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There was probably already a Facebook fan group dedicated to this very thing. Because Sterling truly had that kind of magnetism.
Staci seemed to be reading her thoughts. “Forget strategy for a second and that horrible first impression. What about your feelings for him?”
“Feelings? Not a problem. He’s a celebrity crush, not a real one. The kind of thing you indulge in because it’s never going to happen. I don’t have any illusions that he’s going to fall for me.”
“That’s not what you said the other day. In fact, I think you said you were going to marry him.”
“This is going to haunt me for my whole life, isn’t it?”
“Nope. Just be glad I didn’t put the video on YouTube. But seriously, you don’t think that you’re going to fall for him for real spending all this time together? You and Sterling James. On a tour bus. For two months.”
“No way,” Reese said. She was almost positive she wasn’t lying, even if her cheeks felt hot. “You know how these famous people are. In real life most of them are horrendous human beings. That’s why they hire people like me to clean up their image. So, how do I handle problem number one: the fact that he’s going to fire me when he recognizes me? Can I pretend to be a twin?”
“You told him your name. He signed it on your picture, remember?”
Reese groaned. “Yes, vaguely. I could blame the alcohol?”
“Do you want to confess that one glass of wine makes you loopy? He probably wouldn’t even believe that. And you don’t want to seem like you have a drinking problem. That may be your best bet, though.”
Reese leaned back against the wall of the stairwell, looking up to the red ladder leading to the roof. Clutching the folder to her chest she sighed. “I’m totally screwed, aren’t I?”
“Aw, honey. That’s not the Reese I know. Pull yourself out of your funk. You’ve got to tell me about all your clients. And please tell me that I’m not getting the guy who keeps using Twitter to talk to you?”
“Consider him payback for taking this video,” Reese said. “Okay, let’s start working. I’ll get you settled on my clients and figure out how to handle Sterling James.”
They pushed through the stairwell door and headed back to their desks. Work always made Reese feel better. Better about the fact that her last boyfriend broke up with her and got engaged to someone else two months later. Better about the fact that she had dreamed about working in the music scene here in Nashville but was still stuck working for Kevin doing client work that had little to do with music. Better about the tiny apartment she and Staci shared.
She didn’t know if work could fix her current underlying problem, though, because now her work was the problem. In the form of one way-too-hot Sterling James, who probably thought of her as somewhere between an alcoholic and a stalker.
Hopefully she could get a second chance on a first impression. But as she opened the folder to see what Kevin had given her about Sterling, Reese had a feeling that second chances were only real in the movies.
Lord, she prayed silently as she sat back down at her desk, I don’t want to just pray when I need you, but I think I’m really, really going to need you. Consider this me begging. Help!
Chapter Three
Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
“Are you trying to channel your spirit animal or something?” Staci asked.
Reese knew that Staci was looking at her from the driver’s seat, but she kept her eyes closed. “I don’t believe in spirit animals. But if I did, I would have a tiger and it would be totally fierce.”
“Well, tell your non-existent fierce tiger spirit animal that it’s time to put on your big-girl panties and get out of the car. The tour bus isn’t going away. Neither is the fact that you were an idiot when you met Sterling James and now you have to look professional. I’ve got work, so time to go.”
“I can’t do this.”
“Girl, if anyone could do this, it’s you.”
“But I made a fool out of myself.”
“Explain it. You had a glass of wine. You don’t drink. Move on. Be your confident, smart self. You got this. You are a professional.”
“But what if I do really want to have his babies?”
“Reese! Get out of my car and do your job!”
Reese sighed and opened her eyes. “You’re a terrible friend. Beautiful, but terrible.”
Staci rolled her eyes. “And you’re overly dramatic.”
