“Baby? We might want to leave that in the car for now. I’m getting a … vibe.”
“Jett, you are literally the hottest, cutest, most talented person, good at everything you do, and now you’re telling me you have powers, too?!”
“It’s not a cool power like flying or invisibility, Mads, trust me. Having a keen intuition for fuckery? It’s useful but a lot less fun.”
Fuckery?He grips my hand as we walk into the house, and suddenly Ican see Jett wasn’t joking.
“In the dining room!” Lola calls immediately, and we find ourselves face-to-face with a vibe Iwasnotexpecting.
Jett blinks incredulously. “Mum? Dad?”
Not only have Jett’s parents magically arrived here from the UK, sitting next to my family, but Jett’s manager is at the table next to mine. The wordswhat the actual fucknearly escape my lips when Irealize an epic, signature Baby Morningstar tantrum might not be helpful right now.
“Thanks for letting me follow your lead,” Iwhisper quietly, and he nods, leading me to the table.I’ve definitely never said that before.
He pulls my chair out for me, and Isit as the spikes of anxiety return to my solar plexus in full force. He kisses my temple and rubs circles on my back, and everyone seems tonotice.
Looking at his parents, dumbfounded, Jett sighs. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” He eyes his manager, “Why does this feel like an intervention?”
Jude starts, “Because it—”
My dad interrupts, “Isn’t. Itisn’t, Jett.”
Jett nods at my dad, then turns to my brother. “Good. Jude, Isuggest you don’t step on your already thin ice.” Then he turns to his manager, “I don’t take kindly to being treated like a child, Camden.”
Mum looks at me like she’s stunned Ihaven’t started screaming, so Iglare at her and mouth a silent,What the fuck?
Jett’s parents’ eyes flit from me to Jett and back again. They have dark hair and eyes like my parents, but are quite a bit younger, and don’t even look like they’ve had to start dying their hair yet. They are definitely more stiff and serious, like Jett hinted at in the past.
“Camden rang to say things were changing rapidly and thought we should come on the next plane,” Jett’s Dad says.
His manager looks exasperated already. “Jett, you’re releasing your biggest album ever, embarking on the largest world tour you’ve ever done. You’re poised to simply blowup.Do you really want to risk it all?”
“Me being with Maddy, a fucking incredible film and HBO star and daughter of the greatest king of rock ‘n roll of all time, is risking it all? My album won’t be a hit unless I’m a miserable, single slut? Is that it, Cam? After ten years together, you’re going to play me like this? Sounds like Camden wants to hide things from his employer, sneak around behind my back … sounds like Camden wants to get fired.”
I remind my body that now isnota good time to get turned on by Jett, but he’s so nice to everyone all the time, and seeing him pissed and forceful like this, but still in control? He’s a god damn smoke show and Ican’t help but squeeze my thighs together.
I keep my voice as even as Ican, looking at my manager. “And I’m really curious who invited you, Kate?”
“Camden and Igot on the phone right after you made the announcement online last night. We decided it was best to get everyone involved together to discuss what this means.”
“We didn’t make an announcement. She posted a picture of me during the date our family agreed to and even encouraged. There was no statement; Isimply posted a picture of my girlfriend.”
My mum knocks over her wine glass. Thankfully, she’d already drunk most of it, and she only buys shatterproof, reinforced glasses. Most of the jaws at the table drop. My dad grins. Quite a good reaction, honestly.
Jett continues, “We can post whatever the fuck we want, Kate. Camden. If you’re so bored, Kate, you could deal with something that actually is your business, like that fucker Ace Archer harassing your client over texts, threatening to spread lies about her toPeoplebecause he’s a jealous cunt. Respectfully, Maddy and Ididn’t ask for a business meeting. We’re here to talk with Mum and Dad,” he says, pointedly looking at my parents when he says that. “Camden, calling my parents and freaking them out so badly they jump on the first flight out? Seriously? Icannot believe what a pathetic pussy you are, when you pretended to be my mate.”
“Jett!” his mum objects, but Dad pats her hand. “Don’t worry, love,” he says, her shoulders relaxing immediately. “We encourage our children to be as real and open with us as possible, proper language be damned, dinner table included. Jewels and Ihave wanted to meet you for so long, and I’m sorry this Camden twat decidedthiswas the way to do it, make you all stressed out. This doesn’t need to be stressful!”
“We love Jett,” Mum says. “He worked very hard to get us to approve of their first date, and while we didn’t expect things to escalate so quickly, you must understand they’ve known each other since they were teenagers.”
“We love Jett like one of our own,” Dad continues, “and honestly, Jett and Matilda being together feels like the most natural thing in the world to me. Now that I've had some Valium and a bit of time to process. They’re both kind, caring, ambitious, talented, and full of love. If Camden has an issue with it, he needs to take it up with me.Ihelped plan the date, including the car they took pictures in. Imean, who gives a fuck? They’ve known each other eight bloody years come this autumn. He promised he wouldn’t shag her last night, and Iknow he kept his promise because that’s my boy. Ieven gave Jett my ‘63 Strat to impress her. Did it work, Baby?”
“It all worked, a little too well, Dad.” Isqueeze Jett’s hand, and he looks at me with hope sparkling in his eyes. “I know this is going to sound insane because it’s been a week since Irealized Jett and Iwere destined to bemore than friends, but we’ve known each other for so long and I’m just going to say it. I’m falling for Jett, head over heels. We did an interview together yesterday afternoon at BuzzFeed, so next week when they post it, the whole world will know if they haven’t figured it out already.”
“Jesus Christ, Baby, Isaid, have fun with Jett! You think this is what Imeant?” Lola acting like she’s in charge of me gets my blood bubbling, and Iam so proud of myself for not walking over and pulling her stupid green hair out.
Jett shakes his head. “Lo, no one asked you. But it’s fun to see you get angry over something that’s not actually your business. Let’s see how you’ll react to this. You should’ve seen Mads’ face this morning when Isaid Iwant her to have my baby in five years.”
