Page 64 of Movers and Shakers

“Blaze was cheating on me with her.”

“What?”

“For how long?” Dad asked.

“For many years,” I added.

“Years?”Dad repeated. “I’m glad you dumped him or else I would do it for you.”

“I can’t believe he would cheat onyou,”Mom said, but then she sighed. “It’s going to be huge news, isn’t it?”

Andtherewere the words I was thinking. The news would be big and I wondered if Lila would get any privacy. I’d have to stay away from Mom for the entire time. She hated it when my name, even my fake one, was everywhere.

“It’ll fade,” Dad said. “Don’t worry about it, Linda. Now, Rosie, is that why you were upset when I was in Nashville?”

“Kind of. I’d caught him with someone else that time. But this thing with Mia is . . . worse. I left right after.”

“I knew I never liked him.”

“Really?”

“All he cared about was fame,” Dad said. “He only approached you after Rick said you were the best there.”

“He didn’t—‍” I began to say, but I stopped myself. Maybe hehadalways cared about the fame. Maybe he realized he couldn’tachieve it on his own and focused on me to get a foot in the door. And I’d been too blind to notice.

“But you seemed happy,” Mom said. “For a while.”

“Where are you now?” Dad asked. “Do you want to come stay with me, Rosie?”

“I’m in . . . Nashville.”

“Why are you there? You knew I left for Portland months ago.”

“Um,” I said, “I came back for Barry.”

“Who’s Barry?” Mom asked.

“Wait, I know the name,” Dad said.

“He was the bar owner. The one I had the eyes for.”

“Oh, really?” he asked. “Are you spending more time as Rose, then?”

“N-no. He knows Lila.”

“But I thought you liked him asRose?”

“I’ve met him mostly as Lila. But also as Rose.”

The line was silent.

“Is that a good idea?” Mom asked.

“I can’t switch now.”

“But you talked to him as Rose.”

“Yeah, but helikesLila.”

---