11. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Scarlett
Icall Kendra back from the kitchen while Sapphire’s drying her hair. If we’re switching lives for the week, I don’t want my manager hassling my twin about the big deal I’m supposed to be thinking about taking.
The call goes straight to voicemail, and I hang up, ready to text her to say I can’t take the deal.
I can block her number once that’s done. That’s probably overkill, but I’d rather make sure Sapphire never hears about this.
Kendra might not like taking no for an answer, but she knows when I’m not going to back down.
Blocking her number sends a clear response if she decides not to take the text seriously.
My phone starts ringing before I can get my messages open.
I can still hear the dryer running in the bedroom, so I decide I can answer the call.
I didn’t tell Sapphire about the deal for a reason.
She’s the responsible twin. The one who thinks about how she’s going to pay the bills before she makes any drastic financial decisions. She’ll only try to get me to think about taking the money, and I just can’t do it.
I pick up Kendra’s call.
“Hey,” I mutter.
“Where have you been?” she asks. “I was ready to call the landline at your house.”
“We don’t have one of those,” I lie, testing her.
She blows out a breath. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I’ve got you now.”
“What’s the big emergency? I thought the guys at the label were giving us time to consider their offer.”
“They were,” she says. “But they decided to double the offer.”
“What? Why?” I ask.
“They love the song, and they want to secure the rights as soon as possible, so they’ve doubled the offer, and they might even offer more if that’s what it’ll take to get the paperwork finalised.”
That’s fucking crazy. A big artist who wants to make a comeback wants my song to help her do that, and she wants it so badly, she’s laying down six figures.
“Say something, Scar.”
“I …” I start, not able to find the words.
“If you say yes, I’ll go back and get you a killer deal. I mean that. I think I can get them up to a quarter million. That’ll be the single biggest lump sum advance received by an unknown songwriter in, well, ever. Just say the word. It’s one word, Scarlett.”
It’s one word, true, but that word does not want to come out of my mouth.
“I don’t know,” I answer, not sure why it’s not just a no, either.
Maybe I do have a price.
Maybe everyone does.
God, I hope not.
“What’s stopping you?” Kendra asks.
“It’s my song. I don’t know if I’m okay with someone else using it like it’s theirs.”
“You’d have the writing credit. You’d be paid royalties on it. It is your song, but she can bring it to the world. Everyone will know it, off by heart. Millions of people will sing your song.”
She makes it sound like I’ll be depriving the world if I don’t do this, but it’s her job to get me to sign a great deal when one comes along, and this is the only one we’ve ever gotten.
“I can’t do it,” I finally admit.
It’s like a weight rolling off my shoulders once the words are out of my mouth.
Whatever the consequences are, I can’t make the deal.
I can live with that.
I’m not sure I could live with signing my life’s work over to someone else to perform.
I’ve put too much into it. It’s a part of me. I need to be the one to bring it to the world.
“I’ll give you a few more …” Kendra starts.
“I don’t need more time,” I tell her, making sure I sound certain. “It’s not about getting used to the idea. I tried to see this your way, and I just can’t do it. I’m sorry, Kendra.”
She sighs. “I’m sorry, too, Scarlett. I can’t work with someone who isn’t making money. I believe in you, and I gave you as long as I could because I knew something big would come along. But if this isn’t the start of your career, I’m gonna have to cut you loose.”
“I know. If this is the end of the line, I’m ready to go it alone.”
I’m not sure how true that is, but I’d be happier playing bar gigs for the rest of my life, singing my own songs to tiny crowds rather than signing them over to someone else just because they’re famous enough to reach the masses.
Money isn’t everything. Fame isn’t my end goal.
I’ve managed this long on side hustles and small gigs.
If this is my lot in life, it’s not a bad life.
“I really hope you change your mind,” Kendra says. “I know you won’t, but if you ever do, and you’re really sure about it, call me. There’s no time limit on that, okay? Just don’t call me until you’re absolutely ready.”
“I won’t call you,” I assure her.
She groans lightly. “How did I know that was exactly what you were going to say?”
It’s rhetorical, so I don’t bother to answer her question.
“Thanks for everything, Kendra. Do me a favor and delete my number.”
“Done,” she says. “I hope you find a path to the career you want.”
“I’m already on it,” I tell her, making her laugh as she hangs up the phone.
At least now I don’t need to worry about Sapphire getting a million calls from her.
“A quarter million,” I murmur, trying to imagine what that might look like in front of me.
It probably doesn’t look as impressive as it sounds.
I bet I could drag close to couple hundred grand around in my oversized purse, no problem.
Realizing it’s been a few minutes, and I can’t hear the dryer anymore, I dart to the bathroom and turn on the water before I bother to close the door.
All I need now is a shower to clear my head.
Then it’s time to think about what I need to do to help my sister earn that promotion she’s been chasing at work.
I only have a couple days until I need to board a flight and meet with the single biggest rock band on the planet.
It’s gonna be tough to balance impressing them with digging for the gold Sapphire needs to secure that promotion.
I can’t help the smile that stretches my lips as I step under the stream of hot water.
The next week is going to be so much damn fun.
I can hardly wait.