Page 1 of Summer Haze & Tokyo Craze
Lily
"Felix, I need your help," I plea to my assistant, scurrying my way down the vast airport corridors to find my gate. I still have enough time, but of course I had to snag a flight leaving from the other side of the airport.
"Anything for you, Lily."
"They downgraded my flight from business to economy class," I tell him with a sigh, feeling validated as I hear an angry sound from his side of the line.
A group of people walks out of a duty-free store right in front of me without looking and I almost run into them, managing to stop right before stepping onto one of their carry-on suitcases, then cursing under my breath before I go on. "Right? God, I'm so annoyed."
A deep sigh falls from my lips when the group suddenly halts and before I kick anyone out of the way in frustration, I walkup to the wall and stop, closing my eyes for a moment and pinching the bridge of my nose as I take a deep breath.
Someone behind me curses and their suitcase grazes me as they hurry past, a few more choice words flying through the air, but I just can’t find it in me to open my eyes and give them a piece of my mind. I stepped aside to let everyone pass. Not my fault he decided to do the walking version of tailgating.
My throat is already swelling up with anxiety and I need to focus on my breathing, not some dumbfucks who can’t read the goddamn room. The room that feels like it’s closing in on me, walls about to squish me like a fly in a slow and agonizing death.
Fuck.
Of course, this justhadto happen to me.
Where would we get if travel plans actually went according to plan? Happily to the destination is where I’d get, but the universe seems to have something against that.
Being claustrophobic, flying is already so far from my favorite pastime it might join the stars and become a twinkling light in the night sky.
But I’ve been looking forward to Tokyo and the conference I’m going to for months now – I’ve researched every damn class this airline has, then made sure I booked one that looked manageable to me and where I would sit in an isolated seat – that way at least I could have a panic attack in peace and without embarrassing myself in front of other passengers.
Millie and Kayla, the owners of the company I work for, offered me their private jet, but alas, the conference I’m flying to just had to be in the week they’re flying around the country to shoot several new music videos. And that definitely takes priority.
So, I got a backup plan. And that plan was to take some meds that would knock me out and ideally sleep through the whole flight. But there’s no way I am rendering myself unconscious in the middle of a bunch of strangers. What if I drool? Or snore? What if they’re handsy?
No way in hell.
"Anyways, could you please check for other flights while I have a little panic attack and then try to find someone here who might help me?" The silence on the other end of the line is heavy and I’m painfully aware that I’ve just way overshared but I cannot find it in me to care.
"Of course, Lily.” The compassion in his voice makes it hard to swallow past the lump of anxiety in my throat. “Give me a few minutes, I'll call you right back."
"Thank you, Felix," I croak, but the line is already dead and I slowly lower my phone.
I should have gone to Los Angeles with Felix. He’s there to catch up with some of our artists while I manned the office and prepared for the conference, but flying together might have relieved some of my anxiety.
With a sigh, I lean the back of my head against the cold metal wall behind me and close my eyes. Breathe, Lily. In. And out. In. And out. Everything is going to be fine.
I feel someone lean against the wall next to me, but I continue to calm my breath until I hear an annoyingly familiar and vexingly amused voice.
"Trouble?" It comes from right next to me and I hold my breath for a second before it goes right back to spiraling. I force my shoulders to straighten, before I slowly blink my eyes open, fighting the urge to let out an annoyed groan as I see the last person I want to run into during this absolutely embarrassing moment.
Adam Walker, CEO of Croney. A.k.a. one of my company’s biggest rivals. He’s not only one of the hottest bachelors of the entertainment industry and has women lusting after him wherever he goes, he’s also one of the most successful men in the industry, period.
Even before I became CEO of Siren’s Talent, I’d heard of him. How could you not? He’s been featured in magazines, everyone in the industry sings his praises for being as successful as he is in his thirties, and his annoyingly handsome face is at every. Dang. Industry function.
I knew he was good, yet I underestimated justhowgood. When I helped Kayla and Millie build Siren’s Talent up from the ground, at every turn, it seemed like he was stealing away people I wanted to hire. Be it talent I wanted for managing contracts, celebrities who were looking for PR representationor even accountants – for every contract we closed, there are five ‘Sorry I went with Croney’ e-mails in my inbox.
At first, I chalked it up to coincidence, but then it happened again. And again.
And yes, I’ve searched through my whole office because at one point I was convinced he’d bugged it.
Maybe I should feel honored that even though I’m new to the job I’m already thinking and recruiting like a seasoned professional. Great minds think alike and all that, but I sure hope to get him out of my hair and establish Siren’s Talent until we can fight for artists at eye-level. Let’s see who they’ll pick then.
I’m calling him a rival, but really, he’s the media giant.
