Page 551 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

“or you need a minute, hon?”

“Coffee’s good.”

Buzz.

She nods and walks off,

and I reach into my jacket pocket.

A notification from Callista pops on the screen, trailing a string of other texts I’ve ignored.

Today 9:51 AM

Allie where the hell are you?

Why aren’t you responding to me?

Are you avoiding me?

11:58 PM

I've been trying to get ahold of you all day. Why couldn't you tell me straight up you were reassigning the song to Lirrah? You said it was mine and I had to find out through an email this morning.

I fell in love with that song Allie. I spent all week building the new album around it. Why would you give it to Lirrah of all people? And why couldn't you just tell me?

I'm trying really hard not to lose my mind but I am so fucking upset right now. Call me!

Somewhere inside me, there’s a version of Allison Taylor who would be crushed about this. That girl would call Raymond, feed his ear with curses and threats, bring in A&R, legal, check the chain of command.

Unfortunately,

that girl is not currently available.

Current me is numb in a diner booth.

Numb is smarter, safer.

Numb means I can look down at the text, and think to reply—Well, that sucks.

Should’ve known better

than to fall in love with a song.

But if I let the numb melt off my bones, I’m going under, and I don’t know how deep this pain will go.

Then—

the phone vibrates in my hand.

I freeze.

Andrew (Incoming Call)

My pulse picks up, and my hand shakes,

like I’m holding a grenade.

A part of me wants to answer just to hear his voice. The temptation is so strong I almost give in.