Page 51 of Dreaming About Forever

The radio station was known for their music, but they also had a massive vlog following, which required musicians to appear in person instead of conducting interviews over video calls.

He opened the door for Alicia, and her smile beamed as she stood. The hollow woman he saw on that video call was gone, replaced by the bubbly woman standing here waiting to take back her life after the people she loved tried to steal it from her.

They entered the building and signed in at various checkpoints. A short woman with round-rimmed glasses and a tablet attached to her hand led them to the sound room.

Danny and Jenny, the hosts of the vlog and radio station, were laughing about something as Jordan and Alicia walked in. Danny looked to be in his mid-forties with a full head of black hair and a slightly bulging gut. Jenny was younger with straight brown hair and a smattering of freckles over the bridge of her nose.

The radio personalities put their water bottles to the side to greet them.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Danny said. “I’ve heard word you’ve been canceling your interviews. Thanks for keeping this one. It would have put us in quite a bind.”

“I’m happy to be here. Thanks for the warm welcome.”

Jenny took Alicia’s arm and guided her to a padded leather seat in front of a table. “Make yourself at home. Would you like something to drink?”

“Water would be great,” Alicia said. “Jordan, would you like something?”

Jordan held up a hand. “I’m fine. Thanks.”

“Jordan,” Jenny said, wiggling her brows. She leaned in and whispered to Alicia. “He’s a handsome one.”

Alicia smiled, but it was forced.

Jordan wouldnotread too much into that.

Well, if he could help it.

Jordan took a seat to the side. He’d watched dozens of Alicia’s interviews over the last few weeks, and each one revealed something new about her. It was no wonder everyone in the world felt like they knew her. She didn’t shy away from sharing her life and how she felt about things. She told funny stories and asked about the talk show host’s family.

She was America’s sweetheart for a reason, and Jordan could see why so many fans became obsessed with her.

They got the countdown call, and Danny and Jenny walked through their scripts before filming. Jordan had watched some of their interviews as well, and they had a knack for asking questions that were out of the ordinary. They definitely kept things fresh when they interviewed musician after musician.

Danny rested one arm on the table in front of him as the lights flashed, indicating the second before filming. “Hello, and welcome to More than the Music. I’m your host, Danny.”

“And I’m Jenny. Today, we have the pop princess herself, Alicia Carver. Alicia, thanks for being here with us today.”

“Thanks for having me.”

The questions were unique but surface-level at first. Asking about her upcoming tour, what she did for fun on the road, how she wrote her songs.

They were all things Jordan wanted to know, and he expected Alicia’s fans would be wowed at the peek into her life.

Danny sat forward, propping his elbow on the desk. “So, let’s get to the good stuff. What happened with Ashton Warner? I mean, you two were about to walk down the aisle, then bam!” He slapped his hands together like he was squashing a bug.

The jolt shot through Alicia’s shoulders, tightening her posture and jerking the smile from her face.

Jordan gripped the handle on the chair and watched. Her expression recovered quickly, but there was a hollowness in her eyes that said she’d taken two healthy steps back from the conversation.

“Things just didn’t work out. I think we can both move on without any hard feelings.”

Jordan held back a scoff. He had a lot of less-than-friendly feelings for the jerk who’d left Alicia alone on the red carpet in front of almost everyone in America. He’d watched so many versions of the pre-award show that he could pinpoint the moment her hope died.

That sadness in her eyes at the Stars was the precursor to the numb shell of a woman he’d met on that video call, and he never wanted to see that look on her face again.

Danny chuckled. “Wow. Just like that? You were planning to get married. I mean, celebrity marriages are a dime a dozen, but I had no idea they were so meaningless.”

Jordan leaned forward, propping his elbow on his knee and rubbing a hand over his jaw. Danny was about one word from getting an interview with Jordan live on the internet.

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