For Now (Forever Book 1) (3 page)

Camden

              What an
asshole
, this was a mistake. I can’t really do this to a nice, sweet girl like Ellie. She really is cute with her long blonde hair up in one of those messy ponytails that are so sexy, big green eyes, nice curves and legs that never seem to end. Though, I look at her standing there looking down and biting her lip and I think, she’s exactly what I need. Wait, I mean exactly what we need to fix his image. She’s sweet and just by looking at her I can tell she’s innocent. Just the thought of someone thinking she could be a slut had her almost in tears. I start to tell her to just ignore him when she looks up.

              “$20,000,” she mummers.

              “What?” we both reply, shocked.

              “$20,000 and I will be your girlfriend,” she says a little more confidently. “I mean, pretend girlfriend,” she adds.

              “Why would a girl like you want to follow around a bunch of rowdy rock stars?” I ask her.

              “You need a girl like me and I need money. The reason doesn’t matter. Do you want me or not?” she asks looking at Ryder, trying to feign confidence.

              “Well, sweet usually isn’t my thing, but I could make an exception for a night with you.” Ryder says and I want to hit him. I have the intense urge to defend this girl from him.  I’ve never felt protective of a girl that he flirted with before, why was she any different. Maybe because this wasn’t the usual girl and she just seemed to need protection.

              “Let’s get one thing straight right now,” she demands, “if I do this, no more inappropriate comments, no touching, no flirting and no sex, and this is only for one month. I’m going to be your pretend girlfriend, not some slut you can pay to follow you around and have sex with you.”

              Ryder’s mouth dropped open and I smirked. Why was I worried about this girl? For being so sweet and innocent, it seems she can handle herself just fine.

              “I need you for two months,” I say. “I mean, we need you for two months.”

              “Fine, just let me know where to go and when,” she says as she writes her number down. I grab it before Ryder has a chance. No way is he getting this number. I look over at him and see him wink at her. What the hell have I gotten her into?

Elaina

              What the hell have I gotten myself into? I can’t leave Karen and Jackson behind, they need me, though this money would be enough to pay a good chunk of the loan and hospital bills. I need to talk to Karen and figure this out. She’ll know what to do.

              I chat with Ryder and Camden some more about the tour and say goodbye to them and they head out to arrange for me to join them.  Amy agrees to close up without me, so I can go home and talk to Karen, since I wasn’t originally scheduled today.  I’m just glad she doesn’t know about what Ryder asked me to do, or I would never get out of here with all the questions she would have for me.

              “Hey, how was work today?” Karen asks from the kitchen table, as I walk in the door.

              “Good,” I say as I kick off my shoes and go into the kitchen to find a snack. “Ryder Kinick came in today.”

              “Oh, I’m glad you had a good….Wait, what? Ryder Kinick was in the bar? Tonight? And you didn’t give me a call to let me know, so I could come in a stalk him?”

              “He is just a person. Why is everyone freaking out over him? Besides, you were spending time with Jackson. I haven‘t talked to you much this weekend. How was Jackson‘s appointment on Friday?” I ask her trying to change the subject. We both sit at the table. She usually stays up on the nights that she doesn’t work, until I get home and chats with me at least a little while before going to bed.

              “Good, he is making progress. Ugh, they asked about payment as I was leaving though,” she sighs. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t be burdening you with this.”

              Now, I know I need to go with Camden and Ryder, for Karen. I hate to see her struggling like this. “Okay, I’m not really sure how to say this, but I have a solution that will pay for the hospital bills. Tonight when Ryder was in the bar, he kind of asked me to do something for him and agreed to give me a lot of money.”

              “He what?” she yelled, “I know I should have believed those rumors about him, I bet they are
all
true.”

              “No, no, it isn’t like that,” I reassure her. “I met his personal assistant and they are having some trouble with his image after the incident at the bar last night, and they need him to be seen with a nice, sweet girl for a while to show that he can change his ways.”

              “Oh really, that could be interesting. She still looked a little skeptical. “So you would just go out to dinner a few times while he is in town? You really are the perfect girl for something like this, nothing like the trash he is usually photographed with.”

              “Um, no actually,” I say playing with a string on my dress, trying to avoid her penetrating eyes, “they need me to travel with them for a few months, so it can be more believable.”

              “You what? You can’t go on tour with a bunch of drugged up rock stars.”

              “Um actually, I just read an article that said that Ryder is very anti-drug after watching his parents struggle with addiction, he doesn’t allow anyone in the band or crew to use drugs.”

              “That doesn’t make this sound any safer.”

              “I would have protection and his personal assistant will be helping me along the way.” I smile thinking about Camden’s offer to show me the ropes of living on tour. He actually offered to come help me pack tomorrow. He says he is a pro at packing for tours at this point.

              “You like him, don’t you?” Karen asks.

              “Who?” I look up at her, confused.

              “Ryder, you have a rock star crush on him.” She wags her eyebrows.

              “No, Ryder seems like an okay guy, but I don’t like him.”

              “But there is someone, isn‘t there? You can’t stop smiling.”

              “No, I was just thinking that his assistant Camden is really nice and I think this could be fun too. I don’t like anyone,” I insist.

              “Okay, I think that this Camden guy seems like he can keep you safe from any potential problems and this seems like a fun adventure, you have been working so hard for Jackson and me. But any money that you get will go towards getting you set up on your own, so you can move back to Iowa and find a teaching job. I know that this is what you want. Though I will miss you like crazy.”

              I know that she will insist that I keep this money, but she is getting it anyways, I could never leave her struggling after everything that she has done for me after losing my parents and brother.

              “I’ll miss you guys too. Are you sure I should do this?” I ask her. I wouldn‘t feel right if Karen doesn‘t think I should do this. “Are you sure you won’t need me here?”

              “No, I think you need to do this. One big adventure before you enter the job market and go out into the real world. You have to promise to call me every day. And I wouldn’t hate it if you happened to snap a few pictures of a shirtless Ryder and sent them to me.”

              “Really, Karen? I really doubt that is something I will see anyways.” I’m bright red now. Amy and Karen both enjoy embarrassing me. I almost dread the nights when we are all working together, but the fun we usually has together is almost worth it. Almost.

              “I think it would be nice if I could meet this Camden before you leave, it will make me feel better. I know I get to be the cool aunt who tells you to go out on adventures, but I still need to be a parent and watch out for your safety,” she says getting up from the table to get us a piece of the chocolate cake she made a few days ago.

              “You can meet him tomorrow; he is coming by to help me pack.” I tell her then take a bite of her amazing chocolate cake. It is the one thing that she can cook.

              “Wow, how nice is that? Maybe this Camden guy is worth getting to know.” She says with a wink. “Is he cute?”

              “I don’t think he is trying to be sweet. I kind of got the impression that Ryder put him in charge of making sure I’m happy and watching me. I think I’m more like a job. And yes, he is cute.” I admit, blushing. “He’s very muscular, tan and nice blue eyes. But please don’t embarrass me when he comes over, I need to work with this guy. Okay?”

              “When have I ever embarrassed you?” she asks feigning a shocked expression.

              I just roll my eyes, if I had a dollar for every time she tried to embarrass me in front of a guy, I wouldn’t be in this mess now.  “Just be nice and no embarrassing stories and no bringing out the photo albums.”

              “Yes, Sweets,” she answers with a smile.

              “Okay, I’m going to bed. Long day of packing tomorrow. I love you. And thanks for everything,” I say, placing our dishes in the sink.

              “Love you too, Elaina. Thanks for going into work tonight. Get some rest.”

Camden

              I wake up early to go down to the café that I saw on the corner and get coffee and bagels to take over to Ellie’s apartment.

              Maybe this is all a mistake, I love Ryder like a brother, but he can be a real asshole to girls, she doesn’t deserve that. However, it seems like she needs the money and wants to do this, so I can’t really stop her. I wonder what a girl like her needs money so bad that she would be willing to do this.

              I text her to let her know that I’m on my way. There is a lot to do today to get ready to leave on the tour buses tonight, so I wanted to get an early start.

             
Me: Hey, it’s Camden. I’m on my way over.

              Ellie: Hey, you really don’t have to do this. I know you have other things that               you probably have to do today.

              Me: No, I want to. I want to make this as easy as possible for you.

              Ellie: Okay, thanks see you in a few

              I buzz the intercom at the door to her apartment building and a lady answers.

              “Yes, who is it?” she asks

              “Umm, my name is Camden; I’m here to see Ellie.” I say.

              “Oh, of course, come on up,” she says as the door unlocks.

              I get up to the third floor and find her apartment and there is a woman standing there with the door open staring at me. Behind her, I see a young boy on crutches.

              “You must be Camden, I’m Karen and this is Jackson,” she says pointing over her shoulder at the boy. “She was right, you are good looking.” What? Ellie told her that I’m good looking. This thought makes me smile.

              Just then, Ellie turns into the kitchen from a small hallway. “Hey,” she says. Damn, she’s hot. She’s wearing a long, black skirt and a pink tank top and her hair is in a long braid. It takes me a few seconds to gather my thoughts.

              “Hey,” I reply, not sure what else to say.

              “I see you already met Karen and Jackson. Are you ready to get started? I know you have a lot to do.”

              “Not, so fast,” Karen says as Ellie starts to head back down the hallway to her bedroom. “I need to know a few things about Camden here before you two leave. First off, what exactly is it that you do? Second, why should I trust you with my little girl?”

              Wow, she can be somewhat scary when she goes all mom on you. “Well, I’m Ryder’s personal assistant that means anything from getting coffee to making sure he is where he needs to be at all times. You will be able to trust me with Ellie, because it’ll be my job to watch out for her and make sure nothing happens. I have a little sister her age and I know I would want someone looking out for her. Ellie’s a sweet girl and I know the perception that rock bands can get a little crazy on tour, but honestly, she’ll be with me the whole time.”

              “This little girl is very important to me, just remember that.”

              “I will, ma’am.” I say with sincerity.

              “We’ll get along great if you promise to never call me ma’am again. I’m not an old woman. You can call me Karen. Now, would you like to see some of Elaina’s old baby books?” she says with a wink at Ellie.

              “Wait, Elaina?” I ask, confused, as Karen gets up, I assume, to go get a photo album.

              “Yes,” Ellie says, “my name is Elaina, but I go by Ellie.”  That is the perfect name for her. I like it.

              “Oh no, you don’t.”  She says with a groan to Karen. “I told you no looking at the baby books. Let’s head back to my room Camden.”

              “We have some time,” I say “besides, I brought some bagels. I didn’t know if you would have eaten yet.”