Page 166 of The Comedown

“For what song?”

Julian shrugs his free shoulder. “I’ll write one.”

“When?”

“Now. Right now. Then we can start shooting as soon as I can get enough people out of bed to help film it.”

That’s…not how it works, which he knows because he’s got a dozen or so music videos under his belt already.

“You can’t fix everything.”

Julian stares at me, his jaw flexing before he says, “Watch me.”

It’s honorable that he’s trying, I do realize and appreciate that, but it’s also unrealistic. Julian can’t even fix his own problems. Mine are just that—mine. I got myself into all this. I’m going to have to get myself out of it, too.

I change the subject by gesturing to the buses and ask, “So what are we doing here?” While Julian’s is lit up like a beacon of debauchery, the inside of mine is pitch black.

Or it was pitch black until a light inside just flicked on. The windows are one-way glass, so from out here we can’t see who’s inside, only that someone obviously is.

“Umm…” I side-eye Julian, and he frowns. “Does that have to do with you?”

“No. Who’d be in there? Antonio?”

“I’m not sure.” Deep inside my purse, my phone pings with a notification, so I shove a hand in to search for it.

Another black SUV, a Suburban though, pulls up behind the Escalade, the headlights nearly blinding us.

“Ayo, kill the lights!” Julian barks, pushing off the Escalade with a hand shading his eyes.

The driver doesn’t listen, only reverses and pulls away after the man in the passenger side gets out.

The same time my fingers close around my phone, I hear Slade ask, “Did you get my messages? I’ve been blowing you up.”

Julian’s expressionless face only shakes. “I turned my phone off after I texted you to meet me here.”

Is that why we’re here? For Slade? Is he going to confront him about what I told him?

The crepe in my stomach threatens to make a reappearance, but I swallow profusely while trying to unlock my phone. First, to check for any new texts from Holter or Mary, then to read the email Irelynn just forwarded me.

“The Mousais,” Slade says.

I look up from my phone, finishing, “We got it.”

“What?” Julian asks, glancing between us.

“The offer just came through,” Slade says. “They fucking want you to perform.”

“On the main stage or one of the parties?”

“On the main stage, during the main show, last act of the night. We’re closing it out,” I answer with a grin.

Ignoring his agent, he asks me, “You did this?” It’s all I can do to nod as my feet move on their own accord, leading me right into his open arms.

I did do it. Not only did I get them to agree to my terms of performing with Julian, but I was able to surprise him with the news.

It wasn’t all for nothing. Something I did actually matters.

Our mouths meet in blazing intensity, our mutual excitement transferring from one to the other and back.