Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 87091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Damien’s pretty annoyed, but not as much as Opal is.” She couldn’t resist sharing Opal’s reaction to finding out people thought she was Damien’s latest fling. “Erin, I’ve seen women so excited to meet him that they fainted. I’ve seen them slip their phone numbers into his pocket—heck, I saw one girl try to slide her underwear into his jean jacket. They’ve begged him to be with them, to have his babies. And what did Opal say? ‘What? But you’re old.’”
Erin burst out laughing. “What an ego-crushing moment that must have been for my irresistible rock-star brother.”
“I don’t think it did him any harm,” Crystal agreed, laughing along with Erin. It eased the tension she was carrying. “I’ve got a plan to help them out. What do you think?” She outlined her idea about the evening entertainment broadcast.
Erin made a couple of extra suggestions and then said, “I’ll be right up. If he’s going public, the Sea Shell would also like an interview.” Then she lowered her voice. “Besides, if I can bag an interview, Patricia will let me go for a few hours.”
True to her word, Erin arrived thirty minutes later and met Crystal in the main house. She was wearing jeans and a paisley blouse and was pink in the cheeks—she’d obviously rushed over. Still a little breathless, she said, “I called Arch and got him to pull some strings with Roxy Thanton. Not that much more than a tug was needed. Turns out she’s been trying for years to get a one-on-one with Damien. They’re moving things around to fit this in tonight’s broadcast. She’s gathering her team right this minute.”
“Fantastic.”
Erin grinned. “Can you believe it? She was ecstatic about the idea. A Damien Davenport interview is a rare thing, remember. Damien is always on about connecting with his fans through the music.”
“The answers are in the song,” Crystal and Erin chimed together.
Erin laughed. “Reporters think he’s kind of elusive. So, to have his people reaching out for an interview must have seemed like a lot of birthdays and Christmases rolled into one for an entertainment reporter. Especially with the extra help from Arch.”
Crystal nodded. She was impressed with the speed at which her plan was unfolding.
Then Erin looked more somber. “The thing is, they want to talk to Opal too. To interview them as a duo.”
Crystal’s eyebrows shot up in alarm. “But the poor girl has literally only just got here. She’s had a long flight, exposed her soul by playing her new songs for an international star, and been papped by the press. Isn’t that enough for one day?”
Erin shrugged. “If she’s as good as Damien thinks she is, she’s going to have to get used to being news. At least this way we can really control the story.”
Crystal wasn’t so sure. Opal had just been plucked off the coffeehouse circuit. She wasn’t media trained. She had no idea about this kind of world, how one wrong word could turn a person’s career upside down. The poor thing hadn’t even started her career.
Erin sensed Crystal’s hesitation and with kindness said, “Don’t worry, we’ll help her get ready. I’ll talk her through the interview process, give her some talking points. You help her get camera-ready. You know how to make a girl look her best for a party—it’s no different for a TV camera.”
“Where’s the interview?”
“Oh, it’s here. Roxy made sure of it. I get the feeling she’s pretty excited about getting behind the gates into Damien’s home.”
“Damien’s going to hate that.”
“He should have thought it through, then, before inviting a gorgeous young singer out here, even if it is only into his studio.”
Crystal smiled. Erin might be the nicest of Damien’s siblings, but she was still a sib. Together they headed to the studio, waited for Opal to take a break from feverishly trying to improve her new song, and took her inside the main house to get ready.
Crystal watched as Opal took in Damien’s impressive home. She was obviously trying to play it cool, but it was hard to do when the place was so beautiful. And vast! Crystal had always admired his place, how stylish it was without sacrificing comfort. She’d been in plenty of multimillion-dollar homes that felt sterile—minimal to a fault, or on the opposite end of the spectrum and stuffed full of gold and marble. Damien had chosen his furniture carefully, with plenty of midcentury pieces, and then offset the vintage look with glass and a huge collection of framed music posters. He kept all his awards and gold records locked away in a cabinet in his study. He wasn’t the type to show off his achievements. He simply focused on the next challenge.
And there she went again, daydreaming about Damien.
Bringing herself back down to earth, she turned to Opal. “I’m going to help you get ready. I’ve been planning events and weddings for ten years, and I’ve always believed I should be able to do every part of the business. Believe me when I tell you that I’m as good as any makeup artist out there.”