Fade to Black (sequel to riptide)

Part 21

Lauren's pov
I sat next to a sleeping Jackson and stared at my ring mesmerized by it. I still can't believe that Jackson is ctechnically my fiancé. It's been a week but it's still hard to wrap my head around. That's so crazy. I heard him stir so I looked over at him.
"You awake?" I ask kissing his forehead.
"Yeah are you?"
"Really?"
"Stupid question."
"I have to go to the studio for a few hours at 3:00 so I'll be leaving at 2:45."
"Ok I have to go to a tv interview at 3:15 so I'll be leaving at 3:00 and I'll be done at 4:00."
"Then stop by the studio afterwards."
"Will do. What time is it?"
"It's 12:00."
"How about I actually make ou breakfast for once."
"You'll actually cook for me?"
"Yup. I mean if you're going to be my wife in going to have to so why not start now."
"Why haven't you cooked for me till now?"
"I consider cooking a very important art. I think that there is a certain commitment in cooking for someone like saying you could have this. So I only wanted to cook for you when we got engaged." I smiled at him.
"That was really sweet."
"Come." He grabs my hand and leads me downstairs. Only issue in only wearing an oversized t shirt and underwear. He had on a pair of sweatpants. We got to the kitchen and he pushed me against the counter then lifted me up to sit on it. He started making things.
"Do you realize that you're honestly the perfect man?"
"How so?"
"Your handy which is hot, you can cook which is also hot, you're hot which is hot. Your kind. You're patient especially with kids. You always want to do whatever you can to help someone. You are protective and loving. You're going to be a great husband and a great father."
"You think I'd be a good father?"
"Of course babe. You're amazing with kids especially Toby."
"You're so sweet."
"No I'm just observant."
"Give me a kiss." He leans his head close and I peck his lips. He goes back to cooking. After a while of talking about stupid stuff and being stupid then he finishes the food placing it in front of me on the table while he sits on the other side. It's eggs Benedict topped with avocados with bacon on the side.
"This looks amazing."
"Alright I'm a little rusty but hopefully this'll be good." I take a bite and literally my mouth is in heaven. I moan at the taste of the food.
"That is so good. Oh my god I'm sort of mad you haven't been cooking for me all of this time after tasting this."
"You really like it?"
"Yes of course this is so good. And now I have a personal chef."
"Well since I'm your chef you have to be my Cuban consultant and you must make me empanadas and cafe con leche."
"You got it. I will make you cafe con leche right now."
"Really?"
"Yes I will." I walk into the kitchen and begin to make the cafe con leche and then I had to just had to make him a Cuban espresso. He won't know what hit him. I make his drinks then gave it to him.
"What's this?" He points to the shot glass where I put the espresso.
"It's a shot for my non drinking boyfriend it's an espresso dumbass."
"Uhm I'm not your boyfriend I'm your fiancé." He smirks.
"Fair enough." After hanging around for a while I left to go to the studio and Jackson went to his interview.

Jacksons pov
I got to the interview and realized I was at Ellen again. That shows how much attention I pay. I walked in and got changed and ready to go on. They called my name and I walked on set. I hugged Ellen then sat down in the white chair.
"Jackson Danielson good to have you back."
"Good to be back."
"So whatever happened to dying your hair Ellen blue."
"I was going to but then my mum saw the interview and called me and basically yelled at me telling me id never dye my hair."
"From this awesome picture of you from Halloween you died it black."
"I painted it. It's hair accessible paint from party city."
"They make that?"
"Yeah they do but it's irritating as hell my scalp hurt for so long after that."
"So you just got off of tour how was that?"
"It was a lot of fun. I made some amazing fans saw some new places, had some pretty amazing experiences."
"Your YouTube diaries showed us that what was the purpose of doing that?"
"Basically it was my first headlining tour and it was my first arena tour. I wanted to really let fans in and show them life behind the scenes. Most documentaries focus on the hard days and late nights, the bad eating and all of that but I wanted to show the side that they don't see. I mean I still work out on tour, I meet fans, I do cool interactive things with them, I have fun backstage with my tour mates I see cool stuff and most of all I don't mind it because it's my job and it's my dream. I really wanted to let everyone in on that and show them the tour I live."
"Cool really cool."
"Any new music soon?"
"Not that I know of. I'll be working and still writing and recording but my next album won't be for a while."
"So what's next for you?"
"I'm starting acting. I'm doing a couple of Australian films for my buddies down there. I'm doing some strings on some shows and yeah."
"Would you ever do Broadway."
"Oh yes of course. I would love to do Broadway. I mean I'm practically in love with Hamilton."
"As is the rest of the world."
"Yeah it's a really amazing show. I really want to see it."
"Why don't you."
"Hey I've been busy but hopefully I'll get to see it when I go to New York City next month."
"It's an awesome show you'll enjoy it."
"I hope so."
"So are you working on any special things?"
"I don't know what do you consider special?"
"I don't know."
"I don't know either."
"I don't know."
"Oh yeah I'm coming out with a line of men's dress shoes they're all my design and I will be hands on in the process as well as the creative process."
"That's awesome what'll it be called."
"I don't know I'm thinking something really Australian like crocs." I joke and literally everyone chokes so hard laughing. I didn't mean for it to be that funny.
"Well Jackson let's move on to your personal life."
"Alright."
"So there's this picture of everybody's favorite your girlfriend Lauren with her ladies and they're clearly in the studio but what caught everyone's attention was this little shiny thing in her hand. Her arm is up and pointer finger to her mouth but right here on her ring finger see? The question that's been circling the Internet is did you propose to Lauren?"
"I did." The crowd clapped.
"Congrats."
"Thank you."
"So you guys are engaged wow thats crazy."
"I know how lucky am I? She's so beautiful right?"
"Well yes I guess so. What we want to know is will this stop you from your career?"
"Not at all I will continue with the plans I said earlier and leave the planning to her and her family. It is her wedding not mine plus I don't really care if it's eggshell white or ostrich white if that's even a color."
"Well Jackson congrats we'll be looking forward to seeing you acting and it's been great having you on the show."
"Thank you for having me."
"Of course." I got out of the interview then went backstage and my manager ran through my week. I have a few performances and interviews then some meetings for my show brand. I have a a filming for an episode of the 100. I'm filming a part for Empire. Guess who needed a talented Australian male with long hair. And Saturday I have a meeting with a wedding planner.
"Also Jackson im assigning you assistant to help you with everything you have going on in the upcoming few months."
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah she's outside waiting for you in the car with Big Jeff."
"She?"
"Yes now go she stays with you from your first event in the morning till your last in the night. Today she will be following you wherever you go so you guys can get a feel of each other."
"Why wasn't I consulted on this decision."
"Honestly I was hands off, this is all Simon."
"Ok then let's go meet this girl." He leads me out of the building where I take pictures and autograph things for a few fans then to a car. Once I get inside I see a tiny tan looking woman in jeans boots and a blue and black sweater.
"Hi I'm Melissa I'll be your personal assistant for the next few months and if that works out for a long time after that."
"Great I'm Jackson cool to meet you. "
"Big Jeff we are meeting the girls at the studio."
"Alright and which entrance should I bring you to."
"The back entrance so we can go right inside."
"Alright."
The drive to the studio is quiet and we get there in no time. Melissa follows me inside. I walk into the girls studio where they should be working but is that what they are doing? of course not.
"Hey ladies."
"Jackson!" They say then look obscurely at Marissa.
"Simon." I say and they nod.
"Melissa that's Camila, Normani, ally, Dinah Jane and Lauren. Ladies this is Melissa."
I see Lauren actually working hard at the sound table.
"Hallo!" I say hugging her from behind and kissing her cheek.
"Hi handsome how was your interview?"
"Good."
"That's good who's the chica?" She asks curiously looking at Melissa.
"Simon gave me a personal assistant to follow me at all times and help me handle my hectic schedule."
"That's a Simon thing to do."
"Yeah."
"So she'll be following you around all of the time?"
"From my first appointment to my last yes."
"No breaks?"
"Only when I have breaks."
"Cool."
"So what're you working on."
"That's a secret young man you have no authorization to know the answer to that."
"Aww come on."
"Nope."
"Please?"
"Nope."
"Dinah can I hear the song."
"Ask ally."
"Ally can I hear the song?"
"Yes of course." I look at Lauren who has a pretend offended face on.
"I can't believe you would go over my head like that."
"Sorry it just sort of happened." She rolls her eyes and plays the song.
"Ok I like it but how about we turn up the sax but add likelier depth like sort of like something is overnight the top and keeping it from making to many high sax sounds got me?"
"Yes." She fiddles as do I.
"Now let's bring your voices out and for you to highlight the soulfulness of your voice well put some more more here and here to really compliment that and for Camila we will bring hat down because her voice is higher and has more of an electric sound." I fiddle some more and so does Lauren then we finish like 10 minutes later.
"Guys we fixed your song."
"Buy me a thorn before you buy me a rose
Be covered in dirt before I'm covered in gold..."
"Perfect Jackson that's really good!" Camila high fives me.
"It was mostly this genius right here." I pay Lauren's head.
"Nope usually it's me but this was all you I just did what you told me."
"Alright alright calm down now. I know I'm amazing."
"Aww you thought that was what I meant. That's cute."
"Why are you so rude."
"I'm rude. I don't think so."
"Yeah you are." I kiss the top of her head.
"Yeah Lauser you're really rude." Dinah teases her.
"Why are we friends Dinah honestly!"
"Shutup Lauren or should I say rude Lauren."
"Dinah you're not funny leave lolo alone." Normani says sleepily cuddling in the couch pillow more.
"Guys shouldn't you continue working?" I ask.
"Have you met us. Why do you think the first album took so long." Lauren says looking at her phone.
"In that case do you want to go see a movie?"
"Nah."
"Do you want to go bowling."
"This early in the day I don't think so."
"Do you want me to take you shopping."
"Ooh that sounds like an amazing idea. I'm going to take you up on that one."
"Then let's go." I reach my hand out and she takes it saying goodbye to the girls and we walk out with Melissa following close behind. We got into the car and the driver drove us to the mall with Melissa still there. Once we got out I grabbed Lauren's hand and we walked through the mall going into various shops as Lauren went to buy like so much stuff she really doesn't need.
"These shoes are amazing." She can't stop staring at them.
"Damn they're not in my size."
"I'm sorry ma'am,"
"It's cool." She says then we walk out of that store as I hold all of her bags. So like 6 or 7 bags full of clothes and shoes.
"Jesus Christ Lauren how are you still shopping."
"Hey I didn't judge you when you went on that crazy tech buying spree I mean a drone and headphones and an airboard really? Nor did I judge you during that hair product spree or that video game spree or that shoe spree your ember when you bought those 500 dollar sneakers."
"Ok alright I got it."
"Now go try on that suit."
"Why?"
"Did you just question me?"
"Yes I did."
"Go try on the suit please I don't want to fight about it. Plus you know how I feel about you in a suit."
"Ok ok I'll try on the suit."
"Thank you baby." I go try on the suit and I guess I looked pretty good. I mean when do I not. I walked out of the dressing room and Lauren was sitting in a chair on her phone surrounded by her bags.
"This good?" She looks up and gasps.
"You look amazing. Perfect to meet my grandma."
"What're you talking about?"
"So here's the thing. My abuela wants to come up from Las Vegas to meet you."
"She lives in Las Vegas?"
"She works on the more countryside of Las Vegas. She's very religious and very old fashioned and I want you to impress her because if grandma doesn't approve of you the whole family doesn't come to the wedding understand. This is a big deal. You can not screw this up."
"OK but why do i need a suit?"
"We are going to dinner."
"Ok we can go to the organic place down the street from the studio."
"Or we could not try to completely ruin any chance of getting married. I have everything worked out. All you have too do is show up in this suit and be your perfect self ok?"
"Got it."
"Please don't think I'm being controlling I just want to impress her. None of my previous boyfriends ever have."
"Well you've had some pretty shitty boyfriends."
"Thats true but now I have a perfect one."
"Eh Im sort of a scrub."
"You are a scrub but you're an amazing man. My amazing man."
"So where is this dinner?"
"The fanciest restaurant in all of Los Angeles."
"Seriously?"
"Ally knows a guy."
"Awesome. So why don't we speed this trip up so we can get rid of the security and such and we can do some things."
"How about we buy this suit then go get some dinner."
"Or we can do that." I say smiling at her. Honestly I'm so in love with this girl.
"Ok now lets buy this and go I'm tired. Hard day at work."
"Really?" I look at her teasingly.
"You're right. We did nothing." She gets up and we pay for the suit then we walk hand I. Hand on our way back to where we came in from.
"So when is your grandmother coming."
"Uhm like next Tuesday I think."
"Where is she staying?"
"She's not."
"What do you mean?"
"She's going to continue up higher in California to see a friend of hers."
"Ok cool cool."
Some fans approached us and we took pictures with them and talked then more came and the crowd progressively got bigger so Big Jeff escorted us out of the mall. The ride home was awkward because Lauren was stuck in the back with Melissa.