Page 115 of Movers and Shakers

He stopped and turned. “What did she lie about?”

“She has a . . . secret that I found out. She said she hid it to protect me, but I didn’t need that protection.”

Tom’s lips twisted. “I get how easy it is to say you’re protecting someone when really you’re just scared to admit the truth. It’s a coward’s way out, but I’ve taken it before. You have the rightnotto forgive her, but know that her life has to be a whirlwind that we can’t even imagine. You saw what happened when Ruth was justseenwith Knox, and he’s not even a mainstream celebrity.”

I blew out a breath of air. “I know. I get it. And with this secret, it makes it all the more complicated.”

“Did she apologize?”

“Yes.”

“Did she promise to do better?”

“We . . . we haven’t gotten there yet. She had to go because she’s . . . you know.Her.”

“You probably needed time to cool off, which you’re taking.”

“Until she goes back to LA and it’s over.”

“Barry, you didn’t see the way she watched you when you found out about Wilfred or the way she promised Ruth to check in on you after you found out. Even if she didn’t do it—‍”

“She did, actually. In her own way.”

And I’d opened up to her as Rose.

What was her real life like when it wasn’t split in two? What wasshe,the woman behind both Rose and Lila, like? What were the moments in between the two?

And in that moment, I knew I wanted it more than anything else. I still needed time to process, but once I was ready, if she could promise to be honest with me and hold true to that, I would be more than happy to know every part of her.

“Then—‍” Tom frowned and pulled out his phone. “Hang on, Max is texting.” His eyes widened.

“What did he say?”

Tom turned his phone around so I could see.

Max: DAD THIS IS NOT A DRILL

Max: LILA PERFORMED ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Max: SHE DID A NEW SONG!!!

“Anewsong?” I asked. “I thought the album was done.”

Another text came in and Tom moved his phone so we could both see.

Max: It’s like an . . . apology song? It’s really sad but I stg if this is her apology to Blaze I will gag.

“Maybe you should look up this performance,” Tom encouraged, and I couldn’t grab my own phone fast enough.

The video was trending. Lila was performing on a morning show, wearing dark clothes. She only had her guitar, no band. As she sang, the lyrics were powerful. She blamed herself in the song, wishing she’d shown a mystery man every side of herself instead of lying about it. She apologized for his pain and said she wished she could redo it all.

As far as apologies go, it was the best one I’d ever fucking heard.

“I’m going to LA.” The announcement blew out of me the very second the video ended.

“Barry, wait—‍” Tom began.

“I need to talk to her. Don’t try to stop me.”

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