Page 9 of Animal Beats

“Fun? I’ll let you know what’s fun,” Luke says in a low growl. “Fun is working hard to set up a scholarship in Darren’s name that could help countless young musicians. Fun is working side by side with you to find the correct language for the application so it gets approved by the government. Fun is making sure our original keyboardist’s name is one that will shine through the ages.” He leans against the metal folding chair.

What can I say to his tirade? “I didn’t do it to hurt the scholarship. I was only having a good time. Hell, the call-and-repeat was ‘Gelato’ and ‘Rocks.’ If I wanted to do something bad, I would’ve said something like, I don’t know, The Cat’s 9 Sucks.”

My mention of the band Luke used to manage before coming to us makes his cheek hollow. “Low blow, Río, even for you.”

The room falls silent.

4

HAYDEN

I’ve been in tense situations before, but this one has to be in the top three. My parents. My sister. Now. How can I smooth things out so we can leave here and make plans to right this ship. And get to Barcelona ASAP.

While their standoff continues, I check my phone. Even the large news organizations like the BBC are carrying Río’s arrest as their lead story. Fabulous. Whatever is going on here will be sorted out later. Now, we need to get back to our hotel and on a plane out of this country. All the while not appearing to be running with our tails between our legs.

If it was easy, they wouldn’t have to pay you. My mom’s oft-repeated phrase bursts in my mind. Time to start putting this to rights.

“Guys, news of the arrest is taking hold across the internet. We need to be smart about our next steps. Río, get dressed and stop acting like an entitled rock star.” I pass him a bag containing his clothes. Or as much of them the police were able to find.

He stands so fast the chair flips onto its back. “Fine.” He upends the bag onto the table and starts to untie the blanket around his body that’s fashioned into a toga. In an alternate life, I would take a photo of him this very moment, considering he looks more like an angry Roman god than those depicted in the fountain where he swam. My fingers itch to pick up my camera, but I manage to come to my senses when the blanket slips down his torso.

I didn’t mean for him to change right here. But where else could he go? I jump to my feet and mumble, “I’ll be in the hall. Let me know when you’re decent.” I rush out the door as fast as humanly possible.

In the hallway, I lean against the wall, noticing I’m alone. I guess Luke stayed in there to try to talk more sense into his drummer. In the time I’ve been with UC, I haven’t witnessed Luke being as upset as he was with Río.

Rightfully so.

The rocker acted as if he did nothing wrong. As if it were perfectly normal for him to egg on a crowd to yell Gelato Rocks and then swim in a landmark. Naked. Damn him.

My PR brain kicks in. Luke already paid all the fines, so that’s off my plate. Of course, Luke didn’t bat an eye when the police said it was a million dollars. A million dollars?! I suppose UC pulls that kind of cash in on the regular. If I had that much money to throw away, I would be able to set my sister up for life with more than enough left over for me to live out my days comfortably. Damn, stupid Río.

While we were waiting for the toga-wearing rocker to be brought to us, I started writing a press release about the arrest. Now that I heard Río’s side of things, such as it was, I add a few more details about the so-called riot. People screaming for the Italian sweet treat does not a riot make. Right? I put in some more color about what happened and send it off to both Nina and Tracey, both of whom have been in constant contact with me since the news broke earlier. Not how I envisioned spending my final day in Rome.

I’m waiting for a reply from the PR team when Luke joins me in the hallway. He looks worse for wear. Taking pity on the guy, I ask, “How are you holding up?”

“Oh, you know. When one thing settles down, another flares brighter. Here I thought what we had to deal with Bennett and Jenna was terrible. Río’s dip in the fountain probably tops theirs because he brought all this on himself.”

“His is a self-inflicted wound, to be sure. I think we can make some hay over the words he used in the call-and-repeat, though. I mean, who doesn’t love gelato?”

Luke chuckles. “I know. Leave it to Río to be arrested for saying something positive about the nation’s favorite dessert.”

“I sent off a press release to the team, for their feedback. I’m hoping this will be a nonissue by tomorrow.”

“I hope you’re right. Especially since we’ll be in a different country by then.” He pops his head into the room, then returns to me. “He’s putting his boots on. Let him stew on what we said for a little while.” He takes a breath. “I need your agreement.”

“About what? I’ll take care of the press release and we’ll get out of Italy.” I shrug. “Should be the end of it.”

“Except for the fact Río has been drinking a lot more lately. I’ve been keeping tabs on him, and it’s gotten me worried.”

My lips tighten. UC’s on tour for the better part of the year. “Should I seek out some sort of rehab?” Even as I say this, I’m not sure how it would work. Perhaps we can get an AA sponsor to join the tour?

“I don’t think it’s reached that level. He’s on the cusp, but he drinks to have fun. Not to drown out his demons. Yet.” His jaw twitches.

“Well, that’s good.” My guess is Luke’s thinking about Darren’s drug use, but I’m not going there.

“So far,” their manager replies. “Which is why I need you to agree to be his babysitter.”

He mentioned something like this earlier, but we had a lot to cover and it wasn’t brought up again so I hoped I weaseled out of it. Plus, it seemed he was joking. “I didn’t think you were serious.”