* * *
I’ve been backin my hotel room all of three minutes when the phone rings. I brace myself for the words I know are coming as soon as I lift the receiver to my ear and say hello.
“They gave the green light,” Francesca says, sounding smug. “Four months. Twenty-five cities.”
I’m silent.
“Felicity?” she prompts.
“When?”
“Assuming all variables behave in accordance with the estimates I’ve put together, everything could be in place as early as next month. Six weeks from now, by my best guess.”
So soon.
The breath goes out of my lungs in a single whoosh of air.“I didn’t think it would happen this quickly.”
“I know. But the higher-ups are eager to get the tour underway after all this time. Plus, we already did all the preliminary planning back when your album first dropped. It’s just a matter of reconfirming dates with the venues and putting the tickets up for purchase, which I don’t foresee as a problem — your sales are still incredibly strong, considering you haven’t put out a new album in nearly two years. After a few strategic press announcements, perhaps a comeback interview onThe Eileen Showand musical guest slot on one of the late night programs… your fans will be clamoring to see you play live.”
“Musical guest slot? Francesca, I haven’t rehearsed in ages and I definitely didn’t agree to—”
“You know publicity comes with the territory. Don’t worry, Felicity. We’ll make sure you’re rehearsed and ready before we send you out on any stages.”
This is all moving at hyper-speed. “But, Francesca—”
“I have someone attempting to locate Ryder as we speak…”
Attempting to locate him? Where the hell is he, on Pluto? Or is he on another bender, drugged out and hazy in some perfect model’s bed? Snorting lines of coke off an ample chest at a music festival in the desert? Making more headline-fodder for the tabloids to exploit?
I bite my tongue to keep from asking, close my eyes to keep from conjuring any more images of his past exploits.
“My assistant has already been in touch with Aiden and Lincoln,” Francesca tells me, though I’m only half-listening. My mind is still stuck on thoughts of Ryder — and the realization that I’m going to be face to face with him in a matter of days. “They’ve been playing backup on another tour for the past few months, but I’ll pull some strings, get them swapped out so you’ll have them at your disposal for rehearsals and, of course, once you head out on the road.”
It took so long to piece myself back together.
So long.
How am I going to see him without shattering all over again?
“Felicity? Are you listening to a word I’m saying?”
“Yes.” I jolt back into reality. “I’m listening.”
“Great, because we have a lot to do in the next few weeks and I need you operating at one hundred percent. In fact, don’t go to sleep — start packing your things. The arrangements are all made and I’m coming over to discuss logistics in person. See you in one hour.”
“What? Why should I pack? Francesca?Francesca!”
She’s already hung up.
Chapter Five
ryder
Sprawledon one of the lounge chairs beside the infinity pool, I’m dozing in the sun with a cigarette hanging from the corner of my mouth when a sudden splash hits me out of nowhere. I’m doused instantly from head to toe.
“Fuck!” I sit bolt upright, water streaming off me. My eyes fly to the pool, where the source of the unexpected cannonball has just broken through the surface, a huge grin plastered on his dripping face. “Was that really necessary, Dunn?” I bark.
Grayson Dunn — Hollywood’s biggest action-movie heartthrob and, for the past two years, my only friend in Los Angeles. The bastard always has to make a fucking entrance, whether it’s at the hottest nightclub in Beverly Hills or here, in his own goddamned swimming pool.