My tone softened. “Luca, what’s wrong? What happened?”
“I have to kill the album, the tour,” he blurted out. “Everything…it’s over.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, pressing the phone closer to my ear.
“There’s this story going around about me. A lot of stories, actually,” he said, his words cracked with emotion. “It’s all over the fucking internet. TMZ. Page Six. It was even on the local news. I’m fucking over. Done. And it’s all my fault.”
“Wait. What are you talking about? What stories?”
“That guy from the tavern,” he said, his words strangled. “The one you almost got in a fight with. Some girl I was with years ago. It’s like everyone has come out of the woodwork to tell the world what a piece of shit I am.”
“I know I’m not famous or anything, but isn’t this kinda how it works?” I sat at one of the dinette tables. “People hate when someone finds success, so they shit on it. It’ll blow over. People will forget all about it in a day or two.”
“No,” he insisted. “I know what you mean, and this…is not that. This is worse. I never should have come here. I should have stayed in my apartment alone, where I fucking belong.”
He started speaking again, but I couldn’t hear him because Abbey poked her head into the break room.
“I need you,” she said, her face frantic.
“Shit,” I muttered, covering the mouthpiece. “I’m coming.”
“McKenzie, can you hear me?” Luca asked.
“Listen, I’ve got to go,” I said into the phone. “Things are nuts out there, and it’s just me and Abbey.”
“I know this is terrible timing, but I need you. I can’t do this.”
“Luca, I know this press stuff is important to you, and I get it. Really, I do,” I said, trying my best to keep the stress and frustration out of my voice. “But I have a life and a job too. One that has been kicking my ass lately, and I can’t just drop everything because someone said something mean about you on the internet.”
“I can’t handle this without you, McKenzie,” he pleaded.
“And you don’t have to, but I can’t deal with this right now, okay? I’ll come over as soon as I’m done here, but right now I have to go.”
“Please. I—”
“I can’t just leave,” I snapped. “What are you gonna do when something happens and you’re on the road? I’m not going to ditch my job and follow you all over the country or take off in the middle of the night because someone says something that hurts your feelings. I won’t be there to hold your hand through everything.”
I knew I was being harsh, but I couldn’t seem to stop the words rolling off my tongue.
“Look, call Grace or Dallas or something,” I continued. “I’ll be over later, and we can talk about it then, but I have to go.”
My stomach dropped as I ended the call, not giving him a chance to say another word, and headed back out to the party where half of the food I’d just put out was already gone, and Abbey had a line for drinks eight people deep. My eyes burned, but I refused to be the girl that cried at work, especially not at my friend’s party.
Though cold as it might have been, what I’d told him was true. I still didn’t know exactly what the stories he was so upset about entailed, but I did know he was going to have to find a way to cope. He couldn’t put his entire emotional well-being in my hands, especially not with him going on tour in the near future. The more his career took off, the less we’d be together. He couldn’t depend on me for everything, just like I couldn’t depend on him.
But my guilt was eating away at me. Even if what I’d said was true, I didn’t have to say it the way I did. I reached for my phone and sent him a text.
I’m sorry. Are you okay?
I stuffed the device back in my pocket and waited for the inevitable buzz, but it never came. A few minutes passed, and I sent another message.
Luca, please answer me.
About forty-five minutes and no response from Luca later, the party was winding down, and Kia made her way over to me with a big grin on her face. “I have at least six customers who want to get your information for their weddings or corporate events. You’ve been quite the hit.”
“Really?” I asked, not even bothering to smile. “That’s great.”
She fixed her gaze on me. “What’s the matter?”
