Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
It’s insane, because I’m just out of the only relationship I’ve ever had in my life, but I’m struggling to remember the details of how Matt and I were when we were together. It’s like we ended years ago. Probably because my mind is too full of Beau. I think I’m falling for him. No, that’s not true, I know I’m falling for him, and I’m equal parts excited and terrified.
My phone starts to beep again and I see Tommy calling. I accept the call, but before we can exchange hellos, he says, “Let me get Felicity.”
I sigh. What has Matt done now? I’m not sure I care.
When all three of us are on video chat, Tommy goes first. “You know we are here to protect you—your career and reputation, but also your heart.”
Felicity interrupts. “The Daily Mail has a story running today.”
I groan. “I don’t care what Matt said. Honestly, I think I’m past the point of hurting when it comes to him. I’m numb to it.”
“This isn’t about Matt. It’s about Beau. Or it might be.”
I freeze and grip the phone a little tighter. “What?”
“This is going to be rough, darling, but you said you didn’t want me to keep anything from you.” I’m aware that Felicity is speaking and I know I want to hear what she’s going to say, I just don’t know if I can focus on the words coming out of her mouth.
“The source of the article talks about how you and Beau are on the rocks because you’re consumed with…writing new material because you’re dumping the old album.”
I gasp. No one knows I’m trashing the old album. Only me, Tommy, Felicity, my producers and…Beau. I haven’t even told the label yet. I was waiting until I had the songs completed and could present them with a fait accompli.
Still, this doesn’t mean Beau is the source of the leak. It just means Beau could be the source. A swell of doubt rises up in me and I realize I haven’t felt like that before about Beau. He doesn’t deserve my doubt. He’s a good guy.
Maybe it’s always going to be like this now.
I’m never going to be able to fully trust anyone again.
“Apparently, the two of you are struggling because you’re going to be on tour next year and he has a life in London.”
“That’s just tabloids spinning something out of nothing. They could have pulled that out of thin air.” I push the covers back and stand.
“Do you think Beau leaked about the album?” Felicity asks. “Who else knows about the new material? Have you told anyone?”
“It could have been a guess.” I push my fingers into my hair. “It could have been…” There’s no way it came from Bobby or Judo. I’m using my rented house as the studio, so it’s not like someone’s spotted me coming and going from Abbey Road or another well-known studio. “There’s no way it was Beau. He wouldn’t know how to speak to the press.”
“People learn fast,” Tommy says. “I’m sure he knows people who know people.”
“We’ve kept it so quiet, I’m failing to see another explanation,” Felicity says.
But there has to be one. I believe in him. And I believe in how he feels about me. How we feel about each other. “Things have changed over the last few weeks. I really don’t think he would have done this.”
“You know what it’s like,” Tommy says. “Some people love the attention.”
I’m not sure Beau is someone who loves attention, but he likes an adrenaline buzz, there’s no doubt about that. Or did he say it was serotonin? Maybe my instincts when we were at the movie premier were right and he’s trying to get a quick fix…
No, it can’t be. Not Beau, surely.
“I’ll talk to him. Do what you need to control this. Shut it down.”
“You don’t want us to announce a split?” Tommy asks.
“We only just got engaged. You think a split now is a good idea?” I ask.
“No,” says Felicity. “But at the same time, I want to protect you. I think we can maintain that you’re still together. You can still gush about him in interviews, still wear your ring, but we can wrap things with Beau so you don’t have to see him again. You don’t ever need to be seen together again. Then we can quietly announce the split once the album is out. We’ll pick a day when there’s something else going on and we can bury it.”
She has this all planned out. Felicity is certain the leak came from Beau. She’s a professional who’s seen this kind of thing a thousand times before.
I vowed I wasn’t going to be taken for a fool again—that I’d never be blind to another man’s need for fame and attention. Although I don’t think Beau is capable of doing what Matt did, I didn’t think Matt—a man I’d known half my life—was capable of betraying either.