Page 120 of The Last Second Chance
He dropped his hands and squeezed one of hers. “I understand that you’re not happy about it, but I’m really grateful that you’re here. We’ll talk about this later, I promise. Are you ready for this?” he asked.
She was peering out the window and frowning.
“That is a lot of people out there. Why are they all screaming?”
“Because they all want a piece of you…or at least the stars.”
“Well, that’s sad and creepy. And it makes me happy that we’re just the little people here.”
“Me, too, Jojo. Me, too.”
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Aisha Leigh scoopedthem up just as they stepped off the end of the red carpet. Joey looked shell-shocked. For the date of a writer, she’d gotten a bit more attention than either of them expected.
“Well, well. Look who didn’t blow off the premiere,” Al said, leaning in and giving Jax a peck on the cheek. Her rust colored cocktail dress perfectly complimented her rich skin and dark, glossy hair.
“Beautiful as always, Al.”
His agent slid her neatly manicured hands down her hips. “Well, I’ve got to do something with all that money you make me, sugar. And you must be Joey,” she said stretching her arms out.
Joey offered her hand and shook firmly. “I think we spoke on the phone when Jax was avoiding you.”
Al smiled in appreciation. “We certainly did and now I know who to call next time I need this one to get things done.”
“That may have been a freak occurrence,” Joey warned. “So, is there a bar around here?”
“You poor thing,” Al said, looping her arm through Joey’s. “Let’s get you liquored up so you can forget about that red carpet experience.”
Al looked over her shoulder at Jax as they walked inside. Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows raised in approval. “Nice work,” she mouthed to him.
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Jax sippedhis beer and scanned the crowd while two studio execs talked around him about yet another project. Joey had been confiscated by half a dozen people at varying points in the evening. Al had introduced her to half of the executives at the party. And judging from their reactions to her, he knew it was a calculated move on Al’s part to boost the interest in his script. Didi had rescued Joey after the screening when he got cornered by a producer and two screenwriters.
He kept catching glimpses of Joey through the crowd, but hadn’t been able to get to her for the last forty-five minutes. Finally, the crowds shifted and he spotted her, back to him facing a crowd of enthusiastic men. He recognized a handful of actors in the mix and figured now was probably an excellent time to excuse himself from his conversation.
“Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a beautiful woman who needs rescued.”
He crossed the room and tapped her on one alabaster shoulder. She twirled around and her face lit up when she spotted him.
“Jax!”
Her face wasn’t the only thing lit. Joey was clearly enjoying a very pleasant buzz and her crowd of admirers was enjoying her enjoying it.
Joey Greer didn’t need rescued, she needed corralled.
He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her into him placing a very satisfying kiss squarely on her mouth. “Hello, beautiful.”
“Hi, Ace. We were just talking about you.”
Jax raised an eyebrow. “You were, were you?”
“We all thought the movie was great,” Joey gushed.
“Good. Great. Come with me,” he said, leading her away.
Joey waved over her shoulder at her new friends and let Jax drag her off.
