Star Struck(58)

John said in the earpiece, “Wrap it up.”

Hailey ended the show with her normal monologue. Instead of mingling with the studio audience and signing autographs like she normally did, she sped from the stage and headed to her office with Jackie fast on her heels.

Jackie said, “I’ve made sure all the key folks have been notified. It should be a packed house outside at five.”

“Thanks for setting that up. When things calm down around here, expect a week vacation to Hawaii on me,” Hailey said, as she thumbed through her text messages on her Blackberry.

“Wow. Hailey. I don’t know what to say.”

“Thank you would suffice,” Hailey said, without looking up.

“Thank you. Hawaii, here I come,” Jackie sang, as she left Hailey’s office.

Hailey smiled. It brought her joy to make other people happy. Her life was in turmoil but it didn’t mean everybody else’s needed to be.

“Knock Knock,” Garrett said, from the entrance of the door.

Hailey looked up. “Come in. Thought you had abandoned me,” she said, as she rose out of her chair.

Garrett walked towards her. They met half way in the room. He swept Hailey up in his arms as their lips connected. For the time they kissed, Hailey forgot about all of her problems. Nothing or no one else in the world mattered. This new feeling was foreign to her, but she loved it. She loved Garrett.

“I’ve missed you,” Garrett said, after releasing her.

“I can tell,” Hailey teased, as her hand grazed the front of his pants.

Garrett adjusted his pants to hide his excitement. Jackie walked in the room. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but here’s your lunch.”

She handed Hailey two bags. “Well, looks like y’all were busy, so I’ll check in with you later.” Jackie retreated out of the room and closed the door behind her.

“That’s never happened to me before. Normally, I’m more in control,”

Garrett admitted.

“Jackie didn’t notice anything,” Hailey said, as she removed the sandwiches and pasta salad out of the bags.

“Oh she noticed. Did you see that huge grin on her face.”

“Garrett, you’re just paranoid. Here, eat up,” Hailey said, as she handed him a tuna sandwich.

“Five o’clock is getting here quick,” Hailey commented, as she and Garrett sat at the table in her office eating tuna sandwiches.

Garrett took his napkin and wiped around the corners of her mouth. “You missed a spot.”

Hailey couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks for being here for me.”

“I’ll always have your back.”

After eating, Garrett made phone calls while Hailey rehearsed her speech. Jackie pranced in talking on her cell phone. “The crowd is forming outside already,” Jackie said.

“Tell Bach, I’ll be out at exactly five o’clock. Inform the masses.”

Mo stepped into her office. “I just came by to see if you needed a retouch of your make-up or hair.” He took his hand and slid it down her hair to make sure not a strand was out of place. “Perfect. I’ll be watching from in here.”

“I just need a few minutes alone and then I’ll be out.”

Everyone left except for Garrett. He said, “Does that include me?”

“Yes dear. I just need a little me time.”

Garrett looked a little disappointed, but Hailey needed to go over her speech one last time by herself. After everyone had cleared out of her office, she shut the door. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She said a silent prayer before going over her speech one last time. Her Blackberry’s alarm went off. She had just enough time to walk down the corridor to the waiting media. She wasn’t surprised to see Garrett waiting for her outside her office door.

“Can you be with me out there? Just in case I need someone to lean on,” Hailey said, as they walked down the hallway.

“Like I said earlier. I got your back.”

Hailey put on her dark shades and opened the door. Lights were flashing as soon as the door opened. The noise level increased as soon as they recognized it was her. Garrett spoke out first. “Please hold it down. Ms. Barnes is ready to speak now. Once she does, she may open it up for question and answering.”

Hailey placed the pre-prepared speech on top of the podium and scanned the audience. It was quiet as she stepped up to the microphone to speak. She said, “I know a lot of people have been speculating on what’s been going on with the threatening fan mail. I want to set a few things straight.”

She looked from one reporter and camera to the next before continuing to speak. “I was advised not to talk in details about this ongoing investigation. I would like to thank GT Securities and the police department for working together and identifying the person who has taken it upon herself to harass me. Although I was not scared of their threats, I am relieved to know the culprit has been identified.”