“I’m not the one who minds.” She directed her phone at Rory who was lying at her feet with his head between his paws. “He’s sulking like a baby who dropped his pacifier.”
“Buddy!” Kim raised her voice but the dog didn’t budge.
“Do you want to hear the latest with Sebastien?” Tyler was dying to tell her since she had no one to gossip with at the office.
Kim’s nose scrunched. “Like I give a fuck about him.”
“I know, but you’ll get a kick out of this.”
She tucked her pink hair behind her ears. “Okay, I’m listening.”
Tyler laughed. “He got his hearing insured for a million bucks.”
“Ew. Why?”
“Because he’s a narcissist, that’s why. That music publisher dummy talked him into it. You know, the tall, bald guy that thinks he’s a genius. His wife’s always drunk at music industry events. They’ve got that kid who’s a real screw-up.”
“Fuck that guy.” Kim moved her phone closer. “And fuck the patriarchy. You need to leave SDM, like, tomorrow.”
“I’m working on it.” She blew out a breath, stressed about her future there—or anywhere. “I couldn’t find another TM for the Westgrays. Sorry, but Sebastien said you’d have to do it if they get offered a New Year’s gig.”
“Is he pulling me from Cary’s tour?” Kim’s face fell, disappointment flickering in her eyes.
“Oh, don’t worry.” She crossed her feet onto the coffee table. “Vegas is still in rehab. There’s no way he’ll be back before the end of the year.”
“What’s the weather doing out there?” Kim asked.
Tyler twisted her neck and peered out the window. “It’s raining. Pouring, actually. And my umbrella broke. Piece of shit. I mean, how many umbrellas have you gone through in your lifetime?”
“None.” Kim rolled her eyes. “People from Vancouver don’t use them.”
“Maybe not for rain, but I’ve seen people with umbrellas when it snows here. Anyway, things are really heating up with Yestown,” Tyler said. “The headliner added another band to their tour because they didn’t want to play right after them—go figure. How’s your tour going?”
“I’m fucking exhausted, dude.” A machine whirred in the background. “But I love it.”
Tyler squinted. “Where are you?”
Kim turned her phone around. “Starbucks, getting coffee.”
“Holy shit!” She pointed. “Look behind you.”
“Busted,” Cary said, sneaking up on his tour manager.
Tyler’s breath hitched at the sight of him, gorgeous as ever, and she stretched a smile across her face.
“Thanks for Aussie.”
“Who?” he asked, appearing larger in the frame.
She grabbed the bear to show him. “I named him Aussie.”
Cary let out a laugh. “How about letting me in on this?” Kim blew a kiss into the screen and gave her phone to him. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too. You’re so tanned.” She turned to her dog. “Rory! It’s Cary!”
He wagged his tail but didn’t come.
“What’s up with him?” Cary asked.
