Page 31 of August Lane
Her salvation was obvious. Music was all she was good for, too. She’d steal his last chance for herself. And was it really stealing when the victim was a thief?
“We’ll write something new,” she said. “Something better. And you’ll sing it at the concert.”
“You want to write a song with me?” Luke looked seconds away from laughing but was too furious to let it escape. “After everything that’s happened?”
“You’ll give me credit this time.” Which would require trusting him, which she absolutely wasn’t prepared to do. “During the concert.”
“August, this is…” He slowly shook his head. “You’re not thinking clearly. There’s no way Jojo will let me sing something she hasn’t approved. The concert is only two months away.”
“Then we should get started. Or should I call my mother and put you out of your misery now?”
She pulled out her phone and waited for his answer. Luke’s eyes were blazing, shifting between the phone and her face. August smiled, and he stared at her mouth. She had a brief image of them grappling—settling the standoff with tongues and heat.
“Fine,” he said, practically growling. “I’ll do it. Just put the damn phone away.”
“One more thing.”
His chin jerked up, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “What?”
She hesitated, but then spoke in the firm, decisive tone she was determined to feel. “Once the show is over? I never want to see you again.”
PART THREE
THE LIFT
This Is Our Country: Podcast Transcript
Episode 12—“Jojo Lane”
August 21, 2024
[cont.]
Jojo:
I had my daughter at fifteen years old. There wasn’t any sex education at Eastside High. It was a small-town southern school. They didn’t do stuff like that. We watched a video in health class, but it was all birthing videos designed to scare us. I fell asleep.
Emma:
[groans]
Jojo:
