Juliet turned and aimed a hard look out at the city, rather than across the table at Darcy. After a few beats, she said quietly, “Darcy… look, I get it. You have your ideas about this song, and you want to take a big swing because it’s worked out for you so far. But you really don’t understand. If we take this song – thisiconicsong – and make changes that people hate, we’re going to be crucified for it.”
Wow.
Darcy could only stare, her response momentarily forgotten as she realized that this was Juliet being genuinely authentic with her. There was a quiet edge of vulnerability, something Darcy wondered if Juliet even realized she was emitting. Something told her Juliet would rather bite off her own arm than have Darcy see anything that wasn’t her typical polished veneer.
Juliet flattened her lips into a thin line as she turned back to face Darcy. “Why are you looking at me like I said something profound? I’m just telling you the truth.”
“I’m looking at you like this because I think I get it, now.”
“Getwhat?”
“You’re scared to step out of the lines again,” Darcy voiced, her eyes tracing over Juliet’s face.
God, it just made everything click into place for her. At least, everything about their blow-out earlier today at the studio.
Juliet’s expression immediately shuttered, completely unreadable. “What do you even think you’re talking about?”
“Your albums, the ones where you attempted to do something different than what people expected, got totally panned. I mean,Echoes…” She trailed off, blowing out a deep breath as she winced.
In an instant, Juliet was back to glaring at her. “Thank you for that reminder. You love bringing that up, huh?”
Darcy rolled her eyes. “I’m only saying it this time because – that’s why, right?” She pushed. “That’s why you’re so afraid to take any bigger swings with ‘Porchlight.’”
It really made so much sense; Darcy was kicking herself for not seeing it earlier. The moment Darcy had started to push at the boundaries of what the existing song was, Juliet hadn’t so much as gotten mad as she’d gotten… sharp. She’d immediately shut down.
“Fine.” Juliet’s voice was tight. “You’d rather not do ‘Porchlight’ if it means we put out the carbon copy version of Shelby’s? I’d rather not do it if it means I get raked across the coals again for doing something I have no business doing.”
She has no business going there. Darcy could remember that review fromEchoes, where Juliet had been heavily critiqued for stepping out of being strictly-country.
No excuse for her attitude, but at least Darcy could understand now.
And in that understanding, she felt a little… softer. Enough, at the very least, to make this a real conversation.
“Having this puritanical creative integrity thing you have isn’t necessarily going to get you very far. Just so you know,”Juliet volleyed at her, but didn’t sound like she was lecturing Darcy.
It sounded, actually, like she was trying to give her a caution.
On instinct, she wanted to disagree. That she didn’t have “puritanical creative integrity.” Darcy was accepting of criticism, she was willing to pivot, to make changes.
However, she wasn’t willing to change certain fundamental parts of her songs. There were some things, the things that she could feel in her gut were the best parts that she had to stand her ground on.
“And maybe you’re right.” Which was her nightmare. That she’d wake up and this would all be over. “But… the one thing that feels worse to me, like right here?”
She brought her hand up, pressing her hand against her chest, between her breasts, feeling her heart beating under her fingertips.
Juliet followed her movement, staring at her chest for a beat, before she took a sip of her water and looked back at Darcy’s face.
“Is that I’ll be someone who puts out music that I don’t think is the best it could be. Changing something that Iknowcould be amazing to appease anyone else…” She shook her head in vehement disagreement with the very idea, everything inside of her rallying against it.
“You’d rather go back to working at your bowling alley?” Juliet asked, and Darcy couldn’t tell from her tone if she was amused or if she was mocking or if she was actually just baffled.
Regardless, she answered honestly, “Yeah. I guess I would.”
This time, it was Darcy who turned to cast her attention out over the city. Taking in the nightlife below them, around them. Maybe Darcy having such strong opinions and being unwilling to compromise on her music morals could lead to a downfall one day. But on the flip side, it had gotten her this far, hadn’t it?
“I mean… wouldn’t you rather take a swing and strike out, than do something people forget about?”
“I detest sports metaphors. If we’re working together, please refrain.”
