Page 10 of The Fix

And completely cut off from any further questions.

“Ready to meet some fans?”

Chapter Five

Toby

My face hurts from forced smiles, and my fingers cramp from all the writing. Though playing guitar has strengthened my hands, nothing compares to writing the same thing over and over and over again.

When does the real party start?

It's only when I see Anna flushing for the second time tonight, amid a crowd of fans, that I toss my Sharpie onto the table. “Who do you think she’s talking to?”

“What do you care?” Mac asks and tips his chair back on two legs beside me. Our PR rep switches the phone to her other hand as she paces nearby, away from patrons but not too far from us.

“Because shit’s been weird as hell and it’s creeping me out.”

Mac snorts and accepts another Pride flag for his signature, the fan bypassing me, even when I make a move to offer my pen.

“It’s because of your beard. No one wants to tell you how ugly it is.”

The comment catches me off guard and has a laugh bubbling up. “Where’s the fucking whiskey? I’m over this already.”

Mac elbows me in the ribs as a fan scowls at me, another signature bypassed. “Could you at least pretend?”

It’s the first time tonight that he looks serious, his chair now on all four legs and his brow furrowed.

“Pretend what?”

“That you give a fuck. Duh. You’re throwing all kinds of weird vibes,” Mac says, muttering something else under his breath that I miss. Then, in an instant, he's back to his usual self, the joking drummer.

Literally.

He snatches my marker and starts piddling a beat on the table’s edge with the plastic.

A few cheers sound around us, accompanied by flashes of cameras, spurring him on. He begins to tap his foot as if it’s his kick pedal, his other hand joining in with his own marker, creating a series of annoying clinks.

How his bodyguard deals with him on a regular—

“Excuse me, Toby?” The female voice has my attention snapping away from the bastard beside me and landing on a soft smile and an As Above tee.

Now that’s what I’m talking about.

“Hey,” I greet, grinning for real, and she blushes. “You got something for me to sign?” I tilt my head to the papers in her grip, and she gets an even deeper shade of red in the face.

Hmm, wonder what else is flushed?

I like ’em shy. Hell, I like ’em confident, too.

Equal opportunist and all.

And this chick just landed on my radar for a potential bed mate for the night.

Let’s see how easy she can corrupt. That’s my absolute favorite.

“Y-yeah,” she stammers and steps closer.

“Please collect your things and move along!” Anna calls from somewhere behind the chick in front of me, making her jump and my brow dip.

---