“Hey baby.”
“Hi.”
“You just get back to the hotel?”
“Yeah. I’m exhausted. I did more interviews today then I think we did for Celebrity all together. And I get another fun day like this tomorrow.”
“Aww, I’m sorry, J.”
“And on top of that, everyone seems to have an opinion on my sex life. What’s up with Britney? Are you fucking Janet? What’s going on with you and Alyssa? It’s damn annoying. If I wanted to do an interview about my sex life, I’d do one.”
“You most certainly will not. Your sex life now includes me and I forbid it.”
“I was just saying, Jace. I’m not really gonna do it. It’s just that people seem to have forgotten that I’m a musician. I make music. I’m putting out an album. Jesus. Can we talk about that for once?”
“What’s up for tomorrow?”
“Way to change the subject.”
“I’m just trying to calm you down. You’re getting yourself all worked up. So what’s up for tomorrow?”
“More interviews all day. I’m not sure what time they start though.”
“Don’t you think you should find out?”
“Yeah, probably. Lance isn’t around to keep track of things for me. And I’m not doing a very good job keeping track myself. Is it wrong to say I want him here just to keep track of my schedule for me? And stop laughing.”
“I’m sorry baby.”
“Hmm, you don’t sound very sorry. You’d be saying the same thing if it was you. You know Lance is always the one who gets us where we need to be when we need to be there.”
“I know. I never said he wasn’t. I was simply laughing cause I could see your pout way down here in Florida.”
“Whatever.”
“I saw you on Leno the other night.”
“Yeah? What’d you think?”
“I thought it was hot. But do me a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Next time you perform, make sure your shoes are tied.”
“Ass.”
“Aww, come on, J. I simply have your best interest in mind. Don’t wanna see you fall flat on your face on national television. And aside from that, I rather like your face as it is. I really don’t want you to mess it all up.”
“Alright, I’ll remember that for future performances. JC doesn’t want my face mangled by a soundstage. Got it.”
“Now who’s being the ass?”
“Guilty. Well listen, I have another long day ahead of me. I think I’m going go lay down, try and fall asleep all by myself in this big huge bed.”
“Ok. I’ll talk to you later. Good luck tomorrow.”
“Thanks. If I don’t come back to the hotel and crash right away I’ll give you a call. If not, I’ll definitely talk to you the next day. I have to do TRL in the afternoon, but I’m going to need your support that day.”
“I’ll be here. Call me if you need anything, baby.”
“Night, Josh.”
“Night, J.”
*****
“Hey J, I know you’re incredibly busy today. I’m watching your cute little ass shake it on TRL right now. I just wanted to let you know how proud of you I am, so I figured I’d call and leave you a little message. Lance called here a little while ago with the numbers on the album so far. You’re blowing them away, baby. I knew you would. If you need me, give me a call. I’ll have my cell on all day, just in case.”
*****
“Hi.”
“Hey. I got your message. Thank you. You have no idea how much easier that made all this for me.”
“I figured you could use it.”
“You know me so well.”
“So how’d everything go today?”
“It all went well. Hearing the numbers on the first day sales helped a lot. But it was your message that helped the most. You really have no idea how much that meant.”
“I’m glad I could help, even if it was just a little bit. So what’s up next?”
“I have a couple more days of interviews and stuff. A photo shoot tomorrow. I’m not even sure for what magazine. Then on the eighth I’m on the Today Show in the morning then I’m heading off to London to promote over there.”
“How long you gonna be there?”
“A week and a half. Then I get to come back home. To you.”
“You better be coming home to LA then.”
“LA?”
“Yeah. I headed out here yesterday. Figured my house could use some living in, seeing as I’m rarely here.”
“Bullshit. What are you not telling me, Chasez?”
“How do you do that?”
“I know you just as well as you know me, remember?”
“Fine. I’m going to be doing some work with Dallas Austin. He wants my help on some songs he’s working on for a soundtrack for some movie he’s producing.”
“Dallas Austin? No shit? Why didn’t you tell me that, baby?”
“It’s your day, Justin. You’re the one getting to shine now. I didn’t want to overshadow any of that. I would have told you eventually.”
“Josh, you deserve to shine just as much as I do. You put in just as much, if not more work than I do in this business. You deserve everything you get. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks.”
“Of course. Hey, I gotta get going. I have that Z100 thing tonight that I’m performing at.”
“Knock em dead, J.”
“I plan on it. I’ll talk to you later, baby.”
“Alright, bye Justin.”
*****
“Hello?”
“I think this is the first time you’ve ever answered the phone without already knowing it was me. You ok, you sound upset?”
“No, I’m fine. Just working in the studio and I can’t figure something out. It’s no big deal. I’ll get it eventually. And I didn’t even glace at the caller ID before I grabbed the phone. How’s London?”
“Rainy. It’s been raining nonstop since I got here. Kinda puts a damper on the whole being in an exciting foreign country thing.”
“How’s the promotion going?”
“The same. You know, interviews, photo shoots.”
“Everyone wants a piece of Justin Timberlake.”
“Maybe, but you’re the only one getting a real piece of me.”
“Your voice just sounded sexy as fuck. Don’t do that to me now. You’re all the way over in London and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.”
“You can come out and see me. That would be nice.”
“That would be nice. I don’t think it’s going to happen though. I’ve got work to do here.”
“I know. I understand. I’m just saying it would be nice. I do miss you, Jace.”
“I miss you too, more than I thought I would.”
“Hey! I resent that.”
“You know what I mean, baby. We’ve been apart for longer than this before. I guess I just figured it’d be the same. But it’s not at all. You’ve done something to me and it’s harder to be away from you now.”
“I know. I feel it too.”
“It’s only another week. That’s what I keep telling myself. I’ll survive.”
“I’m not so sure I will. I really miss you.”
“It will fly by. You’ve been so busy already and I’m guessing that’s not stopping until you’re done. Before you know it, the week will be up.”
“Yeah, I guess. The nights are the worst though. When I finally get to stop and just relax, I start thinking about you, and you’re not here to hold me.”
“I know what you mean. I’m busy all day, in the studio, and then at night, I’m all alone in my big bed. That’s when it hits me the most too. But we’ll be together again before you know it. Shit, my cell’s ringing. It’s Dallas. Let me let you go.”
“Ok, I’ll talk to you later, Jace.”
“Bye baby.”