Page 28 of If Not for My Baby
“I have done everything for that woman. On Halloran’s first tour, in Seattle, when I had laryngitis and Jen couldn’t find anyone to sing backup for justone nightwhile I recovered, I still went out and sang like a fucking pro.”
“I know you did,” Indy says.
“And at Red Rocks, when Grayson had altitude sickness, who played keysandsang harmony?”
Indy sighs. “You, Molly.”
“And a month ago, when she was worried Halloran wasn’t going to—”
“Molly,” Indy interrupts.
A weird energy charges between them. Molly looks at me and then at Indy, and appears almost chastened.
“When Halloran wasn’t going to what?”
Indy shakes her head. “Nothing. It—”
“I do whatever Queen Jen asks, and have for years,” Molly says. “And this is how she repays me? I’m going to kill her.”
“It wasn’t Jen’s fault. Halloran was the one who asked me to take your spot. I should have just said no.” I steady my breaths. “In fact, I’m going to find Jen now and tell her I don’t feel comfortable taking the duet from you.”
“Fuck that,” Molly snipes before I can move off the hotel bed. “I’m not going to be her second choice.”
“I’m telling you, it was Halloran’s decision.”
“None of this is Halloran’s decision,” Molly spits. “Can’t you tell?”
My eyes narrow in confusion. “What does that—”
“Come on, Molly,” Indy coos, reaching across the divide between beds to offer Molly her wine. “Let’s not go down that road.”
“What road?” I ask, curiosity more than piqued. My hunger to learn any scraps I can about him will be the death of me. “What do you mean none of this is his decision?”
“He hates being on tour,” Molly says. “He might hate all of us, I don’t know.”
“He does not,” Indy assures her, and then me with a vehement nod. “He doesn’t hate anyone.”
“Jen makes all of his choices for him and Halloran just suffers through. She has no problem manipulating him, or anyone else, to keep him on tour. It’s how it’s always been. Ever since she found him and Cara off that first single. So when I tell you it wasJen’schoice, even if it looked like Halloran’s, just fucking trust me.”
I can’t bring myself to tell her how I sang for Halloran in a hotel hallway. Nothing’s changing her mind or her mood right now. And maybe she’s right—now that Molly mentions it, it does seem like Halloran kind of hates being on tour. He certainly keeps to himself. Won’t do the interviews Jen asks of him. Avoids the groupies and the fans when he can. Avoidshis own band. Hides behind that tattered green baseball cap. My heart twists for him.
“Okay,” I say. “It’s Jen’s fault.”
“Thank you,” she bites out.
I want to know what it was Jen asked Molly to do a month ago. Whatever it is, neither Indy nor Molly seem open to sharing with me, which would sting a little if I couldn’t tell it was something awful. Of course, that makes me want to know all the more.
“Molly, I’m really sorry,” I say for the thirtieth time.
“It’s fine.” She stands and heads for the door. “I’m going to get drunk. It’s not like I have an early morning anymore.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” Indy says.
Molly doesn’t give either of us another look as she leaves, slamming the door behind her.
I fling myself back into the bed. “I feel like crap.”
Indy’s mouth turns down. “You should be thrilled, Clementine. You basically got promoted. Don’t worry about Molly. She’s a big girl and can handle herself.”
