Harlow told him the news and he hugged her again. “That’s fantastic. Congratulations.” He grinned. “Tell Maddie no,” he murmured.

  Before she could ask what he meant, Maddie came bounding up, full of energy. “Hey, everyone is going out. Silas knows all the afterhours clubs and stuff. We’ll drink and eat and dance or whatever.”

  Nora and Brian nodded. “Yeah! We’re in. We have a lot to celebrate tonight for all of us. You all sounded amazing tonight. Top show so far, edging Vegas into second place.”

  “I think I’m going back to the townhouse,” Harlow said, understanding what Miles had meant. It wasn’t like she hadn’t gone to clubs and parties so far on the tour but having some quiet time to celebrate that whole day with him at her side sounded perfect.

  “Oh, good yeah, me too,” Miles said, all innocent-like.

  “Fine. See you two tomorrow. Don’t forget we’re doing media in the morning,” Nora told her.

  “It’s on my calendar and also the daily Poppy pre-delivered to me. Do not let her get drunk,” Harlow murmured to Nora.

  “There’s no way they’d let her get hurt but I’ll keep an eye out. I’d question how she’ll even get into a club when she’s not quite twenty-one, but I was not quite twenty-one and got into plenty.”

  “That and you’re all famous. Nora, we are having a very good day. I love your fucking face.”

  Nora snorted a laugh. “Love you too. Have fun.”

  Miles took a shower and changed before they grabbed a car over to the townhouse Richie owned and had insisted she and Above Me use while in the city for the MSG shows. Still buzzing from that night’s show and then all their good news, he was beyond relieved to have her all to himself in a quiet place to celebrate.

  She toed her shoes off and headed from the enclosed front entry space and into the main part of the house. He hadn’t expected all black walls and studded leather couches or anything, but the elegant and yet very comfortable layout and furnishings had been a nice surprise.

  Then she turned and hugged him. “Nora was right. Tonight’s show was stellar. You eye fucked that crowd, and they ate it up.”

  He grinned. “I did what now?”

  “Come into the kitchen so I can get plates and drinks. Pizza will be here shortly. I’ve been dreaming of their sausage and black olive for weeks now. Champagne is going to make it even better.”

  She pulled a bottle from the fridge. “I checked earlier when we first arrived. Fully stocked fridge and there are good snacks in the pantry. Jenna is one of those ultimate host type people. Everything is organized and comfortable with great snacks.”

  Harlow’s step-mother seemed like the polar opposite of Gloria. Generous and loving. But Miles was not going to ruin their night with the mention of that harpy.

  “I’m pro-snacks if I’m being asked for an opinion,” he told her, stealing a kiss and loving the way her mouth curved up as she smiled.

  “If you want to open it, I’ll find glasses.” She twirled away and hunted through a few cabinets until she found what she needed.

  “Can you take the plates and drinks up to our room, please? The pizza place just texted to say the pies were on the way. I’ll bring them when they get here,” she told him.

  As if he’d just go upstairs and wait for her to answer the door to a stranger at nearly one in the morning?

  “Oh, hey can you take this a second?” Miles handed her the bottle and once she was burdened by the things in her hands, he grinned. “I’ll get the door,” he called out over his shoulder as he heard the doorbell.

  He heard her little growl, but it only made him smile more. She needed taking care of and that’s what he’d do.

  “So tell me how I eye fucked a crowd?” he asked as he kicked the door closed behind himself.

  “You know exactly how you eye fucked a crowd, Miles. You know when you do it to me and it’s just as distracting when you broadcast it to thousands. It’s part of your persona for sure. But it’s also part of the Miles behind the mask. You’re an inherently sexual being and you know how to use it to your advantage. Like getting me all addled and handing off that champagne while you went to the door.”

  She changed into shorts and a barely there tank and then handed him a glass of champagne.

  “To Madison Square Garden night one.” She tapped her glass to his and they took a drink.

  “To two singles charting.” He tapped his glass to hers.

  “To gold and multi-platinum and Mercury Reid,” she said.

  They drank and kissed and drank some more before loading slices on their plates.

  “You know,” he said after a few minutes, “Jeremy left me a voicemail earlier about a possible movie role. I wonder if it’s the same movie the song is for.”

  “Whoa. Do you think?”

  “I’m talking with him in the morning, so I’ll find out for sure.”

  “Do you want to pursue acting jobs more now?” she asked.

  “I’ve had two small film roles so far. It’s fun, you know? Something totally different from this part of my life, but really, it’s all acting in some way or another. Boosting a part of myself, lessening another. I don’t want acting to replace music, but it’s definitely a way to keep myself working across a few different fields. Money doesn’t hurt either.” He grinned.

  “I saw both the movies you were in,” she admitted. “You’re good and the camera absolutely loves you. You have that something extra. It’s not just looks. You have charisma. You know how to work a crowd. You’re great with fans. You’ve got star power. People want to look at you, be around you. They want to buy your branded bass guitars and those spiffy watches you model for.”

  “Sometimes it feels like maybe I took something meant for someone else.” He shrugged.

  Truth was, there were times Miles was conflicted about taking modeling jobs. It seemed weird to profit off his looks. But as his dad had pointed out, it was just another part of his career. He didn’t have to take jobs for companies he didn’t like. But the money was good. It was a bit of advertising for the band, and it had gotten him other jobs from the exposure.

  And truth be told, each successful gig he had was a way to prove to the world that he made his own success. That he wasn’t a fluke or something made out of shadows his famous family had created for him.

  She nodded. “I understand.” Harlow, she got it. He didn’t even need to explain it all. “Deep down you know that’s bullshit. But it still can mess with your heart. I’m here to say there’s no one I’d rather buy a watch from because I’ve seen you looking gorgeous in an ad. Not because your dad is Adrian Brown. But because you’re Miles Brown.”

  He leaned over to kiss her because she filled him with so much happiness. “You’re right. Thank you for reminding me. Speaking about the camera,” Miles said. “I keep meaning to tell you how much I like your photographs. I follow your social media. I didn’t even know who took all the pictures. I figured it was one person, but I realized the candids of everyone, but you were your work.”

  Her blush shot straight to his gut. “The official ones at the various social media platforms and on our website are taken by Phil’s wife, Edda. She’s fantastic, right?”

  “Yes. I like the ones of you all performing. And the glimpses of Earthquakes are nice.”

  She looked up into his face. “Edda doesn’t do those, I do. The ones I post I do get permission for, I promise. I know you have your own social media presence, so I don’t want to overstep.”

  Overstep? He’d been practically begging for more space in her public life so those shots of Earthquakes had absolutely made his day. “It never crossed my mind to wonder if you got permission. I’m not worried about that. I just like it that I’m there in this other part of your life.” Miles shrugged and realized she’d underlined a key difference between herself and his ex. He never worried that Harlow would use any part of their private life for her own gain. It just wasn’t who she was or how she did things.

  “Oh. Okay then.”

  “Will you post a picture of me when I’m still sleeping tomorrow morning?” he teased, and she guffawed.

  “No, but I do have some on my phone. Those are for my own personal enjoyment. Reality is better anyway.”

  “I’ll happily be reminded of that tomorrow when you wake up. Wake me up too.” He paused. “How long do you think we have until Nora and Brian return?”

  She put her plate aside after taking another bite of her pizza. “I think we have an hour or so.”

  One handed, he pulled his shirt off and put his plate next to hers before using his body to take hers to the mattress.

  “Let’s get to work, shall we?”

  CHAPTER

  EIGHTEEN

  The last interview Harlow needed to do before the show that night was with some up and coming new music and media magazine. Women in rock and roll or something. As it was something she and Nora believed in and were a part of, they had agreed. Brian, at the merest suggestion he didn’t have to be there, jetted so fast if he was a cartoon there’d have been little puffs of smoke at his heels, headed for a comics store near the townhouse.

  Their names were at the front desk, so the guard swiped a card through the elevator panel and unlocked the fifth floor, sending them on their way.

  The offices weren’t huge, but the vibe was edgy and young, and they were offered fresh pressed juice or coffee when they were seated in a smallish conference room and told Sophia would be in shortly.

  Though shortly meant twenty minutes late and tried not to let it show when their interviewer finally came in.

  Tall and blonde, she looked very much like one of those perfect Manhattan influencers. Cute and slightly quirky outfit that Harlow was certain came straight from a designer showroom. Perfect hair and makeup that had to have been done professionally because she refused to believe anyone’s eyeliner could be so flawless done on their own. Her entire being was a production and no lie, Harlow couldn’t help but be impressed with what had to be a great deal of effort to be so put together.

  “Thanks for your patience,” she told them as she settled in.

  Harlow’s aunt had counseled her years back to never apologize for being late or whatever in a business context, but to thank the other party, so she saw it for what it was, and appreciated it just the same.

  It wasn’t like she could make a scene. Good press was important and if they were impatient or acted like assholes, that would come out.

  “I’m Sophia and you’re Harlow and Nora, right?” After they nodded and said their hellos, Sophia got right into it.

  There were leading questions really designed to make the person asking look good and once Harlow figured out who this interviewer was, she adjusted her replies and persona to fit.

  There was talk about their recent release and the themes of strength through vulnerability and both Harlow and Nora warmed up to that. The songs and the music itself were a love letter to messing up and being better and the power of female friendship.

  “And you two are friends then? For real?” Sophia asked.

  “Yes. Since we were thirteen or so. She’s my human.” Harlow smiled at Nora.

  “Never fought over boys?”

  Boys? What were they, twelve?

  Nora cocked her head. “We don’t have the same taste in romantic interests. Even if we did, I hope we could avoid being a cliché.”

  “So, you’re not jealous over Harlow’s new man candy?”

  Well. That was unexpected. She’d been asked about Miles in interviews since they’d more or less gone public with their relationship, but the way Sophia was acting right then was over the top.

  “I’m good, thanks,” Nora said, and Harlow barely smothered a laugh.

  “I guess that means she can share details. Miles Brown is incredibly inventive in bed, don’t you think?” Sophia leaned toward them with a predatory smile, and Harlow realized she’d let the other woman fool her into believing she was generally harmless.

  This was the ex-girlfriend everyone made a sour face about. Clearly, she hadn’t gotten over Miles and frankly Harlow could understand that. However, Miles wasn’t a piece of pizza she would fight over like a seagull.

  And it wasn’t that this person had sex with Miles before he’d even come back into Harlow’s life. It was the way Sophia seemed to delight in this gossip. That they’d either bond over Miles or fight?

  “I mean. A penis piercing. I did enjoy that. The septum piercing though, meh. He’s more handsome without it don’t you think?” Sophia said.

  Nora stepped on Harlow’s foot, and it surprised her enough to bite back what had been her first instinct. Sophia was a complicated little monster. And she’d feed on Harlow’s response if she allowed her buttons to be pushed by this dumbass.

  So she just looked at Sophia until the other woman cleared her throat.

  But Sophia wasn’t done.

  “So how did Above Me get this opening spot on the Earthquakes tour?”

  “Erin Brown is a fan. She passed on our music to Miles and told him we might be good to open for them. He heard our music. We share an agency. The band asked us, and we accepted. It’s a great opportunity for us to reach a bigger audience, so it was an easy decision.”

  Sophia wasn’t expecting Harlow to resist the bait. She frowned prettily a moment.

  “But when you met him.” She waggled her brows at Harlow. “I mean, just between us, it couldn’t hurt that you’re pretty.”

  “Thanks, I guess? Thing is, there are plenty of bands fronted by pretty people and most of them would happily jump at the chance to open on this tour. But thankfully, we have a sound they and their management liked, so we got the opportunity.”

  “Why not use what you have? Pretty face, famous dad, famous boyfriend with a successful band.” Sophia shrugged. “It’s rough out there. Competitive.”

  Nora put a hand on Harlow’s arm.

  Harlow took a deep breath and then answered. “We did use what we have. Talent. That’s what got us this spot. As for the rest, I think what I’d say is that women have it hard enough being taken care of in the music industry without the calls coming from inside the house, you know?”

  “Calls?”

  “It’s from a movie. The bad guy is in the house. It’s her way of saying we should be supporting one another’s work, not playing into stereotypes that they can’t achieve success unless it’s through a man.” Nora fluttered her lashes.

  “She’s sleeping with one of the hottest men in music right now. She can’t expect it not to come up as an issue. I don’t hate the game like she claims to, but Harlow, you can’t pretend it doesn’t exist,” Sophia said. “You sure can’t pretend it doesn’t matter that you’re riding that dick.”

  Harlow rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide that response. “It doesn’t matter to you. I don’t need to share details with you like we’re close. Or like I have permission to share anything about the private life of someone I’m with.”

  “Permission? Honey, men with dick piercings don’t worry about that. He loved it when I talked about it. Got him more fans too. Did you sign a NDA or something? He might have gotten wiser after me.” Sophia snickered.

  “Are you interviewing us about our band and music or about my boyfriend’s body jewelry?” Harlow asked.

  “You already talked about your band. Now talk about your boyfriend’s cock. Come on. Loosen up a little. This is part of the business you’re in. The public wants to know about your life, and that especially includes when your life means you’re sleeping with a rock star. Just because you can’t get past that he and I were together you’re going to act holier than thou?”

  Harlow snorted. “Don’t make this into something it’s not. I don’t give a shit if you fucked Miles a thousand times before I came along. I’m here now. That’s all I need. This isn’t some sort of fight over a guy. You’re rude. We aren’t friends. I don’t know you and I’m not going to share details of my private life because you want me to help you get readers.”

  Beyond annoyed and utterly done, Harlow stood and Nora joined her. “We’ve got another appointment to get to.”

  “Well I was done with you anyway. Don’t hold your breath that you’ll keep his interest after the tour ends.”

  “Bye bye!” Harlow waved as she paused in the doorway. “Have the day you deserve.”

  Not wanting to catch the subway, they hailed a cab and headed back to the townhouse. Harlow looked at the time. “Do you want to text Brian to let him know we’re on the way back?”

  “He’s a big boy. He’ll see that when we return if his face isn’t stuffed into a comic book. But we need to talk about what just happened,” Nora said.

  “Not the first time it’s come up in an interview,” Harlow said.

  “The first time you’ve squared up with your boyfriend’s ex who wants you to share details about your sex life. And who came out and inferred you have your success because you’re pretty and have a famous dad. And you are pretty, and you do have a famous dad. And your success--”

  Harlow interrupted, “I’d be lying to myself and everyone else if I claimed it had nothing to do with those things. It does. Jeremy heard about us because we had connections. We used our family connections to record our album. Jeremy is the one who sent the music to Miles’s aunt Erin to start with. Yes, we work hard. But those other things she brought up are a factor.”

  “Not the same and you know it. She was totally off base. The whole thing was a setup. You know that right? She knew who you were, and not just the part about your music. She’s kept tabs on Miles, that much is clear.”

  “If he wanted to be with her, he would be. That’s literally it. I can’t control any of that part about how she feels or what she does. Only what I do in response. She can’t have him back. I already licked him.”

  Nora burst into laughter. “How are you going to explain this to him?”

  “I’m not. He’s got enough on his mind. I have enough on my mind. Some random ex-girlfriend from years ago isn’t a threat to me.”