7. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Lila
I t was nearly six a.m. and I was dozing off. We’d been at it for hours. All-nighters were easier when I was younger, but now, I was dragging, even though I still had all of my inspiration.
“Lila?” Barry asked. “Are you okay?”
“How do you have any energy? We wrote lyrics for”—I counted the pages in front of us—“four songs. In one night.”
I didn’t know if all of them would be usable. The song about Blaze definitely wasn’t, but it was a start, which I hadn’t managed alone.
“It’s interesting,” he said. “But you need rest.”
He also owned a bar and probably did this all the time. I was perpetually exhausted from all of my years of touring. I cursed the energy that others my age seemed to have.
“I know.” I rubbed my hand over my face, hoping it would miraculously wake me. My hand, adorned with mascara, reminded me of exactly who I was. “I should go shower.”
And be Rose for a bit.
“I think your bodyguard is asleep on a chair out there.”
At the mention of Juno, I shot up. “Shit. I owe her a bonus for staying this late.” And for the fact that I was about to sneak out around her. I needed a break.
“I’ll remind you next time.”
Next time. I was going to see him again. “I’m sorry I’m asking you to do this.”
“Don’t be. I get time with Lila Wilde. Not many can say that.”
I smiled. “Thank you. You’ll definitely get songwriting credit. Hell, maybe this could be your part-time job. I bet many other up-and-coming artists would love to work with you. You’d make a lot of money—?”
“I don’t need money.” He shook his head. “This is enough.”
My body heated.
“I should give you my number so we can meet up more. We’ll have to work around the bar’s schedule.”
“Yes, of course,” I said. “I’ll gladly take your number.”
My mind went to other places where I could use his number, but I shook off those thoughts immediately.
Once I had it, I gave him a wave and headed for the door.
“Can I see you tomorrow?” he asked.
“Sure. When are you free?”
“Before the bar opens. I’ll be at my apartment.”
“And where is your apartment?”
“Upstairs.”
My eyes trailed to the ceiling. I wondered what else was up there. Didn’t most bars in Nashville have a rooftop? Maybe he used it just for himself.
God, I couldn’t wait to see his home. “Convenient.” I tried to play it cool, but my smile spilled into my words. “I’ll see you after eight hours of sleep.”
I only got six. I woke myself up, eager to take a break from Lila. I’d peeled off the wig in the comfort of my room the second I got back.
Juno was asleep in her adjoined one and I’d told her I would be getting a full eight. I double-checked outside, ensuring no paparazzi had found me, and left the room.
My heart pounded. If Juno caught me, I’d be dead. And while I trusted her, I also hadn’t told anyone who I was.
They didn’t need to know. Mom had always told me never to let anyone know my secret. If one person knew, then more would, and that slippery slope could lead to everyone knowing that I led a double life.
It hadn’t been hard at first. When I’d met Blaze, he only liked Lila. Mia too. Eventually, Lila was all I was to people. Anytime I called Mom, she asked me if I’d let it slip, and so far, I could tell her my secret was safe and sound. She still looked at me gratefully when I mentioned being Lila instead of Rose.
She couldn’t have handled this.
I couldn’t, either.
Rose Hill walked the streets of Nashville, feeling free. No one knew who I was and they didn’t need to. I found a small coffee shop within walking distance of my hotel and felt good about myself as I walked in.
It was busy with people lined up back to the door. I couldn’t see the menu yet, so I distracted myself with people-watching, which Lila only did when hunting for paparazzi.
I saw a couple having a heated discussion in front of me, a tired dad with a group of kids eating cinnamon rolls, and a person outside with a camera.
Wait. What?
I turned so fast it almost sprained my neck. They were in all black—classic for paparazzi. Their camera was pointed into the coffee shop, taking pictures in my general direction.
What was someone doing here taking pictures? Had I been sloppy with my switch-up?
My heart pounded. I needed to get out of here before anything else went wrong. It didn’t matter if I was Rose. Maybe someone picked up on the hotel I left out of, maybe they followed me.
Maybe I was about to blow my cover.
I rushed back to the hotel, red hair flowing behind me.
I realized how stupid I’d been. I should have kept Rose a secret the whole time. I should have accepted that I was Lila forever and not risked it.
Mom was going to kill me.
I darted through the hotel’s back door, using my room key to get in. I gasped for breath, but I knew I wasn’t safe until I got to my room. Running up the stairs, I threw the key against the door, begging it to open.
The red light blinked at me and the door stayed locked.
“Shit.” I tried again.
Still nothing.
“You might want to step away from that door if you know what’s good for you.”
I froze as I heard Juno’s voice.
I’d been caught.
Maybe for the second time.
I slowly turned, cheeks aflame. Juno stood at her full height, eyes narrowed on me in full bodyguard mode.
Perhaps futilely, I wondered if I could get out of this. “Wrong room?”
But Juno looked me in the eye, brow raised.
“Then what room is yours?”
“Uh, that one?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you sound like . . .?” She trailed off.
“I just have one of those voices.”
“Fine, maybe you do. I hate being rude, but if this isn’t your room, you need to move on. My job is to be sure the woman in that room is not disturbed.”
Had I done it? Had I convinced her?
“O-of course. Sorry.”
Juno still looked pensive as I backed away. I went down the hall, wondering if I should get a room as Rose, but then my phone rang.
Needing a distraction as I turned from her, I pulled it out only to gasp when I saw Juno’s name on my screen.
Lila’s phone screen.
Because in my rush, I didn’t leave her phone at the hotel.
Fuck. I really had been sloppy.
“Huh,” Juno said slowly. “Either you’ve stolen someone else’s phone or you happen to be the very woman I’m supposed to be watching.”
I slowly turned back to her.
“I can explain,” I said.
“Yeah.” She crossed her arms. “I think you definitely can explain.”
“You snuck out in a wig ?” Juno’s voice was ice. “No wonder I saw your phone out of the hotel. I thought it had to be a fluke and you wouldn’t sneak out, but obviously, I was wrong.”
“I should have left Lila’s phone here,” I muttered. I’d been in such a rush I hadn’t even thought about it.
My secret stayed intact because I never snuck out. Rose and Lila were separate, and I was just reminded how bad I was at lying.
“So, you have a second one for . . . this version of you?”
“Yes,” I admitted quietly.
Juno rubbed her face. “Take off the red wig, Lila. It’s not going to work for much longer.”
“I’m not in a wig right now,” I said. “ Lila wears the wig.”
Juno froze and turned to me. “How have you been an international pop star for many years and no one has caught on to that?”
“The bangs,” I said. “And I have very nice wigs.”
“So, the makeup . . .?”
“Another way to throw people off my trail.”
“Oh my God. Why wouldn’t Mia mention this?”
“Because she doesn’t know.”
“Wha—what about Blaze?”
“Nope.”
“How have you told no one?”
“My parents know.”
“So you have two whole lives. Why?”
“For sanity?” I didn’t want to mention Mom to Juno at all. My bodyguard was thorough and she didn’t leave stones unturned. And if she ever found Mom, I’d be in trouble.
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“The point is, I keep it a secret from everyone . Listen, I’m sorry I snuck out, but the plan was not to get caught.”
“It didn’t exactly go to plan, did it?”
“In more ways than one,” I said softly. “I saw cameras at this coffee shop I went to. I ran the minute I saw them.”
“Cameras? Did they follow you?”
“No. No one did. I’m hoping they were on some other celebrity and they didn’t recognize me. How many celebrities can Nashville have?”
“You know you’re at the country capital of the world, right?”
“So, then a lot? Maybe no one saw me?”
“No,” she said firmly. “You’re not going to think that you got out of this unscathed. You can’t go around by yourself, Lila.”
“I’m not Lila!” I snapped. “I’m Rose right now. No one knows who she is and I plan to keep it that way.”
“My job is to protect you,” she said. “Which I’m already spread thin doing because it’s only me protecting a person worth more than my entire life.”
“I’m not worth more than you, and one person is enough. No one knows I’m here, and if there’s one person, then it’s easier to be Rose.”
Her glare told me I’d said the wrong thing.
“I’m safe, okay? And if I’m not, I wouldn’t blame you. I just . . . I can’t be Lila all the time. I can’t live my life with eyes following me everywhere. It’s too much.”
“But—?”
“Juno, put yourself in my shoes. You know that whenever I leave the house, I have to have you or some other security around because people either want to photograph me or kidnap me for ransom. This way, I can be a person without anyone knowing.”
“But what if they did?”
“The only way they could would be if you told them. My parents have kept this secret for years.”
“I’m certainly not telling.”
“Then we’re good.”
“What if someone recognizes you?”
“Then I say we have the same face, but I find that as long as I don’t draw attention to myself, no one knows. I don’t have any unique features and I’ve doctored enough makeup-less photos that no one would believe it’s me.”
“You’ve thought this through.”
“Yes. I have. This isn’t just something I’ve done for fun. I need to keep my lives separate.”
Juno’s shoulders fell. She must have heard the desperation in my voice. “I guess I . . . I guess I can see how it would be. Even I’ve wondered how you manage it. Now I know.”
“Please don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t. You can trust me.”
“I hope I can. I don’t exactly have a choice anymore.”
“I’ve kept secrets for you too, just like that guy you’re so obviously attracted to.”
“I’m with Blaze.”
“And he sent you here,” she reminded, one corner of her mouth quirking upward. “I won’t argue with you about Blaze, but I will argue about your safety. Do we have a deal?”
“We do.”
“So you need to let me go with you when you’re like this.”
“Wait, no.” I shook my head. “People know you’re my security guard. There are memes about you.”
A shadow crossed over her face. “Trust me, I know. ‘Mountain of a woman’ isn’t really a compliment.”
“I think it’s less of an insult and more like they want you to step on them.”
Juno turned red and looked away. “O-okay, so maybe I am well-known. But at least let me know where you are so I can be near.”
“I can do that,” I said.
“That is, if you weren’t caught today.”
My shoulders sank. I’d managed to forget my mistake for a few minutes. “Fuck. I hope not.”
“Let’s lay low. Stay in this hotel room until we know whether or not your cover is gone. Just for a few days.”
I let out a long sigh but nodded. “Okay, fair enough.”
“I’ll keep an eye on the news, but we’ll both be in hot water if this gets out. You know Mia is ruthless, right?”
“Yeah . . . Sorry.”
“Why do I have a feeling you’re about to make me go gray, Wilde?”
“It’s Hill when I’m like this. And I have no idea. I’m very well-behaved.”
She didn’t look like she believed me.
Barry
Lila: One attachment.
Lila: Stuck in my hotel room and can’t hang out, but I have this. Thoughts?
“Who are you texting?”
I nearly dropped my phone. Liam leaned against the bar next to me. I had been preparing to open the secondary serving area since tonight was another full night. “Jesus fuck, Liam. Warn a guy.”
“Sorry, I can’t help that you were staring at your phone like it had all the secrets of the universe on it,” he said. “Is it a woman ?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Come on. I just want to know if you have a lovely lady in your life.”
“Like what you have with Audrey?”
His cheeks reddened. “You know what I call that? Deflection.”
“ You’re deflecting.”
“Maybe, but I’ll readily admit I have a crush on Audrey, even if I’ll never ask her out because she’s scary. You’ll admit nothing.” As he spoke, I pressed my lips together. He wasn’t going to let up. “Is it that woman you rescued a few weeks ago?”
“The woman I rescued?” Then, the memory came back to me. Red hair. Freckles. A man far too close.
“Audrey said you put someone on the no-enter list for her.” He raised an eyebrow. “And that you talked to her after.”
He did this with every woman I talked to as if he were hoping I’d wake up one day and suddenly have a girlfriend.
“Someone was bugging her and she was very grateful.” But she’s not the one.
“And you got her number?”
“I . . . It doesn’t matter, okay?”
Liam hummed, but I knew he didn’t believe I was telling the truth. I could have denied it further, but it was easier letting him think it was a woman I’d never see again rather than what was really going on.
“What are we talking about?” Audrey asked, walking into the room.
“Barry has a girlfriend.”
“I do not!”
“Ah, perfect. You’re fighting like kids.” But a smile crossed her face and she looked at me. “Who is she?”
“Guys—?”
“The woman you thought,” Liam said, slinging an arm around my shoulders.
“You two are the worst,” I grumbled. “I need to go approve the guest list for next week.”
“Already done,” Audrey said, crossing her arms. “ And Liam finished the schedule for the bouncers for the next few days.”
“That’s right,” he added. “We took care of it all, so now you have no excuse to get away.”
My heart skipped a beat. I’d had employees before, but never like these two. They never shied away from helping and jumped at the chance to do the menial things I never wanted to do.
This is what a family business should have looked like. Not that Dad ever would have known that.
“Thank you, guys, for the extra help.” I wasn’t sure what to say, so I held up my phone. “So, I guess neither of you would be mad if I went to talk to who texted me.”
“Come on. So, not the woman you rescued?”
“I seriously can’t say.”
“And no hints?”
“It’s confidential,” I said. “But I’m helping a friend with a music thing.”
Liam gasped and jumped. Audrey’s jaw dropped.
“A music thing?” Liam asked. “Yes!”
“We always knew you had a knack for it,” Audrey said. “Even if you only listen to pop.”
“It’s not a huge deal. I’m just helping.”
“Just helping? Barry, you’re incredible onstage,” Liam said. “You should have been a rock star.”
“I’m a bar owner, and I’m happy. This is just something I’m doing once .”
“Sure, boss.” Audrey let her arms drop to her sides. “You’ll do it just once.”
“I will,” I said firmly. “Now, am I good to go?”
“You better tell me what album it is so I can buy it!” Liam exclaimed.
I shook my head and went up to my apartment, but my mind hung on Liam’s words.
You should have been a rock star.
I would have loved that—if only things had turned out differently.