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His chest felt hollow. Should he give up Fractured to focus on Crossfire? Was he being selfish trying to hold onto both?
“That wasn’t meant to be a difficult question, man,” said Beau. “It wasn’t even a serious one. Why would you think—”
Before he could finish what he was saying, the door to the studio swung open. Bob, Hazard Records’ UK rep, made his way over to them, followed by a woman. She was dressed in skintight jeans and a crop top that showed off a toned stomach. Long waves of cotton candy pink hair flowed over her shoulders.
“Damn,” murmured Beau.
Still half-lost in his own head, Zac stepped forward.
“Zac, Beau,” said Bob. “This is Talia.”
“Hi, Talia.” Zac reached out to shake her hand.
She gave him a slow, curling smile and squeezed his hand. “Hi, Zac, I’m so pleased to meet you.”
He dropped her hand and was almost knocked off his feet by Beau shouldering him out of the way. “Hey, Talia. Beau.”
She graced him with the same smile she’d given Zac. “Well, it’s great to be here with you guys. I can’t wait to get started on this duet today.” Her refined British accent contrasted with her vibrantly colored hair.
“Zac, can I speak to you for a minute?” Bob asked, while Beau engaged Talia in small talk.
Zac nodded, and they took a few steps across the room away from them. “What’s up?” he asked.
Bob’s gaze darted over his shoulder toward Beau and Talia. “The label wants to add another song to the album.”
Zac frowned. “What are you talking about? We’ve decided on the tracks for the album already. It’s done.”
“We want to include a cover of the song you sang with your little guitar tech at karaoke. The fans will go nuts for it.” He nodded over at Talia. “And if you sing it with her, it’ll break her wide-open in the US. The lawyers are already in talks.”
“No.” Zac’s tone was low and firm.
“Zac, with Talia’s voice, that song will be phenomenal. It’ll be a sure number one hit.”
“I said no. I’m not discussing this.” From the sudden silence behind him, the snap in his voice had attracted Beau’s and Talia’s attention.
Bob’s nostrils flared. “Look, your fling with the guitar tech is over, but we can capitalize on that viral video. And if we push the angle that you and Talia are a couple, this album will be a runaway success. You never know, it could even beat Fractured’s sales from the last album.”
The thought of their album reaching those kinds of sales numbers should have had him over the fucking moon. It would finally prove his dad wrong. But the only thing he could think about was Cassie hearing it and seeing tabloid rumors that he and Talia were together. Imagining the hurt on her face made icy anger flow through his veins.
He was about to cancel the whole damn session when Talia’s melodic voice came from behind him.
“Bob, can I talk to Zac in private for a minute?”
Bob eyed her, then nodded. He and Beau left them, heading up the stairs to the lounge where the others were waiting.
Zac watched her coolly as she came and stood in front of him. He shouldn’t blame her for this shit, but he couldn’t help feeling resentful. She cocked her head, her big brown eyes curious. “So, I’m guessing the guitar tech wasn’t just a fling.”
It rubbed him the wrong way hearing her and Bob refer to Cassie that way. “Her name is Cassie.”
“Right.” She smiled. “So, this thing withCassieisn’t over like everyone is saying?”
He ground his teeth together but didn’t answer.
She nodded slowly. “You know, even without the label putting it out there, as soon as we record this duet and release the video, people are going to be linking us. It’s human nature.”
She was right. He knew it, and he hated it. Hated the thought of hurting Cassie more than she’d already been hurt. By her mother. By Bryan. By him. By people who couldn’t seem to love her the way she deserved.
An idea trickled through his mind. It took him by surprise—but it felt right. When he told Talia what he wanted to do, she just shook her head, laughed, and agreed to it.
