“Why do you assume it was me?”
She let out a laugh. “Because I saw that boy’s face during your show. He had hearts in his eyes watching you, and I know you.”
“Wow. Thanks?”
“Call it a mother’s instinct. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Okay…well, I have a confession.”
“Oh, no,” she mumbled.
“Sawyer and I…it wasn’t real. Not at first.”
“What do you mean?”
“We were fake dating. To clean up the Harold mess in the press.”
“Well…that’s news to me.”
“Yeah, but?—”
“He caught feelings.”
I let out a breath. “Yeah.”
“And now you don’t know what to do with that.”
“Yeah, because I think I did too.”
She didn’t sound surprised. “I know.”
“You do?”
“El, that song? The one you played tonight?”
I winced. “You saw that?”
“Of course. Someone always live-streams your shows, and your dad and I always watch, even when we’re traveling.”
“Where are you now?”
“Fiji. Don’t change the subject. That song was about him, wasn’t it?”
“Yes…”
“What’s holding you back?”
“Ellie Miles,” I stated.
She laughed. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t follow.”
“The person I’ve been building since I was little. I don’t know how to walk away from her.”
She went quiet for a second before speaking. “No one’s asking you to. You don’t owe your past self anything.”
“I don’t want to let anyone down.”
“You won’t.”
