Page 14 of Backstage with a Billionaire Rockstar

The crowd might be going wild in the distance, stomping all over the seats circling the stage, but I can still hear her question perfectly clear. I’m itching to place the guitar in my arms and listen to the roars of excitement, yet I’m frozen in place in front of Mia.

“I should be asking you that same question, Summer.”

She rips her arm out of my hold and shakes her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You should get started on your show before the crowd gets antsy.”

Maybe she’s right, and my head’s just bringing up true events and replacing them with Mia’s face. I stare at her for a moment, trying to convince my brain that she’s someone else, and it works for the time being.

I’m about to tell her I’m sorry for dragging her away from the job she was sent here to do, but a throat clears behind me.

“We’ve held them off long enough, and we gotta give them a show, Ev,” Brent says from the stage, his hair already glistening with sweat.

I’ll have to talk to her later

I give him a curt nod, then glance at Mia with a soft gaze before backing away from her and stepping onto the stage.

***

Brent smacks my back as we make our way back to the dressing rooms, my eyes looking at my closed door warily, and he asks, “What the hell was up with you tonight? I’ve never seen you so off.”

Jace chooses that moment to come up, and I sigh heavily. “I may have found out that I’ve met Mia before.”

Both of their eyebrows jump and it doesn’t surprise me that Brent’s the one to ask questions – Jace will just stand there and listen, then give his small piece of advice.

“What are you talking about?”

I run a hand through my hair. “Before I joined the band, I met Mia… or rather, had an amazing night with her that I couldn’t stop thinking about… I think, maybe. God, I don’t even know anymore, man.”

Jace scoffs at that. “Obviously, if you didn’t recognize her as soon as she stepped up to the door.”

“She told me her name was Summer. There was no indication that she was the one who walked through our front door,” I mutter.

“Well, shit,” Brent mumbles. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ve got to sit down and try talking to her, right? Get this figured out?”

“I meant about her job.” I blink at him, confused with where he’s going with things, and he rolls his eyes. “She’s off-limits. Your history might be enough for her to get fired. It might be in your best interest to not get too caught up in the past and focus on what’s going on right now.”

Even though I’ve only spent one night with her years ago and a small amount of time around her since she started working for me, the thought of her being away sends a pang in my chest that has me fidgeting in place.

I’ll figure it out.

Which is exactly what I tell the guys before I hightail it into my dressing room.

There could be no reason to panic. It’s clear she has someone in her life, considering she’s got a child, and maybe it’s like I figured… my overactive imagination.

6

Mia

Just like I have each morning since the tour started, I meet the mail carrier sauntering up to the tour before he’s lifted his hand up to knock on the door. I give him a small smile, thank him for the delivery, then strut back into the open living space and flop onto the couch.

The bag this time is much heavier, which doesn’t surprise me in the least since their popularity is getting boosted from the tour, and I know I’ve got a lot of reading to do before I have to get ready for their concert tonight.

Thankfully, Evan decided not to approach me again last night and demand more answers from me. When I acted like I didn’t know what he was talking about, with a straight face I was surprisingly able to pull off, it seemed as though he was unsure of himself.

Which was exactly what I wanted.

The longer he thinks he’s got it all wrong, the more time I have to figure out what the hell I’m going to say to him.

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