Chapter 12 #2
Charlotte wedged her way in and followed that with, “Dean and I have had a little talk, and we’ve agreed to let you record your songs today. We’ll assess everything later and do the orchestrations and bring in backing vocals in the next few days.”
She stepped back from the mic and gave Albion a shit-eating grin.
Albion frowned and sighed before taking a seat. “Warm up while I get everything ready on this end,” he told Nikky through the mic.
Even though Charlotte had won the battle for him, Nikky could tell the war wasn’t over.
There didn’t seem to be any point in fighting, though.
He picked up the guitar from where he’d left it before lunch and strummed a few chords, warming up his voice again.
The earlier joy he’d felt from his night with Harry was gone, leaving only work and obligation in its wake, but it was the best he had for the moment.
The afternoon passed in a distracted blur.
Nikky sang, played, and consulted with Albion about his music.
He did okay, but he could have done better.
Charlotte seemed to think she was some sort of music maven all of a sudden, which embarrassed Nikky and irritated Albion.
But at least she seemed to be advocating for him, which had to be good.
Nikky was grateful, but he wondered if Harry was right when he’d hinted he needed to fire his entire management team and find people who understood what he wanted and needed better.
“I agree with Harry about that,” Drew said hours later, as the two of them and Lee sat in a cozy corner of what turned out to be a trendy gastropub near Earl’s Court, where Lee lived. “I’ve always thought your management team is shit.”
“How did you end up with a team like that when you and Drew were signed to the same be-all-and-end-all agency after Cooked?” Lee asked.
Drew huffed a laugh and answered for Nikky. “Charlotte came with him from the first agency he was signed with. She’s okay, but Nikky has a hard time telling people no or disappointing them.”
Heat flooded Nikky’s face, and he reached for the craft beer he’d ordered in an attempt to cool himself down. “Drew’s not wrong,” he admitted before taking a drink.
“I’m all for being a nice person,” Lee said, “but you have to surround yourself with the best people when you’ve reached the level where you and Drew are right now. Anything else is career suicide.”
Nikky swallowed awkwardly. Maybe now would be a good time to explain that career suicide was what he’d set out to commit just a few short weeks ago when he’d arrived in London.
“Harry says the same thing,” he said instead. “He’s kind of stepped in, as far as Albion and recording this album is concerned, to act as my manager. He really looks out for me.”
“Does he?” Drew asked, a steel-edged look in his eyes as he reached for his own lager.
“He’s very protective,” Nikky said, smiling despite the pit of anxiety that still swirled in his gut. “He’s exactly what I needed.”
“Is he?” Drew said, his words even more clipped.
Paradoxically, Nikky relaxed a little more. “You’re not jealous, are you?” Drew’s reactions should have made him feel insecure, like he was under a microscope. Instead, the teasing sparkle in Drew’s eyes reminded him that he was among friends, possibly his best friend in the world.
Aside from Harry.
“No, no, I’m not jealous at all,” Drew said, deliberately seeming as jealous as possible. “He does know that I found you first, right?”
“Yeah, but you’re not the one who wants to sleep with me,” Nikky replied, winking at Lee.
Lee laughed. Drew pretended to be affronted. “Oh, I see how it is.”
Nikky laughed. It felt good to let go of the troubles that closed in on him from all sides for a change.
There had been a time when he would happily have fucked like rabbits with Drew during the filming of Cooked.
God knew they’d filmed enough intimate scenes together to whet Nikky’s interest. But they were only ever destined to be besties.
Besides, Drew hadn’t come to terms with his sexuality back then, and now that he had, he and Lee were perfect for each other.
They exchanged more teasing as the conversation turned to lighter things.
The meal was excellent, and the beer did everything beer was supposed to do.
By the time they started to wrap things up, Nikky was back to feeling easy with himself and positive about where his career and life were going next.
“You are okay, though, right?” Drew asked him as they prepared to leave the restaurant, while Lee was in the bathroom. “You’d tell me if something was wrong, wouldn’t you?”
It was a jarring shift to the mood, but Nikky rolled with it. “Yeah, I think I will be okay,” he said.
“Because as fun as those pics from that club were, they could potentially tell a different story,” Drew said, lowering his voice.
The knot started to reform in Nikky’s gut. “It’s okay. Harry is safe.” He paused then went on with, “I really like him. He’s…he’s older and wiser.”
Drew arched one eyebrow. “I’ve never pegged you as a daddy’s boy.”
Nikky smirked and forced his shoulders to loosen. “It’s nothing like that, nothing kinky.” At least not yet. But that was something to think about later. “He’s been in the music industry for a while. He even knows Albion. He…he understands.”
“Mmm hmm.” Drew hummed, then glanced to the side as Lee came out of the bathroom. “When do I get to meet him and rake him over the coals so I can decide if he’s good enough for my best friend?”
Nikky laughed. “I’ll see when he’s free.”
They headed out of the restaurant and exchanged goodbyes and heartfelt hugs. Nikky’s younger life might have been marked by family insecurity and fear of abandonment, but he’d found a true brother in Drew, and now Lee by default, and he was gladder for it than he could say.
Drew and Lee headed home, and Nikky started off for the nearest Tube station, hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.
It had been a crazy day, but in the end everything had gone better than he’d expected.
Things with Albion stood on the brink of breaking his way, now that Charlotte was there, and with Drew and Lee back in town, Nikky could almost feel like London was his home, at least for the moment.
It certainly held the people he loved the most in the world.
He was two streets over from the Tube station when a figure stepped out of the shadows and started walking in step with him.
“You missed our date,” Holberg said, veering far too close to Nikky.
Sharp prickles of fear raced across Nikky’s skin like an electric shock. “Leave me alone,” he hissed, walking faster.
Holberg kept pace with him. “Now Nikky, why would I do that? We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“We’re not friends,” Nikky said, jaw clenched and voice hoarse. “You just want to use me.”
“I’ve told you your cooperation will be good for you, too,” Holberg said, staying by his side no matter how fast or slow Nikky tried to walk. “You give me what I want and I’ll give you what you need.”
“You don’t have anything I need.” Nikky stopped just outside the station. “And I’m not selling out my friends and costars so you can make money off of them. And I won’t sleep with you either.” His face burned hot with those words and his hands started to shake, so he left them in his pockets.
“Honey,” Holberg said, his voice softer in a slippery, gross way. “You know I’d make it worth your while. All of it.”
He reached out and tried to touch Nikky’s face. Nikky dodged away sharply, nearly knocking himself over as he did.
“Leave me alone,” he barked, trying to be quiet, but too frightened to keep his voice down.
Fortunately for him, there were enough people around to draw attention to the encounter.
One particularly large man stopped in his tracks and glared at Holberg like he might intervene.
“I’ve told you I don’t want anything to do with you and I meant it. ”
The large man looked furious on Nikky’s behalf and blocked Holberg from following him.
Nikky pivoted and nearly raced into the Tube station, but Holberg called after him, “You and I both know that’s not true.”
Holberg’s words rang like a gong in his gut, sending terrifying reverberations all through him as he dashed for the ticket barriers. The stranger said something to Holberg and stopped him from following.
Nikky wished he could turn back the clock and ignore Holberg that first time they’d met, when he’d been so dizzy with new stardom that he’d thought every member of the press was his friend.
He wished he could have pushed Holberg away instead of being so flattered that an attractive, older man wanted to make out with him at a Hollywood party that he’d given in.
He wished a lot of things, but what use were wishes now?
“Nikky!” Holberg shouted after him, free from the stranger, as Nikky rushed down the stairs, praying a train that would take him up to Notting Hill would come along immediately.
Nikky ignored the call, racing to the far end of the platform just as the train he was praying for pulled in. He managed to jump aboard and huddle in the corner, escaping Holberg for now, but his whole body started to shake as the train pulled out of the station.
Holberg was in London. He knew where he was and had likely been following him. Every one of the problems he was trying so hard to run away from had followed him to the one place he’d hoped to feel safe.