by Elle Viviani
My phone is plucked from my fingers before I can finish that lovely sentiment. I whirl around and glare at my interim manager. “Give that back to me right now.”
Zoe shakes her head as she backs away. “No way. We all hate Cody right now. I always have. But leaving a damning voicemail like that? You’re just adding fuel to the fire.”
“I am not!” I close my eyes as my head starts to pound. “I’m just giving Cody what he deserves.”
I’ve let thousands of fans down and lost thousands of dollars in the process. The press is going to love this. They always love it when stars suddenly cancel a show.
My eyes fly open as it hits me hard. I look around the parking lot. Now I know why it’s empty: there isn’t a goddamn show tonight.
HA—not if I have anything to say about it.
I turn back to the group, ready to take this on (the right way), and notice that Zoe’s already flipping through her phone.
“Don’t think I’m going to take this lying down, boss,” she mutters dangerously as her fingers fly. “This is my FIRST show as your manager and Cody figured out a way to screw me over.”
I eye her nervously as she begins to pace. The power suit really makes her look like Hil Dawg—an angry, purple-haired Hil Dawg that’s beginning to scare me.
“Zoe? Are you alright?”
She throws back her head and laughs. It’s a scary laugh.
“I’ll be alright when I get this show back on.” She yanks her collar loose and starts dialing. “The venue better not have issued refunds already or somebody’s going to die…”
Bryce sidles up to me as Zoe starts laying down the law to some very unlucky people.
“Are you okay?” he asks quietly, his voice a deep rumble in the open air.
“Not really,” I admit, “but I’m trying to hold it together. I have so much running through my mind. How to handle this, how to handle Cody, how to make it up to my fans if I don’t go on tonight—”
I glance over at Zoe, who’s yelling into her phone. “All while keeping my new manager from killing anyone.”
“Don’t worry about Zoe. I’ll keep an eye on her.” Bryce’s fists clench and unclench at his sides. “Do you want to go back to the bus? You haven’t eaten yet.”
A little sigh leaves my lips as I gaze up at him, his face already lined with worry. “What would I do without you?”
My head swims as a shot of something dangerous flashes across his eyes.
“You know what?” he purrs in a voice smoother than silk. “That’s exactly what I ask myself every time I see you, my shooting star.”
Oh God—swoon.
A shout drags my hungry eyes off of Bryce. Zoe is a few feet away, doing a little victory dance.
“I did it! Take that Mini Pin.” She locks eyes with me. “You’re on tonight, boss!”
I’m sporting the world’s biggest smile when I turn back to Bryce. “Did you hear that?”
“I did,” he answers, wearing a smile of his own. He reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His hand pauses just above my bare skin like it's unsure where to go from there in public, before dropping his hand to his side. “And something tells me it’s going to be one hell of a show.”
My heart nearly jumps out of my throat as I belt out the last line of “Stay Gone.” It’s about an ex-lover who sticks around a little too long after he’s been kicked to the curb. I know Jensen’s out there tonight, so hopefully, he gets the threat hint.
I burst backstage, riding the high of my encore and cheers that follow it, and look for Bryce. He’s standing next to Zoe, peering at the phone between them.
“Bryce!” I call out. I figure he can’t hear me when he doesn’t respond.
I raise my voice as I start toward them. “Holy moly, did you see that crowd? They might be the best—”
I pause as my bandmates hurry backstage. The crowd’s cheers still haven’t stopped. AMAZING.
“Oh, you guys—!” I pull them in for a bear hug. There are legit tears in my eyes when I let them go. “You’re never allowed to play for anyone else. I’d sound terrible without you three bringing my songs to life.”
Shane’s face turns the color of his bright red t-shirt. “Aw, Autumn. Just take a shot at the afterparty with us, and we’ll call it even.”
I grin at him. “Deal. But first, I need a shower and—”
I look around as something buzzes on top of the amp to my right. It’s my phone. Zoe must’ve have stashed it there after I went on stage. (She insisted holding my phone hostage until I could be trusted again.)
I wave goodbye to my bandmates and lean over the amp. NEW MESSAGE flashes across the screen of my phone, popping up under another text from twenty minutes ago. My blood begins to boil when I see who they’re from.
Cody: Don’t start a war you can’t finish, princess
Cody: Check. Your move.
“What the…” I stare at the gibberish until my eyes go dry. It’d been a long day, and I wanted to put it behind me. Prodding me right now is not in Cody’s best interest.
My fingers are itching to reply, but I know I’m a dead woman if I do. Luckily, Bryce and Zoe are still backstage, so I grab my phone and start walking.
“Guys?” I begin, still a few feet away. Zoe’s talking pretty animatedly, and there’s a lot of handwaving involved.
“Hello, I got a text—”
I duck, narrowing avoiding her palm.
“Whoa! Can we not maim the headliner!”
Zoe stops talking and looks at me, her forehead wrinkling like she’s just noticing me. Bryce does the same, which scares me since nothing gets past that man.
But what really scares me is that they look shaken, like they’ve just seen a ghost.
“You’re off already?” Zoe asks distractedly.
I roll my eyes, my thoughts already returning to those cryptic messages. “AndI was amazing…”
“Thank God,” Zoe mutters.
“…but what I need to show you is—” I stop and stare at her. “Wait a sec. ‘Thank God’ is your reaction to me giving the best concert of my career?”
Zoe takes a huge breath and shoves her phone in front of my face. “Because it may be your last.”
Chapter 24
Bryce
BREAKING NEWS: AUTUMN HART UNHINGED?
Star Weekly secured an exclusive interview with the Queen of Heartbreak’s ex-manager (and ex-boyfriend!). Cody Jensen, who represented Autumn Hart for two years before being unfairly fired last night, shared with us a disturbing voicemail from his ex-client.
“You’re the worst human being ever! You’re done—”
Yup. That is one disturbing message if you ask us! What could have pushed everyone’s favorite star to such extremes? Mr. Jensen may have the answer.
“Autumn Hart has serious mental health issues that are worsened by her binge drinking and party lifestyle.”
A lifestyle that has brought out the worst in the country music diva, apparently.
“Autumn would scream at me if I didn’t do what she wanted. I tried to reason with her, but the drinking…the drugs. I’ve never been more scared in my life.”
This coming from a music manager who’s worked with his fair share of ‘difficult clients.’
“I’ve been representing country music’s top talent for a decade and have come across difficult clients. But Autumn’s let her fame go to her head. She’s only in it for the money.”
And when the seasoned music manager put his foot down, things got ugly.
“She once demanded I cancel a fan event for a perfume sponsorship. When I refused, she threatened to sic her bodyguard on me. Said he’d ‘change my mind’…”
Well, there you have it. Does America’s sweetheart have a dark side? Stay up-to-date on this breaking story by subscribing below!
A DRUNK AND DISORDERLY QUEEN OF HEARTBREAK!
TMZ here, bringing you the latest celebrity gossip and breaking news. Our top story tonight is Aut
umn Hart. We’re sad to report that everyone’s favorite country music star may not be as wholesome as she looks (check out our exclusive footage below of a very drunk and tone-deaf Ms. Hart).
Talk about heavy stuff. But wait until you hear who provided us with this behind-the-scenes footage. Cody Jensen, Autumn Hart’s manager of two years, parted ways with the famous music star yesterday after ‘finally having enough.’ He brings fresh eyes to a quickly exploding headliner in an exclusive phone call with TMZ.
(TAP HERE TO LISTEN) “You want proof? Watch the video, look at the pictures. She’s intoxicated and raving around like a lunatic—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’m only glad I got out when I did. Managing Autumn Hart meant managing her addictions. She’s a mess.”
‘Mess’ does describe what we hear in that video. No doubt Mariah will be issuing a statement soon—and sending one of her lawyers slap the music star with a cease-and-desist! I mean, can you even call that singing?
Even though Ms. Hart gave him the boot, Mr. Jensen only wishes the best for the struggling celebrity.
(TAP HERE TO LISTEN) “I only hope she gets help before it’s too late—”
“Turn it off,” Autumn orders. “I can’t listen to a second more of this trash!”
Zoe hits the screen and Cody’s voice cuts off. They’ve been with Michaela all morning, huddled around the tour bus kitchen table, reviewing the damage on Zoe’s phone. Since no one could sleep, Zoe had ordered everyone back on the buses at 7am, setting a course for the next tour stop: New York City.
“I will murder Cody Jensen if I ever see him again,” Zoe says, breaking the silence.
Me, too.
I gaze at the dejected-looking music star sitting at a cramped kitchen table in last night’s clothes. I’ve never seen Autumn so broken, so worn down. But even though things were getting bleak, she hadn’t shed one tear for that scumbag.
Zoe throws her head back and sighs. “Cody is making my job impossible—” She stops and looks at her boss. “And, uh, ruining your career. That’s the important thing here.”
Autumn sighs. “I’m just angry that this so-called ‘exclusive footage’ is complete crap, and no one’s doing anything about it. That shot of me singing off tune with a bottle of Maker’s Mark in my hand was from Jimmy’s birthday last year. It was a joke.”
Michaela gives a half-hearted smile. “We know, and you don’t have to defend yourself to us. Just the world, I’m afraid.”
Autumn slams her palm onto the table. “But I’ve done nothing wrong! When is this nightmare going to end?”
Zoe shifts in her chair. “Well, there’s more. Burberry canceled the meeting this morning. And the contract.”
Autumn stares at her, white-faced and wide-eyed. “They canceled my contract over this? But they don’t even know if it’s true.”
Michaela shrugs. “It doesn’t matter. They’re a brand, and right now, you’d be bad for their image.”
“Oh, cry me a river,” Autumn mutters.
“And one more thing…” Zoe’s fingers tighten around her Moleskin. “…Sunny Records won’t stop calling. I’ve been ignoring them, but they’re not going to stop.”
Autumn stares off into space. “Oh, God, what are we going to do?”
I push off from my spot on the wall. I’ll be damned if I let Jensen win. Not now, not ever. “Make a statement. Fight this.”
All three women turn around and stare at me. I meet Autumn’s tired eyes. “You’ve done nothing wrong. You said so yourself.”
After a few moments, Autumn nods. “Bryce makes a lot of sense. Michaela?”
The PR agent shoots me an apologetic look. “No offense, but I suggest doing the opposite. If we fight gossip, we risk turning this viral. It’s already way out of hand.”
Autumn gives her a skeptical look. “Do nothing? That feels wrong.”
Michaela shrugs. “Let this die out, fade away. Another celebrity will get into trouble, and everyone will forget about—”
Zoe’s phone starts to ping as half a dozen notifications start crowding her scene. She scowls at it. “Oh God, what now?” Her face goes white as she starts scrolling through them.
“And he strikes again,” she mutters.
“No, no, no,” Autumn wails. “What’s it say?”
“More lies,” I say in a hard voice.
Zoe glances up, horrified. “And this time, it’s about you, Bryce!”
AUTUMN HART AND HER BODYGUARD: MORE THAN ‘JUST FRIENDS’?
It looks like the rumors are true: Autumn Hart and her security detail, Bryce Hill are an item!
When questioned about her relationship with her bodyguard back in June (click HERE for article), Ms. Hart denied anything past friendship. But, if you check out the footage below, you can see that they’re anything but ‘friends.’
What’s on everyone’s mind now is: how long has this been going on? Ms. Hart’s ex-manager and ex-boyfriend, Cody Jensen, may be able to clear that up.
“Before Bryce Hill joined the team, Autumn and I were happily in love. But the minute that steroid junky stepped foot in Nashville, things changed. Suddenly, there were secret meetings, conversations behind closed doors, and don’t even get me started on the touching. It hurt like hell to see the love of my life going behind my back. I forgave Autumn and begged her to stop, but she refused. It ruined our beautiful love, so I did the only thing I could. I left.”
Wow, talk about some naughty behavior! If Mr. Jensen’s allegations are true, then it looks like country music’s hottest star lives up to her Queen of Heartbreak title.
“Bad at love?” you claim, Ms. Hart? I’d say…
No one speaks when Zoe reaches the end of the article. Autumn’s the first to recover, leaning forward with a grim look.
“Staying silent is no longer an option. I won’t stand for Bryce being pulled into this.”
Michaela nods. “I agree. Let me get started on a press release.”
Zoe scoffs. “Press release? No way. We take this national, baby!”
Michaela visibly recoils from this suggestion. “That’s way too risky! I can’t trust Autumn to behave in front of a camera…”
Autumn frowns.
“…or say the right thing.”
Zoe shrugs. “Then coach her. If someone can teach Autumn how to dance, then I think you can teach her a few lines.”
“Wow.” Autumn crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m sitting right here.”
Michaela gives Zoe a thoughtful look. “I could work… But it’s crazy risky.”
“At least we could shape the narrative,” Zoe says, growing excited. “Control it, instead of trying to keep up. I’m done with playing catch-up with this looser.”
Autumn throws me a confused look before rapping her knuckles against the tabletop. “Earth to team: what are you talking about?”
Zoe’s hazel eyes glitter as she leans forward. “Only the best thing ever. Honey, you’re going on Ophira!”
I’m backstage at the most popular show on TV as people hustle around me. I don’t know how Zoe nabbed Autumn a spot on such short notice. Don’t things things book up months in advance?
Autumn’s standing to my left, calm and collected, as Billie plasters more make-up on her face. She already looks perfect, but the stylist is finding plenty of work to do. National TV is no joke, apparently.
“Are you nervous?” Zoe asks from a stool a few feet away. Her eyes are glued to the packed crowd beyond the curtain. “Because there’s nothing to be nervous about. Just stick to the lines Michaela coached you on, and remember to cross your ankles, not your legs in that dress, and smile, and—”
“Zoe!” Autumn grabs her employee’s hand and squeezes it. “I’m not nervous. I’m only telling the truth.”
Zoe rolls her eyes. “Let’s hope Ophira doesn’t treat you as a hostile witness, then. She’s the one that wouldn’t stop badgering us for an interview, so that would really piss me off.”
Ah. Now I know why Au
tumn got on every major network in New York City, plus a few radio stations, with no notice.
Billie finishes waving a can of hairspray over Autumn’s hair and stands back. “Okay, I’m done! Everything should be fine—just don’t touch your face. Or hair. Or that cute outfit Kendra picked out.”
“Anything else?” Autumn asks through grit teeth.
Billie tsks at her. “Don’t fault me for wanting you to look amazing when you put that awful man in his place.”
“Amen,” Zoe mutters.
A stagehand materials behind us and gives Autumn a two minute warning. He’s barely walked away when the stage illuminates and the music cues. The audience begins to clap, and a few seconds later, Ophira walks out on stage.
“Good morning, friends!” She waves and smiles at her adoring audience as she settles into her chair. A white couch and a small table with a vase of white flowers complete the set. It looks welcoming. Friendly. Autumn’s got nothing to worry about.
But when I turn back around, a line is popping up between Autumn’s eyebrows.
I lean in as Zoe and Billie join Michaela and Kendra by the curtain. “You’ve got this, Hartman.”
Autumn starts tugging on the hem of her dress. “You think so?”
“I know it.”
“…and we have quite the show for you all today,” Ophira is cooing to the now-quiet crowd. “I’m sure you’ve seen the disturbing headlines rocking the world. Cody Jensen has leveled some serious allegations against his former boss and lover…”
“But what if I forget my lines?” Autumn whispers to me.
“It won’t matter.” I graze her arm with my hand, angling my body so no one sees it. “Just stick to the truth.”
