Rosaline stood and set her hands on her hips. “Where are Ravi and Elliott?”
“I told them to go back to the hotel.”
Rosaline made a strangled noise like she’d swallowed her tongue. “Excuse me? I must’ve misheard you because it sounded like you just said you sent yoursecurity detailback to the hotel.”
“What? It seemed like overkill.” Lyric shrugged. “What was I going to do? Ask them to spend the night on Cash’s couch? That would’ve been so weird.”
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” Cash wrapped his arms around Lyric’s waist and hooked his chin over her head. “I’ve got a kick-ass security system.”
Rosaline shot him a murderous glare. “Does your ‘kick-asssecurity system,’”she said, making sure to put that in quotes, “come with a Glock 22, QuikClot Combat Gauze, and military training?”
Cash had the decency to look abashed, regretful even. “Uh—”
“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” Rosaline said, voice clipped.
“Back off, Rosaline,” Lyric snapped. “It was my decision, notCash’s. And Ravi and Elliott followed us here. Hell, they’re probably still outside idling by the curb because they’re more terrified of you than they care about listening to me. You’re overreacting.”
Rosaline pinched the bridge of her nose. “I swear to God, if I go gray before I’m forty, it’s going to be your fault.”
Lyric looked at Poppy imploringly. “You seem like a logical person. Tell her she’s overreacting, please.”
All eyes turned to Poppy, putting her on the spot.
“Um, honestly?” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I don’t think she is.”
Rosaline’s eyes widened. Cash just smirked at her from across the room.
Poppy shrugged. “Rosaline made a really good point earlier. Cash, your address is in the county public records. Anyone could look it up. Your security system’s nice, sure, but I think we need to see about upgrading it.” Especially now. “Get a gate, at least. Maybe getyoua security detail.”
Or consider moving.
Cash frowned down at Lyric. “The security detail might be a bit much for me, but those are good points, babe.”
Lyric deflated, shoulders slumping in defeat. “I’ll call Ravi and Elliott and tell them to turn around. If they even left.”
“You’re going to hate me, but it’s been a long day and it’s late,” Rosaline said. “I think it would be for the best if you and I headed back to the hotel.”
Lyric pouted. “But we’re flying back to LA tomorrow morning.”
Rosaline had already pulled her phone from her pocket, her fingers tapping away at the screen. “And you’ll see Curran in two weeks at the World Music Awards.”
Record scratch.
“Did you just say the World Music Awards?” She glared at Cash. “Why am I always the last one learning about these things?”
He opened his mouth, but Lyric set a hand on his arm. “I wasn’t sure if I was going,” she said. “They asked me to perform, and I wasn’t sure if I was up for it, but—” she said, craning her neck and smiling up at Cash, “I’m proud of this album and I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time, so I decided I wanted to go. I only asked Cash today if he’d be my date. And he said yes.”
Of course he said yes.
“Two weeks.” Poppy blew out her breath. “Okay. I’m guessing the awards are on a Sunday? Your game is on Monday, so you’ll have to clear it with Coach, but I think we should be able to get you a flight out right after practice. We’ll need to figure out what you’re going to wear—”
“Poppy.” Rosaline did a shit job of hiding her smile behind her fingertips. “Breathe. If you can’t find a commercial flight out in time, there are always alternatives. All you need to worry about is whatyou’llbe wearing.”
What. “Me?”
“Sure.” Rosaline arched a brow and gave Poppy another of those sweeping once-overs that made her hot all over. “Unless you were planning on going in the buff.”
Across the room, Cash did a poor job of concealing his laughter with a cough.
