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Brandt rolled his eyes. “Whatever. So, promotion. Really we want to start a whisper campaign, just a ‘Where is Astoria Vine?’ thing. I could plant a few stor…”
“No. Absolutely not. This has to be low key. I don’t want Ori harrassed.”
Brandt sighed. “Fine.” He got up to leave Milo’s office and as he turned his back, Milo could have sworn he saw the man grin.
“Brandt?”
Brandt turned, smoothing out his expression. Milo stared at him, seeing the raw ambition inside him. It turned his stomach.
“I mean it. This can’t get out.”
***
It got out, of course. Day six in the studio and Ori was actually having a great time. Rocky Logan, an immensely tall and very talented writing partner Ori never had. The two women bonded almost immediately and by the end of the first week, they’d laid the groundwork for four new tracks.
At half past seven, Ori said goodbye to Rocky and pushed her way out of the back door of the studio. She was checking her phone for messages so when the flashbulbs started to go off, she panicked. The door behind her had locked so when she pushed back, the cold metal of the door slammed against her back. Questions were flung at her, shouted, screeched and she tried closing her eyes but they were jostling her, bodies pressed against her, touching her…
Suddenly there was clear air as someone grabbed her hand and pulled her through the throng. Someone was cussing out the feral pack of paparazzi and then she was inside a car and zooming away from them.
She opened her eyes. She was sitting in the passenger seat of Milo’s car as he drove them away from the studio. His face was set, grim, but he reached over and took her hand.
“I’m so sorry about that, sweetheart. Damn, Brandt leaked that you were in the studio. I’m going to kill that…” He broke off, too angry to continue.
She couldn’t speak for a while, too shell-shocked and shaken. Milo drove until they were well clear of the main road then pulled the car over. He turned and took her in his arms.
“Are you okay?”
His lips were at her temple and she sank into his embrace. “I think so…it was just a shock, is all.”
They sat there for a while, just holding each other then he pulled away, smoothing his hands over her face and brushing her lips with his. “You wanna pull the plug? Just say it.”
To both of their amazement, she shook her head. “No, actually. I’m having a great time with Rocky. We’ve written a couple of songs which I think could be huge.”
Milo smiled despite himself. “You’re okay with the press thing?”
“Not really but you were right, I was stupid to think they wouldn’t find out. Are you sure it was Brandt?”
“Positive.”
Ori sighed in confusion. “But I thought…never mind. I just thought you all wanted to do a ‘Beyonce‘, drop the album as if from nowhere.”
It was Milo’s turn to be confused. “What? No, I just wanted there to be no press for your sake…where did you get the idea…?” He trailed off but Ori could tell he had figured it all out.
Brandt. Brandt was the one who had persuaded her to go back into the business. Milo’s jaw set and he started the car.
“Milo?”
“Sweetheart, we’re going home, we’re going to eat then you’re going to tell me everything.”
***
Brandt, a large latte in one hand and the newspaper in the other, swung into his office the next morning, not seeing Milo already sitting behind his desk. He rocked back when he saw his boss.
“Hey, guess it got out, huh?”
He moved towards his chair, expecting Milo to vacate it, but his boss didn’t move and, with growing unease, Brandt settled for the chair opposite. Milo stared at him for a moment before speaking.
“We’re going to need your hard pass and your company car keys. Your stuff is in that box over there. Security will escort you from the building.”
