Page 77 of Rebooting Conor Flynn

“Great. Are you getting death threats now for cheating on Ashley? This is going to stop, Conor.”

“No. No.” I pulled her farther backstage. “This is something else.”

My tone must’ve reached her because she looked up, her eyes wide. “I’m not sure I can take anymore drama, Conor.”

“Well then hold onto your clipboard because the message I got says, I know who swapped out the phone numbers.”

PopWiz Instagram Post

Blind Item #9

This one of five has a PR nightmare as his golden boy image is trashed for the girl behind the scenes from his past.

Part III – Still on the Road

Chapter 19

NOELLE

The bus rumbled through the night, and my eyes ached from scrolling through my phone to track all the negative comments about Conor. If I had known how my stupid PR scheme was going to play out, I never would’ve suggested it to the team.

I let my ambition get ahead of what was right and decent. Conor should’ve shamed me for coming up with the stunt. Even though I didn’t know it at the time of the suggestion, it was just this kind of manipulation that tore me and Conor apart. The kind he’d suffered his entire time with Five2Go. The kind that drove him to hide out in his house for months after the band’s split.

The music gods were punishing me.

I spent a good hour talking strategy with Dina on the phone. She didn’t like the picture of me and Conor kissing, but she didn’t hate it. The next two shows of the tour sold out in minutes, fueled by public curiosity and FOMO. Everyone wanted to witness the dynamic between Conor and Ashley on stage firsthand.

Dina also didn’t hate the idea of making Conor the bad guy and me the victim. But for that to happen, Conor would have to dump me next and move onto someone else—maybe a backup dancer on the tour.

I protested. I’d fucked over Conor once, and I refused to pile on.

Conor didn’t care. His focus had shifted from his sullied image to the anonymous text.

Someone in the know must’ve heard he was snooping around and asking questions. If anonymous knew the culprit, he or she should just spill it. It must be Gordo himself, and anonymous had signed an NDA or something with Baker Street.

I dropped my phone in my lap and rubbed my eyes.

The seat squeaked beside me, and I glanced over at Shanice, curling one leg beneath her and settling in with a Diet Coke.

“Rough night?”

“You could say that.” I scooped my hair back and adjusted my glasses. “You didn’t want to fly to New Mexico? It’s a long drive.”

“Honestly? I needed a break from Ashley.” Shanice held up her hands. “But you didn’t hear that from me.”

“My lips are sealed. At least she’s in a good mood. You’re not gonna find that with me.”

“Girl, you in a wretched mood is still ten times better than Ashley in a good mood. Actually, Ashley in a wretched mood is ten times better than Ashley in a good mood.”

“She’s getting what she wants from this narrative.”

“You’re not. Sorry you suggested it?”

“I’m working on it.” I traced a line on the thigh of my jeans. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. I’m an open book.”

I doubted that about Shanice, but I asked anyway. “Does it bother you that Ashley is so...cozy with Tomo?”