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Lane smiled, even though their eyes were sad.
“Don’t say that,” they said. “That’s my home you’re insulting. You know, sometimes I really wonder what happened to the girl I first met who thought higher education was elitist indoctrination and queer people were doing it to be woke.”
Cassidy rolled her eyes. “I mean you’re the one who went and got a crush on me anyway, so I don’t know that you can claim any high moral standards.”
Lane laughed and Cassidy loved hearing it.
“I wish you’d told me about the job stuff,” she said quietly.
“I felt too ashamed.” Lane looked away. “Like it was my fault, somehow. The idea of some innate unworthiness still grabs me sometimes.”
“You’re the most worthy fucking person I know,” said Cassidy fiercely. She kissed them and they smiled, reaching out to brush sandwich crumbs off her chin. “So, what are you going to do then? You know Savannah and Brynn would employ you until Emmeline is at least thirty-five if they get the chance.”
“I know,” they said. “And I’d love that, in a way. They’re my family… But I need more.” Cassidy nodded. It was the weird tension they’d always lived with, that Lane was all wrapped up with Cassidy’s family in one complicated knot. “Of course, as always, it was Rosalie to the rescue in the end. She told me that she’d always hoped I’d become a youth worker eventually.”
“She gave you a job?”
“Part-time,” they said, “while Tucker and Emmeline settle in with their new nanny.”
“Lane,” Cassidy twisted to gaze up at them, “that’s fucking great. You’ll be amazing at that.”
“Thanks,” they smiled. She kissed them. Then she drew back, thoughtfully.
“Is the new nanny hot?” she asked. Lane scoffed and reached around to pinch her ass making her squeak. “That’s a yes then. Sorry babe, you know I can’t be bothered going any further than Savannah’s guesthouse to get laid.”
“Lucky for me I’m not moving out then,” Lane gave her a dirty look and she smiled.
“Guess you’ve still got a shot then.” She shrugged.
She told them about the moment they got a record deal.
“Sony rang Hailey with a big offer. The label head had our demos and when he saw the photo kit he asked around and found some paparazzi pics of Savannah and I out together. There was no hiding who I was after that.” She winced at the memory. “Hailey nearly had a fit, both because we didn’t tell her and that we rejected Sony on the basis we refused to be marketed as Savannah Grace 2.0.”
“Holy shit,” said Lane. “I love how ballsy you are. And Kinsey backed you?”
Cassidy smiled. “All the way.”
“I literally can’t believe you didn’t sleep with her. You probably should have, just for that.”
Cassidy elbowed them.
“But because Hailey is the fucking best she used that offer to sneakily build buzz and both BMI and Universal came to the table. All of a sudden it was raining cash.”
“You’re rich,” Lane said slowly, looking a little queasy.
“It’s weird,” Cassidy agreed.
They shifted on the platform, facing each other, fingertips brushing in the widening space between each other.
“Our lives are about to get wildly different from each other,” Lane said, their fingers tracing the back of Cassidy’s hand.
“I know. There’s no one else I’d want at my side more than you,” she said. “Keep me on the straight and narrow. Stop my head from getting too big. You know what happened when Savannah made it big, right? Her life imploded. I don’t want that.”
Lane frowned. “It might happen anyway. If you get literally famous.”
Cassidy swallowed.
“Lane,” she said. “I’m not going to lie, I’m scared. I want to be a big deal musician, but I don’t know that I want all of that.” She thought of Savannah not being able to go out for a regular meal or go shopping without twelve photographers, a stack of fans, and a bodyguard. She looked at Lane plaintively. “I just want to come off stage from my stadium tour being worshiped by millions and go home in peace so you can go down on me.”