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Chapter 3
"What are you suggesting?" Kevin sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fists. Mallory, from management, leaned back in her chair and touched her fingertips together, scrutinizing his tight, tired features.
"A little bit of time off," she said. He looked up at her.
"We have the tour all scheduled, we have the album to release, we have the deal with Burger King. How are we going to find time off?" he pointed out.
She stared at him. She was new to Jive Records, and to someone like Kevin, who rarely found himself intimidated by someone so much smaller than him, he couldn't help but avoid her gaze. She was a petite woman who had big green eyes like himself. Her short, spiky brown hair was done with gel, with clips securing the loose bangs back with the rest of her hair. Her loop earrings shone under the bright office light, causing her dark brown eye shadow to stand out against the glare.
Kevin broke her stare by saying, "When, Mallory?"
"This summer," she said, shaking her head. She leaned forward, resting her chin on the back of her hand. Her green eyes bored into his, and he felt a shiver go down his back. There was something almost horrific about the woman.
"Don't worry about a thing, Kevin darling," she drawled, ignoring her obvious lack of southern background. "I'll have it all worked out. We'll find you a relaxing vacation spot, with no concerts or interviews or press conferences to be done anywhere."
"Do you honestly think that sending us away is going to solve it?" he sighed, leaning his elbows on his knees and becoming suddenly interested in the pattern of the carpet.
"Kevin, you don't know me that well," she stated. He wondered what that had to do with anything. "If I say something, I mean it."
He looked up at her, frowning. This woman was just new to the staff at Jive Records, he knew, but she didn't seem to be the type to be working at a record label.
"You seem like you should be working the counter at a bar," he told her, carefully. Women today had a hard time accepting things the way you meant them. "Not like you'd be working here."
"Like I said, you don't know me that well," she repeated. "Yet."
Kevin heard the words repeat in his head over and over. He pondered what they meant.
"You can go now," she said in a suddenly throaty whisper. He quickly stood up. She didn't need to ask twice. He stopped at the door when she said,
"Bye, Kevin Rich-ard-son." Without turning around, he opened the door and shut it again, leaning his back against it. He wiped his brow. Something about that woman made him uneasy.
"Do you need something still, Kevin?"
He jumped back and stared at the closed door. Then he hurried away, sighing with relief. But he couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that something wasn't right about that encounter.
Hurrying down the hallway to the studio, his thoughts wandered to completely different subjects. He was so involved in these thoughts that he didn't see someone turn the corner until he had smacked right into them.
"Watch it," the person muttered and looked up at him. He drew back and stared at her.
"I'm really sorry," he apologized. "I didn't see you coming."
"I noticed," she snapped. His eyes widened and his eyebrow raised. What was with the women in this building today?
"I don't understand," he said, confused. "I apologized to you."
"That's great," she said sarcastically. "What would you like? A sticker with a smiley face saying great job?" Her voice dripped with attitude, sarcasm, and superiority. He was so turned off by her words that he was speechless for a second. She rolled her eyes and stuck out her hand.
"It's Kevin, right?" He could only nod; her sudden change in manner left him more shocked. "I'm Katie. I'm one of your dancers."
"You're a dancer?" he asked, dumbfounded. Her eyes narrowed, and she placed her hands on her slim hips defensively.
"What does that mean?" she demanded to know.
"I don't recognize you," he explained. "Usually I know the dancers."
She laughed, a sardonic laugh filled with bitterness.
"I'm so sure, Mr.-I-have-no sense-of-humor-and-I-don't-socialize-with-the-crew-members,-only-my-bandmates."
It was his turn to laugh. "You don't even know me."
"And it's a good thing that I don't want to," she retorted and turned on her heel, stalking away. Kevin shook his head and returned on his way, all thoughts of the mysterious woman with the rude attitude disappearing from his brain.
"Kevin, wait!"
AJ and Brian appeared, AJ hurrying to catch up to Kevin, Brian following more slowly, still seeming depressed.
"Did you talk to that Mallory girl?" AJ questioned, falling into step beside Kevin. Brian followed behind them, still not saying a word.
"Yeah," Kevin replied, shuddering. AJ noticed his action and nodded in agreement.
"An island would be nice," Brian spoke up. The two in front turned to look at him.
"He speaks!" AJ muttered out of the side of his mouth to Kevin. Kevin smiled and nodded. Brian rolled his eyes, annoyed.
"Let's go to an island for the summer," he continued. "But which island…"
He trailed off, and his question seemed more to himself than anyone else.
"We'll talk to management about it, Brian," Kevin said and kept walking.
"That Mallory girl was psycho, wasn't she?" AJ asked as they walked away.
"She had those really weird eyes, and she just seemed to be acting that way
on purpose…"
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