Page 130 of Movers and Shakers

“Doesn’t this place have a hundred bedrooms?”

“Five,” she said. “And you can stay here, of course. I just don’t want you to feel like youhaveto. If you need space, just say the word.”

I’d had my entire life to be alone and it wasn’t all that interesting anymore. “I’ll stay here, but maybe not in whatever wing you put your guests.”

“The second floor,” she said.

“A whole world away.”

“If you wanted to . . .‍” Her eyes darted down the hallway where the master suite was. “You could just stay in my room.”

“I was hoping you’d offer that because that is the exact place I want to be.”

“Really?” she asked. “Even after everything?”

“I think writing an apology and singing it on TV was enough.”

“It doesn’t feel like enough. I could shower you with gifts, but I have a feeling that isn’t your cup of tea.”

“Not really, no.”

“Then what do you want?”

“You. Just you.”

Her cheeks turned red and I loved how I could see that when she was Rose.

“Let’s go to sleep,” I said. “I’ll need to head out tomorrow, but I’ll be back.”

Her face fell at the mention of me going home, and I wished I could stay with her forever, whether it be in the mansion or in my apartment in Nashville.

She led me to her room, a huge space in its own regard with a massive bed. We could have stayed on opposite ends of it as we fell asleep and never touched. But she moved to the middle and I joined her.

“I don’t know if I deserve you,” she said as the lights went out. Her head was on my shoulder and my arm held her tight to me.

“I do, and I’ll do my best to prove it to you.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lila

Amonth later, the album came out with a supernova explosion. I took over people’s entire social media accounts as they dissected every part of it.

They wanted to know who the mystery man was who joined me on “On This Night.”

They wanted to know who the hopeful new beginning was with.

They wanted it all.

Iwanted to disappear and become Rose, but I couldn’t leave LA.

Because I wasbusy.

With the tour scheduled and all of the buzz around me, I barely had time to think. We were rushing to get everything together in time to hit the road to bring my new album to life in concert.

Malia had connected me with another person at her talent management, Justice, who had taken over making everything perfect.

The first order of business was to decide on the setlist. I planned to do most of the new album, but I knew “On This Night”wouldn’t be the same if I were the only one singing it. After some back-and-forth, it was one of the ones that got cut.

---