“Activities? What kind?” I rise onto my toes, trying to peek at his phone. He tilts it away.
“Patience, darling,” he says smoothly. “All in due time.”
Right. Of course. Rockstars and their secrets.
Still, a tiny knot tightens in my stomach. Steven made it sound simple. Stand next to Rio. Smile. Look supportive.
Maybe let him sling an arm around me. But Antoine saying we need to “prepare” feels like something else entirely. Something bigger.
We walk deeper into the hotel’s shopping arcade, past designer stores I’ve never dared enter on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.
Everything has that expensive hush, like the entire place is whispering,You do not belong here.
“What kind of events will I attend?"
“All types. Formal. Casual. Social. Public. This weekend is a PR showcase. But the truth of the matter is that it's not the clothing that matters. It's the confidence.”
He looks closely at me.
“Confidence,” he says, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, “is architecture. It can be built.”
“Then I hope you brought blueprints.”
CHAPTER 7
RIO
As soon as Maddie and Antoine leave the room, Keith leans forward.
"Congrats on your fiancée, mate," he taunts, his lips curling up at one corner. My drummer drags out the wordfiancéelike it's some kind of dirty joke.
"Quite the bonny lass. When you're finished playing house at the end of the week, I may pick up where you left off."
"Sure, it’s a free country," I say, keeping my voice flat.
But remembering how he gave Maddie the once-over when she walked in makes my gut tighten.
I hadn't expected to feel jealous over a girl who's just pretending to be my fiancée.
But there it is.
A hot, uncomfortable feeling spreads through my chest. It’s not just any girl.
It’s Maddie.
Oblivious, Keith pushes his chair back and takes a step toward me. That smirk is still pasted on his face.
Prince Michael thrusts his arm between us like a barrier.
"Knock it off, guys," he says, his voice cutting through the tension. "HenryLemon is flying in tomorrow and you'll all have to be on your best behavior."
"The Quench sponsor?" Keith scoffs. "What’s the big deal? You’ve already used that magic tongue of yours to get Mr. Moneybags back into your good graces after Rio’s snake charming act. Why the drama?"
Prince Michael takes stock of each of us in turn, an army captain inspecting his crew.
"It isn't just Lemon," Michael says quietly. "Derek Ward is arriving also. If not tomorrow, soon."
"The President of Midnight Records?" I look at our manager with new respect. "How did you score that?"
