“I didn’t forget. I made it my two weeks on tour, so you can’t sue me, and there’s nothing you can do if I quit now.”
He eyes narrow. “You’ll never get another job in this town again.”
I shrug. “The non-compete was only for New York. I’m fine with leaving this state if this is how business is done here.”
Her jaw drops. No one is going to treat me like a piece of meat, especially not her. The expression on her face shows, that never in a million years did she expect an intern like me, to tell her that she can basically shove her job up her ass. I grin at that thought and turn around, without a second of hesitation, and walk out.
****
“I can’t believe you quit!” Aubrey says as she watches me pack my suitcase.
I smile as I think about the smug look on Diana’s face disappearing when I quit. “Believe it. That woman’s a tyrant.”
She pokes out her bottom lip. “You sure you can’t stay here? There are a thousand other jobs in this city other than marketing.”
I zip up my suitcase. “I love marketing. That’s where my heart lies. It sucks that I can’t stay here with you, but going back home will be good. Mom misses me like crazy, and I can find a job in Houston or something.” I set my bag on the floor and pull up the handle until it clicks. “I think I’m all set.”
Aubrey steps around the bed and wraps her arms around my neck. I close my eyes and lean into her as a tear escapes down my cheek. I hate leaving her. She’s the only thing I don’t want to leave behind. She rubs big circles on my back. “It’s going to be okay, sweetie. You and Noel can finally have your happily ever after.”
I squeeze her tight. “I don’t know if we can. The entire time we’ve been fighting over him having a girl pregnant, he asked me not to leave him—to let him show me I wasn’t second to him. Then at the first sign of a problem in our relationship, I ran. I don’t know if he’ll forgive me for walking away from him a second time.”
She pats my head. “Sure he will. True love can get through anything. He’ll forgive you.”
God, how do I even go about fixing this? The whole thing is one big clusterfuck.
She pulls back and wipes her eyes. “Go on, before I decide to hold you hostage here.”
I frown. “You sure you’re going to be alright by yourself?”
She sniffs and then smiles. “Are you kidding? Now I can have all the wild sex parties I want with you gone. Maybe I can even get Riff to visit.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ll tell him you miss his…”
She smacks my arm. “Don’t you dare tell him that, no matter how true it is. That boy has one giant—”
I shove my fingers in my ears. “La! La! La! La! Not listening to you!”
She laughs. “Go on smartass, before you miss your flight. Riff says the pass to get into the V.I.P show for tonight will be at the door under ‘Long-Dick Dong’?”
I shake my head. “Those guys really love giving that pseudo name. I’m so glad to hear he and Noel are working things out since Mike finally told them the truth.”
She sighs. “Me too. I can’t believe that bitch would do that to them. Doesn’t she know she nearly destroyed one of the greatest rock bands ever?”
“Love makes people do insane things, Aubrey. Look at me. I’m traveling cross country to apologize to a man I’m not even sure wants me anymore. He’s not called once in the last couple days since he learned the truth. This is probably a mistake.”
She pushes my long hair over my shoulder. “The only mistake when it comes to love, is not going for it.”
****
I practice everything I want to say in the cab as we speed towards the venue of tonight’s show. Black Falcon is doing a small acoustic show to kick off the children’s literacy campaign for a small audience of three hundred people. I read on the internet the ticket prices jumped up to nearly three hundred a piece for a person to attend such an intimate event.
Aubrey arranged for Riff to leave me a ticket at the entrance after she advised him not to tell Noel I’m coming. I don’t want to cause a scene before the show, so I figure I’ll slip backstage and talk with him after.
The cab driver stops at the entrance of the A&R Bar and I slide some cash to him before I slip out the door. My heart thunders in my chest as I walk through the entrance. This is it. He’s somewhere in this building.
I collect my pass from the girl at the door after she snickers at the ridiculous name Riff left it under. Someday I’m going to have to speak with these guys about changing their incognito name.
A small stage sits along the far-back wall, and tables and chairs are arranged to face it. Every seat is packed, except for one in the left corner furthest back from the stage. Silently, I say a prayer of thanks. The further back I sit the better. I don’t want to distract Noel. These people paid a ton of money to watch him sing for an hour.
Chatter all around me dies down as soon as the guys take the stage. Their normal grand entrances aren’t anywhere insight. Instead the guys smile and wave as they take their seats to play an all acoustic set. My eyes lock on Noel as he sets a bottle of water on the floor beside him. The distressed jeans and black t-shirt he’s wearing hug his body perfectly. Dark hair sticks up in every direction and has that messy look that I find unbelievably sexy. Even from a distance, I can see he looks beat down and tired, not his usual upbeat cocky self. A pain in my chest hits me hard and I clutch my shirt in my hand.