Page 83 of The Deviation
“Okay,” he begins. “The four of us went into the meeting knowing Rush had more to lose than we did. If the tour got cancelled it would suck for us, but with all the resources they’ve already poured into it, it would suck way worse for them. Yeah?”
“Of course,” I say with a nod. “It wouldn’t just mean refunding all those tickets. Their reputation would suffer as well.”
“Exactly. So, the first thing we did was make it clear we were willing to take the hit and walk away. End the contract right then and there.”
“Christ, Johnny,” I cry, dropping my face into my hands. “I told you not to do that.”
He snorts a laugh. “Yeah, well, as my ex-manager at that point you weren’t the boss of me.” He pulls my hands from my face, holding on to them as I meet his gaze once more. “Of course, they threatened to take legal action, but Charmaine stepped in. She told them in no uncertain terms how not worth their while it would be. So, then,” he says, eagerly moving on with the story, “they tried to make out like any manager who came with us on the tour would be a temporary measure, until the contract issues were sorted.”
I roll my eyes. “When, in truth, the second you accepted someone into that spot, you’d be stuck with them.”
“Right,” he nods. “But, thanks to Charmaine, we knew that, too.”
I’m shaking my head in confusion. “How is the tour going ahead then?”
He grins, licking his lips before he continues. “We proposed a solution of our own. Fifth Circle will do the tour, exactly as planned, on the condition you’re hired on a consultant basis to act as our manager for the entirety of the tour.”
My eyes widen. “They agreed to that?”
Looking down at our joined hands, he says, “We might have offered them another incentive.”
“Like what?”
He shrugs. “They’ll be taking a bigger cut of the profits from the tour.”
I frown. “Johnny.”
“Don’t even start,” he insists, shaking his head with a smile. “I would have given up every cent if that’s what it took. The good news is, when the tour ends, so do our obligations with Rush.”
My mouth drops open. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” His smile fades a little as he looks at me. “I know it’s not ideal for you. After the tour you’ll still be unemployed, apart from that one rock band you’ll be managing into the distant future,” he adds, his grin making a reappearance. “But we don’t exactly make enough for your cut to cover all your living expenses.”
“Maybe not yet,” I say, rising to kneel on the couch. “But I’m just getting started with you four.” Moving forwards, I lift one leg over his lap to straddle him. “I swear to you, right now,” I continue while he drops his hands to my hips. “I will launch your star into the heavens if I have to build a rocket ship and deliver it there myself.”
He laughs out loud. “Kind of an odd visual, but I’ll take it.” He kisses me then, his mouth lush and languid against mine.
“I can’t believe you did this,” I say between kisses. “You do realise there was a real possibility they would have told you to fuck off and cancelled everything.”
He nods. “They could have. Yeah.”
I stare at him in awe. “You risked everything. For me.”
His brows lower as he moves his head in a slow denial. “The only risk was in the thought of losing you.” He sits up straighter, his arms coming around me to keep me secure in his lap. “I love you, Calum,” he whispers, gazing deep into my eyes. “I love you because I can’t stop myself from loving you. I trust you, because you’ve earned my trust. I want to share my life with you, because being apart hurts like hell.” We’re so close, our chests pressed tight, our breath mingling between us. “I’m happier with you than I’ve ever been in my life.”
I kiss him then, because how can I not? “I love you, too,” I tell him when we manage to come up for air. “The trust thing…”
“It’s harder,” he finishes for me. “I know. But trust is something we can build together. So, if you promise to give me the benefit of all your doubts, I promise to prove myself to you. Every day, with every breath. If you’ll have me, I’m here to stay.”
Grinning like a wild man, I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on tight. “I’ll have you.”
“Forever?” he asks.
I nod before touching my forehead to his. “Forever.”
THIRTY-FOUR
______