Page 51 of Follow the Rhythm
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi,” I replied. He looked a little disheveled and very stressed.
“You did incredible work today. And thank you for making my huge fuck up less of a big deal.” He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
Why was I cursed with empathy? I wanted to not care about him or his dumb feelings.
“You’re welcome. I guess this is why Ursula wanted me to come. Even though I had no idea what I was doing.”
“You could have fooled me.” He sighed again and looked down at his phone. “I have some more calls to make.”
“Have you eaten anything today? Cause I haven’t, and you’ve been running around more than me,” I said, covering his phone with my hand.
“You haven’teaten?” he asked, sounding so scandalized I thought he was being sarcastic at first. “Come on, you’re eating something now.”
I let him lead me to where I’d already been headed. I even let him make me a plate. Alphas liked that kind of thing, and the poor guy could use an ego boost.
It wasn’t because I liked it, of course.
We sat side by side at a fold-out table. It was almost cozy. “How did you get into tour management? It’s kind of niche, right?” I asked to keep him from looking at his phone again.
Charlie looked a little sheepish. “I guess my dad got me into it. I was never going to be a musician, but I liked being around the business, and he opened doors for me.”
“Wait, who’s your dad?” I realized that Charlie and I had not talked about basically anything other than work or tryingnotto have sex.
“Dean Bennett. From North Portal. I thought everyone knew by now.”
I gaped at him. “You’re that kind of Bennett? Why are you even working at all? Shouldn’t you be swimming in a pool full of money somewhere?”
Charlie scowled. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t take anything unearned from my parents. Hence the… side gig. But the family name does help. I figure nepotism is a fair exchange for dealing with my dad’s bullshit for 32 years.”
“I always thought he seemed like a dick,” I said bluntly. It was true. His persona - all Alpha, all the time - rubbed me the wrong way. Charlie raised his eyebrows at me. “Sorry, I know he’s your dad, but he is kind of a dick, right?”
“For sure. It’s just refreshing for someone else to say it,” he said with an ironic smile. “What about your dad? Is he a dick, too?”
I scoffed, nodding, before I could stop myself. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I never met the guy, but from what I know, he’s ahugeasshole.”
Charlie tipped his water bottle at me. “To shitty dads.”
I tapped it with mine. “Cheers.”
While I bugged Charlie with questions about growing up with two famous parents, we scarfed our food. Charlie only annoyed me twice by asking if I needed anything else and telling me I should eat more protein.
“Feeling better?” he asked as we made our way back to the stage.
“Yep. How about you?”
“Actually, yeah. I do. Thanks for the company,” he said, smiling. “Now, about this outfit.”
I looked down. I’d forgotten my revenge plan in all the drama.
“What about it?” I shrugged my shoulders a little so one side of the cardigan slipped down my arm.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know exactly what you’re doing.” His pupils dilated as he looked at me. That blazing, powerful feeling rushed through me again.
I stepped closer, letting the cardigan fall off my other shoulder. “Oh, does it remind you of something?”
He swallowed hard, his eyes hot. “You know it does.”
