Page 3 of The Fix

“Let me guess,” I say as my car beeps with the unlock. “He’s disappeared again.”

I settle my files that didn’t fit into the leather binder in the passenger seat, my heavy purse following close behind. The load is probably heavy enough that the seat belt sensor is going to go off again, but I’d rather have it all within my reach. Even if I’m driving.

“Uh … Kind of. But that’s not all.”

I adjust the travel mug in my grip so I can hold the phone with my now freed hand and stretch out my neck.

Calls involving the bassist no longer get me amped up.

“So spit it out, Leo.” I round the car and open my own door to drop into the driver’s seat.

“Just … Can you get here? It’s hard as fuck to explain.”

That’s not good.

Sighing at the situation and my boss, I engage the engine, the Bluetooth taking over the moment the car is on. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“Okay, we’re at—”

“Really?” I scoff at Leo’s nerve, click my seat belt in place, and put the car in gear to pull away from my spot. “Did you forget who maintains your calendar?”

“Right.” There’s a subtle chuckle that flitters over the line, but then it’s gone.

Boy, this is bad.

“See you in nineteen.”

I press the button on the steering wheel to disengage the call, my mind already running over all the possibilities of what the entitled rock star could have gotten up to, but there’re too many options. I settle on listening to the soft rock song coming from the stereo instead.

The music eases more of my nerves than I care to admit. I feel like I am both walking into the hornet’s nest, and preparing to calm Leo’s over-exaggerations once I arrive.

He tends to freak out first these days, his mind too focused on all the things he could lose as an indie band manager making deals for his own label for the first time ever.

It’s been almost two years. He hasn’t crashed and burned yet.

But since I’m the only connection from the label world he kept, we’ve both had to wear every dang hat imaginable. Had to make uncomfortable sacrifices to keep up with the As Above reputation.

Like my salary and my move to a studio apartment that doubles as my office instead of the constant five-star hotel stays.

Or my ability to slip away for personal reasons.

Honestly … I hate it.

I mean, not the job itself. It allows me more access and freedom to the things I need. It’s just …

It’s a thankless job even before the compromises. The perks I got helped deal with the overworking conditions for a long while until eventually that wasn’t quite enough.

Nothing feels like quite enough these days.

But going with Leo got me out of a terrible contract with a sleazeball, and for that, I’m willing to put up with the crap.

For now.

Including the unruly rock star that prefers to test the patience of everyone around him regularly.

With the car parked and a mad dash through the freezing temperatures, I secure the essentials just in time for the door to open and my pace to not slow.

Keys.

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