Page 5 of Broncos and Ballads (Healing Springs Ranch #2)

“Brock needs to fall in love.” Steve’s clipped, businesslike tone contained a finality that rubbed Brock the wrong way.

Truthfully, there was so much about Steve that rubbed Brock the wrong way that lately he’d begun to consider if Blue Mountain Nashville was really the right label for him.

They’d been home to him and his albums since the start of his career, but there were times—like now—when he still felt like the twenty-two-year-old college graduate instead of an almost-thirty-year-old.

“I agree.” Harper was sorting through the newspaper articles Steve’s assistant had printed, which were now scattered on the conference room table in front of them. “If Brock falls in love, he’ll be able to tell his fans he broke up with Ainsley Rose because he was waiting for the right woman.”

Steve clicked his pen on then off, one of his habits when he was nervous. “That will squelch all her rumors about how Brock is afraid of commitment.”

In his mid-thirties, Steve was a fairly young man for an executive and had a lot of pressure to prove himself to the label.

Brock was sympathetic to feeling pressure. He’d experienced his share too. But lately, Steve had stooped to using unethical, even underhanded, tactics to get things done, and Brock wasn’t a fan of working that way.

Brock glanced at his watch. Only an hour until the party started.

They needed to wrap up the meeting so he could get ready.

But since Steve and his assistant had made the trip from Nashville all the way to Bel Air specifically to do damage control of Brock’s image, Brock had been patient and had tried to cooperate as they’d tossed around the options.

“I still think ignoring Ainsley Rose is for the best.” Brock leaned back in the leather rolling chair. “Her bitter posts will blow over and be yesterday’s news in no time.”

“As I said”—Steve clicked his pen faster—“Ainsley Rose isn’t your only problem. There are other previous girlfriends coming forward and saying the same thing.”

The backlash was only growing worse as the day went on—that Brock McQuaid couldn’t commit, didn’t know what true love was, wasn’t capable of loving, was only out to have a good time, and didn’t believe anything he sang about in his songs.

“You need to fall in love, Brock.” Steve spoke as if the matter were settled. “Go on out and get the job done.”

Brock held back an irritated sigh. “Falling in love isn’t that simple.

” He should know. He’d been trying for years to find the kind of love his dad had with his mom.

The McQuaid legacy of love—the kind of love that generations of McQuaid men had developed for just one special woman, the kind that happened fast and furious and was strong and passionate and forever.

Brock had written about that kind of love in some of his early songs, using his dad as inspiration. And he’d hoped for the McQuaid legacy to happen to him so that he could experience the intensity of such a love.

But with each passing year, he’d begun to think he’d be an exception to the legacy, that maybe he’d never find a special woman who would change the trajectory of his life like it had changed the McQuaid men who’d come before him.

He’d drawn some solace over the past summer when his older brother, Ty, had found the woman of his dreams. If Ty could find his special woman after a bad marriage and being a single dad, then maybe Brock still could too.

But after years of already trying to fall in love, he couldn’t do it on a whim or by force. It was too big of a decision, and he didn’t want to choose the wrong woman.

“I know someone who specializes in setting up couples,” Steve was saying. “We’ll contact her, have her sign a nondisclosure, then you can meet with her and tell her the kind of woman you want.”

“Aw, c’mon.” Brock just shook his head, fighting a rising swell of frustration. “I don’t need someone finding me a woman.”

“It’s not as bad as it sounds. She’s sort of like a living dating app. She’ll narrow down the choices based on your preferences, and then she’ll arrange for you to go out on a few dates. That’s all.”

Steve exchanged a glance with his assistant, who nodded and began to type on her laptop, probably composing an email to the relationships specialist.

“Hold on.” Brock pushed back from the table. “Even if I find a woman I like, falling in love takes time.”

“We don’t have time. Not if we want to keep you from dropping any lower in the charts.”

Brock shook his head. Before he could protest further, the door swung open, and Ella Mae poked her head in. Her brows were drawn. “We’ve got a new development.”

Harper waved her inside. “What kind of development?”

“It’s not good.” Ella Mae stepped into the conference room and closed the door behind her even as she scrolled on her tablet.

Harper frowned, his glasses slipping down his nose. “Another past girlfriend airing her dirty laundry?”

In answer, Ella Mae flipped her tablet around to reveal a picture on Instagram, one of Brock in his ball cap and sunglasses, holding Venus Vargas in his arms. She was posing, like she had for the photographer on the rooftop, with a pretty smile, showing off her amazing legs and revealing a tantalizing amount of skin in her pink bikini.

She was drop-dead gorgeous, as always.

“We said no pictures.” Steve frowned at the photo.

“I told them that.” Brock couldn’t tear his gaze from Venus and how stunning she was. “The photographer assured me he wouldn’t post any.” Not in those exact words, but close.

Ella Mae pointed to the top of the picture and the name listed. “Lexi posted it.”

“I told Lexi I had to lie low.”

“Well, it’s out there, along with her congratulations to both you and Venus for being a happy couple in love. She posted it an hour ago, and it already has fifty thousand likes and hundreds of comments.”

Brock had assumed Lexi knew lying low meant no pictures on social media. But apparently she didn’t understand how things worked in the industry. “Great. What do we do now?”

“What’s the reaction?” Steve asked, punching buttons on his phone, likely trying to reach the account. “Good or bad comments?”

“A mix.” Harper was already on the post, reading the comments.

“Some are saying Brock broke up with Ainsley Rose to date Venus, that he was cheating on Ainsley Rose, and that he’s a scumbag.

But others say they’re excited Brock has finally found love, that they make a beautiful couple, and that Venus is better than Ainsley Rose. ”

The room grew silent, with only the laughter from passing guests filtering in.

Harper, Steve, and Ella Mae continued to read the comments.

But Brock didn’t bother going to his account.

He rarely looked at social media since it was so overwhelming.

He had a publicist at the label who took care of all his social media posts.

All Brock had to do once in a while was send over requested photos.

“Listen.” Brock stood and pushed in his chair. “I’ll talk to Venus, warn her about the post, and we’ll release a statement together letting everyone know we’re only friends.”

Harper tossed Brock a raised-brow look. “Why exactly did Lexi lie about you and Venus? You guys could sue her for libel. She should know that.”

Brock rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling sudden tension there. He didn’t want to reveal the exchange he’d had with Venus about Reed. But he had to say something to defend Lexi.

“Well?” Steve joined the grilling. “What happened?”

“Venus and I…I was exploring the resort and ran into her.”

“And…” Steve persisted.

Shoot. Brock didn’t know how to spin the story. He didn’t want to outright lie, but telling Harper and Steve and Ella Mae the truth about Venus trying to make Reed jealous wasn’t an option. “We decided to have a little fun fooling people. That’s all.”

“That’s all?” The sarcasm in Harper’s tone said he hadn’t bought the tale.

“It’s not all. But it’s all I can say without betraying Venus’s trust in me.”

Harper and Steve held gazes, as if they were both coming up with the same plan to make him spill the rest of the story.

Brock started toward the door. They’d gotten all they would from him. “I’m off to find Venus.”

Ella Mae tucked her tablet into a bag hanging from her shoulder. “There’s no time. You have to get dressed for the party.”

“I need to warn Venus about Lexi’s post first.”

“No, no need to warn her.” Steve stood, a slow smile that was more like a smirk making an appearance. “She’s the solution to your problem.”

With one hand on the doorknob, Brock halted. Whenever Steve gave that sly smile, Brock always knew he wouldn’t like what the man was about to say.

“She’s the new love of your life,” Steve continued with too much confidence. “The woman you’ve been waiting for, the one you can’t live without. You’ll go out and make a statement tomorrow, letting the world know you and Ainsley Rose were separated for a while before the breakup.”

That much was true. He and Ainsley Rose had been on the outs for the past month at least. She’d met up with him in Europe, and they’d spent a couple of days together.

Near the end of their time, she’d pressured him about taking their relationship to the next level by making a deeper commitment to one another.

She hadn’t exactly said she wanted to get engaged, but he’d known that’s what she’d been implying.

When he’d told her he wasn’t ready for engagement and marriage, she’d gotten angry and left.

They hadn’t seen each other since and had stopped texting and calling.

Finally, during his past week off between concerts, he’d visited Ainsley Rose before going home for his dad’s birthday party, and he’d put an end to their relationship.

He’d assumed she’d been in agreement about going their separate ways, but she’d obviously harbored more resentment than she’d let on.

Harper and Ella Mae didn’t speak and were watching Steve, skepticism filling their eyes.

Steve continued on anyway. “You’ll tell the press that Ainsley Rose made her claims about you being a fraud because she’s jealous of your new relationship with Venus.”

Brock shook his head. “That’s not gonna happen. It’s one thing to pretend something with Venus. But it’s another thing entirely to drag down Ainsley Rose.”

“She dragged you down first.”

“It doesn’t matter. I won’t talk bad about her.”

Steve pinned a narrowed gaze upon Brock. “What other choice do you have? How else are you going to explain Lexi’s post?”

Brock scrambled to find another excuse he could give to the news outlets that would be clamoring to know about him and Venus and how it was related to Ainsley Rose—even though it wasn’t related at all.

“We need to stay on top of this.” Harper’s tone held a warning. “You know that’s why we’re having this meeting today in the first place, right? Because we care about your career and want to keep you from suffering more backlash.”

“I know.” If they didn’t provide answers, the rumors and speculation would only grow and harm him even worse. “But Venus will never go for that kind of plan.”

Even though she’d tried to save herself from humiliation by claiming to be in a relationship with him, she was in love with Reed.

It was one thing to fib to Reed and Lexi to save face in an embarrassing moment.

It was another thing altogether to lie to the press and the world about being in a serious relationship, especially when the only man she wanted was Reed.

“I’ll take care of it.” Harper began to gather his notepad and pen and papers on the conference table. “We’ll contact her agent and publicist and work something out.”

Brock shrugged. “You can try. But don’t be surprised if she says no.”

“In the meantime, roll with it, play along with Venus.”

He could only hope Venus had been able to talk to Reed. Maybe then he’d think twice about getting engaged to Lexi.

Brock should have guessed why Reed had organized the party and invited all his closest friends and family. But he hadn’t taken Reed as the sort of guy who would rush into an engagement. Reed had always been cautious and careful when it came to women.

Maybe if Venus took the first step in sharing that she cared, Reed would reciprocate. Brock couldn’t imagine how Reed wouldn’t have feelings for Venus in return. How could any man not have feelings for her?

Regardless, Brock needed to find her as soon as possible so that he could tell her not only about Lexi’s post—if she hadn’t already seen it—but also about the publicity stunt his people were cooking up.

He wanted her to know he’d had nothing to do with the idea and that he wished her all the best with Reed.