I was pissed and seething the whole drive to the news studio. Who the fuck did Rowan think she was to put even the hint of a claim on me? And to say that bullshit to Ella of all people? I didn’t have the ability to get her banned from the tour. But I’d make damn sure this would be her last tour with Tin Gods.
Xander’s elbow in my stomach brought me back to the present—the news studio we all were sitting in and the toothy blonde newscaster smiling at us.
“Any comment, Chase?”
“About my wife? No,” Chase bit out. He looked beyond pissed. Clearly, I missed something in my haze. “You want to ask me something about the band or our music, I’ll be more than happy to answer. Next question.”
Her smile dimmed slightly. She blinked then pivoted, literally swinging in her chair to face me now.
Oh joy.
“Jesse. So great to see you this morning. You’re also currently blowing up social media. Any comment on your new hunky persona?”
“Me?” I turned to Xander. “What the hell is she talking about?”
Blondie laughed loudly. “I know you guys are rock stars, but please remember this is live morning tv. Families are watching. As I mentioned at the top of the interview, the post on your group’s page is going viral. Three million views at last count.”
She directed my attention to a small screen playing a stitched together video on loop. It started with me coming out of the greenroom last night before the concert in my t-shirt and jeans. Then cut to Rowan cutting slits into my shirt as Noah laughed in the background. Next was me standing on stage ripping the shirt off after all the stupid tears had annoyed the fuck out of me. And it ended with a slow zoom in on my pecs and tats; sweat from playing under the lights gleamed on my chest.
I swung my incredulous gaze to where Ella stood in the shadows of the studio, her camera clutched in her hands and a tremulous smile on her lips. She’d done this?
“Jesse? Any comment?”
I shook my head in shock. “I thought Chase’s moment with his wife onstage was the highlight of the concert last night. I mean, we sang a George Straight song. Us. That—” I nodded toward the screen where the video was still playing, “—was just a regular day on the road.”
“You heard it here, ladies. Go see the Tin Gods live in concert. There’s a good chance one of them, most likely Jesse Mala, will be shirtless. And we’ll be back after this.”
“You’re famous, brother!” Noah crowed.
“I think it’s pronounced infamous.” Xander laughed. “Now you’re going to have to take your shirt off every concert, dumbass.”
My head fell back with my groan. “I thought all our interviews today were going to be about Chase serenading Shay with a country song. I wasn’t even paying attention. No one ever wants to talk to me. But what the hell were they asking you about Shay, Chase? What the fuck is going on?”
“I don’t know, but I sure as hell don’t like it.” Chase ripped off his mic and stomped offstage.
The rest of us followed at a more sedate pace and handed over our microphones to the sound tech offstage.
Chase had a quick exchange with Tyler in a corner before we took some promotional photos for the station. The guys tried to play around like nothing was wrong. Noah raised my shirt, displaying my now-infamous abs. All the guys stood around me, pointing at my chest.
I just knew my pale skin and auburn hair made my face look extra red in all the pictures. Because I was feeling the heat.
Once we all piled into the limo, Tyler and Chase continued their conference on the far side of the limo, so I turned to Ella. “What the hell, bug? You trying to make me into a pinup star? I thought we were cool.”
Ella laughed. “I’m sorry,” she said insincerely. “Did you think you weren’t a pinup star before? ‘Cause I’ve seen the layout with the staple in your navel. This is nothing new.”
“It is for me.” I crossed my arms and sat back with a frown. “It fucking sucks.”
Judging by Ella’s raised eyebrows, she wasn’t sympathetic.
“Okay,” Tyler addressed us while I continued to pout. “Apparently, there’s some online speculation about the state of Chase’s marriage. Shay was photographed at LAX last night. That led to breakup speculation.”
“What?” I turned to Chase, but he was already on his phone, no doubt talking to Shay.
Tyler went on. “I’m calling ahead to all the rest of our interviews to make it clear that Chase’s personal life is off limits. For Shay’s safety, we don’t want to leak her location, so if anyone asks, it’s no comments all around. Clear?”
We all nodded our agreement. No one wanted to sic the paps on Shay.
“In the meantime, I want you all to lean into the story Jesse has so thoughtfully provided us. You’re taking one for the team, Magic Mike.”
“Hey!” Noah raised his hand like we were in grade school. “If he gets to be Magic Jesse then I’m Big Dick Noah. It’s only fair.”
The guys all laughed and catcalled Noah while I tried and failed to get Chase’s attention. He had his head buried in his phone, making call after call.
So I took one for the team. Every interview, from radio to print to DJ’s Whatsit’s podcast, all brought up the stupid viral video. And all took joy in showing the video to me again and again and again.
It was official. I was never gonna take my shirt off again in public ever.
Ella and the guys thought it was hilarious. By the time soundcheck had rolled around, they were calling my abs the fifth member of the Tin Gods.
I’d thought we’d already handed that title to Ella.
Meanwhile, I still hadn’t been able to get Chase alone. He had to be going out of his mind worrying about Shay. And I wanted to help him. Only I had no idea how. I felt so twitchy, like I should be doing something, but what? My buddy was hurting and I couldn’t help him.
It fucking bugged the hell out of me.
So I was less than pleased when Rowan sidled up to me in the greenroom that night.
“Are we choosing tonight’s outfit based on how easy it is to…get off?”
I ignored her and tugged a Henley off the rack bearing my name. I picked a pair of leather pants from the other side and headed for the bathroom.
“Jesse? What the hell? I was talking to you.”
“And I’m done listening to you.” I stopped when she grabbed my arm.
“Are you seriously going to act like this after last night?”
I shook her off me as I turned back to her. “I’ve made you exactly zero promises. You’ve been on tour with us before. You know the score.”
“The score where you’re an ass who uses girls and tosses us aside like we’re nothing?”
“Sure, Rowan. That sounds exactly like me.” I shook my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ella standing in the now open doorway, camera hanging from her neck and a wan complexion.
Setting my jaw, I headed for the bathroom. There was no point in trying to set Rowan straight on anything. I had to work with the woman for the next several months. And if it helped her get over my rejection by labeling me a pig, well, it wasn’t like anyone was gonna argue with her.
I might’ve slammed the door behind me. Mature, I know.
“You can’t take pictures in here,” Rowan snarked.
But Ella held her own. “I know that, but I need to talk to Jesse.”
“You need to wait in the main greenroom. Authorized personnel only in here. You understand.” There was zero empathy or kindness in Rowan’s voice.
Despite her vitriol toward me, she was all but peeing in a circle around me. I would never understand women.
I got dressed as fast as possible and left the bathroom just in time to see the door close behind Ella. Leaving me alone with Rowan. Awesome.
“I’ll take those Docs too.” I headed for the boots.
“Really, Jesse? Her?”
I grabbed the boots and sat in a chair to pull them on. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“Avoidance? That’s so mature.”
“Thanks. I’m trying.” Joke was on me because I was actually trying. Clearly, I’d screwed the pooch by giving Rowan some deranged idea that we were more than a good time. I’d never been a long time kinda guy.
“Do you want me to slice you up again?” Rowan smirked wickedly, holding a pair of huge scissors aloft. “We can even call your girlfriend in here and have her film it again.”
“Pass.” Shaking off the chill racing up my spine, I walked over to the door and hesitated with my hand on the knob. I wanted to say something to clear the air between us, but she was armed, so I got the hell out of there.
“Aww, I was promised some manchest.” Popstar and Vegas resident, Kelly Evers popped up next to me with a pout on her painted lips. “This is disappointing.”
“Ha ha. Very funny.” I rolled my eyes. We’d come up in Stolly Records at the same time, so Kelly was almost like a sister. Except she and Xander had been on and off for almost a decade, so maybe more like a stepsister?
“It really is. Listening to all those interviewers ask about your striptease and exercise regimen today almost had me believing in gender equality.”
That sobered me up. I suddenly felt bad for pouting all day. I’d gotten a tiny taste of what Kelly had to put up with constantly. “Thanks for coming out and supporting us tonight. Kinda surprised to see you, actually. I thought you and Xander were on the outs.”
“We are. Permanently.” Kelly held up her left hand, displaying the ginormous rock taking up almost all of her ring finger.
“Holy shit. Congrats. Who’s the lucky man?”
“Jay.” She tipped her head toward her new manager and apparent fiancé, Jay Wazowski.
That sounded complicated and totally guaranteed to piss Xander off. Nice of Kelly to drop that bomb on us before our concert. “Does Xander know?”
“I don’t run all my life choices by him. I thought you all would be happy for me.”
“I said congrats.” What more did she seriously want? I was getting a headache. Between Chase’s bullshit, Rowan’s attitude, and now this, tonight was gonna be a shitshow.
“I can’t believe you guys. And after Wes talked Jay and me into having me open for you all on this leg of the tour.”
Suddenly Kelly’s presence backstage made sense. Apparently Exempty had been shit canned. Honestly, I was amazed they’d made it through all three LA shows.
But seriously, what had Wes been thinking? Xander plus an engaged Kelly was the clusterfuck to end all clusterfucks.
Fortunately, my cell rang, giving me an epic distraction and out from this awkward conversation. I smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I gotta take this.”
I stepped away and put the phone to my ear without checking who it was. “Hello?”
“Jesse! Finally!” My mom’s voice came over the line and I slumped with regret. Fuck, out of the frying pan and straight into the fire. “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for days!”
“I’m busy, Mother. I’m on tour, remember? Actually I’m due on stage soon, so I can’t talk long.” Or at all, if I had my way.
“Really, Jesse? Is that seriously all you have to say to me?”
If she was looking for an apology, she’d have to keep looking. It wasn’t ever gonna be coming from me. “What do you want, Mom?”
The huff on the other end of the line was full of frustration. “I was hoping we could talk. I have some news I wanted to share with you.”
“Right, well what is it? And how much is it gonna cost me?”
“Wow. So you’re not even going to try to act interested?”
“What do you want me to say? You’ve never called to check in on me or ask me what’s going on in my life. You only ever call me with your hand out. And I want to remind you that whatever it is will have to wait until your next maintenance payment. I’m not shelling out any more money than I’m already obligated to. I’m done being your piñata.”
Her breath was shaky and full of the melodramatics that she’d used on me again and again. At this point, I was numb to them all. “Wow. So that’s what you think of me?”
“It’s what you’ve taught me to expect from you.”
“I guess there’s nothing left to say then.”
“Apparently not. Nice talking to you, Mother. Like always. Your next payment is coming on the fifteenth. I hope whatever it is you want can wait ‘til then.”
She huffed. “Nice talking to you, Jesse. Like always.”
I stabbed at the ‘end call’ button and curbed the urge to chuck my phone across the room. There were too many witnesses, and I was already on too many people’s radar because of that stupid video.
My phone chimed with an incoming text, but I didn’t want to see. No doubt it was another attempt at a guilt trip from my mom. Turning, I spotted Harper standing nearby.
Crossing the room to her, I tried not to notice how many eyes in the room were on me. “Can you stow my phone for me? It’s blowing up, and I don’t have time for it today.”
“You get that I’m Wes’s assistant, right? Not yours?” But Harper still took my phone with an aggrieved sigh.
“Thanks.”
“What’s with the look? Trying to tease people even more?”
“What are you talking about?” I looked down at my clothes. They looked normal to me—long sleeve Henley shirt, jeans, and boots. Normal.
“Come on. You’re going to roast in that long sleeve shirt. We’re in Vegas, Jesse.”
“It’s an indoor concert. It’ll be fine.”
Judging by Harper’s raised eyebrows, she didn’t agree, but Xander’s yell for attention cut off whatever she was going to say next.
Xander raised his hands. “Thanks, everyone, for coming out to support our kickoff show in Vegas. As you all know, we’ll be here for two more shows, so it’s guaranteed to be an epic weekend.” He paused while everyone cheered. “And a special thank you to Kelly Evers for helping us out. We all appreciate it.”
Kelly smiled and waved. “You are so welcome. I’m just glad I could help.”
She crossed the room and gave Xander a kiss on the cheek. Xander grinned down at her like the old days, right up until she used her left hand to wipe at the smear of lipstick on his cheek.
Xander swung his gaze from Kelly’s ring to me, to Chase and Noah, and then back to Kelly. Judging by the way his jaw flexed, he hadn’t known about the engagement. I closed my eyes with a curse.
Chase jumped into the fray. “Tonight’s shot is sponsored by Xander. And I’m sure you all can guess what that means.”
“Tequila!” I shouted.
Shaking off his funk, Xander stepped away from Kelly and her toxic bullshit. Giving me a finger gun, he forced a smile. “You know it. So, if everyone will grab a glass.”
I joined the group at the table, making sure to put myself, Chase, and Harper between Xander and Kelly. My buddy needed some breathing room.
After everyone grabbed a glass, Xander raised his high. “All hail the Tin Gods!”
“Hail!” The group shouted in reply before we slammed our shot.
The tequila burned a path down my throat to join the burning sensation in my gut.
Tonight was going to be a shitshow. Guaran-fucking-teed.