It's Only Temporary Read online

  My heart races when she says my name. My head pounds, and all I can hear is that steady beat and the rush in my ears until her voice breaks through. “Kane, tell us, are you the lone single wolf remaining?”

  I lift a shoulder. “I guess, though I wouldn’t label myself as a lone single wolf.”

  “You’re participating in a bachelor auction next weekend, is that correct?” she asks, glossing over the second part of my statement.

  I nod. “Yes, I’ve been recruited for the auction portion of the first annual Ashmark Date with a Rock Star gala.”

  “I’m sure the ladies will just eat you up,” she says, winking at me, and I’m not exactly sure how to take that. I’m about to toss something in about the girl I’ve been with for seven years when she says, “Check out Ruby Ray’s upcoming events as we take a quick break.”

  Presumably they’ll post our upcoming show schedule on the screen, but I don’t really have time to process that because Rascal, who is sitting beside me, elbows me in the ribs.

  “What the fuck was that?” he mutters so Gina doesn’t hear us, not that it matters since we have microphones on. She’s occupied, though, as make-up presses more powder to her face.

  “What was what?” I ask stupidly. “What did I say?”

  “Gorgeous? Extraordinary? Incredible?” he asks, shaking his head and laughing. “And you wouldn’t call yourself a lone single wolf? You failed to mention your long-term girlfriend completely.”

  Shit. “It’s not like you were jumping in to answer about Ruby,” I point out. Too late I realize that while I meant I’m not single, it may have sounded like I’m not a lone single wolf because I can always find someone to keep my bed warm when that isn’t what I meant at all.

  “Yeah, but even if I did, I realize my fiancée is backstage listening to my every word.” He gives me a pointed look, and oh, shit, I already know I’m in trouble and I don’t even have to look at the side stage to realize that fact.

  As if I don’t hate interviews enough, now I’m going to have to face the wrath of Sierra for what I just said.

  The interview feels interminable as I know what’s waiting for me, and sure enough, she’s seething with anger when I return to her side. I toss my arm around her, but she just shakes me off.

  “What?” I finally grit out when she keeps ignoring me.

  “Gorgeous, Kane? Do you really think the singer of the new band you’re temporarily filling in for is gorgeous?”

  Have you seen her? That’s what I want to ask. But I’d like to keep my dick and balls in healthy, good condition, thank you very much, so instead I say, “She’s got nothing on you.”

  Sierra rolls her eyes. Usually my cheesy lines work on her.

  “And you didn’t bother to mention the fact that you have a girlfriend when she asked you about the bachelor auction.” She isn’t typically quite so jealous.

  But I’ve also never given her a reason to be.

  “I was about to when she threw another question at me and I just got flustered. I’m sorry.”

  She purses her lips. “You’re sorry.” She nods. “Great. You’re sorry, and now all of America will think you’re single when you’re not.” She shoves her pointer finger in my chest. “Unless you want to be, because you’re doing a great job of making it seem like you do.”

  She spins to walk away from me, but fuck that. She doesn’t just get to make jabs and walk away before I get a chance to defend myself.

  “Sierra, stop it,” I say, fisting her forearm and pulling her into me. I wrap my arms around her petite shoulders and I feel her body trembling. Is she crying?

  Fuck.

  Tears are my one weakness, and she knows that.

  “I really am sorry,” I say tenderly. “I hate those damn interviews, and I just got nervous. I love you. You’re all that matters to me. You know that.”

  She leans back and looks up at me, her cheeks tear-stained. “Do I?” she asks.

  And it takes me a second to realize that maybe she doesn’t know that. Maybe at this point in our relationship, she feels like we should be engaged or married or one of the couples being interviewed about our impending parenthood. Maybe those are the things that would prove to her that she’s what really matters.

  Instead, we’re having a fight backstage because I failed to mention my girlfriend and I called another woman gorgeous and I’m going to be in a bachelor auction when I’m not really a bachelor.

  I lean down and press my lips to hers. She gives in for half a beat before she pushes me away.

  “Besides, you’re going to win my auction,” I say. “It’s just for charity. The guys and I will all pool cash together and you’ll have an envelope before I take the stage.”

  “I know. But what if I don’t win? What if you don’t give me enough money and someone else swoops in?”

  “Then just keep bidding, babe. It’s fine. I’ll cover the rest.”

  She narrows her eyes at me as if to ask whether I’m sure, but I’m sure. She doesn’t need to ask. She’s going to win, and it’s just a formality for me to participate in this silly auction.

  I’m doing it because the wife of the CEO of my record label asked me to.

  That’s all there is to it.

  CHAPTER 3

  I miss a radio interview with MFB because I’m called into the Ashmark offices the Thursday before the bachelor auction along with every other sucker bachelor Reese conned into this thing.

  I’m ushered up to a huge conference room that’s used for entertainment more than conferences. There’s a bar set up in one corner and a buffet spread with all different sorts of foods.

  The floor to ceiling windows look out over the heart of downtown Los Angeles. I’ve been in this room dozens of times, and today I feel more nervous than I did the day we first came here as a band to sign with a record label. Maybe because that’s music, and I know music. I knew we were good enough and we deserved it.

  This is personal. This is about me.

  I’m typically the quietest member of MFB. I’ve been with my girl for a long time, and because of that, I usually don’t make headlines. We’ve got Dax, the lead singer who went on a dating show that aired on a major network. We’ve got Brody, the drummer who hooked up with someone who’s becoming famous in her own right, and Adam, whose drunken wedding video went viral, and Rascal, who started a charity with his woman and is often the voice who asks for donations.

  And then there’s me. The bassist who gladly fades into the background while the other guys take the lead.

  But with this event, I’m the one on display. I’ll be the one standing center stage with the spotlight shining brightly on me while women hold up numbers indicating that they want to go on a date with me.

  Just the thought of that makes my stomach heave. What if no one bids? What if Sierra gets out cheap because no one’s interested?

  It’s dumb to even think that. I know I’m showing my insecurities, another thing I try to avoid, but the whole idea of this thing just isn’t me. Yet I’m stuck here. I’m taking one for the MFB team because somehow I got roped into this shit show.

  I greet a lot of familiar faces and grab a beer and some bacon wrapped thing before I take a seat beside Dane Cooper, the drummer from Beyond Gold.

  “Hey, man,” he says, sticking out his knuckles to bump mine. “Good to see you again.”

  “How’d you get nominated for this shit show?” I ask, keeping my voice low in case anyone here is actually taking this seriously.

  “I lost rock paper scissors.” He shakes his head and purses his lips ruefully. “Always go with paper. Always. You?”

  “Everyone in my band is either engaged or married.” I shrug.

  “Didn’t you have a girl?” he asks.

  I nod. “Still do. And she’s not happy about this, but Reese needed someone from MFB since our Rock on the Road season premiere is Sunday.”

  He nods. “We’ve been approached for an upcoming season. If you had to do it all
over again, would you?”

  I turn my gaze out the window. I’m more of a private guy than Dax and Brody. I always have been. I get in my head a lot and I’m practical and logical to a fault. I can read people pretty well and think I would’ve done well in the psychology field even though I went to school for computer science. But despite all that, I answer honestly. “There’s a lot of shit that comes with it, but I can’t deny that the show catapulted our career and helped make MFB a household name.”

  He’s about to respond when Reese walks into the room with two other women trailing her. She’s carrying a stack of papers and a tablet. The two women behind her seem a little flustered, but Reese is calm and cool.

  “Good afternoon, rock stars,” she says. She sets her stuff down at a podium before stepping around and leaning casually on it. “Thank you so much for being here today. This is sort of like a rehearsal. I wanted to give you all the information you’ll need to help me make this the most successful charity event Ashmark has ever held.”

  Someone across the room whoops and someone else claps, and the rest of us laugh while Reese smiles warily.

  “The number one focus of this event is, of course, charity. All proceeds will benefit Women of LA, a brand-new women’s shelter. Please encourage your friends or your bandmates or whoever is in attendance to help drive up bidding so we can cut them a huge check. And Mark has agreed to a special bonus for whichever bachelor goes for the highest amount, so you’re all in competition with one another.”

  “What’s the bonus?” someone yells.

  “You’ll find out if you get it, but trust me when I say that you don’t want to miss it. We’ll have drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and dancing. It’s a black-tie event, and you need to look the part. Wardrobe will be delivered to you on Saturday morning based on the measurements we took weeks ago. And I shouldn’t have to state the obvious, but don’t bring a date.” Her eyes zero in on me when she says that part.

  I laugh. I’m bringing Sierra, obviously, or at least I’ll have someone else bring her. In any case, she’ll be there.

  “There are ten of you and we have ten different date packages that have been donated. All include dinner and some sort of activity, ranging from bowling to escape rooms to skydiving and everything in between.”

  Because I’m so sure I’ll be hungry while I’m waiting for all the women in the room to name their price for a date with me.

  I hate this.

  “I hope I get skydiving,” Sebastian Cresswell, lead singer of Noteworthy, yells. Everyone laughs. He’s kind of infamous for his fast lifestyle.

  And, just to be clear, I hope I don’t get skydiving. I think Sierra and I would have a lot of fun in one of those escape rooms, though.

  Reese laughs. “It’s indoor skydiving. The event starts at five in the evening, and we just ask that you are there no later than five-thirty. We’ll meet in a conference room at five-forty-five. The auction will begin promptly at six, and your dates will start immediately after the auction ends.”

  “How do we find out which date we’re going on?” Brandon York, the singer from York Short, asks.

  “Oh! Right,” Reese says. “It’ll be a random draw. When your date pays, she’ll pick a card that will say which date is yours. And then you’re off to your adventure.”

  She shuffles some papers around on the podium and picks them up. “Here I have your contracts. There are very specific clauses in it about your behavior on this date and how it’s a reflection of Ashmark Records. Mark thought this was a terrible idea, so I need you to behave yourselves to prove him wrong.”

  That gets another laugh out of the room.

  “The women will sign a waiver that releases Ashmark of any liability, and it’s in your contract as well. This is meant to be a fun, innocent charity event, not an invitation to find someone to bang. But, if the winner gives her consent or she initiates something you also want, that’s your business. If either party is made to feel uncomfortable at any time, you’re both free to end the date early. And once your date is over, your obligation is over. I just ask that you stay through dinner and the date portion of the evening so long as you are both comfortable with it. Any questions?”

  “What if we have a good time and want to see each other again?” some guy I’ve never seen before asks. MFB has been around a long time, and we know a lot of people in this industry, particularly those artists who signed with Ashmark, so he must be a rookie.

  “If you both agree to it, then it’s no longer in our hands and it becomes your business. However, with that said, the contract also stipulates that if we create a love connection at this auction, you’re obligated to return to any future auctions, schedule-permitting, to talk about your experience.”

  Reese pauses and waits for more questions, and when there are none, she says, “Demi will be around with your contracts. Please read through them, ask questions, and if you need to have someone else review them, I’ll need it back before the auction begins.”

  Reese nods toward one of the women standing behind her. “This is Kate, Ashmark’s lawyer. You’re welcome to ask her questions, too. Enjoy the food and drinks. I’ll be mingling if you want to ask me anything one-on-one, and Mark should be in shortly as well.” She turns toward Demi and hands her the contracts, and she rushes around the room handing them out to us.

  “Thanks, Reese,” Sebastian yells, and she smiles at him as everyone yells out similar sentiments.

  “You ever been skydiving?” Dane asks beside me as the low hum of men talking starts to fill the room.

  I shake my head. “You?”

  “Nah, man.” He flexes his fingers. “I need to keep these in good condition to play.”

  He seems logical—a lot like me, actually. Demi comes over with our contracts, effectively ending our conversation as we both review the contents. Everything seems pretty standard, and it’s all kind of a joke to me anyway since Sierra will obviously be the one to bid on me and I’ll be going on this date with my girlfriend.

  I still glance over it, though, because that’s just the kind of guy I am.

  I sign on the line and turn it in to Reese, who assures me she will email me a copy. I grab another beer, mingle a bit with some of the best in the business, and head home to catch the tail end of an MFB band meeting.

  “How was the radio interview?” I ask, sliding into an empty chair at the kitchen table where the guys plus Kylie, our very pregnant manager, sit.

  “It went well,” Kylie says. She always runs these meetings. She passes a sheet of paper over to me. “We’re about done here, but that sheet of paper shows all the obligations we have scheduled for the next week. This isn’t an official band meeting, just a few reminders of what we have on tap. Tomorrow you have another TV interview plus some radio, Saturday is the auction, Sunday is the premiere. Monday and Tuesday we’re doing more radio interviews, which three of us will be doing remotely from San Diego and you two can hop on from here.” She nods toward Rascal and me.

  “Thanks for all you do, Kylie,” I say softly.

  Dax reaches over and squeezes her hand.

  She smiles and nods. “How was your meeting?”

  “Fine. Reese explained the rules and we signed our contracts. It felt like a waste of time since Sierra is going to win. You guys have to make sure Sierra wins, okay?” I look earnestly at the people sitting around this table, the people I’m closest to in the whole world, and even though I’m a little nervous for the auction—something I haven’t really let myself think about yet—I feel better knowing Sierra and these guys will be there.

  “Reese mentioned a bonus from Mark for the bachelor that brings in the highest amount,” I say.

  All eyes turn to me. “A bonus?” Dax asks. “Like what?”

  I lift a shoulder. “She wouldn’t say. Only that we don’t want to miss out on whatever it is.”

  “I’ll kick in a grand,” Brody says.

  “Me too,” Adam says.

  “I’m goo
d for a couple grand,” Rascal adds.

  Dax nods. “We’ll make sure you win.”

  “Don’t you think every band is saying the same thing, though? There are bigger names than me on that marquee.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, Kane,” Kylie says. “You’re a hot commodity. And it doesn’t matter that you have a girlfriend for this date. Lots of the guys on the roster have women they’re seeing. It doesn’t have to be a romantic date if someone aside from Sierra wins you.”

  “Wait a minute,” I say. “Combined you all just pooled at least six grand. I’ll kick in enough to get it up to ten. Don’t start this shit about someone aside from Sierra winning me. Nobody’s going to bid me up to ten grand. I’ll be surprised if I get more than the opening bid. Sierra will raise her paddle, no one’ll bid against her, and we’ll go on our date.”

  “Unless we can get someone to bid against her to drive up the cost and you can win that bonus,” Dax says, and Kylie nods as she rubs her swollen stomach.

  “I’ll bid on you,” she says.

  Brody raises his hand. “So will Zoey.”

  “And Em.” Adam taps the table.

  “Amber too,” Rascal finishes.

  “I bet Ruby would, too.” I nod. “All right. Okay. Just make sure Sierra wins because it would be awkward to take one of your girls out on whatever adventure awaits.”

  That garners me a round of chuckles, but I’m not laughing.

  CHAPTER 4

  I have a rare night off, but this feels more intense than if I was actually working.

  Sierra drove up after work, and as we sit at dinner at some fancy restaurant she picked, I can’t help but feel like this just isn’t me.

  It never has been.

  I don’t like dressing up to go out to dinner. I like going to a burger joint and wearing a baseball cap to hide beneath. At least she didn’t make me wear a fucking tie tonight. I’m really looking forward to donning one of those at tomorrow’s bachelor auction.