Page 71 of Blue Moon

“Are you really, though? Amethyst says you’re having a breakdown.”

That didn’t surprise me even a little bit. “Mom can’t handle the fact that I’m doing better without her.”

“Julius said you hired some psycho of a bodyguard, and he’s a real thug with a short fuse.”

I choked out a laugh. “I hired Ryder again. Julius only thinks he’s a thug because Ryder made him let go of my arm yesterday.”

And I hoped Julius had a massive bruise.

“Ryder?” Jubilee looked confused. “But I thought you hated him now? At the restaurant in San Gallicano, you were yelling at him and…”

“We cleared the air.”

“You’ve been so quiet. Your socials are dead.”

“Halle-freaking-lujah. Do you know how liberating it is to live life as I want to for a change? I sleep as late as I like. I’m learning to drive. Oh, and I’m going to foster a dog. His name is Rocky, and we’re going to pick him up tomorrow morning.”

“A dog? But what will you do with it when you’re touring?”

“I’m not going to be touring, duh.”

“But Julius said he’d gotten you a new deal? Five years, three albums, world tours?”

“And I told him I’m not doing that.”

“But…but it’s worth millions of dollars.”

“So? Money doesn’t buy happiness, and neither does fame.”

“But we don’t have any money. The police still haven’t found Ron, and your mom is freaking out.”

“If she thinks it’s so much fun, maybe she can try getting a recording contract and going on tour? I’m going to finish my show at the Palace, then chill until my contract with Julius expires.”

Jubilee just stared at me, and the waiter chose that moment to return with our drinks. My smoothie came with a mini platter of fruit slices and a bamboo straw.

“Would you like to see a menu?”

“Just bring me something light. No shellfish.”

“And for you, ma’am?” he asked Jubilee.

“A Caesar salad.”

Honestly, I’d rather have been in the gym watching Ryder get sweaty, but I needed to understand what was going on with Jubilee. Was she truly worried about me or just doing Mom’s bidding? In a strange way, I missed her. She’d been the one constant in my life growing up. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to forgive her for the Cordelia thing, but if Mom had messed with her head as much as mine and Jubilee could also break free, perhaps it would be possible to get back a semblance of our old friendship?

“I thought you loved singing?” she said.

“I do, but I can sing in the shower. I can dance in my living room.”

“You found a new place?”

“Well, I haven’t been sleeping on the street. I’m surprised Mom hasn’t shown up at the door yet—the paparazzi are always outside, and even my stalker has the address.”

“You have a stalker?”

“I told you I had a stalker, remember? When I asked you whether it was Cordelia messing around again?”

“But I thought that was just letters?”

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