Chapter 57 Chapter LVII

Chapter 57 Chapter LVII
Spencer’s office is bigger and cooler than I thought it’d be. He always had good taste, but looking at how spacious, modern, and unique it is makes my jaw drop. His personality shows through everywhere—from the concert posters and vinyl albums hanging on the walls, to the black leather couches spread across the room—everything screams Spencer.
I have no idea how he managed to get so many people inside it, though. It’s a bit crowded and hard to move freely without bumping into someone, but not to the point where it’s uncomfortable. If anything, it gets people to bond more easily. The atmosphere is friendly and cheerful, and I find myself relaxing a bit when I see that Spencer has everything handled.
He has given Poppy her exclusive interview already and also answered some reporters and media representatives. He’s introduced me to all his clients—including the members from Glitch who turn out to be super fun and polite. For rock band members, I expected them to be more arrogant and full of themselves, but I couldn’t be more wrong with my prejudgment. 
Everyone from my family is present, even Mom and Dad who said they wouldn’t miss it for the world. Seeing them here, supporting Spencer, means the world to me. Ryan and Alice are talking to Aubrie and Thomas, while Lauren and Poppy are in one of the corners gawking at Glitch’s singer, who’s talking to another guy I can’t remember the name of. Chad is all over the place, greeting people he hasn’t seen for years who studied with him and Spencer.
And that’s when I spot the mysterious woman from the previous day. She looks even prettier tonight, wearing a tight black dress that emphasizes all her curves, with a slit that cuts all the way up to her right thigh. The Louboutin heels and the golden earrings only add to her look. I instantly feel self-conscious. 
An arm snakes around my waist from behind me, pulling me flushed against a hard muscled chest. The woody, smokey fragrance hits my nostrils, and I look over my shoulder to see Spencer staring down at me with his blue eyes sparkling and a huge grin on his lips. 
“So, I guess we can call this a success, right?” I muse in a low voice. Spencer leans down and pecks my lips for a brief second before pulling back.
“Hey, man,” Chad greets us, patting Spencer on the shoulder, seemingly coming out of nowhere. “How does it feel to be the richest and most popular man in Missoula?” he teases, sipping from his glass of champagne.
Spencer grimaces at him, but before anyone has the chance to say anything else, the clicking of heels on the marble floor catches my attention, and I have to bite my lip so as not to make a face when I see the beautiful woman approaching our small circle. She has the biggest smile on her face as she walks toward us, stopping in front of me and Spencer. She barely regards me, pretending I’m not even here as she addresses him.
“You know, Spence, I knew you could do it, but I must confess, I wasn’t expecting it to be such a smash,” she purrs with her LA accent. “I’m glad that the guys decided to follow you and get out of that awful label. I was having nightmares with how they were handling things with their contract. Thank God you decided to open your own thing.” 
Spence? Why is she calling him that? Are they that close?
“I’m happy to have them signed with my label too, Kendal. I’m very grateful that they decided to come with me,” Spencer says. I don’t know if it’s just my paranoia speaking, or did his body just tense up against mine?
As if noticing my discomfort, my brother clears his throat, looking at Spencer with a look on his face I can’t quite interpret. 
What the hell is going on? What am I missing here?
There is no way this is all in my head.
“Er, Kendal, this is Hayden, my girlfriend,” Spencer introduces me, his hand on my waist squeezing my skin slightly. “Hayden, this is Kendal. She’s the manager of Glitch.”
It doesn’t go unnoticed by me the way Kendal winces at his words, as if he’s hurt her somehow. Then she turns to me, the forced smile on her lips the only thing I can focus on as she tries to pretend she’s not sizing me up. “Oh, sorry. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hayden.” She reaches out a hand with perfectly manicured red nails toward me.
“Likewise,” I reply, shaking her hand and doing my best not to show how I instantly don’t like her. And this time, it has nothing to do with my jealousy and my inability to shove my insecurity down my throat.
“I didn’t mean to make it awkward for you,” she adds, her eyes darting to Spencer for a split second before they are back on my face.
I fight the urge to frown. I’m sure that’s exactly what she intended by pretending she didn’t see me literally leaning against Spencer, but I don’t say it. Whatever she wants from me with this shit show she’s putting on, she won’t have it.
“Why would it be awkward?” I ask instead, challenging. In my peripheral vision, I can see Chad tensing up, and I don’t even need to turn to look at Spencer to know he’s holding his breath.
“Oh, you don’t know who I am?” Kendal pretends to be shocked, her hand covering her chest in the fakest and worst performance I’ve ever seen.
“Kendal,” Spencer calls in a warning tone. “This is not the time for this.”
“What do you mean?” I hiss at Kendal, losing my composure for a second. I don’t mean to cause a scene—and I won’t—but it’s getting on my nerves to be the only one who doesn’t know what the hell is going on here.
“Well, I’m sorry,” she sings, narrowing her eyes at Spencer as if she’s confused. “I assumed that she’d have heard about me by now since I’m your ex-fiancée.”
What.The.Actual.Fuck?
Fiancée? 
Since when did Spencer get engaged to someone?