“I’ve been studying,” Chantal corrected. “Something I guess music majors don’t have to do.”
“Hey, Chantal,” I said in greeting. Chantal’s dark eyes moved to me.
“Hi, Connor. I’m sorry about your grandfather,” Chantal said, a sympathetic look on her face.
“Yeah, thanks.” I cleared my throat, working past the emotion.
“At least you got to spend time with your brother.” A knowing smile lifted the corner of her lips. “Why didn’t you tell us you were related totheCalum Jacobs?”
“It never really came up.” I lifted a shoulder in a shrug, feeling uncomfortable.
Chantal smiled like she didn’t quite believe me, watching me with intelligent eyes. “It’s okay, I get it. People probably fawn all over you about him. I would have kept it to myself too.”
“Yeah,” I tried to keep my face impassive, but I felt like this conversation was more like an interview. Moving past Lara, I headed to our shared bedroom. Lara happily followed me. I closed the door as she perched on the edge of her mattress. “That was weird…” I commented, arching a brow at Lara.
“Yeah, I know. She’s been sniffing for information and trying to dig around on the scoop. But don’t worry, I didn’t give it to her,” Lara said with a cheeky grin. “I’ve had to field a lot of questions. Everyone’s been asking me about you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re related to Calum Jacobs. I’ve just pretended it’s news to me too.” She shrugged, rolling her eyes. “The radio stations have been talking about the guys for a week straight now.”
“I heard.” I frowned, an uncomfortable feeling settling in my stomach.
Lara looked at me curiously. “You know, they’re going to be just as interested inyouand what you’re doing as they are your brother, especially if you intend on continuing to date Dare. You better get used to people being in your business.”
I wrinkled my nose, not at all liking that she was right.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE
Dare
“Calum,look. I need you to take this seriously. We’ve been lucky so far, but that luck is going to run out any day now. Wemustget ahead of the tabloids, or they will rip you apart. Do the interview.”
Calum sighed, running his hand over his jaw and shaking his head at Evan and me. We were sitting in his living room, gathered around his cell phone while Tai lectured us. It was really the last thing we wanted to be doing after spending the day moving Harper and Asher into his house, but we’d avoided Tai long enough.
“I don’t care if they rip me apart. We’ll still sell albums, probably more of them.”
“This is important, Calum. The label insists; you’re doing the interview. The reporter and photographer will come to your house for a sit-down interview—”
“Absolutely not,” Cal cut her off, his brow furrowing. “No reporters and no photographers in my home. I refuse to treat my family as a sideshow.”
“That’s not what we’re asking you to do. We’re asking you to be honest with your fans before the truth gets out anyway. Let them into your new life a little.” Tai sighed. “Look, we can talk more when I get there.”
“What do you mean?” Evan asked.
“If my clients are in Nova Scotia,Ineed to bein Nova Scotia. I can’t work for you from Toronto,” Tai huffed with exasperation. “Besides, the label decided if you weren’t using the penthouse, they’d put another band in it.”
“What about our stuff?” Evan frowned, thinking about everything we’d left behind.
“I’ve packed up everything you guys forgot. Dare, your car is scheduled to be delivered sometime next week, it’s already on the truck. I was going to drive it but figured you wouldn’t want the mileage.”
“I wouldn’t have minded, but thanks, Tai.” I was a little disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to take a road trip with Connor to pick it up, but I was excited to get back behind the wheel. Driving around in the SUV wasn’t terrible, but I missed my car.
“My flight gets in Sunday night at eight o’clock, I’ve got a rental car booked and I’m staying at the Lighthouse Inn. Let’s meet Monday morning to discuss this and more in greater detail?”
“Fine,” Calum sighed heavily. A few more clipped one-word answers from him, and he disconnected the call. Exhaling deeply, Calum ran a hand over his jaw. “This is bullshit.”
“Do you think Harper would mind doing an interview? Might get the label—and Tai—off our backs if you guys just sat down and talked about it,” Evan questioned, pushing a lock of his hair out of his eyes.
