Page 118 of Movers and Shakers

“I’m guessing you’re really feeling this one?”

“I am.”

“Come on, then. Let’s process it like we did last time. With singing.”

I was more than ready to get into the booth, and when I started recording, I felt every word just like I had on that stage. When I’d gotten most of it recorded, Sasha went to work making it sound perfect.

We worked all night, coming up with a stripped-back song to release.

I should have felt relieved, but my mind was swirling with all the unknowns.

I was swarmed when I left the studio, even though it was early in the morning, and I knew I’d be followed around every time. Being back felt like my world was a chaotic storm of dust and debris now that I’d sung that song. They asked if it was about Blaze, just like everything else had been.

I hadn’t thought about him for a while.

Buttheysure had.

They wanted to know why I’d broken it off and if we were getting back together. I didn’t know how to begin to answer a single one of their yelled questions and I didn’t get a second to breathe because they followed me back.

As I pulled up to my house, I knew the wig wasn’t coming off for anything. As I took a measured breath to center myself, Juno offered to lock up the garage.

Then I darted in.

I was used to my house being the way I left it. I wasn’t a messy person, so when I tripped over a pizza box, red flags raised in my mind.

“Ah, you’re back.”

Oh, God.

My eyes trailed up. Blaze was in my house, shirtless, with a beer can in hand.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

But it was a stupid question. I knew why.

“I live here.”

“When we weretogether.This ismyhouse.”

“You never said I couldn’t stay.”

“It was implied!” I turned to call out to Juno, but his hand clamped around my wrist.

“Don’t call out to her. Come on. It’s just you and me right now.”

I could have gagged. “Don’t try to come onto me when youcheatedon me.”

“Was it really cheating?”

“Yes!”

“Lila,” he groaned. “This has been torture.”

I eyed the mess that was my house. “Seems like you had fun to me.”

“It would have been better if you were here. I might even be able to deal with your boy toy.”

“Don’t call him that,” I said.

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