Except, it’s not the world.
It’s Patty. Patty, who’s already dismissed and judged me, who thinks my music ain’t his scene.
And somehow, that makes it even worse.
Humiliation settles like a stone in my stomach.
Patty doesn’t tense up, doesn’t even tilt his head. “Don’t you have a job to do, Jay?” he asks flatly.
It’s not a defense. Not an agreement.
It’s a dismissal.
He’s good at that.
CHAPTER FIVE
LOU
Jay sniffs and walks off, and Patty doesn’t even watch him go. He just starts walking, moving across the stage like their conversation was nothing. Like I’m nothing.
I follow, my boots landing hard on the stage, but I don’t care. My heartbeat rushes in my ears, drowning out the background noise of the crew. Patty reaches the soundboard, picks up a notepad, flips a page, then adjusts a knob, all without acknowledging me.
I fold my arms and lean on his equipment, forcing him to notice me.
“Was it as painful as you expected?”
His hand stills for a fraction of a second. “What?”
“Listening to my album.”
He lifts his head, his amber eyes unreadable. “I didn’t listen to your album. Just the songs on the setlist.”
“That’s practically the whole album. Plus a couple of B-sides.”
His jaw shifts. His fingers move over another control, deliberate and precise.
Something inside me flares, an emotion I can’t name but can’t ignore. He doesn’t like my music? Fine. I don’t need him to like it.
So why am I here, staring him down?
Why do I need proof that he can feelsomething?
I watch him. And wait. And watch.
“I’m gettin’ paid to know your setlist,” he finally says. “When it changes, I’ll listen to the rest.”
“Gee, that’s flattering.”
“Did you need me to flatter you?”
His eyes meet mine, and something electric pulses between us. I don’t know how I actually feel about his question, but I know how Ishouldfeel. “No.”
“Good. Because that ain’t me.”
“That’s right. You only say what you mean.” He nods. “In that case, I couldn’t help but notice you nodding along to one of the songs earlier. Which one?”
Patty’s eyes catch on something behind me, and he leaves his setup to go adjust a speaker.
