“A little over two years. Longer if you count—”
“We’ll need to keep that under wraps for a while,” Harley cut in, smooth as butter. “That’s if it even lasts.”
Daisy’s mouth slumped in shock. “Excuse me?”
Harley dispassionately flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Sorry to be brash, but you know young love… it can be a fickle bitch. The label has a very specific image in mind for Jameson. We need the public to view him as sexy, mysterious,single.”
Daisy didn’t realize the public needed anything more than his talent. She understood the implications that came along with fame, but she didn’t realize that their relationship would be compromised in the process.
“Does Jameson know you’re trying to change him?”
“Not change, honey. Enhance.”
Daisy wanted to give Harley a piece of her mind. Jameson didn’t need any changing orenhancing. He was perfectly him, perfectly hers. She didn’t get a chance to answer; the guys were moving into place.
“You ready?” Harley said as more of a demand, rather than a question.
The guys nodded and waited anxiously to be announced.
Jameson slid his clammy fingers through Daisy’s. He was nervous. She squeezed back, the automatic cure. “You’re going to be great. You always are.”
He dipped his head so only she could hear. “Thanks,darlin’. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She started to lift her face but then remembered Harley’s warning. Daisy stepped back instead. The MC announced The Kings Court, and Jameson forced a grin.
“Kill it, Band Boy,” she said.
“I always do.”
The show was electric.
Mid-set, Jameson ripped off the fitted red shirt Harley had insisted on, and the crowd exploded. Daisy tried not to grin too hard, but she knew him well enough to catch the message.
He was giving the “one finger salute” to Harley and the label. No one ever could or would change Jameson Kingston.
They played three songs—two originals and a cover of Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” Tears stung Daisy’s eyes as she watched them hold five thousand people in their palms. They were right on the edge of the thing they’d worked so hard for. It scared her to picture the life that might follow, but with Jameson beside her, she’d take it.
They were young and though she hated to admit it, Harley’s words echoed: young love could be fickle. People wouldn’t understand. People would judge. But Daisy and Jameson had never doubted, back before the brink of anything, and not now as they performed before this crowd of thousands.
When the set ended, Jameson ran offstage straight into Daisy’s arms. “That was amazing!” She laughed into his shoulder.
The crowd was still wild with excitement from TKC’s performance. Without wavering, Jameson touched his lips to Daisy’s and whispered against them, “Come with me.”
His heated gaze told her everything she needed to know as he pulled her away.
He tugged her to a quiet room, checking it was empty before locking the door. They were both riding the afterglow of the stage, completely energized. He kissed her like the floor might fall at any moment. She answered him, hands in his hair, everything warm and dizzy.
They were halfway to forgetting the world when someone pounded on the door.
“Jameson, come on, man!”
Jameson stopped moving and focused his hooded eyes on hers. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
All Daisy could do was laugh, while Jameson was visibly dejected. “It’s okay. We can finish this up later.” His mood lightened a bit.
“But I…” The banging began again.
“Jameson!” Kyler’s voice floated through the door. “You can screw around later. We have interviews!”
