“You know… it was scary. I’d been with them for my entire career. Decades. Platinum albums,” Shelby listed off, before aiming a serious look across the table. “But, no. I didn’t regret it.”
That – well, that was definitely very affirming. She was still unsettled, uncertain, but it helped. “I think the thing I’m really struggling with is – who walks away from something like this? A sure thing?”
“Well, do youwanta sure thing? Do you want the deal they’re offering?” Shelby posed, simply.
“I – don’t know,” she whispered, and that made her feel so dumb, saying it aloud. “This – um, this isn’t public news yet. But it’s notnot–” She cut herself off,stop. “My sister and best friend didn’t want to do another album. So, the deal is just for me. And… they offered it.” She shrugged.
Simple as that.
“They want me, solo.”
“And you don’t want tobea solo act?” Shelby probed. She had a very specific tone, like she was coaxing Darcy along.
She didn’t dislike it. “I don’t know that I’d hate it,” she hedged. “And I think I coulddoit.” Really, she did. It wasn’t that she lacked the confidence in believing she could produce. That tipped her scales back to even. “Which, probably, means I should. I mean, what else am I going to do with myself? I should just – get over this hang-up. And get back in the studio.”
That was the most logical thing. Even if she wasn’t sure, it made the most sense.
Shelby studied her, intently. Staring her down with laser focus, before she said, “I’m sure you know where I came from. And I’m sure that after you’ve been to my house, it probably sounds like some little story, detached from my reality. But… I’ve been where you were.”
Shelby wasn’t wrong. Seeing her home was like stepping into a different dimension. A different kind of rich, even from what Darcy had experienced in the last year. Something similar to what Juliet had discussed that time, about Harrison’s wealth.
But she’d read every book on Shelby Linwood; she knew that her background was uncannily similar to Darcy’s own.
Shelby leaned in slightly, lowering her voice to a murmur, ensuring no one else could listen. “People like us, Darcy… people who never had a safety net or that kind of security – it’s hard to turn that part inside of you off. So, you work and you work and you work, and even after you find success, you keep going justas hard right at the wall. Never stopping. Keeping yourself up at night in fear. Even when it doesn’t quite feel right.”
Darcy’s breath caught and held in her lungs, as she stared wide-eyed at Shelby. It was like she’d literally seen into Darcy’s mind, like she’d been able to experience Darcy’s emotions.
Shelby’s look was so veryknowing. “Because you have this fear inside. That somehow, just like that,” Shelby snapped her fingers. “It could all be gone. Even when you achieve something monumental, something so many people can only dream of.”
“Yeah,” the word escaped barely above a whisper, her heart pounding against her ribs.
She didnotwake up today and expect Shelby Linwood to read her from the inside out, right here on this sidewalk.
“I can’t tell you if you should take the deal, Darcy. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career. I’ve done a lot of things I’m proud of. Only you’ll be able to look back and decide what choices fall into which category.” Shelby leaned back in her chair. “All I can tell you is… I wasted a lot of time burning myself out because I felt like I wasn’t able to stop and evaluate what Ireallywanted. And I definitely don’t recommend that.”
Sonot what she’d expected.
When she returned back home– to her home, that she shared, with Juliet, in the Hollywood Hills – Juliet was right there, waiting for her.
“Did you watch me come through the gate?” She asked, a pleased smile on her lips.
“Obviously. Tell me how it went. When are they sending it to your lawyer? What, exactly, are the terms?” Juliet demanded to know, her eyes bright.
Darcy worried at her lip as she answered, “Uh… well, it’s not going to the lawyer. There are no terms. There’s no deal.”
She didn’t know if she’d ever seen someone’s eyes turn ablaze in anger before. But she did right now.
“What?!” Juliet actually shouted, startling Darcy back a step. She whirled around, storming across to the living room, making a clear beeline to her phone. “That – they made you an offer. Fine, nothing was signed, but this is fucking ridiculous.”
“Juliet, what are youdoing?” She asked, catching up with her and grabbing her wrist. Stopping her where she stood, before she could get her phone and unleash hell on… someone.
Probably multiple someones.
“They don’t want to sign you?You?” Juliet turned back to face her, shaking her head. “I’m not going to let that fly. Sorry.”
“Ichose not to take the deal,” she near-yelled, needing to get Juliet’s focus, before she could get any more worked up.
Juliet’s eyebrows furrowed, then she leaned back, staring at Darcy through narrowed, confused eyes. “What? What are you talking about?”