Page 122 of When We Were Young

Matty waved a hand. ‘Nothing. Ignore me. I’m thinking of something else.’

‘Matty, did Will buy theYellow Feathersartwork?’

‘No!’ He shifted forward, eyes wide. ‘Jesus, I don’t know why I said that.’

Her mind whirled. ‘How would you know about it otherwise?’

‘Oh shit.’ He scratched at his stubble. ‘Don’t tell him I told you.’

If Will had bought it, why hadn’t he told her and where the hell was it? He didn’t even have anywhere to live. From the moment she won the competition, she’d thought there must have been a mistake. At every stage of the process, she’d been convinced they’d change their minds. The fact her boyfriend had bought the biggest piece only reinforced the imposter syndrome.

‘Emily, you won’t tell him, will you?’

She realised then what Matty was trying to do. He was stirring to get her to break up with Will. He was clearly sticking to this absurd idea that relationship turmoil would inspire his songwriting.

There was no point in calling Matty out on this. He was in no state to have a sensible conversation. ‘How much longer will he be?’ she snapped.

Matty shrugged. ‘Last time he was on a call with Phil, it lasted an hour.’

Her inner critic began whispering at her shoulder, but she shook it off, remembering the letter in her bag. She was talented. The letter said so.

Just then, a gust of wind howled lashing rain against the windows of the old building. ‘We’re a long way from the California sunshine now!’ he slurred. ‘I bet you wish you were staying at Christie Blackmore’s place in Malibu, not this shithole.’

‘Yeah.’ She was tiring of this conversation. She’d wait for Will up in his room.

‘I’m surprised Christie letyoustay there, though,’ he said, before she could get up.

She sighed, ‘Why?’

‘I expect she wanted Will all to herself. She wouldn’t leave him alone in New York.’ He adopted a high-pitched voice: ‘Ooh Will, sing this duet with me!Ooh Will, come up to my suite and listen to the latest Underdogs song!She wanted him to be her toy boy.’

‘Sounds like you’re jealous.’

‘You’re right – I wouldn’t say no.’ His lecherous smile was almost a sneer. ‘Not sure how Will managed to control himself when he spent the night in her suite that time.’

Her chest tightened. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Didn’t he tell you?’

‘Tell me what, exactly?’

‘I’m sure it was quite innocent. Obviously, he’s with you and we all know how obsessed he is with you.’

‘Matty, do you think I’m stupid? I know what you’re trying to do.’

‘What?’ His voice was high, overly defensive.

‘Oh, fuck off, Matty!’ She stormed out of the room.

She ran up the stairs to Will’s room, and slamming the door behind her, she dropped onto the bed and buried her face inthe pillow. Matty was drunk, he was trying to split them up, but was there any truth in what he said? Did Will spend the night in Christie Blackmore’s suite? And if he did, was there any scenario where that could be innocent?

She turned on her side and drew in a ragged breath.

Emily had always thought it odd that he hadn’t mentioned meeting Christie on any of their calls and he’d acted strangely around her in New York and at Red Rocks.

And what had Matty said about Will buying the biggest piece in her exhibition? How could Will have kept that from her? When it sold, she had been so proud, sovalidated. Now that was all stripped away. She felt raw.

Angry voices drifted from below, then hurried footsteps pounded on the stairs. The door flung open and Will stood at the foot of the bed, eyes wide with panic. ‘What did Matty say?’