Meet Me Backstage

28. Walking Disaster

JACKS

I've heard a lot of good news in my life—when I got my first studio contract, when my solo album went platinum, when N3XT won album of the year. But these three words may be the best I've ever heard: 'I'm fucking single'.

My nerves itch with the urge to jump into the air.

"Shit," Skye mumbles under her breath as she cringes.

"Hey Buttercup," I say with a grin.

"Heeyyy..." she says, her cheeks reddening by the minute. She walks over and leans against the wall. "What are you doing here?... with my brother?... in my kitchen?"

"Oh come on, Skye! I was nice, I promise." He looks to me for confirmation.

"Depends on your definition of nice," I say with a smirk.

"Okay, so maybe I messed with him a little. But I'm your big brother."

"We're the same age!" she protests, turning to me. "He thinks he's older because he's named 'Twin 1' on his birth certificate."

"I am older, but whatever—your brother's job is to screw around with every guy who shows up at your door." His eyes widen and he facepalms. "Okay, that didn't come out right. You know what I mean, I'm not... shit. I'm definitely talking too much."

"As you can see," Skye says, shaking her head, "the rambling runs in the family."

She laughs awkwardly and moves a strand of golden hair out of her eyes.

You want her. Tell her.

No. If ever a moment was too soon, this is it.

"No problem," I say, trying to fight back a stupid grin. I grab the magazine and hold it out for her. "I came to show you your big debut spread."

"Oh my god!" she hops forward and grabs it with a shocked look on her face. "It's the cover. My photo of you is on the cover. This... what??"

The cover is a photo of me from the waist up, pulling my shirt halfway up with the headline 'Jackson Ford: Anatomy of a Pop Idol'.

She frantically flips through the pages as Ollie gets up and walks over to take a look.

"You knew it was going to be on the cover, right?" I ask.

She stops on the first page, a double-page spread of me lying shirtless on the bed.

"Photos by Skye Kennedy..." she reads, tracing a finger across the page. She flips through about seven pages until she stops and looks up at me. "This is amazing!"

She leaps toward me and throws her arms around me in a big hug.

Note to self: surprise Skye more.

She releases me and steps back, blushing slightly.

"This is really cool, Jacks," she says in a soft voice. "Thank you... for the opportunity. Working with you I mean and... getting published."

"It was my pleasure."

Ollie takes the magazine from her hand and starts looking at it.

"Finally!" he says, flipping through. "I have been dying to see these photos!"

"You didn't show him?"

Skye shakes her head.

"It's important to protect my clients' privacy. Most people are not okay with these kinds of photos being seen by just anyone."

"I'm just anyone?" Ollie says mockingly. "That's hurtful."

"No, you're my brother, the total perv!" She flips him off and he returns the gesture.