Being able to get a room with a view was maybe one of her favorite things that had changed in her life this year. No, she didn’t feel the need to buy herself a brand-new wardrobe for her daily life, but if there was a room with a view, she wanted it.
Any time she, Emerson, and Blythe had left Pineford in the past, they’d all shared a single motel room.
Which was likely why it felt so strange being here by herself.
She’d never traveled alone anywhere in her life. Being here – even if Nashville was only a couple hours from Pineford – without the company of her sister and best friend was just strange. It was quiet.
Especially tonight, while she still felt so… rankled from her day in the studio with Juliet.
She was so keyed up from it, even sitting out on the balcony with Katherine Spencer’s new book wasn’t distracting her.
She was reasonably certain her sister and Colton would be celebrating again tonight, plus Blythe wasn’t exactly a warm-and-comforting type of person.
So, she called Emerson, tapping the speaker icon and placing her phone on the table next to her.
“So?” Emerson prompted as soon as she picked up. “How did it go?”
Darcy’s hands tightened on the ornate metal railing. “It went fabulously.”
Emerson gasped. “Really?”
“No.” She burst that bubble immediately, unable to keep up the façade, as a dry, bitter laugh escaped her. “Not even close. I, uh…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “I walked out. I’m not doing it.”
She fucking hated that. She hadn’t yet called Zayd to discuss it with him even though she’d left the studio several hours ago, because it made her feel terrible. Besides, she still wasn’t used to having to run her decisions by a manager. Especially not when it came to her music choices, and especially not when her emotions were involved.
And they were. She felt so small and so… dismissed by Juliet. She wasn’t embarrassed, because she stood by her decision. But she was angry and upset at the whole situation.
Out of all of the people she had to work with, it was Juliet?! Who refused to give Darcy an ounce of respect as a colleague? Maybe shehadbeen naïve to walk into the studio today believing that she and Juliet could possibly both be professionals.
Emerson was silent for several beats. Not totally abnormal for Emerson, but after even more seconds passed, she had to check if they were still connected.
“Hello?”
“I – sorry – I’m just processing. Youwalked outfrom performing a song forShelby Linwood’stribute album? Isn’t Shelby going to be hosting that big dinner party in a couple of weeks for everyone who worked on the album, too? So…if you don’t do this, you won’t have dinner with her, either?” Emerson’s volume, uncharacteristically, grew louder as she went on, her incredulity dripping from her words.
Darcy groaned, dropping her head into her hands. “I guess, yeah.”
Which plainly sucked.
She didn’t know if she’d ever have this kind of opportunity again. To not only meet Shelby but to go to a large dinner party at her house? That was a situation that only happened in a dream.
“But… I don’t want to be on this album if it means putting out a song that doesn’t even sound likeme.” The thought of it made her stomach tie into tight, uncomfortable knots. “What’s the point of that? I’d rather have Shelby Linwood not know who I am than know me for putting out a subpar cover of one of her best songs.”
Andthathad been the thing that had driven her forward all day. Motivated her to keep trying with Juliet, to keep voicing her ideas. She’d obsessed, unsurprisingly, about this and had pages of notes. Not that she’d expected Juliet to agree to everything, but to at least hear her out.
“I get that,” Emerson said slowly, as though she was carefully picking through her words. “But–”
A knock on her hotel room door cut Emerson off. Darcy turned to face into her empty room with a frown.
“I don’t suppose you miraculously appeared here outside of my door?” Darcy prompted, picking her phone back up as she walked inside, crossing the room.
“I haven’t mastered that trick, unfortunately.” Emerson clicked her tongue in mock-disappointment. Ironically, her best frienddidknow how to perform several magic tricks that entertained a lot of the kids she’d taught music lessons to.
Darcy wasn’t as intrigued by the act of magic as Emerson was, but she’d picked up a few things from her over the years as well. “If you learn, that’s one I want to know, too.”
“I take it you don’t know who’s there?” Emerson asked, as Darcy came to a stop at the door.
“Sure don’t. As you know, I have two friends. Both currently in Pineford. You’re one of them. My sister’s the other.”