Passing Notes, Backyard Stars, Echoes, Whiskey and White Lace… Darcy listed them in her mind, searching Juliet’s gaze with her own. “So, one more to go?”
Juliet’s breath shuddered out of her, as she tightly closed her eyes. “One more to go.”
Darcy let that settle, let Juliet take a moment to gather herself, a moment she clearly needed, as she sat statue-still, her jaw clenched tightly.
But she didn’t pull away from Darcy’s touch, so she gently rubbed her thumbs in circles over her soft skin. Hoping, maybe, that she was offering some sort of comfort.
Finally, Juliet opened her eyes, and murmured, “And that’s why I have my rules. No, coming out wouldn’t necessarily be wise for us, with our demographic, in our genre.” Juliet waved her hand in the air, far more dismissive than Darcy could have ever imagined from her when talking about even the hypothetical idea of coming out publicly. “But I literallycan’t.”
There it was, that desperation etched into that single word.
Juliet stared intently at Darcy, as she explained, “I was technically still a teenager when I signed with the label, so Copper Canyon put a morality clause in my contract. That my reputationhasto be bright and shiny. Anddefinitelynot queer.”
Darcy reeled back, surprise and insult filtering through her. “What? That – that can’t be legal.” No one could tell someone, legally, whether or not they could be queer?! “They can’t–”
“They can, and it is. Unfortunately.” Juliet’s tone was flat, and it made sense, Darcy supposed, because she was sure Juliet had run every gamut of emotion when it came to this. It was her life, after all.
But Darcy felt so keyed up, itching to – todosomething. It just wasn’tright. Juliet was a whole, grown, successful person!
“You’re a twenty-six-year-old woman.” The words fell from her lips, sounding just as agitated as she felt. “What does that evenmean? How can your sexuality even be against a morality clause? How does that even make sense?”
Juliet’s expression wasalmostamused and was far softer than Darcy imagined it would be, given this topic of conversation. “While I appreciate your outrage, we both know how.”
Darcy didn’t even – she didn’t know where to take her outrage and her frustration and her… her sadness, especially fora teenage Juliet. Someone who’d signed away years of her life, thinking she was being promised the moon. Because her stepdad – and likely her mom, it seemed – told her she was, indeed, receiving the moon and a few extra stars, too.
It made her heart hurt, and it made her understand that desperation she sensed inside of Juliet from time to time. The desperation that she’d never been able to really understand, when it seemed like Juliet really had it all, and always had.
“Even if that’s in your contract to Copper Canyon, can’t you at least tellHarrisonto screw off?” Darcy didn’t know if she was grasping at straws, but she couldn’t help but jump into problem-solving mode. Couldn’t there besomething? “He doesn’t work for the label.”
Juliet’s expression pinched tightly. “I signed a contract with him, too.”
“Yourstepdadmade you sign a contract with him?” She already knew Harrison wasn’t, like, some good guy. But…jesus. It was enough to make Darcy feel almost glad both of her parents had totally fucked off; at least she didn’t owe them anything.
Juliet smiled at her, ice cold. “Legally binding. Trust me, I’ve had it looked over multiple times.”
“Could you… I don’t know, couldn’t you break it? You’re a success all on your own.” Darcy gestured around them. “Can’t we… I don’t know, appeal it?”
“We?” Juliet echoed back, her lips curling into a coy little smile.
Darcy felt herself flush but shrugged. So, she was passionate, and she was on Juliet’s side, and she just... wanted… to support her.
“There has to besome way,” she pressed, shaking her head. “Itcan’tbe legal for him to be able to say jump, and you have to answer how high.”
The very idea of it made her shudder in disgust, made her lip curl down with anger. She had no idea how Juliet had done it, because just as she knew the sun would rise in the morning, she knew that she’d have lost her fucking mind in Juliet’s situation.
Juliet’s lips were pursed before she firmly stated, “No. I can’t.”
“Even though you have your own money, now?” She couldn’t help but press, feeling this edge of desperation for Juliet.
Juliet’s big, dark eyes focused on her, but thankfully she didn’t look angry or annoyed at Darcy’s insistence. She looked… appreciative? But coloring everything was an air of defeat. Acceptance that she’d obviously spent years trying to make peace about.
Juliet reached for Darcy’s notebook and pen. “Can I?”
She lifted her hands in deference; she’d probably give Juliet just about anything right now.
“I need you to know that even though it mightsoundlike I’m impugning you, I’m really not,” Juliet started, shooting Darcy an imploring stare.
“Okay…?”
