Page 27 of Rockstar's Accidental Marriage

“All right, everyone,” she begins, her voice clear and confident. “I know it’s been a long tour, and you’re all probably lookingforward to some downtime. But before you get too comfortable, I have an announcement.”

The room quiets, all eyes on her.

“I’ve been working to finalize our next performance,” she continues, glancing down at her clipboard briefly before looking back at us. “It’s a sold-out show at the Jacksonville Arena. Right here, in our hometown.”

The room erupts.

“Jacksonville?” Vince says, leaning forward with a grin. “That place holds, what, ten thousand people?”

“Fifteen thousand,” Emily corrects, her lips twitching into a small smile.

Cass leans back in his chair, nodding thoughtfully. “Hometown advantage. I like it.”

“Of course you do,” Luke says, his grin matching Vince’s. “It’s going to be great. Just like last time.”

“Sold out already?” Nate asks, clearly impressed.

“Yes, the tickets sold out within minutes.” Emily nods. “It’s one of the fastest sell-outs we’ve ever had, thanks to hometown advantage. Jacksonville is our home base now.”

I glance at her, taking in the way her eyes shine with quiet pride. She doesn’t say it outright, but this is her victory as much as ours. She’s the one who’s been pulling the strings behind the scenes, making sure the band keeps climbing higher.

“When is it?” Cass asks, his tone calm but clearly excited.

“Next month,” Emily replies, flipping a page on her clipboard. “That gives us enough time to prepare, rehearse, and fine-tune the setlist. I’ve already started coordinating with the venue staff to ensure everything runs smoothly.”

“Damn,” Nate says, shaking his head. “You’re really on top of this, huh?”

Emily blushes at Nate's compliment, the pink spreading down her neck, and I remember exactly how far that blush extends. I shift in my chair, forcing myself to focus on the meeting instead of memories of exploring every inch of her soft skin.

“Just doing my job.” She shrugs.

“More like crushing it,” I say before I can stop myself.

The words hang in the air for a moment, and Emily’s eyes flick to mine, startled but pleased.

“Thanks,” she says softly, her professionalism cracking just enough to let a hint of warmth slip through. “After thishometown performance, we can all relax because the next tour won’t start for a few months.”

“We shouldn’t get too comfortable,” Vince mumbles. “You’re still making us do social media posts, right?”

Emily grins. “Absolutely.”

The room fills with groans and laughter, but the energy is good—better than it’s been in weeks.

As the meeting wraps up, the excitement lingers. The thought of playing a venue in our own backyard feels like a homecoming in more ways than one.

I watch as Emily gathers her notes, her movements efficient but unhurried. She looks lighter, somehow like the weight of the tour has finally eased off her shoulders.

Being back home, we should be able to spend more time together—just us two. The thought has me smiling as I feel something I haven’t felt in a long time… hope.

Nine

Emily

I’ve always liked Jacksonville with its salty ocean breeze, the warm sun on my skin, and the sound of waves rolling onto the shore. It’s comforting in a way that’s hard to put into words. But staying at Cass’s sprawling oceanfront house while the band prepares for the big Jacksonville Arena performance feels different this time.

Cass’s house feels crowded, and I feel like a third wheel as he and Kendrick begin planning their wedding. They don’t seem to mind that I’m around, but even so, I feel I’m intruding on their precious family time.

The band is busy rehearsing in the soundproofed studio Cass had installed on the property. Most of my days are spentcoordinating schedules, finalizing setlists, and fielding calls from sponsors. It’s exciting, sure, but it’s also exhausting.

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