuated, meant to entice. Damn he was good. How could she say ‘no’ to that, to him? He threaded his fingers through hers from the back as they walked in the direction of the patio, his shorts, already unbuttoned dropping to the floor, sans underwear, along the way. They paused for a moment once they reached the glass partition, the view from their high-rise vantage point overlooking Denver’s skyline at night was stunning.

But Keeton’s focus was singular. He quickly whipped his t-shirt over his head and returned attentive hands to Chandler’s body. Lifting her arms, he worked her shirt over her head at the same torturously slow pace he had traveled down her arms. When he returned to the button of her shorts, prying it open with ease, she was surprised when he hesitated, an expression in his eyes that she couldn’t quite place. She watched his face, lost in his gaze and rooted in place by his touches. Then his attention returned to the work his fingers were doing as they slipped slowly around the inside of the waistband of her shorts, skimming the sensitive flesh over her belly and hips, setting off heat that stretched to her core. He worked her shorts down her legs to her feet, and returned to unhook the clasp of her lacy black bra.

“This is almost too pretty not to wear to be seen. It pushes those gorgeous tits of yours up and makes me hard just looking at them. Damn, now every time you have on a bra, I’m going to get hard thinking it’s this one.”

When he reached her black thong, he hooked fingers in both sides, and popped the seams apart and gathered the soft material in his big hands and moved it to his nose to breathe in the sweet distinct scent of her arousal. Getting his fill, he tossed the remains of intimate lace over his shoulder and turned a wily smirk and hungry eyes on her as he took a very deliberate step forward pulling her into his body.

“I’ve told you about ripping my good panties,” she scolded. “Now I won’t have a matching set.”

“And I told you I would buy you more. Babe, I can’t think of anything I would like more than to take you shopping at La Perla when we get to New York and buying you some more. Or, how about Agent Provocateur? I’m sure someplace like Neiman’s sells those brands, if you prefer. They have stores all over the country.”