Page 21 of Movers and Shakers

“Is thatguiltI hear?”

“No. You’re not hearing anything.”

“Then let me see the other pages of your notebook.”

I instinctively went to grab it to protect it, but he ripped it out of my hands. “Blaze!”

“Chill, Lila. You’re so dramatic.” It felt like my soul was being examined as he flipped through the pages. “Huh. Looks like I was right. These aren’t about me.”

Shit.I was in trouble.

“Give it back.”

His dark brows rose as he surveyed the lyrics about a man with hulking arms and long hair. “Haveyoubeen cheating, little Miss Perfect?”

“Absolutely not,” I said. “You’ve just been a little less interesting to me sinceyoucheated.”

“Of course. You always have to take the moral high ground.”

“Don’t you care that I’m not attracted to you?”

“Oh, honey, youhaveto be attracted to me. It’s what the fans want.” And he wasn’t wrong. People loved that I’d only written about him since I was discovered. They all said it was amazing how I never lost him as I got caught up in the glitz and glamour of music. “We’ll just change the lyrics a bit,” Blaze added. “This can work.”

“I’m not changing the lyrics,” I said. “Or making a song out of it.”

“This has the bones of a good song. If it were about me, Mia would love it.” He threw my notebook down on the table. “Write more like this.”

“Wh-what?”

“Write. More.” He said it like I was a clueless child. “Wherever you found this guy, go back. Make an album, and then we’ll make it about me. I can work on growing my hair out to match your lyrics.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I’m already blond.”

There was a huge difference between his platinum bottle color and what I assumed was Barry’s darker, natural shade.

“You want me to write an album about another man?” I asked. “Why would I—‍”

“Because it’s what the fans want. They want an album and we can make it about me like you always do. Besides, you’re in your head about me kissing that girl, and this is your way of gettingrevenge. So have it, and then come back to me like the good girl you are.”

My stomach lurched. I hated every second of this. “I won’t do it. I’m not going back to Nashville or to Movers and Shakers to write anything.”

Blaze laughed and pulled out his phone. Was hetextingsomeone? “Now you are. I’m having Mia get you a hotel in Nashville.”

“What?”I nearly yelled. “I can’t justgoto Nashville.”

“Take your bodyguard. You’ll be fine.”

I groaned. As much as I liked Juno, having her there meant I’d never be able to step foot out of the hotel as Rose. She was a hulking mountain of a woman that would catch me instantly.

“Ican’t—‍”

“You can for your career,” he said, turning toward the door. “This is what you signed up for—and I’m not losing all of this because of yourmorals.”

He waltzed out, leaving me to my fate.

It looked like I was going to Nashville.

Barry

The last thing I expected was to run into a woman in front of my office door. She stood as tall as me and wore the most serious expression I’d ever seen. She was a huge figure who had even me wondering if I could get her out of the bar if she were causing problems.

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