“Okay,” she said, knowing by now that it wouldn’t do her any good to try to rush him.
“That phone call was from Stella Pascual.”
“Eden’s manager called you?” A burst of something warm and tingly flooded Anna’s system, because whatever David was getting at, if it had anything to do with Eden, she was almost guaranteed to love it. She abandoned the coffee machine and sat across from him. “What did she want?”
David interlaced his fingers and leaned forward. “Eden’s going on tour this spring, and they’ve invited you to open for her.”
Anna inhaled, and something went wrong, like she’d inhaled her own spit, which left her coughing and spluttering. Tears leaked out of her eyes while her mind was reeling, becauseoh my God. Opening for Eden Sands on tour? This was beyond anything her fangirl brain had even dared to dream of.
“Don’t choke to death before we’ve had a chance to discuss this,” David admonished, grinning at her.
“You’d better not be joking,” she managed, jabbing a finger at him.
“I’m dead serious. Eden wasn’t planning to have an opening act for this tour, but according to Stella, they loved the vibe between you two on Grammy night so much that they’d like to bring you on board.”
“Fuck me,” Anna gasped. “That’s it. I’ve died. This must be heaven.”
His grin turned slightly devilish. “I thought your idea of heaven might be something a little more romantic than opening for her on tour.”
Her face heated. “Pretty sure she’s not into women, David.”
“Pretty sure you’re right, but we’re talking about a fantasy anyway, am I right?”
“Right,” she agreed, still bouncing in her seat. “But opening for her on tour? Hell yes. Tell me where to sign.”
“Ah-ah, not so fast.” He waggled a finger. “I knew you’d react this way, but I’m not convinced this is your best move right now.”
“Fine,” she said. “Be my manager instead of my friend if you insist.”
“Oh, I insist. First of all, when Stella says Eden hadn’t planned to have an opening act for this tour until she saw how well you two worked together at the Grammys, I don’t think that’s the whole truth. Ticket sales for Eden’s tour have been lackluster at best. You’re hot right now—especially after that performance—and she’s not. If you ask me, they need you to sell out the damn tour.”
“What? No way.” The idea that Eden needed Anna to sell out her tour was ludicrous.
“I’m being serious, Anna. Her career’s in a slump right now. Her last album didn’t sell well. People are saying she’s lost her edge, while your star is on the rise. You’re moments away from your big break, andEden’s team damn well knows it. You don’t need to open for Eden this summer. You could sell out arenas on your own. You were considering your own tour this year. Let’s stick with that plan.”
She stared at him for a long moment as she considered his words. He had a point. She could probably sell out arenas on her own—small ones, anyway. And yes, she’d been thinking about a tour. She loved performing live, and her fans had been clamoring for the chance to see her. But ... “I can’t say no to this.”
Anna loved to jump at unexpected opportunities, to take a left turn when people expected her to go right. Opening for Eden was a no-brainer, and it might even earn her some of the gravitas she sought by introducing her to Eden’s fan base.
“I’m going to insist that you sleep on it and give me an answer tomorrow. Really think about it, Anna. Think with your head, not with certain other parts of your anatomy.”
She sat up straighter in her chair. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just insult me by insinuating that if I say yes, it’s because I want to get in her pants and not because she’s a fucking legend that I’d be honored and lucky to go on tour with.”
He held his hands up in front of himself. “You’re right. That was uncalled for.”
“I’ll think about it, but my answer’s not going to change. I get what you’re saying, but the thing is, touring with Eden would be a career boost for me too. Her fan base is older than mine, which is exactly the demographic where I’ve been hoping to grow my visibility. This could be the way I finally get people to take me seriously, to see me as more than a teen phenom. Not to mention, I’d get the opportunity to learn from my idol. Imagine what all she can teach me? I could sell out small arenas on my own this summer, but I have a feeling I’ll be an even bigger star if I team up with Eden Sands.”
David just looked at her for a moment, and then a wide smile broke across his handsome face. “Damn, girl. Okay, you’ve sold me. Iwas afraid you were in it for the wrong reasons, but everything you just said is dead on. Even I can’t fight your logic.”
“Good,” she said, and then she lurched out of her seat and did a little dance around the kitchen. “Oh my God. I’m going on tour with Eden Sands!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Anna’s heart tapped a happy—if somewhat frantic—tune against her ribs as she pushed the gold button to summon the elevator. It was as shiny as the rest of the high-rise apartment building where Eden lived. A waterfall trickled over an elaborate rock structure on the far wall of the lobby, and Anna could see the Pacific gleaming on the other side of the glass doors in back.
It had taken three weeks for the tour contract to be signed. Anna’s team went back and forth with Eden’s team to sort out all the details, and once everything was finalized, Anna received a most unexpected invitation to Eden’s home for lunch. A formal “welcome to the team” was how Stella had framed it to David.
Anna intended to treat it as an opportunity to make a more mature impression on Eden. She’d resolved to leave her inner fangirl at home today. David motioned her into the elevator ahead of him, and Anna smoothed her hands over the front of her pants as it whisked them to the fifteenth floor.
