Page 100 of The Unfinished Line

Settling the mic back in its stand, Kam flashed an almost reticent smile to the DJ, who looked out over the crowd and said “well, who wants to embarrass themselves and follow upthatshowstopper?”

Kyle stood as Kam returned to their table, her face flushed with exertion.

“I’d say my hat was off to you, but you’re a hustler, Kam Kingsbury!” He grinned. “Are you certain it was movies you were made for?”

“Oh, don’t you bother sitting now, pet,” Sam was immediately on her feet, interceding Kam’s retirement to her chair. “You can’t think we’re going to let you pull a fast one on us, and then get off so easy!”

A moment later, Sam had dragged Kameryn back to the stage with her, where the Geordie intertwined her brassy voice with the dynamic clarity of Kam’s as they belted through a duet of(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life. Immediately following, Harry, who—unbeknownst to his teammates—could also sing, convinced Kam to branch out of the Eighties and join him forSeñorita, and then, as a final song of the night,Rewrite the Stars, fromThe Greatest Showman.

“Well, if he doesn’t post a decent time for Montreal, at least he has something to fall back on,” Georgina teased, watchingtheir youngest teammate eat up the limelight, basking in his newfound stardom.

“Aren’t you a little jealous, Sinc?” Kyle ribbed, chucking his chin at the stage where the duo harmonized the longing of lovers kept apart. “Your shower singing can’t compete with that!”

Dillon shrugged, unworried. “I know who she’s going home with tonight.”

“Yeah, and if she keeps making moon eyes at you the way she does, so will everybody else,” Sam teased, and then, seeing Dillon’s stiffening expression, leaned over. “Don’t get your dander up, I’m just ruffling your feathers.”

But when Kam, politely refusing any additional songs, bypassed her chair and settled into the empty one beside Dillon, Dillon gently drew away from the shoulder Kam pressed against her.

She felt bad, aware of the silent apology Kam cast in her direction. Kam shouldn’t have to apologize for sitting beside her, for showing her affection. But Dillon couldn’t help but brace herself, feeling her self-preservation kicking in for what she knew was coming.

The firstSand Seekers’movie trailers were releasing at the end of the month. Kam was scheduled for a press tour with her co-stars beginning the week she got home to Los Angeles. Things were changing, fast. The next time they saw each other, Kam—whether she liked it or not—would be living the life of a different person.

“You were brilliant.” Dillon smiled, trying to soften her withdrawal. “You know Harry’s not going to shut up about this all the way to Montreal?”

Across the table Kyle laughed. “Montreal? He’s going to be crowing about this until he’s gray and old!”

“Something you have experience with already,” Harry ragged Kyle.

“You okay if we call it an early night?” Kam whispered when Georgina rose to take orders for another round. “I’d love to spend what little time we have left alone.”

Goodbyes said, Kam was stopped by the DJ at the door.

“If I’d known you were going to smash the Whitney tribute, I’d have recorded it for our video of the week!” He handed her a card. “I got your duet up, though—on my Insta, if you want to give me a follow. If you come back next week, I’ll be sure to get you and your mates drinks on the house.”

“Oh.” Kam stared at the card. “I—thank you, but I’m afraid I’ll be out of town.”

“Well, when you’re back in again, you know where to come!” He aimed a finger gun at her, clucking his tongue. “Don’t forget to give me a follow!”

As soon as they were settled on the train toWaterloo Station, Kam pulled out her phone.

“Oh, thank God,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “He’s only got 159 followers. That video’s going to get buried.”

“You could make it 160,” Dillon teased, and this time, when Kameryn rested her head against her shoulder, she didn’t pull away.

“Do you know how much I’m going to miss you?” Kam asked, her eyes closed.

Dillon slipped her arm around her. “Double it, and you’ll know how much I’m going to miss you.”

“You don’t get to win everything,” Kam stuck her thumb into Dillon’s ribs, not bothering to open her eyes. “I have this one on lock. I’m going to miss you more.”

“I could try to come see you?” Dillon said, after a moment. “After Málaga?”

Kam settled more heavily against her. “Don’t give me false hope.” She sighed. “Let’s just stick to our plan.”

It was the smart thing to do, Dillon knew. Five months wasn’t forever. Kam was going to be weighed down with promotional obligations prior to the premieres, and Dillon had to focus on her season.

Come the holidays, they would have time to spend with each other. Time to see what life looked like from there. To move forward, building a future on a landscape neither was certain how to navigate—but one, they promised, they’d figure out together.

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