Chapter 14

The rest of the photo shoot was, thankfully, boner-free. Never thought I’d be happy about saying that…

I didn’t have to pose with Faise again. Of course, he stood as far away from me as possible. Which made me both insanely relieved and curiously annoyed. Why did things have to be so awkward between us now? And my irritation at his flirtation with Averell was like a cut that wouldn’t heal.

I was frightened of this shift between us. I didn’t want to think about the intensity of my feelings. And what that meant for our friendship.

On our way back up to meet our new manager, my phone rang.

Ciara calling.

Shit, I was so distracted that I almost forgot that my sister and her boyfriend were flying into town for the launch party.

I tapped the screen. “Hey Ci, where are you?”

“On our way to the hotel.”

“You should’ve stayed at my place?—”

“It’s fine,” she interrupted. “I’ll text you when we arrive at the venue, okay? Bye.”

Before I could reply, the call dropped, and I was staring at my phone.

Faise wasn’t the only one acting weird lately.

My sister had been all but silent for the past few months. I chalked it up to the fact that she’d moved from Rhode Island to New York City to start a new job. One in social media for a fashion brand. She was excited about the move, and I was excited for her. Ciara and I remained close despite my schedule and the travel distance between us. Or so I thought.

Two months ago, my calls started going unanswered and she was only texting once every couple of weeks. The sudden drop off made me wonder and worry.

Apparently, she’d met her boyfriend, Dallas, a few weeks after she landed in the big apple. I still hadn’t met the guy so all I knew was that that he was ten years older than her, and he worked in law enforcement. Ciara hadn’t volunteered any more details, but it didn’t stop me from asking.

Usually when she visited me in Nashville, she’d stay at my house. This time, though, she insisted on staying at a hotel and paying for it herself. I admired her independence, but I liked treating my family. After all the years of struggle, it felt right to spoil them. All this to say, I was hurt. Why the sudden change? I had a five-bedroom house, so there was plenty of room and privacy. And we always had a good time when she stayed. Faise, Holls, and Brodie, hell, everyone we worked with, loved her and loved to hang out with her.

I glanced at my phone, tempted to call her back. There was no point. I’d rather talk to her face to face later.

“How’s your sister?” Brodie asked.

“She’s good. I think. She’s on her way to the hotel.”

“But she always stays at your place,” Holls commented.

“Right?” I said to him. “She brought her boyfriend this time, so?—”

“Ooh, now it’s getting interesting,” Brodie rubbed his hands together. “Have you met him yet?”

“Nope. It’s not just that, she—” I paused, looking over at Faise.

He was staring at me like he wanted to say something. But what?

That was another first. In the past, I always had a sense of where his mind was at, like we shared a psychic connection. But now? My sixth sense was jamming and I wasn’t talking about music.

“She’s barely contacted me since she moved to New York,” I confessed as I looked at him.

His eyes softened for a fraction.

“It’s a big move. Maybe she’s just overwhelmed by it all?”

I shrugged.

“We hardly talk anymore. It’s left me worried. And hurt,” I admitted.

And I wasn’t just talking about my sister.

Faise bit his lip and looked away.

“I’m sure you guys will work it out. You’ll get to chat with her tonight,” Brodie replied, gripping my shoulder. “And we can help you interrogate the boyfriend.”

“Oh, fuck.”

Everyone laughed at that.

We entered the boardroom, and Averell was already sitting at the head of the table, waiting. But not alone. A man in his thirties wearing dark-framed glasses, a button-down shirt, and suspenders, sat beside him. The guy was so corporate looking.

Please tell me this is not our new manager.

Until he moved to stand up and then I noticed the rolled-up sleeves and the black-lined tattoos that covered his forearms.

“Jesse Aimes, meet Wayward Lane,” Averell announced. “This is Brodie?—”

“Come on, Av, I know all their names and songs,” Jesse interrupted with a shake of his head and walked around the table to greet us. “It’s an honor and an absolute pleasure.”

Averell told us that our new manager had been working in the UK, so I wasn’t expecting the American accent. Or how blunt Jesse was, even with his boss. This was going to be interesting.

Averell’s EA entered the room and brought us all water and coffee.

“Grab a seat, let’s get to work,” Jesse demanded. “And yes, I am always this bossy.”

Judging by the smiles around the table, that eased a bit of the tension in the room but not all of it.

“You guys got fucked over by Bandit, but as I’m sure Av’s told you, Hardwick is the antithesis of Greg Haddley’s music label. We don’t play by old, archaic rules where the CEO says ‘jump’ and you say ‘how high’. We are a band-first company. What does that mean? It means most of us who work on the corporate side have played professionally and we know what musician life is like. It means you have more creative control over your songs and brand. It means we’re fiercely protective of your space. No one, and by that I mean the tabloid press, fucks with our people,” Jesse insisted. “I’ll be your sounding board as we create the new album, the marketing, and tour schedule. And whatever you need, any time, day or night, I’m here. Any questions?”

Brodie leaned forward.

Jesse raised his hand. “And yes, I know all about Van and how he managed you. I did my research. Whatever you want to ask me, go ahead. I’m always upfront about everything. Even the tough shit.”

“Good, ‘cause I always get right to the point,” Brodie smirked. “But what I was going to say was, we had a lot of creative differences with Greg when it came to our songs. He kept pushing in one direction, but I always fought back. And that will never change. So, be prepared.”

Jesse nodded. “I tracked every song from every album you’ve produced and it’s clear that Van’s songs and then your co-writes with him are the best-sellers. You know what you’re doing. I’ll give my input if I feel it’s warranted but otherwise, you have control over your song choices.”

Brodie nodded but said nothing else.

“Going back to the media,” Faise added. “On our last European junket, that interview with the French press went too far and our manager played a key role in letting it happen. We’re not putting up with that crap again. My brother’s been followed around ever since he got out of rehab.”

Averell placed a hand on Faise’s arm, and I nearly shot up out of my chair. Fucking around was one thing. But touching Faise like that? That was personal.

“You have my guarantee that it will never happen again,” Averell replied.

“I think he was asking Jesse,” I snapped.

Faise pulled his arm back, turning to stare at me.

“Not to mention the story about my mom,” Holloway added.

Jesse ran a hand through his short hair. “Like I said, we protect our own. That kind of stupid PR stunt isn’t happening on my watch. It creates mistrust, and that’s not a recipe for success. I know you did your due diligence. There’s a reason bands are signing with Hardwick. And when I’m managing a band, I’m your shield. I stand between you and all that crazy shit.”

I liked what I was hearing but everyone put on a good face on opening night.

“Can you give us the names of some of the musicians you’ve managed?” I asked. “I mean, all this sounds great, but we don’t know you.”

Jesse nodded and tapped on his phone. “I’ll send the list now. Feel free contact anyone you want.”

I nodded. Before, I automatically trusted in our label and their staff. But not anymore.

Averell leaned forward. “Any other pressing questions before we move on to meet with the PR team?”

“I have another one for Jesse.” Brodie crossed his arms. “What song of ours is your favorite, and can you sing it, right fucking now?”

Jesse scoffed, then cleared his throat and belted out Filthy Pain like he was the rockstar and we were the audience.

When he finished, we were all too shocked to do anything.

“Why the fuck aren’t you on stage?” Brodie asked with wide eyes.

It took a lot to impress our lead singer.

Jesse shrugged. “I was, fifteen years ago. I played lead guitar and backup vocals in a band called Ruthless Kane. I had longer hair back then. And no glasses.”

“Holy shit, why didn’t I make the connection!” Holloway exclaimed. “Your lead singer was Landry Soames. Didn’t you guys have a song called Take Me Under?”

“That’s right, it was our biggest—and last—hit single. Unfortunately, after three years together, we broke up. My desire to be on stage after that wasn’t the same. But music is still my passion, so I started to work behind the scenes.”

“What caused the breakup?” Brodie asked point blank, cocky as ever. “I’m a nosy fucker so get used to that, too.”

Jesse let out a sigh. “I fell in love with my bandmate. He didn’t feel the same. I couldn’t move past it, and neither could he. That was that.”

Suddenly, Faise’s arm jerked and he knocked a glass of water off the table. The accident broke the awkward tension in the room as Faise made his apologies.

I hadn’t been expecting that revelation.

That was that, all right.

The broken glass was a premonition. The day would only get worse from there.

I couldn’t focus on what anyone was saying. Every time Faise and Averell made eyes at each other, or traded flirty jokes, I wanted to puke. All my appetite vanished as I watched my best friend act like a horny teenager with a crush.

Someone was going to get crushed, I thought as I glared at Averell. The guy was too fucking smooth for his own good.

My head was so messed up. Ever since Jesse told us about his band breakup, I couldn’t focus on anything but that. Couldn’t make conversation or anything. Jesse probably thought I was being a dick, but it wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk. I was too much in my head. There were lots of conversations going on around me but I had no idea what anyone said.

When me and the guys finally had a moment alone, they asked me what I thought of our new manager.

“We asked questions and he answered, no hesitation,” I replied. “That’s gotta count for something. I say we give him a chance.”

Brodie, Faise, and Holls liked Jesse, too. I guess we’d see how the next three months rolled out.

We’d finished up our day with PR, had dinner out, then changed and headed over to the launch party at a club on Brooklyn Street.

I glanced around the packed venue and spotted Jesse chatting up Van, Holls, and Dawson.

Things with me and Faise were still tense, though. And my sister hadn’t arrived yet.

Faise spent the whole time glued to Averell’s side, hanging on his every word. And I spent the whole time following them around. So much that an hour into it, Brodie and Holls intervened.

“You’ve been like this all day, Ro. Don’t you think it’s time you get that stick out of your ass?” Brodie quipped.

I scoffed. “If our record deal gets thrown out next week, don’t come running to me.”

“It’s already signed and sealed. A done deal. No backing out. Now, it’s time to celebrate,” Holls reminded me as he passed me a glass of bourbon. “Remember? That’s when you talk and joke around with your friends and have fun?”

Across the room, Averell let out a loud laugh and Faise soon followed. I shot up off the lounger.

“I have to get out of here.”

Brodie placed a hand on my forearm which I shrugged off. I didn’t want anyone to touch me right now.

“Maybe think about why you’re so upset with Faise,” Brodie suggested. “No one else has an issue with who he fucks, even if it’s Averell.”

“Yeah, bud. It’s time you shit or get off the pot,” Holls added.

“Nicely put,” Brodie snarked, then gave me a stare that meant serious business. “We can’t have this tension in the band. Deal with your feelings for your best friend.”

How could I when I was still confused myself? So what if my dick got excited today visualizing me and Faise fucking? That’s normal. He’s hot, I’m horny. It’s not like I hadn’t noticed how sexy he was before. But whenever that inconvenient urge popped up, I always managed to shove it away. Acting on that would cause a mess I wasn’t prepared to deal with.

Right?

“What about our promise to each other? No fucking around, nothing that screws with the band dynamic? Look at what happened to Jesse,” I argued.

Holls and Brodie exchanged a long look.

“When we started out, yeah, that was a valid concern,” Brodie explained. “But you’re not eighteen anymore. And this is you and Faise, not Jesse and whoever. Figure it out.”

“I think it’s too late.”

I motioned to Faise and Averell, standing way too close, in each other’s personal space.

“Yo, Faise!” Holloway called out and waved his arms in the air.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I bit out.

“Giving you a much-needed kick in the ass,” Holls chuckled.

What the fuck did he mean by that?

My best friend ambled over in a graceful strut, a lock of black hair falling down over his eyes, a curious look on his face. My heart beat double time, triple. The closer Faise got, the higher the beat, until it was all I could hear.

I looked over and caught Averell’s gaze across the room. The challenge in them was unmistakable.

He’s not yours, asshole.

“What’s with the glare?” a familiar voice called out. “I thought you’d be happy to see me.”