One More Time - Ali Parker Page 0,11

it.”

“Why’d you ask that question, then?”

I sighed exasperatedly. “Because I had to, Alicia. It’s my job. That really is the word on the streets. God knows where people get it from, but there you have it. I would never betray your trust like that.”

“I guess.” The fire in her eyes died down until there were only embers of it left. “Still, you could’ve told me. Like you said, we talked about this just last night.”

“Controversy sells, sis. If I had told you, you would’ve warned Jared, and his response wouldn’t have been authentic. Chinese wall, remember?”

“Chinese wall,” she repeated, then sighed again and nodded. I could tell from the little twitch in her left eye and the set of her shoulders that she was still annoyed, but at least she wasn’t pissed anymore.

“Besides, it’s stuff like this kind of controversy that gets the band even more attention, you know? The word’s already out there. It’s just about presenting it to them and seeing how they take it.”

“If only it weren’t my sister that had to present the rumor that I’m killing my fiancé’s band and his career,” Alicia replied dryly, letting me know that I was spot on about her lingering irritation.

“I never said you were killing the band or his career. Neither did anyone else. Okay, maybe a few people did at first, but you get my point. The public’s curious about how an engagement is fitting into the whole, ‘we’re players’ thing the band has always had going. It’s no secret that none of them do relationships, and then boom, lead singer and songwriter Jared Larsen gets engaged to the band’s PR chick at a press conference. Those stories kind of write themselves, don’t you see?”

“People still think our engagement is a PR stunt after the fake pregnancy thing with Madison?” A haunting sadness suddenly flickered behind her eyes, and I knew that those tough days for them were not yet forgotten, so I shook my head fast.

“Nope, I don’t think so. Now they’re just wondering how having a member who’s married will affect the band in the long run.”

She nodded. “I see your point, I guess. Doesn’t mean that I liked the question.”

“Maybe not, but since controversy sells, maybe you lean into that question a little. Caleb was the only one who really answered. Maybe playing up the brotherly rival angle is exactly what you need right now.”

“There’s no brotherly rivalry going on.” Alicia scoffed, though I could see that she was a bit uncertain. Maybe Caleb really wasn’t too impressed with the engagement. Alicia herself didn’t think Caleb thought they would last for very long.

“How about you let me interview him? Caleb. Let me get a follow-up on the discomfort he showed when I asked the question. I could help you play up that angle.” A small seed of hope started blooming in my chest. It was a fucked-up way of getting it, for sure, but this interview could give me some alone time with Caleb.

Maybe I could finally see if that something in me that was drawn to that something in him was justified, or whether he was nothing more than a moody rock star who lived in his brother’s shadow. I couldn’t imagine that that was it, but who knew?

I didn’t, but I had every intention of finding out.

Alicia chewed her lower lip, her narrowed eyes on mine. “I’m not sure. Let me talk to the band about this, and I’ll get back to you, okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed. “I’ve gotta get back to the office and write all this up. I’ll talk to you later?”

“Sure.” We hugged, and Alicia set off in the direction where the band’s dressing rooms were set up when a last thought occurred to me.

“And Alicia, you better get used to seeing me around because I’m going to be on the band like white on rice when the tour starts, okay? Just promise me that you’ll trust that no matter what I ask, I would never do it to intentionally hurt either you or Jared.”

Alicia gave me a swift nod, muttering something about walls, and disappeared around the corner. I knew that she was still worried about my going on tour with them, but all I’d just done was given her a taste of what it was going to be like. She might not have liked the taste at first, but she did say that I had a good point a few times, so I was thinking that we were