Page 73 of This Loving Feeling (Mirror Lake)

CHAPTER 16

Lukas drummed his fingers against the aluminum guardrail of the gurney.

He’d memorized every grain of the ugly white ceiling tiles that looked like someone had poked a hundred holes in each one, and decided the watermark in the corner looked like South America. He’d even caught a nap for a few minutes. But now he wanted one thing, besides out of this backboard contraption.

Sam. She’d stayed through his X-rays and CT scan and to hear the good news that everything was negative. But they were both worried about Stevie, so he’d had Charles and James drive Sam to Meg’s so she could check on him and bring him home. Lukas couldn’t wait to get out of here and finally be with her. If someone would only unstrap him from this god-awful backboard.

The door opened, and a balding, paunchy man squeezed through and hovered over his bedside. Dammit, it was Tony, his agent, not a nurse with discharge papers. And Tony was guaranteed not to be as pleasant.

“Well, I see you’ve had a busy day,” Tony said with a heavy sigh. “You crashed a charity event and started a brawl. The record company’s furious you sang that song before it’s released. Someone’s already put it on YouTube. Complete with slow-motion footage of you diving into the drum set.”

“How many hits did it get?” Lukas asked, but Tony just glared. “All right, never mind. Hi to you, too, Tony. And by the way, I didn’t start anything. And I’m fine, thanks for asking.”

“Well, I’m not fine. I have ulcers.” He put his hand over his stomach. “Good thing I was on the way to see you anyway. This guy you got into it with—he’s a Buckhorn, for Christ’s sakes.”

“He’s an asshole.”

“Yeah, a powerful one. Look, Lukas. We built you a brand, and you did your best to trash it tonight. We’re going to be dealing with this headache for weeks.”

“I’m not the impulsive kid I was when we started this.”

Tony snorted. “Your brand doesn’t involve being smitten over an old hometown honey. Love is the kiss of death for an up-and-coming music sensation like you.”

“I don’t live my life for my brand.”

“I can deal with the occasional angry female who curses you for breaking it off. I can even deal with you telling Simon Cowell to kiss your ass after he insulted you on Twitter. But this ...”

Lukas took a deep breath. “This is different. This woman matters.”

“The hell she does. Was it worth it for a piece of ass?”

“Tony, so help me God, if I weren’t tied down I’d come over there and kickyourass...” Lukas flexed and unflexed his fists, trying to remember why he put up with this guy. Oh, yeah, because he was the best in the business. Because he’d brought him up from nothing and turned him into a superstar. That made him calm down a little. “Look, just do damage control. That’s why I pay you.”

“Just do damage control,” Tony mimicked in a mocking voice. “As if that’s easy.”

“Got any good news? How’s the wife, the kids? And why are you here in the first place?”

Tony rolled his eyes and finally sat down on a stool in the middle of the room. “Actually, I do have some good news. Mick heard the song.”

“Mick who?” Lukas asked.

Tony raised a bushy brow. “There’s only one Mick who counts. He says it’s different from your other ones. More passionate, more feeling, and he thinks it’s going to be a huge hit. He wants you to open for the Stones at Madison Square Garden in two weeks and then finish out their summer tour with them.”

Whoa.Lukas closed his eyes. Mick Jagger? The Stones?Two weeks?Opening for them was the opportunity of a lifetime. It would secure his future and identify him as a heavy hitter in the industry.

That couldn’t help but be a good thing for Stevie and for Sam, right? Even if he had to go back on the road sooner than he’d thought.

“I have to think about it,” Lukas said. He’d talk it over with Sam, but she’d probably be thrilled.

“Think?” Tony looked at him like he’d grown a couple extra heads. “What’s there to think?”

Lukas shrugged, or at least tried to.

“This woman is really doing a number on you, isn’t she?” Tony asked. “Fine. You go ahead and think. But the contract’s going to have to be signed in a couple of days. Now, I’ve got to go outside and make sure all the media have moved. In the future, I’d appreciate better behavior.”

“Lighten up, Tony. That was great news. Quit acting like someone died.”

“Which they might,” Ben said, suddenly standing at the door, “if you don’t get those camera crews to move away from the ambulance drop-off area. Now, please.”

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