Jasper was cruising down the highway in her ancient Mercedes Benz with the windows rolled down. The California coast was peeking between the homes, which was her favorite part of this drive. The ocean had always soothed her when she was nervous, and she was always nervous before her interviews. Her dirty blond layers were blowing around her face, curtain bangs coming dangerously close to covering her eyes as she tapped her hands and moved her head to the music blasting on her stereo.
Ryan Stokes was different from the singers Jasper usually listened to, but she liked to research the artists she would be interviewing. She continued to practice her questions out loud to make sure she asked everything she planned to. Jasper would not lose her dream job over missing a question. Not that Rolling Stone would fire her after so many successful articles, but Jasper was a worrier.
As she parked in front of Ryan’s recording studio, she pulled down the mirror to reapply lip gloss. Jasper loved makeup, and loved to try the routines some of her interviewees told her about. But she always avoided doing anything to her deep blue eyes unless absolutely necessary.
She stepped out of the car, boots clicking against the pavement as she walked towards the front door. As it opened, she started to cough a little at the smell of cigarettes and weed. The place was crawling with takeout boxes from weeks ago. She wrinkled her nose.
“Hey! Sorry, you can’t be in here. I have an appointment scheduled.” A man, slender with slight muscles showing under his plain navy t-shirt, ran up to Jasper. He had a yellowish stain on his shirt, which she pretended not to notice. He looked at her blazer and frowned, as if wondering why someone would dress so nice shopping for vinyls.
“Oh, no, that might actually be for me. I’m the journalist Rolling Stone sent. Is Ryan Stokes here?” Jasper smiled wide, fidgeting with her blazer buttons.
Ryan paused with his mouth hanging open. “You’re Jasper Rockwood?”
“Um, yes?” Jasper shook her head slightly and grabbed her fingers nervously. Ryan Stokes?
“Sorry! I just assumed you’d be a man.” Maybe-Ryan smiled wide and stepped to the side so Jasper could walk farther into the studio.
“Nope.” Jasper continued to smile, though her annoyance was shining through her eyes. She had heard this a little too often. Thanks, Mom, for being obsessed with ‘quirky’ names.
“Okay then. Nice to meet you. You’re right on time, too. Ryan Stokes.” He smiled, and held a hand out. Jasper hesitated, then shook his hand. She had seen dozens of pictures of him in her research, and none of them looked like this plain man.
“Ryan! I’m so sorry, I totally should have recognized you,” she smiled apologetically.
“It’s not like I recognized you,” he winked. “I look different with stage makeup on. Just between you and me, I hate the feeling of eyeshadow.”
She made a mental note of his comment, then grinned and relaxed, “Same here.”
“As if you need it,” Ryan said, smirking at her. His dark brown hair had fallen slightly into his face.
Do not blush in front of the rockstar, Jasper. Stay professional. She thought as she shifted weight in her feet nervously.
He noticed her shifting feet and chuckled. Ryan gestured for her to follow him as he walked towards the back. She tried not to bump into the horrifyingly tall piles of trash and CDs as she followed right on his heels. Who walks this slow?
As she walked through the door in the back, she gasped. The office was unusually clean compared to the rest of the studio. It had a few guitars laying out, a journal with a pen acting as a bookmark, and a leather couch near a bookshelf with color-coded books.
“Is this your office?” Jasper spun around.
“Yeah, sorry about the state of the studio. I don’t clean much besides in here. You know how it is, who has time to clean?”
“Actually, I only have to spend fifteen minutes each night before bed and it works out great,” Jasper offered.
Ryan looked at her like she just confessed she pours milk before cereal. She took the time to sit down on one side of the large mahogany desk as Ryan sat on the other side.
“So, Ryan,” Jasper said, as if things hadn’t just become even more awkward than they had been, “is it okay if I record this interview?”
Her hands were shaking as her pulse quickened. Jasper needed this interview to go well, even more so than her previous ones. Rolling Stone was laying off too many journalists for her to turn in a mediocre piece.
“Sure, sure.” Ryan crossed and uncrossed his legs.
She placed her phone on the desk between them, and immediately her countenance changed. Her eyes brightened, and she leaned back in her chair as if she was gossiping with her best friend, Sophie. “Ryan, what got you started as a rockstar?”
He smiled, “My parents were huge music nerds. I grew up listening to Elton John, The Cure, Suzi Quatro, Queen… lots of great 70s music. I just decided that I wanted to be them, you know?”
Jasper laughed, “Suzi Quatro?!”
Ryan grinned and leaned forward, pushing his hair out of his face. “Next question.”
“Absolutely not. I need more,” she giggled, excited that she already had a possible angle for her piece.
“As if you’re not a fan,” he countered, “your hair is practically identical. Though I prefer your blond.” Ryan was looking directly in Jasper’s eyes.
Jasper willed herself not to blush again as they bantered a while longer about the 70s singer and guitarist. “Wow, Suzi Quatro. Okay, I recently heard you and Kate broke up. Can I ask for more details?”
“Um,” Ryan fidgeted with his rings.
“It’s okay, Ryan, totally your choice how much you’re willing to share,” Jasper uncrossed her legs and leaned back to create more distance between her and the rockstar. But I need you to share or I lose my job.
He looked up abruptly and frowned. “How come you aren’t taking any notes?”
“Sorry?”
“Well, usually the journalists I meet with are furiously writing things down as if their lives depend on it. But you’re just acting like this is a date,” Jasper’s eyes went wide at this and Ryan quickly continued with his hands held up, “You just seem so at ease. Which I did not expect when I met you earlier. I guess that’s why your articles are so great, though.”
Jasper lit up, “You read my articles? That’s so crazy,” she laughed.
He grinned sheepishly. “I’m a huge reader. Usually books, but I’m a sucker for Rolling Stone.”
“Wow, Ryan Stokes the rockstar is a book nerd. Tell me more. What’s your favorite book?” She leaned forward again.
Ryan smiled wide. “Don’t judge a book by his cover, Rockwood.” He checked his watch, and sat up. “Actually, why don’t we finish this interview over burgers? I haven’t eaten all day.”
Jasper hesitated. On one hand, she was beginning to feel hungry and actually enjoyed interviewing people in a more personal setting. Like the time she went hiking with Sam Smith, and it was one of her best pieces to date.
But on the other hand, how could Jasper keep from blurring the line between professional and dating? Especially when she could hardly keep it together in front of Hottest Man Alive—he was actually called that in Forbes.
She sighed and smiled, “Do you have a place in mind?”
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