“Nah, his parents have some strict internet rules.”
“Which is probably why he has no idea who you are.”
Ru sighed. “I’ll try to work on telling him this weekend.”
“How do you think he’ll take it?”
He had no idea. In fact, Ru was more than a little afraid to tell Adam. “Katie said to try to keep it low. She warned me that Adam probably doesn’t have thick skin like us. But you don’t have to tell me twice how nasty the media can get.”
“Speaking of which, wave, we’ve got paparazzi.” Tommy raised his hand and faked a smile while looking out the window. A half-dozen photographers began snapping pictures.
“So much for a quiet lunch. How did they find this place anyway?”
A limo pulled up beside the curb, and the driver got out to open the back door. Ru’s stomach did a flip-flop that nearly had him running for the garbage can as AJ got out of the car. He posed a dozen times, smile huge, golden blond hair perfectly styled. He had a mass of bodyguards around him, who moved as a wall to open the door for him and let him inside.
“What the hell does he want?” Tommy grumbled.
“Maybe it was just a coincidence—” Ru began but stopped as AJ headed right to their table and sat down like he owned the place. “Hi, AJ.”
“Well if it isn’t the prodigal son and his little bitch.”
“Fuck you, AJ,” Tommy said.
AJ’s smile didn’t falter at all. He leaned in close to Ru. “You think you’re so hot.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been working. Promoting my new song, ‘Start Something.’ Can’t help it if my manager knows what she’s doing.” Ru sat back and folded his arms across his chest. “If it makes you happy, I plan on going back into the studio for the next week or so and not doing anymore interviews until I have half my debut album completed.”
“Do you realize what you are doing to Tommy’s career?” AJ demanded.
“What the fuck, man. He’s not doing anything!” Tommy protested.
“Shut up, Foster. Just because you don’t want to see it doesn’t mean I can’t see it. Everyone thinks you’re gay too.” AJ waved a hand at the guards, who cleared out an area of the restaurant so no one could hear them talking. God forbid someone hear one of AJ’s infamous rants. He smiled and looked like the perfect gentleman for all the cameras across the street.
“We are a boy band, AJ. Everyone thinks we’re all gay. We all knew that going in,” Tommy grabbed his plate and headed to the garbage, trying to end the conversation.
AJ got into Ru’s face, still smiling like he was the sweetest thing on the planet. “You’re screwing up his life. Just because you’re a pervert doesn’t mean he has to be. You couldn’t even let the media die down before going all Glam Queen on late night. Who the fuck do you think you are?”
“Ryunoski Nakimura. The guy who wrote all the songs that made you famous. The voice that made Vocal Growth a legend. Now I’m doing it just for me, while you flounder, because you don’tmatterto me anymore. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an interview to get ready for.” Ru got up.
AJ rose with him and put his hand on his chest.
“Don’t touch, you may get the gay,” Ru growled at him and stalked out of the restaurant, Tommy and their guard on his heels. He jammed his oversized sunglasses down onto his face and stepped into the flash of lights. Ru didn’t bother to smile as he got into the car and made his way to his next appointment for the day. All he could think about was getting back to the quiet life he’d found with Adam. He didn’t owe the world anything else.
