Page 35 of Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
“If I remember correctly, that was a number one single for the artist who recorded it,” I can’t help but chime in.
A vein in Marcus’s forehead pulses in response, and he claps a hand over it.
“Why am I reading reports about you kissing Lilah after the concert in San Francisco?”
News about our kiss made it back to LA in record time. Not sure how since our roadies have always been loyal to us, but Chris and I were investigating on our own. And there was no need for Lilah, Finn, or Milo to be at today’s meeting. Finn and Milo are doing whatever Finn and Milo do when not under adult supervision, and Lilah is waiting for me at her apartment. The plan is to watch some Hollie Berry Christmas movies she bought. Meanwhile, I want to spend as much fucking time with her as possible.
She’s funny and cute and so damn sexy that I spend most of my time around her hard for her and the rest of the time buried inside her.
In other words, I’m in big trouble.
“I did kiss Lilah after the concert.” I won’t lie about it. I have no reason to hide it since we’ve done nothing wrong.
“And what about the clause?”
“Fuck the clause.”
Chris’s lips twitch at my response, and I struggle to bite back my own smile.
“It’s part of your contract.”
“I don’t give a shit what the contract says. That clause has been in there for years when it didn’t need to be. Lilah and I are two consenting adults, and what we do in our personal lives is none of the label’s fucking business. What we’re doing isn’t illegal, nor will our actions jeopardize your fucking reputation.” That said, I push back from the table. “Now, if you’re through with this broken record routine, I’m leaving. I have better shit to do with my time than listen to you scream.”
I step out of the room as Marcus blusters a response, relieved when the closing door cuts off the next asinine thing to spew from his mouth. At the elevator bank, I lean against the wall and wait. Chris isn’t far behind me, and when he steps from the room, I push the button that will call the elevator.
We’re silent as we wait, conscious of the receptionist in the lobby, who studies us like she’s actually an undercover paparazzo. Maybe she is. I wouldn’t put it past these vultures. But we don’t give her anything to talk about, waiting instead until we’re in the elevator.
“That was bullshit,” I say.
Chris nods. “It was. I figured it wouldn’t be easy, but it’s also not like this is a huge deal. They have other artists with bigger problems.”
“Did Marcus say anything after I left?”
“Nah. I think he’d said all he had to say, and when we didn’t immediately apologize and kiss his ass, he wasn’t sure what to do with us.”
“Fuck. What are we going to do about this?”
“If you’re as serious about Lilah as I figure you are, there are a few options. This is not the first time severing ties with Cornerstone has crossed my mind. Especially after all the bullshit they pulled with Noah.”
“So leave? And go where? Arrhythmic?” Arrhythmic is the name of the label Chris’s brother-in-law, Jax Bryant, co-owns with Nick Rhodes. I snort. “Yeah, Cornerstone wouldn’t lose their shit too much if we dropped them for the same label they lost Dylan Graves to.”
Chris shrugs. “Cornerstone has changed, Ev. Now all they want is mass-market shit. I’m not into that. Neither are you or Finn or Milo.”
“Or Lilah.”
He smirks. “Glad to see you finally saying her name whilenotwearing a scowl.”
“Asshole.” I flip him the bird as we exit the elevator. “We’re actually doing this?”
It’s strange to consider leaving the label that gave us our shot so many years ago. But we’ve all changed. Just One Yesterday is no longer the five guys from high school who took their shot and miraculously succeeded. Noah is in an intense rehab program that will hopefully be successful this time. Chris is married and has a kid. Even Milo and Finn don’t pull the same stupid shit they used to. Lilah and I are…doing whatever it is we’re doing. We haven’t slept apart since the night of the concert last weekend.
Maybe it’s time for a change.
??????
I head straight to Lilah’s after Cornerstone, thankful her apartment is so close. Most people are too busy with holiday shopping or whatever to notice me walking down the block with no security in sight.
I knock on the door and open it when Lilah calls to come in, ready to ream her ass about leaving the fucking door unlocked. Yes, her building has security, but that doesn’t make it foolproof. But the words die on my lips when I find her lying on the floor by the Christmas tree, attention fixed on me.
