Page 169 of Hard Rock Tease
“It all looks great. I can’t wait to start working with you.”
“We’re all excited to have you officially on board.”
A brand new job in the music industry, the beginnings of a relationship with a sexy rock star god, and a loving friendship with a wonderful man.
Being an internet-addicted fangirl really had paid off.
Epilogue
My new officewas pretty swank.
It was small, yes, but I had my own desk and a comfy, high-backed leather computer chair. I put a tall, leafy potted plant in one corner. The wall-to-wall glass windows gave me a great view of the city. A small round table had been placed in the middle of the room with three chairs surrounding it for when I had meetings.
I actually had meetings. I felt so grown-up, it was hard to imagine this was my life now.
My phone pinged, reminding me of one of those meetings now.
Dark Sound Studios was serious about getting social. As their new Community Manager, they wanted me to have all the tools I needed to make sure our fans stayed hyped up on the brand. I was involved in almost all the decision making, although at first, I quietly sat in on meetings and learned. When I finally got comfortable enough to voice my opinions, they always took me seriously. I sometimes couldn’t believe that these important people, these music industry executives, actually cared about my opinion.
Neil called it imposter syndrome, feeling like you’re not good enough despite all evidence to the contrary.
“It’s the mark of all high achievers,” he told me. Even he suffered from it, which I found hard to believe. Neil never once looked like he doubted himself when it came to his career.
“It’s all aboutfake it till you make it” was his answer when I asked. I’d chuckled and replied that I hadn’t ever faked it around him. He’d gotten my meaning and given me a wicked grin. Going back to being friends had been much easier than I’d hoped.
The meeting was being held in the boardroom. It had been a last minute thing, and no agenda had been circulated. Every time we had an impromptu gathering, I always dreaded it was going to be a “sorry it didn’t work out, best of luck” conversation before Dark Sound kicked me to the curb.
Imposter syndrome, I reminded myself. I straightened my back and pushed open the boardroom door to find Jayce, Morris, and Ren already there, lounging easily in the boardroom chairs.
“Hey, guys!” I hadn’t expected to see them. They were always so busy doing promo work. The tour had been a huge success, and they’d sold tons of their sophomore album. I wasn’t sure how many copies exactly, but I knew it was enough for Dark Sound to start putting some real money toward promoting the band.
Morris and Ren greeted me warmly. I gave Jayce a secret smile, and he returned it.
Although it was true to say I rarely saw the band, plural, I had been seeing a lot of Jayce. It seemed like we spent every free moment together, which, granted, wasn’t much. I was busy with my job and school while Jayce was busy with band stuff.
I almost let my mind wander back to the previous week, when the both of us had a night off. The memory of his hands and lips all over my body made me flush.
I ignored the tingle rising between my legs and sat down on a chair next to Jayce. He gave me a heated look that told me he knew exactly what I was thinking about and that he was thinking along similar lines.
Maybe if he didn’t have anything planned after the meeting, the two of us could sneak off and—
My thoughts were interrupted when Kell walked in with Deena. She was as professional and put together as always. I expected Kell to bounce in, chattering excitably, but he was subdued. I’d gotten to see another side of Kell while touring with the band, and I knew he often put on the guise of the high energy, egotistical front man. Kell was smarter and much more perceptive than he let on.
“So, what’s up?” Ren asked. “Why’d you need to bring us all in here?”
“We’ve all been promoting separately the last few weeks, and I needed to gather everyone together at once.”
“You got some news?” Morris asked.
“Yes.” Kell’s eyes were unreadable.
The rest of us waited, some patiently, others less so, wondering what was so important that he needed to tell us all together. Eventually, he spoke.
“I’m going solo.”
The shock was almost audible in the dead silent room. He spoke again as if to make sure we all fully understood.
“I’m quitting Feral Silence.”
* * *
