Page 20 of Take What You Want

“Arun said she’s trying to make a comeback now that all of her legal issues are tied up, and she’s back with the same label.”

Kerra is a solo artist who was supposed to be the opener for our tour last year. She sings mostly pop music, with a few rock influences here and there, so she seemed like a good fit to open for us. But a few weeks before the tour was about to start, she gotslammed with lawsuits and was pulled from the lineup. That’s when Scar, Walker’s now girlfriend, stepped in and joined.

Kerra’s kept a low profile since everything happened, but Arun said she’s been getting restless and wants to jump into new music to try to move on. I never thought that I would be considering a duet with someone, but if that’s what the label wants, then that’s what they’ll get.

As long as I get to make my own music once it’s done.

“Isn’t that bad press for you to be associated with her?” Jane asks.

“Arun doesn’t think so,” I say. “She didn’t have a bad image before everything happened, and from what it sounds like, most of it fell on her producers; not her. And it’d be good to have two fan bases attracted to our new music from the get-go rather than both of us trying right off the bat by ourselves.”

Jane nods slowly, working it over in her head.

“Look, I’m not saying I’m excited about it. From the few interactions I’ve had in the past with her, I don’t get the best vibes.” Both being signed to the same label, we’ve been at events together before and while our interactions always had the buffers of my friends being around me, none of us were ever sold on her. When she was signed on for the tour, we weren’t that thrilled at the idea of having to be around her for four months straight, but there’s also never been anything in particular that she’s done to any of us.

But there’s always just been something about her that has never quite sat right with me. However, a one-off single I can handle.

“If you’re really alright with it,” Jane says, holding up her hands in surrender, “then that’s the only big items in here that caught my attention. You’ll do this duet first and there will be a pop-up show promoting the song with Kerra in just a little over a month. That seems fast, no?”

I make a wish-wash gesture with my hand. “Not really. They want me in the studio Monday already; pending this contract gets signed and sealed.”

Jane’s eyes widen but she nods. “Alright then. Do you mind if I take this to the hotel with me tonight? I want to look over it once more and I’ll send you back any notes I have first thing in the morning.”

“Of course,” I say as she slips the papers back into the manila folder and slides it into her bag. She straightens up and I can tell she’s ready to go. After all, she’s had a long day.

But I’m not ready to let her go, yet.

“Do you want to come back to my place for a bit? Have another bottle of wine?”

I can sense her rejection before she even speaks it.

“I’m exhausted,” she says, averting her gaze, and I don’t call her out on her excuse. “It’s been hell at work lately and I’ve been looking forward to being able to go to a clean hotel room tonight and just unwind for a bit.”

“I could help you unwind,” I tease, shooting her favorite smirk of mine.

She cocks her head to the side and gives me a look that says,Seriously? As if.

“Just putting it out there,” I say, crossing my arms casually.

“And I’m just sliding it right back,” she says, lifting her chin in the air.

“I’m testing the waters with you, LJ.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“And how’re they looking for you?”

“Frigid.”

She smirks and flips her hair over her shoulder. She thinks she’s won tonight, but if anything, I’d say I got what I needed. Her back in town, spending some one-on-one time with her, andseeing how she reacts to a little flirting. I’ve kept it reined in over the years, but…

She doesn’t trust me, and that’s okay. I can be patient. I can earn it back.

Jane scoots out of the booth and rises steadily to her feet. I do the same and grab my jacket off the hook next to the booth. I hold the blazer open and raise an eyebrow.

She hesitates, but then turns her back to me so I can place it over her shoulders. I don’t miss the way she angles her nose down and inhales as she turns back around.

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