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“I heard through the grapevine you were gunning for a spot at Red Rocks Unplugged, too,” Vance continued. “I’ll put in a good word for you,” he added with a smarmy wink.
Don’t let the guy blow your cool.
“Big things are happening in the music world,” Vance continued. “Luxe Media and Entertainment acquired Red Rocks Unplugged, and there’s talk that they’re in negotiations to buy our label. I’m sure you’ve heard about it.”
He hadn’t heard a peep.
Truth be told, he’d been living the last few weeks in complete radio silence. He’d disregarded the media, and it had been true bliss not fretting over his followers on social media or sulking about sinking record sales. He didn’t know a damn thing about the changes, but he wasn’t about to show it.
“The music world is a volatile place,” he said, answering but saying nothing.
“For sure, one day you’re at the top, and the next, you’re not,” Vance spat back.
Don’t take the bait.
He stood his ground and didn’t utter a word. Vance tugged at his collar, and again, like the guy couldn’t stop himself, he stole a look at Harper. His gaze dropped to her left hand as the clouds parted and a ray of sunshine hit her ring. The giant rock glinted like it was taunting the jerk.
Yep, Harper’s taken, you lyrical loser.
Vance cleared his throat. “Harper, I had no idea you knew Landon,” the guy uttered, losing his cocksure air as he attempted to appear nonchalant.
But it didn’t work.
He could see the wheels turning in Vance’s head. The guy was trying to figure out if Harper had spilled the details regarding their breakup and the stolen music.
But this wasn’t the time to accuse the man of theft—especially without proof.
Harper didn’t make a sound. Instead, she crinkled her nose and observed Vance like she was deciding between a day-old egg salad sandwich or a soggy tuna melt.
Stick with the silent treatment, bonbon. Good call.
“Obviously, she knows me, Vance. I married her,” he replied, then glanced at his wife. The woman’s chameleon eyes sparkled with mischief, but she still didn’t make a peep.
That cardigan was doing one hell of a job.
“We’re both married men now,” Vance said, plowing ahead. “I’m sure you’ve heard the news of our recent wedding. This is my wife, Barbie.”
“We hadn’t heard the news. Congratulations,” he replied, remaining calm and collected as he held the man’s gaze.
“It’s a beautiful story,” Barbie trilled. “We met at the Luxe Grandiose after I came in second place in The Next Hot Online Performer contest. Double-Jointed Delilah took the first prize, but your costume was my favorite, Bonbon Barbie,” the woman added, turning her attention to Harper. “I recognize you. Do you remember me? We met in the hallway.”
Harper channeled a Zen-master vibe. “I remember, and my name isn’t Bonbon Barbie. It’s Harper Presley-Paige.”
Damn right it was.
“Well, Harper Presley-Paige, my name is Barbie Viberenski,” the woman continued, grinning like an overinflated sex doll as her tube top bounced as she spoke. “Our love story is so sweet. I’d lost a pasty in the lobby, and Vance found it for me.”
Okay.
“How romantic,” he deadpanned.
“It was. I really loved that glitter pastie,” the woman answered with a dreamy sigh.
While Bang Bang Barbie didn’t seem to be firing on all cylinders in the brain-brain department, he got the feeling she wasn’t a conniving bottom-dweller like her new husband.
“Vance and I got married two weeks ago at the same chapel at the Luxe Grandiose as you guys did,” Barbie gushed in a high girlish chirp. “Vance surprised me with a proposal. I wasn’t expecting it at all. We were in his suite, and I was experimenting with a new edible body glitter when our phones started blowing up with news of your wedding. It was all over the internet. Vance must have watched the ceremony video at least fifty times, and then he was like, grab your pasties, Barbie, we’re getting married.”
That was an interesting little nugget of info.
