JC was barely off his bike in his driveway to google the address Raina had given him. It was an average office building in downtown L.A. but JC knew there had to be more to it. He opened the front door as he searched for any tenants he could find but nothing jumped out at him. Perhaps he was going to meet someone there and they’d be going somewhere else?
It was useless to speculate, JC finally decided as he headed upstairs to his bedroom. Raina had a plan and it didn’t matter if he knew what it was or not, he knew he’d be going along with it.
Luckily, JC didn’t have to wait long as he had a text waiting for him as he left his recording session a few days later. “Tomorrow. 2pm. Ste 1244. Dress casual,” read the simple instructions.
JC wasn’t quite sure how to respond to Raina so he opted for a quick “Understood” and then opened his Google app to search who resided in the suite she mentioned. “Fleishtein, Russell, Dolekin & Associates” came up with the address JC had typed in and he clicked on their website in bewilderment. “An entertainment lawyer?” JC questioned to himself. He knew Raina mentioned his personal life but he didn’t think she meant his professional life as well. JC could feel his skin grow hot as he contemplated what he’d be walking into but again, knew worrying over it would be of no use. Whatever was planned was already in motion and the truth was that he really did trust Raina. He was just going to have to trust that whatever awaited him would be in his best interest.
Despite knowing that, however, JC tossed and turned all night. He fought to stay in bed at least until 6am then made his coffee and enjoyed the last bit of the sunrise off his deck. His mind was way too cluttered with thoughts for him to wait out the next couple hours. He opted to skip his workout for the day and made a rare second cup of coffee as he settled into the couch to watch a few episodes of Top Chef. Mind numbing comfort was definitely needed.
Around 11am, JC reluctantly got up and headed for the shower. He turned the water up to just shy of scorching and let the bathroom fill with steam as he undressed. He always felt better after a shower, like he was literally washing off whatever was plaguing him that day.
JC eased his body into the stream of near lava as his chest immediately turned pink from the sudden temperature change. Quite soon though his body acclimated as it always did, him running one body part after another under the hot water, allowing it to relax him. He took his time, letting his thoughts roam in and out, trying hard not to concentrate on one specific thing. He thought about the past few months, about his conversation with Raina and various intimate encounters they’d had over the years. He thought back on girlfriends past and let memories seep in, trying to figure out how he had gotten to the position he found himself in today. How it seemed so easy for everyone else except him.
With the water starting to cool, JC knew it was time to finish up. He did a final rinse and then hopped out to dry off. He made his way over to the closet and pulled out some dark blue jeans and a gray t-shirt for the meeting. Raina said dress casual but it was a lawyer’s office after all so he threw on a black cardigan overtop and slipped on a pair of stylish black boots. He gave his hair a quick blow dry, brushed his teeth, and was out the door.
Traffic anytime in L.A. was hell but on a Friday, the window was about 10-10:15am to successfully get anywhere at more than a snail’s pace. He was a bit mad at himself for opting to drive the Rubicon but he idled his time flipping through the radio and singing softly to himself as he crawled along.
JC made it to the office complex with hardly any time to spare. He parked and made his way briskly through the main lobby to the elevators and hit the button for the 12th floor. He checked his hair and clothes as the car journeyed upward and was as composed as possible once the doors opened at his stop.
He found Suite 1244 with ease and entered to find a perky, curly haired, redhead at the reception desk as he walked in. “Hi!” she waved, beckoning him toward her before he even had fully come into the lobby. “Welcome to Fleishtein, Russell, Dolekin & Associates. How can I help you?”
“Hi, um, I have a 2pm appointment.”
“Sure thing. With who?”
Shit. He was positive Raina hadn’t sent along a name yet he pulled out his phone to relook anyways. “Sorry,” he apologized as he went to his messages, “I’m not sure…”
“Not a problem, I can look it up on my end. What’s your name?”
“JC Chasez,” he replied.
The receptionist started typing and clicking as JC waited. She hadn’t reacted at all when JC gave his name so he figured she was either extremely professional since she probably saw people who had all levels of fame on a day to day basis or she was too young for his name to register anything to her. Giving her features a fast once over, he believed it was the latter.
“Got it!” the receptionist exclaimed. “You are scheduled to meet with Colleen Lasota.”
“Colleen Lasota,” JC repeated, searching his brain frantically to see if the name sounded familiar in any way.
“My Mom’s Irish and my Dad’s Italian,” a voice beside him replied. JC turned quickly and took a step back as he was surprised by her appearance. “I got off easy though; my brother is Vincenzo.”
JC smiled at the woman and extended his hand. “JC Chasez, nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Colleen stated, smiling right back at him as she accepted his handshake. “My office is right down the hall, if you’d like to follow me.”
JC did as instructed. He was glad he grabbed the cardigan as he would have been severely underdressed without. Colleen wore a fitted, bright red, long sleeved turtleneck top with a black pencil skirt and matching heels. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun and she looked every bit the attorney he assumed she was.
They made their way into her office as JC took in the room. A very typical upscale lawyer’s office in L.A. White furniture, clear desk, various awards displayed neatly behind her chair, Stanford Law diploma hung prominently. JC wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised if the walls opened up to reveal he had actually wandered into a film set, it was that stereotypical and devoid of any personality.
“Please, have a seat,” Colleen advised him as she shut the door and sat down behind her desk. “I must admit, Mr. Chasez…”
“JC, please,” JC interrupted her as he sat.
“JC,” she continued, her smile never waning. “I was pretty surprised to see your name on my calendar today. So tell me, are you here to set up proper representation for your next solo project or do you need help negotiating a contract for a reunion with *NSYNC? Personally, I believe each of you gentlemen deserves equal pay but I can definitely ensure you a spot on the set list for your own material.”
“Oh, wow,” JC fumbled, being completely caught off guard by Colleen’s questions and blushing slightly. “No, um, thank you but no, that’s not why I’m here. You did some through research though.”
“That’s my job,” Colleen reassured him. “Also, I was very much in your key demographic.”
“Oh, so you’re a fan?” JC said skeptically.
“Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing?” Colleen chuckled. “I was a teenage girl in 1999, of course I was a fan.” JC shifted uncomfortably in his chair so Colleen redirected the conversation back to the matter at hand. “Well JC, what is it then that I can help you with?”
JC studied Colleen’s face. She didn’t let on any sign that this was anything other than a normal business meeting and JC was more confused than ever. “I...I’m honestly not sure, I assumed you would know. My, um, a friend set this meeting up and didn’t really give me any details about it.”
“Some friend,” Colleen once again chuckled. She picked up her office phone and quickly hit a button. “Hi Stacey, it’s Colleen. Can you check if there were any additional notes for Mr. Chasez’s appointment today and who scheduled it for him? Just call me back when you find the info, thanks.”
Colleen hung up the receiver and stood up. “Well, in the meantime, can I offer you a drink?” Colleen walked over to a small bar cart that resided under a window that overlooked downtown. “I’ve got some gin, rum, vodka. I’m out of Macallan but I do have some Maker’s if that interests you?”
The sudden realization hit JC so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. He stared at Colleen in wide eyed disbelief. “Oh. My. God,” he breathed. “You’re Leena.”
“Excuse me?” Colleen asked him quizzically, herself now confused.
“That’s why I’m here,” JC stated, piecing the puzzle together aloud. “I met you, the other night, at the ummm…” JC suddenly clammed up, not wanting to say too much. From the look on her face, Colleen had no idea what he was talking about. What if he’d just made a huge embarrassing mistake?
Colleen’s eyes narrowed on JC. “Who exactly set up this meeting for you, JC?” She questioned him pointedly. Before JC had time to respond, Colleen’s office phone rang. She strode over to answer it quickly, never taking her eyes off JC. “What did you find out, Stacey?”
JC watched as all the color drained out of Colleen’s face as Stacey spoke. Colleen looked shell shocked as she stared off into the distance and simply replied with “Thanks Stace” as she hung up the receiver and sat back down. JC watched her processing the information she just received and knew now he wasn’t wrong. This was definitely the busty pink latex clad woman he’d seen just a few nights earlier.
“Raina,” Colleen finally said softly, still not looking at JC.
JC waited a moment before responding, “Yeah, Raina. I’m, I mean, she’s my….is she your, ummm?”
“No,” Colleen responded, just as still as previously, “she’s not. Piper is mine, or rather, I’m hers.” JC knew Piper, or more accurately knew of her. He’d seen her many times over the years but always kept a distance. She’d been there as well the first time JC went to the club but he hadn’t been paired with her. After the story he’d heard the following night after that first adventure, he was very glad he hadn’t been.
Colleen physically shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts and regain any semblance of control over the situation. “JC,” she said sternly.
“I didn’t know,” JC instantly stated, practically throwing his hands up in defense. “I swear. She just gave me an address and a time, that’s it. I looked it up and saw it was an entertainment lawyer so I thought it had to do with my career but I never imagined I’d be meeting you.”
“You always let Raina meddle in your career?” Colleen asked, the disdain in her voice abundantly clear.
“No,” JC confessed, “never before today. It’s been, well, let’s just say we’re trying something new.” JC didn’t want to disclose too much. Colleen was clearly angry and it seemed like she had every right to be if she was in the dark as much as he was.
“That’s great for you, JC but I pay a lot of money to ensure I don’t remember a lot of what happens in that part of my life….”
“Don’t remember?” JC questioned, not understanding what Colleen meant.
Colleen held her hand up, indicating to JC she wasn’t going to explain her statement. “You of all people should appreciate the fact that I keep that part of my life separate from everything else. From my friends, from my social life and especially from my workplace.”
“I’m sorry,” JC stated, knowing full well if the roles were reversed, he’d be just as caught off guard and defensive. “I never meant for you, for anyone, to get caught in whatever this is.”
Colleen put her hands flat on her desk and pushed herself up into a standing position, letting out a long loud breath as she did. She took a minute before looking up at JC. “I think you should leave,” she said coldly, no trace of the friendly smile that had greeted him barely 10 minutes prior.
“Of course,” JC said, quickly rising to his feet. He didn’t know what to say so he started heading to the door. “Maybe I’ll see you again at the….”
If eyes could physically shoot daggers, JC realized in that moment he would be dead. “Sorry…again. I was just...I’m leaving,” JC stumbled as he opened the door as little as possible and squeezed through the sliver he had created. He entered the hall, closing the door quickly behind him and left. He said goodbye to Stacey as he breezed through the lobby and nearly sprinted to the elevator as he exited the suite. He was supposed to report back to Raina as soon as the meeting was over but he wasn’t even clear on what to say at this moment. He knew he’d be in trouble but needed time to sort through what had just happened. The slow drive back to his house would allow for that.
