Chapter 28
VAN
Icouldn’t avoid my boss any longer.
Greg had called three times today and texted, and it was nearing four in the afternoon.
Brodie had showered and headed down to Holloway’s room to meet with the rest of the guys for dinner and to tell them, quietly, about us.
I headed back to my room and replied to several emails, including more requests from the press. I passed most of them on to our PR team for follow-up, and a few others I replied to directly.
I also received a thank you email from the local charity. They had received an influx of individual donations in addition to the money the concert brought in.
Good news all around from last night.
After another cup of coffee, I was primed and ready to call Greg.
I tapped his number and waited.
“I’ve been calling and texting you for hours? What the hell, Van?”
I ignored Greg’s booming question and put the focus on where it should be.
“Did you see the pictures of Brodie and Colm? They made all the entertainment headlines.”
Always lead with the good news and tell them what they want to hear.
“Of course, I saw the picture. What do you think I do every hour of the day and night? This business is my life! It’s not like I sleep,” he grumbled. “But first, let’s get back to the question I asked you last night—”
“I’ve got nothing to say about that, Greg. You know better than to listen to rumors or media speculation. A performance is just that. If people misinterpret it, it’s not our fault. By tomorrow, no one will remember my name.”
I didn’t like lying about what was going on with me and Brodie, but there was no point mentioning it until we knew for ourselves that we were solid.
And honestly? I was overwhelmed after everything that had happened. My whole world had shifted, and I didn’t even know how to make sense of it myself, never mind talking about it with other people.
I was happy about being with Brodie, but it was a lot to process—not just being with a man for the first time but falling so hard.
Falling for the first time in my life.
So yeah, it was better to wait. On several fronts.
I was also saving the bit about me recording the song with Brodie until the new year. No sense in pissing Greg off more than he already was.
“And you’ll be glad to know that the band raised over five hundred grand for the local charity. That’s also making the media rounds, and fans are loving it.”
“Good, let’s keep pushing that angle. What else?”
“I’m heading with Brodie and Dawson to Rhode Island when we’re done here in New Orleans. Brodie wants to get started on the songs for the new album, and now that he knows I’m Corley Hewitt, we’ve agreed to write together.”
“What about the rest of the guys?”
“They’re taking time off. Keep this between ourselves, but Faise is going to California for a while. His brother just entered rehab out there.”
“I know.”
“Really?”
“I know everything that goes on when it comes to my top-selling artists. Everything. Remember that.”
I didn’t miss the sharpness of his tone.
“Is there anything else?” I asked calmly.
“Are you sure this thing with you and Brodie is a good idea? I mean, writing songs together,” Greg replied.
Right…
“He’s the one who does most of the songwriting and selection anyway. Nothing has changed. Except we’ll work on pieces together from scratch. We’ll create a list, and when everyone is back in January, we’ll review them, and the band can decide as a group. Same as always.”
“I’ll be very curious to see what you and Brodie can create together.
If ‘Sideline’ is any indication, we’ll have another best-selling album on our hands.
Just make sure you keep your collaboration under the radar.
That song has given fans a taste of what’s to come, but we want to keep them guessing, keep them hungry. Are we clear?”
Greg was not talking about the next album. But at least he was giving me leeway.
“Yes.”
“Good. Send me weekly updates.”
“I wi—”
He hung up before I could finish talking, but I didn’t give a shit. I was relieved. The call had gone better than I expected.
The concert was a success, I still had my job, and I was about to embark on a month-long trip with Brodie.
A trifecta win in my book.
brODIE
I knocked on Holls’s door and waited.
I was excited to tell the guys about me and Van, but also kinda terrified.
Holls’s comments from last night hadn’t changed my mind, but still, I knew there would be questions and concerns.
But it was Ronin who opened the door. “You finally surfaced! Where did you go last night? You were MIA at the party. The fuck?”
“I was there for almost two hours, Ro, chill. And can I come in? I don’t want to have this conversation in the hallway.”
Ronin stepped aside, and I entered Holls’s suite. It was the mirror image of mine, complete with a kitchen and dining area.
The earthy smell of pot wafted over me.
Faise and Holls were sitting at the table, munching on snacks and drinking shots of tequila.
Faise raised a glass to salute me. “He has arrived.”
I walked over, sat my (tender) ass carefully on a chair, and grabbed the bottle of liquor, pouring a shot for myself and one for Ronin.
Once all four of us had full glasses, Holls raised his. “Here’s to another great fucking year!”
“To the city of New Orleans!” Ronin called out. “Great food, great booze, and lots of hot men!”
“To friends!” Faise chimed in.
“To finally fucking my manager!” I blurted out while they took their shots.
The guys choked and spewed tequila all over the table and each other.
I was a good performer, but my timing and delivery weren’t always spot-on.
“You all claim to be gay, and yet, none of you know how to swallow,” I quipped before I downed my shot and slammed the glass back on the table.
I poured another round for everyone.
They looked like they were going to need it, and I sure as hell did.
I was still in a state of shock that Van and I were lovers. Just thinking about him in my bed had my blood beating fast and hot.
Then I realized three pairs of eyes were staring at me intently.
“What?” I finally bit out.
“You and Van?” Faise’s eyeballs looked like they were going to pop right out of his head. “I thought he was straight.”
“Yes, me and Van. And he’s not straight. Not anymore,” I replied with a wide grin.
“Holy fucking shit!” Ronin blurted out and looked at Holls. “Why don’t you look as surprised as Faise and me?”
Holls took another shot. “I knew something was up on this trip. They were arguing on the bus on the way down here, and it looked hot and heavy. And who can miss the way Brodie salivates whenever Van is in the room?”
I grabbed a cracker off the platter in front of me and pitched it at Holls’s head.
He caught it and shoved it in his mouth. “Come on. I can’t be the only one who knew this was coming. I mean, the way they eye-fuck each other? The bickering? How protective Van is of him? How Brodie practically rips someone’s head off if he thinks Van is under attack—”
“I think they get it,” I interjected.
I hadn’t realized I’d been that obvious with my intentions.
“Not to mention that Brodie hasn’t had any kind of action in almost a year,” Holls teased.
This time, I threw a piece of cheese at him. It hit Holls on the forehead and landed on the table.
“Whoa, one piece of major news at a time,” Faise replied and turned to me. “Was this a one-off thing, or are you two—”
“Boyfriends,” Holls interrupted and waggled his eyebrows.
I shook my head. “We haven’t defined it, but I wouldn’t fuck around with him if it didn’t mean something. I mean, given that he works with us, there are potential… complications.”
“Like Greg,” Ronin stated.
“Like Greg,” I repeated. “Like Van’s contract. We’re keeping silent about our relationship for now. Until the new year. This is brand fucking new, so we don’t want to say anything to Greg until we know where we’re headed. You guys are the only ones who know.”
“The new year? That’s two months away. This sounds serious,” Ronin interjected.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud, but yeah. Never felt like this about anyone before. I mean, you saw me on stage last night, singing to him. Couldn’t you tell I have it bad?”
They all nodded.
I downed another shot and poured the next one. The guys held their glasses out for another refill.
Ronin rubbed his dark scruff. “We’ve all seen the way you two interact, but I wasn’t sure if Van was into guys. Not only that, but I never thought he’d put his career at risk by crossing a line with someone he worked with.”
“Well, he is, and he did,” I responded.
“And what if things don’t turn out the way you want?
” Faise asked. “What if you break up? Are you going to be able to work with him? And him with you? Or what if Greg finds out between now and the new year and fires him? We all know that Van is your rock at home and on the road. If you lose that, are you going to be okay?”
“I’d have to be,” I replied and took another shot.
But the very thought of losing Van, of not being around him every day, made me break out in a cold sweat.
“If Van doesn’t get fired, maybe he’d be reassigned. Maybe that’s better for you, him, and for us in the long run,” Holls added. “Not that I want to lose a great manager.”
I didn’t know how to reply to that, but Holls had a point.
I leaned forward. “Look, I don’t have answers right now.
I wish I could tell you that everything’s going to be fine and drama-free, but it might not end up that way.
But no matter what happens with Van and me, I’m still a musician, and I choose this life.
And I know I can be a hothead, but I’m also a professional.
If Van and I ever got to a point where we couldn’t work together, we’d find another manager.
I know it wouldn’t be ideal, but there’s no guarantee he’s sticking with us forever anyway. ”
I wanted him to stick with me forever. For now, I’d have to be satisfied with one day at a time.
“And none of us have had a serious relationship, but that doesn’t mean it’s not gonna happen.
You need to think about that. I love what I do, and I’m still happy touring every year, but I can’t go at this pace indefinitely.
At some point, we’ll need a break to focus on other things in our lives.
I’m sure you guys feel the same way. This band was our dream, but it’s not the only one. ”
They nodded, but there was silence around the table.
“Okay, enough serious talk. You still need to answer the most important question,” Holls leaned forward. “How was the sex?”
I let out a filthy laugh and grabbed the bottle of tequila again.
“You’ll need another round.”