72. Brain Teaser 🧩

Rochelle smiled at me from the laptop screen. "Here's my advice. Set boundaries and work with your team. You're still new to them. I'm sure the only time they really see you is when you have a meeting with them. Talk with them individually and tell them more about yourself - what you like, what kinds of interviews you are interested in doing, what kind of shows you'd like to perform on. That will eliminate the places you want to avoid. You have a story to tell as an artist, and you want the businesses that you associate with to align with who Jae A.B. is.

"I'm glad we revisited your contract, because you don't have to do music-only things. At this point, it would be great to do acting or modeling - things not associated with music so that RiSe cannot touch it."

I completely agreed. I sat in my chair in the corner of the room with the laptop in my lap. "Do you think I should get a personal assistant?"

"Do I think? I recommend you get a personal assistant AND a manager. That way it's you, your manager, and your team - not just you and Ricky's assistant telling you what's on the menu. Zeke really should be your manager, but he has too much going on himself, but he knows that if people knew he helped you, they would discredit your talent."

"I hate that," I stated.

"That's the business," Rochelle stated. "Before I go, I do want you to talk to your team about a release date for your album. You have a two year contract with RiSe Records. They could easily push your album back to the very last year of your contract, forcing you to sign another one with way more stipulations."

Rochelle is on it! "I'm going to do everything you just told me. Also, I don't know if you're aware of the scandal at RiSe..."

"I am!" Rochelle chuckled.

I sighed, "Ever since that happened, I've been feeling like... I could be next."

"What do you mean?"

I looked out the window. It was such a pretty day. The pool looked inviting, too. "It's just this feeling that I could be the one that they put in a negative light."

"Do you have anything other than your true identity that people can hold against you?" Rochelle asked me.

I shrugged, "I mean, Zeke and I pretended to have a relationship, but we didn't even go public with it."

She asked, "Do you have something on someone else?"

I froze before answering, "Actually, I think that's what it is. Zeke's old assistant used to work for Ricky and Anaya. She even had a relationship with Ricky. Even though I wasn't really close with her, she knows what I look like. She knows about me and Zeke - or she at least thought we were a real couple. With her still being out there, I just think she's not done. I also feel like Aja Frost could be working on something along with Anaya. My gut feeling is that Anaya is trying to break me to fit into this lane that she thinks I should be in. It's really stressing me out. Before I forget, I have receipts. I just don't know what to do with them or how to put it all together."

"I don't mean to cut you off, but ma'am you are speculating a lot. I am not saying that your feelings are invalid. If this will help you, I want you to send me all the factual evidence that you have along with dates and timestamps if possible."

"I can do that today," I told her.

Rochelle smiled, "Good. If you send it by tonight. I can look through it and give you my thoughts on it by Saturday morning. I'll call you."

I gave her two thumbs up. "Perfect."

As soon as she got off the screen, I began typing up my evidence. About an hour later, I sent Rochelle an email with everything factual. I closed the laptop as I looked out the window. I really want to get in the pool. I sent Monica a text that she should join me.

After I changed into my swimsuit, I wrapped up in a large towel and made my way to the pool. Before I could step in the water, my phone rang.

I answered it with a bright smile. "You always know the perfect time to call."

"Or maybe you know the perfect time to answer your phone," A.B. said.

I shook my head. "Not true. There are times when I shouldn't answer my phone."

A.B. told me, "Well, I hope you have some good news for me."

I finally stepped into the pool. Surprisingly, it wasn't cold. "I do. I was able to take the rest of the day off. I spoke with Rochelle when I got to the house. She thinks I should get a manager and a personal assistant."

"Is Monica up for the task?" He asked me.

"No, sir. Monica makes way too much money to work for anybody."

A.B. said, "If you are serious about a manager and a personal assistant, make sure you do a thorough background check, run their credit report, and get their job history."

I was instantly reminded that A.B. was a businessman.

"I will do that. You know every time I think I have a legitimate reason for walking away from this..." I threw my arm in the air. "I get good advice that makes the situation better."

A.B. was silent before speaking, "I don't want to give any unsolicited advice. Just let me know when you just want me to listen."

I stated, "A.B., I could never not use advice from you."

He inquired, "Are you looking for advice or are you looking for a way out?"

I sat on the second step of the pool. "Umm... I-I just..." I wanted to be honest, but the way it sounded in my head, I knew it would sound bad.

"Jamie, I never want to push you to do something that you don't want to do. You can tell me what's on your mind."

I sighed as I slightly kicked my feet under the water. "I like the singing and performing parts... everything else I can do without."

"Funny thing is that everything else is what gets you to the singing and performing. The process is just as important, Jamie."

I closed my eyes in bliss. "Ugghhh... it's when you say stuff like that - that gets me." I opened my eyes as I looked up at the clear sky. "Why are you so perfect?" I immediately became aware of what I just said as I held the phone to my ear. "Did I just say that out loud?"

A.B. asked, "Say what?"

I arched my brow. "Did you really hear me or are you pretending like you didn't?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"A.B.!"

He laughed.

I smacked my lips. "Seriously, though... How would you feel if I stopped singing?" I don't know where that question came from.

"It's not for me to feel anyway about it. It's your dream. I'm just a fan, and I think this will cheer you up if you needed cheering up--"

I asked, "What is it?"

A.B. informed me, "Earlier when I was in the car with my mom, your song came on the radio. She turned up the volume and said 'that's my girl, right there! I love her!' Then, she asked if I knew who you were, like have I listened to your music before. It was hard not to tell her that I knew you as Jamie, but I told her that I was a fan, too.'"

I could not believe my ears. This story was too cute! "I have to meet her, A.B.!"

"If you're not too busy, I'd appreciate it. That way I can tell her that I really do know you."

I lowered my voice, "Technically, I was almost your girlfriend."

"Technically, you had other plans."

I bucked my eyes. "Not true!"

"Your heart said differently," A.B. told me.

I went silent. How would he know my heart?

"Just like your song - I won't make you choose and I didn't. Your heart was - is for music right now. I won't force anything on you at a time like this. You're getting an experience of a lifetime."

I boldly spoke, "Why have one when you can have both?"

A.B. quickly followed up with, "Because one should be enough."

His comebacks were too quick. "I don't know what type of mental gymnastics we're having here, but I kinda like it."

A.B. said, "I think that's just how you flirt."

I playfully rolled my eyes. "I guess..."

Running straight toward me, Monica jumped in the pool.

"Monica!" She nearly wet my phone as I turned away from the splash she made.

She popped out of the water. "I needed that!"

"Sounds like we'll pick this conversation up later."

I sighed, "Okay. I'll talk to you later."

"Hey, A.B.! When you coming to see your girl?" Monica shouted.

I hushed her.

"Tell Monica I said hi. Bye, Jamie."

"Bye, A.B." I hung up my phone. "He said hi."

Monica sat beside me. "Girl, you better invite him out here before you turn into stone."

"A.B. has already visited me here," I informed her. "And do you really spend all day in Zeke's room when I'm not here?"

"Cousin, I was not in E's room. I was in the kitchen talking to Warren and Bridgette."

"Was Zeke there, too?" I questioned her.

Monica blushed. My cousin was bitten by the love bug, and she wasn't gonna leave his side anytime soon. I blame her exes.

She grabbed my arm. "I can't believe we are what we said we'd be when we were kids. You said you wanted to be a singer. I said I wanted to be rich."

My brows furrowed, "Girl, you said you wanted to be a stay-at-home wife. I said I wanted to be a songwriter and a singer."

"That's exactly what I said," Monica took a deep breath, wearing a smile. "I think I should move here, too."

The last thing I saw was the water as I sunk to the bottom of the pool. I'd rather swim under  than hear my cousin's crazy talk.