Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Carlene sat on the edge of Jami’s porch swing, her laptop balanced on her knees. Streaks of light from the sun were thrown across the yard where the others were still gathered, talking in low voices. The morning felt less like victory and more like the calm before another storm.
She hit refresh on the analytics dashboard.
“Engagement up forty percent,” she murmured to herself. “Positive sentiment, eighty-six.”
Not bad, for now. But she knew how fast an algorithm could shift, how quickly public favor could turn when a new headline hit.
Jami stepped out, two fresh mugs of coffee in hand. He handed her one, then leaned against the porch post.
“You’ve been glued to that screen since we posted.”
She smiled faintly. “Old habits. I just want to make sure the narrative holds.”
He took a slow sip, watching her over the rim. “You saved us today.”
She looked down, tracing her thumb along the mug’s rim. “I didn’t save you. I just made sure the truth got a chance to breathe.”
“Same thing.” He sank onto the swing beside her, the wood creaking softly under his weight. For a while, they sat in silence, listening to the cicadas hum in the distance. The world felt still, suspended.
Finally, he said, “I talked to Tony. The attorney is reviewing the contracts now. If the label pushes this any further, we’ll have grounds to walk.”
Her chest tightened. “That’s what worries me. They won’t just let go. Vivian’s too smart for that. She’ll pivot, paint us as ungrateful or unstable. Maybe even leak something personal.”
Jami turned toward her. “Then we make sure there’s nothing left to leak.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That sounds ominous.”
He grinned a little. “I mean, we stay honest. Transparent. Together.”
The word together landed differently than he probably intended. She felt its weight settle somewhere deep in her chest. The night they’d shared still lingered between them, unspoken, but alive.
Carlene shut her laptop. “There’s one more thing I need to do. I have the metadata and timestamps backed up, but I want to send copies to your attorney before Vivian’s team tries to scrub anything. Just in case.”
“Good call.” He brushed his hand along hers as she stood. “You’re always three steps ahead.”
She looked at him, searching his expression. “That’s what it takes to survive in this business.”
He smiled softly. “Maybe that’s why we make a good team.”
She almost laughed. “You drive me crazy half the time.”
“And the other half?”
“Still crazy,” she said, but her voice softened. "But a good crazy."
Maddyn stepped toward them from the barn, a phone in her hand. “Carlene, you’ve got a call. Unknown number.”
Carlene’s stomach dropped. Her brows furrowed, and she glanced at Maddyn's hand and saw her phone. “Thanks.”
Maddyn shrugged, "You left it on the sofa."
"Thank you, Maddyn."
She took the call inside, closing the door behind her.
“Ms. Matthews?” a woman’s clipped voice said. “This is Clarissa Noland, counsel for Summit Sound. I represent Vivian Grant and the label. We need to discuss your involvement in disseminating false information this morning.”
Carlene gripped the edge of the table. “Nothing we posted was false, Ms. Noland. The footage was altered, and we have the evidence to prove it.”
“I’d advise you to refrain from further public statements,” the lawyer continued. “Your actions constitute interference with contractual obligations, and Summit Sound intends to pursue remedies.”
Carlene forced calm into her voice. “You’re welcome to pursue whatever you like. I’m sure the discovery process will be enlightening.”
There was a pause. “That sounds like a threat.”
“More like a promise,” Carlene said. "Thank you for the warning. Please consider mine with the same weight as you would like us to consider yours." She ended the call, wishing for the days when you could slam a receiver onto the cradle of a wired phone.
Taking a deep cleansing breath, she stepped back outside. Jami and the others looked up. “Was that them?” he asked.
She nodded. “They’re rattled. Which means they're worried. Vivian tried nicely to tell me to leave the label alone and let them do what they thought was best. But what they think is best is truly only best for them, not you.”
Jami’s smile returned, slow and sure. “Good. They don't give two shits about us, only themselves.”
Carlene exhaled, the tension leaving her shoulders at last. “We just bought ourselves time. Use it wisely.”
He took her mug, set it on the railing, and caught her gaze. “Starting with you getting some rest. You’ve done enough for one morning.”
“I don’t rest when a storm’s coming.”
“Then I’ll make you,” he said, voice low and teasing but edged with something real.
Her heart skipped. She wanted to argue, but the way he looked at her, like she wasn’t just part of the plan, but part of him, made the words die in her throat.
He reached for her hand, tugging gently until she stepped closer. The porch was quiet now, and the others watched silently. Jami’s thumb brushed the inside of her wrist, and the world seemed to narrow to that single touch.
“You said it yourself,” he murmured. “We face it together.”
Jami, with the deliberate strength she admired, looked at his bandmates, lifted their joined hands, and said, "Carlene and I are together."
Carlene hesitated only a second before letting herself lean into him.
For a moment, the future didn’t look like chaos; it looked like possibility. The Hurricanes smiled. Tony nodded his head, and Maddyn chuckled. "We know."