Page 75 of California Wild

Hayley admired the hell out of Emily. Had looked up to her when Dead Sara was still grinding, making waves in the alt-rock scene. And now she was standing here, saying they should make music together.

That meant everything.

“That…” Hayley exhaled, finding her grin. “That would be insane.”

Emily flashed her teeth. “Let’s make it happen. Now go give ‘em hell.”

And just like that, she was gone, disappearing into the chaos of the night.

Hayley let out a breath, pressing a hand to her stomach.

Ten minutes.

Fuck.

The nerves twisted again. She stepped away from the crowd, searching for a second of quiet, trying to ground herself before walking out onto the biggest stage of her life.

A hand appeared in front of her. A shot glass.

Tequila.

Hayley looked up to see Caiden watching her, his expression casual, unreadable.

“One last shot before we make history?” he offered.

She hesitated.

The smell hit her first—sharp, acidic, the familiar burn of bad decisions.

She hadn’t had a drink since—

Her phone buzzed.

Hayley blinked, torn from the moment.

She glanced down, pulling it from her pocket. An unknown number.

Hayley, this is Jesse’s friend. Heath. I talked to him. He can’t call. But he wanted me to tell you—

She swallowed, her breath catching as she read the next words.

“Go own that stage, Rockstar. No one does it like you.”

Her chest tightened.

For a moment, everything else fell away.

The noise, the lights, the nerves.

Jesse.

He thought about her.

Even from wherever the hell he was in the world, he still thought about her.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

“Fox?”

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