Page 76 of For One Night Only

Because I can’t give Valerie what she wants. It’s so clearly written on her face, the hope that all of this meansEpic Theme Songwill be renewed. I don’t work at The Network, all the money from this performance is going into my sister’s college fund, and I can’t come back to this life the way she would need me to for any of it to be worth it.

While I wait for Rowan to come by and give me their final approval, I glance over at Valerie. She’s still beaming down at her phone from under a hair dryer.

I can’t swoop in and save her, but I hope my presence was enough to spin the trends in her favor. This morning, as we were tangled in the sheets and procrastinating getting ready for the day, Valerie shared the latest update from Wade: The Network is impressed and they’re having talks. But once you’ve been in this business long enough, you know never to put your hope in “talks.”

You can only put your hope in sure things—deals, contracts, commitments—and even those don’t always stick. So you have to control the things you can: your behavior, your look, the projects and opportunities you choose to pursue. The rest is up to fate.

I hope that for Valerie’s sake the stars align.

Rowan comes over and gives me their final approval before sending me to the next room for wardrobe. Again, I’m told the goal is to look like me but also like someone new, so I’m thrown into whitewashed designer jeans and a Nirvana tee with the sleeves artfully cut off. After some digging on a rack, Rowan hands me aleather jacket, but since I won’t be wearing it in all the photos, I’m also given tattoo balm to rub on my arms.

Jane joins me then, her thick red hair in perfect curls, shimmering gold makeup on her eyes and cheeks, in a green minidress and combat boots. I can tell she’s staring at my tattoos as I work the balm into my skin, her eyes growing wide and watery.

“I never really looked at them before,” she says, fanning her face to stop the tears. “I didn’t realize…”

“Yeah,” I say, swallowing thickly. “I, uh, couldn’t stop.”

The ink tells the story of Glitter Bats in a way I can’t articulate. After I walked away from this life, I still felt this unshakable compulsion to write it on my skin. There are ghosts and vampires and bats, but also broken hearts and a lipstick print of a kiss and even a minimalist outline of the old VW van we took on our first tour.

Jane—ever wise, ever kind—doesn’t press me for more. She just smiles.

“It’s beautiful work.”

“A friend from college began apprenticing at this really fantastic shop. He practiced on me.”

She opens her mouth to respond, but we’re interrupted by Keeley’s drawl.

“Well don’t you look like a heartbreaker,” she says, assessing me. Her bob is sleek and fresh, styled so her blond hair swoops into her eyes. They’ve got her in minimal makeup, but she’s wearing the hell out of a tie-dye Wildfang boilersuit and Chucks.

“Hey, I just showed up,” I say. “It’s not my fault if hearts break when they see me.”

“Wow, Caleb, vain much? I was talking about Mercer—she’s literallyglowing.” Jane flushes bright pink, and Keeley smirks before she clears her throat. “You look good too, Sloane. You miss any of this?”

It would be so easy to say no—I don’t miss being told what towear, how to look, where to be. But I missthis, the easy rapport with my bandmates, the music. I’m excited to play the concert.

Excited to sing with Valerie one last time.

“Some of it,” I finally admit.

“This doesn’t have to be our last rodeo,” Keeley says, a little softer. “We could talk about doing more. I’d be open to recording again, if we were all on board. I just don’t want to force you into anything.”

“I’d be in,” Jane admits. “I was talking to Riker over drinks last night, and I think he’d do it too.”

Keeley flinches, almost visibly, and I frown at her. She glares at me, and I raise my brows. Jane squeals, oblivious to our interaction.

“I have to take this,” she gestures to her buzzing phone. “We’ve been waiting to hear an update from The Network onDragon Realm, and this is my producer!”

“Go, go!” Keeley says, unable to stop smiling at Jane as she disappears around the corner.

“You want to talk about it?” I ask.

Keeley scowls. “Talk about what?”

“Keeley.”

She crosses her arms. “Caleb.”

“How long have you been pining after her?”

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