Page 54 of Polly

Flynn replayed the tune.

“Yeah, like that.”

They productively worked on new songs for a few hours before Amie went back to bed. Flynn chose to stay up all night and work on his duet for Polly.

He sent her a text before she woke up.

Flynn: Can’t sleep. Thinking of you. Writing an epic guitar duet for us. You’re going to love it. This could be one of many. Maybe we should start our own band ♥

Soon, Will woke and joined Flynn on the couch. They quickly entered a video game battle that lasted for hours and passed the time until the next stop.

* * *

“We think this will be great PR for both of you,” Miguel said. “You don’t actually have to date, but show up at a few events together and take pictures with her. Smooch in public occasionally. It’ll look great for both your images.”

Flynn and Miguel stood outside the bus at Late Nyght Smoke’s latest stop.

The record label and the PR team wanted Flynn to “take back” his ex, Anika, for the public eye. They asked for a contract certifying that Flynn and Anika would appear together so often per month and have so many “accidental” kiss pictures per year.

The thought disgusted Flynn and made him want to punch someone.

Miguel said, “Look, I know you recently started dating Polly, but the public doesn’t know that. They still think you’re only good friends. This would be a huge image boost for you, Anika, and the band.”

Flynn shook his head no and said, “No. I’m with Polly. If anything, she and I being together will be an image boost for us. I’m pissed off that we’re even having this conversation.”

“It will really be good for your image after all the fallout from your break up with Anika. Turn you into more of a family man. The bad boy gets tamed.”

Flynn scoffed. “That’s not my fault. I told you what happened. Anika broke up with me. You—” Flynn moved his finger in a collective circle that included Miguel, the PR team, and the record label “—decided not to tell the public that little fact and you’ve been perfectly happy to ride on the coattails of the fall out since. It’s not my fault you didn’t correct her lies.”

“There’s also a hefty cash bonus in this if you sign.”

“What?” Flynn’s anger flared. He punched the side of the bus. While the bus’s body didn’t dent, he hit it hard enough to bust open his knuckles.

“Flynn, your hands!” Miguel practically panicked.

“Miguel, step the fuck away from me. Now,” Flynn gritted.

Miguel held his hands up and slowly backed away.

“Tell the record label, I’m with Polly. I will never date Anika again, even if it’s fake. I don’t want a fucking cash bonus to pretend to date my ex. And if they come to me about another image boost idea, Polly had better be the other person or they can forget it. I won’t cheat on her or look like I cheated on her, even if it’s only a pretend image thing.”

Miguel gestured with his hands, something that was probably supposed to be calming. “Okay. I’ll tell them.”

Flynn turned and stalked onto the bus without another word.

He closed the door behind him and stormed up the aisle to the restroom. He grimaced as he ran water over his busted knuckles. The water tinted red as it washed away the blood.

He couldn’t bring himself to pretend with Anika, even if Polly would have been okay with it. The thought disgusted him. He was with Polly. Images of him in a relationship with someone else, even for publicity, were a route he would never step down.

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