Grumpalicious by Mia Faye

Chapter 13

GENEVIEVE

You know when you have a dream and you’re naked and you just jump out of a plane and float free until you die...Yeah that dream, well I was living it. At least that’s what I thought I was doing sitting there with a vodka and seven on a private jet flying off to certain doom. We had just had an amazing night together, though I was reluctant to admit that. He was an egomaniac, but if I was being honest, he had been really kind or at least kinder than I had expected him to be.

“We’ll be in New York soon,” he said after we finished watching The Purge together.

It was a freaky-ass movie about one day when the world had no rules and people went bonkers. It was a horror movie, but it gave Cash and me something to do other than… well what we’d done the night before. I was feeling oddly okay with everything though I probably shouldn’t have.

“Okay,”

“And I’m pretty hungry. Airplane food, even on my private jet, leaves a little bit to be desired. What do you say we settle you into the hotel and go out for dinner? I know an incredible place. Then I’ll leave you be for a while so that you can catch your breath.”

That was good of him to know I needed some space to recoup.

“Okay, sounds good. Um, so I’m staying at a hotel for six months?” I had no idea where I was going to land, Cash and I hadn’t really discussed the details.

“Until I’m able to finish the renovations on your apartment, you’ll be staying at a hotel. I own a brownstone and there is an empty apartment in my building, but the tenant just moved out, and it needs a complete overhaul.”

“You mean you just kicked the tenant out today.” Suddenly I was boiling mad.

“No, actually they are a sweet family with a huge rottweiler and a three-year-old son and will soon be having twins, so the one-bedroom space is no longer suitable for them. The stars just aligned, they moved out last week.”

I had no way of knowing whether it was the truth or not and the idea of living in such close proximity sent shivers down my spine, but I told myself I could do just about anything for six months, so I was on board. I had committed to the adventure and so I mentally buckled myself up for the ride.

“Okay. You’re the boss. I mean, of this, you’re the boss of this.” I certainly didn’t want to hand him over all the power.

I thought perhaps he’d give me a snarky answer but all he did was stare at me. A cold shiver raced up my spine and suddenly I wanted to be kissing him again, but I held myself back as the plane suddenly tilted to the side and the pilot came on and told us to fasten our seatbelts and prepare for landing. Whether I was ready or not, it was showtime.

We landed and Cash took me to the hotel just long enough for me to change into a nice outfit for dinner. He was already wearing what record producers tend to wear: designer jeans and an expensive shirt and shoes and so as soon as I was dressed he whisked me off again. I took a moment to marvel at how many nameless people he employed. I felt sort of bad for them.

“So, you have a lot of staff,” I commented.

“I have to have a lot of people because usually, I’m crazy busy. These last two days have been a nice break for me. Spending time with you, getting to know more about you has been fun. I employ a lot of people and pay them well, so you needn’t worry,” he said in a consoling tone.

“I’m not worried, it just seems like you don’t know their names or anything.” I backed down a little.

“I don’t need to.” Yep, he was still a jerk.

We arrived at the restaurant and were whisked away to a back table. Again, everyone knew his name, but he didn’t bother with theirs. He wasn’t even polite, and I noted that in his own habitat, he was still a tool.

“Why not treat those who help you with respect and kindness? You might get more out of them if you actually pretended like you cared about them,” I said as he pulled out my chair for me and I sat down.

Again, he just stared at me and I stared back.

“I don’t have the greatest memory,” he finally confessed after looking at me for a beat longer than comfort allowed. “It’s a thing. So…”

“Name tags. Maybe you should make everyone fancy little name tags.” I opened my menu to look over what it had on it, but more to block out his intensity.

“Will name tags make you feel better?” He reached over and tilted my menu forward so he could see my face.

“Yes.” I sat up straight and stared him down.

“Then I’ll have them made.”

And that was the end of that conversation. I decided to see whether or not he actually had them. It was a test. If he did it, I consider spending more time with him, if he didn’t then likely I’d be back home in Texas at the end of the six-month experiment.

“Thank you,” I dove back into my menu. “So, what do you recommend?”

“I love the lobster in fresh thyme and butter sauce with the garlic mousse, the duck is also really good as is truffle pasta. Actually, everything is delightful. We can get a few dishes and share them if you want. That way you can try a few things.” He smiled a warmhearted smile as if just being together was fun enough for him.

Perhaps he even liked the idea of us sharing a meal so that he could take my taste buds on an unparalleled journey. We ended up ordering three meals and honestly, I’d never eaten as good in my life.

“This is the best food I’ve ever eaten.” I knew I was gushing but I didn’t care.

“It’s pretty damn good, I have to say myself,” he boasted but he had the right, it was his dive, he was showing off.

“So, if I eat like this every night I’m going to be as big as a house. And I don’t mind, because the food is that good and I like to eat,” I said as sort of a warning.

“We’ll be working out too, everything in balance.” He gave me a scornful glance.

“No running. I am not a runner. I’ll do yoga, Pilates, and bicycling, but no lifting weights or running, it’s not me.” I stood my ground.

“Fine. I can’t run in New York anyway, I’d be mauled. I do go to the gym, but they have a yoga studio, you’ll go your way and I’ll go mine. No problemo.”

“Are we really going to be together that much?” Somehow I was sort of dreading spending so much time with him.

“If we’re going to be seen as a couple we sure are. Don’t worry, love, you’ll get used to me eventually.”

“Am I going to get any time to myself?” Suddenly I worried that my six months was going to be like his other relationships, attached to the hip with paparazzi and publicity at every turn.

“You’re not here to have time to yourself.”

For the rest of the evening, we discussed trends in music, what I would be singing, what I loved to sing, and kept the conversation focused on simple things, things that didn’t make me feel like my life was being ripped away from me. I think Cash could sense that I was getting worried, and so he kept the conversation light. At the end of the night, I thanked him for dinner, we took a car back to my hotel, and we stood at the door of my room.

“I’m glad you had fun tonight and see, I didn’t even ask you to come home with me. That makes me a pretty great guy.” I truly hoped he was joking.

“Well, the bar is set pretty low if not taking me home is the mark of a great man. And about tomorrow? What do you want me to do so that I look like I’m dating you?” I figured we hadn’t discussed it and it was about time we did.

“Well, you know, act like we did go back to my place to get it on. I mean, act like you’re in love with me. Just be your bright beautiful self. I’ll cover the rest. We’re only starting to ‘date.’ Things shouldn’t be that intense yet.”

“Okay.”

I was relieved that we didn’t need to be hot and heavy right away, but “intense yet” was a phrase that scared me a little. What would intense with Cash look like?

The next morning Cash sent a car for me to go to the studio and I wore casual clothes ready to work. I met Joe and we started right away. We had a long day and Jo ordered us food in. Outside of Cash texting me to ask if I slept well, I didn’t see or hear from him all day. I assumed he was busy catching back up with work and I was so focused on learning the new songs and working with band members who were frankly subpar to my own, I didn’t really even notice the passage of time.

I made a commitment to myself to make sure and get Cash to sign my band as soon as I had proven that my opinion mattered. We just grooved better, and I knew that despite how talented the new band members were, they were just musicians for hire, they didn’t have the same love and passion that my guys did. I knew why Cash didn’t want them around, they were competing for my time and my attention, but I’d already dipped my toe into their dating pool, and we all decided it was better that we remained friends and nothing more. I had dated both of them for about a week or two and it was a train wreck. At least we have something to laugh about when we’re all old and gray.

After working my ass off all day, I was hungry and tired and in a lethargic mood. When Cash came to pick me up, I was surprised and a little prickly as I just wanted a hot bath and a big bowl of cream of broccoli soup; something rich and filling.

“How did it go?” he asked with a jovial bounce in his step.

“Great, but I’m really tired. Can we start “dating” tomorrow? I really just want a hot bath, some comfort food, a little reality TV, and bed.” And nothing else…

“Sounds great.”

I perked up a little asking, “So, you’re gonna just let me go home?”

He laughed in my face, that was never a good sign.

“No.”

“Ah, come on, Cash. I promise I’ll date you tomorrow. I just need a little me time.”

“I think ‘me time’ is very important. So, yes. Have time to yourself.”

“Oh, thank you so much.” A smile sprang to my face and I kissed him on the cheek then bounded down the stairs to the car waiting on the street.

He followed me. I assumed it was just to get a proper goodbye and perhaps a better kiss as I’d sort of skimped out on him. But as I turned around to give him a peck on the lips he opened the car door for me, dodging my kiss altogether. I thought, okay, he’s gonna play cat and mouse. I know I can outlast him, so I slid into the seat after he opened the door.

“Okay, Cash, thanks again. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I gave this big fat wave and then he slid into the seat beside me. “Um, what are you doing?”

“Um, getting into the car,” he said mocking my tone.

“Why?” I glared at him.

“Because we’re going to get you something to eat, then we’re going back to the hotel for a little ‘you time’.”

“You do know that me-time means time with just me and not you? Right?” I crossed my arms and huffed like a spoiled brat.

“Traditionally, yes. But since you and I are dating and we can’t get enough of each other, ‘me time’ is going to be spent with ‘me’ too.”

Ugh, I knew there had to be a catch. I just closed my eyes as the driver pulled into traffic.

“Take us to Le Bon Reve,” he told the driver as he nodded and closed the partition.

“I just want a big ugly bowl of broccoli soup and a glass of wine, then I want to be naked in a warm bathtub. None of that needs to include you.” I was griping but I didn’t care.

“The Bon Reve has broccoli cheddar soup, we’re good.”

And that was it, he wasn’t going to let me off the hook.