I blink. “You’re not coming?”

  “No. Paul and I have very special plans this evening.”

  My heart numbs. “But it’s...”

  “What?”

  “It’s the first show of the tour.” I hold my breath. “I thought you’d want to be there.”

  “Of course I want to be there, honey. But, like I said, these are special plans. They can’t be canceled.” She waves a hand. “And it’s not like you’re performing, right?”

  “Well, no, but⁠—”

  “Then I won’t miss a thing! Don’t you worry. This is only the beginning. In fact, your daddy got us some backstage passes for the show here in San Francisco next week.”

  I perk up. “You’ll be there?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it!” She cups my face again, kissing both of my cheeks. “You go. Have a good time.” With a loving sigh, she looks at me for several moments. “It’s happening, my little star. This is all we’ve worked so hard for.”

  I smile, hiding the disappointment still brewing beneath the surface. “It’s happening,” I repeat.

  The doorbell rings.

  “That should be Cassie,” Mama says.

  “Chrissy,” I correct.

  “You get going.” She walks back to her vanity, uncaring. “Oh! And tell Knox I said hi.”

  My smile dips at the mention of his name. I quickly bring it back up. My mother, just like the rest of the internet, is unaware of our game. “I will,” I say.

  She chuckles, her eyes back on her reflection. “Who knew, after all this time, you two would stumble into each other again?”

  “Who knew?” I say, shrugging.

  “You always were the sweetest couple!”

  I pause, confused by it. Mama hated Knox. Maybe Paul told her more than I thought, altering her opinion. He’s good at that.

  Taking a step back, I flash another smile. “I’ll call you when we get to Vegas,” I say.

  “Bye, honey!”

  “Bye, Mama,” I say, slowly exiting the bathroom. “I love you.”

  “You, too.”

  Downstairs, I meet Chrissy at the front door. She’s wearing a light pink blouse tucked into a pair a black slacks that perfectly show off her lithe form, the pointed toes of matching pink heels poking out the bottom. She told me when I first met that she likes to wear the “uniform” of her artist while on the road and for me, well, that’s pink.

  Her raven black hair is perfectly straight, stopping just past her collarbone. Knowing her, it’ll be up in a casual ponytail before the end of the night, as she hates the feel of hair on her neck when she’s trying to focus. We’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks, but I’ve already picked up on a few of her quirks like that. I adore her, though. I couldn’t have asked for a better manager to ease me into this. I already see her as a close friend, even with our ten year age difference.

  Or what I imagine a close friend might be like, anyway.

  “Hey, pop princess,” she greets with a coffee in each hand. She offers me one with a magnetic grin, her playful lavender eyes peeking at me over her sunglasses. “We ready to roll? Got a big surprise for you.”

  I take the coffee, bringing it to my nose to give it a good sniff. “French vanilla,” I say.

  “Your favorite, right?”

  “You pay attention.”

  “It’s my job! Not the getting you coffee part, specifically, but I’m always happy to grab you some when I get mine.”

  “And I appreciate it. Well, come on in. I just finished packing.”

  Chrissy hums happily as she steps into the foyer. “Excellent,” she says. “And a wonderful change of pace.”

  I adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, with Cobraville, it was always five more minutes, Chrissy.” She rolls her eyes. “Unfortunately, some bands go straight from mommy to manager and don’t bother to figure out the difference.”

  I sip my coffee. Exactly how I like it. “Well, I’m not here to make your job harder,” I say.

  “You’re making it a breeze so far, surprisingly.”

  “Surprisingly?” I ask, noting the change of tone in the word.

  “Oh, I just meant…” She pauses. “Well, band managers talk. A lot. About their bands and the crews and… tour guests.”

  I nod. “You heard about me and Knox.”

  “Can’t blame a girl for her assumptions.”

  “I don’t.” I shrug. “I know I have… somewhat of a reputation already.”

  “For what it’s worth, you’ve proven it wrong so far.” She raises her coffee. “I think this is the start of a beautiful partnership together.”

  I tap my cup against hers, and we drink to it.

  “All right.” Chrissy nods at my suitcase and steps forward to grab the handle. “We ready to seize the day?”

  “I’m ready. You mentioned a surprise?”

  “Oh!” She grins with excitement. “You’re gonna love it. Come on. Let’s roll.”

  I take a breath in the foyer, giving myself one more moment of quiet before my life changes forever.

  “Let’s roll,” I say.

  8

  KNOX

  BRO, NO.

  Don’t do it, Knox!

  gross

  @kittykatrinaCR gurl you allowing this?

  RUN!

  Iswipe back to the top of the post, only glimpsing the thousands of comments our photo has generated in the few days since we posted it.

  We. Me and Harmony. Harmony and me.

  Together again.

  It’s a great photo. Smiling. Cute. Happy to see each other. Totally plausible that we ran into each other at Midnite Music and... stoked that old flame.

  Boom boom.

  Someone plops onto the stool next to mine at the bar. “Stop it,” Jonah says, his eyes sharp beneath his blue beanie.

  I set my phone on the bar face down. “Stop what?”

  “You know what,” he says, waving down the bartender at the opposite side. He silently points at my untouched shot and holds up two fingers. “Stop looking at that picture.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we go on in thirty minutes and the last thing we need is for you to be dwelling on Harmony.”

  I laugh. “Yes, Jonah. It’s the picture of her that’ll leave me reeling. Not the fact that she’ll be sitting off-stage ten feet away from me the whole time.”

  “If she ever shows up.”

  “She’s not here yet?”

  Jonah scans the bar over his shoulder. “Going for fashionably late, by the looks of it,” he says. “Nice to see some things don’t change.”

  I look around the Sin and Sand, our favorite bar in all the world. Back when we were just three stupid idiots with guitars and a drum set, the proprietor Pam was the only person in town who would book us. Since then, we always return the favor by kicking off our tours here.

  It’s not a large place, quite small for venues in Las Vegas, but it’s home. And as great as a sold out arena with thousands of screaming fans is, there’s something wonderful about a smaller, intimate show at the Sin and Sand.

  The crowd buzzes with familiar faces, some of whom have been with us since day one, people we easily consider friends. Standing room only. Just the way we like it.

  “Yeah, I guess some things don’t,” I say as Marla approaches Jonah on his other side. I give her a smile and nod. “Hey, Marla.”

  “Hi, Knox,” she says, happily wrapping herself around Jonah’s arm. He kisses the side of her head and whispers something sweet in her ear. Must be real sweet because she giggles, the red in her chubby cheeks briefly matching the natural colors of her hair. “Shut up,” she scolds him playfully.

  “Shut up,” Harmony giggles as she props her leg up over my shoulder. “And keep fuck⁠—”

  I shake off the memory as Jonah turns back in my direction. The bartender returns with two more shots and sets them down in front of him. Jonah takes one for himself and slides the other toward Marla.

  “Ooo!” Marla picks hers up. “What are we drinking tonight?” she asks as Jonah lays a hand on her arm, stopping her from tossing it back just yet.

  “Straight bourbon,” I answer with a smile.

  Marla grimaces. “How you guys do this and then go to work, I’ll never understand.”

  “Years and years of practice, my love,” Jonah jokes. He nudges my arm. “You ready to do this, or should we wait for Harmony?”

  “Oh, Harmony,” Marla says before I can reply, her face twinging with sympathy. “Jonah told me all about... that. How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine,” I answer. Totally fine. “Exactly how much of that did Jonah tell you?”

  “Oh, all of it.”

  I raise a brow at Jonah. “Excellent.”

  “Hey, man,” he says. “She’s my mind, heart, and soul.”

  “Don’t worry!” Marla says as she mimes a key against her lips. “The secret of the tour is safe with me.”

  “It’s all right,” I say. “We trust you, Marla.”

  “Good. So, I heard the last time you guys broke up, you spent a solid week in a bathtub surviving on Twinkies and scotch.”

  I sigh. “Yes, Marla. Such a lovely memory your fiancé shared with you,” I add, with a playful glare at Jonah. “But it’s true. Harmony and I have some baggage, but it’s nothing we shouldn’t be able to handle. We are older, wiser individuals and I see no reason we can’t make it through this tour with grace and applum.”

  “Aplomb,” Jonah corrects.

  “That’s what I said.”

  My phone vibrates on the bar. I pick it up, my pulse skipping as I read her name on my screen.

  Harmony

  I’m coming, Knoxy. Meet me outside.

  I grimace at Knoxy — and her unnecessary usage of coming — as I slide off my stool. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my lady awaits. Hold shot time until I get back.”

  Jonah nods and slides my shot closer to him for safekeeping.

  I head toward the entrance, giving a few high fives to some fans as I pass by their tables. Outside, I pause on the sidewalk, expecting to see a car rolling into the parking lot, but that would be too common. Too simple.

  It’s a bus. Not nearly the size of our tour bus, but it’s larger than anything you’d expect a guest act to have on tour. It’s hot pink from end-to-end with glitter hearts and black stars accenting it in various places.

  Harmony it says along the side.

  “Oh, what the fuck?” I say when it stops in front of me.

  The doors slide open and Harmony steps out. She’s wearing a pink tank top, blue jeans, and hot pink high-heeled shoes. “Hey!” she greets, bright eyed and happy to see me.

  She throws herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck with a laugh. I embrace her against me, fighting the urge to push her away.

  All part of the act, I remind myself. Smile through it.

  Just breathe.

  “Hello, you,” I say.

  “Hello, you,” she repeats, clinging to my leather jacket as she looks up into my eyes. “You look awful.”

  “And you look ridiculous,” I say, still grinning. Still fully aware of the music fans peeking through the windows with their phones pointed at us. “Why do you have a bus?”

  “What? This bus?”

  “Yes. That bus.”

  “Why wouldn’t I have a bus?” she asks. “You have a bus.”

  “We have five studio albums and eleven number one hits! You have a one crappy music video.”

  She arches a brow. “We said no shitting on each other’s music.”

  “I didn’t shit on your music. I shit on your video.”

  She flashes a smile, her eyes full of something sinister. “Paul said no stepdaughter of his was going on the road in a van. So, he got me this!”

  “Ain’t nepotism grand?” I tease, inching close enough that our noses touch.

  “You stay in luxury hotels with your bassist’s name on the building. You tell me.”

  Dammit.

  She grins happily. “I can’t wait to stick my head out the window and scream at people.”

  “Don’t do that,” I say.

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s tacky.”

  “Well, if it bothers you that much, then I have to do it.”

  I chuckle. She chuckles. People watch.

  My skin grows hot and my cock pulses.

  This was a horrible idea.

  Chrissy hops off the bus behind us, her black hair held up high in a ponytail. “Good evening, Knox,” she says with a clipboard in one hand. Must be a manager thing.

  “Hey, Chrissy,” I say.

  “Is Jordan backstage?”

  I point a thumb over my shoulder. “Last I saw her, yeah. Just follow the sound of someone breathing into a bag.”

  Chrissy grins and walks off, offering Harmony a playful wink as she goes.

  “Is Jordan okay?” Harmony asks.

  “She’s fine. Just being Jordan. Does Chrissy know about us?”

  “She knows. Would be hard to pull off without her.”

  I hum in agreement.

  “Let’s go inside.” Harmony detaches from me, but hooks my arm as we walk. “I believe I’m just in time for shot time?”

  “You are.”

  “Good. I could really use a drink.”

  “You don’t get one.”

  She tugs on my arm, making it look playful. “What? Why not?”

  “Because you’re not performing,” I say. “Only performers get to do shot time.”

  She scoffs. “Since when?”

  “Since always. It’s tradition.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “Well, since now.”

  “Whatever. Get ready. Look happy.”

  “Gee, I’ll try.”

  We enter the bar together and… all eyes are on us. As we weave through the tables arm-in-arm, whispers and gasps follow.

  “That’s her!”

  “Are they really back together?”

  “There she is.”

  “So the rumors are true?”

  “No way!”

  Ignoring it, we rejoin Jonah and Marla by the bar. Bronson, Addison, and Katrina have joined them, along with our friend and opening act Harvey Moon. All of them eagerly wait with their shots of bourbon and watch as we move closer, hand-in-hand.

  Their turn.

  Katrina steps forward first, happily giving Harmony a hug. Addison, too. Old friends reunited. Bronson gives her a wave. No one really expects him to do much else. Bastard has the easiest job of all of us.

  Harvey gives her an awkward hello, but I’m sure that has more to do with him being nervous about performing in a few minutes rather than her specifically.

  Jonah introduces her to Marla, who gushes about her new song.

  “It’s been stuck in my head all week!” she says. “I just love it!”

  Truthfully, I can’t tell if she’s bullshitting or not. Marla’s a music fan, her taste more than a little eclectic. She may actually love it.

  Addison holds up her shot. “We ready?”

  Everyone raises their shots, Marla included.

  “Three!” Katrina says.

  “Two!” Addison says.

  “One!” Jonah says.

  “It’s shot time!” we all say together.

  We drink. I swallow it down, very aware of Harmony’s sharp eyes locked on me.

  “Is Marla performing?” she asks sweetly and discreetly as I finish.

  “Nope,” I answer, setting the empty glass on the bar.

  “Then why does she get to drink at shot time?”

  “Because she writes our songs. It’s a loophole.”

  Harmony’s smile never falls. “Ah.”

  “Come on,” Marla says to her. “You can sit by me. I’ve reserved the best table in the house and Jonah already started us a tab.”

  “I’d love to,” Harmony says. “Thanks, Jonah.”

  Marla kisses him goodbye and good luck before breaking off and retreating toward their table.

  Harmony looks at me, the words in her eyes reflecting the thoughts in my head.

  Oh shit oh shit oh shit⁠—

  “I guess I’ll see you after the show,” she says.

  “I’ll see you after the show,” I say, the words stiffer than intended.

  Then she steps closer. She pushes up onto the tips of her toes, bridging the short gap between our mouths.

  A kiss.

  Just one little kiss.

  One little public display of affection to kick off this stupid little⁠—

  I lurch down too quickly, accidentally head-butting her in the nose.

  “Ow!”

  Harmony rears back as I rub the new tender spot on my forehead.

  Real fucking smooth, Knox.

  We shake it off. I lean down and give her a quick peck on the cheek.

  “See you later, babe,” I mutter before bolting as fast as I can toward the backstage area.

  The house lights dim. Patrons clap and holler as Pam hops up on the stage to introduce tonight’s event, as she always does. “Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Sin and Sand!” They roar over her. “I am proud to introduce our main event for the evening, but before I do, let’s get through a few announcements...”

  As I reach the back, Jonah catches up to me and grabs my arm. He gives me a push forward beyond the stage, past the restrooms and offices… far away from where we need to be.

  “Uh, Jo,” I say.

  He doesn’t answer. He shoves me through the exit door and follows into the alleyway outside.

  Hot desert air strikes my face, along with the sharp stench of old trash in dumpsters that have seen better days.

  “What are we doing back here?” I ask as the door clangs shut behind us.

  Jonah grabs my face and pulls me in close. “Knox.”

  “Jonah?” I ask, feeling his breath on my face.

  “Are you hearing music?”

  “Uh...” I listen. A little wind. A little Pam and the occasional audience reaction. “No?”

  “Knox.” Jonah inches closer, his sharp eyes locked on mine. “Are you hearing music?” he asks again.