Breathe (Sea Breeze #1)(47)

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Chapter Fourteen

Sunday morning, I slept late again. I could hear Jessica up and about in the kitchen. I stretched before standing up and reaching for my phone and slipping it into the pocket on my pajama pants. I was supposed to be meeting Jax this afternoon to go surfing, something I had never tried. I walked down the short hallway into the kitchen, and saw Jessica leaning against the bar drinking a big glass of milk.

“It’s about time sleeping beauty woke up.”

I stifled a yawn and shrugged. “So, I slept late. I get up early every other day of the week.”

Jessica nodded, “Yes, but today is the day you get to find out what happens to girls who date rock stars.”

I frowned at her. “What are you talking about?”

She pushed off from the bar and threw the Sunday paper on the table in front of me.

“Good thing I have thick skin, because this isn’t flattering.” She turned and walked out of the room. I stared down for the second time at a photo of Jax, but this time it was my waist his arm wrapped around. He appeared to be whispering in my ear or kissing it. I sank down into the chair when I realized I was wearing my swimsuit. The picture had been taken at the July 4th party while we were dancing. Above our pictures it read, “The Prince of Rock is Snagged by His Maid.” My stomach dropped.

“Jax Stone has been living semi undercover here in Sea Breeze this summer, courting his hired maid, Miss Sadie White. The couple was seen together at a party held at the house of Mayor McCovey. Mayor McCovey’s son, Dylan, held his annual July 4th party at his parent’s home on Seagull Drive, and Sadie White was an invited guest. When we spoke to Dylan, he said, ‘No one was expecting it. Sadie is just a girl who moved here this year. We had no idea she was dating Jax Stone. But the two were inseparable.’ Sadie is an employee of the Stone’s, and she rides her bike to their house on Sea Breeze's exclusive island, where only the extraordinarily wealthy have summer homes. She works in his kitchen and serves him his food. Apparently, he takes her home after work.

“Sadie lives with her mother in an apartment here in Sea Breeze. Her mother is a single mom who is expecting a baby any day. Sadie seems to be the only one with a job. Interestingly enough, she somehow managed to be Jax Stone’s summer girl.”

I closed my eyes and laid my head on the table. I couldn’t believe the local newspaper had gotten wind of this. They’d painted Jax as a cold jerk who took advantage of his employees.

“You’d better come in here Sadie,” Jessica’s voice called from the living room. “Things seem to be getting better and better.”

I looked up. She was staring at the television. I knew deep down I didn’t want to see what she was watching, but I stood up and forced myself to walk in there.

“Star Follower has the scoop on everyone’s favorite teen rocker. Jax Stone who was spotted with Baily Kirk just last week here in Beverly Hills, has been located in, Alabama. That’s right, fans. He has been spending his time this summer on the coast of Alabama, and not alone either. He has been dating his hired help. The kitchen maid.” Photos of me with Jax appeared on the screen. “Our insider source says she rides her bike to his home, where she is employed to work in the kitchen and in the garden. When Jax has any free time, he spends it charming this Alabama local. It seems the girl who lives in a small apartment and takes care of her single, yet pregnant, mom, has climbed up the ladder and found herself a way out of poverty. We are left to wonder if she will manage to squeeze out a better way of life from this smitten rock star. Jax Stone really is a big-hearted guy. It’s one of the reasons he is so incredibly edible!”

I ran from the room and went straight to the bathroom. This time, I did get sick. After I emptied everything inside me, I splashed my face with water, and then sank down to the floor and laid my head on the tub. This wasn’t something I’d been expecting. I had been prepared for a lot, but this wasn’t something I ever feared. Now my life was being splattered all over the media. Either I sounded like a gold digging tramp, or Jax sounded like he was taking advantage of a stupid, naive southern girl. There was a knock on the bathroom door. I couldn’t face Jessica right now. I just needed to be alone.

“Throwing up isn’t going to make this better. You might as well come hear the other versions on other news channels. Some of them don’t paint us like white trash.”

I groaned. “No.”

I stayed on the floor of the bathroom until I heard someone at the front door, and I knew without a doubt it was Jax.

“Sadie, honey, you got company,” Jessica’s voice called from outside the door again.

I didn’t want to leave him out there with her, so I stood up and stared at myself in the mirror. My eyes were bloodshot, and there was nothing I could do about it. I opened the door and instead of Jessica stood a very upset Jax.

He grabbed me and pulled me into his arms. “I swear, I will kill whoever did this.”

I began to cry again. I didn’t want to do this to him because he was obviously beating himself up about it.

He pulled back just enough so I could see his face. “Will you come with me?”

I nodded.

Jax led me with his arm firmly around my waist. “Ms. White, I am just going to take Sadie for a little while. I will bring her back soon.”

Jessica snorted. “Just make sure you bring her back happier than she is right now.”