Free Sun Poisoned (The Sunshine Series) by Nikki Rae Page A

always thought it was important to earn my own money and not mooch off of my parents. But I’ve never seen a number like this on any of my checks. “Five hundred dollars?”
    “ Each.” Jamie doesn’t even try to conceal his bitter tone.
    “ Isn’t it awesome?” Boo says.
    “ Uh,” is all that leaves my mouth.
    “ Well,” Trei says, not seeming to notice the way my jaw has become agape and my motor functions have ceased to work. “We have to get going.”
    They’re just going to leave when this is going on? “Uh,” I repeat.
    “ We’ll call you when we’re back from our dad’s?” Boo asks.
    I nod, almost unaware that he’s asked a question.
    I hear their footsteps climb the stairs, but I don’t snap out of it until Jamie speaks again.
    “ What’s your schedule looking like for today?” he asks.
    “ Uh,” I say. I fold up the piece of paper with the ridiculous amount of money on in and slip it into my messenger bag. “I’m off to rehearse with Honus now, then I’m free for a little bit before I have to be at the club. Why?”
    “ Evan wanted to see you.”
    “ Oh?” I ask. “Is it about a typo on our checks?” I try to joke to diffuse the stank face he’s doing a horrible job at hiding.
    He shrugs. “I was just told to make an appointment for you with him. How about seven?”
    I check the time on my phone. Four thirty. “Sure.” I try to sound casual. “I have to be at the club by seven thirty anyway.”
    Jamie’s all business. “Do you know where his office is?”
    “ Vaguely,” I admit. I’ve never been there before, but I’ve heard of it. “Somewhere near the dressing rooms, right?
    My reflection bounces off of his black frames. “You’ll be able to find it.”
    “ Okay. Well,” I say awkwardly. “Thanks.”
    “ No problem.” Jamie begins to head back to the stairs and I turn to head further down the hall to practice space number five, where Honus told me they’d be meeting at four fifteen.
    Manny’s already poking his head out of the room when I turn the corner. “I was beginning to think you stood us up.” He opens to door for me all the way and I step inside.
    “ Sorry.”
    Everyone’s already got instruments in hand by the time I’m sitting down at the piano. I think for a fleeting second that maybe I could ask them about the whole check situation—if it’s normal to get so much after the first show—but I decide against it. Judging Jamie’s less than excited reaction, I’m guessing not, and I don’t want to bug out my new friends’ eyeballs. I let the music float over me, sinking into it and forgetting about the check completely.
     
    I get to Midnight early for my “appointment” with Evan. Kelly and Dana, a duo that play electronic music, are on stage sound checking, speaking into the microphone to tell the engineer “higher” or “lower” after strumming, or testing out how loud their voices sound in the mics. They wave to me as I make my way backstage to the dressing rooms and Evan’s office. I don’t know Kelly and Dana too well, but if you sell someone’s T-shirts and CDs, I guess the least you can do is act like you know them when you see them.
    Evan’s office is at the very end of the long hall of dressing rooms. I knock three times, aware of how far away from the stage I am by how the sound check slowly becomes muffled and then entirely absent.
    “Come in,” I hear Evan say from within.
    I twist the golden doorknob and step inside, letting the door shut gently behind me. The room is small, but large enough to have three bookcases and a good sized desk, which Evan is sitting behind, hunched over and concentrating on some paperwork he has spread out in front of him. He looks up at me when I take a step forward.
    “ Hello, Sophie,” he says. “It is good to see you.” His tone is light, with a hint of an accent I can’t place in it. “Please,” he gestures to the very comfortable looking, brown leather sofa  in front of  the