Page 173 of Five Summers

Theo consistently shows off all the shit he bought at the zoo - magnets, snow cones, and an array of other treasures. As we approach the hotel, Theo regains a sense of calm and composure, thanks to the influence of my princess, adept at handling situations where Nate would typically take charge.

Once we get to my room, Theo gets all worked up again.

“Where are they?” he asks, anxiously checking his phone. “I only have forty minutes left before I have to do this.”

"Don't worry, man. I'll handle the interview," I volunteer, hoping to ease Theo’s burden.

A sudden knock on the door captures our attention. Poppy rushes over, and opens it, expecting to find Ace and Nate outside. However, to her surprise, it’s Reg who stands there, his tone indicating clear displeasure.

“Where is he?” he snaps at Poppy, forcefully barging into the room. As his eyes meet mine, his expression darkens. “What the fuck have you done?” he accuses, approaching the table. “Lionel just called me and he is absolutely livid.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not fucking thrilled either, asshole. It’s out, and I won’t take the blame for some shit I didn’t do, especially not this,” I retort.

Another knock prompts Poppy to open the door, this time it’s Ace and Nate.

“Why is he here?” Nate asks. “I thought this was supposed to be a band meeting.”

“Yeah, it is,” I proclaim, my voice laced with frustration. “The asshole just walked in.”

“What’s going on?” Reg asks, scanning the room. “Are you really having a band meeting without the band manager?”

“Reg, listen the fuck up,”Ace says, moving closer to the table. “I just talked to Lionel, and I told him straight up that this is gonna be our final tour with the label because of this problem. Lionel and I agreed that it's on you to fix this problem. He suggested you handle Theo’s radio interview.” Ace glances at his watch. “Time is running out, Reg. You have thirty-five minutes to sort this shit out, and if you don't, Lionel knows we'll go to the media back home and expose the truth.”

I can't believe how Ace just put Reg in his place, and judging by their expressions, neither can Nate and Theo. It's really impressive to see the big guy in action, being assertive, and finally standing up to the label.

Reg scans the four of us, then his gaze lingers on Poppy.

Stepping forward, I know I’ll lose my fucking shit if he starts on her.

"Reg, it's time for you to go and fix this shit," Ace says, giving off an authoritative vibe. “Or would you prefer me to call Neil to show you the way out?”

In the intense face-off between Reg and Ace, Reg's phone starts ringing.

“You should answer that,” Ace calmly suggests.

Reg grabs his phone from his suit pocket, turns, and heads for the door.

We all just stay there, watching him leave with the phone pressed up against his ear. As soon as the door clicks shut, our attention immediately returns to Ace.

“Yeah, man,” Nate says. "You showed that prick whose boss.”

I move over to Ace and give him a congratulatory pat on the back before heading over to the fridge, wanting to grab a few cold beers to share. Seeing Ace like that reminded me of the time when we were younger, not letting anyone control us.

“I don’t have to do the interview,” Theo asks.

“Nah, let that asshole handle it,” Ace responds, making himself comfortable at the table. Nate and Theo take their seats and join him.

“Did you talk to Lionel?” Theo asks, beating me to the question.

“Yeah, he did,” says Nate. “And man, it was fucking awesome. He didn't hold back at all.”

As I turn around, holding a few beers in my hand, I spot Poppy sitting on the armrest of the couch. I get she might feel like she's imposing sometimes, but I really want her here. The fact that the guys actively include her is a clear sign that they share the same sentiment.

As I distribute the beers, I find a spot next to Poppy on the couch. With a twist, I remove the lid and offer her the cold beer. She takes a sip before giving it back to me.

“So, what was his reaction when you told him everything that happened?” I ask, casually tossing the bottle top towards the bin in the corner.

“He was furious at first. He said if we stayed with the label, he’d find someone else to replace Reg. But I made it clear that it was more than just that. We wanted more time off, the freedom to own our songs - you know, all the stuff we've been talking about.”

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