Chapter 52

Juno

I quickly shoved all my clothes back into my suitcase, thanking one of Jack's men when he brought my overnight bag in from Alma and Kai's. It was a little weird having someone keep track of all my luggage for me, but I was grateful to have one of them there. Before he could leave, I asked him what type of luggage arrangement we'd have.

I'd arrived with just one suitcase and a small carry-on bag, aware there were limits on commercial flights, but if I was going to buy extra clothes that suited the climate on an island in the Bahamas, they weren't going to fit in my case. I'd only just realized that.

I had the overnight bag, but they weren't all going to fit in it.

"Oh, it's all right, ma'am. We'll be going to the island by private jet and then a yacht. We can provide a spare suitcase if that would help, and it can all be loaded as usual."

I blinked, not entirely surprised, but beginning to feel like this was something no one else would have worried about.

"An extra suitcase would be great. If it's not needed for anyone else," I replied as I tried to recover.

Thankfully, this ended the awkward moment as the burly bodyguard hurried away to either let someone else know I needed a suitcase or get it for me. I exhaled and sat for a moment.

This whole world Jack and his band lived in was so unlike anything I was used to. It felt like there was always someone there to fetch whatever was needed or make sure every desire was granted. And everyone else clearly felt this was normal.

While Jack was always polite to his staff, and it was clear they got along well with him, it felt so alien. A part of me liked how much easier it made life, but I already knew it came with a price. The paparazzi, the legions of fans who weren't always great with boundaries, and having to be careful where you were going were pretty hefty downsides sometimes.

Experiencing the celebrity world firsthand made it clear there was a lot more to being famous than people realized. I could finally see it wasn't everything it was cracked up to be.

I wasn't sure it was what I wanted, not that I'd ever pursued it hard, but it was easier as a writer to be less of a celebrity and still have everyone know your name. In many ways, I was extremely grateful for my career choice.

By the time I'd finished packing again, I was already wondering what it would be like after the TV series was complete. Would more people know me then? I had no idea, but I wasn't going to push for it, either. My name could be far more famous than my face.

Once I finished, and I was sure I wasn't leaving anything in the apartment, I made my way back to Jack's and knocked on his door. For a moment, I wasn't sure if I should go in, but I soon heard Jack.

"That you, Juno?" he called.

"Yeah. I'm done. Definitely going to need to buy some summer clothes, but everything else is packed up," I said as I pushed the door open and went inside, feeling I had permission to.

It was strange having several apartments on the same floor owned by one person, almost like they were elaborate dormitory rooms in some kind of college or youth camp.

I tried not to look out of place as I padded to his bedroom, his large suitcase open on the bed. With him was his PA, the man helping him pack by pulling out clothes, hats, and boots from the large closet for Jack to decide whether or not he wanted them.

For a moment, I watched from the doorway, as amused by the process as I was surprised. I'd never seen anyone go through something like this before. Jack's PA knew where everything Jack might want was and everything about his preferences, and it made them a very efficient packing team.

Once one suitcase was full, I expected Jack to be done, but his PA simply grabbed the bag and wheeled it away before bringing a second into the room. It made me wonder if that had been the first, but it also explained the lack of a reaction I'd had for requesting a second suitcase. It appeared Jack needed more than one, too.

"Almost done," Jack said a few minutes later when I yawned. "I thought you'd take longer."

"I only brought one suitcase with me," I replied. "And I didn't unpack all of it while I was here."

"Smart. Most women I know have at least four, and they insist on unpacking it all, even if we're only somewhere for a night."

"Far too much bother," I replied. "Even with help."

Jack finally looked at me and then glanced at his PA. I fought back a smile, not sure how he'd take my remark.

"Neil here makes himself invaluable. And why pack alone if you can have good company?" Jack replied, sounding a little defensive."

"I'm not knocking it. I love the idea," I replied. "You have me more than a little envious."

"You don't have a PA?" Jack asked as he put yet another hat in a box and added it to the pile on the bed.

"Nope. I have a VA for some of my author admin, but no PA." I decided to help speed things up, so I grabbed some of the hat boxes Neil didn't have room to carry and followed him with them.

The PA left the apartment and went down the hallway to the one next to me. There, he revealed a pile of suitcases, luggage boxes, and full-length suit bags.

For a moment, I gaped, and Neil laughed.

"It's not all Jack's, but it helps us organize it like this. We add our own stuff to the mix when we're ready, too."

I gave him the last of the boxes, letting him place them where he wanted, suspecting there was a sort of system. As I did, I spotted my full suitcase in the pile. It was almost amusing knowing my contribution was so tiny. I definitely didn't have to worry about having two suitcases.

Before we could return to Jack's apartment, he appeared, pulling along the wheeled suitcase he'd just finished with.

"That's the last one," he said as he pushed it toward Neil. There's two more hat boxes on the bed and another suit I want."

I watched as Neil didn't react at all to the request. It seemed this was a normal amount of luggage.

Considering we were going by private jet, I could see why someone might not be as restrained, but this seemed more than a little excessive. It was far more than I ever hoped I'd get into the habit of taking everywhere with me.

"Ready to shop?" Jack asked me as he took my hand.

I grinned and nodded, beginning to like the idea. I'd seen some of the clothes Jack had packed, and it gave me an idea for some cute outfits that might go well with them. Maybe I could grab a few and make up for the feeling of unnecessary spending when I had perfectly good summer clothes back home by treating myself to clothes I could use for another purpose later on.

I tried not to think beyond that. Although I had ideas, I had no clue what the shops in New York were like.

"So, where do you normally go to shop?" I asked, knowing Jack had an eclectic style and wondering where he'd get his clothes.

"I don't normally. Neil gets stuff that he knows I'll like."

Again, I had no idea how to respond, and Jack immediately chuckled.

"Beginning to think a PA sounds like a good idea?" he asked.

"Oh, very much so," I replied. "Someone who goes clothes shopping for me sounds amazing."

"It's also necessary sometimes when you're… Well, if the crowds know I'm there, they can get a little …"

"Yeah, I can imagine," I said as I slipped my hand in his.

For a moment, he looked a little sad, almost like he would have liked to live normally sometimes. And I couldn't blame him.