Falling for the Bridesmaid

d through backstage without any noticeable delays. From the amused look one of the security guards gave Violet, Tom had a feeling that she could probably have talked her way in there without him anyway. She had a very famous face, after all. Not to mention the rest of her.

Violet paused for a moment in the empty corridor backstage as they approached the star dressing room. The sound of Olivia’s latest hit echoed around the hallways. Tom stood beside her as she leant against the cool painted wall.

‘You ready for this?’ he asked, his voice low, relying on his close proximity to ensure he was heard.

‘No.’ She gave him a wobbly smile. ‘But I’m going to do it anyway.’

God, you had to admire that kind of spirit. That kind of grit. The woman he’d thought she was when they met wouldn’t have been afraid, and the one he’d come to know in his first days at Huntingdon Hall wouldn’t have dared. But this Violet—the woman he was beginning to think of as his Violet, without any justification—she was braver than either of those other women he’d thought he knew.

She was magnificent.

‘I’ll be right here,’ Tom promised. ‘But you won’t need me.’

Her smile firmed up a little at that, and something in his chest grew warmer. Was it his heart? It had been so long he could hardly tell.

Slowly, Tom leant forward to press a kiss against her forehead, but she tilted her head up to look at him and then...well, it was only natural for him to place that kiss on her lips, right?

‘Yeah? Well, you tell them not to call me again until we’re talking about top billing, okay? My girl headlines or nothing at all.’

The terse voice cut through what Tom thought was pretty much a perfect moment. Violet jerked back, putting unwelcome inches between them, and Tom bit back a growl of frustration.

‘Mr Collins,’ Violet said, in what Tom recognised as a dangerously sweet voice. Shaking off the kiss fog that had filled his brain, he tried to focus on what was happening in front of him. How much had the agent seen?

Jake Collins blinked, then jabbed at the screen of his smartphone and slipped it into his pocket. ‘Miss Huntingdon-Cross. What a...surprise. And Mr Buckley, correct? Now, what can I do for you two lovebirds?’

Damn. That answered the question of whether Jake had noticed them kissing. Violet’s cheeks grew a little pink and Tom cursed his lack of impulse control. Couldn’t he have waited to kiss the girl after she’d taken care of business?

‘I won’t take more than a moment of your time, Mr Collins,’ Violet continued smoothly, ignoring Jake’s amused look and raised eyebrows. Tom stayed a few steps away to the side, close enough to see everything, but not so close that Jake Collins would be able to turn things round and try to deal with him instead. This was Violet’s rodeo.

‘We’re actually in the middle of a pretty big gig here right now, in case you haven’t noticed.’ Jake’s gaze flicked over to Tom. ‘I realise you may have had other distractions to deal with.’

Again, Violet ignored the innuendo, so Tom resisted the urge to land a punch on the manager’s face. Just.

‘Trust me, Mr Collins, I’m here on business,’ Violet said crisply. ‘Olivia hasn’t signed the revised rider yet. You may not be aware but the contract for her to appear at the Benefit Concert is void without the signed rider.’ Jake’s mouth twitched up at that. Of course he was aware. But Violet kept talking. ‘Since I couldn’t get hold of you by phone or email, I thought the simplest thing would be to come down here in person with the rider.’ She pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it over.

Jake didn’t even open it. ‘Obviously you realise that Olivia needs to sign this? And she’s a little busy right now.’ As if to punctuate his statement, Olivia hit the high note of her latest single and the walls around them vibrated with the sound.

‘We can wait.’ Violet smiled patiently and Tom brought his hand to his mouth to hide his own grin.

With a sigh, Jake flipped open the cover of the folder and glared at the paper inside. ‘This isn’t what I agreed with your sister.’

‘That is the standard rider that every other act appearing in the concert has signed, plus a couple of the more reasonable requests from Olivia’s original list,’ Violet said. ‘If it isn’t acceptable to you, or to Olivia, I need you to tell me now. We have just over a week until the concert and if I need to find a replacement I need to do it immediately. I’m sure you understand.’

Tom glanced down at Violet’s hands, resting at her sides, and noticed they were trembling, just slightly. Jake wouldn’t have noticed, he was sure. No one who wasn’t looking, or who didn’t know Violet, would. She sounded completely in control of the moment, of the man even.

Only Tom knew she was terrified.

Had she been scared that night at the airport? He hadn’t known to look for the signs, then. Had just assumed that she was the cocky, self-assured celebrity kid he was expecting.

Now he knew her better. And cared for her all the more for it.

‘You really think you could find an act of the same calibre as Olivia in a week?’ Jake shook his head and laughed.

‘It’s not the calibre I’d be worried about,’ Violet shot back. ‘The same level of fame may be a problem, but I could call a dozen better acts and have them on the stage in moments.’ Tom winced at the sting in her words.

‘Of course, the real problem would be the fans,’ Jake threw back. ‘Because, whatever you think of her talent, Olivia is the one they want to see. I’d like to see you fill that concert without her.’

Violet nodded, her face solemn. ‘And I’m sure Olivia would hate to let down her fans. Which is why, if she’s not planning to appear, it would be best to know now. So I can put out an official statement apologising to her fans on Olivia’s behalf. I’m sure they’ll understand when I explain that we were unable to divert enough money from the charity account to satisfy her. Especially when that information comes in a paragraph after a detailed description of all the good causes that money is used to support.’ She looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘Maybe I’ll get Dad to put out the statement. After all, it’s his concert, and his charities. We could include a list of all the acts who waived their fee for the concert altogether for comparison. What do you think?’

It was more or less the same threat Jake had made himself, but with more teeth. If Olivia pulled out now, Violet would eviscerate her reputation. Jake didn’t want a diva on his books—even if that was what he had. He needed Olivia to appear wholesome and loving and giving, so the kids’ mums would let their pre-teens buy her music.

Jake Collins glared at Violet for a long moment before flicking his gaze over to Tom. With a ‘What can you do?’ smile, Tom shrugged.

‘Fine.’ Jake snapped the word out as he flicked the folder closed again. ‘I’ll get her to sign it tonight and courier it to you tomorrow.’

‘Perfect.’ Violet’s smile was sharp, with a hint of teeth. ‘And if it’s not with me by Monday, I’ll issue that press release.’ She held out a hand, which Jake took, obviously reluctantly. ‘I’m so glad we were able to clear this up. I hope the rest of the tour goes well.’

Jake Collins turned on his heel and stalked away down the corridor without so much as a goodbye. Tom watched him go, aware Violet was doing the same. Then, once he’d disappeared around the corner, Tom let out a long breath.

‘You did it,’ he said.

‘I really, really did.’ Violet’s eyes were wide, her expression stunned. ‘I did it, all by myself.’

Tom grinned. ‘So what now?’

The shock faded from Violet’s face, replaced by elation. ‘Now we celebrate!’

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE HOTEL BAR was mostly deserted, but Violet managed to scare up a barman to fetch them some drinks, while Tom carried their bags in from the car and got them checked in. She was glad of the few minutes alone; it gave her a chance to process everything that had happened since they’d arrived in Brighton. And somehow the confrontation with Jake Co

llins was fading in her memory, compared to the brief, soft, mesmerising kiss she’d shared with Tom beforehand.

But all too soon Tom was back and Violet found herself trying very hard not to stare at his mouth. Why had he kissed her? And was he planning on doing it again?

And if he wasn’t, would she?

‘Here’s to beating that scumbag at his own game.’ Tom raised his pint to Violet’s glass of wine, and she dutifully chinked them together.

‘You don’t think I went too far?’ Violet asked. After all, it was one thing to stop Jake Collins from trying to ruin her concert, another to behave just as badly to get her own way.

Tom shook his head. ‘Trust me, I’ve seen too far. That was just far enough. Your sister would be proud.’

‘Except we’re not going to tell her about this, right?’ Violet said. ‘And it’s definitely not going in your book.’

‘But it’s such a great story!’ Tom protested.

‘About me,’ Violet replied. ‘A story about me. And the book is supposed to be about the band, in case you’ve forgotten.’

‘And your family. Your dad has been very specific about that.’

Violet rolled her eyes. ‘I have no idea why. Him and Mum, yeah, I get. People want to read about their epic romance. And okay, maybe a tiny section on Daisy marrying into the aristocracy, or looking at all the work Rose has done with the band. But what is there to write about me except a sex scandal I’d much rather no one ever mentioned again?’

‘I don’t know,’ Tom said. ‘That’s what I’ve been trying to find out.’

‘By asking a thousand questions.’

‘That you don’t answer.’ Tom raised his eyebrows. ‘Why is that?’

God, he was unstoppable. ‘I answered every question you asked me at lunch the other day. I told you everything you could possibly want to know.’

‘About one bad experience with a guy eight years ago, yeah,’ Tom said. ‘But what about who you are now? What’s happened in your life since? Your entire existence can’t revolve around one bad sex tape, Violet.’