Page 137 of Shy Girls Can't Date Rockstars
Fit of giggles? Who is this woman?
“If you’d heard what I’d heard,” Jasper begins, “then you’d…”
Miranda cuts him off with more fake laughter. “Alice, have you ever heard anything more ridiculous? Oh, darling, this is the price we pay for living lives that involve celebrities. Those who don’t get jealous.”
“Jealous!” Jasper’s voice goes higher with obvious offense. “I’m not jealous of…”
Miranda holds her hands up placatingly. “Jasper, dear, you don’t need to defend yourself. Alice is used to it now. She’ll get a lot of hatred, simply because others want to be in her position.”
“But that’s not…”
Miranda cuts him off again. “Look, I don’t want this to affect my business dealings with your father.” She then looks at me with an encouraging nod. “Alice, please apologize to Japser for the camera fiasco.”
There’s something almost motherly in Miranda’s eyes.
I look away before she hypnotizes me and say to Jasper, “I’m sorry. I really am.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Jasper clasps his camera and slips off his bar stool. “I told Dad we needed an upgrade, anyway.”
Upgrade? How many thousands did that new camera cost?
Miranda brushes off her hands. “And that’s that.”
“Maybe here,” I murmur, “but at school…”
“School, nothing,” Miranda says boldly. “Like he said, his father already bought the school a new camera. It’s information for you to use if it comes up at school. But I doubt it will. The poor boy left with his tail between his legs”
“Why did you do that? Won’t it jeopardize your relationship with his father?”
Miranda swats a hand. “Not at all. If Jasper recounts the story, I’ll seem like a bossy broad, which is manspeak for independent business woman.”
I catch myself smiling at Miranda’s infectious confidence.
She pats my shoulder. “Now, get some great shots. We can’t have the school paper looking better than the band’s social media feed.”
I nod, and before I have a chance to speak, a broad man in an expensive-looking suit walks up to us. With his hand raised outward, he says to Miranda, “They’re looking good out there.”
Miranda shakes his hand. “Of course, Mr. Kensington. They’ve been practicing hard for this moment. Thank you for giving them an opportunity to perform in front of the other executives before the upcoming showcase.”
“Hopefully it gets some of the rust off them.” Mr. Kensington’s bushy brows raise. “Seems like they had a bit of a stumble at the beginning.”
“This isn’t a professional establishment,” Miranda is quick to reply. “Yes, bands play here, but the setup isn’t ideal. The sound system, for one thing, needed upgrading two decades ago.”
“Mm-hmm.” There’s a wry smile under Mr. Kensington’s equally bushy mustache. “Unfortunately for Chase, this performance is still better than before you brought Hamilton into the picture.”
“I told you I found a star.”
“Just took you driving halfway across the country to find him.”
Miranda lets out a throaty laugh. “Well, I had time up my sleeve since you bought out my company.”
Mr. Kensington smirks, crossing his arms. “Saved your neck, don’t you mean?”
Miranda turns to me, patting my arm. “Shouldn’t you be taking photos, dear?”
I jolt back into my body, realizing I’m basically eavesdropping right in plain sight. “Oh, umm, right.”
“Ms. Knox.” Mr. Kensington looks me up and down. “Is this the niece I’ve heard about?”
