AllFreeNovel
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I was still in a state of shock that Van and I were lovers. Just thinking about him in my bed had my blood beating fast and hot.
Then I realized three pairs of eyes were staring at me intently.
“What?” I finally bit out.
“You and Van?” Faise’s eyeballs looked like they were going to pop right out of his head. “I thought he was straight.”
“Yes, me and Van. And he’s not straight. Not anymore,” I replied with a wide grin.
“Holy fucking shit!” Ronin blurted out and looked at Holls. “Why don’t you look as surprised as Faise and me?”
Holls took another shot. “I knew something was up on this trip. They were arguing on the bus on the way down here, and it looked hot and heavy. And who can miss the way Brodie salivates whenever Van is in the room?”
I grabbed a cracker off the platter in front of me and pitched it at Holls’s head.
He caught it and shoved it in his mouth. “Come on. I can’t be the only one who knew this was coming. I mean, the way they eye-fuck each other? The bickering? How protective Van is of him? How Brodie practically rips someone’s head off if he thinks Van is under attack—”
“I think they get it,” I interjected.
I hadn’t realized I’d been that obvious with my intentions.
“Not to mention that Brodie hasn’t had any kind of action in almost a year,” Holls teased.
This time, I threw a piece of cheese at him. It hit Holls on the forehead and landed on the table.
“Whoa, one piece of major news at a time,” Faise replied and turned to me. “Was this a one-off thing, or are you two—”
“Boyfriends,” Holls interrupted and waggled his eyebrows.
I shook my head. “We haven’t defined it, but I wouldn’t fuck around with him if it didn’t mean something. I mean, given that he works with us, there are potential… complications.”
“Like Greg,” Ronin stated.
“Like Greg,” I repeated. “Like Van’s contract. We’re keeping silent about our relationship for now. Until the new year. This is brand fucking new, so we don’t want to say anything to Greg until we know where we’re headed. You guys are the only ones who know.”
“The new year? That’s two months away. This sounds serious,” Ronin interjected.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud, but yeah. Never felt like this about anyone before. I mean, you saw me on stage last night, singing to him. Couldn’t you tell I have it bad?”
They all nodded.
I downed another shot and poured the next one. The guys held their glasses out for another refill.
Ronin rubbed his dark scruff. “We’ve all seen the way you two interact, but I wasn’t sure if Van was into guys. Not only that, but I never thought he’d put his career at risk by crossing a line with someone he worked with.”
“Well, he is, and he did,” I responded.
“And what if things don’t turn out the way you want?” Faise asked. “What if you break up? Are you going to be able to work with him? And him with you? Or what if Greg finds out between now and the new year and fires him? We all know that Van is your rock at home and on the road. If you lose that, are you going to be okay?”
“I’d have to be,” I replied and took another shot.
But the very thought of losing Van, of not being around him every day, made me break out in a cold sweat.
“If Van doesn’t get fired, maybe he’d be reassigned. Maybe that’s better for you, him, and for us in the long run,” Holls added. “Not that I want to lose a great manager.”
I didn’t know how to reply to that, but Holls had a point.
I leaned forward. “Look, I don’t have answers right now. I wish I could tell you that everything’s going to be fine and drama-free, but it might not end up that way. But no matter what happens with Van and me, I’m still a musician, and I choose this life. And I know I can be a hothead, but I’m also a professional. If Van and I ever got to a point where we couldn’t work together, we’d find another manager. I know it wouldn’t be ideal, but there’s no guarantee he’s sticking with us forever anyway.”
