Page 106 of The Sounds of Her

Or she cares too much to watch me walk away?

We have a security breach at the hotel in New Zealand. A fan got into Jordan’s room, using a hotel security pass from one of her family members, which allowed her to check guest records and bypass the locks on the doors. She hid in the closet until he was in the shower, then snuck into the bathroom and tried to get in with him.

Not even Jordan finds it amusing. He may have done in the past, but the truth is, it could have been much worse. She could have hurt him. He was vulnerable and defending himself wet and naked will have been impossible. She was dragged away by security as soon as Jordan raised the alarm and arrested once the cops arrived.

Stone goes to deal with hotel management while we gather in my suite. It's shaken Jordan up and he is so angry he’s foaming at the mouth. We won’t be staying here, but Dale is struggling to find us somewhere else.

“I don’t care if there are no hotels. Get us a fucking apartment with security. Buy one if you have to. This bullshit should never happen,” Jordan yells at him.

Dale scurries away to find us something else, and I overhear him talking to Bianca.

Within an hour, we’ve rented a penthouse apartment with six bedrooms. Fuck knows what it’s costing, but that’s irrelevant.

With all the excitement, our timeline is set back and we’re late getting to the venue. The first support act is almost done with their set. I barely get time to think, let alone check my phone. When I do get time, there are texts from Brooke. One saying she got to the airport, then another a couple of hours later saying she is boarding.

I couldn’t reply when she got to the airport because we were in the air, but I could have answered before she boarded. She will travel for twenty-two hours now so won’t get any messages I send.

Fuck that fan.

I text her back, letting her know what happened before we go on stage. There is nothing from her when we get back to the apartment, but she is still travelling.

When I wake up the following morning, there is a text saying how crazy it is about Jordan. She asks if he is okay, and tells me she is home safe. It’s starting to piss me off that we keep missing each other. So much for putting it out of my mind and remembering it isn’t fucking real.

I’m behaving like a fucking teenager, constantly checking my phone.

This morning, after a breakfast meeting with Dale and Bianca, who was on video call, I wander out back of the apartment building where there is a private garden attached to the property. It’s a gorgeous day, sunny and warm, with a pleasant breeze.

Finding a bench away from the walkways, I sit down. and stare at her contact in my phone. Believing distance will make things easier is backfiring.

Taking a chance, I dial her number.

“Hey,” she answers. “I was just thinking about you. I was going to call when I figured out the time difference.”

“You were?” My eyes widen in surprise and then I grin to myself. She’s thinking about me.

“I just saw another article about the crazy fan in the hotel. How is Jordan?”

Oh, so it’s not actually me she’s thinking about. I get it, Jordan is her friend, and she’s worried.

“He’s okay, telling everyone he has a stalker, you know, attention seeking as usual.”

“Archer! She broke into his room while he was in the shower. That’s scary as hell.”

Jordan is downplaying the whole thing, but it’s obvious it unnerved him. We’ve all gone along with him joking about it, so it doesn’t fester and start to freak him out. I explain the weird logic to Brooke.

“That’s sad, Archer. I just can’t imagine Jordan being spooked by anything.”

“It doesn’t help that some dickless idiots on social media are all saying it’s cool, like he should be glad a naked chick tried to get in the shower with him.”

“Some people are brainless assholes.”

“Yeah… Speaking of,” I lean back on the bench, stretching my legs out and crossing them at the ankle. “Have you seen your parents?”

“I should be offended,” she jokes. “And no, I haven’t. Actually, you won’t believe this.”

I sit up straighter. “What now?”

A woman jogs out into the garden. I keep an eye on her, alert to any strangers around me. She doesn’t spare me a glance as she puts in her earbuds and jogs by on to the street.

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