3

Tour came to an end 2 days ago, currently, we were flying back to LA.

We land at LAX at 5:30 am. I was beyond depleted and was in no mood to be swarmed by the Paparazzi and ignore their invasive questions.

Ryan, Gerald, and I get our luggage from baggage claim and head towards the exit, the sound of the paparazzi screaming was ringing in my ears before even exiting the airport.

Ryan squints her green eyes, flashing me a reassuring smile as we get closer to the exit and I put my sunglasses on and immediately I am blinded by the flashing lights and bombarded by screams and questions. I keep my head down and walk behind Gerald who's making way for Ryan and me.

"Maria! Maria! Maria over here darling!" The paps scream flashing the lights in my face.

"Maria is it true that you've been cast in the new Micheal Cort movie?" one of them shouts in my face.

"Maria! Maria! Did you hear what Jefferey Reynolds said about you? He said he has a huge crush on you and that you're his ideal woman, what do you think about that? Would you ever go for a guy like him?" Even though my head was down and I had sunglasses on the lights still managed to burn my retinas.

"Maria, we love you!" I hear a few voices coming from the left and I look up to see a bunch of kids standing behind the paps waving a sign at me smiling.

I smile and wave at them, blow a few kisses trying to ignore the paps feeling bad that I can't hug or take pictures with these kids who've been waiting for me. The car was right outside, Gerald opens the door, and immediately Ryan and I get in, the paparazzi still flashing and banging on the doors screaming my name and yelling absurd things.

"All these years and you'd think it's about time I get used to them," I say to Ryan taking off my sunglasses.

Ryan squeezes my hand as Gerald gets in the front and soon we are driving away from all the chaos and havoc.

Soon I was staring out the window trying not to fall asleep, I was so exhausted, I didn't get any sleep on the plane. It feels nice to be back home, It's strange to think of LA as home when it consists of some of the most unhomely sensations and people but it's the closest thing to home I've ever gotten.

"We have that budget meeting at 6 today with Terizon, the company that sponsored the tour," Ryan says snapping me out of my trance without looking up from her phone.

I sigh, "Today? Ry I'm drained. Do I have to be there?" I whine.

Ryan looks over at me sternly, "Need I remind you, Maria, it was your tour, Yes, you need to be there, and don't think about flaking they will keep postponing it until you show up."

I huff in frustration and lean back down. "Look, I wanted to get this out of the way as soon as possible, I know you're worn out but we'll get it over with today so your official break starts tomorrow, you won't have to worry about anymore tour stuff. Think of it this way Maria" Ryan shrugs at me.

"Fine you're right" I give in.

"Good girl, I'll text you the address later" Ryan smiles at me before getting back to her phone.

....

I fix the blue sundress that I was wearing as I step out of the car. Ryan texted me the address of the Terizon LA office and I just arrived for the meeting. I'm not exactly sure what Terizon even does? I think they are a telemarketing company but for all, I know they could be a restaurant chain.

The Terizon office was on the 3rd floor so I step into the elevator and wait for it to take me up there. This building is actually really chic yet a bit preppy for my liking, there were men and women in suits running around on practically every floor, lawyers probably I smile to myself for no apparent reason.

I reach the conference room and see Stacy, Ryan, and Larry my lawyer waiting outside. They turn to look at me and I tilt my head to the side and raise my hands in the air insinuating that "I am here as promised".

"I was beginning to think you bailed" Ryan jokes fixing her coat.

I gasp and place a hand on my chest, "I take my job very seriously okay?" I say pulling down my dress causing her to smile at me placidly.

Larry opens the conference room door and we all walk in behind him.

"Ryan" a man approaches us once we step in, he looked no older than 25. He had shaggy brown hair, a short well-groomed box beard, piercing blue eyes, and looked to be over 6'0. He was wearing a black suit and from the fitting of the suit, he seemed to have a lean frame. To say he was attractive would be an understatement.

"Karter Alan" The man introduces himself to Ryan and she throws her head back recognizing him.

"Oh lovely to meet you, Mr. Alan, finally a face to the name" Ryan smiles.

"Please just Karter, Mr. Alan is my father" Karter grins showing off his white teeth. The man averts his gaze to me, "Ms. Reed what a pleasure, I'm a huge fan" He smiles at me extending his hand.

I smile and shake his hand.

"If this is everyone from your team, shall we get started?" Karter Alan asks directing the question to me.

"Yes of course," I say pretending as if I have a clue as to what this meeting is about. Karter nods before walking away to the other end to talk to the other people in the room.

"Who was that?" I ask Ryan once Karter turned his back on us.

"The CEO of Terizon" Ryan says leading us to the table.

I furrow my eyebrows, "What happened to Mr. Will?" I ask.

"He retired now hush and sit down" Ryan's face plastered with a fake smile but her eyes were narrowed ordering me.

I nod and take a seat at the very end of the table, to my other end was Karter who was talking to his employees. CEO? At his age? Either he's really into skincare or I'm calling it-nepotism.

Throughout the meeting, I would catch Karter staring at me which I didn't think much of at all since we were sitting opposite each other and it was quite impossible not to. Our eyes would often meet and I'd smile at him which he'd return with a nod or a grin. As expected it was super inopportune at least for me.

I did not pay attention to much going on in the meeting but Ryan or Stacy would occasionally kick me under the table if I looked uninterested. Even though they knew there is no point in me being here, no one even acknowledged my presence except for Karter at the very beginning. Just because it was "my" tour and I'm the "face" or whatever I'm obligated to be here. Bullshit.

Fortunately, the meeting wasn't very dragged out it was over sooner than I had anticipated.

"Do you need a ride home?" Stacy asks as we exit the conference room and head downstairs.

"No I'll just Uber it's fine" I state simply.

"You sure?" Stacy asks as we step out of the elevator and walk to the entrance of the building.

"Yes I'm fine, give my love to Louie" I smile at her as she hugs me. Louie is Stacy's 4-year-old son.

"I will, you rest up and relax okay? I do not want to be hearing a peep out of you for at least 40 days" Stacy furrows her eyebrows at me playfully as she pulls away from the hug.

"I make no promises," I say shrugging my shoulders causing Stacy to laugh as she waves at me before exiting the building.

I was leaning against the wall by the entrance, the building was strangely quiet right now. I was trying to get ahold of an Uber but they all kept rerouting me or canceling on me. What the hell? I groan in frustration looking at the time, I have been standing here for over 27 minutes for crying out loud.

I hear the elevator door open and I look up from my phone to see Mr. Karter Alan stepping out of the elevator, with his black coat folded in his arm, the top two buttons of his shirt were now unbuttoned.

Our eyes meet and he walks towards me, "Suprised to see you still here" He says hovering over me.With his height, he was practically towering over me. I'm about 5'6 and with these small wedge heels I was 5'7. He was almost a giant compared to me. It was slightly intimidating, I won't lie.

I purse my lips together, "Trust me when I say, I am too" I say causing him to chuckle.

"I forgot to ask earlier" Karter starts off, I look up from my phone giving him my full attention, "hope our company's services were satisfactory for you Ms. Reed." His lips curl in a sly smirk.

"Yes they were plenty satisfactory, thank you Mr. Alan" My tone verging on comical.

"Please it's just Karter" He smiles leaning next to me on the wall, "and good to know we were able to satisfy your needs" Is he flirting with me?

"Yeah, I'm a very easy girl to satisfy," I blurt out without thinking.

"Is that right?" Karter grins at me and I simply shrug. "Did your ride ditch you?" Karter asks raising a brow. He was so close to me the only thing I could smell was his cologne. It was quite pungent.

"If by ride you mean my Uber? Then yes, 5 different ones actually" I say somewhat annoyed.

"Maria Reed doesn't know how to drive?" His voice laced with amusement, his smirk growing bigger.

"Yes she doesn't and she doesn't want to talk about it" I shake my head.

Karter raises his hands in surrender, "Okay okay" He jokes causing me to laugh.

"My car's right outside, I can drop you wherever you need to go" Karter offers.

"I just met you 2 hours ago, if I get in a car with you that's the equivalent of me getting in a car with Ted Bundy"

Karter laughs, showing off his perfect white teeth and a faint dimple bracketing each corner of his cheek, moves his body closer to mine, "I'm not a serial killer?"

"You could be, I barely know you, is what I'm saying," I state in a matter-of-fact tone.

"And you know all these Uber driver's life stories right?" Karter humors me.

"Okay you got me there" I smile at him.

"So what's it going to be?" Karter asks grabbing the handle to the exit door.

"Promise you won't kill or rape me?" I ask putting my phone in my bag.

"Pinky swear," Karter says lifting up his pinky making me smile, and intertwines it with mine.

Well if I die tonight, it's because I am clearly too trusting of good-looking men.