Page 18 of A Way Out (Rock Star #2)

Chapter Seventeen

“ D o you guys see this?” Oz asked with his gaze on his phone screen. “Holly must have sent those pictures she took earlier to Lacey, because they’ve been posted to the band’s Insta account.”

“Let me see that,” Parker said, tugging Oz’s phone from his grasp.

“Or you could look at your own phone,” Oz suggested dryly.

“Shit, look at all the likes. And the comments.” Travis used his thumb to scroll through his phone, reading as he went. “Damn.”

“There’s a new poll in the comments,” Sam said. “Which ass is best. Oz, looks like you’re winning.”

Parker leaned back like he was trying to check out Oz’s ass.

“Knock it off,” Oz said, snatching his phone back.

“Ha!” Cash shouted from the tee box.

Oz glanced up; Cash’s arms were raised above his head, a smile splitting his face. His gaze darted from man to man, and his smile wavered. “Did you all not see that?”

Travis looked up briefly, but then turned back to his phone. “See what? We all know you’re a great golfer. You’re kicking all of our asses. Although at least our fans think they are fine asses.” He snickered.

“I just made a hole in one,” Cash said in a small voice. “Are you seriously telling me none of you witnessed it?”

Sam tore his gaze from his phone to stare off down the green. “No shit? That’s fantastic, man.”

“What the hell are you all looking at?” Cash grumbled, clearly not appeased by Sam’s acknowledgment.

Parker waved his phone. “One of Lacey’s posts is going viral. It’s the ass shot from this morning.”

“The what?” Chaz demanded, stalking up to look over Parker’s shoulder.

Panic Station’s manager and the rest of the guys, plus Sam’s father had joined them out on the links. They’d made up three groups and insisted on staying together, letting other foursomes play through if they started lagging.

Like right now, because all ten guys were clustered together, phones in hand, watching the marvel that was social media in action.

“Look how many new likes you have on your account.”

“Check out how many want to know where we’re playing next.”

“Lacey must be on her phone right now—look, the account just responded and mentioned the show in Tulsa!”

“Now that comment is getting all the hearts.”

“This is crazy.”

“This is fantastic!”

“There’s a TikTok teasing about new music. Did we decide to release a new song?”

“Oh, here we go,” Parker announced, waving his phone again.

“Lacey just texted me. She gave admin access to Maria. Said Maria is doing all of this. Holy shit. And she thinks we should release another single next week, which will coincide with all the pictures from the wedding that will be posted.” He laughed.

“And she doesn’t even know she’s getting married yet! ”

Oz heard all of this, of course, but he zoned in on—“Maria is handling our social media?”

“Yep,” Parker confirmed. “Clearly, she’s a natural. We haven’t had attention like this—ever!”

Oz should be happy. The followers on their band accounts as well as all of their individual accounts were growing by the second. Except—“How are we going to pay her?” She was already sponsoring them; now she was doing free PR too? He didn’t like it. She deserved to be compensated for her efforts.

“With a percentage of the sales from this show on Sunday, which just sold out,” Cash said.

“She just teased that we’re going to announce our next single at the show,” Travis said. “Guess we better figure that out.”

With his eyes on his phone, Parker said, “Lacey says Maria is talking to the venue right now. They want to add a Monday show. Holy shit. Are we in?” He glanced up.

Oz swiped his hand over his face. This was what was supposed to happen, right? This was what he signed up for. And he’d known there would be a possibility they’d have to stay longer if Bridgette came through with booking shows for the following weekend.

His mother had insisted she and the kids would be fine. “Catch those dreams, mijo ,” she’d said the morning he and Maria headed to the airport.

“Oz?” Parker asked. Apparently, everyone else had already agreed.

“Yeah,” he said, trying to hide his trepidation, “I’m in.”

By the time they finished golfing and were heading back to the lodge to get cleaned up for the rehearsal and dinner, they had five new concert dates booked. Three of them were sold out already. They were small venues, but whatever. Sold out was sold out.

Everyone but Travis, their drummer, had their instruments with them, so they were going to have to figure that part out before the show in Phoenix next weekend.

And they didn’t have a big enough playlist for a full show, but they could fill in with Panic Station covers, which would make the fans happy.

Even Chaz was offering up advice, pro bono, smacking Parker on the back as he said, “Hey, when you all are ready to start giving a share of your income to a manager, I hope you’ll call me first.”

The fact that the manager was coming to them spoke volumes.

This was happening.

They were going to make it.

And Maria deserved a large portion of the credit.

She also deserved an apology, because Oz had been an ass this morning, and the guilt was riding him hard. It didn’t help that she’d stepped into the role of publicist, despite the way he’d treated her. Hell, knowing her, she’d probably volunteered.

He really needed to apologize.

Before he stripped and showered, he knocked on the bathroom door to her bedroom.

“Come in,” she called.

He opened the door to her sitting at the vanity, touching up her makeup. Her hair had been braided and coiled into a smooth bun at the nape of her neck, a few tendrils curling around her face and over her shoulders, which were bare save the tiny straps holding up the bodice of her dress.

He had such an intense urge to stride over and brush those curls away, drop kisses onto her skin, he had to grip the doorframe to keep from lurching forward.

She glanced over at him, blinking those wide eyes. “Hey,” she said softly.

He cleared his throat. Several times. “Um, where’s Riley?”

She returned her focus to the mirror. “Downstairs with Sam’s mother. It doesn’t take her nearly as long as it takes me to get ready.”

He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to do anything at all. She was the most beautiful woman in the world when she woke up next to him this morning, fresh-faced and glowing after an energetic evening of sex. Instead, he said, “Do you have a minute?”

“Are you going to fire me already?”

“What?” He shook his head. “No. Why would you say that?”

One delicate shoulder lifted, then dropped while she lined her eyes with a dark pencil. “Probably the wrong way to say it, since I’m not currently getting paid.”

“Yeah, you’re literally giving us money while you’re doing all the work.”

“I’d argue that you all are doing all the work, but I know it would be pointless.” She swapped the pencil for a mascara wand.

Right. “I…” Jesus, why was this so hard? It’s not like he hadn’t apologized before. When he’d first taken over the kids’ care, he’d apologized every time he raised his voice, because he’d been so afraid of traumatizing them further.

“I want to apologize for this morning.”

She arched her brow and stared at him for a long moment. “I suppose I should be grateful you aren’t apologizing for last night.”

Hell no, he’d never apologize for that. It had been the greatest night of his life, hands down, even if it never should have happened.

“I wasn’t an ass last night. But I was this morning.”

“You were.”

He forced out a chuckle. “You don’t plan to make this easy, do you?”

“Not at all.”

He laughed. Probably not the reaction she was expecting, but he couldn’t help it. “You are really so amazing, do you know that?”

“Stop. Don’t say things like that. I might think you like me.”

“I do.”

“Not the way I want you to.”

Sighing, he leaned his head against the door jam. “Maria, we’re working together. Literally, now. You aren’t just a sponsor anymore. You’ve already taken the band to the next level. We’re…” What was the right word? “Partners.”

“No, Oz.” She stood, and he was given the full effect of Maria all dressed up and ready to participate in her sister’s pre-nuptials.

She wore a simple, red sheath dress with nude sandals.

Three gold paperclip necklaces hung around her neck, gold hoops in her ears.

A stack of gold bangles on her wrists clinked gently when she moved.

Christ, she was breathtaking.

She walked toward him, and all he could do was stand there and hope…for things he would not allow to happen again.

But she didn’t kiss him or even hug him. She paused a foot away. There was sadness in her eyes.

“We aren’t partners. You won’t let us be partners.”

She splayed her hand on his chest, her fingers curling into his shirt for a moment before she pushed him and he stumbled backward into the bathroom. “Go get ready for the rehearsal.”

She closed the door smartly in his face.