The yelling started almost immediately. She could see from the shadows on the door that Cooper was standing up, waiving his arms about theatrically. He was definitely a good showman. Lacie was unable to concentrate on fileing or filling out forms with that comution going on. They argued for at least 20 minutes before they got it all out and Cooper finally sat down. She wished she could understand what their muffled voices were saying.

The intercom beeped and Lacie jumped. "Mrs. Peaters, could you come in here for a moment please?" Mr. Carelton asked. She didn't bother to answer via intercom. She just got up and went into the adjoining office.

"You wanted to see me sir?"

"Yes, have a seat please. You two have met?" He asked, moutioning towards Cooper.

She said "yes" at the same time cooper said "no". Her boss raised and eyebrow. "We bumped into eachother this morning and then he spent a half hour lounging in my waiting area before you arrived." She explained. "Also, I am aware of your client list and I know who he is."

"Lacie Peaters, meet Cooper Tomson. Cooper this is Lacie, my new secretary. Lacie, Cooper is my nephew. " That bit of news was not expected. It exploded in Lacie’s head like a bomb. She was screaming internally 'SHIT!'. She tried desperately to remember weather or not she had called Cooper 'red leather jacket jerk' to his face or if that had only been an internal rant.

"I can see that you are surprised, most people are. Honestly our familial relation is the only reason he hasn't been booted from the labe and replaced in the band. You are aware of his reputation as a 'bad boy', are you not?"

Lacire really didn't want to answer that. But they were both looking at her expectantly "yes sir, I am."

"Good, and since all of my paperwork crosses your desk I am sure that you are aware that due to Cooper's misbehavior Upstairs Down has recently lost their 3rd manager this year."

It wasn't a question but she answered anyway "yes sir."

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He looked at her for a good long minuet, her palms started to sweat and she wondered if she was about to be fired because she had yelled at his nephew for bumping into her. "When you were interviewed for this job there was a notation in your file that you have high ambitions for the music world. You want to move your way up from Secretary to talent scout and executive. Is that right?" She gulped to swallow her suddenly swollen tung and nodded.

"Those are difficult positions to achieve in this industry, Mrs. Peaters, especially for a young woman."

"I know sir, but I am willing to work for it."

"That is good to hear. Because I have a new job opportunity for you, and if it works out well it will come with a pay raise and promotion. In this opportunity you would get a first hand look at how a national tour is organized and ran. You would meet a lot of people, make connections that could help you in your career, and make an ally out of me. What do you think of my offer?"

Lacie wasn't stupid. All of that sounded too good to be true, and he hadn't exactly explained what the new job was. "What exactly is your offer sir?" She managed to sound calm and cool when she really wanted to jump out of her seat and tell him she would do whatever he was asking to get the kind of perks he was talking about. But things like that always came with a catch, especially in the music industry.

"Smart girl." He nodded his approval. "I need you to babysit the Upstairs Down."

"What? Her? You've got to be kidding me!" Cooper jumped out if his seat.

"Normally I wouldn't be too worried about them being without a manager for a few months while I sort out a new one. Except that they are leaving on a national tour next week, and that does not leave me with enough time to find anyone to do anything. With Cooper's misbehavior and now I'm hearing about some kind of creepy stalker, I just can't let them go alone."

Lacie sat straight up in her chair, her eyes wide. She could feel perspiration dripping down her back, or was her hair still dripping from the rain? "What exactly does babysitting entail?" She needed to know.

"You would be traveling with the band. They already use 2 busses, so there will be plenty of room for you. You will be on the bus with Brandon and Cooper. I need you to stay close to the guys, watch them. Make sure they don't get into any more trouble and keep your eyes out for anything out of the ordinary. They guys are too busy and have their heads stuck up their own asses to understand how serious this is." He looked at Cooper. "His being my nephew won't save him this time. If he gets into one more lawsuit, the label will drop the entire band."

"this is bullshit and you know it Holt!" Cooper slammed his hand down on his uncle's desk. Lacie didn't flinch.

"Your behavior this past year is what is bull shit." His uncle told him. "So Cordie left you, so what! get over it and stop acting like your twenty three instead of thirty three. This is the end of the line Coop. Behave, listen to Lacie, who I doubt ever got so much as a detention in her life. Just stop being stupid, stupid!"

Cooper turned to Lacie. "She didn't say she was taking the job." His eyes were alight with mischief. "You don't want to be cramped on a tour bus for however long it takes him to find a competent manager with a bunch of strange men. We burp and fart, scratch our junk and leave our underwear on the floor. You'll be away from your family, or you husband. Not to mention how dangerous stalkers can be." He looked down at her empty ring finger and frowned.

"Boyfriend. " she told him with a smile. And I grew up with brothers, your farts don't scare me.l, and neither do fan girls." She looked at Mr. Carelton. "I'm in."