Reveal: A Contemporary Romance (Billionaire Rock Star Romance Book 2) (8 page)

She hovered behind Eva like a member of her entourage, smiling secretly at the irony of hiding in plain sight. This alone made her feel better about having gone to such lengths. The female clerk turned up the hospitality, and a moment later, a smartphone camera flashed behind them, followed by a flurry of more flashes. A few people in the lobby called Evangelyn’s name. It started with a soft buzz and grew to a large crowd clamoring for her attention. People even came in from the street.

“Sometimes it’s such a bother, don’t you agree?” she whispered to Alexandra, raising her eyebrows high.

Alexandra grinned and gently threw out an arm, shielding her from the building crowd and more voracious picture takers who came out of nowhere.

“Eva! Eva! Let’s go this way!” she shouted, turning to face the elevators in the distance.

A part of her got a thrill from the crush of people, the noise and the excitement around her as she pulled the baseball cap even lower down her forehead. Together, she and Eva and forced their way through the lobby area. It took them an extra five to ten minutes to cut off signing autographs and smiling for fan selfies. They dashed inside an empty elevator before anyone could join them.

“Yes! We made it!” Alexandra said.

“I’m just happy I came, dear. I still can’t believe how much you’ve changed! This is going to take some getting used to.”

Alexandra chuckled. “Don’t get used to it yet. Rick tells me it might be a while before Lexxi Rock can rock this short hair look publicly.”

Eva hugged her close. “I’m so jealous, darling. I wish go incognito like that.”

“No doubt.”

The two stared at their reflection in the wall of mirrors around the elevator. It was an impressive contrast, with Eva dressed to the nines in a designer dress, salon-styled hair falling over her shoulders, perfect makeup and stilettos that could kill. At her side, Alexandra felt like she looked drab in comparison, in her casual t-shirt and cargo pants, running shoes, no makeup, and her black, messy head of curls.

Yet, these were superficial differences. She was the same Lexxi Rock, but no one down in the lobby gave her a second look without the carefully crafted rock star glamour. She laughed at the thought that with a snap of her fingers, Eva could probably do the same and pull it off with ease if she wanted, and that Alexandra could transform back into the rock star princess the world knew and loved. They stepped off the elevator on the top floor and walked to the suite, discussing her intentions of doing exactly that.

Eva’s ornate hotel suite instantly wooed Alexandra. “God. Now, this is what I call a penthouse!”

They went into Eva’s bedroom. Alexandra fell back on the plush oversized king bed with an appreciative moan of pleasure. “Yes…I forgot how luxurious this life can get,” she groaned.

Eva stood at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed, a speculative expression. “Now, about this idea of yours. I thought we agreed Sebastian Sullivan needs to meet you the way you are, Alexandra Storme. Don’t tell me you’re insecure about being yourself after meeting his ex?”

“This plan has nothing to do with that life-size Barbie doll.”

Eva’s smirk deepened.

Alexandra sat up defiantly. “Bash needs to see me at my best. God knows he’s already seen the lows.” She pulled out her t-shirt to illustrate, imagining the adorable shoes, dresses, and accessories she had not been able to wear since she made it into Tucson. “I’m talking skinny jeans, a nice off-the-shoulder blouse and stilettos, Eva. The very idea of getting dressed up in something other than baggy shorts and button down shirts is enough to make me dance. Is it possible to have a fashion-gasm?”

Eva laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t know about that, but I bet Bash will get a thrill of his own when he finally sees you all girl-ified.”

Eva opened the box with the Lexxi Rock wig. “Wow.” She lifted it out with a soft gasp. “This is exquisite. After you try it on, I want a chance too,” she joked.

Alexandra took it gently from Eva’s hands and walked with it to the mirror in Eva’s in-suite bathroom to try it on. It took a few minutes to tuck her unruly curls underneath, but it worked. She looked just like her old self again.

Eva looked over Alexandra’s shoulder in the mirror. Lifting one eyebrow, she pursed her lips and nodded slowly. “Wow. This is definitely you.” She stood there, assessing. “Where’s my makeup bag? I may not be a makeup artist, but I know how to work the mascara and lipstick. Let’s get you dolled up and see if we can find Lexxi Rock something to wear from the stuff I brought. Are you sure this is what you want?”

She glanced at the mirror again. “Yes. Let’s do this. I can’t wait to show up at dinner and surprise him. After that, it won’t take too long to come back over here and change back to my Alex Roberts stuff.”

“Change you back? You never said anything about changing you back. Christ, Lex.”

“Of course I have to change back. I still have to get around this city to make sure the repairs to the house get started.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe you, but okay. As long as you tell Bash the second you see him, maybe he’ll let it slide.”

“I will.”

“You’d better,” Eva said, and disappeared outside the bathroom to get her luggage.

She hurried back to Alexandra holding up two knee-length cocktail dresses. One was a frothy pink, and the other a glimmering black sequin mini-dress. Alexandra tapped her chin with her forefinger, wondering which one to try.

“What happened to skinny jeans and a blouse, Miss ‘Be Yourself’?”

Eva grinned. “I didn’t bring anything casual, honey. Work with me here. By the way, you had better not stall tonight with Bash, or I’ll tell him myself.”

“I won’t…I’ll definitely try…crap. I’m scared out of my mind, hun!”

“Dammit, Lex. All it takes is a few seconds to pull him aside and tell him. He’ll know what’s up, and you can go back to his place with him in the loop. Why go through all this and still stall?”

Alexandra let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t understand, hun. I’ve dug myself a shallow grave, I think…I don’t know where all this hesitation and second guessing is coming from. It’s complicated.”

“You’re certainly making it that way.” Eva gave her a knowing glare.

“Do you think he’d mind if we made it a couple of drinks instead of a full sit-down dinner? I doubt I can sit through that much time without telling him, if that’s how the evening goes.”

“Christ. You can’t be serious, woman.”

“Please?”

“Whatever, darling. Drinks alone is fine with me. I’m here for you, and will get a front row seat to the fireworks, so go ahead and cave.”

“That’s some encouragement, bestie.”

“Sorry, love. You’re doing this to yourself.” Eva held each dress up in front of her. “Which one will it be?”

“I’ll go with the pink.”

“Excellent. Now, have a seat and let me get your face painted on.”

***

When Alexandra and Eva strolled through the lobby an hour later, they were both recognizable celebrities. People shouted for Alexandra’s attention this time, asking her to turn to the camera. The impromptu fans from earlier had been supplemented by reporters and paparazzi. Alexandra suspected that was thanks to Rick.

Damn, he works fast!

She climbed into the limousine with Eva, undeniably back to the life she had temporarily left behind, with all the pressures back on her shoulders.

“I thought I could easily slip back into things, Eva. This is harder than I imagined,” she confessed, out of breath. “Did you hear the guy in the back who asked if I suddenly grew a conscience?”

“He was an ass, honey. Besides, if you’re going back into hiding as Alex for a few days, you need to make tonight count. Any publicity is good publicity.”

“I guess.”

“You said Rick spun it that you just arrived in Tucson to be with your father, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re here. You don’t have to try to be the doting daughter, love. You already are. Don’t let the bright lights stop you from being yourself.”

“I feel like a bit of a fraud,” she whispered.

“That’s because you have been, but for good reason. You don’t owe the public any explanation. There’s only one person you have to talk to so you can set things right. Let’s go do that.”

Pulling her phone out of her clutch purse, Alexandra got ready to phone Bash.

SEBASTIAN checked the clock on the wall again.

“Damn it, Alexandra,” he grumbled, frustrated.

She had told him not to call off the dinner before she raced out of the house almost two hours ago. Since then, Sebastian had not heard a thing from her about where to meet. Getting Clint out of the house was a complicated enough feat without having to worry about where they were going.

He silently admitted he was more agitated about the way she ran off without an explanation. He wondered if something might have happened to Maxwell at the hospital or whether she needed help, and then reminded himself she was a capable adult.

And, it’s none of my business.

Coming out of the living room, he found his phone and called over to Clint. Beth answered, and Sebastian let her know he would pick them up within an hour. His thought was, even if Alexandra could not make it anymore, he and his friends would pick a restaurant downtown and enjoy the night out without her.

He got showered and dressed with less enthusiasm than he would have had if Alexandra were coming out for sure. Fully aware his sullen mood was unwarranted, he didn’t care.

I’m in the privacy of my own home.

I can be a grouch if I want, after how this month has been.

He adjusted his tie and quickly checked the mirror before heading downstairs for his phone, wallet and keys. On the drive to Clint’s, there was a tension in the air he could not explain. Deep down, he sensed something was up, and quickly dismissed it as anxiety.

My buddy and his common-law wife are possibly about to meet the fantasy woman I told them about—and she’ll be dressed as a guy.

Fuck, no wonder I’m nervous.

Across town, he pulled into Clint and Beth’s driveway. They were expecting him, because the door opened before he put the Jeep in park. Beth emerged first, and her upbeat smile helped to evaporate Sebastian’s bad mood. Clint rolled out after, and wheeled down the ramp in his electric wheelchair, dressed and ready to go.

“Hi Beth. Wow, you look great,” Sebastian complimented her.

Beth smiled. “Thanks Bash. You look great yourself.” she answered, waiting for Clint at the bottom of the steps.

“I’ve been looking forward to this all week, buddy,” Clint said in a deep chuckle when he made it down the ramp. “I thought for sure you would have phoned for a raincheck tonight, you big flake.”

Sebastian smiled, getting ready to tell him Alex would probably be a no-show. “Which seat is more comfortable for you, buddy? Do you want to ride shotgun?”

“No, man. I prefer the back seat, if you don’t mind. Help me up.”

He opened the door behind the front passenger seat, and with a grunt, helped Clint into the back seat of the Jeep, reaching up for the seatbelt.

“Hang on there, Bash. I got this part,” Clint reminded him, taking the seatbelt from Sebastian’s hand. “There are still some things I can do myself.”

“Got it. Hey, do you remember that time I got so drunk after the firehouse Christmas Ball, you had to carry me out and strap me in your truck to take me home? Well hell Clint, I’m just returning the favor.”

Clint nodded, laughing harder. He remembered. They had enjoyed a lot of good times over the years. Sebastian decided tonight was about having more of those good memories, whether Alexandra showed up or not.

With Clint inside, Beth reminded him how to load the electric wheelchair into the back, and they were ready to go.

“Beth, do you want to sit in the front seat?” he asked.

“Oh, no,” she told him, following him around to the door behind the driver’s seat. “I’ll sit with Clint.”

Back in his seat, he looked at them in the rearview mirror to break the bad news. “Guys, I hate to do this to you, but it may just be the three of us tonight.”

Clint leaned forward. “What happened to meeting your new girlfriend? I thought that was the whole reason for dinner?”

Sebastian hesitated. “I’m still not sure if she’ll come out. Something came up, and it might overlap with our plans. She said she’d call and tell us where to meet if she gets freed up in time, but—”

His phone rang just as he was finishing his explanation for Alex’s absence. The anticipation shot through him when he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Bash. I just wrapped up what I had to do. Are your friends at the house yet?”

“I just picked them up at their place. Are we still on?” he asked tentatively. The way she left earlier in the afternoon, he had no idea what to expect.

“That’s why I was calling. Sorry about the last minute changes, but do you think we can make it just drinks and a few hors d'oeuvres tonight?”

“Hang on, let me ask.” He turned to Clint. “Are you guys okay if we only do drinks and appetizers?”