Spotlight by Eden Finley Page 0,95

moves fast, so Cameron can’t wait for an answer as long as I can. My label will take months to get off the ground.”

“I’m a little overwhelmed,” I admit. And then something occurs to me. “How did you two know where to find me?”

“Total fluke?” Harley squeaks.

I narrow my eyes.

“Shit, is that the time?” Harley checks an imaginary watch. “It’s way past my bedtime.”

He goes to leave.

“What happened to not lying?”

“Okay, fine. Ryder told me where you might be, but trust me, it was only because I’d been calling him nonstop about you. I even tried to trick him into giving me your demo, which is how Cameron got involved in the first place, but he saw right through it. Now Cameron’s interested in you too, and if I was going to lose you to anyone, I’d be comfortable with it being him. Even if, right now, I really want to tell a guy who is like my dad to fuck off.”

Cameron smiles. “With Harley going to extremes to get your demo, it piqued my interest. It’s business.”

Right. It’s business.

“I … I have a lot to think about,” I say. “And I’m not considering anything unless you send me contracts with all your terms.” Thank fuck my brother is an entertainment lawyer.

“Give us your contact details, and we’ll send them,” Cameron says. “Unless you’re going to make us go through Ryder again?”

“I’ll give you my information.”

They each give me their phone, and I put my email address and phone number into their contacts.

Harley steps closer to me. “Please don’t be mad at Ryder for telling me where I could find exactly what I was looking for. I wouldn’t be fighting for you if I hadn’t seen something out there.” He points toward the stage. “Neither would Cameron. I admire you for wanting to get this the right way, but I also have to say that you need work. You need to grow as an artist. We both see that thing inside you that you need to be great. Eventually. No free rides. Got it?”

I nod.

The way this is happening is not how I ever wanted to get a deal, but I believe him when he says he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t believe in me. Neither of them would be willing to sink time and energy into me.

The weight of my decision claws at my throat.

My head says Cameron. He’s one of the biggest managers in the industry and could make me a huge star.

Harley … he’s offering me more, but it’s a risk. His new label, no matter how big his name is as an artist, is a risk. He might suck at running the business side of it.

I really have no idea what to do, and the only thing I want to do right now is go home to Ryder.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ryder

I’m pacing my bedroom and starting at the text I sent to Lyric a few hours ago. As soon as I hung up with Harley, I knew I’d done the wrong thing and needed to confess.

It took a few hours to work up the courage to type a half confession.

So, I did something. Please don’t hate me.

I figured he was onstage, maybe, or hadn’t seen it.

By now, Lyric would know for sure if Harley had turned up, which I assume he had. He wouldn’t have been hounding me for details on Lyric only to drop it the minute he was given them.

So I guess the only question now is how much trouble I’m in.

The front door clicks open, echoing up the stairs in the silence of the late hour.

I pray to the God my parents forced down my throat, even though I don’t believe in Him, and hope it’s Lyric and not some stalker situation like what Harley dealt with this past year.

I open the door to my bedroom and come face-to-face with the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen in my life.

From his loose, long, wavy blond hair, expressive hazel eyes, and strong jaw down to his usual attire of tight jeans, plain T-shirt, and a suit vest, I love everything about this man.

Even the scowl he’s … wait … not wearing?

He smiles at me, and now I’m wondering if maybe this is a dream.

I should be getting yelled at. I should be—

Not getting cut off by his mouth on mine. Yet, here we are.

I stumble back, but he comes with me. His tongue probes my mouth, making my lips part for him as he dives