Page 66 of Once Upon a Boyband
Or maybe I’m not giving any of these guys enough credit.
I pull out my phone, checking for the millionth time to see if Laney has texted with an updated ETA. There’s nothing there from Laney, but I do have a text from Sarah.
And it’s one that makes dread pool in my gut.
Sarah
Oh, hi. You’re on the internet.
After her text, she sends a link to aTMZarticle with aheadline that reads: Inside source reveals: Deke Driscoll is alive, well, and getting married.
Freaking Kevin Spellman.
I quickly scan the article. It basically says nothing. It doesn’t mention Laney by name or give any significant information. It just rehashes the headline three different ways. I turn and toss the phone to Freddie.
“Check out what your asshole agent just did,” I say.
Freddie catches it and looks over the article. “Well, at least he didn’t share her name.”
Before I can respond, Freddie’s assistant, Ivy, comes barreling out the front door. She looks at the phone in Freddie’s hand. “Ohhh, so you’ve already seen it. I was just coming to show you.”
Freddie hands my phone back to me. “Do you think this was Kevin?” he asks Ivy.
“Absolutely yes,” she says. “We aren’t ready to announce the concert yet, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get people talking about Midnight Rush. And what better way to do that than stir up interest in the one member of the band who fell off the map? Deke will get people talking again. Generate excitement. Then right when the fervor is at its peak? Concert news drops. It’s a pretty genius plan. I mean,evilgenius, becauseKevin.But still. I recognize his strategy.”
I scoff. “Great. So happy my personal life could serve such a valuable purpose.”
“Welcome back to showbiz,” Jace says. “You know that’s how it always is.”
“Sure. But that’s not how it is for me.” I pause, debating whether I should just come clean. I’d rather not be lying to Leo and Jace, especially since Freddie already knows. “I’m not even really engaged,” I say.
“You’re not?” Leo asks. “Kevin said you were.”
“Because I told Kevin I was. But I was lying to try to get him off my back. I didn’t think he would tell anyone. I definitely didn’t think he would release the news to freakingTMZ.”
“Um, do youknowKevin?” Ivy asks dryly. “Because of course he would.”
“Why is he still your agent?” Jace asks Freddie. “Because he’s kind of the worst.”
“He is,” Freddie says. “Unequivocally. But he can negotiate the hell out of a contract. I don’t need to like the guy to admit he’s good at what he does.”
“There are other agents who are also good at what they do,” Ivy says, and I get the sense they’ve had this argument before. “They just also have integrity.”
Freddie waves a dismissive hand. “I can’t be manipulated by a man I know as well as I know Kevin. I know his tells. I get what you’re saying, but he’s harmless. At least, he is to me.”
“Is this harmless to me?” I say, holding up my phone. “The fact that he just broadcasted my engagement to the whole world when I’m not actually engaged?”
“Except you are now,” Jace says. “At least until after the concert. You’re engaged, and I’m happily married, Leo’s studio is not close to declaring bankruptcy, and Freddie did not swear at the Instagram influencer with the annoying kid no matter what she claims to the contrary. Because that’s what will sell tickets. All of us happy, living our lives with no drama, no lies, and no need for privacy whatsoever. You might have forgotten, but that’s the way this business works.”
My blood runs hot as I think about Jace’s words. It sucks to see my name back in a headline again, but it’s not like hesaid anything I didn’t already know. It was naive of me to think Kevin wouldn’t use the news of my engagement—fake engagement—to his advantage.
Even more naive if I thought I could agree to do the concert andnotbe exposed to this side of the business.
Ivy drops onto the step beside me. “Are you okay?” she asks.
“It’s a little bit of a wake-up call,” I say, “but it’s fine. The article barely says anything.”
“It doesn’t,” she says, “but that doesn’t mean someone won’t try to leak something else.” She glances over her shoulder at Freddie, then scoots a little closer. “Listen. I don’t trust Kevin like Freddie does, and I wouldn’t put it past him to have someone here, someone working on the concert, try to sneak a photo of you or your fiancée. Kevin doesn’t want scandal, so he won’t make you lookbad.But he does want you in the spotlight, so if you’re worried about your privacy, I’d keep a close eye out. Especially once Laney gets here.”
