Page 31 of Saving Ian Pope

“Ivy’s roommate, Chloe Dufrain, handles social media for some big companies. She managed it. Did a reverse image search on the picture, found it belonged to Duke Hammer, and started the online push with fake accounts that she created. It worked.”

“What did she charge you for that?”

“She didn’t.” I slurped some more smoothie. “Not everyone is after money. You have a warped sense of the world from being in the business too long, Jack. You should get out more.”

“We’ll see about that. After she realizes how successful it was, she might come back with her hand out.” Jack blew out a long breath as if to relax himself. “Speaking about getting out more, what the hell are you doing out there? I haven’t seen anything about you in gossip sites or blind items, which is unusual for being in LA. Aren’t you going out?”

“Yeah, yeah, we go out every day. Ivy has been taking me on a tour of LA. Did you know there are mammal bones from the Ice Age at the La Brea Tar Pits?”

Jack coughed. “You went to the La Brea Tar Pits?”

“There, the Long Beach Aquarium, had brunch on ‘The Queen Mary,’ hiked in Topanga Canyon, took a ferry to Catalina Island and spent the night there, Norton Simon Museum, Descanso Gardens, Watts Towers, went to a Harold Pinter play at UCLA.”

“Who? Never mind. That’s...great, but you have a record due soon, and your label is not messing around, Ian.”

I didn’t even feel the tightness in my chest, like I usually did, at the mention of my record label. “I’m on it, Jack. I’ve been writing songs out here—some of the best stuff I’ve ever written. Everything around me is an inspiration. I have lyrics coming to me in the shower, on my runs, after...” I was going to say after sex, but Jack didn’t need to know everything about my life “—after all these visits. The songs are good, Jack. I reached out to Hugh already, sent him some stuff, and he’s really excited about it. He’s on board.”

“Hugh Smith?”

I knew that would get Jack’s attention. Hugh had been part of the song writing team for Five2Go, and I had collaborated with him on several of the band’s hit songs.

“Yeah, that Hugh. I can send you a couple of songs today, if that’ll make you feel better.”

“It would. I’m glad you’re getting back to work. You’re running?”

“Every day at the beach.”

“Are you eating?”

“Uh, yeah.” I toyed with the piece of toast on my plate. “Why wouldn’t I be eating?”

“Like I said, there haven’t been any sightings of you out and about in LA.”

“I’ve run into some fans, but the paparazzi ain’t likely to hang out at the La Brea Tar Pits, are they?”

“No, but they hang around Nobu. You can’t go out to dinner there one night?”

I scratched the scruff on my chin, debating whether to shave. “Tried that. Ivy doesn’t like sushi or sashimi. She’s not into those celebrity haunts.”

Jack heaved a sigh. “Does she realize she’s dating a celebrity?”

“Sometimes I wonder.” I smiled to myself.

“Well, people are beginning to wonder about you, Ian. The word is out you were in rehab, but you’ve been off the grid so long now, people suspect you may have fallen off the wagon or are holing up in your house again.”

I squeezed my eyes closed. “That’s not happening.”

“It’s time to capitalize on that dick pic scandal. Got people buzzing in a positive way, for a change. You’re going to be releasing a new record soon, only your second solo effort since the band split up. We need a push. You need to be seen—happy, healthy, not punching photographers or stumbling out of clubs at four AM.”

“I understand that, Jack.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, as pain began to throb behind my eyeballs.

“Just one outing, Ian. I can arrange everything. Just tell me where and when.”

For the first time in the conversation, I felt knots in my gut. I knew what Jack meant. It’s what I told Ivy last week—celebrities setting up their own pap walks. My management team did it for me before, and sometimes it had backfired spectacularly when I’d been out and about, off my fucking face. I rubbed my chin. “We’re going out tonight.”

“Perfect. Take her to Nobu. She’ll love it.”

“I doubt that. We’re going to a concert tonight at the Greek Theatre to see Van Morrison.”

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