Page 4 of The Publicity Stunt

Her phone chimes, and she groans. "Wow."

"What?"

"Asshole."

"Did he think we were still together after everything that happened?" Bri asks and laughs through her tears. "Or did he just want to be the one to end things?"

"Probably that one," Tessa says. "God, he's such a loser."

Nia Hess, the head of Bri's PR team, walks onto the bus and sits at the table across from the couch with an audible sigh of exhaustion. Her short skirt showcases long, lean legs, and she wears high heels with such a skinny heel Bri struggles to understand how she manages to always look like she glides everywhere. With everyone around her, she can't help but feel frumpy. Two hot, tall models with killer legs surround her at every turn.

"It's going to be okay, sweetie," Nia says.

"I just don't understand what happened. I mean, we weren't in love, but I thought we at least had a mutual respect for each other."

Nia narrows her hazel eyes. "If you didn't love him, then why the tears?"

She stares in awe. How can she, out of everyone, not understand? "He humiliated me! I can't show my face in public again."

"Well, unfortunately, that's not an option. Your tour starts in two weeks in Texas, remember? You can only hide until then."

"You're not upset he cheated?" Tessa asks and pulls back. "Just that he got caught?"

Shrugging, Bri sighs. "It doesn't feel great, but I don't really care that much. That sounds terrible, I know, but if he hadn't gotten caught by the paparazzi and just told me, I probably wouldn't be that upset. We rarely spent time together between the studio and touring, but I would've at least appreciated a heads up before he was caught with his pants down. Literally."

"Literally would be if he had pants around his ankles in the pictures. Dude was dead ass naked in a pool with Johanna McDaniels. Why... I still don't quite understand."

"You'll get through this, sweetie," Nia says and pats her leg before standing and staring at her phone as yet another call comes through. She's definitely earning her salary this week as she walks to the bedroom area and answers. “Nia Hess.”

"I don't really have a choice. Why did he have to do this right before the tour? Couldn't he have done this months ago? Gotten caught and then let it die down before I hit the road?"

Tessa squeezes her arm. "I may hate the guy, but I don't think he planned this. He's an impulsive guy, but I can't say Johanna doesn't seem like the calculated type to do it. But that's what I still don't get. Why her? It's not like she can boost his career like having you on his arm did. You're the hottest artist out there, and this is the only reason everyone knows her name."

Bri rolls her eyes. "Whatever."

"I'm serious! What can this woman do for him? Even the tabloids talk about how not special she is. The role she's famous for, and I use the word famous loosely here, is being sexy dead extra number forty-seven or something in a straight to streaming slasher movie. At this point, she might be better off starting an online porn presence."

"She can't," Nia says, walking back over to them. "She refuses to sign with anyone but top tier agencies, which is why she lacks representation, and the people she wants to work with refuse to work with anyone affiliated with the porn industry. Website versus porn studio, it doesn't matter."

"Maybe he loves her," Bri suggests.

"Doubtful."

"You're too optimistic, babe," Tessa says.

She sighs and takes a deep breath. "What am I going to do, Tee?"

"You're going to pick yourself up, and you're going to show everyone who the hell you are."

"And who am I exactly? Besides a humiliated artist needing to face the public as she goes on tour."

"You are Brianna Waters, hottest artist out there performing to sold out arenas. Easton who? The man who has initials that stand for erectile dysfunction? Yeah, we're not shedding tears over him. You're better off without him."

"Way better," Nia agrees. "I never put the initials together like that. That's actually kind of funny. Oh, for crying out loud."

Bri can't help but laugh as Nia walks back into the bedroom. The man wasn't blessed with great initials, and Tessa would point it out. "I knew you'd cheer me up."

"We'll go out, just the two of us, because we have to remind you that you're hot. Hotter than Easton could ever dream of having again, and they'll forget all about Erectile Dysfunction and B-list."

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