Page 24 of Before the Encore

Bonnie scoffed and shook her head.

But Madison caught the slight lift in her smile. And that was enough.

Chapter Seven

Bonnie

Soft afternoon light poured through the tall windows of The Four Seasons hotel room. Beyond them, rooftops unfurled into a stunning city view, stretching out beneath the blue sky. One of Bonnie’s pink heels pressed into the deep grey carpet, the other crossed casually over one leg: a relaxed but professional posture she’d perfected years ago.

She spent most interviews with the press on high alert, overthinking, worrying how her answers could be misconstrued. Today surpassed that in lightyears because not only did she have to worry about herself, but she had to worry about Madison as well. Navigating a premiere was one thing; the focus wasn’t on them.

Now they faced the notorious Nikita Dixon.

Nikita’s curious gaze passed over the two of them, her red nails tapping against her knee. “The princess of pop collaborating with an alternative rock band. It’s a surprising angle for you, Bonnie. What inspired that?”

“I’m always looking for ways to take my work to the next level. And Madison is a fantastic vocalist.” She glanced at her publicist, Carmen, standing by the door in a white blazer. She nodded her approval. Bailey gestured for Bonnie to keep smiling.

“But why her?” Nikita pressed. “Why not another artist you’ve collaborated with before? Olivia Steinberg, for example.”

The name cut sharp beneath her ribs. She masked it with an exhale, smoothing her hands over her pink dress. Even though they hadn’t appeared together publicly since Olivia ditched her—and their relationship, if you could even call it that, was only rumoured—the press loved to bring her up. Bonnie swore the media had a secret sense for detecting hurt.

Bonnie flashed her practised smile. “As much as I enjoyed working with Olivia, Madison brings something different to this album. Her raspy tone adds a depth and contrast that pairs beautifully with the lyrics.”

Back-to-back interviews would tire any seasoned professional. While most journalists had been happy to focus on the album and the collaboration songs, keeping the topic of romance light, Nikita loved to circle back and prod her red talons into topics Bonnie didn’t want to talk about—how her career started, her family, her supposed relationship with Madison. Why Bailey insisted her publicist allow Nikita to interview them dumbfounded her.

But it wouldn’t be the first time Bailey’s decisions had that effect. Or the last.

Madison shifted in the seat beside her. Her woody scent—masculine with a hint of soft amber—acted as a steady reminder of that.

Bonnie told herself it was her choice to move forward with this idea of fake dating. But deep down, she knew Bailey had backed her into a corner. She knew it, and so did all of Lipstick Fever. Without a manager, Bonnie could kiss her new album goodbye. Bonnie wasn’t good at the politics of pleasing the label; she just wanted to make music. Bailey had always made it clear that managers for openly queer, curvy women didn’t grow on trees.

“You must really enjoy working together.” Nikita flashed her blinding-white teeth. “I’ve heard rumours about a tour too?”

Bonnie hoped so. A successful warm-up tour held so much promise of everything working out. But they needed to please the board first. Stick to the plan. “We do enjoy working together.” Bonnie caught Madison’s smirk. “And rumours about a tour are just that at the moment, but who knows? If the fans want it, they should let us know.”

Nikita nodded, pursing her lips. “You two looked pretty cosy at the premiere for Rose-tinted Glasses.”

“We had a great time.” She fixed her perfect smile. “Kacey is a very talented actress and a good friend of mine.”

Nikita didn’t break eye contact. “That’s not an answer.”

“There wasn’t a question.”

She clicked her tongue. “Are you two dating?”

“We’re enjoying spending time together.”

“Did the romance come before the collaboration, or did it, pardon the pun, bloom afterwards?”

Bonnie’s smile dropped a little. “You’re very persistent.”

They had strict instructions from Carmen to keep quiet on the matter. Be seen together. Be close but not too close. Let them wonder and build interest. Bonnie didn’t like all the games and plays that came with navigating the spotlight, but she supposed that was why she hired the professionals to liaise that for her. If she’d been interested in tactical plays, she’d have taken up sports. And nobody wanted to see her try to throw a ball.

Nikita hummed her dissatisfaction at Bonnie’s response. Pushing her oversized glasses up her nose, she turned her attention to Madison. “You’ve been awfully quiet, Madison, which seems out of character. Can I ask you a few questions?” She shot a sly look towards Bonnie. “If you’re allowed, that is.”

“Sure.”

Bonnie shared another glance with Carmen. They had no idea how a wildcard like Madison would handle the press, but to give her credit, Madison had kept her word, following the guidelines set out for them and allowing Bonnie to take the lead.