I spend the next 90 minutes pretending not to be repulsed by the idea of touching another woman while signing autographs on all parts of women’s bodies.
I glance over at Gibson and notice he has his hands raised as he steps away from a fan who’s eating him with her eyes. “Not interested.”
“He’s boring now because he has a girlfriend,” I holler over at them.
Naturally, the press hears. The paparazzi aren’t allowed at our meet and greets but there’s other press in attendance to document the day on social media and in news stories. They begin to bombard Gibson with questions.
“You have a girlfriend?”
“Who is she?”
“Does she live in Winter Falls?”
I should have kept my big mouth shut. I know better than to give the press information about our private lives. I’m an asshole.
Mike claps his hands to gain everyone’s attention. “The band members will not be entertaining personal questions today.”
This is new. Normally, Mike jumps at the chance to use our personal issues to gain press coverage. And he doesn’t bother to contain his glee either.
I go to stand with the band who have gathered around Gibson.
“I spoke to him this morning,” Cash mutters. “We don’t need a repeat of what happened with Virginia.”
Virginia is Dylan’s fiancée. She’s also a shy librarian. When the paps surrounded her, she had a panic attack.
“Or Leia,” Fender grumbles.
He has nothing to worry about. His fiancée wasn’t intimidated by the paps. She chased them out of town with a shovel.
A reporter points at my forehead. “Can we ask how he got the new scar?”
I grin. They can ask me questions about my injury all day long. Anything to get their attention off the women my bandmates have fallen in love with. Those women are part of our family and need to be protected.
“You noticed? How sweet.”
“What happened?” Another reporter shouts.
“All I can say is you can’t fight off a shark with a punch to the nose. It’s an urban legend.”
“You fought with a shark?”
I shrug. “I’m sworn to secrecy.”
Gibson chuckles. “Did the shark make you sign an NDA?”
“They’re called sharks for a reason.”
The DJ from the radio station out of Denver sponsoring today’s event stands on a table to gain everyone’s attention. “I hope you enjoyed the first portion of today’s event. If everyone will proceed to the door, the limos are ready to drive us to lunch.”
We retreat to the recording studio while the fans and press leave.
Gibson sighs in relief. “I’m glad we’re done.”
I scowl at him. “You used to enjoy these events. But since you’ve been dating Mercy, you’re boring.”
“I’m not boring for not wanting to sign a woman’s pubic.”
It takes effort but I keep my scowl on my face. I don’t want my bandmates to realize I’m not as excited about the female fans as I pretend to be. If they sniff out my obsession with Aurora, they’ll nag me until I give a relationship with her a try.