Page 38 of A Suite Temptation
“Are you sure that is the smartest thing to be doing right now? Think of the album. Foster won’t be happy. You have to concentrate on your music.” Marta threw up her hands in disgust. She was nothing if not predictable. Of course she was against the idea of sending the jet back to California to pick up Jordan.
“And anyway why can’t he fly his own plane here? I thought he was a billionaire, or something like that.” She nodded at Gabriela, her assistant’s assistant, who in turn nodded her own fierce agreement. The tight blonde curls on her head bounced up and down. Hell would freeze over before sycophantic Gabriela ever dared go against Marta’s opinion.
Chloe took her time and considered her response. She was well aware that there was little love lost between Marta and Jordan. And things with the album hadn’t been going all that well. She was a good six weeks behind on delivering it to her record company. Foster was constantly on the phone berating her about the need to finishthe damn thing and get on tour.
Everyone was pushing her. Expectations were set high. If she produced a less than stellar album, one which wasn’t full of instant hits, she would be crucified in public. Her fans might eventually forgive her, but the press certainly wouldn’t. The music industry seemed to revel in watching female artists fail. And pop princesses especially, were considered fair game. Too many people would take great delight in watching Chloe’s Garden wither and die.
Right now, with all the world bearing down on her, the one person Chloe needed was Jordan. Even if he could only manage to come to London for a few days, it would be wonderful.
Chloe held out her hand to Marta. “Give me your cell.” As soon as it was slapped into her palm, she opened it and tapped on the nameChloe’s Jetwhich was on the contacts list. The number began to ring, and she handed the phone back to Marta. She had the number of the flight company on her own phone, but arranging the jet was Marta’s job.
I pay her to do this.
“I want Mister Jordan Royal to be VIP boarded at Van Nuys airport and flown to London City Airport tomorrow night Los Angeles time. When you have the arrangements and details sorted, please send them to Jordan’s assistant, Sheila. Oh, and send them to me as well.”
Chloe headed back toward the recording studio booth. She had pickups to finish on one of the songs. Reaching the door, she turned and gave Marta a blank look. She was determined that her personal assistant wasn’t going to get any sort of rise out of her. “Jordan is coming to England on my private jet because I asked him to—that is all either of you need to know. Sometimes I think you forget who works for who.”
Her heart was still racing as she took her place in front of the microphone a few minutes later. She’d known she should stand up to her people, but until Jordan had come into her life, she had never dared to do it. The mean girls had run roughshod over her all these years.
No more. I am going to start taking control of my destiny. I will make Jordan proud. Actually scratch that, I will make me proud.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
The glamorous Chloe Jet
Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles
Jordan took a seat onboard the famous white and red liveredChloe Jet. From what he understood, the plane wasn’t just a plane, it was a shining beacon of hope for Chloe’s fans. For all those who believed in the power of dreams. Of finding success.
It was a little difficult for him to understand how others could view a private jet this way. Having grown up flying in them from a young age, Jordan saw them as little more than flying cars. It only took a phone call or a quick message to an assistant and one of the Royal Resorts jets would be at his disposal.
But this was Chloe’s jet. The interior had been custom fitted with red and white striped seats. The carpet was a plush fire-engine red. Silver fittings and a giant TV screen definitely set it apart from the usual corporate planes he flew in. Alice Royal had always had the final say in the fit out of the family homes and private jets, and she wasn’t one for shows of glitz and glamor. Then again, Alice wasn’t a pop star.
He’d just got a few things out of his travel bag for the flight, ready to settle in and catch up on some reading, when a loud and all too familiar obnoxious voice filled the cabin.
“I shouldn’t have to wait until after we take off to get hot food. You know who I am. I demand full service. Don’t make me have my executive assistant call your boss. Because if that happens you will be looking for a new job.”
Oh, no …
Jordan lifted his gaze and took in the sight of Chloe’s manager Foster as he stood towering over the flight attendant. The poor woman who had greeted Jordan with such a lovely welcoming smile and perfect service was literally quaking in her shoes.
“I’m sorry, sir, but we weren’t informed of your arrival until just now. The schedule only had Mister Royal flying with us to London this evening. I will make the best accommodations that I can, but you must understand that I cannot have the food prepared and do the safety check all at the same time. If you would like to take a seat, I’ll bring you a beverage and some food as soon as possible.”
“Well you don’t seem to understand how important this trip to London is, and Ms. Fisher will certainly hear about your attitude once I land.”
Foster shoved his alligator skin briefcase into the poor woman’s hands then headed further into the cabin. He stopped at Jordan’s seat and huffed. “And someone is sitting in my seat.”
Sorry, Papa Bear, but Goldilocks ain’t moving.
There were plenty of other perfectly good seats on the plane, including a separate bedroom at the back which Jordan had already snagged, but that was beside the point. He didn’t flinch when Foster bent and growled at him. “This is all your fault. If her pussy wasn’t doing the thinking for her, this album would have been finished weeks ago.”
Jordan lifted his face and gave Foster a sweet smile. “I think you meant my magic cock is what’s making her question things. Perhaps that’s why Chloe is struggling with the album, she’s actually reaching for some happiness.”
He hated that Foster was once more trying to lay the blame for the album’s issues at his feet. Unfortunately Chloe’s asshole manager wasn’t entirely wrong. Yes, he was wrong about the relationship, but not about the music. The album wasn’t going as well as it should.
The tracks Jordan had already heard were great, but even he’d been forced to quietly agree with those in the know, Chloe’s album was missing a killer track. It was customary for an artist to have at least one song on an album which defined it. Whatever that meant. Jordan liked his music, but he wasn’t so heavily into it that he felt any particular song could stir his emotions so much that he would class it as being exceptional.
“I’m glad you think this is all a bit of a fucking joke, just remember that when Chloe is the one picking up the tab for the extra production costs and release delays.”