As Adams continues to show a complete disinterest in my existence, I lick my lips and force another smile. It’s not the first time a musician has acted like I’m shit on their shoes, and I doubt it will be the last.

“Right,” I whisper before taking a deep breath. “Well, the shooting itself should be pretty straightforward. The crew and I will tag along, filming you guys through the end of your rehearsals and on the last leg of your tour. And the label said you plan on writing your next album, so we’ll be sure to get footage of that. Fans will want a glimpse into the magic behind Of Men and Wolves.”

“So you’re going to be in our faces while we’re trying to write?” Dev asks.

He glances at Adams, and for the first time since he sat down, Adams looks from his phone to his bandmate. They seem to share an unspoken moment before they both turn to Felix, sharing the same one with him.

“Not in your faces,” I say fast, not liking the way the vibe in the room is shifting. “On them, maybe. I think it would be pretty awesome if we could get footage from your guys’ points of view during concerts and writing.”

“Is that where the glasses come in?” Felix asks.

Adams looks up then, and this time his gaze bores into me. His jaw muscles work overtime under the skin, and to say this guy doesn’t like me would be an understatement. I have to lower my eyes to my black-heeled boots to regroup before I can nod at Felix.

“If one of you doesn’t mind wearing them. I know a guy who can make almost any pair of frames work, and since the label’s paying, I say we take advantage of it.”

I get a laugh from Christian, and he looks up from his phone to shoot me another wink. It eases my nerves, the room settling back into a more relaxed state again.

“We can use the glasses for anything you might feel uncomfortable having outsiders around for. I know writing lyrics can be personal with you baring your souls, so⁠—”

“No,” Adams says, his voice deep and raspy after his performance.

My eyes snap up to him, and Christian shifts in the chair, sitting up straighter.

“No, what?” the manager says. “No to the glasses?”

“To all of it.”

“What the fuck do you mean, all of it?” Christian pushes out of the chair, his commanding presence returning, but Adams stays trained on me, making me want the walls to absorb me.

Dev and Felix seem unsure for a second, but then Dev crosses his arms.