“I know you’re mad about Chap.”
“See that’s the thing … I don’t give a fuck about Chap. We’re through. He cheated. I just never thought it would be with you.”
“Fancy it was one time. We were drunk and it was the biggest mistake of my life.” This is how we were going to play it? She flew all the way down here and put on her Sunday’s best to tell lies.
“If you want to avoid this ass whooping you need to be honest. It wasn’t a one and done. You two carried on an affair for months.” Darla pulled out her phone like I was the one who showed up unannounced. I looked to the house, wondering how many punches I could get in before Edison pulled me off her. Snapping my fingers, I yelled, “Hey eyes front. Did you come to apologize or what?”
“I’m trying to. I’m sorry. In a moment of weakness, I made the wrong choice.”
“Apologizing means nothing if you’re not willing to lay out the whole truth. How do we move past this when you’re still lying to me?”
“About what?”
“The full extent of your relationship with Chap. It wasn’t one time. He probably claimed he loved you and what you two shared was special.” The intensity of my glare was combustible.That man’s words were hollow but effective because they’d kept me on the line for a few years.
“It was special, and he does love me,” she spat back.
“No, he does not. He was saying the exact same shit to me. We got played Darla, the both of us. Chap was sleeping with you and then returning to the home he and I shared and sleeping with me. We went ring shopping, he was going to ask me to marry him. Be fucking for real.”
“It’s not true. He was just with you because you were so fragile and needed guidance.”
Guidance? I wrote all our songs, arranged the music and vocals, and helped produce every one of our albums. The name Whiskey Wild was my intellectual property. The cover art for our first record was a picture I took on my iPhone. Darla was intent on letting me lead, and I was cool with it because she had an undeniably great voice. To claim I was a drift with no direction was laughable. Maybe you can say that about my personal life, but when it came to music, I was as solid as they come.
“Honest question. Were we ever friends? Because I was willing to lay my life down for you and I thought you’d do the same. But now it’s clear the danger isn’t external; the call is coming from inside the house. That’s what hurts the most.”
“I’m sorry, I just fell in love. I tried to stop it but the heart kinda wants what it wants.”
“And your heart wanted my sloppy seconds?”
“I love him, Fancy.”
“Over me? Over Whiskey Wild? Over everything we built.”
“We are still Whiskey Wild.”
“No, the fuck we’re not.”
An unfamiliar car approached, slowing to a stop. Chap stepped out. Looks like Darla texted for backup. It was only fitting he’d show up to support the woman he chose. I hated him,but even I had to admit this man was gorgeous. Tall, tan, with brilliant blue eyes, and blond hair.
“Francesca, you look a mess.” His eyes tripped over my disheveled outfit.
You’d think he would lead with an apology, but his first words were an insult. That pretty much summed him up. He was selfish and hurtful. And I took his verbal abuse because part of me felt like I deserved it. I suffered from major imposter syndrome. Don’t get me wrong, I knew I was talented, but I often questioned whether I was deserving.
“Did you two come down here together thinking you could convince me of something different from what I already know?”
“No, I came here to tell you you’re acting like a child. Not answering my calls and ignoring my messages isn’t going to solve anything,” Chap said.
“I’m not looking for solutions. I was hoping for closure, but at this point you can keep that too.”
“We’re a team. You, me, and Darla. We’re Whiskey Wild.” His smile was smug and unearned.
“Nope, Darla and I are Whiskey Wild … and now we’re nothing.”
“I’m your manager. Whiskey Wild doesn’t move unless I make it happen.” He was so fucking entitled. I used to think it was attractive and claimed it was confidence. Now I could identify it as cocky bluffing to hide a lack of experience. Chap wasn’t special, as our manager, all he did was what we paid him for.
“You’re fired.”
Darla’s eyes grew wide like she was in the middle of a five-alarm fire. “Now wait a minute, he’s my manager too. You just can’t go and fire him.”
