Page 10 of Rebooting Conor Flynn

“Okay, I’ll do it.” She dabbled a tissue on her mouth to catch any more blood and then held the corner of the pack against her lip while still talking. “How about the dancer who twisted her ankle? Jade is her name. Is she alright?”

“She’d better be alright. She was clumsier than you, Noelle. At least nobody expected you to be able to dance. What’s her excuse?” Ashley waved her arms in the direction of the dancers at the end of the stage and yelled, “Don’t go anywhere. We’re gonna take it from the top. Jacques, get them in their places.”

Noelle folded her arms and shook her head.

Ashley caught the look. “What?”

“We’re working on your image here, Ashley. Maybe it would be a good idea to check on Jade and then have your PA send her some flowers or a basket of something.”

“You’re right.” Ashley pulled Noelle in for an air kiss. “I forgive you for demolishing my set, and I’m counting on you to keep me on my toes. Is that what you did for Five2Go? Kept those boys on their toes?”

Noelle brought the ice pack to her lip again, but if she was worried about coming up with an answer, she didn’t have to be. Ashley spun around and strode toward the dancers, clapping her hands.

“Alright, alright. Where’s our injured gazelle.”

I rolled my eyes at Noelle. “You have a tough job ahead of you when Ashley’s default setting is diva.”

“At least I destroyed that horrible set with the throne.” She tapped her head. “It was always the plan. I actually had those dance moves down.”

Rubbing the back of my neck, I said, “You mean I risked my life to save you over a calculated PR move?”

She sucked in a quick breath. “Did you hurt yourself? Is your neck okay?”

“Wrenched it a bit. I’ll be fine.” I shoved my hands in my pockets as Ashley’s music cranked up again. “You did, you know.”

“Did what?”

“Kept me and the lads on our toes back in the day.”

“Ha! What a lie.”

Her beautiful brown eyes sparkled with all the memories, and her lips curled into a smile—the bruised part making it lopsided.

“Nobody could make you guys behave—least of all me.” She patted her chest.

“That’s not true. You played video games with us on the bus and critiqued our clothes. Ian, Sam, Charlie, and Jay always said you reminded them of their sisters and made them feel a little less lonely.”

“And you?” Her long lashes dropped, creating two perfect arcs on the bridge of her cheekbones.

“I don’t have sisters.” I curled my pinky finger around hers. “But you made me feel less lonely.”

Her body stiffened as she took a step back. “Then I did my job, and now I have another job to do for you—help you hold onto the tour’s co-headlining spot. And that means making Ashley Bennett more likeable.”

I stuffed my hands in my pockets again to keep them from reaching for Noelle. She considered me her project. Her path to a promotion. Had it been like that for her back in the old days, too?

Maybe that’s why she dropped off the face of the earth when Five2 left for our world tour. I was nothing more than a job to her then. And it looked like I meant the same thing to her now.

Better make sure to separate business from pleasure this time.

***

I slurped the last of my latte as I listened to Toby’s excuse for missing AM LA this morning.

“I’m really sorry, mate. As your manager, I wanted to be there, but this stomach bug just has a hold on me.”

“Where’d you party last night Toby, and how much Guinness did you drink?” I crunched into a piece of toast and brushed the crumbs from my fingers.

“That’s low, Conor. You can talk to my friend if you don’t believe me.” Toby sniffed for effect.