“No, it’s all fine. It’s just…” Jayce trailed off and gave me a considering look. “There’re a lot of music reviewers out there, but there’s one I’ve been following for a while. I kind of expected you to post the same kind of stuff she does.”
“What’s her name? Maybe I know her. The music scene is pretty incestuous sometimes.”
“The guys know I’ve got this hard-on for some girl on the internet,” he continued, ignoring my question. “They teased me about a musician being a groupie himself. I stopped talking to them about it, but I kept on reading her stuff, even after we hit it big. She’s insightful. I wanted to message her, but I was worried. Her reviews are always so carefully unbiased. Sometimes I can’t tell whether she even likes my music or not. She’s so smart and funny, though. I always thought it would be amazing if I could meet her in person. Get to know her.”
My heart clenched in a fit of pique. He had such glowing words for this girl. I didn’t want to hear Jayce talk about another girl like that, even if she was just someone he followed online.
Jealousy filled my chest, but I stomped it down viciously. I had no right to feel that way. Jayce and I were just work colleagues. He was free to have a crush on whomever he liked.
“I think it’s because I stopped talking about her that the guys haven’t figured it out yet.”
“Figured out what?”
Jayce looked amused.
“Aimee Lee. Ailey. AudioAiley.”
I choked. “What?”
His eyes caught mine, trapping me in that fiery gaze. “I’ve been following you for years.”
My mouth gaped open, trying to process what he had said. Jayce followed me online? He had wanted to meet me? He didn’t think I liked his music? I didn’t know which part to react to first. The music reviewer in me took over.
“How could you possibly think I don’t like your music? You’re amazing, you’re a genius, you’re—”
“I’m just another musician,” he interrupted.
“You’re not just another musician. You’reJayceEvansofFeral Silence. You’re not like other artists. You’re special.”
He shifted on the concrete steps, looking uncomfortable.
“That’s what all my fans think. I’m grateful to them, I really am, but I’m never going to have a normal life. I’ll always have to play the rock star god. Sometimes I wish I was just a regular guy.”
“Why? Why would you want to give all this up?”
Jayce turned to me and reached out, cupping my cheek to draw my face close to his. “Because then I could do this.”
Then he kissed me.
