Let Me Be the One Read Free

you. I’ve been a fan of yours forever.”
    “Thank you. And you’re Logan.” He held out his hand to Logan.
    “Nice to meet you.” Logan shook his hand and eased Suzi forward. “This is—”
    “ This is Suzette Miranda Bazian,” Jason said.
    Suzi watched her hand disappear into Jason’s and hoped she wouldn’t keel over backward. If she did, Toby was behind her. He’d probably catch her. Jason Callisto knew her name. Her whole name. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Callisto. Suzette Miranda Bazian is my pen name. Please call me Suzi.”
    “And you can call me Jason.”
    She forced a smile. Her mother would just die. “Thank you.” She held out the bottle. Charity had told her it was stupid to bring wine, but Suzi’s training insisted on a hostess gift, and now she felt dorky. “We brought some wine. I didn’t know what we were having, so it’s a blush.” Hopefully, the plural pronoun would spread the blame.
    Jason took the bottle. “Excellent. We’ll have to have it with dinner. Come on inside.”
    Through the foyer, an archway led into a sunken living room. Photoreal paintings hung along the walls, depicting the same mountain valley, sometimes being attacked by dragons or aliens, and once being observed by Bigfoot eating a banana.
    “The rest of the party is here,” Jason announced, stepping down into the living room. “They brought wine.”
    Suzi wished she’d stayed in the car. In the trunk.
    A curvy redhead stepped forward, holding out her hand to Logan. Dressed in dark-wash jeans, a loose yellow cotton top, and wearing a large yellow sapphire on a chain around her neck, she appeared pleasant and comfortable. “How nice to meet you. I’m Cass, Jason’s wife.” Jason’s wife had the most welcoming smile. If only Suzi could feel something other than sheer panic.
    “Now let me see. You’re Greg, Logan, Toby, and John.”
    The guys all shook her hand and tried not to stare. Jason’s wife had a brilliance about her. No wonder he’d fallen in love with her.
    “And you must be Suzette Miranda Bazian.” Cass shook Suzi’s hand. Turning to Charity, she frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t know your name. I’m terrible with names.”
    “Charity. It’s so nice to meet you.”
    “Charity.” Cass made the name sound outrageous, as if it should have an apostrophe in the middle, or an exclamation point like an African language. “It’s nice to meet you. This is Brian Ellis, Touchstone’s bassist, and his wife Bonnie.” Cass gestured to the other couple in the room.
    Bonnie stepped forward first to shake their hands. She was a tall blonde, sleek and beautiful enough to make Suzi want to crawl into a dusty old book. Brian didn’t say much of anything, but he didn’t need to. He was Brian freaking Ellis. Gorgeous, funny, friendly, cheerful. According to reports on the band’s forum, he was even quite gallant at fan meet-ups. His blond hair had a tinge of gold to it in person. Not much, just a touch, and that might have been from the lighting. He wore jeans and a blue button-up shirt, untucked. Bonnie wore black tailored trousers, heels, and a white cowl neck sweater. Every pose she struck appeared practiced. Cass perched on one of the plush burgundy couches, but at the very edge, as if she were interested in the conversation.
    Logan sat down on the opposite end of that couch, so Suzi settled beside him. Suzi wished she could take his hand or slip one of hers between his legs, but that might look weird. Instead, she chose to fold her hands on her lap. Maybe it was prim, but it was her best option. Brian sunk into a chair with his long legs crossed in front of him. Bonnie curved seductively into the corner of the opposite couch. Toby sat down next to Bonnie and immediately paled, as though he wished he hadn’t. Greg sat next to him with Charity pinned into the corner. Charity arched, throwing her arm along the back of the couch so she could toy with Greg’s hair.
    “Would anyone like a