Page 40 of Between Never and Forever

“I said ‘I love you’ to him because he’s a friend who’s been in my life for a very long time,” I immediately argued, but then I caught myself. We weren’t here to bicker with each other. “Do you really care?”

“The media will care.”

For some reason, I wanted him to say anything but that. “Right.” This was the life I lived, and I had to do it for more than just myself. “Well, we’re going to have to figure out my rebrand today. Maybe slowly launch into my dating you.”

He hummed. “Is that what you want?”

“I want to move toward rebranding as soon as possible,” I grumbled, aware we couldn’t simply push an opinion on the public.

“What does the new Keelani look like to you exactly?” He squinted at me as if trying to picture me some other way. “You need stylists and a new PR firm helping with that sort of thing? Would the record label have contacts for—”

“They won’t help.” I stopped him. “No one is going to rebrand who I am if what I’ve been doing is already working for them.” I took a deep breath. “It just doesn’t work for me now. I’m not a kid anymore.”

He stared at me for a few more seconds before he said, “What does that mean?”

“I’m not the all-American girl. I’m singing to an intimate audience of a thousand people every weekend here in a month, right?”

“That’s what you agreed to do, yes. The Orpheum Theater holds that.”

“Right. That’s extremely intimate. I want them to feel me and feel what’s raw in my heart. I want to write my own stuff, have my own look, be…” I shrugged. “Me.”

He studied me for a few seconds as he rubbed his chin. “Don’t you think over the years you’ve become what you faked for so long?”

It was a slight, but I didn’t stoop to his level. “Maybe parts of me are that way, but I know not all of me is, Dexton.”

“Then call Olive and Pink and tell them to change your look.” He looked like he couldn’t be bothered with any of it as he pushed off the doorframe, making his way to exit the hotel.

“How do you know about Olive?” He hadn’t been introduced to my best friend.

“I know just about all there is to know in my casino, Kee.” He didn’t elaborate further but instead changed the subject as he glanced at his watch lighting up. “Utilize HEAT’s PR. It’s at your disposal. Do what you need to do, but I need to be at a meeting regarding staff within the casino in about ten minutes. So, my assistant will send you information on events we can attend. Our PR schedule will be drawn up by her too. She can propose it to Trinity Enterprises, and we’ll have your image all changed up with a neat, tidy bow in just six months. Perfect for you and that important brand of yours.”

He said it all without looking at me as he texted away on his phone. I wasn’t on his radar anymore. Instead, this had turned into business for him.

“What about your image?” I asked softly.

“Why do you ask?” He didn’t look up.

“I don’t know if you’ve considered what being engaged to me might do to you. My fans are used to Ethan and sometimes cruel—”

He frowned at his phone then didn’t even blink as he said, “You ruined my image once, and I survived. You think I’m concerned about it again?”

“Dex…” I started, but what could I say? He was right that my omissions and silence in the past had ruined him at home.

“Again, there’s a car waiting outside when you’re ready. Grab some breakfast on the way to pack up what’s left of your apartment that you want. We already have a team doing it, but they’ll only be grabbing what I feel is necessary. Which, quite frankly, isn’t much.”

“Do you have someone in my apart— Wait.” I combed a hand through my hair. “I’m not living with you.”

That finally got his attention. His green eyes snapped up to glare at me. “Don’t be ridiculous, Keelani.”

“I don’t want to live with anyone until I’m married, and—”

“Now you suddenly have a conscience about your damn marriage?” He scoffed.

He knew that was going to rub me the wrong way. His ass wanted to. “Of course I have a conscience. I always have. So, don’t even start with that. I made an agreement with Trinity Enterprises, but I was never actually going to marry—”

“So what? My fiancée is going to live next door? I’m here all the time. Your belongings need to be moved here.”

“The apartment is fine for—”