Page 84 of Once Upon a Boyband
He’s sitting at our dinner table, an empty plate and a half-full glass of wine in front of him.
He stands as soon as we walk in and moves to greet Freddie, pulling him into a quick hug. “You’re back! How was it?” He motions toward a buffet table against the wall. “Dinner’s great, if you’re hungry. The food here is incredible.”
Leo and Jace move over to fix dinner plates, but Kevin stops me before I can do the same. He claps me on the back with a little too much enthusiasm, and I force myself to unclench my jaw.
I knew he might show up—I’m actually surprised it took him so long—and I’ve been anticipating the opportunity to confront him about using my engagement as fodder to build concert buzz. But the thought of having the conversation right now makes me exhausted. I just want to eat and call Laney and not deal with Kevin at all.
Mostly because I know exactly how the conversation will go. If I accuse Kevin of leaking information about my engagement to the press, he will tell me I never asked him to keep it a secret. If I bring up the photo that someone took and leaked, he’ll claim ignorance, say he had nothing to do with it.
I know how Kevin operates. He pushes boundaries just enough to get what he wants without crossing any lines. He uses smooth talk and lofty promises and vague statements that he can always claim meant something else if things go south.
Freddie must still trust him, and that says a lot, so I’mwilling to be civil, if nothing else. But I don’t want to have anything to do with him long term.
“Deke Driscoll,” Kevin says. “Good to see you, man. You’re looking good.” He looks me up and down. “Bigger.”
“Yeah, well. I was still a kid the last time you saw me. And it’s Adam,” I say. “For the third time.”
“How has the week been?” he says, completely ignoring my name correction. “Feel good to be back at it? I’ve been hearing good things about how you sound. Let me just tell you. If you want back in”—he thumps himself on the chest with both hands—“I’m your guy.”
He will definitelynotbe my guy, but I offer him a polite smile anyway.
“The week has been good,” I say as I move around him and reach for a plate. I have no idea what we’re eating, but it looks and smells amazing. Like some kind of beef pot pie. But honestly, I’d take the distraction of a can of Spam right now if it meant not talking to Kevin. “It went great, even. But don’t get any ideas. I meant what I said about this being a one-time deal.”
“Come on,” Leo says as he carries his plate to the table. “Can you really say that after this week?”
Ivy suddenly appears beside Kevin and holds out her phone. “Just push play,” she says. “They recorded this version at the studio today, and they’ve already added it to the set list.”
I distract myself by heaping my plate full of pot pie, adding two enormous yeast rolls from the basket at the end of the table. I don’t look up as the music starts, as everyone else quiets and Kevin turns up the volume.
“Damn,” Kevin says when the song finally comes to anend. “You guys need to release this. Release a whole new album, if you’re sounding this good.”
“I don’t have any interest in making anewalbum,” I say before anyone else can respond.
Freddie huffs out a laugh. “Man, it really is a miracle we got you to say yes to the concert.”
“Actually, that’s why I’m here,” Kevin says. We’re all at the table now, plates full in front of us, but we pause at his words, looking up as a group. He grins. “Concert is nowconcerts.Nashville, Los Angeles, and Chicago.”
I put down my fork, my appetite evaporating in a second, and Freddie shoots me a concerned look before pinning his gaze back on Kevin. “What are you talking about?” he slowly asks.
“Guys, the reaction to this morning’s press release has been insane. There’s over a million people who entered the ticket lottery. A million! That means not even a tenth of the ones who want tickets are going to get them. This is too big an opportunity. And since Charlotte West has the vocal cord thing and had to cancel three of her shows—her loss is our gain—there are openings at Sofi in LA and United in Chicago. The tour manager is securing everything now,” Kevin says. “Your reunion concert is now a three-stop tour. They sent me over to deliver the happy news.”
Three shows. They want us to playthreeshows?
“Kevin, when we talked about this, you saidone show,” Freddie says, his voice firm but steady. “When I talked to Adam, he only agreed to one show.”
Kevin waves a dismissive hand. “But we knew the label might want more. Do you realize the cash cow these concerts will be? The merch alone.”
“Cash cow forthem,” Leo says calmly. “If we’re MidnightRush, we’re still under the terms of our original deal, and it’s crap. You know it is.”
“I’m working on that,” Kevin says. “A slightly higher cut for the second and third shows.” He leans onto the table. “I know this whole idea hatched because Freddie needed the good PR, but this is only going to help the rest of you.”
“Sounds amazing,” Jace says. “Whatever we need to do. One show, three shows, I’m in.” Jace is obviously talking to Kevin, but the whole time he’s speaking, his eyes are on me.
“That’s what I love about you guys,” Kevin says, looking around the table. “You’re friends. You have each other’s backs. Besides, once you’ve done all the work for one show, what’s two more?”
Under the table, I press my palms against the tops of my thighs. I don’t know how to feel right now.
Overwhelmed.
