Angel (Fallen Angel, #3)(23)
I let out a low laugh, because that was my thought also. “I hope fucking not. But judging by his reaction to the stage today, I’ll be sure to stand close in case he passes out.”
Killian picked up several more of the snapshots I’d taken, each new one he looked at getting a bigger reaction than the one before, until he finally put them down and looked at me as though he’d never seen me before.
“If Halo didn’t know you loved him already, this would seal the deal right here. This is incredible, V. Seriously. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
I took a sip of my coffee as Killian picked up the final sketch I’d been given at the factory. “You never will again either. It’s one of a kind.”
“It’s unreal is what it is. Imagine this piano with nothing but Halo and a spotlight on him…” Killian said, nodding, the idea taking form in his head, and it was no doubt the exact vision I’d had. “What a way to make an impact.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. “So you approve?”
Killian dropped the sketch onto the counter and said, “Do I look stupid to you?” When I arched an eyebrow at him, he shook his head. “Don’t fucking answer that.”
I chuckled and gathered up the photos and info, before putting the folder back in my bag, and once it was safely tucked away, Killian said, “Levi called this morning while we were going over the stage setup and stuff. Left a message about Friday night.”
“Friday night?”
“Tonight with Jaime Jones. Ringing a bell?”
Oh shit. With everything going on this week, I’d completely forgotten that Levi had been trying to book that. It was all part of his take back the story idea, number one on his to-do list. With the album and magazine releasing Friday, Levi had told us it would be smart to get us on TV for the sit-down interview before everything got crazy.
“Yeah, shit. Sorry. It’s a go, then?”
“Yep. Friday’s our night. So you and Halo might want to get together and work out what you do and don’t want the world to know.”
I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. “Can’t fucking wait.”
“I bet. But hey, that’s what you get for not being able to keep your eyes off Halo. You sucked at keeping that shit on the down-low.”
I eyed Killian across the counter. The asshole was acting a little too smug about all this love shit as far as I was concerned, and it was time to bring him down a notch or two.
“You’re right,” I said, sitting back on my stool. “I couldn’t keep my eyes off the angel. Kinda like you and our new band manager, Levi…”
Killian all but choked on his swallow of caffeine. “What are you talking about?”
“You all but fell outta your seat to get a final look at him after that first meeting, and on Monday you sat awfully close to him.”
Killian screwed his nose up. “Yeah, okay. Just ’cause you’re all hearts in eyes doesn’t mean everyone around you is, V.”
“Mhmm. Who said anything about hearts in eyes? I was talking about your cock in his—”
“How about you go home and focus on Halo’s cock? Okay?”
Well, well, someone was a little touchy, wasn’t he? “For once, I fully agree with you on something,” I said as I put my empty mug down and slipped off the stool. I grabbed up my bag and slung it over my shoulder, and as I headed to Killian’s front door, I called out, “I think I might go and do that, and you? You should maybe call Levi back and focus on his—”
“Fuck off, V.”
“Goodbye to you too, Kill,” I said with a laugh as I walked out the door and slammed it shut behind me.
Sixteen
Halo
OUR SECOND LATE-NIGHT experience was already starting out vastly different than the first. For one thing, I wasn’t hiding in the bathroom having a panic attack. For another, Levi was proving to be Brian’s opposite, in the best way.
“You guys good?” Levi handed me a vodka soda and then checked his watch, a huge iridescent rainbow number that changed colors when it caught the light. “They should be coming to get you anytime now.”
“Thanks, Levi,” Killian said, raising his glass in our new manager’s direction. We were all lounging comfortably in Tonight with Jaime Jones’s green room, drinks in hand, a table of snacks nearby, and the host on a mega-TV doing his monologue for the live audience. Any nervousness I felt was on a low simmer, mostly due to the man beside me, who sat close enough to touch, his arm stretched out behind me. Just having him close by kept my mind on him and off whatever questions would be thrown our way tonight.
“Remember, you wanna talk album, tour, band dynamic. Then you can address the Rolling Stone feature and the Viper/Halo relationship, but”—Levi looked at me and Viper—“if it goes somewhere you’re not comfortable with, deflect. Tonight’s about selling the album, selling tickets, selling you guys as a band.”
“Got it,” I said, and the others nodded in agreement just as the stage manager peered inside.
“We’re ready for you,” she said.
There was a quick downing of drinks as we all got to our feet, and as we headed toward the door, Levi gave each of us a thorough inspection.