Page 93 of Take What You Want

She’s right.

24

NIKOLAI

“Last question coming in today, we have Bridget from Utah. Bridget, what would you like to ask Nikolai Brooks and Kerra?”

The radio station’s headphones are starting to give me a headache, so I’m thankful that this is the final question and that means this radio interview is almost over. Kerra and I have been here for an hour, interviewing between songs.

“Ahh, this is so cool! Hi Johnny, I listen to your show everyday!” The excited voice of the caller rings through the line.

Johnny, the radio DJ, smiles and gives a smooth, “Thank you,” to his fan.

“My question for Nikolai and Kerra is how did the two of you meet? And did your relationship inspire you two to make a song together? I love you, Nikolai!” Her voice is cut off, and I don’t miss Kerra’s tense smile at that last part.

Johnny looks at the two of us expectantly. I open my mouth to answer when Kerra cuts in. “We met a couple of years ago, before Nikolai’s last tour and have stayed in touch on and off since then.” It’s the story our teams came up with. It makessense, logically. She was supposed to be the opening act for that tour until a pile of lawsuits came raining down on her.

But we never met then, and we certainly haven’t kept in touch.

“I always thought he was a little bit of a player.” She chuckles, and it grates against my nerves. “But once I got to know him, I realized how kind he is. And he’s just an incredible songwriter. Once he was freed up from his former commitments, I was dying to get into the studio with him.”

And yet, you didn’t even write a single word on the song with me…

“The partnership felt natural once we started creating the song, and then you know, one thing turned into the next…” She smiles sweetly at me, and I give her a half-assed one back. There aren’t any cameras in here and Johnny has been in the game for decades. We don’t need to put on an extra show for him alone, but I do play my part.

“What she said,” I say, earning a laugh from Johnny and a side-eye from Kerra. “I’m really proud of this song, and I’m happy people love it. Kerra did a beautiful job with her vocals and I think we blend together well on it.”

Even if I don’t love the situation I’m in with her, I can’t deny that the song is great and she’s talented.

“Well,” Johnny says, “our audience loves it here! Been getting a lot of air time.”

“Appreciate it, man.”

“That’s the top of the hour, which means I have to let these two go. Nikolai, Kerra, thank you both for stopping by today and I look forward to your show tonight, Nikolai.”

We thank him and say our goodbyes before stepping out of the studio. Kerra is silent by my side as we stroll down the hallway of the station but I can feel the words she wants to say trapped in her mouth. I spare her a glance. “What’s up?”

“What’s up?”

I sigh. Every single part of me wants to just head back to my hotel room and prepare for the show tonight. It’s a short set at a music festival but I’m going to be singing four of the new songs I’m planning to have on the album, as well as the single with Kerra and she’ll come out to perform it with me. But clearly, she wants to talk before that can happen.

As we turn a corner, there’s an empty conference room and I pull her in there. The studio is fairly empty since it’s a Saturday morning, but I don’t think this is going to be a discussion we want overheard.

When we enter, I shut the door behind us and flick the lights on. There’s a window in the door, so I pull us to the side so we’re mostly out of view for anyone who might walk by.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” I cross my arms.

Her cheeks redden. “What’s wrong with me? More like what’s wrong with you! What was that in there?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about your complete lack of interest in me!” she sputters. “Thank god it was a radio interview and not on camera because anyone with two fucking braincells would be able to see that you’re not in this.”

There’s the Kerra I’m familiar with. Not the sugary sweet, docile facade she’s presenting in her rebrand.

“What would you have said if I wouldn’t have jumped in for that final question?” She pops her hip out. “Would you have forgotten that you’re my boyfriend entirely?”

“First off, I’m not your boyfriend.” She narrows her eyes on me. “And second, I would’ve given the same answer you did. The same one we arebothcoached to answer.”

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