Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“Anything I can do to help?” Lola asked.
Avery would never impose on one of Grey’s friends for an in-person appearance, but since Lola was asking . . . “Would you mind signing pictures or something for the kids? We could put them in the goodie-slash-giveaway bags for the end of the night.”
Lola’s expression lit up at the idea. “I’d love to. Let me see what I can get my hands on. Text me the date, and I’ll make sure you have things in time.”
Avery clapped her hands in excitement, just imagining the kids’ expressions to have something signed by Lola Corbin.
They chatted for a little while longer before Lola rose to her feet. “I’m going to let you rest now, but thanks for seeing me. And for accepting my apology.”
Avery waved away her words. “It’s in the past.”
“Good. I hope we can try dinner, the four of us, again?”
“I’d like that.”
Avery walked Lola back into the apartment just as Grey stepped inside. From the expression on his face, either his meeting hadn’t gone well . . . or something else was very wrong.
Chapter Eleven
Grey should have known Simon wouldn’t go away quietly. But he’d been sidetracked by how good things had been. With the paparazzi focused on the breakup of a Hollywood super couple, they’d left Tangled Royal, Grey Kingston, and his old flame alone. Whoever had broken into Avery’s apartment building and vandalized her front door had disappeared. He and Avery were getting to know each other again, and things were almost perfect. Which meant he should have known to watch his back.
Grey’s meeting with Chloe Mandrake hadn’t gone as expected. Not in any imaginable way. And though he knew he should have cooled off before heading home, he also knew he could only take out his anger in the gym, on a punching bag. He hadn’t expected to find Lola here with Avery, but considering this had to do with his ex-manager, Lola needed the information to make her own decisions on what to do with the man.
“What’s wrong?” Avery asked the second she saw him. Yeah, she read him well, and he was grateful for it.
“I can go,” Lola offered.
Grey shook his head. “You need to hear this.”
“What is it?” Lola asked.
Avery watched him with a concerned expression.
He blew out a sharp breath. “I just met with Chloe Mandrake. She’d already contacted me about collaborating on a song for her next album, based on the work I did with Alden Mills.”
“That’s really cool!” Lola said, her eyes lighting up. “You two would rock it.”
“Not jealous?” Grey asked, grateful for the moment to put aside his fury. He playfully nudged her with his elbow, and she grinned.
“No. I know I’m your true band sister.”
Avery laughed. “None of this explains what has you so upset.”
“Chloe said she didn’t know if she could go forward with the collaboration. She said the reason she wanted to do it in the first place was because I cowrote with Alden Mills.” He shoved his hands into his slacks pockets. “But Simon told her that wasn’t the truth. That Mills did the writing and took me along just to take advantage of my popularity and audience.” Grey’s stomach was still twisted into angry knots over the accusation.
“That bastard,” Lola said, digging through her bag and pulling out her phone.
“What are you doing?” Grey asked.
“Calling him and giving him a piece of my mind!”
“Slow down!” Grey reached for the phone and placed it on the table.
Lola huffed at him. “You expect me to do nothing?”
“I expect you to let me handle it.”
“Did Chloe believe him?” Avery asked.
He shrugged. “She wants to believe me, but she’s on a tight deadline, and working with me if I can’t hack it is a risk.”
Avery came up beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist in an obvious attempt to calm him. He tucked her into him, grateful for her support and for Lola’s, even if she was, as usual, impulsive in her defense.
“What are you going to do?” Lola asked.
“Mills’s widow is the only one who was there during our sessions. Other than Simon,” he muttered. “She’s well aware of what Alden was and wasn’t capable of when we worked together. I called the last number I had for Mills, and it’s been disconnected.”
Lola swore.
He glanced at Avery. “I called your brother on the way home and hired his firm to find Mills’s widow.”
“I hope he didn’t give you a hassle first.”
“No. He takes work and security seriously,” Grey assured her. And he had. For all the shit Tyler gave him over Avery, he was damned good at his job and didn’t joke around. “And I left a message for my lawyer. I want to find out what constitutes slander, because I’m not letting Simon get away with this bullshit.”