“I know this is less than ideal,” she says. “But I think we should look at it as an opportunity.”
“Things can’t really get a whole lot worse,” I say.
Sandy eyes me as the elevator doors open, delivering us to the parking garage. “Honey,” she says. “You’re on house arrest at a Malibu mansion. Trust me, things could get alotworse.”
Sandy is not entirely wrong. Three days later, we’re leaving for Tokyo, and nothing is right between us. I still haven’t spoken to Jordan or Rainer. And Alexis isn’t coming to Japan.
They are, however, sending Jessica as our wrangler. She shows up in a town car Monday morning, her long, blond hair pulled up into an effortless ponytail. She’s wearing jeans and a gray sweatshirt with a pink heart on the front. “Hey, PG,” she says. “What can I help you with?”
Alexis is sitting at the counter, hunched over some green tea. It’s sixAM. She’s going to go work out, and I’m going to get on a plane with Jordan and Rainer and fly across the world. They’re sending us private—perhaps in a bid for us to work it out away from prying eyes before we land. Good luck.
Despite the early hour, Jessica is as perky as ever. I remember her positive attitude at many fiveAMcall times on Maui. “How did you get dragged into this?” I ask her.
She pops up the handle of my suitcase. “Wyatt is busy working,” Jessica says. “They asked if I could fill in. I said of course.”
“I think I should come,” Alexis says. “I feel weird about you being alone with them.”
Jessica averts her eyes. I know she’s trying to give us privacy.
“I’ll be fine,” I say. It’s the same thing I told her last night. And the night before. She’s been worried about me, about what will happen when I’m on the other side of the world with both of them. Since I moved in here she’s been watching me like a bomb about to detonate. “Darling,” she told me. “Your restraint doesn’t seem to be in full effect lately.”
I know Alexis has spoken to Jordan, but she doesn’t talk about it with me, and out of respect, I haven’t asked. Maybe her anxiety comes from thingshe’ssaid. Maybe he wants her there.
“We should go,” Jessica says. I see the same look on her face that she had every time she came into hair and makeup. I’d be in Lillianna’s chair, and we’d be behind schedule. It was Jessica’s job to get us to set. She had this great way of keeping us moving while maintaining a calm, cool atmosphere. You never saw Jessica sweat.
I hold my arms open to Alexis. She gives me a big hug. “Call me if you need me,” she says.
“I will.”
“You’re wonderful,” she whispers. “Just as you are. Remember that.”
“Thanks. You should go out while I’m gone. Have some fun. I’ve been keeping you here too much.”
Alexis smiles. “This forced hibernation has been great for my mystery factor, but now that you mention it, I have been kind of cooped up.…”
I kiss her cheek. “Just don’t get photographed making out in public.”
Alexis laughs. “Amateur move,” she says.
Jessica gives Alexis a little wave as we close the door. She hands my bag to the driver and gets in the front seat, next to him. I hope we can stop for coffee. I let the driver hold the door open for me, and then I’m sliding into the backseat and we’re off.
CHAPTER 11
We’ve been on planes before, the three of us. On our first promotional tour ofLocked, when I was with Rainer. Even though it’s only been a month, everything is different. Rainer and I aren’t together, and Jordan and I aren’t, either, and no one is friends, or even pretending to be. No one is speaking.
I sit alone. Jessica takes out a game of Scattergories, and she and Rainer play. Jordan sits somewhere near the back. I see him only briefly when we board, and then he disappears out of sight. I know I can’t follow him, so I settle somewhere in the middle, by the window, away from them both.
The tension on the plane is tight, palpable. I close my eyes to see if it’s safer there. I’m surprised at how quickly I fall asleep.
I wake up intermittently, and when I do, everyone else is asleep. Jessica and Rainer are curled up together. I think they fell asleep playing Connect Four. I find some water and down it. I read for a little while, but I’m distracted, anxious, and still groggy. After a few hours I give up and pass back out. When I wake up this time, it’s to a rocky landing. Security is at the gate for us. Five guys in all black lead us to a waiting town car. But word must have gotten out that we’re here, because even at the private airport, people are waiting.
I’ve heard the fandom in Asia in intense, but nothing prepares me for the hysteria we’re met with as we make our way to the cars. People claw and cry. They yell and scream and snap photos. It’s crazy, insane. Instinctively I look for Rainer, but he’s already moving ahead of me, lost in between two bodyguards. I have to brave this one on my own.
The three of us pose for pictures outside and sign autographs. Rainer doesn’t hold tightly to my hand. He doesn’t whisper in my ear that it’s only going to be three minutes. He doesn’t even look at me.
We go straight to the hotel. No one speaks in the car except for Jessica and Rainer. We check in, and I’m not surprised to find that my room is right next to Rainer’s. I think they’re used to doing it from the last tour, and maybe no one alerted the people who make these reservations to the fact that we’re no longer together.
We disappear quickly into our separate rooms. I think about how different this is from last time. Last time we’d open them up. One would become a dressing room and the other a bedroom. We’d have this enormous, sprawling double suite, all to ourselves.
