Page 41 of California Love Songs
Chapter Nineteen
Crystal was glad it was Monday and she was back at work. She needed to keep busy. She was always busy—she had a to-do list as long as her arm—but for some reason today she couldn’t settle down and focus. She decided to delegate some of that to-do list to her incredible staff. She had hired each one carefully, thoroughly trained them, and paid them well. It kept them loyal, and when the odd one moved on, it was usually to better things in a different city. One of her favorite event planners had moved to New York and started her own firm. As sorry as Crystal had been to see her go, they’d been able to throw each other jobs from time to time, so it had worked out well.
Her latest crew had been with her for several years each, and while the catering staff tended to be a little more fluid, they were still well trained, and the college students she hired tended to come back year after year until they didn’t need the casual work anymore. That kind of loyalty and stability meant that Crystal was free to do the high-level business planning, able to trust that the day-to-day running of the business was well in hand.
All that said, she’d do most of the planning for Mila’s wedding herself. But of course, Mila being Mila, there was already a file full of ideas and pictures. As she flicked through the rest of the material that she’d dropped off, she had to smile. Mila and Hersch might not have been engaged very long, but Mila had obviously been collecting pictures and Instagram posts and articles and wedding venues for a lot longer than that. It was a sweet surprise, because for as long as Crystal had known her, the former pro surfer had only ever talked about men as though they were accessories. Good for a season and then changed with her mood. After her heart had been broken by her first real relationship, she’d had love affair after love affair with hot guys, always quick to move on once she became bored. So Crystal had never guessed that Mila Davenport was the kind of girl who’d been dreaming of her white wedding for years. Or maybe just since she’d met Herschel. Maybe that’s what true love did to you—showed you your softer, more tender side, and made you proud of it.
At the very least, Crystal appreciated Mila’s sense of organization. She’d worked with brides who kept changing their minds, which played havoc with planning, so the file definitely helped her glean a sense of what she and Herschel wanted. However, she would still book a more formal meeting with them both, because there was nothing worse than going along with everything the bride wanted and then finding out the groom wasn’t happy. She doubted Herschel Greenfield would hate any of the ideas his fiancée had dreamed up, but she still wanted to include him in the planning.
She was trying to put together a mood board for Mila when yet another message came in from Damien. She sighed when she saw his name, but couldn’t ignore the slight flip of her heart. She had read and decided not to reply to all his messages, even though she’d almost picked up when he’d called yesterday. The trouble was, she just didn’t know what she wanted to say. She had spoken her truth. She didn’t want to become one of his groupies. And his reaction to her truth had been, well, disappointing.
She couldn’t tell whether he regretted the kiss or not, and she didn’t know whether she did either. It was a mess. A mess that right now she wasn’t about to tidy up. Because she didn’t want to be the woman who slaked his boredom while he was home for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months, now that he seemed to think he was staying.
Not that a few months as a couple wouldn’t feel amazing. Their soul-searing kiss, and the way she’d felt in his arms, was enough evidence for that. But how much worse would it be for her if she became intimate with him and then the affair ended? As all his affairs did. He’d go back out on the road, probably with an affectionate goodbye and no regrets. She’d be like any other girl in his life, and their friendship would be in ruins.
The thought made her whole body hurt. It was like she had the flu, like she was achy all over and cold. She felt as if they were back in high school and she was still a starstruck teenager who saw something magical in Damien. That magic had only grown, and now the rest of the world saw what she did. The truth was, she would never be able to keep his attention for long. Once he was back on the road, film stars, models, and other musicians would vie for his attention—beautiful, smart, talented women who would love to be with Damien Davenport.
So, if she followed the yearnings of her body and gave in to an affair with him, it would be wonderful while it lasted. But when he ended it, she wasn’t sure her heart would survive. And because she was as soft as jelly where he was concerned, it was much easier not to talk to him.
Okay, now she was spiraling. She focused on his text so that she could delete it and then move on. But when she saw he was asking her to come and meet Opal, her confusion doubled.
When Damien had first mentioned Opal, it had been just like that night in high school when she’d stood at the side of the stage, watching his girlfriend Melody put her arms around him like she owned him, and kiss him for all the school to see. Jealousy. That’s what she’d felt then, and for a second, what she’d felt during the hike. But as he talked about mentoring a young musician, she’d realized her jealousy had been misplaced. It sounded like a mutually beneficial arrangement. Damien could give something back to the music community, and the young woman would gain invaluable skills that would hopefully launch her career.
But why did he want her to meet Opal? Was he trying to prove there was nothing going on with the young musician? Or was he trying to show Crystal that he wanted things to go back to the way they were before—just old friends hanging out?
Either way, meeting Opal would involve seeing Damien again and she couldn’t deal with how much that would make her yearn to be back in his arms.
While she was having this fruitless conversation with herself, Mila called. Perfect timing. She could return her focus to Mila’s wedding and put thoughts of Damien out of her head. She picked up right away and could hear the smile in her own voice as she said, “My favorite bride. I was just going over some of your ideas. I love the concept of putting water and air together as the theme. I think we could really have fun with that.”
Mila said, “I’m super excited too. And I really want to talk to you about this, but I think we have a problem.”
Crystal sat back in her chair. “A problem already? I haven’t even started planning the wedding yet. You haven’t broken up, have you?” She was half joking, but the truth was, it wouldn’t be the first time a couple had broken up within days of committing to a wedding planner.
Mila let out her throaty chuckle. “Breaking up is not something I ever worry about. I think Hersch and I are lifers.”
“Well, that’s a relief.” She liked these two and believed in them as a couple.
“No, the problem is Damien.”
The words jerked her upright so that her spine instantly straightened in her chair. “What’s wrong with Damien?”
“Nothing like that. A paparazzo snapped a photo of him picking up this hot-looking girl at the airport.”
Crystal felt her heart sink. Opal. Hadn’t she warned Damien to be careful? Now the poor girl was going to be swept up in a media frenzy before her career had even started. She’d forever be known as one of Damien’s flings rather than as his protégée.
“Arch says it’s some woman he’s mentoring. But you know what the gossip sites are like when they get hold of something like this.”
Now it was certain that Damien would leave town early to avoid the press.
As though she’d read her mind, Mila said, “His life will be misery and the peace and quiet he wanted at home in Carmel will disappear.” Even when she’d been a minor celebrity, Mila had had to deal with some negative press, so Crystal knew she had some experience in this kind of thing.
“I just wonder if there’s something we could do to help,” Mila said, a note of sadness in her tone. “That’s why I’m calling. I’d like my brother to stick around and no one knows him like you do.”
Crystal had worked with enough celebrities in her time and been around the Davenport family with its famous offspring long enough to know that this kind of gossip would wreak havoc with Damien’s peace. Even though she still felt utterly confused about their kiss, she needed to put aside her confusion and help her friend.
She made a snap decision. “Okay, Mila. I’m putting your wedding aside for today. I’ll go over there and see if there’s anything I can do. I know about Opal, and Damien’s already asked if I’ll go over and meet her.”
“Thanks. I’d go myself, but I’m with clients right now. They’re planning to spend an awful lot of money on a waterfront house. I love my brother, but not more than a huge commission.”
