“Yeah, man, no problems. I’m just glad you’re okay,” Jessie replies, pushing a hand back through his shoulder-length hair. Jessie, Sacha, Tristan, and Kyan are on one side of the table, with Cash, Giselle, and the stranger on the other. Fuck, this really does not bode well.
I glance toward the lawyer-looking dude with raised eyebrows. “Who are you, and why are you in this meeting?” He pulls out a card and hands it to me.Howard Jonson, Attorney.Yeah, that tells me fuck all. I throw the card on the table and cross my arms. “Okay, so that’s who you are, but why the fuck are you here?”
Before he can answer, Giselle interrupts. “How about you introduce us to the other stranger in the room? I thought this would be a private meeting.”
The table is an oval shape, so I don’t miss the look that comes across Hope’s face at the audacity this woman has to speak to me like that. Giselle isn’t employed by the band. She’s employed bymefor them, so where does she get off talking to me like that?
I swallow down my annoyance, letting her think she’s okay for the moment. “Sure. This is Harlow, my father’s biological daughter, but I’m sure you know that.” I can tell by the look on her face that she does.
“So why is she in this meeting?”
For a second, I’m worried. Not about Giselle or whatever nonsense is running through her head, but that Harlow is going to get up and leave. Thank fuck, when I look at her, she’s amused. There she is, that beautiful fiery girl who refused to let us chase her away. I thought the stalker had taken some of the spark out of her, but I can see the woman who stood up to us all has returned.
“None of your fucking business to be honest,” she tells her, and Giselle looks like she’s swallowed a rotten grape. “But maybe I’m here for your job.” Giselle frowns, but then she smiles smugly like she knows something we don’t, like she’s not worried she just had her job threatened. Ahh, now we’re getting somewhere.
“Okay, enough of this. What the hell is going on? You guys got into a brawl in a club, and now you’ve asked for this meeting.”
It’s like I’ve opened the floodgates, and the words come pouring out. I try to listen to what everyone is saying, but I can’t make heads or tails of it. I hold up my good hand and stand up to get their attention. “Alright, let’s do this one at a time.”
Chapter Ten
Harlow
What comes out of Jessie’s mouth is nothing short of Jerry-Springer-worthy drama. Apparently, the manager, Giselle, wasn't all that professional with her clients. She started a relationship with both Jessie and Cash and played them off one another. Jessie caught on and dumped her like a hot potato, but Cash, well, he believed the web she wove, and it turns out that she convinced him he had more talent than the other four have in their little toes and should go solo.
Then the lawyer dude speaks up, demanding that Cash be let out of the contract and that there needs to be a division of royalties and such.
By the end of the story, Holden looks so gobsmacked I can’t help but feel sorry for him. I’m sure that’s not his usual reaction, he seems to be cool under pressure, but I guess this blindsided him. Hope and I exchange a glance.
“Okay, if you would just give us a moment, we will have our lawyers join the meeting.” With that direction, Hope stands up, with me ready to follow suit, but Holden’s still struggling to process all the drama. I kick him in the shin before I get to my feet, and that seems to snap him out of his disbelief. Now he just looks pissed. He storms out, and Hope follows him.
I look to Jessie, who is just as good looking in real life as he is in his music videos. “I’ll send Missy in to take your drinks order. This shouldn't take us long.”
He smiles at me, but I can see the strain on his and the other guys’ faces. Cash, Giselle, and the lawyer just look smug. Assholes.
I hurry after Holden and Hope, and sure enough, I find Holden swearing up a storm in his office while Hope tries to calm him down.
“What the fuck are we going to do? She’s fucking Yoko Ono’d them.” He’s tugging at his hair with his good arm, so I hurry over and wrap my arms around him, holding him tight. The last thing we need is for him to get so worked up that he opens his healing wound. He shudders in my arms, all the built-up emotions easing, before he takes a big breath and steps away to sit down on one of the couches in his office.
“Thanks, I needed that. Okay, quick brainstorm. Harlow, I want your fresh eyes. Tell me what you thought.”
I think back to what I had observed in that room. There were some serious issues that are not just going to heal overnight. “You seriously want to know what I think?”
Both Hope and Holden nod. “Let him go. If he wants a solo career, let him go.” They both frown.
“That would be giving in to his arrogance though,” Hope points out, and while I understand why she might think that, I have to shake my head.
“No, it wouldn't be. I didn't say offer him a solo contract. I said let him go. I mean, check with the rest of the band first, but I think they would be okay with it. None of them looked happy at all. And sack that bitch’s ass. Isn’t there something in her contract that says no fraternizing with the clients?”
Holden looks to Hope for advice. “What is the exact wording of the contract they signed? Are they entitled to any royalties or rights as far as the music goes? And yes, good idea, let’s check Giselle's as well. No matter what happens with the band, she is out of any Neighpalm-related business.”
“I’m just looking now.” Her fingers fly across the screen of her tablet as she scans the band’s contract. “According to this, only the writers of the music and/or lyrics are entitled to continue receiving royalties if the band ever decides to stop performing. They’ve also far exceeded the advance we gave them on signing with Neighpalm Records, so as far as I can tell, we could let him go and not owe him anything. We would have to check with the rest of the band to confirm whether he was involved with the writing of the songs.”
“Okay, let’s get the other four members in here and have a private chat with them,” Holden agrees. Hope starts to stand up, but I stop her.
“I’ll get them for you. That way you can wait for the lawyers and the other members of the PR and brief them before you’re back in the others’ sights,” I suggest, and I know it’s a good idea when their shoulders release a tiny bit of that tension. I can’t imagine how stressful this is for them. Thank goodness that I don't have to deal with this on a day-to-day basis. I would have an ulcer. I appreciate Dad’s intentions with having me observe the different aspects of the Neighpalm empire, but so far, I’m perfectly happy to avoid any long-term involvement in these companies. Dealing with humans sucks. God, I miss working with animals. I need to give Princess and those adorable kittens a cuddle tonight.
When I get back to the conference room, the band members are shouting at one another, hurling insults across the table, but it all comes to an abrupt stop when they see me. “Hi, Holden would just like a quick private meeting with you guys. If you don't mind, I’ll show you to his office.” The four non-assholes quickly get up, looking glad to be leaving the room.
