33. Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
Cillian sat on an overstuffed chair, longing to escape the stuffy hotel room.
‘Think about it.’ Brian paced the carpet, sucking hard on his vape and blowing out a cloud of steam that filled the air, leaving Cillian even more claustrophobic.
‘Sev Crispin is out there snapping at your heels. He’s younger, better looking, spends longer in the gym, and, most importantly, is prepared to do whatever it takes to build his career. ’
‘I don’t think I need to worry about Sev Crispin,’ scoffed Cillian.
‘No?’ Brian raised an eyebrow. ‘Have you looked at the download numbers lately? His latest song is miles ahead of anything you’ve released recently. I even had an email from his manager asking whether you’d be prepared to support him on his next tour.’
‘Support him?’ said Cillian, horrified. ‘Me, join the tour as his support act? That’s got to be a joke.’
‘If it is, it’s not a very funny one,’ said Brian.
‘Your own tour starts in a week and you’ve done absolutely nothing to promote it, except run away.
’ He stopped pacing to point the vape at Cillian.
‘I can see how this is going. You’ve done a disappearing act, which has left space for young pretenders like Sev to get their claws in.
You’re in an industry with a very short memory, Cillian.
’ Brian took another puff, filling the air with scented steam.
‘Step out of the spotlight for a second, and you’ll never get back the success you’ve had this year.
’ He pointed at Cillian. ‘You’ll be lucky to get a slot on The One Show at the rate you’re going. ’
‘I’ve been helping my sister plan her wedding!’ Cillian couldn’t hide his exasperation. Didn’t anyone in this business understand priorities?
Kia glanced up from her nail file. ‘It’s not like she has anything very exciting planned.’ The caustic edge to her statement infuriated Cillian further. ‘And anyway, you’ve got the money to pay a wedding planner. You don’t need to be involved at all.’
‘Finally.’ Brian threw his hands into the air, trailing vape smoke. ‘Someone who speaks sense.’ He glared at Cillian. ‘Listen to your fiancée if you won’t listen to me. You need to get back out there, remind your fans what they’ve been missing.’
‘I’ve only been gone a week!’
‘Which is a lifetime in our industry,’ said Brian.
Cillian crossed his arms and stared out the window.
The sky was blue, and he yearned to be on the beach in Saffron Bay, not in an airless room arguing with his manager.
Brian and Kia stared at him, waiting for his next move.
Cillian shifted in the uncomfortable chair.
Was he really prepared to throw away all he’d worked for?
He shifted his gaze from the sky to the sleek sideboard against one wall. Damn it. Brian was right.
His family wasn’t going anywhere. As long as he made it back for the wedding, he wouldn’t be abandoning them. And Kia had a point about the money. If taking on the wedding planning was too much for May, he’d happily hire some support.
‘Fine,’ he said at last. ‘I hate to admit it, but you’re right.’ He blew out a heavy breath. ‘I need to get out there and show the likes of Sev Crispin why he should be my support act and not the other way around.’
Brian jumped and did an air grab. ‘The boy sees sense!’ he yelled. ‘I never thought I’d live to see the day. Right, let’s get the diary out and see what we’ve got booked in and get it confirmed.’
As Cillian squeezed in beside Brian and Kia around the small hotel table, he tried to ignore the voice in his head questioning what he was doing.
You’re here with a man you don’t like and a woman you don’t love, the voice nagged, handing over the next eighteen months of your life for what?
Money? Fame? Exhaustion as you travel the world singing songs you don’t believe in?
And what about your family? Kitty didn’t ask you to help plan her wedding to save money.
She asked you because she wants you involved in her life.
‘Shut up!’ Cillian snapped.
‘What?’ Brian stared.
‘Rude,’ muttered Kia.
‘Sorry,’ said Cillian. ‘I was talking to myself.’
Kia raised an eyebrow. ‘But you weren’t saying anything.’
‘Oh God.’ Brian leaned back in his chair. ‘You’re not on drugs, are you? This whole exercise,’ he said, waving a finger between Cillian and Kia, ‘is to save this poor girl’s reputation. If the pair of you are at it, that’s too much damage limitation, even for me.’
‘I’m not on drugs,’ said Cillian. ‘And I don’t ever intend to be.’
‘Don’t knock it till you try it.’ Kia’s smirk earned her a glare from Brian.
‘I need you both on your best behaviour,’ said Brian, sucking hard on his vape.
‘The story about the engagement will drop over the weekend. We need to prepare to capitalise on all the free publicity it will generate.’ He ran a finger over the pages of the diary.
‘With that in mind, I’m planning on confirming all this before the likes of Sev Crispin take the slots. ’
Cillian stared at the mass of black writing, his head spinning at the events and appearances Brian had booked in.
The only thing he could get excited about was that he still had three days left in Saffron Bay.
Although that was bittersweet, given he’d have to face the music when he told May and Kitty he was leaving.
May would be angry, Kitty would be sad. Neither was a reaction he looked forward to.
But three days was better than no days, and Cillian vowed silently to squeeze as much out of them as he could.