this why you don’t do interviews?”
“Junie...”
“No, for real. You don’t like talking about yourself, do you?”
Silence.
I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything.
“You don’t know how to take praise, Cash.”
“Alright, Dr. Pierce, are we through wit’ your analysis? I know I’m fucked up,” I snapped in a harsher tone than intended.
“Don’t get mad at me.”
I turned my face and kissed her hand, leaving my lips to linger. “I could never be mad at you.”
“I just want you to see what I do. What everyone sees in you. You’re not fucked up. You just think you are. I wish you could see yourself for who you really are.”
“Why?” I rubbed my mouth against her soft skin. “You see it for both of us.”
<>Journey<>
I yearned for him to see the truth beneath the lies he made up in his own head.
It broke my heart.
This was the perfect chance to say what he needed to hear more than ever before. Staring deep into his eyes, I held my heart out for him to take.
Declaring for the first time, “I love you, Johnny Cash McGraw.”
“Junie, Junie, Junie,” he whispered against my hand in an excruciating tone.
“I do. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Even before I knew what love was. Your eyes, your smile, your laugh—
it’s all I love. You are love. Do you hear me? I. Love. You.”
“Junie, Junie, Junie,” he repeated in the same agonizing voice, like it hurt him to hear those three words out of my mouth.
“This is love. Me. You. Us. That’s what love is. There you go, Cash, I finally showed you. And I’ll spend the rest of my life reminding you every day if I have to. Just so you know...” I spoke with conviction.
“You’re worthy of it.”
Chapter 17
“If they want to know me, they just have to read the lyrics.”
-George Michael
<>Journey<>
“Cash, where are you taking me?” I questioned, blindfolded in the back of an SUV.
“Darlin’, how many times ya gonna ask me that today?”
I woke up to him looking at me with a huge ass grin on his face, saying he had a surprise in store and I should get dressed and ready to go. I didn’t question it. I did as I was told. The second we stepped off his private plane, he blindfolded me.
After the tenth time asking, his response stayed the same. Answering a question with a question. It was all the information he’d willingly divulge. I wasn’t a fan of surprises, getting or giving them. I was the worst when it came down to it. This was pure and utter torture, and he was enjoying every last second of it.
It’d been two weeks since I told him I loved him, and two months since we’d been together. After Cash kissed me on stage and introduced me to the world, the press started following us everywhere we went. They were relentless in their pursuit to get a picture of the newest Hollywood couple. We were worthy of front-page news and a big ass paycheck. All because it was Cash Motherfuckin’ McGraw and the NFL god Jackson Pierce’s little sister. I was surprised at how quick they put two-and-two together.
The headlines were all similar.
Life of Debauchery’s front man, Cash McGraw, was seen out with NFL quarterback’s younger sister, Journey Pierce.
It went from Trending Now to Breaking News in Music to Life of Debauchery is making the news yet again...
It was everywhere.
We were everywhere.
Perez Hilton
TMZ
On Air with Ryan Searmest
E! News
The Rolling Stones
Those were just to name a few. I couldn’t stand it, and I quickly understood why Cash didn’t either. They were annoying and never understood the meaning of the word no.
I swear the more we hid, the easier it was for them to find us. Cash decided it was best to hire more security to surround our perimeter and block out the vultures.
The question of the hour was if we were an item?
Cash found some interesting ways to respond. Down to personally emailing a photo of himself flipping off the camera with his other hand on his mouth, gesturing the symbol for going down on a girl. I was the proud photographer of that one.
His management had their work cut out for them, handling damage control from his latest antics. At least it wasn’t booze and drugs this time around.
The boys couldn’t help themselves, wanting to get in on the action as well. Playing along at any of the interviews to promote their tour and upcoming album.
Before I could text