“Why wouldn’t work?”
I sigh. “Can you please call your dad?”
“Listen lady, the sign might still say Leroy, but I’m the one who manages it more than he does,” Calvin says.
Ginny, sensing my frustration, stands in between us. “Rosie, why don’t you walk around the workshop and take a breathe. I’ll talk to Calvin.”
I bite the side of my cheek and leave the small office they have on the far right side of their workshop. I huff all the way to the middle of the workshop, trying to get out my frustration and the fear that’s creeping under my skin.
I look around and my eyes land on the front page of a newspaper that embellishes things to get more sales and clicks. The first thing that catches my eyes is my photo. The one we took to promote the tour that’s currently canceled. There is also a blurry picture of my manager. I want to ask why I’m basically in high definition, while my manager’s photo is so low in quality that it’s protecting his identity. Sadly, I know why. My face andmy name sell and guarantees clicks. What worries me is the title of the article.
Rosie’s manager is in ties with Silver Crows, one of the biggest cartel groups in the south, for money laundry. Rosie might have a familiar tie with a member of high status.
That entire thing makes my brain short circuit. I’m taken aback by the possibility of my manager being a criminal. Yes, he was cruel and obnoxious and greedy, but never thought he would be a criminal. I’m straight up confused how I’m being tied to a group of criminals I’ve never heard before. Who are these Silver Crows? I reach out for the newspaper and skim through the paragraph trying to find what nonsense excuse they are gonna used to defame me in this way.
I scoff and run my fingers through my hair. They have the audacity to use my last name to link me to a group of criminals that seems to do everything. From money laundering to smuggling weapons to human trafficking. I hold tighter the newspaper, thinking that if this had happened at any other time, I would have to reach out to Chad, my horrible and apparently criminal of a manager, to reach out to the lawyers of the company to deal with this.
This article is straight up defamation. They have nothing besides a semi common last name. I hear someone coming my way and in a hurry; I fold the newspaper and hold it behind my back. I relax a little when I see is Cooper. I don’t know when I felt comfortable around him. He is still annoying, especially at how charismatic he is.
I charm people. That’s basically my entire role in VERA. I don’t get charmed by others. Seems like Cooper is a special case. I don’t want to even consider he is the exception.
“Where are your friends?” Cooper asks.
“They are inside talking to Calvin.”
“Remember the guys that followed you four into Sing Note? I took care of them, but we can’t stay in Saddleback. They know you four are here and I’m sure they will bring more people to drag you all four back to; what was the name of the town?”
I glare at him. I know he remembers, but he is just being infuriating. “Maxwell. How exactly did you take care of them? I hope it doesn’t mean that you fought with them and scared them away.”
“Do I look like I got into a fight with two men?” I extend his hands to his sides and turn around.
Cooper looks exactly as I last saw him. His shirt is not crumpled. There are no bruises on his face and no cuts or blood on his hands. “Then how did you convince them to leave?”
He leans in a smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
I glare at him. I want to give him a heavy piece of my mind, but the idol training kicks in hard. I smile so wide I force my eyes to smile, too. “It would be awesome to know, to learn negotiation tactics, but I totally respect you for wanting to keep your methods secret.”
I smile wider when he frowns. I’m sure he expected me to complain and argue until he said something. I’m enjoying throwing this man for a loop every time I get the chance to. The dopamine hit feels so exhilarating. I need to be careful or I would create my undoing.
“I’m not gonna fall for your trick. I see right through you, Rosie.”
I roll my eyes to ignore my heart speeding up when he says my name. “What trick?” I ask, leaning closer to him and batting my eyelashes.
He breathes in deep and closes his eyes. I watch as a myriad of emotions run through his face, none I could recognize. When Cooper opens his eyes, for a second I see it. Lust. Passion. A shot of electricity run through my body and I step closer. I want to see it closer. I want to touch it. I want to taste it.
I feel my eyes widened at my train of thoughts. What is wrong with me? Why I’m so attracted to this man whom I know nothing about? The same second I thought of stepping back, Cooper wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me flush to his body. He moves us to the corner beside the only window between Leroy’s Shop office and the workshop’s main area. Cooper hits it twice before he signals the people inside to lie low.
“Shouldn’t we—” Cooper covers my mouth with his hand.
He shakes his head and then looks straight into my eyes. Moments later, I hear voices talking in Spanish. I concentrate and try to hear what they were saying. My Spanish is getting a little rusty because I haven’t talked with my fans and it is always so hard to find time to talk to my parents for over five minutes to check that I’m still alive.
“La vieron aqui. Estoy seguro que la vieron aqui.”
“Estará en el hotel?”
“No. Las vieron, a las cuatro, entrando a este establecimiento. Lo mas probable el viejo Leroy las esta escondiendo.”
“Tu sabes que no podemos tocar a Leroy.”
