Friday Night
Fin watched Alex walk away.He had decided earlier to forego the celebrity treatment at the Houston airport, hoping to prolong his time with Alex, and had texted Addie earlier while still in flight so she could make adjustments as needed. Fin wasn’t sure what had just happened, but ten hours of easy banter with an incredibly attractive woman had abruptly ended.
Before he could consider her hasty departure further, someone shrieked, “Oh my god, that’s Finley McAlister!” He stiffened and assumed his Hollywood face, as Addie liked to call it. It was time to play celebrity. Thank goodness Alex had left before anyone spotted him. He smiled brighter.
Fin gripped the handle on his suitcase and looked for his driver, hoping he’d given Addie enough time to convey the change in plans. He spotted a man holding a sign with his travel pseudonym written on it. The fake name was a trick he’d learned long ago to avoid advertising his arrival. Nothing attracted fans like a guy holding up your name around the airport. Despite these precautions, his fans had spotted him.
Fin nodded to the driver in acknowledgment and motioned for him to stow the sign as he wandered over, his fans trailing after him.
Thirty minutes later, Fin sat safely ensconced in the backseat of the car arranged by his agent to take him to his hotel. Speaking of his friend and business partner, he sent her a text letting her know he had arrived. Before he could tuck his phone away, it buzzed with Addie’s face appearing on the screen.
“What?” He laughed into the phone as he answered.
“You did good signing autographs at the airport,” her smoky voice came over the line. Addie sounded sultry naturally, and her Mexican accent added to the exotic vibe.
Fin groaned. “You’re kidding. I barely left there. How is it I’ve already made the news?”
“You are a star. People tweet. I scan for tweets about you. It’s all a part of the service I deliver, pretty boy. Now, are you ready for tonight? Got all your luggage? Everything good?”
He smiled at her maternal attitude. “Yes, Mother. I can also wipe my own arse.”
“Ha ha.” Addie paused, then added, “Look, Fin, I am aware how much you hate these things, but tonight should be a quick in and out. All you have to do is show up, smile at the camera, and wave to the fans. You can sneak away after an acceptable amount of time. Luckily, the meet-and-greet is in the same hotel you are staying at, so escaping should be easy. You might squeeze in a nap beforehand if you’re jet-lagged. Wouldn’t want you to have any bruises from fatigue under those baby blues. Although given the hour, you better set an alarm if you sleep because you don’t have much time before you have to make an appearance.” She paused and waited for him to speak.
“I am fine. Truly.”
“Okay. Now, about the rest of your week… I knew you wanted time off, so I researched some things for you to do around there—”
Fin interrupted her. “I’ve planned my week already.”
“¿Qué?”
Fin smiled at the question and had a random thought that he knew more Spanish since Addie came into his life. “I met someone on the plane who’s from here and had some ideas.”
Silence greeted him. He waited. He discovered years ago he would always win the silent treatment contest with Addie. The woman could not contain herself.
“Was this local mystery person a woman?” she asked cautiously.
“Aye,” he answered.
“Oh, Fin… you know they love your stardom.”
“No, it’s not like that. She didn’t even recognize me. It was… it was lovely. I was just a regular guy on a business trip chatting with a stranger on a plane.”
More silence. He pictured the gears spinning in her head. “You’re making me very nervous right now.”
“Don’t worry. I am a grown man. Look, we’re almost at the hotel. I’ll buzz you later and let you know how everything went. Addie, it’s okay. Cheers, love.”
“Fin, I really—”
He disconnected and cut off whatever pearls of wisdom she would have thrown at him. Fin was beyond lucky to have found Addie. She was a guiding light who helped him navigate not only the legalities and responsibilities that came with his chosen profession, but also the politics and ugly social pressure that could make or break a career. He was certain he would have left the industry long ago without her by his side. But right now, this week… he wanted to fulfill his obligations for this latest project and disappear. He was tired. Tired from his work and tired of himself.
Fin laid his head against the headrest and thought about the woman from the plane. Alex. No, Alexis. He smiled as he remembered her exuberance. She seemed so confident in herself. And she was wrong about her name… Alexis fit her perfectly. He assumed she could fit in well as one of the boys, but there was no hiding she was all woman. He had covertly studied her during the flight. She had a natural attractiveness that caught your eye first, but her animated fervor and her easy laughter were what held your attention. And he was fairly certain she had no clue how captivating she was. The times Alex had gotten up to move around the cabin, Fin had noted how fit she looked and once, when she’d reached into the overhead compartment, her shirt had raised and given him an unexpected glimpse of a nicely defined stomach. He looked forward to spending more time with her. His brow furrowed. He needed to rearrange some things on his schedule so he could do exactly that.
Fin perused the calendar on his phone. The dinner tonight and the press junket tomorrow were “must attend” functions, but the other events Addie had lined up were extra “show up and be seen” gatherings he could blow off with no notice. He removed them and blocked tentative spots for evening activities with Alex. He would call her tomorrow and ask what time volleyball was, and then they could plan their second evening later.
Alex ploppedthe suitcase on her bed and tossed her coat on the chair in the corner. That poor thing only came out when she traveled, as the Houston climate was far too mild for a winter coat.
As she unzipped her bag to unpack, she stifled a yawn. She learned long ago to avoid that afternoon flight from the U.K. or else jet lag would disturb her rhythm for days until she acclimated. Unfortunately, her schedule this week meant the late flight was the only one that worked. And given today was Friday, she had a full weekend to recover. Besides, she couldn’t grumble too much about the flight given the company she’d shared on the way home.
