The last thing Mae needs is any extra drama by answering this question wrong. Luckily it’s not the trap that Genelle deems it to be. “Trenton is on a short concert stint at the moment.” Icatch the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gaze at Raleigh. The publicist is nodding so Mae returns her attention to the interview. “We love working together, but we also love to surprise each other with individual side projects. I’m sure Trenton is watching from his hotel in Phoenix right now.” She gives a little wave to the camera.
“Good job, girlie,” Raleigh whispers, pleased with Mae’s short and sweet answer.
“Do they always try to lead into stuff like that?”
“Oh, did they not get personal with Trenton?” She asks it with humor in her voice, but she’s not laughing.
Genelle, not flustered by the lack of drama, pushes on. “We’re all excited to see you here tonight, Mae, and I think it’s wonderful that you’re supporting such a wonderful cause. Do you want to talk a little about what’s inspired you to get involved withClean for Alland their mission of offering support for recovering addicts?”
“Oh, shit,” Raleigh says from beside me. Leaning forward it seems like she might leap into the middle of the interview at the drop of a hat. She sees something I don’t, and I hate it.
Mae’s soft smile shines on as she recites the answer she’d practiced all day. “I just know what that type of struggle can do to a family—”
“Like you and your mother,” Genelle says, uninterested in the PR answer being fed to her. The starlet’s face falls but only for a moment. “Is she part of the reason you’ve taken on such a cause?”
I don’t know much about Mae’s past but this insinuation is an overstep in my opinion. Clenching my fists tightly, I take a big lunge forward. Raleigh is instantly tugging me backward. Her steady hand in mine immediately zaps all the fight or flight from my body. Luckily, she’s stopped me before I can garner any attention. “She can handle this. Just let her work,” sheadmonishes, pulling her hand back as if I were on fire. I nod and flex my hand that’s now absent from her touch. I think I may make another move if it means her hand would find mine again.
Mae’s composure returns and she manages to go on and answer the inquiry with every bit of grace and sass I’ve come to expect these last few weeks. “Tonight isn’t about me, Genelle, but feel free to talk all about me at theCountry Music City Awards. We both know I’m all people will be talking about anyway.” Without another word, Mae gathers her dress and steps away toward the next media outlet. Despite being abandoned, Genelle has a knowing smirk on her face, as if that was exactly what she wanted from Mae.
“How much damage did that do?” I ask, keeping my eye on the young reporter as she smoothes down her hair and laughs with her cameraman.
“Probably less damage than telling everyone about her mother. I’m sure there will be some chatter about it all when Genelle writes her story over the event tomorrow, but hopefully, the rest of the night goes well.”
We move down the line and Raleigh waves to a man in passing. “Are they always that ruthless?” I ask, imagining all the straight teethed and made up reporters as vultures circling their injured prey.
Raleigh sighs in annoyance but answers me anyway. “Very rarely. Genelle’s new. She’s looking to get her name out there. That kind of approach only works if she’s equally as tough on the inside. She’ll face a lot of flack for it by Mae’s fans and the other outlets that have deals with the record label.”
“Would you ever want me to intervene?” I ask. “I promise it’s my last question tonight.”
“Somehow, I highly doubt that,” she says with the subtlest smile.
“I’m serious. I don’t want to screw anything up for either of you, but would you want me to step in?”
She scoffs with a teasing smirk and the roll of her eyes. “I’ll leave that up to you.” It’s not at all the answer I was looking for or expecting.
“Oh, come on, I know you have an opinion. You have one on everything else.”
She laughs at that and I’m glad she sees it as a joke, not a harmful jab.“I know I do. I have an opinion, but I kind of want to see what your limits are.” Mae waves and Raleigh steps away from me to meet her. The immediate absence of her has me uncomfortable.
“I thought we were past the test phase of our relationship?” I cough out. With the same flirtatious look as before, she glances back at me.
“Oh, babe, this isn’t the half of it.” I watch after her as she leaves, collecting Mae and heading toward the grand double doors leading into the ballroom.
With the girls out of my sight, I tap my earpiece and inquire after the rest of the team. I have a man meeting them at the door and another at the car ready to come to us whenever we need. Taking a deep breath, I let myself soak in the responsibility. I knew I’d be able to handle the job, and the clients have only made it more desirable. I’ve found that I actually care about their well-being; my reaction to the uncomfortable question and the anxiety on their faces had been enough to prove that to me.
Chapter 11
Raleigh
FAKE SNOW ACCUMULATES on the cold floor of the commercial set as Trenton and Mae go through their marks with the director. Bundled head to toe in trendy winter outfits, the two of them joke about the ridiculousness of it. With a mid-September sun threatening to melt down the whole studio outside, I hardly blame them.
Weeks ago, the two had been going through a rough patch while recording vocals for the holiday commercial for the town. Today, they’re finally filming the thing. I’ve only heard the loop of music three times but I’m already prepared to put myself out of my misery. Add Trenton and Mae’s PDA to the unfinished demo and I just want to quit the day entirely. Unfortunately, I know no one’s keeping those two on track if I leave; Trenton’s publicist did a walkthrough this morning and left without a word to me. Lucky bastard.
“You ready for a real take?” the director asks, moving from the established set to his crew waiting anxiously.
“I’m ready!” Mae calls back, retracing her steps to her mark down the fake sidewalk. Trenton doesn’t let her go without another kiss, which makes Mae let out a giggle. I roll my eyes as he moves behind the picket fence. You’d think we’re filming a cheesy holiday movie and not a 30 second ad for Nashville, of all places.
Thankfully, they’re really only lip-syncing, and Trenton doesn’t feel like putting in the effort to act like an ass so it’s not as horrendous as an experience I was thinking it would be. It’s just so damn cold in here.
