Now, she pretends she’s fine staying in the shadows.That she’s just here to support me.
Bullshit.
She wasmadefor this.And I want to watch her step back into the light more than I want my next fucking breath.
Still, she won’t sing.
But I’msoclose to getting her to.
Right now, though, she’s tucked against my side in our hotel room in the middle of Paris while we FaceTime with her Dirty B’s for her weekly bookclub meeting.
I gotta admit, it’s fun.It’s just us, drinks in hand, talking shit and books with our people.
Ourpeople.When did that happen?
Because,wow, they really are.
It should be illegal to be this comfortable.Thisdomesticated.But it’s also so,sogood.
Three months ago, no one would have been able to convince me this would be my life.
Honestly?If someone had told me back in LA that I’d behere—on a European tour, waking up next to Anna every morning, watching her steal my hoodies like they belong to her now (they do), falling asleep to the weight of her tucked against me—I would’ve laughed them out of the room.
Because this?This was the impossible dream.
Not the tour.Not the music.Not the crowds screaming my name.
Her.
Anna Chang, in my bed.In my life.Choosingmeevery damn day.
And fuck, I want to keep her here forever.
She fits into my world so seamlessly, like she was always meant to be in it.She rolls her eyes when I get mobbed by fans but then grips my hand tighter.She steals my fries like she’s entitled to them by law.
And the way she looks at me when I play?Like shefeelsit in her chest, like shegetsit.
I know it’s only a matter of time before she’s up there with me.
And holyshit, I can’t wait for that moment.
“So, Anna,” Vivian drawls over the phone, smirking.“Are you excited to be in Paris?I mean, I heard Joel was invited to more shows at Nocté, but what’s that compared to Paris?”
Lily hums, too casual to be innocent.“Yeah, but turns out they didn’t need it.”
Anna slowly turns her head to look at me, then back to the screen, suspicion rising.
“…Wait.What?”
And then,Iget it.Before Anna.And it’s beautiful.
Joel Price,notorious chaos gremlin,lover of one-upmanship,professional menace, is fucking faster on the uptake for once.
I shove up from the bed, nearly knocking over my beer.“Oh, my God.You meddled.”
Lily has the audacity to look unbothered.“Meddled is such a strong word.”
Anna’sstillprocessing.“Hold on.You’re telling meyouconvinced London to ask Joel to stay?He said it was the owner or something.”