“Figures.”
It was oh-so typical, like that Tegan and Sara song.
“It’s a shitshow in there,” he said, opening the green room door.
Fuck. He was right. They’d squeezed two hundred people into a tiny holding area, breaking every fire code occupancy regulation in the province of Manitoba.
Vegas sighed. “A hundred people have to go.”
Tyler had a feeling—more than a feeling—that Cary didn’t know.
“What did Cary say?” she asked.
Vegas shrugged. “No idea. He’s at catering with Seb and Tommy.”
“Tommy?” She turned upher nose.
“Fucking Tommy,” he confirmed, shaking his head.
The reaction to Cary’s booking agent was ubiquitous: everyone hated him.
“Cary’s going to be pissed if he catches wind of this,” she said.
The back of her neck was wet to the touch from the sweltering heat, so she took off her coat. It surprised her that Sebastien wasn’t marketing the green room as a sauna and charging top dollar for it.
Vegas grumbled. “Do you want to tell Sebastard? Because I don’t.”
She shook her head, making a split-second decision. “I’m telling Cary. They’re his fans, not Sebastien’s.”
“It’s your funeral.” Vegas held out his hand. “Here, I’ll put your shit in our room.”
Tyler handed him her coat, but she kept her bag over her shoulder because Sebastien snooped through everything he wasn’t supposed to.
She texted Cary.Hi. Meet & Greet is now 200 people! Sebastien said to send 100 away.
A few seconds later, her phone vibrated. When she saw Cary’s name, her heart fluttered so hard it nearly knocked the breath out of her. The biggest rock star on Earth had her number—the same girl who once saved up for weeks to buy his concert ticket.
Are you here?he asked.
She answered,Green Room.
I’ll be right there. Don’t send anyone away. xo
Five minutes later, Cary, Sebastien, and Tommy swaggered down the hall like astronauts in the movieArmageddon—all confidence.
“Hi, doll,” Sebastien said.
Drinking so early?
“How are you feeling?” she asked as they exchanged fake pleasantries.
“Bit of a rough start this morning.” Her boss cleared his throat and straightened his baseball cap. “It’s nothing a few drinks can’t solve. Hair of the dog and all that.”
It’s called a drinking problem.
“Wow!” Cary clutched his chest. “We aredefinitelynot wearing the same thing.”
He was all smiles, and she smiled back until her cheeks hurt.
