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“Mr. Rivers has provided some light refreshments there for you, and some champagne.”
“Oh, neat. Thanks, Andrew.” He raised the privacy screen, and I immediately reached for the champagne. “Let’s just try not to arrive half pissed.”
“Probably a good idea.”
The moment I stepped into Exhibit Hall C at the Raleigh Convention Center, my stomach did a flip, and my eyes started darting everywhere, searching for Grayson. I could feel the energy in the room, the buzz of excitement and anticipation. People were milling about, some dressed to the nines, others more casually. The vibe was pretty good.
A journalist, a young woman with a microphone and a notebook, spotted me and made a beeline in my direction. “Stefania Moretti!” she exclaimed. “Alice Dalton, Best in Muse Magazine. Can I just ask you a few quick questions?”
“Oh, sure. Okay.”Fuck, how annoying.
Alice smiled and launched into her questions. “So, Stefania, you’re here tonight for the Flow Records charity event. How are you feeling?”
“I’m excited. It’s a great cause, and I’m looking forward to performing.”
“And what can fans expect from your performance tonight?”
I forced a smile, scanning over her head, looking for Grayson. “They can expect a high-energy set, with a couple of their favorite Boudica songs, plus a little surprise.”
“That sounds amazing! And what’s it like working with Grayson Rivers? He’s such a successful and respected figure in the music industry.”
Hot as fuck, not gonna lie.Of course I couldn’t say that, so I went with something trite and sort of bland. “It’s been a learning experience. Grayson’s a very driven and passionate person, and he’s taught me a lot about the music business. But I’m also my own person, and I have my own ideas about music. So it’s been a bit of a challenge, finding a balance between the two.”
“I can imagine. But it sounds like you’re making it work.”
“We are,” I agreed. “And I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with him.”
Miriam stepped up beside me, a polite smile on her face. “Excuse me, I think Stefania’s had enough questions for one night. How about we let her enjoy the party?”
Alice looked at me, then at Miriam, and then she shrugged. “Okay. But I’ll be back later for more, Stefania.”
“No problem,” I said, giving her a tight smile.
Miriam took my arm and pulled me away from the journalist, leading me toward the VIP section. “That was a close call. You were about to lose your shit.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I know. I just really want to find Grayson.”
“Well, he’s probably somewhere important, talking to important people. And I thought you said you weren’t going to talk to him.”
“I’m not. I’m just going to look at him.”
“You’re a hopeless case.”
“Yeah, I know. Let’s get a drink.”
We hung out at the bar for a little bit, and you bet I was constantly scanning the room, waiting to catch even just the slightest glimpse of him. No dice.Sigh.
“Just go look for him already.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to leave you on your own.”
“Don’t worry about me.” She waved her phone at me with a text from Reggie. “Reggie and Evan are nearly here. They can keep me company.”
“You sure?”
“Fuck yes. You won’t settle ‘til you’ve had your eye full. Just go and do it.”
“You’re an angel.”