I push him, hard, and he stumbles, laughing, thinking I’m trying to be funny, which I’mnot. “Stop it. You can try all you want, flirt all you want, I’ll never budge.”
A challenge heats in his gaze, and I’m getting many flashbacks of how I acted around Tyler a year ago. If this isn’t karma being a bitch, I don’t know what is. I wasn’tthisannoying, right?
“Whatever you say, Jace. I’ll just go shower alone and pretend it’s you who’s making me come when I shoot down the drain. In the meantime, you talk to Jodie about joining us on stage tonight. I think she’ll be all for it.” He fucks off to his own bus, leaving me at the entrance of ours, his shadow trailing behind him.
I eye Everett, or Ev as most of the crew calls him, the mountain of a man who’s Mick’s bodyguard and follows us every time we run. Because even as normal—albeit irritating as fuck—as Mick appears to me, he’s so freaking famous, he needs a full-time wall of muscle around him.
And I have a feeling it won’t take long for me to need one, too. Not that I wanna jinx it… but still, if these last months are any sign of what’s coming, and if,ifour musical career develops likeit has been since then, then shit… It’s already a madhouse most of the time, I wouldn’t even dare dream of the possibilities.
I sigh, rubbing my sweaty hair, and trot up the steps of our quiet bus, deflated. The driver and passenger seats are empty. We arrived here in the middle of the night, so most of my crew and the roadies are probably still in bed, tired after a long trip. We have a show tonight, but we’re so well orchestrated now with the roadies, they can chill for a while longer before setting up. It doesn’t even take half as long anymore compared to the beginning of the tour.
I usually help, having nothing else to do most of the time and I’m not one for lying around doing shit nothing, I justcan’t, never could. Plus, it’s fun to learn all the ins and outs of the mechanics behind a show. If we don’t have interviews or are busy working on our own shit, that is.
Jodie is the only one present in the cluttered living area, tapping away on her trusty laptop from where she’s seated on the bench in the tiny breakfast nook, a steaming mug of tea nearby. She’s all big eyes, big glasses, and big brown bangs. We’re the first band she’s got under her wing, having been an assistant manager for Six of Hearts for years. We kind of hit it off with her from the start, and after some negotiations with our lawyer, my dear olddad,she agreed to take us on solo. A risk for all of us, since she’s still pretty green, but she’s chill and doing a spectacular job so far.
“Hey, how was your run?” she asks as I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and drop on the other bench.
“Oh, same old, same old,” I say before taking a much needed sip. “Ran for a couple of miles, got lost once again, was harassed by Mick a bit.”
She scrunches her nose. “God, I know, right? He just doesn’t know when to give up.”
I shrug. “I can handle a spoiled rockstar. I mostly have my earplugs in when I’m running, so he doesn’t bother me that much. But he actually suggested that I join him tonight on stage. Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Yes, I already heard. It wasn’thisidea, it was the label’s.” She nods at her laptop. “They sent out an email last night. He must’ve gotten it, too, or heard about it via their manager. There are some pictures of you two on his Instagram that are quite going viral.”
“What?” I immediately yank my phone from my sweaty armband and scroll through the app. Ohfuckthis. There we are, alright, but we aren’t doing anything noteworthy. It’s just us hanging on the couch in their bus after a show last week. Him showing me something stupid on his phone, and mefakelaughing because I have to play nice.
“Is he the one responsible for this?” I almost grumble as I lock the screen again. I need to call Ty about this. This is not the first picture that’s circling around of me and Mick and I have my suspicions about who started this rumour… As does Ty.
He knows about Mick’s pursuit; I’m not gonna lie about that. He also knows I won’tevergive in to him. Ty is my world, my all, and I’mnotgoing to risk the beautiful thing that I have.
“That’s a possibility, but I don’t think so. Like yours, his account is partly managed by his social media manager and by extension, the label.”
“Yes, butmysocial media manager is one of my best friends and she would never fuck me over like this, even if the label would ask her to post this. Can’t they quit it with this shit?” I rub my face in agitation. “I already have a partner.” An amazing one.
“I know, but somehow, the public doesn’t. And management is finding your single status, and the Mick and Jace angle, the perfect marketing tool.”
“I’m not single,” I repeat for what feels like the twentieth time since we started this tour. “And it’s not like we were trying to keep quiet on purpose,” I mutter. “Last year when Ty was still figuring shit out for himself? Hell yes. But not anymore… Why can’t I just proclaim I’m in a relationship?”
We really weren’ttryingto hide it last year, damn it. We really weren’t. Before I left Summerset, we walked around campus out and proud. It’s not that we were flaunting our relationship or had some big PDA sessions, but we hung out together a lot. But somehow, the story of us never became a thing, even with him being who he is and me being who I am.
And now? Now the damn label wants us to keep it on the down low. They like meavailable. It makes for more sales if I’m being my flirty self onandoff the stage.
Igetit; I do. I want this to succeed just as bad as my band members and the label. Doesn’t mean that I have tolikeit.
I kinda want to stuff my socials with pictures of us, of Ty, and just say fuck you. But I can’t. I have a contract; there are stipulations and shit about this kind of thing.
And shit, we also have Ty’s career to think about. It’s not all aboutme.
Jodie’s big blue eyes are sad. “I know, sweetums. But the label prefers it this way. And this story makes for some great marketing. Mick’s like the country’s favorite bad guy. And here comes you, a new and shiny toy for him to play with. Peoplereallydig you two together.”
I groan and drop my head in my arms. “I know. Mick digs it too. A bit too much.”
Her small hand lands on my forearm. “Wecanalways stop this if it really gets out of hand. Just say the word and I’ll make sure Ava posts a sappy pic of you and Tyler and I’ll deal with the fallout. I’myourmanager, not the label’s. I’m here to makeyouhappy. So fuck ‘em, right?” She gives me a soft smile. “But reallygive it some thought beforehand, okay? Besides the fact that you could use all the media attention right now, even though it is withMick, you could put Tyler's career on the line if you two make it public. Do you want him to focus on his last football season at college so he can get the cup home and get drafted by a great team, or do you want him to get bombarded with paparazzi? Because with how things are going now, it will not take long before you guys are headlining the charts and people will get even more interested in you.”
“He hates the attention,” I mumble into my arms. Hereallydoes. He doesn’t like to be front and center. And I don’t want him to get any more scrutinized than he already is. And I’m afraid that’s what’s going to happen if we make it public.
“Yes, you explained that before. I am going to ask the label and Mick’s manager to dial it down a bit, but I’m not sure it will help much. The story is already out there. If you really want this to stop,” she taps my phone, “then you can consider going public. For real. Talk about it with your partner and I’ll talk about it with the label.”
