Overdue - A Rockstar Romance

Chapter 32 - Phoebe

The buzzer on the wall signalled someone at the door and I shrank back into the sofa. How would he react?

Especially when it was my fault we were there when the pictures would taken? His message this morning had seemed blunt but in the next few minutes he was rushing over here. It was such a contradiction and then I began questioning if he was angry, upset or concerned.

No amount of reassurance from Sam or Cara would calm me as I watched that door and waited.

It was Sam who had suggested I get in touch with him and clarify the situation once and for all seeing as our behaviour last night had been nothing but a bunch of mixed signals.

I hadn't expected him to rush over here but I knew there would be no talking him out of it so I had just panicked and tried to make myself more presentable.

The buzzer went again and I looked over, Cara was looking at me with the receiver to her ear and a finger on the button to unlock the door. "You ready?" she asked.

I nodded, tucking my knees up to my chest in a defensive movement.

There was a click as she buzzed him up and moved to the door. I took a couple of deep breaths and then the door opened. To my utter humiliation, the moment I saw him my eyes filled with tears. I swiped them away with the back of my hand and our eyes met.

He crossed the room in three strides and dropped to his knees beside me, taking hold of my hands in his. The situation reminded me of when he rescued me from the press at the video launch and during my anxiety moment last night.

In fact, him on his knees beside me was becoming an oddly familiar sight. "Are you ok?" he asked, his voice warm and full of concern.

Just like that my fear melted away. I tugged his hand and gestured for him to sit next to me. "Yeah, are you?"

"I'm used to it." He laughed bitterly as he shifted up onto the seat.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't annoy you."

He smiled wryly, "Very true. But I'm more concerned about you and how you're dealing with it."

"I'm-" I paused as I struggled to find the right words, "managing."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think we need to talk strategy." Sam's soft voice interrupted before Elliott could respond.

Elliott glanced up and looked around the room as though suddenly noticing there were other people in it. He took in Sam who watched us calmly from the armchair, "Elliott Hawk, I don't believe we've met?" he said smoothly, using the fan smile I was finding easier to recognise, and offering his hand.

"Sam Choa, I'm with Halo PR and here to help with however you guys want to manage this." Sam stood and leaned over the coffee table to shake his hand.

They both nodded and an awkward silence fell.

Cara was the one to break it, "So how do you guys want to manage it?"

I looked at Elliott for a response. He was the one who dealt with this type of thing all the time and I wasn't entirely sure where we stood. "Well," Elliott said slowly, "I think its pointless trying to deny we are seeing each other now so I'm happy to confirm it and ask them to respect our privacy?" he looked at me to see if I agreed.

I nodded, unable to stop myself smiling like an idiot as he confirmed that the feelings between us weren't one sided. He liked me. Actually liked me. And he was happy to tell the world. I looked at Sam for guidance on how we would do this. I couldn't imagine how telling them we were dating would do anything to calm the attention on us but I wasn't the expert here.