Winter's Role, page 10
In the chair across from them, Joanie rolled her eyes again. The two of them were so in love it was making her sick. Watching them made her glad that she and Carson had never had children. She didn’t think she could take raising teenagers. These two were bad enough, what with all the hand holding, secret smiles and kissing. And yet, at the same time, Stephanie was happy. That alone made all this worth doing. She’d been there when Linda and Kate had broken Stephanie’s heart. She knew exactly what they’d put her through and how much pain she’d been in. She’d spent a lot of sleepless nights listening to Stephanie and holding her while she cried. Losing Tommy had nearly killed her. Then, right before her trip to Ohio, her most recent relationship had fallen apart. So, if supporting her in this made her happy, Joanie would do it. Even if she didn’t think it would help her career. Sometimes, having someone to love was more important that a successful career.
* * * *
Hours later, having left Joanie and Carson’s house earlier, Stephanie was getting ready for bed. When she finished, she stopped in the bathroom doorway. Looking at Jessie lying in bed, she sighed. Tonight had been absolutely perfect. Joanie had, despite her reservations, done an excellent job of helping her come out, and introduce Jessie to the world. Now, looking at Jessie lying on her side reading a book, she couldn’t believe how lucky she was.
Jessie heard Stephanie sigh and turned over. “You coming to bed?” she asked, smiling at her and closing the book, setting it on the bedside table. She threw the covers back and patted the bed in invitation.
“Yeah, just admiring the view,” Stephanie said, flipping out the light and crawling in beside her. She snuggled up next to Jessie and threw an arm over her stomach.
“Satisfied with the way things went tonight?” Jessie asked quietly, nuzzling Stephanie’s hair with her nose.
“Everything was perfect, Jess. Thank you, for doing this with me.” She kissed her neck and felt her shiver.
“I’d do anything for you, Baby. Anything,” she whispered quietly. “I love you so much.”
Jessie’s words wound their way into her heart, making her feel so safe and loved. And yet…no matter how good the words made her feel, there was still something more that she needed. She knew she was being selfish…wanting more. It made her feel like she was betraying Jessie in a way. Jessie had overcome so many fears to love her…to allow Stephanie to love her in return. And yet, she couldn’t ask Jessie for the one thing she really wanted. More than anything, she wanted Jessie to move to LA and live with her. She knew all the reasons why she couldn’t, and she understood them. Still, that didn’t change the way she felt. She also knew that Jessie would never let her pay her way until she found a job in LA. Even though she’d do it in a heartbeat if it meant they could be together all the time. She missed Jessie when she wasn’t there, holding her while she slept…her lips on hers…her hands…She took in a deep breath, bringing herself back to the present. Jessie was here now. For tonight, she could hold her…kiss her…
Chapter 8
On Monday, August 8th, Jessie was busy reading over a deposition, when her cell phone rang. She picked it up on the second ring. She’d been expecting Stephanie to call, and was immediately concerned when she saw Joanie’s picture on the display, instead. Recovering quickly, she answered, “Joanie? I wasn’t expecting you. What can I do for you?”
“Jessie,” the agent drawled, obviously aware of the fact that Jessie would rather not be talking to her. “I was actually just calling to ask a favor of you.”
“What kind of favor could I possibly do for you, Joanie?” she asked genially, wondering just exactly what the overbearing woman was up to.
“Well…you do know that Stephanie’s been scheduled to appear on the Late Night LA Show tomorrow night?”
“Yeah, she told me about it. I’m still not sure what…” she started to say, but Joanie cut her off.
“Tom, the host, called me and asked if I’d be able to get you on the show, too,” she said by way of explanation. “He wants to surprise Stephanie by bringing you out when he’s ready to talk to her about her coming out.”
Jessie shook her head and twirled her finger in the air in the universal ‘crazy’ sign, looking over at Theresa, who had turned to watch her when she heard Jessie say Joanie’s name. Worried that the woman was trying to wrap her up in some scheme to make Stephanie angry, Jessie wasn’t sure she liked the idea. On the other hand, they had known going into this that Stephanie at least, would be called to do these kinds of interviews. She didn’t relish the idea of talking about their relationship on national TV, but it was part of the game.
Jessie sighed, before answering her. “You’re sure he isn’t going to ambush her or anything? I don’t want to be a part of embarrassing her or hurting her, Joanie,” she said, warning the woman. She didn’t think Joanie would do anything that would hurt Steph, but she still didn’t trust her implicitly. The woman didn’t like her and might try to make her look bad in front of Steph.
Pleased that Jessie was thinking about Stephanie and not herself, Joanie smiled when she answered. “I swear to you, Jessie. Tom Westcott’s a friend. I would never expose Stephanie to an interview that would hurt her or her image. If nothing else, you should believe that.”
“I do believe you, Joanie. I just don’t always trust other people and their motivations. If you say he’s trustworthy, I’ll take your word for it. When do you want me there?”
“You’ll do it?” She tried to hide the surprise in her voice, but wasn’t quite as successful as she wanted.
“Of course, I will. Anything to help Steph get through this,” Jessie said. Honestly, how many times did she need to reiterate that for Joanie?
“Okay then! I’ll have your plane ticket waiting for you at the Delta Desk. Your flight leaves at ten tomorrow morning. I’ll meet you at the airport when you arrive and take you right to your hotel room. There will be a car to pick you up and take you to the studio at seven.”
Jessie wrote everything down and repeated it, to make sure she had it correct. When Joanie confirmed the details were right, she said goodbye and hung up the phone. Leaning back in her chair, she looked over at Theresa, shaking her head.
“So, what was that all about?” Theresa asked curiously. Jessie had told her all about Joanie, and she didn’t think she liked the woman on principle.
“You’re never going to believe this…” Jessie said, launching into the story. By the time she was done, Theresa was sitting there with her mouth hanging open.
“So, you’re leaving for LA tomorrow morning and coming back the next day?”
Jessie nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” She stood up. “I should probably go talk to Susan and fill out the paperwork for two vacation days. Jesus…who ever thought I’d be on TV with Tom Westcott…” her voice trailed off with disbelief as she left to find the human resources director.
Theresa watched Jessie walk down the hall, shaking her head. “I sure hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, Jess,” she said out loud to no one in particular. It worried her, how fast Jessie had fallen for Stephanie. Thinking back to their conversation one fateful Saturday night, Theresa shook her head again. Why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut and not encourage her? She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that Jessie was deeply in love and very probably going to stay that way. Jessie had been in love with Stephanie for years. Or at least, she had been in love with the idea of Stephanie. Neither of them had ever believed that it could be anything more than a fantasy, though. Never in their wildest dreams had it even occurred to them that Stephanie would actually turn up at their office. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Jessie to be in love. On the contrary, Stephanie was the best thing to ever happen to Jess. She just worried that her best friend might be moving faster than wisdom dictated. Stephanie was one of the nicest people she’d ever met though, and Jessie couldn’t hope for better. Neither of them could actually, and she smiled, realizing that the two women were absolutely perfect for each other.
Jessie returned to the office within half an hour and they spent the rest of the day digging through paperwork and preparing for a new case. After work, Jessie invited Theresa to dinner so they could finish working, and then went back to Jessie’s house. They spent the rest of the evening talking while Jessie packed a few clothes into a carryon bag.
“You know, all those girls disappearing from around Toledo is starting to make me nervous,” Theresa said, relaxing against the headboard of Jessie’s bed while she watched her pack. “It’s getting scary.”
Jessie shrugged. “I haven’t really paid a lot of attention. I mean, we’re not prostitutes or drug addicts, so I don’t think there’s much to worry about.”
“Yeah, but still…”
“You’re really worried, aren’t you?” Jessie asked, setting her things to the side.
“Yes, I am. I mean…doesn’t it bother you that there are women disappearing only a few hours away? And now their bodies are starting to turn up all around northern Ohio. It’s unnerving.”
Jessie shrugged. “I haven’t really given it much thought. But yeah, it’s scary. I’m just not willing to let my fears take over for my good sense.” She looked around the room, puzzled. “Have you seen my small ipod? The one I use on my runs?”
“No.”
“That’s weird, I could swear I saw it on the dresser this morning.”
“Did you put in your gym bag and forget about it?”
“No. I didn’t pack it this morning.” She shook her head. “Now that I think about it, I’ve misplaced a couple things this week. Oh, well. I guess I’ll just have to leave it and look for it when I get back.” She grabbed her carry-on bag and set it next to the bedroom door. “Well, that’s it.”
“I’ll get going, then. It’s getting late.” She stood up and walked with Jessie to the front door.
“I’ll be back Thursday evening. If anything important comes up, call me.”
“There’s nothing pending and I’m sure Dave can take care of anything that comes up. He’s always got your back.”
Jessie snorted. “That’s because I always have his.”
Theresa nodded, remembering some of the reasons Jessie had helped Dave in the past. Covering for him in court when he had a hangover, was one of those ways. “You’re right, you do. Anyway, have a good time and say ‘hi’ to Stephanie for me.”
“I will. See you Thursday, and be careful going home.”
* * * *
On Wednesday, Jessie got off the plane at LAX and met Joanie as planned. Following her out to the short term parking lot, she listened as Joanie filled her in on the details of the day. Once in the car, however, they rode to the hotel in near silence, as neither one of them really knew what to say to the other. Joanie did manage to make some small talk, asking Jessie how her job was going. Then she asked about the band and Jessie’s family. Jessie answered each and every question, wondering just what Joanie was really up to. For some reason, she had the feeling the woman was planning something.
When they pulled up to the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Joanie dropped her off with a promise of returning by seven. Nodding her head, Jessie thanked the woman, grabbed her bag and headed into the hotel to check in. Once in her room, Jessie tossed her bag onto the bed and started hanging up her clothes. With nothing to do for the next four hours, she decided to kill some time by going for a run. There was a park only two blocks away from the hotel, so she changed into her running clothes, locked the door behind her and left.
Returning to the hotel two hours later, she jumped in the shower. At seven, she answered the door to find Joanie standing in the hall. Smiling at the agent, she opened the door further and let her in while she finished getting ready. “I have to admit, Joanie. I thought you’d just send a car for me. I’m surprised that you’d drive me yourself.”
“Well, I thought about it. But I need to be there too, and Stephanie decided she would drive herself to the studio. So, I decided to give you a ride.” She sat down in a chair to wait for Jessie, who was busy pulling on her boots. “You look nice tonight, Jessie. But…you look a little too much like a cop on a TV show,” she said, indicating the black dress pants and fitted blouse Jessie was currently sporting.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Joanie was right. With the black dress pants and fitted blouse, belt and black dress boots, she looked like she’d just stepped out of an episode of ‘Criminal Minds.’ The only thing she was lacking was a badge and a gun hanging on her belt. Sighing, she said, “You’re right. I guess I’m just not sure what would be appropriate for a TV interview? I mean…I was torn between a business suit, casual, or something with more of a rock and roll flair to it.”
“Hmm. I think I like the idea of the ‘rock flair.’ It’s more ‘you,’ somehow. And we want the world to get to know the real you. We want them to see what Stephanie sees in Jessie Drake.”
“Okay,” Jessie said, grateful for Joanie’s help. “Let me try something else.” She grabbed a different pair of pants and blouse out of the small armoire and stepped into the bathroom to change. When she came out a minute later, she looked over at Joanie, waiting for her to say something.
“Oh, yeah. Stephanie’s going to love that outfit on you,” Joanie said as she eyed Jessie critically, appraising the deerskin colored leather pants, black blouse that she wore untucked and matching brown leather jacket. She looked every bit the rock and roll singer in the outfit and Joanie approved. She especially liked the way Jessie had styled her hair. Just a little mussed, with heavier than usual black eyeliner, two long dangly necklaces and the earrings Stephanie had given her in July, Joanie definitely liked the ensemble. It wasn’t too ‘rock and roll,’ but it wasn’t ‘stuffy lawyer,’ or ‘TV cop,’ either.
Unused to compliments from the woman, Jessie blinked twice before answering. As she bent over to pull on the black leather boots, she said, “Thanks. You’re sure it’s not too much?”
“I’m absolutely positive. It’s perfect. Now, let’s get going so we can get dinner. I’m starving.”
Jessie took a deep breath, grabbed her purse, and followed Joanie out of the room. After dinner, she found herself sitting in a dressing room at the studio, being readied for her first TV interview. She’d never imagined there would be so much preparation just to sit down and talk to someone. At the moment, a young man was busily re-doing her makeup. Before that, he’d seen fit to work with her hair some more, because he didn’t think it looked mussed enough.
Sighing, she just couldn’t figure out how Stephanie could possibly sit through this every day. Getting up before six didn’t appeal to her to begin with. Tack on the fact that she rarely got to bed before midnight, and that made it even harder. Then, to sit through at least an hour of someone else primping on you…She shook her head. Plain and simply put, she hated having anyone mess with her hair and makeup. It was annoying and bad for the ego. She had to admit though, when he pronounced himself finished, she looked great.
Within minutes of the young man stepping out of the room, Joanie came in with Tom Westcott. The TV host introduced himself and took Jessie’s hand, shaking it vigorously. “I’m really glad you could make it for the show, Jessie. After seeing you two in ‘Movie Insider,’ I knew we had to get both of you on the show,” he gushed, smiling brightly at her. “Now, Stephanie has no idea you’re here. I want it to be a complete surprise when we bring you out. I’m going to spend the first fifteen minutes talking to her about the new show. Then, I’m going to bring up the movie premiere. Right after we show some pictures of the two of you together, I’m going to introduce you.”
Jessie nodded, listening as he spelled out what she was supposed to do. “It sounds great, Tom. But, you are sure that Steph isn’t getting ambushed here, right? I won’t be a part of dragging her through the mud.”
He shook his head, understanding why Jessie might be worried. Seeking to put her mind at ease, he said, “Jessie, I swear to you…I would never hurt Stephanie. She’s a good friend, and I respect her far too much.” He looked down at his watch and then back to her. “It’s just about time. Just follow Joanie, and she’ll walk you to the stage. Wait for my introduction, come on over and greet both of us, and then have a seat. It’s that easy.”
Jessie highly doubted it was going to be ‘that easy,’ but there was no turning back now. Thirty minutes later, she was standing at the side of the stage behind a curtain, effectively hiding her from view of the stage and audience. Tom had, true to his word, kept the interview on the topic of ‘Green’s Conviction.’ At the moment, Steph was setting up a clip of the show and then they played the trailer. After that, they went to a commercial break.
Joanie, watching on the monitor and holding a headset to one ear, stepped over to where Jessie was standing. “They’re about to come back from commercial. Tom’s going to start asking her about her decision to come out, and then mention you. When he introduces you, that’s your cue.”
Jessie nodded silently, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She hadn’t been nervous about this until the last few minutes. Now, it seemed like the butterflies in her stomach had morphed into bats. When she re-opened her eyes, she felt calmer, less nauseous. Trying to forget what she was about to do, she turned her attention to the interview. They had come back from commercial, and Tom was asking Stephanie about her decision to come out. Then, he mentioned the movie premiere, and pictures of Stephanie together with Jessie were shown on the huge flat screen TV situated behind their seats.
“So, you decided to come out at the premiere of ‘Lonesome Moon?’ Not only that, but you also decided that it would be a good time to introduce your girlfriend to the world. Was there any specific reason you chose to do this now, Stephanie?” Tom asked, pointing toward the pictures currently up on the TV screen behind them.
