Page 98 of Five Summers

I turn away and notice Nicole standing nearby, observing me with a hint of curiosity, seemingly hoping that I will introduce her to Ace.

Ace has transformed since high school. He's way taller now and super ripped, like he's always at the gym. Meanwhile, Xander is still tall and lanky, with a slightly edgier vibe than before.

As I bring Ace his beer, my eyes instinctively scan the area where Xander was just moments ago, only to discover that he, along with the other two band members, are no longer there.

‘Thanks, Poppy,’ says Ace.

I start to step away, but I stop in my tracks when Ace speaks. “Do you have a few minutes to talk?” he asks.

“No, I’m sorry, I’m really busy,” I reply.

“It’s alright, Poppy,” Nicole chimes in as she listens in on our conversation. “I’m here for you. Chat, and once you’re finished, maybe you can introduce me to this handsome man,” sheadds, making her way over to attend to the customers patiently waiting to place their orders.

I always had a feeling that she was a flirt. It was clear in the way she openly laughed whenever attractive men walked into the bar. Normally, she would constantly push me to work faster, but now she suddenly wants me to take a break, even though the bar is insanely busy with customers waiting to order their drinks. First, she asked me to introduce her to Xander, and now it’s Ace. It’s like she effortlessly moves from one man to another without any hesitation. What the hell is going on with this woman?

“You want something to drink?” Ace asks me.

“Nah, I’m good,” I reply, not intending to stay long and therefore not needing a drink. Leaning forward on my elbows at the bar, I position myself closer to Ace to hear him speak over the noisy crowd.

Chapter thirty-eight

Ace

Over the past five years, I’ve witnessed Xander’s downward spiral. He never opened up to me about what really happened between him and Poppy, but based on what I just witnessed a few minutes ago, it seems like there’s more to the story than he’s let on.

Reg and I have been doing our best to keep him on the right track and prevent him from ruining everything. Just last week, Lionel from Victory Records called me and Reg in to let us know that if Xander doesn’t start showing improvement soon, they might have no choice but to cancel our contract.

Despite the fact that we generate millions for them each year, the constant negative media coverage, the never-ending expenses of hiring lawyers to resolve issues and non-disclosure agreements (NDIs), are starting to have a significant impact. Just last week, Xander, under the influence, took one of hissports cars out for a drive and ended up crashing it. Thankfully, no one was injured. Thanks to our legal team and a settlement with the affected family, this incident hasn’t made headlines yet. However, like everything else, it’s only a matter of time before the world becomes aware of it.

Not only has Reg attempted to address Xander’s behavior over the years, our attempts have proven futile. Xander acts according to his own will, disregarding any consequences. It feels as if he’s a ticking time bomb, threatening to dismantle all the achievements we’ve worked tirelessly to attain.

Lionel said they couldn’t care less if we stopped producing albums. There’s always the next best thing to take over the music industry. They can continue to make millions without worrying about paying the NDI’s and lawyer fees for all the messed up things Xander keeps getting himself into. That’s why they don’t give a damn if we’re no longer part of their label. They own the rights to all our songs. What we didn’t realize back then was that we were signing away all our rights. Xander was furious when I told him about it because he poured his heart out to create them. I believe that might have been the starting point for all this chaos.

When Reg and I saw Xander’s confrontation with his father earlier, I knew it would be a challenge to calm him down considering his strong feelings towards his father. Unfortunately, Reg didn’t react when I told him to grab Xander, maybe he didn’t hear me. My only goal was to remove Xander from that situation, knowing that he was about to lose control, and the media would exploit it for days. However, to our surprise, things unfolded in a different way, rendering our intervention unnecessary.

I’ve never seen him change that way before. He’s always been hotheaded, but when this little blonde came over and said his name and placed her hand on his chest, he instantly stopped.It was as if Poppy Reeves had cast a magical calming spell that made everything come to a halt. As Xander’s best friend, I have never witnessed anything like it before. That’s when I told Reg we needed to bring Poppy on board. Maybe with Poppy around Xander will stop engaging in his reckless behavior.

Reg initially didn’t approve of it, but when I warned him that I would reveal his affair with Lionel’s wife, he finally agreed to have a conversation with Poppy. I am completely lost about what actions to take. All I am aware of is that my brother is spiraling, and I need to take responsibility and intervene.

We are about to start a seven-week tour in Australia, and then we’ll spend another week in New Zealand. I’ve heard that the Australian Police are quite strict and shouldn’t be underestimated. The law is enforced rigorously there, regardless of someone’s status or influence. So, I’ve come up with a solution to this dilemma. Now, I just hope that Poppy Reeves is willing to be a part of it. No matter how much it costs me. I am prepared to pay her whatever it costs to save our contract and prevent my best friend from going off the rails.

"I have a proposition for you," I say, leaning in close to ensure she can hear me.

Chapter thirty-nine

Poppy

“Not interested,” I tell him, wondering if this has something to do with what Xander was telling them earlier. Knowing how Ace was at school, if he’s looking for a hook-up, I’ll fucking punch him in his face, I don’t care how big he’s gotten and I don’t care who’s watching.

“No, just hear me out,” Ace says.

I let out a sigh. “You've got two minutes, that's it. Then I'm going.”

“So, you and Xander have a long history,” Reg says.

"Yeah, so," I say, getting all defensive and crossing my arms. I've turned off that part of me, never wanting to go through that again, so I don't feel the pain.

“Before you say anything, just hear me out,” Ace says. “I’m not sure if you’ve kept track of us over the years.”

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