The Contest Page 2

  “I’m not going,” Madi said.

  “Excuse me?” Kendra gasped as she stopped and stared at her. “You are too going!” she scorned.

  “No, I can’t… I can’t just pick up and leave. I’ve never been to California. This can’t be real. I mean, we’re talking about Jake Morgan. There is no way, no way I can…”

  “Now you listen to me, Madison Ryan!” Kendra grabbed both of her arms and got that determined look on her face that Madi knew too well. “You are going to go. This is real. You need to try something new. Step out of your comfort zone. Jake Morgan is not chicken salad. He’s a damn steak, Madi Ryan, and you are going to have the steak! Do you hear me? You are going to have...the…steak!”

  Kendra saw the worried look on Madi’s face, took a deep breath, and calmly spoke, “You have nothing to be afraid of. This is going to be awesome. You get to meet Jake Morgan for Pete’s sake. He’ll probably be nice, you’ll get a picture or two, and you’ll be on your way home. There is nothing to worry about. This is a contest paid for by the record company. It’s totally safe and you are going to go if I have to drag you to the airport myself! Understand?”

  Madi apprehensively nodded her head yes as the fear began to drain from her face. Slowly, she started to smile as the realization set in. She placed her hands on Kendra’s forearms as she came out of her shock. “I’m going to meet Jake Morgan?”

  “Uh huh!” Kendra exclaimed as she squeezed Madi’s arms in return.

  “I am going on a date with Jake Morgan?”

  “Uh huh! Yes you are! Yes. You. Are!”

  “I’M GOING TO CALIFORNIA AND I’M GOING ON A DATE WITH JAKE MORGAN!” Madi repeated this over and over, until they were both screaming and jumping up and down.

  Someone banged on Madi’s wall and told them to shut up.

  They stood there and smiled at each other for a few minutes before Kendra went back to the laptop. Madi walked toward the window and pulled back the blinds, looking outside. Her brain went into overdrive as she considered of all the things that could, and probably would, go wrong.

  Jake

  Jake shuffled out of bed at noon. He was a night owl by nature and had been at the recording studio until the wee hours of the night, trying to get the sound right for a single he was planning on releasing before the tour. His dog, Murphy, looked up at him as if he thought he was never going to take him out.

  “Just give me a minute, Murph.” Jake stretched as he stumbled his way to the bathroom. He glanced up at the mirror to see his trademark bed head. “Yep, there it is.” His naturally curly hair was flat on one side and curled on the other. It was obvious he had fallen into bed and not moved the whole night. He brushed his teeth and grabbed a baseball cap from the sofa.

  “All right, Murph; let’s get you out and about. Your fans are waiting.” Murphy’s tail wagged as his head turned to the side quizzically. He was a Shar Pei Beagle mix and had some of the funniest expressions Jake had ever seen in his life.

  Jake bent down, scooped him up into his arms and planted a big kiss on his head. Murphy had been just the thing Jake needed after he broke up with his girlfriend, Summer, two years ago. Jake had dated here and there, but he was now, and forever, in a deep committed relationship with his work. He loved being a musician. It was his dream job. He loved that he was able to make people smile with his music. He loved that he made enough money to never have to work a day for the rest of his life if he didn’t want to. But most of all, he loved that he could do what he was a passionate about, take care of his parents and sister, and still have enough money, time, and fans to make a difference in the world through the charities he supported.

  On paper, he sounded like a catch, but Jake knew there was a reason he wasn’t in a relationship. Not only was he a self-proclaimed control freak, but he was also really picky. He usually got bored quickly when girls fell all over him. Most girls didn’t hold his interest for long. He had loved Summer, but it wasn’t an “I’m so sure about you I’ll marry you now” romance in his mind. Sure, it was hard being with him. He worked long hours and was constantly traveling, but she was in the business and seemed to understand his life. After a while, she started getting upset when he had to cancel a date because of work, or forgot to text before his concert. He loved her so he didn’t let it bother him that she was so demanding. Hindsight… What is it they say about hindsight? Jake thought.

  As Jake walked Murphy out of his building, he thought about what had gone wrong with Summer. When she had told him she wanted to get married, it changed things. He realized he wasn’t ready to make the kind of commitment she wanted. He felt terrible for hurting her, but that’s what he always did. No matter how hard he tried, he always ended up hurting the people he cared about. It made him shy away from ever letting himself feel for anyone. He felt awful for months. But what the hell, he had written a few great songs out of the experience. Songwriters need some drama to keep the blood and lyrics flowing.

  He hummed the Radiohead song “Street Spirit” as he walked away from his building and down the street. He lived in a great part of LA and his place had lots of security. He barely ever saw his neighbors and they never bothered him. He wasn’t really followed by the paparazzi. He was too boring for them. He wasn’t a partier like some of his musician friends. He had to be careful about his voice. It’s hard to hit those notes when you’re not hydrated and have been up all night drinking. That just wasn’t him. Some people would say he was dull. He was just too much of a control freak to take the chance on losing his voice or his reputation. After all, wasn’t that why mothers loved him and pushed their daughters at him at every concert, because he was a stable, good guy?

  Murphy was taking far too long to pee this morning.

  His phone rang. “This is Jake,” he answered. “Hey Ang.” His assistant Angie was the one woman besides his mom who knew him well. She was in her late forties, had two sons of her own and was dedicated to keeping him in line.

  “You know tomorrow is the day, right?” Ang asked, wondering if he had forgotten.

  Jake frowned and tried to remember what it was he was supposed to know. He knew he’d better remember quickly since Ang had probably reminded him of it thirty times in the last week. Then it hit him, the contest, duh. How could he forget? He had thought it was a bad idea, but his manager Caleb had gotten Ang on his side so he didn’t have a chance in hell of winning the argument.

  “The contest, of course I remember.”

  “Okay, just checking,” Ang said with her usual upbeat tone. “Your ‘date’ will be here tomorrow by around 1 p.m. to watch you record and then you’ll take her out to dinner tomorrow night. I’ll be there to babysit and make sure she doesn’t jump you, no worries.”

  She had read his mind. “So we know it’s a girl then?” Jake laughed into the phone.

  “Yes, it’s a girl, Jake. I know you have a diverse fan base, but we’re sure it’s a girl. Or at least, we believe someone named Madison is a girl.”

  Jake adjusted Murphy’s leash in one hand while the other hand skimmed through his hair. “Madison, huh? Sounds like a teenager, maybe a grandmother. Is Madison her last name? Is her first name Dolly? Does she own a bakery? Do we know what you got me into?”

  “Don’t worry. We both know you can handle anyone. Women of all ages throw themselves at you at every concert and you eat it up. From what I remember about her entry, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

  “I’m still waiting for the panties to be thrown on stage. A thong would be nice, but no granny panties. So far my ass has been grabbed a few times but no one ever throws their panties at me like they do Adam Levine. Maybe she’ll bring me some donuts.”

  “Jake, we both know you are okay with the fact that you get teddy bears and t-shirts rather than panties.” Ang said with a smile in her voice.

  Jake laughed, “I do have great fans. Just promise me you’ll keep me safe from the crazy person who won this contest or so help me, I’ll call my
next album ‘The Firing’ and you and Caleb will be out of your jobs.”

  “Don’t get your panties in a bunch. You know you can’t live without me. You’d be knocking at my door for a home-cooked meal in a week.”

  “True.” Jake couldn’t argue with Ang. She was like his second mom.

  “You never know. Maybe she’ll be a cutie-pie and get your blood pumping,” Ang laughed.

  Jake shifted his stance and huffed, “You know I don’t date fans. That’s just wrong. All right, gotta go. Murph just made a mess. See you in an hour.”

  Jake was really okay with the whole contest thing. He knew it would be over in a heartbeat and he was only committed to dinner that one night. The next night was up to him. He figured Ang could take care of the rest. Whatever fan won the contest, he would be done with her in forty-eight hours and life would go on. I just need to be the Jake they think they know.

  As Jake walked Murphy back into the building, he thought about what Ang had said about the possibility of this girl being attractive. He wasn’t into groupies. He’d never dated a fan or given it a second thought, no matter what they looked like. Fans thought they knew him the minute they spoke to him. They knew what his team wanted them to know, but he was more than just his voice, his face, and a few laughs. Most people just didn’t take the time to see who he really was. They just assumed that what they had read about him was all there was to know. He was a good guy, loved his mom and all, but he had wants, needs, and a past just like any other man. He just didn’t see how taking advantage of a fan who threw herself at him was in any way the right thing to do.

  It wasn’t the kind of relationship he wanted, if he even wanted one. He was only twenty-eight. His parents had the kind of marriage that most people only dreamed about and he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to make sure that the girl he fell for was the whole package. She’d have to be patient and understanding of his life, too. He wanted what his parents had, just not right now. He wasn’t in a hurry. He wasn’t looking, but it wasn’t like he didn’t think about it here and there. He just hadn’t found anyone who made him stop in his tracks.

  The thoughts fell out of his mind in an instant. It was only something he thought about every once in a while, especially during the long nights away from home when he was touring. He didn’t let any girl or anyone else define him.

  Jake removed the latch of the leash from Murphy’s collar and smiled as he watched him run throughout the room. Jake Morgan was used to his life and he liked it just fine. He worked, traveled, sang, and smiled. Life was good the way he knew it.

  Chapter 2

  Madi

  “I can’t believe how calm you are,” Kendra said as she stared at Madi, sitting quietly at the airport breakfast bar.

  “Why should I be nervous? I’m just getting on a plane with a bag full of expensive, brand new clothes courtesy of the Kendra fund, and flying to California to meet Jake Morgan and have dinner with him.” Madi took a sip of her coffee as the cup rattled in her hand.

  Kendra sighed. “What am I going to do without you for forty-eight hours? I swear you’d better text me every ten minutes with details. I want to know what he’s wearing, what he says to you, and how he smells.”

  “You want me to smell him?” Madi giggled.

  “Hells yeah, I want you to smell him. Are you kidding me? If you are going to be close enough to shake his hand, I expect you to take a big whiff of him as well. Hell, I’m sure at some point he will probably hug you. You can smell him then.”

  Madi started fanning herself with her napkin. “You think he’ll hug me? You need to stop right now before I start to hyperventilate.”

  “There’s my girl!” Kendra laughed.

  “Okay seriously, he’s probably not as nice as he seems. He’s probably a player and I’ll be done analyzing him within the first ten minutes. Then I’ll figure out he’s a dick like every other guy, plop in my hotel room, order room service and watch ‘The Notebook’ on cable.”

  “You’re too funny. You just keep telling yourself that so you stay calm. Just do me a favor before you come home?” Kendra said as she edged closer.

  “What’s that? You want a picture or maybe a souvenir from the airport?” Madi added sarcastically.

  “I want you to grab his ass for me. Just tell him you promised your BFF you’d let her know if it was as tight as it looks.”

  Madi burst into a roaring laugh. People turned and stared at them.

  Inside Madi was a bundle of nerves. On one hand she was calm and cool, after convincing herself he was going to look awful in person and be a total loser. On the other hand, she was scared to death that he was going to be as hot as she thought he would be and that her panties would fall to the floor immediately upon meeting him. How could she let a guy get her so worked up like this? He was just a guy, like any other guy. He was probably sick to death of people getting all caught up in him. She just needed to be cool. Be polite, smile, and thank him without drooling or acting like any of the other weird fans who he was used to meeting. She had all day to get to know him. She could listen and analyze him. She was sure she could find something wrong with him.

  “Do you think he’ll sing 'The Way You Make Me Feel'?" Kendra asked as she sipped her orange juice.

  “Oh God, I hope not,” Madi sighed. “If he does I’ll crawl over to him and cling to his leg.”

  “Ha-ha. We both know you will do no such thing. In your mind you will be clinging but you won’t move from your chair.”

  “You never know. Maybe I’ll act crazy for once,” Madi said with a confident grin.

  “But seriously, I want you to do something for me.” Kendra said with furrowed brows.

  Madi squared her shoulders and looked directly into Kendra’s eyes. “Anything. Name it.”

  “Have fun, stay in the moment, and enjoy yourself. Don’t over think things. Go with the flow. Be you, but not so critical.”

  Madi rolled her eyes. “I’ll be fine, no worries!”

  Who was she kidding? Madi instantly missed Kendra the minute the plane took off. She sat there in first class staring at the knee high black boots Kendra had bought her and rubbing the soft leather with her index finger. She couldn’t believe Kendra could make her look so grown up. She was used to walking around campus in yoga pants and a sweatshirt. She actually felt pretty in this outfit. Kendra had insisted she wear a white pencil skirt with the black boots and a v-neck black sweater that cost more than most of Madi’s clothes combined. The sweater and skirt did hug her in all the right places and Kendra sure did know how to shop. Madi had to admit she loved the clothes Kendra had bought for her but she was looking forward to putting on her yoga pants later that night. It was who she was, even though she’d never taken a single yoga class in her whole life.

  Madi started playing with her necklace. She had sworn she’d take extra care of the diamond pendant Kendra let her borrow. She straightened it and placed it gently in the center of her neck where it belonged. Madi actually looked like she fit in first class, even though she didn’t know how to act. She instantly made friends with the new flight attendant who tripped over her leg as she passed Madi’s seat. Madi was quick to make a joke to the stewardess about how her boots were new and how she didn’t know how to sit in them. She served Madi first through the rest of the flight. Madi couldn’t eat, though. She was too nervous and excited about what was going to happen. The hardest part of all had been convincing her parents this trip was a good idea. They trusted Madi’s judgment, but her mom was worried about her. Madi loved her mom. They were super close and spoke every day. Madi made a mental note to call her when she landed safely.

  She was so engrossed in her thoughts that the flight flew by. Before she knew it she had landed at LAX and was walking off the plane. She grabbed her carry-on bag and purse. She didn’t need to check any luggage as this was a quick trip. She had insisted to Kendra that there was no need to over pack. If it were up to Kendra, Madi would have brought two suitcases filled
with shoes and dresses. Madi giggled to herself as she waited behind a line of people. The look on Kendra’s face when Madi squeezed everything into one bag was priceless.

  Madi held the paper with her itinerary on it and followed the directions. She was to meet the driver in baggage claim. The closer she got, the more nervous she became. She should have just worn her jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt. Who was she trying to fool? She was just an average girl from Chicago. She found herself talking to the elderly man next to her on the escalator.

  “Have you been to LA before?” Madi asked him.

  “Lived here my whole life. Just came back from a visit with my son in Chicago. Glad to get back to the sun,” he responded cheerfully.

  Madi nodded and they talked of Chicago for the next minute as they made their approach to baggage claim.

  “Have a nice time, dear,” the man said as he waved goodbye. Madi smiled and waved back. He reminded her of her grandpa.