“Absolutely not.” His smile is so smarmy. I don’t even know how to make a facial expression look so fraudulent. This man is stellar at it. Just next level. Like give him an award already. “I understand you’re loyal to Aaron and I appreciate that. It’s great to see him with someone as steady as yourself at his side.”
“Mm.”
“This is an industry of ups and downs. The only sure thing in music, and any of the creative arts, is that things are going to change. It would be a great shame if by stepping back and taking a breather from his relationship with the company, Aaron lost a large part of his listening base,” says Farmer. “Many artists have difficulty coming back from hiatus and find it nearly impossible to reach their former levels of success. His lifestyle might not seem as extravagant as some…but I assure you it needs a dependable income to support it.”
“How long did you practice this speech? Just out of curiosity.”
His laughter is empty. There’s no other word to describe it. “I’m sorry to say, you’re not the first person I’ve had this conversation with. Artists are temperamental and flighty and prone to extremes. But regular people like you and me…we can see things for how they really are. That a successful, ongoing career like his needs stability and regular releases to keep his audience engaged.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” I say. “What a shame there’s no one to talk him into signing again with you…”
“They’d be a very wealthy person if they did. That’s the other thing about people like Aaron. Their focus tends to stray so easily. I’m sure your grandma warned you about his dating history. It honestly makes me blush. I wish I had half his stamina.” This guy couldn’t get more gross if he tried. “There are pages and pages of photos online of him with various partners over the years. It must be daunting to know he’s dated such beautiful, successful, and famous women. And I’m sure they all thought it was true love and his interest in them would last forever.”
And I say nothing. Just a whole heaping lot of it.
“Becoming accustomed to the lifestyle being with him affords you would be foolish,” he says. “Think about it, June. You could just about write your own check if you help me. Buy your ownpiece of property in town and settle down. Be a homeowner. You wouldn’t have to answer to anybody.”
“Is that everything?” I ask. “That’s the whole speech?”
He holds his hands open. As if he’s something even remotely resembling an honest man.
“You need to go now. I don’t want your presence ruining tonight for him.”
His smile is all sharp teeth as he passes me his business card. The dude is so shady. “Just think about it.”
I shove the card in my jeans pocket and head back to the food truck. Enough of the company’s shenanigans. Spending even a small amount of time with the suit makes me feel dirty. Like I should wash myself in bleach or something. No idea how Nash managed to work with him for so long. But I don’t blame him for wanting out. What a creepy-as-fuck individual.
“Let me grab that,” I say, reaching for the tray of tacos waiting on the counter.
Carmen smiles. “I was just about to take them inside.”
“I can do it.”
And I don’t see Angus quietly smoking a joint near the corner of the building. However, he most definitely saw me, and my meeting with Farmer.
“What do you think about buying a bar?” asks Nash, stepping into the shower with me later that night. He takes the bottle of shampoo from me and does the job himself. Massaging my head and working up a good lather. He has such strong fingers and knows exactly how to use them. “Seems like a sound investment in a town like this.”
“Is it for sale?”
“Rose thought her aunt might be open to an offer.”
“Huh.” I think it over. “They must be a lot of work. How hands-on would you want to be?”
“I don’t know,” he says. “Tip your head back. Time to rinse.”
I do as asked and he washes my hair. This feels so normal and right. How he takes such care. Me and him hanging out doing everyday things together. Just hanging out beneath the warm water in the steamy room. The simple joy of being able to place my palms against the hot, wet skin of his chest. I run my hands over his pecs and up to his muscular shoulders as he gets busy with the conditioner. Rubbing it through the long, thick strands of my hair before rinsing again.
It would be so easy to tell him I love him. The words sit on the tip of my tongue, ready to fall out at any moment. And it’s not because he’s rich and handsome and talented. Though he is all those things. He makes me feel this way about him because he got behind the bar and helped Rose, and listened to Molly’s thoughts on the spirit’s journey, and sat in a quiet corner with Carter discussing possible book club selections for an hour or more.
The music industry might have monetized him, but he hasn’t become jaded and lost his passion for life.
“Molly said I can come back to morning meditation,” he says. “And the jogging group promised not to run away from me anymore.”
“Good news.”
“Yeah.” He wraps his arms around me, pressing his front to mine. And this right here is perfect. Just us being skin-on-skin. Any worries or anxiety seem to melt away at the contact. It’s just the heat of his big body and his hard-on pressing into my belly. “You know, you’re very naked right now.”
I press my face into his chest and hold on tight. We should do this for another fifty years or so. What wonderful plans for the future. “You seem to be sans clothing yourself.”
