Page 23 of The Only Thing That's Real
“Well, you don’t seem thrilled to have me here. I’d like to make this as easy on you as possible.”
And here I thought my mask was in place. Great work, dickhead.
“You’re with us through the end of the tour, right?”
“Yes, you won’t be able to escape me for the next couple months.”
Fuck my life.
“How about we try to be less formal? Besides, you are writing about the band and the tour, not personal deep dives on each of us, right?”
“Well, the more personal the piece, the more invested readers will be.”
My hackles are back up.
“Are you looking for a scandal or a scintillating story?”
“Not at all. But fans love that the four of you are childhood friends. It’s more than a band, it’s a family. You said so yourself.”
“Let’s see how it goes.” I stand, indicating we’re done for today. “I’d prefer we do more group things and less one-on-one.”
Ryan stiffens. She thinks my self-preservation is me rejecting her after things went so well this afternoon. She doesn’t realize what she does to me. How much I want to tell her. I feel awful, because she’s been nothing but professional today, but she’s still a member of the media and I’m still very attracted to her. I need some distance if I stand a chance at keeping things professional.
“Here,” I say, handing her my phone. “Add your number.”
She punches in her digits and hands it back.
I cross the room toward the door. “I’ll be in touch,” I say, lifting the phone in the air so she understands.
She gathers her belongings like a deer in headlights. As she crosses the room to where I stand holding the door open for her, she whispers, “Thank you for your time.”
She sounds meek, and I don’t like it. I miss the ball of fire she usually hurls in my direction.
I didn’t intend to be rude. Besides protecting her from me, I want her piece to showcase all of us. Articles about the Hollow Knocks too often focus on me, but we’ve always been a team. There is no me without the guys.
“Hey, Ryan,” I call after her just as the elevator arrives. She puts her hand out to hold the door. “It’s important that this is about all of us.”
Her eyes brighten and the corner of her mouth lifts. “Of course. I understand.” She steps into the elevator and disappears.
Relieved to have made her smile I vow to myself never to make her feel this way again. I have a new idea for communicating with her to help her write her story while keeping her at a safe distance and allowing me to stay somewhat in control of the situation.
Chapter Twelve
Ryan
“Idon’t know how you do it. I couldn’t watch the same band play night after night and not go mad.”
Why in the world did I answer Rob’s call?
I was thinking about Knox saying he’d be in touch three days ago, only to be met with radio silence. So, when my phone rang, I tapped my earbud and answered before realizing it wasn’t him. I couldn’t have been more disappointed to hear Rob Braun’s voice on the other end of the line. I blame Knox for my current misery.
Rob is one of the many people I’ve met in the business. He’s a music executive with a shrewd reputation. We’ve hooked up twice, but excessive amounts of tequila were in play both times. Once should have been enough, but the man is good in bed, and I somehow only remembered how much I enjoyed his dick and not what a big one he was. The last timewe spoke, he was an asshole, and I honestly had no intention of ever speaking to him again.
“The band is great. It’s nice getting to spend time with real people.” I sigh, hoping he’ll sense my lack of interest.
“I always forget what a small-town girl you are.”
“Proud of it too. So, did you want something?”
