Say You're Mine - Layla Hagen Page 0,20

and then asked what the others ate.

That was exactly what I’d hoped to achieve: giving fans something they could relate to.

I scrolled down the screen, smiling at the trivial questions in the comment section. Fans were craving mundane details, like what movie the band watched or if they ordered takeout a lot. This was good—really good. I was hoping the record company would see it that way too.

The car slowed in front of the gates, where there were two security guards. All my nerve endings snapped. We’d arrived at the cottage! The gates opened, and he drove inside on the alleyway. Last time, there were no cars in front of the cottage, but now I counted twelve pulled next to the manicured lawn.

“Thanks,” I told the driver, who merely nodded at me in the rearview mirror.

I got out of the car, walking with shaky legs toward the entrance door, which was slightly open. I nodded to the two guards posted on either side. Music and voices were filtering out of it. The cottage was honestly incredible. I hadn’t had a chance to explore the garden yet, which was huge and had an opening on the Hudson River. Enormous old trees lined the property and made it impossible to pry inside.

When I pushed the door open, I was surprised to notice only a few people in the lobby, and no one from the band.

I moved to the living room, not bothering to take off my shoes because no one else had. Besides, my sky-high heels were part of the outfit. The beige dress was understated, but my shoes were black leather peep toes with straps that crisscrossed my leg until mid-ankle. They were sexy, just like the red nail polish I’d used on my toes.

A bunch of people stood around in the living room. I immediately headed to the buffet. As I approached the table, my stomach rumbled. They had everything from guacamole to tabbouleh salad and smoked salmon. I headed straight to the dinnerware, taking a small bowl of tabbouleh on a plate.

“Someone’s happy,” a deliciously seductive voice said from behind me.

My entire body hummed as I slowly turned around. Brayden was standing a few feet away, unabashedly inspecting me. His eyes widened when he glanced down at my shoes, and he drew in a sharp breath. When he glanced back up, his pupils were a bit dilated.

Licking my lips, I held up my plate. “The food is great.”

“I made sure there was something from your list of restaurants.”

My eyes widened. “Why?”

“I wanted the foodie in our midst to be happy.” The corners of his mouth twitched. His eyes were fixated on me, as if he was making great effort not to glance back down at my shoes. I felt utterly naked.

“Where’s the birthday boy?” I asked.

“Come with me. I’ll bring you to him.”

I took my food with me. As we walked, Brayden’s arm brushed against mine a few times, and my whole body warmed. He led me to yet another room, one I hadn’t been in before. It was another living room of sorts, with shelves full of books on one wall and comfortable-looking armchairs spread around the room.

Lars was surrounded by a large group. He winked when he saw us coming.

“I’ve got a present for you.” I rummaged in my small bag with one hand, pulling out a book by my favorite mystery author.

Lars’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, you bought me a gift?”

“Err, yes. That’s what birthdays are for.”

Brayden seemed as surprised as Lars, which made me think this wasn’t the case with them.

“Besides, I want you to like me for something other than bringing Brayden bad luck,” I added on a wink.

Lars laughed, introducing me to the group. Brayden touched the small of my back as we made the rounds. I didn’t even try to remember everyone’s names. One particular blonde stood out, because she looked at me with disdain when Brayden introduced us. She certainly didn’t seem to like the way he touched my back. I, on the other hand, was enjoying it immensely.

After he introduced me to a bunch of people, he excused himself, saying he had to check on some guests.

I returned to the buffet, loading my plate yet again. The blonde with the upturned nose appeared while I was pouring myself a Coke.

“So, how do you know Brayden?” she asked without touching the food.

“I’m consulting with Sasha, their manager, on a few things.”

“I know who Sasha is,” she said dismissively. “So, you spend