Page 94 of For One Night Only

“We need to ride this hype!” The idea sounds better and better as I talk through it. Okay, Caleb might need some convincing, but Jane, Keeley, and Riker are all in the business. If we don’t do this now, it’s never going to happen. They’ll get it. “There are noguarantees in this industry. We have a contract with Label. I know they’re the worst, but it’s a sure thing. How often do we get those?”

I glance around at the band. The crowd has gotten so restless, I can hear them back here. Jeering, shouting, wondering. As they grow louder, I feel like I can’t breathe. I have to fix this.

“The only sure thing is how perfectly you fucked up,” Keeley says.

I look to Jane and Riker for backup, but neither of them moves.

“She’s right,” Riker says.

Jane sighs. “Valerie, you know I love you, but you crossed a line. Making an announcement without talking it through as a band first…this isn’t you. How are we supposed to go back out there now?”

“We play the rest of our set,” I say, like it’s obvious—but by the way she flinches, I know that was the wrong thing to say.

“That’s essentially sending a message to the world that we’re all on board with your plan, and we need to have a long conversation if we’re going to think about moving forward. You made a decision for all of us. It wasn’t yours alone,” Jane says. Her voice is quiet, resigned, disappointed.

It hurts.

Keeley scoffs. “You just sold our souls back to Label, and we were so close to being free. I’m not going back out there.”

Riker closes his eyes, sighing. “Me neither. Sorry, Valerie.”

“So that’s it, then?” I demand, desperation clawing up my throat. If we don’t go back out there, it’s going to send a terrible message to the fans, to the label, to everyone. We can’t come back from that kind of negativity.

I should know.

“You’re all just going to abandon our fans?” I ask, but what I’m really asking is if they’re just going to abandonme. I don’t want to be alone in this industry again, if I even have a career after tonight.But I can’t say that. I reel, trying to find something that will get them to stay. “We have to finish the show. They paid good money!”

“Hey now, you don’t get to put this back on us.” Riker’s uncharacteristically angry, pointing in the direction of the stage. “You made a terrible call out there. Maybe we all at one point or another said we’re interested, but that doesn’t mean you get to decide how and when we’re moving forward as a band—if at all. I have commitments. So do Jane and Keeley, and hell—Caleb has a day job! We deserve more consideration than this.”

I gape, unsure of what to say but knowing if I can justconvinceone of them, everyone else will get on board. “Please, let’s get out there. The news is going to be an absolute bloodbath if we don’t.”

Keeley sneers. “That’s your fault, Valerie, just like everything else.”

My blood runs cold. “Excuse me?”

“You always play the victim, and you know what? It’s exhausting,” she says, her voice dripping with disdain. “You treat everyone in your life like they owe you something, and once you get it, you just abandon them to climb to your next goal. Hell, you did this to us six years ago when Caleb left. You decided a solo career was the most strategic way to move forward—and instead of talking it out with us, you left the three of us alone to face the fuckingwolvesat the label.You act like you’re so innocent, but you deserve every part of that bad reputation.”

Jane puts a hand on Keeley’s arm. “That’s not fair.”

Keeley whirls on her. “You know it’s true!” She gestures at me, but continues to talk about me like I’m not in the room, her cheeks flaming with anger. My shoulders tense. “She thinks fame is going to love her back. Well, news flash, this industry will take everything from you before it gives you even an inch. We’ve all figured that out and protected ourselves, adjusted our expectations, butValerie is over here trying to suck the industry’s dick for a pat on the head!”

I flinch. It hurts to hear her talk about me like this, especially after the day I’ve had, but I’m not going to back down. My intentions were good, and I was just trying to do what was best for all of us. This will be good for them too. They have to see that.

And I’m not going to let Keeley treat me like a child.

“Let’s talk about this.” My mouth goes dry as I glance away from Keeley to Riker, who won’t meet my gaze. I look at Jane, and she bites her lip. “Please, just listen to me,” I beg. They have to listen. This is all I have.

“No,” Jane says, filling the silence. “There’s nothing left to say. What you did is unacceptable, and I’m not comfortable going back out there.” Her voice breaks, and my heart plummets. “I’m sorry, Valerie, but you went too far.”

“I won’t go back without Caleb. Wouldn’t be right,” Riker says, crossing his arms and staring at the ground. “We’re done here.”

And just like that, I realize what I should have known all along: nothing has really changed this summer. I can’t expect the Glitter Bats to have my back. I can’t expect Caleb to stay. I’m on my own.

Because no one wants anything to do with Valerie Quinn.

“Fine, I’ll go fix this myself.” Mind whirling, I pace back over to the stage door. “I’ll tell them it’s a solo set—a special surprise to cap off the night.”

“No, you won’t,” says a familiar voice from the door. I spin on my heel to see Wade, frowning and shaking his head. Dread pools in my stomach. “I don’t know what you were thinking, kiddo, but you can’t go back out there. It’s over.”

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