Page 14 of Hard Rock Fling

Or, it would be more accurate to say, Itriedto go back to work. I was thoroughly distracted by the thought of a certain flirtatious rock star.

I knew he acted like that with all the girls. Iknewthat.

But the more we had talked, the less he had overtly flirted with me. He'd started to touch on something about his past before stopping. Something personal. And I'd confessed something I'd never told anyone — my jealousy of Faith, and my angst about my nonexistent career.

I couldn't help thinking maybe there could be something deeper between us.

My phone pinged, startling me out of my thoughts. My CHATTR app again. I scrolled through the newsfeed quickly. It was just the usual fangirl squealing and music reviewer snarking.

Wait.

I tapped an article shared by a popular music reviewer. I skimmed it briefly and scrolled until I found a gallery of photos. My heart sank. This wasn't good. Not for Darkest Days, and not for Etude.

Then an idea came to me in one burst. My mind raced, ideas considered and discarded within split seconds. I could practically hear the whirring sound of my brain working overtime. One complete, perfect idea solidified into shape. I could almostseeit.

I'd just figured out how to get my bosses to notice me.

I made my way through the hallways at Etude, my mind going a million miles an hour. I knew Janet was scheduled to be in a meeting on the seventeenth floor. I found her in a conference room, setting up her laptop to project on a blank screen.

"Janet, do you have a second?"

She pointedly glanced up at the wall clock. "I have a meeting in five minutes."

"This won't take long."

She crossed her arms. I hurried to speak.

"When I first started here, I was told the band was working on a concept album. I've heard some of the songs and they have to do with sex and love."

"Yes, that's right." Janet sounded irritated, but I pressed on.

"I think there may be a problem."

She huffed out an impatient sigh. "Yes?"

"There's another band doing the same concept," I rushed out. "I was researching trends in fashion and music." Yeah, let's go with that excuse. "The rock band Feral Silence came out with a new album. The themes are very similar."

Her expression turned no-nonsense. "Explain."

"Their album has to do with types of relationships. First love, casual sex, soulmates, that kind of thing."

A crease appeared between her brows. "Thatissimilar."

"Everyone knows Darkest Days and Feral Silence are rivals. If they put out an album with the same theme, people will think they're copying."

The worried look on Janet's face told me she thought the same. "The marketing team won't like this. But there's no way August will change his vision. He's too stubborn."

"I was thinking. What if the theme was similar but the concept was different?"

"Themes and concepts are the same thing."

"Not always. I had an idea."

She scoffed. "It's not up to an intern to second guess the artist, Hope."

"But I think it could work," I insisted. Janet frowned at me and I hurried to get my idea in before she shut me down. "The concept should be the rise and fall of a relationship."

"Yes, well, thank you for your input, Hope, but I think—"