The Rush

Chapter 22

Two weeks into January and I was on a private plane with all my friends going to LA for a month. The band was booked for so many events and talk shows it wasn't even funny. Elenore joined us even though she only had a few commitments and really only needed to be there for two weeks max. Will would be working remotely as well as putting in time at the LA branch of the foundation he worked for so he could join us as well. Kai, Ryland's partner, wasn't able to join us. They weren't comfortable with being in the spotlight yet but I understood why. Tori was single so she was excited to live up the single life in LA. She was trying to convince me to do the same but I couldn't tell her that I wasn't single.

As soon as we touched down in LA, we were whisked off to the hotel to get ready for the charity gala we were slotted to attend. It was a big deal and we'd be mixing it with all the big players in the music industry. It was weird being sat in a chair as makeup artists and hair stylists worked on you. An entire team was there making sure we all looked our best. I even had an assistant feeding me so I wouldn't ruin my makeup. It wasn't really my thing, actually, it was the antithesis of my thing.

By the time it was done, it was totally worth every second in that chair. My hair was still a wild mane of curls, but somehow each curl was perfectly defined with barely any frizz. My complexion was also perfect. The blush brought out my cheekbones and a healthy glow radiated off me. They had done a dark smoky eye and a moody burgundy lip. I looked like a fucking badass.

Next came the clothes. Hayley had a hand in every outfit I would wear on this trip. She'd been a superstar, making appointments with designers, bringing me along, reworking what needed to be reworked, and making sure everything was tailored to fit me perfectly. The little superstar was made to work in fashion because she definitely hit the mark. I was dressed in a burgundy pantsuit which was made of the most luxurious velvet I had ever felt. The pants had a skinny cut and were slightly cropped to show off the heels Hayley made me wear. I was to have the sleeves rolled up to the elbow, the jacket unbuttoned, and the most beautiful intricate black sheer lace top I'd ever seen underneath. It was sexy, sophisticated, and stylish.

We all got into the limo that would bring us to the gala. It was nice to spend some time with the band again. I've been making more of an effort to hang out with them. I was getting used to lying to them about dating Elenore. Elenore was coming separately from all of us. She thought it best to make sure that no one would even think about the possibility of us being together. It hurt, but I hoped that once we were inside, we'd get to spend some time together.

When we pulled onto the red carpet, cameras were flashing everywhere. Everyone in the car showed their nerves. It was the first time for all of us so I decided I would be the first to take the plunge. I put my cocky smile on my face and stepped out of the door once it had been opened for us. We all piled out. Will and Anise stood back as the band and I were forced to pose for photos. I just tried to not let my distaste for the whole thing show as we slowly made our way inside.

The gala was just as I expected, way too extravagant in every sense of the word. Diamonds glittered on every woman, the Rolexes were prominently displayed, and decadent appetizers were being passed along by waiters right beside the waiters dolling out free champagne. Everyone was flaunting their wealth, but I knew that this would bring in a lot of money. Egos were being stroked to encourage those with wealth to show themselves to be the most charitable. It was a bragging right here, to have donated the most, and the competition would be going all night.

I grabbed a glass of red wine from a passing waiter as I waltzed around the room. I knew a lot more people here than I thought. Many had worked with at least one member of my family in some form. Everyone now knew who my family was, so even people who I didn't know were coming up to introduce themselves to me. I got quite a few numbers from different artists who wanted to talk about making some music together. My mission of forging connections in the industry had been a raging success. Now to find my girl, where the fuck was she?