“You know, I think we singlehandedly kept Mr. Stephensen in business with all the studying we did together in high school.”

Bryce looks up from the duffle bag at his feet with a shirt clutched in his hand. “Who?”

Zoe had come by a few minutes ago with an updated ETA—and a threat that she’d break down the door if we didn’t meet it. After promising her my firstborn that I’ll be ready to go when we rolled into Philly, I sent her away with the important task of finding me a replacement manager. Zoe is a-frickin’-mazing, but asking her to be my assistant and interim manager for the next two weeks is just plain cruel.

I crawl up off the bed onto all fours, taking the sheets with me. Bryce and I had been true to our word and stayed in bed all morning. “You know, the sweet old man who owns High Five Coffee Bar in Asheville? We practically owned that table by the window.”

“Right.” He goes back to rummaging through his bag. “The guy who always slipped you a free brownie.”

“They were for you, too.”

Bryce laughs. “No way. One smile of yours had that man scrambling.”

I frown as Bryce slips on the dark jeans he just yanked out of his bag. I better get my ass in gear, too, if I didn’t want Zoe picking the lock in five minutes. But first…

I get up and let the sheet slip to the floor. Bryce’s eyes dart to my newly exposed skin instantly. Doing my best Beyoncé strut, I close the gap between us and lean forward, bringing my lips to his ear. The roughness of his stubble on my cheek makes my senses hum.

“I didn’t really want to study, you know. All those times I came to you asking for your help, I just wanted to hang out with you.”

I watch the tendon’s chord and pop in his neck.

“You don’t say?”

“What, can you fault me for wanting to be close to you?”

“Not at all.”He grabs my waist and pulls me to him. “Because I only said yes to sit across the table from you.” He nods when my eyes widen. “I don’t think I learned a damn thing because I couldn’t keep my attention from wandering to you.”

“Really?”

Not missing a beat, Bryce brings his lips down to mine. His mouth is so warm against mine, so skilled that I wonder how I’ll ever keep my head around his man.

A loud smack on the door breaks us apart. “Are you two ready?” Zoe yells.

Bryce and I both glance at my lingerie-clad body. I make a beeline for my closet. “Almost! Two minutes!”

I heard muffled muttering as Zoe walks away. Hell, at least she walks away and doesn’t hack through the wall.

Bryce smirks at me as I throw on the first skirt, shirt, and leather jacket combo that I find. One glance in the mirror tells me it’s pretty bad.

I scowl at his barely-concealed laughter.

“It won’t matter what I chose once Kendra and Billie sink their talons into me.” I flick an invisible speck of dust off my lime green shirt that reads WILL SING FOR DONUTS (a gem). “This is just to get me from the bus to the dressing room.”

Exactly two minutes later, I’m walking down the steps of my tour bus. I only get one glance at an empty parking lot before I’m yanked back up the steps. “What the—”

Bryce grins down at me as I stare up at my captor. “We didn’t get to finish our moment back there. I think I’m still owed a kiss.”

An honest-to-God giggle escapes my lips like I’m some thirteen-year-old groupie. “I can fix that…”

Zoe pokes out inside the bus and looks up. “Oh God!”

She snaps her head back and retreats to the safety of the parking lot. “Uh, as much as I love the view from down here, boss, there’s only so much of your upper thigh I can take. Shall we?”

Bryce and I step apart, reluctantly but necessary. I don’t care if Zoe see’s us together (although, it seems like all she saw was a whole lotta skin), but I haven’t figured out to announce this to the public yet. To my fans.

I remind myself to corner Michaela the first chance I get as I trot down the steps, praying to God that I don’t flash anyone.

“Alright, Zoe, I’m here so you can calm down. What’s the—”

My jaw drops when I see what Zoe’s wearing. The navy blue skirt suit hangs awkwardly off of her small, but curvy frame. “Why do you look like a circus ringmaster?”

She scowls as she tugs at the starched collar. “This is called a power suit, thank you very much, and it makes me look professional. Cody always wore them.”

“Yeah…” I eye the boxy thing with distaste. It looks nothing like the jumpsuits and Converse High Tops I’m used to seeing her in.

“Just be yourself, Zoe. I have faith in you and your ass-kicking skills, Hil Dawg power suit not required.”

“Okay.” She nibbles her lip. “If you’re sure, then I’ll go—”

“Autumn!”

We look around as Carter runs through the equipment being unloaded from the vans.

“Carter? What’s wrong?” I ask, fanning my eyes against the sun as he skitters to a stop before me.

“I’ve been trying to call you all day. Cody’s not answering his phone.” Carter doubles over and tries to catch his breath.

Zoe and I look at each other. I step forward and clear my throat. “That’s probably because I fired him last night.”

Carter’s head snaps up. “What?”

I clear my throat. “Creative and…personal differences. Zoe’s representing me now, and in charge of tour logistics.”

Carter raises his eyebrows as he turns to my power-suited employee. “Then you get the fun task of dealing with a canceled show.”

“WHAT?” Zoe and I cry in unison.

The roaring in my ears deafens me. I take the last few steps toward the bench and collapse into it, leaning against the cold wooden slats and forcing air into my lungs.

“I got here an hour ago, “ he continues, “and no one was here. They said your manager called this morning and canceled your show.”

We all turn to Zoe, who immediately shakes her head.

“No way. I did not do this. I’ve been looking through resumes and corralling you all morning!”

I hold up a hand before she goes into freaking out mode. I’m already there, so I know how it feels. “Don’t worry—I know exactly who did this.”

Bryce stiffens next to me. “Jensen,” he murmurs.

“Yes. Cody Jensen.”

Looks like someone’s not going to leave quietly.

I jump up from the bench, whip out my phone, and stalk away from the group. I pull up his name in seconds and tap the call button.

“Autumn?” Zoe says, slowly walking toward me like I’m a dangerous animal. “What are you doing?”

The call goes straight to voicemail. Works for me.

“You’re the worst human being ever,” I yell into the phone. “I guess I didn’t make myself clear last night. You’re done. Out. As in, no longer on my team. So, stop messing with me, Cody or I’ll sue your lying ass right outta Nash—”

My phone is plucked from my fingers before I can finish that lovely sentiment. I whirl around and glare at my interim manager. “Give that back to me right now.”

Zoe shakes her head as she backs away. “No way. We all hate Cody right now. I always have. But leaving a damning voicemail like that? You’re just adding fuel to the fire.”

“I am not!” I close my eyes as my head starts to pound. “I’m just giving Cody what he deserves.”

I’ve let thousands of fans down and lost thousands of dollars in the process. The press is going to love this. They always love it when stars suddenly cancel a show.

My eyes fly open as it hits me hard. I look around the parking lot. Now I know why it’s empty: there isn’t a goddamn show tonight.

HA—not if I have anything to say about it.

I turn back to the group, ready to take this on (the right way), and notice that Zoe’s already flipping through her phone.

“Don’t think I’m going to take this lying down, boss,” she mutters dangerously as her fingers fly. “This is my FIRST show as your manager and Cody figured out a way to screw me over.”

I eye her nervously as she begins to pace. The power suit really makes her look like Hil Dawg—an angry, purple-haired Hil Dawg that’s beginning to scare me.

“Zoe? Are you alright?”

She throws back her head and laughs. It’s a scary laugh.

“I’ll be alright when I get this show back on.” She yanks her collar loose and starts dialing. “The venue better not have issued refunds already or somebody’s going to die…”

Bryce sidles up to me as Zoe starts laying down the law to some very unlucky people.

“Are you okay?” he asks quietly, his voice a deep rumble in the open air.

“Not really,” I admit, “but I’m trying to hold it together. I have so much running through my mind. How to handle this, how to handle Cody, how to make it up to my fans if I don’t go on tonight—”

I glance over at Zoe, who’s yelling into her phone. “All while keeping my new manager from killing anyone.”

“Don’t worry about Zoe. I’ll keep an eye on her.” Bryce’s fists clench and unclench at his sides. “Do you want to go back to the bus? You haven’t eaten yet.”

A little sigh leaves my lips as I gaze up at him, his face already lined with worry. “What would I do without you?”

My head swims as a shot of something dangerous flashes across his eyes.

“You know what?” he purrs in a voice smoother than silk. “That’s exactly what I ask myself every time I see you, my shooting star.”

Oh God—swoon.

A shout drags my hungry eyes off of Bryce. Zoe is a few feet away, doing a little victory dance.

“I did it! Take that Mini Pin.” She locks eyes with me. “You’re on tonight, boss!”

I’m sporting the world’s biggest smile when I turn back to Bryce. “Did you hear that?”

“I did,” he answers, wearing a smile of his own. He reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His hand pauses just above my bare skin like it's unsure where to go from there in public, before dropping his hand to his side. “And something tells me it’s going to be one hell of a show.”

* * *

My heart nearly jumps out of my throat as I belt out the last line of “Stay Gone.” It’s about an ex-lover who sticks around a little too long after he’s been kicked to the curb. I know Jensen’s out there tonight, so hopefully, he gets the threat hint.

I burst backstage, riding the high of my encore and cheers that follow it, and look for Bryce. He’s standing next to Zoe, peering at the phone between them.

“Bryce!” I call out. I figure he can’t hear me when he doesn’t respond.

I raise my voice as I start toward them. “Holy moly, did you see that crowd? They might be the best—”

I pause as my bandmates hurry backstage. The crowd’s cheers still haven’t stopped. AMAZING.

“Oh, you guys—!” I pull them in for a bear hug. There are legit tears in my eyes when I let them go. “You’re never allowed to play for anyone else. I’d sound terrible without you three bringing my songs to life.”

Shane’s face turns the color of his bright red t-shirt. “Aw, Autumn. Just take a shot at the afterparty with us, and we’ll call it even.”

I grin at him. “Deal. But first, I need a shower and—”

I look around as something buzzes on top of the amp to my right. It’s my phone. Zoe must’ve have stashed it there after I went on stage. (She insisted holding my phone hostage until I could be trusted again.)

I wave goodbye to my bandmates and lean over the amp. NEW MESSAGE flashes across the screen of my phone, popping up under another text from twenty minutes ago. My blood begins to boil when I see who they’re from.

“What the…” I stare at the gibberish until my eyes go dry. It’d been a long day, and I wanted to put it behind me. Prodding me right now is not in Cody’s best interest.

My fingers are itching to reply, but I know I’m a dead woman if I do. Luckily, Bryce and Zoe are still backstage, so I grab my phone and start walking.

“Guys?” I begin, still a few feet away. Zoe’s talking pretty animatedly, and there’s a lot of handwaving involved.

“Hello, I got a text—”

I duck, narrowing avoiding her palm.

“Whoa! Can we not maim the headliner!”

Zoe stops talking and looks at me, her forehead wrinkling like she’s just noticing me. Bryce does the same, which scares me since nothing gets past that man.

But what really scares me is that they look shaken, like they’ve just seen a ghost.

“You’re off already?” Zoe asks distractedly.

I roll my eyes, my thoughts already returning to those cryptic messages. “AndI was amazing…”

“Thank God,” Zoe mutters.

“…but what I need to show you is—” I stop and stare at her. “Wait a sec. ‘Thank God’ is your reaction to me giving the best concert of my career?”

Zoe takes a huge breath and shoves her phone in front of my face. “Because it may be your last.”