AJ, still apologetic and embarrassed, accepts the handshake before flicking his eyes up to meet Jesse’s. Then his jaw drops open.
“Jesse, his boyfriend. His boyfriend Jesse…Jesse Moore?”
Still clasping Jesse’s hand, AJ’s eyes bounce rapidly between us before finally settling on me.
“You’re fucking serious right now?”
“Do you want to leave and come back again?” I ask, rolling my eyes.
“Uh, no. Definitely not. I’m so sorry. You’ve never had anyone over before, and I heard… sounds. I didn’t know what was happening.” AJ averts his eyes again and turns several shades of red and purple before Jesse bursts out laughing.
“Well, now you know.”
“Yeah… I definitely do.”
THIRTY-ONE
JESSE
Stepping out of the car, I feel immediately bombarded and overwhelmed. It’s hard to believe there was a time when New York City was my favorite place. There aren’t even paparazzi here. It’s just the overwhelming noise and busyness of the city that is such a contrast to the long Louisiana afternoons, lazy sunsets, and nights spent wrapped up in Luc’s quiet, calming presence. It’s sensory overload the moment I step out onto the sidewalk.
The faint chemical tang of floor polish tickles my nose as I make my way through the lobby and to the elevator, where I head up to the top floor. Naz is slouched on a massive leather sofa in the waiting area outside the executive offices.
“Long night?” I ask.
“Hey, stranger. I thought you might never come back.” He reaches out for me to pull him up, and I yank him into a hug.
“I strongly considered moving in with Luc’s family and getting a job harvesting sugarcane,” I tell him, only half joking.
“I’m not sure manual labor is your thing.”
I shrug, then eyeball the conference room. “Kind of feels like it’d be preferable to this, though.”
“Nah, it’ll be alright. We got you,” he says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and leading me inside.
Will and Ari are already here. Ari has his feet propped up in Will’s lap, both thumbing through social media until they notice me. I walk over to them, so they don’t have to get up, bending down to give them each a hug.
“Missed you, man,” Will says.
“It’s been quiet,” Ari adds. “Too quiet.”
We laugh and catch up a bit, then break out in catcalls and appreciation when Emmy appears, carrying a huge tray of bagels and fruit. A receptionist follows with a coffee and tea cart, and finally Blake arrives. He seems surprised that we’re all here first, to which Emmy smirks and informs us that he had us be here an hour earlier than the meeting actually started.
“Well done,” Blake praises. Emmy blushes.
The rest of our management, PR, and legal team arrives and take over the conference room with their pressed suits and grim faces. Our main security team, including both Cory and Tad, Scott, Zane, and Eric, file in along the back wall. Cory filled me in on the drive from the airport that all of our main security team would be here. We’re all hands on deck for this mess, it seems.
“Thank you all for joining us,” Blake says, officially starting the meeting. “Jess, welcome back. I hope you’re feeling better. We have a lot to fill you in on.”
He starts from the top, including some of the details he already told me or that I’ve discussed with the guys here and there.
“The source of the leaks has been identified as Curtis Howard. He’s a far-right conspiracy blogger who runs a gossip site that frequently spins stories to fit a particular narrative. Some of his spicier opinion pieces suggest thatLest Is Moore’smusic lures in innocent souls for the devil himself.”
Emmy gasps. “OMG, you guys are like the real-life Saja Boys.”
Blake stares at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You haven’t seenK-Pop Demon Hunters?”
