“So now that we've signed the jackass, what's the plan?” I ask, plopping down in Willow’s desk chair facing Stone.

“He is a bit of a jackass, isn't he?”

“He reminds me of a country boy version of you,” I deadpan.

Stone bursts out in loud laughter. “Fuck off, Addy.”

I smile slyly. “Not my fault you're both assholes. Anyway, what's the plan?”

There's a quick knock at the door, though I'm not sure why Judge bothered, the door is open.

“So do we have a new artist?”

“We do,” I answer as he sits on the corner of the desk, his tie hanging loosely around his neck.

“So he's a decent guy, Stone? You feel good about him?”

“I do. I think he's just doing his thing, maybe thumbing his nose at the man a bit, but I don't think he has any kind of serious problem or that he'll hurt what we're trying to build here.”

Judge nods briskly. “Good enough for me. Bear is working on the finishing touches of his contract now. We need to get him into the studio to record.” Judge looks over at me. “We have to work hard and fast on this release, and I want to get him some good publicity. A charity something, benefit concert, trip to the children's hospital, all that shit. We also need to keep him out of strip clubs, bars, and anywhere else he can meet a woman because clearly he has a thing for quick and easy if the tabloids are any indication.”

Scrunching my face and rolling my eyes, I continue jotting down notes. I handle the majority of the scheduling and PR stuff with Judge since music isn't necessarily our thing. “Got it. I'll work on all that today while we wait on Bear.”

“Addy, I want you to go with him to these charity events and shit.” My gaze flies to Stone at the same time Judge’s head snaps up, a confused look on his face.

“Why?” we both ask him at the same time.

Stone rolls his eyes at us. “Because he needs to be seen with a respectable woman. One we don't have to worry about running to the tabloids with nude pictures. The Country Music Awards are coming up. I want you there with him especially. He shows up drunk to one more big event like that and he's done. Not just with us, but with music.”

What he's saying makes total sense, but I don't understand why I can't just find him someone. There has to be someone I know that would tick all our boxes.

“Why can't we ask Scarlet to do it? Former model, related to rock star royalty. Makes more sense.” Before Stone even has a moment to contemplate the option, Judge is shooting it down.

“Nope. Plus nobody would believe it. She would never date a country boy. He lives on a ranch, for fuck’s sake. Could you see Scar on a ranch?” The fact that he's so adamantly against this is not lost on either me or Stone. Interesting. He's right though. She would never be caught dead on a ranch. Sighing in defeat, I concede, knowing that I'm our only option for the time being at least.

“Fine. But the money for my dress is coming out of petty cash.” I point my finger at Stone.

“Take whatever you need.” He grins.

Judge still doesn't seem convinced but I'm pretty sure he's keeping quiet lest I try volunteering Scarlet again. Traitor. “Did you let him know about this brilliant idea of yours?”

“Nope. I told him he was going to have to trust us to handle his PR and he agreed. You can tell him when you get stuff lined up. I’m just the mastermind behind the music.” Stone winks at me and stands. “I’m heading out to spend the day with my girls. If you need me, I’ll call you,” he jokes, strolling out with a lollipop in his mouth.

Judge stands and stuffs his hands in his pockets. “You okay with this? Because if you’re not we can figure something else out.”

He will too. Judge is the fairest person you’ll ever meet. That’s the reason he’s in the situation he is with his whatever you want to call her, I think bitterly.

“Do you think it’s the best course of action?” I know he won’t lie to me. If he thinks it’s smart, he’ll tell me.

“It sounds crazy until you actually think about it for a second.” He scrunches his face. “I hate to admit it, but this is a smart PR move and Stone came up with it and not us.”

I can’t help but laugh as his petulance. “We’ll get him next time, darlin’.” Judge snorts out a soft laugh. “If you think it’s smart, it’s smart. I don’t particularly enjoy him but maybe once I get to know him a bit better…” I trail off. Beau isn’t a bad guy, just a little rough around the edges. He’s Southern boy humble and country star cocky all wrapped in one tall, fine-as-hell man. I think the fact that I think he’s so hot pisses me off more than anything. Sighing deeply I stand and loop my arm through Judge’s. “Let’s go, Judgey. I need a drink.”

He chuckles and pats my hand. “It’s just past noon.”

“It’s five o’clock somewhere.”

* * *

“Can I have another, please?” I pass the server my empty glass, empty except for the couple chunks of fruit from the house-made sangria the restaurant is famous for.

“Oooh, look out now.” Scarlet laughs delightedly, her own sangria still nearly full. “Bad day at the office, babe?

“Yes. No.” I scoop some salsa onto a chip savoring the salty tang and spicy mix before trying again. “We signed Beau McCrae to the label today.”

“That’s what Willow said,” Scarlet answers bouncing in her seat a bit. “She also said he’s hot as hell.” She waggles her perfectly sculpted brows at me.

“He is. Ridiculously so.” The server places a fruit laden glass in front of me, smiling when I gush my thanks. “Your brother and Judge have basically pimped me out to him so that we can work on cleaning up his image.” Those waggling eyebrows of hers disappear into her hair and stay there as she waits for me to elaborate. “We’re going to set him up with some charity to-do’s, and he needs a babysitter for the Country Music awards because he can’t be trusted to show up sober.” I don’t miss the irony in that statement as I take a huge sip of my drink.

“So you’re going with?”

I nod that I am.

“And this is a bad thing why?”

“Because I can’t like him and I kinda do. He’s sexy in this totally bad boy rancher singer guy kind of way.”

“Why can’t you?”

Exasperated I huff. “Because he’s a client. Because he’s Beau McCrae. And trouble with a capital T. And did I mention that he’s a client.”

“I don't get it.”

“Oh my God, Scarlet.”

“What? You’re an adult, so is he. So what if you’re technically his boss? That could be hot.” Her grin is hidden behind the rim of her glass, silver bracelets jangling over her intricately tattooed arms.

“It’s wrong on so many levels and you know it, you rebel.”

She blows me a kiss, “There’s nothing wrong with sleeping with him as long as he’s a consenting adult. Just don’t do anything stupid like fall in love with him. This way walking away won’t matter.”

“Easier said than done, Scar. I haven’t had a serious boyfriend in forever and you know I like the bad boys. I’m liable to catch a hard case of feelings for him.” I sigh deeply. “Why do I like the bad boys, Scarlet?”

“Because they’re hot.”

“Have you seen him?”

“I haven’t but I’m thinking that I need to.”

“What do you need to do?” Willow asks sliding into the booth next to Scarlet.

“About time you showed up. I didn’t think you were coming.” I pout.

“Sorry, Lyric is teething and I couldn’t get her down for her nap.” She does look a little frazzled.

Willow dips into the salsa and moans appreciatively. “Oh my gosh, this is so good. Way better than the Mexican in Toronto for sure.”

“Yeah, but we don’t have poutine here,” Scarlet points out.

“No. And that is a dirty, dirty shame,” Willow says around another chip.

The server comes over and takes our order then bounces off to hopefully bring me back another sangria. I look over to find Willow and Scar both looking at me funny. “What?” I snap.

“Not a thing, baby girl. Not. A. Thing. You do you,”Scar says, hands in the air in surrender.

“So, what were you two talking about?” Willow asks as she salts the chips.

“Oh nothing. Just the fact that Addy has a thing for this Beau guy and I told her she should go for it.”

Willows eyes go wide “McCrae?”

I groan but Scar just talks over me. “Yup. And she's worried about getting attached. Well, that and the fact that he's a client. I told her she's being silly, to just do it.”

“No. No, no, no. You can't, Addy.” Willow is adamant.

“What? Why?” Scarlet asks confused.

“She can't. She'll get attached. She gets attached to everything.”

“I do not! And don't talk about me like I'm not sitting here.”

“You do, Addy. Remember when you watched Nelle's little dog when she went on vacation? You were inconsolable when she came home and picked him up.”

“Oh whatever. He was adorable.”

“You had him for a week,” she reminds. “Then there was that time freshman year with the youth ministry counselor your dad had stay with you for the summer. You swore that he was the one. Like ready to have his little preacher babies and everything. And when he left you wore black for a month.”

Scarlet smothers a laugh, not even affected by my narrow-eyed glare.

“You’re being ridiculous. I was young and impressionable.”

“I can do this all day, Addy. Plus,” she says gently, “you haven’t had a serious relationship since Calvin.” Just hearing his name makes me feel a certain way.

“We’re not going there today, Willow. And I’ve had plenty of boyfriends since him.”

She raises her hands palms up. “I’m not. And you have not. Nobody serious anyway. But I do think that you should get out there and date someone that isn’t Beau McCrae. He’s a hot mess right now.”

Scar cuts in, “Um, hello, pot…” She trails off on a laugh.

“What? I’m not a hot mess!.” Willow says indignantly.

“You’re not, but my brother’s been a hot mess most of his damn life.”

“She’s right about that, Willow.” When she flips me off, I laugh. “I’m just sayin’ is all.”

“Which is why I know what I’m talking about.” This logic is not going to work on me. “Listen, you’re a big girl, you’re going to do what you want. Just be careful. He’s carrying around a ton of hurt feelings and looking to get lost in every chick that comes his way. I don’t want to see you end up hurt because you were just a distraction for him.”

Our food comes, silencing Willow but not Scar. “You’ll just have to be the best damn distraction he’s had in a long while. Start at swallowing. Nobody remembers a spitter.”

The server that brought out our food damn near loses the tray he’s holding. Scarlet shows neither him or me any mercy. “Am I right?” He looks around the table wide-eyed. It doesn’t help that we’re all watching him, waiting for his answer.

“She’s right,” he says sheepishly, passing out our meals as quickly as he can, then beating feet away from the table of crazy ladies talking about oral sex at supper. Good thing my daddy can’t hear us.

Scar points her fork at me. “I’m telling you. Use him as the distraction, it’ll do you good.”

Willow shakes her head in defeat as she takes a bite of her tamales. She’s right to worry. I know how I am. I can deny it all I want. If I let myself mess around with Beau McCrae and his fine behind, I’m gonna get my heart broken and don’t nobody have time for that. As if summoned, his face pops up on the TVs situated in every corner of the restaurant. The video playing is from his last album, a song about a bad breakup, him sitting at a bar looking forlorn and all country bad boy hotness.

“Oh my God, is that him?” Scarlet asks, mouth agape. “Woman, if you don’t distract him, I will.” She pretends to fan herself.

“Don’t even think about it, Scar.” I don’t know if I’m willing to take the risk, he’s kind of a jackass. But I like it. What is wrong with me? Have I learned nothing? My gaze travels back to the music video taunting me, his smirking face partially hidden in the shadow of his customary baseball cap. Truth be told, I’ve been crushing on him since he came on the scene, I just never thought I’d come face-to-face with the man, so it made no difference. Now though I’m going to be spending a lot of time with him and this little fangirl crush thing is making me ornery. I’m not the type to get silly over a celebrity. I just have to remember that.