by L A Cotton
“They are aware, yes.”
“And they agreed to it?” Because I couldn’t ever imagine a scenario where Hudson and Rafe would want me on tour with them.
“They understand what’s at stake, Eva, yes.”
It wasn’t the answer I wanted. But I guess the band was the most important thing, and I already knew there wasn’t much Rafe wouldn’t do for his brother.
But will he really accept you going on tour with them?
“I don’t know what to tell you, Mr. Portman, but I’m not the right person for the job.”
“Ahh, but see, I think you are. You’re the perfect candidate. People loved the Talent Showdown, the blend of country and rock. It made waves, Eva. Waves that show no sign of slowing down. If we can get you playing something more upbeat, more in line with the band, I think it could really work well, for everything.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry,” he cleared his throat, “do I not sound serious?”
“Even if I wanted to do it, Mr. Portman,”—and I wasn’t sure I did—“I can’t just leave school… my parents…”
“How are your parents? Gavin and Jesse Walker, right?”
“Yes,” I said coolly, unsure where he was going with this.
“It must be hard on them.”
“If you have a point, Mr. Portman, I suggest you make it.”
“Look, I know about your recent… struggles.”
“Y- you… know?” I choked out the words. “About me?”
“It came up in the background check, yes.”
“Background check? You ran a background check on me?”
“Standard procedure,” he said. “But don’t worry, Eva, only very few people have access to those records. If you don’t want it out in the open, we can be very discreet.”
“Wow, I don’t even know what to say to that.”
Discreet… they could be discreet.
“What if I told you the label are willing to sign a very big check to make this happen? Big enough to erase all your parent’s financial concerns.”
It was a low blow, using my parents as bait, but I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Mom and Dad were barely keeping their heads above water. Bills were piling up, and Dad was having to take more and more jobs out of town. It was taking its toll, on all of us.
“How big are we talkin’?”
“They’ll never need to worry again.”
The air left my lungs in a sharp breath.
“Listen, Eva, I know I’ve dropped a huge thing on you, so how about you take some time to sleep on it?”
“I don’t need to think about it,” I said, brows pinched with resignation. “I’ll do it.”
If it meant being able to help Mom and Dad, it was the only option.
“That is fantastic news.” Mr. Portman’s voice held an air of victory. As if he’d won a great battle.
And maybe he had.
But I couldn’t let a weekend of mistakes ruin what could be a life-changing opportunity for my family. Besides, it wasn’t like I was going to be on their tour bus. Didn’t support acts usually travel by much lower budget means?
“When does the tour commence?” I asked.
“February first. The first leg will run until spring break, with the second leg commencing April through June. But we’d need you in for rehearsals as soon as possible.”
“That’s less than two months away.”
“It’s tight, but not impossible. We envisage a twelve song set, but it’s negotiable to some degree.”
“I want to celebrate Christmas at home, with my family,” I blurted out, focusing on the simplest part of all this.
“Done. But we’ll need to pencil in a meeting between you and production as soon as possible.”
I couldn’t believe I was negotiating terms with the manager for one of America’s hottest bands. I hadn’t even spoken to my parents about it yet. But if even they disagreed—and I expected they would—it didn’t matter. I was eighteen now. An adult. And this was something I had to do.
Something I needed to do.
“You’ll need to meet with our legal team to go over the contracts and formalities. I can have someone out to Lyme this afternoon for a meeting tomorrow. I trust you can handle informing your school?”
Tomorrow?
This was happening tomorrow?
Nausea washed over me.
“Eva?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“For as much as we want you for this, you should go into this with your eyes wide open. Being on the road, performing night after night, it’s a life most aren’t cut out for.”
“Why the sudden moral conscience, Mr. Portman?” I asked, and he gave a strained laugh.
“Because believe it or not, I do want the best for my clients—all of them.”
Had he just referred to me as one of his clients?
Blood pounded between my ears, drowning out Mr. Portman’s voice.
“Still with me?” His voice cut through the thud thud thud in my skull.
“Still here.”
Barely.
“It’s overwhelming, I know. But trust me when I say, this won’t be anything compared to how you’ll feel being thrown into the deep end with the band.”
“I’m not some weak, impressionable girl, Mr. Portman.”
But I had been. In Camdena with Rafe. It was okay though; the next time I saw him I had plans to treat him with the same respect he’d shown me.
“I meant no offense.” Mr. Portman mumbled. “Oh, is that the time already? My two o’clock is almost here. I’ll have the details sent out today.” He was sounding more distracted by the second. “The sooner we get the meeting set up with legal, the better,” he said goodbye and hung up.
I returned to Molly in a daze, barely able to process what had just happened. “Who was it?” she asked, frowning at my expression.
“Alistair Portman,” his name was a whisper on my lips.
“Alistair Portman, who the heck is Ali...” her eyes widened. “Wait a minute, Alistair Portman. The Alistair Portman?”
I nodded slowly.
“Holy cow. What did he want?”
“He wants me to go on tour.”
If Molly looked surprised before, she looked stunned now. “He wants you to what? But how... I don’t... okay,” she took a deep breath. “Tell me everything.”
“With Black Hearts, Molly. He wants me to go on tour with Black Hearts.”
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Join Eva as she heads off on tour with Rafe and the Black Hearts in Rise, available for pre-order now.
For updates about the series news join my reader group here
Slide Away – Miley Cyrus
Wildfire – Emily Mae Winters
Head Above Water – Avril Lavigne
Change Your Life – Little Mix
Try – Pink
Sky Full of Song – Florence and the Machine
The Old Me – Jess Thristan
Miracle – CHVRCHES
Blown Away – Carrie Underwood
Big Girls Don’t Cry – Fergie
Brave – Sara Bareilles
Zombie – The Cranberries
Praying – Kesha
Believer – Neoni
Unbreak You – Davisson Brothers Band
I Can’t Breathe – Bea Miller
Falling Like the Stars – James Arthur
Lover – Taylor Swift
Acknowledgments
Firstly, thank you so much for taking a chance on (the beginning of) Eva and Rafe’s story. It’s always a risk when an author switches lane and writes something new. Sure it has all that angst and feels you might have come to expect from an L A Cotton story, but rock stars? I love writing high school / sports romance. I love creating those worlds. But I have so many other stories I want to tell. Stories that might not always fit the usual L A Cotton brand but that will still be my voice. So if you made it this far, thank you!
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As always, there is a huge list of people I owe gratitude:
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Andie, my editor and one of my best friend’s in the industry. Just when I don’t think I can love you anymore, you do or say something epic and BOOM, your bestie status triples. At this point in our friendship I think all I really need to say is thanks for being you and thank god you’re in my corner! Twink, I know I can always drop a message / question / moan into your inbox and you’ll be there to help me unravel it. Nina, my alpha reader and friend. I’ve come to enjoy our daily chats so much and having you around to talk over characters or plot or just vent when I’m second guessing everything. Thank you! Jessica, critique reader extraordinaire – your suggestions and words of advice really helped shape this story and I can’t wait to work with you again. Ginelle, my proof-reader, as always, you rock!
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To my L A Cotton promo team – you continue to blow me away with your support and encouragement. My Indie Girls, you know who you are. Thanks for always being there when I need to vent or just chat about what’s working and what isn’t.
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To my readers / spoiler groups – thank you for bearing with me and continuing to engage and support my writing and publishing journey. It’s nice to have somewhere to come and talk books or just life. And to the bloggers, reviewers, and bookstagrammer who have taken a chance on this new series, thanks doesn’t really seem enough!
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And to everyone who I’ve no doubt forgotten, thank you!
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Until next time,
L A xo
Angsty. Edgy. Addictive RomanceAuthor of mature young adult and new adult novels, L A is happiest writing the kind of books she loves to read: addictive stories full of teenage angst, tension, twists and turns.
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Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time writer with being a mother/referee to two little people. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find L A immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.
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L A loves connecting with readers. The best places to find her are
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www.lacotton.com
www.facebook.com/authorlacotton
www.instagram.com/authorlacotton
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Did you love Rush? Then you should read Wicked Beginnings by L. A. Cotton!
An edgy, angsty, addictive YA/NA crossover series from L. A. Cotton, author of the Chastity Falls series.Sometimes wrong feels so right... When seventeen-year-old Eloise Stone finds herself halfway across the world, moving into her uncle's pool house, she expects things to be ... awkward. She doesn't expect to come face-to-face with the boy from last summer. The boy that made her feel things she'd never felt before. But a year is a long time, and Lo isn't the girl she was then. Besides, they're family now.It's weird.Maverick Prince acts as if he doesn't remember her, treating Lo like nothing more than an annoying younger sister, and not in a 'he cares' way, just in a 'he's an arsehole' way. One thing's for sure, he isn't just dangerous for her sanity--he's hazardous for her heart.Lo thought moving to Wicked Bay was the worst of her problems, but as life begins to unravel around her, she's going to find out it's only the beginning...~The Wicked Bay Series is recommended for readers aged 17+ due to mature themes, language and content.
Reading Order:
Wicked Beginnings
Wicked Rules
Wicked Lies (can be read as a standalone)
Wicked Games
Wicked Needs (can be read as a standalone)
Wicked Suprise: A Wicked Bay novella
Wicked Hearts (can be read as a standalone)
Wicked Promises (coming soon)
Read more at L. A. Cotton’s site.
Also by L. A. Cotton
Black Hearts Still Beat
Rush
Chastity Falls
Loyalty and Lies
Salvation and Secrets
Tribulation and Truths
Affliction
Redemption and Regrets
Penance and Promises
Absolution
Fate's Love
Fate's Love
Love's Spark
Love Collides
Liar Liar
Liar Liar
Truth or Dare
Rixon Raiders
The Trouble With You
The Game You Play
The Harder You Fall
The Maverick Defense Series
Deliverance
Wicked Bay
Wicked Beginnings
Wicked Rules
Wicked Lies
Wicked Games
Wicked Needs
Wicked Surprise
Wicked Hearts
Wicked Promises
Standalone
Lucky Penny
Chastity Falls: Box Set
Watch for more at L. A. Cotton’s site.