Read Online Plain Return (The Plain Fame Series Book 4) by Sarah Price - Free Book Online Page B

dug through her attaché case, until she finally found her phone. Shaking her head, she began typing something on it. Her cheeks blazed red, whether from anger or agitation, Amanda didn’t know. “I don’t think you understand it yet. You are a brand, Amanda. And there is a price associated with your brand image. Don’t cheapen your brand image in such a way,” she snapped, “because if you do, you cheapen his!”
    “A brand?” The word sounded cold and unfeeling, but she had no idea what it meant. The only brand that she could think of was what some farmers did to their livestock. Amanda frowned. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
    “Really?” Dali scoffed at her. “Well, I’m not going to be the one to explain it to you. Clearly, you aren’t about to listen to me.”
    “Dali . . .”
    Her own cell phone vibrated, and Amanda pulled it out of her bag. She glanced down and was only slightly surprised to see that Alejandro was calling her. Turning her shoulder so that her back faced Dali, Amanda answered the phone. “Ja?”
    “Amanda.”
    She’d already known who it was. The stern tone of his voice, however, dismayed her. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “What was so wrong?”
    There was a pause on the other end of the line. When he spoke again, the edge was gone from his voice. “I know, mi querida . But it’s not safe to mingle with the crowds if I am not there.”
    “You make the fans happy.” She fought the urge to cry. “That’s what you always do, and it was what I wanted to do. For you.”
    “Sí, sí,” he replied. “You must be careful, though. And posing with people on the street . . .”
    “I’ve seen you do it!” She felt like a child, being scolded by her parents.
    When he laughed, she knew that she couldn’t stop the tears. With the back of her hand, she wiped them away.
    “I do, sí ,” he said softly. “But there is always a reason. A strategic reason, Princesa. There is a price for such a photo, and today no one made any money but the media. You’ll learn more on our trip, sí ? Just listen to Dali when she tells you to do something.”
    “I thought I was being kind,” she whispered, part of her wanting to turn off the phone and the other part to justify herself.
    He lowered his voice so that, presumably, whoever was near him could not hear. “And you are, Princesa. You have a large and caring heart. I love that large and caring heart. Don’t change. But be safe about it.”
    After he’d said good-bye, Amanda held the phone in her hand for a few minutes. She stared out the window of the car, embarrassed that she had been reprimanded, both by Dali and Alejandro, as if she were a schoolgirl. Her cheeks burned from the humiliation of having cried in Dali’s presence, so she refused to turn around and apologize to the woman. Instead, as soon as the car pulled up to their building, Amanda grabbed her things and darted out of the door that the doorman opened for her, barely pausing to thank him.
    All she wanted was to spend time with Alejandro. But his time seemed to be an increasingly rare commodity these days. His days were spent with his team in endless meetings about the tour, and his nights kept him in the music studio. When he finally returned home, she was often already asleep. He’d quietly undress, leaving his clothes over the back of a chair, before sliding under the sheets and tucking his arm around her waist as he gently pulled her toward him. That was usually when she awoke: the exact moment that her back pressed against his chest and she felt his warm breath on the nape of her neck.
    He’d sleep and she’d lie there, listening to the sounds of his breathing and feeling the strength of his arm holding her tightly against his chest. Sometimes she’d stroke his arm, tracing her fingers along the outline of his tattoo. He would awaken, just for a moment, and kiss her shoulder before falling back into a deep slumber.
    Now, as she