Chapter 22 #2
“Yeah, because I talked to her about it before I knew… everything.”
Juliet shook her head. “What about your whole we’re a team thing? With We, The Romantics?”
“We are a team,” she immediately shot back. “But I… something like this is different.” She sighed, feeling her stomach tying in little knots at that intent look in Juliet’s eyes. “I didn’t want you to feel like I betrayed your trust or something.”
Juliet’s stare softened in a way that mostly happened after sex. “Oh. That’s–” She cleared her throat. “That’s sweet. But yes, you can tell Blythe. Especially considering I already thought she knew.”
She let out a shaky laugh. Okay, then. That made things easier, didn’t it?
“Now, to the point of the call,” Juliet re-focused, nailing her with a look.
Darcy sat up straight, giving her a faux salute. Admittedly, she’d forgotten there was a different point to this call other than simply talking to Juliet. “As you know, I didn’t have my phone on last night. Proceed.”
“Then you haven’t talked to your manager,” Juliet asserted.
“Correct.” She’d taken one look and responded to Juliet, so…
“You know Nik Kosta?”
Darcy wracked her mind. The Kosta family was a Hollywood legacy, so it was easy to place the name. But Nik, as far as she could recall, wasn’t an actor. “Is he the director?”
“Yes,” Juliet confirmed in the next breath, excitement gleaming in her eyes. She rocked forward wherever she sat, closer to the phone. “He has the movie coming out in the spring, the sweeping western drama?”
She nodded, slowly. She’d heard vaguely about it, but kept her finger far less on the pulse of movies and television than she did on music. But Nik Kosta films were huge, so sure, she’d heard about it. Big-time Oscar bait.
“He wants us to be on the soundtrack. Like – potentially – for the emotional centerpiece. He, apparently, loves ‘Porchlight!’”
It was so rare to see this kind of unfettered excitement from Juliet, especially if it wasn’t about something related to sex.
Darcy wouldn’t quite call her jaded, but she also wouldn’t not.
It was her first thought, taking in this beaming, glowing joy in Juliet’s expression, settling right in her chest.
Before it really registered what she was saying.
“Wait. They want us – you and me – to write a song together? For Nik Kosta’s movie?” Yep, that rocked through her now, her eyes widening. Holy shit.
“There’s the right response,” Juliet commended. “Finally.”
“It took me two seconds,” she challenged, without any heat behind it. Wow.
“You’re in, right?”
“Of course I’m in,” she answered without a second-thought. Then she heard the brakes screech in her head, aiming a considering look at Juliet. “Are you really in?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Of course. Do you know the kind of acclaim this film is going to get?”
“Well, because it means truly collaborating. Together. From start to finish,” she punctuated. “If I think back, you weren’t too fond about that when you talked about it. In fact, you didn’t think it was very impressive, writing and performing something as a team.”
“Darcy.”
“Juliet.”
Juliet inhaled deeply through her nose, some of her excitement dimming. Which hadn’t been Darcy’s intention, truly it hadn’t. But, she supposed, of all the comments Juliet had made about her, that one stuck in her mind.
Maybe because it was the first thing Juliet had ever said about her. Maybe because it had been before everything had escalated; Darcy very much understood that once that train had been going, they’d been going. But… that one had to have some truth behind it, didn’t it?
Juliet looked down, quiet for several moments.
Darcy stared, carefully. Perhaps Juliet would stand by what she’d said; that would be… not the most unexpected thing.
“I was jealous when I said that. When I… implied… that you were less-than because you were in a group.” She held up her finger.
“I mean, I do think there’s something to be said that when I create a song, I’m doing it alone and bearing all of that weight myself.
But…” Juliet’s shoulders sagged slightly, as she exhaled.
“I also choose to work alone, because in some ways it’s a lot easier. ”
Her voice was quiet, a little contrite. Strained in that way that Darcy knew was because it was difficult for Juliet to talk openly and honestly about things, sometimes.
“And I hope, especially after ‘Porchlight’ that you know that I don’t think you’re a lesser songwriter than I am. Because I don’t.” The raw honesty in Juliet’s gaze dug right into Darcy. “Your work… it – you deserve the acclaim you’ve gotten this year.”
Right into a place near her heart that she hadn’t realized she’d needed.
Not until this moment. She’d been able to let go of just about everything else, but…
but this, her music, meant the world to her.
To hear from Juliet, whose opinion of her – at this point – meant a lot. Both personally and professionally.
She let out a tremulous breath. “Thank you.”
“It’s just the truth. I probably should have told you sooner than this.” Juliet’s expression, the way she lifted her eyebrows and pursed her lips into something halfway between a smile and a grimace, was very self-aware. “Anyway.”
Darcy leaned back against her headboard, grinning like an idiot as Juliet clawed back her serious-voice. “Anyway,” she intoned, mimicking her.
Juliet ignored her. “I’m sure your manager will tell you everything when you talk to him, but they’re going to need a finished product by the beginning of February, so we have just about a month.
I know it’s not great timing, with the holidays right now, and your album release in a couple of weeks.
Then you’ll be on tour right at the beginning of February, the day after the Grammy’s,” Juliet recited from memory.
Even though it was all public information, she hadn’t talked about her tour to Juliet, and she couldn’t help but feel so utterly pleased that Juliet knew.
“That is all correct.”
Juliet nodded; she knew without a doubt that she was right. Which was so attractive. Darcy did very much like it when Juliet shifted into this kind of headspace.
“I’m thinking we could do it at my house. Just lock in on it for four or five days? If you want to figure out your promo schedule after the release but before the tour, we’ll finagle something.”
Darcy would absolutely make it work. Holing up at Juliet’s house for days on end, working on a song together… yes. Very much yes.
Only, “Shouldn’t we be going to, I don’t know, a studio?” She gently teased.
Juliet snapped out of her focused, thoughtful bubble, wrinkling her nose at Darcy. “Why? Unless you really want to.”
“… to have professional recording? I assume Nik Kosta will kind of expect it.”
Juliet waved her hand. “I have a recording studio at my house.”
“You do?” The words fell out of her mouth, as she sat right up.
“Yes, in the basement. Well, ‘basement.’ It’s the ground floor, but has a walkout to the backyard. When you turn to the right next to the living room, those stairs that go down? It’s right there,” Juliet said, as if Darcy’s response was silly.
“Ummm, you haven’t exactly given me a tour,” she pointed out, incredulous laughter dripping from her lips.
Darcy had been to Juliet’s house… she didn’t even know, maybe a dozen times? More? She knew the living room and kitchen, as those were right at the entrance. And she knew up on the second floor which of the doors belonged to Juliet’s bedroom.
“Do you want one?” Juliet asked, seeming just as incredulous.
“Yes,” she answered without needing to think for a second. “I would love one.”
“Oh. Okay, then.” Juliet nodded, as if turning something over in her mind. “Well, the next time you’re here, we’ll do a tour.”
Darcy didn’t exactly kick her feet, but she couldn’t deny feeling so absurdly… light.
“So,” Juliet started again, in that professional voice.
Darcy schooled her expression, zeroing in on Juliet once more.
And there was maybe a hint of uncertainty on her face? Before she blinked and it was gone.
“I’m, actually, in Nashville. Flew in last night, for my final show. Which will be–”
“Tomorrow,” Darcy supplied.
“Yeah. So… I’m in the area. Your area,” she specified, holding that intense eye contact somehow even though the phone.
Darcy managed to bite back her smile. “Huh. So you are.”
Darcy didn’t give in any more, didn’t make any offers, even though they were right on the tip of her tongue. And Juliet narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Anything you’d recommend to see or do in the days leading up to Christmas?” Juliet asked, her voice light.
She bit at the inside of her cheek. “You know, I’m not really sure? As you know, I don’t live in Nashville.”
Juliet huffed out a breath.
And Darcy couldn’t hold back her grin any longer. “Juliet Jacobs, is this your way of asking me to hang out?”
Juliet was quiet, before she rolled her eyes. “Fine. Yes. I figured it would make sense. But – given that you don’t live here, that’s fine.”
Okay, Juliet could clearly outplay her. “No, wait. I mean, I don’t live there. But I can come there.”
There it was, that slow, satisfied smirk on Juliet’s lips. “Excellent.”
It was alarming, really, how easily her body responded to Juliet. That look, that tone, and Darcy was buzzing.
Only…
She winced. “Wait. Ugh,” she groaned, scrubbing her hand over her face. “I have to help my sister get ready for her holiday party today. She’s throwing a giant thing tomorrow, and it’s a really big deal to her. I promised I’d help. Also, she would possibly scratch my eyes out.”
“A shame. You have nice eyes.” Juliet’s voice was so controlled, not giving anything away. But Darcy believed she knew Juliet enough to know that meant she probably was feeling disappointed.
And so was she.