9. Billy Currington- Good Directions:
random AU, Jackson's a model and Lydia lives in a small country town.
"Stupid GPS… I really can't afford to be lost right now!" Jackson hissed, staring daggers at his phone screen. How could he have possibly taken a wrong turn- there was nowhere to go?! Technology was great sometimes but it wasn't perfect… his manager was going to bitch if he was late, maybe even suggest that he get a driver. Like he wanted a driver! Jackson loved to be able to hop in his Porsche whenever he wanted and just takeoff. He wasn't about to let anyone else drive his baby. Not that much of that would matter… if he didn't get his ass in gear he'd be in trouble. But just as he was started to get seriously irritated, he noticed that he was driving into a small town. "Please don't let me die here," he mumbled to himself. There weren't many cars and barely any people to be seen but it was a hot day so Jackson wasn't expecting much. But hopefully he'd find some gas station that could point him in the right direction…
Lydia was sitting on the tailgate of her truck, thankful for the shade and her miniature fan. Stiles was supposed to be working the stand today but he had begged off and Lydia got stuck out in the heat instead. It wasn't too bad though, she had her book and it allowed her to get lost in her imagination and block out the heat. There had only been 2 customers so far and she couldn't imagine that there'd be many more before it was time to pack it in. She was taking a sip of her water as she looked around and she saw the silver car coming down the road. "Now who could that be?" she mumbled. No one in town had a car that fancy… She quickly got to her feet and smoothed out her dress, putting on her best smile.
Jackson held in a whistle as he pulled to a stop, he hadn't been expecting a beautiful redhead in a cute sundress to be the one manning the small lemon stand. He rolled down his window and grimaced as the hot air penetrated his air conditioned oasis. "Hey, um…would you happen to know how to get to highway 4 from here? My GPS told me to take a turn and now it doesn't know where it wants to go."
She smiled, she should've known they wouldn't actually be stopping for lemons. There was the possibility of course but it was very low. "Yea, of course I can help. Although, can I ask what you're doing all the way out here, there isn't much along the highway anyways and this car definitely seems like a big town kinda car."
"You'd be right, normally I wouldn't bother heading down roads like this. But I'm on my way to Bear Valley to do a promotional sport-y kinda shoot."
"Shoot? Like photoshoot?"
He nodded, laughing as she scoffed loudly, "What?!"
"Of course you're a model, I should've guessed…"
So she thought he looked good- well of course she did, he was everyone's type after all. But it was still good to hear. "Names Jackson Whittemore, heard of me?"
Lydia raised a brow and pretended to contemplate. Of course she had, she might live in a small town but she had the internet. And he had looked familiar but she hadn't really assumed he was someone really famous… just a look-alike. "You know, I might have something about you but it's been awhile since I've bought a magazine so…"
"You wound me!"
"I work hard, farming and selling lemons for my parents' farm, I don't have time to lounge around and read fancy magazines," she kidded.
"Maybe I'll have to bring you a few copies, I'll even sign them for you." He figured that would make her year, having signed pictures of his face.
Lydia nodded enthusiastically, "I could sell them on the internet and make some real money!"
"Man, you just don't quit, so harsh." Normally he'd be a little peeved that she wasn't taking him seriously but he wasn't as bothered by it at the moment. Probably because she was stunningly beautiful. Before he could reply with another witty remark, his phone beeped loudly… right, he was going to be late… Jackson sighed, "Well as refreshing as it was to talk to you, I'm going to need those directions. My manager is going to be pissed if I'm late and I've only got like an hour to be there. So hopefully the 'less' late I am, the better."
She frowned and nodded sympathetically, "Must suck having to keep all those appointments, do you ever have time for fun?"
"No, not really… Being beautiful is a 24/7 job sadly."
"And it's times like this that I remind myself to be glad I live in a small town. Since you're in a hurry, it'll actually be shorter if you keep going through town instead of heading back the way you came. You'd want to head all the way through town until you get to Marner Way. Now, you can head right and follow Marner all the way down, straight down for quite a ways but it will take you back to the highway…"
"I'm sensing an 'or' in there," Jackson said, smiling at her. She came closer and leaned in the window, returning the smile. Jackson almost forgot to listen to what she was actually saying, he was so busy staring. He knew he needed to hurry… but his Porsche knew how to drive fast, he could spare a few more minutes listening to her.
"It's really hot and you look absolutely shot. If you turn left at Marner Way, just one block down there's a diner, The Chow Hall. My best friend is working right now and they serve the best lemonade in the entire state- I know because it's made from my lemons. It's tangy and not overloaded with sugar so it's actually refreshing and won't make you crash like other sugary drinks. Maybe make a pit stop before you leave town." Lydia smiled at him a final time and then stood back so he could roll up his window before driving off. She sighed, wistfully staring at the silver car as it continued down the road. He was even more beautiful in person- those cheekbones, and his smile! Maybe he seemed a little conceited but he was good-natured about it; he did make a living off of his looks after all. Slowly she climbed back onto the tailgate and grabbed her phone, deciding to text her friend.
Alli! Keep your eyes peeled, I just sent someone your way.
What?! Who?
Okay, I don't know for sure if he'll make a stop but I told him that he should. And you won't believe who it is… Jackson Whittemore! In the flesh!
WHAT?! You're joking!
I didn't believe it at first either but he's driving a nice silver Porsche and he isn't just some look alike, it's him! I think I'm in love!
Lydia groaned and lay back in the bed of the truck, not caring about her dress. She'd met Jackson Whittemore and she couldn't have been more obvious with her flirtations. He was probably annoyed with all the people that ogled at him and flirted… surely he got it all the time. Lydia was cooler than that! Besides, what would he do with some small town lemon farmer? He could get all the fancy guys and gals that Hollywood had to offer. Now, Lydia knew that she was good looking, and she loved to make her own dresses which seemed plenty fashionable. But she wasn't stupid, there wasn't much she could offer him.
She sat there for another 20 minutes, not hearing anything from Allison… Jackson must've decided against the lemonade. No surprise. And it was going on noon, the hottest time of the day… so she started moving the crates back into the bed of the truck. There was no point staying open when no one would be out in the heat. She'd come back in a few hours and try to sell a few more bags before dinner. Just as she was setting the last crate in the bed, she heard the rumble of an engine. When she turned and looked, her heart started to race- it was the Porsche.
Jackson rolled to a stop beside her, window rolled down, "Oh, good, I caught you. Allison warned me that you might be packing it in for lunch."
Lydia paused, too surprised to reply right away. "Uh yea, I learned awhile ago that it's pointless to stay open during the hot hours. Everyone's inside trying not to melt so I might as well join them. Is everything okay?" She didn't dare get her hopes up…
"Yea, yea, everything's fine. I just um… heh," Jackson chuckled and shook his head. Why was he nervous? He'd chatted with women all the time, he was Jackson Whittemore! "I must say, you weren't kidding about the lemonade, it was delicious. I'm glad I stopped. Allison was very friendly as well, although I must say, you'll probably be mad at all the embarrassing stories she told me."
"Ha, Allison would never," Lydia scoffed.
Jackson just shrugged and smiled, "If you say so. But that wasn't what I came back to say. I was wondering if… I could get your number?"
By sheer force of will, Lydia managed to hold in a shriek. She even sauntered over closer to the car and tilted her head. "How about I give you my number if you promise to come back after your shoot? Just so I know that I'm not getting completely strung along." It would be easy for him to get her number and never call but get her all excited and waiting for days on end. And he could still promise to come back and not show up but at least it showed she had some game by giving him a counter offer.
"I'll promise to come back if you give me your number and promise not to post my number on the internet."
"You've driven all over my small town, do you think we have the internet here?" she joked.
Jackson laughed with her but then raised a brow, "I'm going to need a verbal, sincere promise for that one. My agent has already chewed me out a few times for not being careful with my number."
Lydia offered a genuine smile then, daring to hope that he was at least a little bit interested in her. "I promise. You might be famous and have people all up in your business but I'm a firm believer that even famous people deserve their privacy. No matter the circumstances," of course she wasn't going to say if he broke her heart or anything.
"Then I promise I'll come back. It's a two-day shoot so I won't be available until tomorrow afternoon. Just so you don't think I'm blowing you off." Jackson reached into his pocket and handed her his phone, "Send yourself a text and save yourself as a contact… um…?"
"I'm Lydia," she giggled, realizing that she never did give him her name. And since she was sending herself the text, she could confirm that she had his number and not that he was giving her a fake one. "Today has definitely turned out better than I thought it would've!"
"I can say the same thing." His fingers lingered over hers as he took his phone back. Maybe technology wasn't perfect but it wasn't awful either.
"You should probably get going, you don't want to be super late." She stepped back, waving. She'd have to thank Stiles for skipping out on his job today- she got to meet a model! As soon as he was out of sight, she whipped out her phone to text Allison.
I got his number!
Lydia allowed herself to do a quick little dance before climbing into her truck to go get lunch.
