4. Hayden
HAYDEN
I’ve been in tense situations before, but this one has to be in the top three. My parents. My sister. Now. How can I smooth things out so we can leave here and make plans to right this ship. And get to Barcelona ASAP.
While their standoff continues, I check my phone.
Even the large news organizations like the BBC are carrying Río’s arrest as their lead story.
Fabulous. Whatever is going on here will be sorted out later.
Now, we need to get back to our hotel and on a plane out of this country.
All the while not appearing to be running with our tails between our legs.
If it was easy, they wouldn’t have to pay you. My mom’s oft-repeated phrase bursts in my mind. Time to start putting this to rights.
“Guys, news of the arrest is taking hold across the internet. We need to be smart about our next steps. Río, get dressed and stop acting like an entitled rock star.” I pass him a bag containing his clothes. Or as much of them the police were able to find.
He stands so fast the chair flips onto its back.
“Fine.” He upends the bag onto the table and starts to untie the blanket around his body that’s fashioned into a toga.
In an alternate life, I would take a photo of him this very moment, considering he looks more like an angry Roman god than those depicted in the fountain where he swam.
My fingers itch to pick up my camera, but I manage to come to my senses when the blanket slips down his torso.
I didn’t mean for him to change right here. But where else could he go? I jump to my feet and mumble, “I’ll be in the hall. Let me know when you’re decent.” I rush out the door as fast as humanly possible.
In the hallway, I lean against the wall, noticing I’m alone. I guess Luke stayed in there to try to talk more sense into his drummer. In the time I’ve been with UC, I haven’t witnessed Luke being as upset as he was with Río.
Rightfully so.
The rocker acted as if he did nothing wrong. As if it were perfectly normal for him to egg on a crowd to yell Gelato Rocks and then swim in a landmark. Naked. Damn him.
My PR brain kicks in. Luke already paid all the fines, so that’s off my plate.
Of course, Luke didn’t bat an eye when the police said it was a million dollars.
A million dollars?! I suppose UC pulls that kind of cash in on the regular.
If I had that much money to throw away, I would be able to set my sister up for life with more than enough left over for me to live out my days comfortably. Damn, stupid Río.
While we were waiting for the toga-wearing rocker to be brought to us, I started writing a press release about the arrest. Now that I heard Río’s side of things, such as it was, I add a few more details about the so-called riot.
People screaming for the Italian sweet treat does not a riot make.
Right? I put in some more color about what happened and send it off to both Nina and Tracey, both of whom have been in constant contact with me since the news broke earlier.
Not how I envisioned spending my final day in Rome.
I’m waiting for a reply from the PR team when Luke joins me in the hallway. He looks worse for wear. Taking pity on the guy, I ask, “How are you holding up?”
“Oh, you know. When one thing settles down, another flares brighter. Here I thought what we had to deal with Bennett and Jenna was terrible. Río’s dip in the fountain probably tops theirs because he brought all this on himself.”
“His is a self-inflicted wound, to be sure. I think we can make some hay over the words he used in the call-and-repeat, though. I mean, who doesn’t love gelato?”
Luke chuckles. “I know. Leave it to Río to be arrested for saying something positive about the nation’s favorite dessert.”
“I sent off a press release to the team, for their feedback. I’m hoping this will be a nonissue by tomorrow.”
“I hope you’re right. Especially since we’ll be in a different country by then.” He pops his head into the room, then returns to me. “He’s putting his boots on. Let him stew on what we said for a little while.” He takes a breath. “I need your agreement.”
“About what? I’ll take care of the press release and we’ll get out of Italy.” I shrug. “Should be the end of it.”
“Except for the fact Río has been drinking a lot more lately. I’ve been keeping tabs on him, and it’s gotten me worried.”
My lips tighten. UC’s on tour for the better part of the year. “Should I seek out some sort of rehab?” Even as I say this, I’m not sure how it would work. Perhaps we can get an AA sponsor to join the tour?
“I don’t think it’s reached that level. He’s on the cusp, but he drinks to have fun. Not to drown out his demons. Yet.” His jaw twitches.
“Well, that’s good.” My guess is Luke’s thinking about Darren’s drug use, but I’m not going there.
“So far,” their manager replies. “Which is why I need you to agree to be his babysitter.”
He mentioned something like this earlier, but we had a lot to cover and it wasn’t brought up again so I hoped I weaseled out of it. Plus, it seemed he was joking. “I didn’t think you were serious.”
“You’ve seen him. He came into the room there in a toga. How do you think he doesn’t need a babysitter?"
My index finger traces my lips. How can I avoid this? I’ve gone to school and learned from the best about PR. I never envisioned myself as a blasted, entitled, drummer’s babysitter. He’s a grown man, for heaven’s sake—my father was younger than he is now when I was born. “He just needs to grow up.”
“He’s done such a great job of it so far.”
My butt plants against the wall, and I resist the temptation to bang my head against the concrete. “To be honest, it seems like most of the guys stopped their growth in high school.” I chew on my lip. “Well, except for Bennett. Jenna and he make a great couple.”
A small smile plays around Luke’s lips. “She’s good for him. But you’re right. When the band blew up is when they stopped having to play well with others. Bennett would snap his fingers and at least three women would surround him. That sort of adoration goes to people’s heads.”
“Tris seems to be normal.” The newest band member is a very nice guy. He never loses his temper and goes with the flow. Why couldn’t Río be more like him? “How about pairing him up with Río?” Problem solved. Bonus—it doesn’t involve me.
“Tris is finding his footing with UC. He doesn’t want to rock the boat, so I’m not about to saddle him with our stupid drummer.
Before you ask, 007’s still coping with Darren’s death and can’t handle another responsibility.
As for Coop, his demons have wrapped themselves around him so deeply that he wouldn’t be a good babysitter.
No. Río needs someone outside the confines of the band to watch over him.
Someone who doesn’t kneel at the stage he plays. You’re perfect.”
“Ha!” I let out a chuckle. “I’m many things, but not perfect. As for the drummer in there”—I point to the door—“I’ve only met him a handful of times. He usually was going onto the stage or to one of the band’s media appearances I had set up. I don’t know him from Adam.”
“Which is exactly why you’re the right person for the job. You never knew Río before, so you can’t make any comparisons with how he used to be. You’ll only be able to judge his actions on a going-forward basis.” He swipes his hair away from his forehead. “Against those of a regular guy.”
My head shakes. “I don’t have any therapist training. Besides, my hands are full handling all of UC’s PR obligations.”
“I’m not asking you to stop doing them. You can release press releases, work on strategy, arrange interviews and the like. You’re great in PR.”
I push away from the wall. “Which is full-time work,” I remind him, confident I’ve pleaded my case.
“True.” He’s quiet for a moment. “What were you doing when you found out about Río’s antics today? I mean, you are working full-time for UC, right?”
The fact I was in the bath will not leave my lips. Instead, I say, “I was taking the afternoon to prepare for our next concert.”
“I’m sure you earned the time off, I’m not saying you didn’t. However, how much of your time in Europe has been spent working PR for the band versus being ‘on call’ in case you were needed?”
This has been a relatively cushy job for me since I joined UC in Nice.
All the heavy lifting was done stateside.
If I’m being honest, this part of the tour has been pretty easy.
I’ve been collecting a paycheck—most of which goes to my sister—and waiting for the next shoe to drop.
Thanks to Río, more than his shoes dropped.
“I can read your face, Hayden. You have more than enough time to see to your PR duties and watch over our wayward drummer, don’t you?”
I don’t want to! Río represents all that’s wrong in this rock star world. He’s privileged, narcissistic, rude, and has the development of a high schooler. How can I get out of this? “I’m sure Río wouldn’t want me tagging along with him.”
“I don’t care what Río wants or doesn’t want. After talking with you, I want you to watch over him more than ever. I know you’ll make sure he doesn’t get into any more trouble. Besides, other crew members either worship him or would be swayed by his antics. I don’t think you will.”
I collapse onto the wall. If there is one thing I’m well acquainted with, it’s how to color within the lines. Can I do this? “Río’s not the only member of UC. All of them need my attention.”
Luke leans next to me. “I hear you. How about this? I keep the rest of them under control so you only have to deal with the drummer?”
Bennett and Jenna seem to be settled, finally, so he’s not offering much there. The other guys get themselves into trouble once in a while, though. How can Río be my sole focus?
I turn my head toward Luke. “He’s more than a handful. What if I need extra help?”
“I have faith in you.” He pauses. “I’ll throw another five hundred a week into your paycheck for doing this.”