Page 27 of To Bring You Back
“Matt met them at a party, which he found by posting about being in town and looking for something to do.”
Gannon turned from the cabinet to lock eyes with Tim. “You’re kidding.”
“Lina reached out as soon as she saw it, about twenty minutes after he posted.”
Lina, Awestruck’s social media manager, had been working for the band almost as long as Tim had. Judging by her quick action last night, she had a better handle on Awestruck’s goals than Matt did.
“I had her take it down, but enough people know you’re here, and withthisall over the Internet”—Tim swiveled the laptop to face Gannon—“it’s a good thing the security team starts today. Expect a mob next time you go out.”
An image of Gannon and Harper covered the screen, him in a tux, her in a backless, silver gown. His hand rested on her waist while one of hers lay on his chest. Despite his lackluster smile, the way they peered at each other in the picture had been spawning rumors for months.
He’d been doing an interview on the red carpet when Harper tripped on that fancy gown, slamming into him. A dozen pictures had been snapped in the three seconds it took to untangle from each other.
He shrugged at the headline and tried to hand the laptop back.
Tim shook his head to refuse it. “Keep going.”
He scrolled the article to a picture of Harper leaving his building. Her hair mostly hid her face, and what wasn’t covered by her locks, she’d held up a hand to shield. The article claimed it was a walk of shame.
“Well?” Tim asked.
His mouth went dry, but he refused to flinch. “I let her stay one night while we were here.”
Tim continued watching him.
“There’s nothing going on. Harper and I are friends. Period.” He went back to making his tea. “She’s with Colton, and there’s a lot more photographic proof of that than anything with me.”
Tim tapped the laptop’s touch pad, intent on the article. “You know there’d be no shame in it.”
“In what?”
“You and Harper …” Tim shrugged.
“If there’s no shame in it, why don’t you want to finish that thought out loud?”
“Hanging out with you too long, I guess.”
If only that were the case, but Tim’s years with Gannon and John hadn’t changed his theology. Back when they’d signed with Tim, the man hadn’t said a word one way or the other about God. He was well known in the industry and had played a key role in Awestruck’s success. As their fame grew and Tim devoted more and more of his time to them, he’d grown less tight lipped about disagreeing with Gannon and John’s faith. They discussed whether to find someone new but decided they didn’t have to share the same beliefs to work together, provided Tim stayed ethical. Plus, Gannon hoped to eventually win Tim for Christ.
Tim’s phone pinged, and he typed a reply, taking care of who-knew-what detail of Gannon’s life. “Sex is a basic need. No more wrong than eating.”
“It’s a gift for the right time, and I’m treating it that way.”
“I’m sure people do crazier things in the name of religion.” Tim pocketed the phone. A smile snuck onto his face. “None come to mind, though.”
“So indulgence is the path to happiness?”
“All you have to do is say the word, and I can get you whatever you want. You’ve got a golden ticket, and you think you’re obligated to waste it.”
“Matt’s not golden. Did you make him the same offer?”
“I’m the one who got the women out of here, aren’t I? But since you asked, I think this God of yours does more harm to you than good. Religion limits your music, your lyrics, your life experiences. Without those limitations, would we need to be up here, trying to find whatever peace of mind you need to produce new music? And you and Matt would have a lot less to squabble over. You’re risking the next album and the contract beyond that.”
“God’s the only reason Awestruck has gotten this far. I’m not jumping ship now.”
Tim folded the laptop under his arm and retrieved his phone from his pocket as he left the room. “You’re doing this rock star thing all wrong.”
Gray clouds darkenedthe water to the color of steel. Not the prettiest day for a boat tour, but a small cruise ship churned the surface of the lake as it ventured toward the lighthouses. As the ship cleared the breakwater, Adeline turned onto Main Street, on her way from church to her lunch shift at Superior Dogs.
