Chapter 2 #2
The second time had been because she needed to see exactly what had happened. It was going to be necessary to report back to their legal team. They could add that meeting to the ever-growing list.
The third time because she was apparently a masochist. A masochist who was pacing around the foyer, waiting for Darcy’s return, because she couldn’t stop this gnawing concern for her.
Darcy had made that exact coffee run dozens upon dozens of times. She’d been snapped by paparazzi a bunch on those coffee runs – they both had – but always at a distance. Even when someone decided to get a little too friendly, it had never been like this.
The entire altercation had lasted for forty-three seconds on the video. Apparently, it only took forty-three seconds to ruin a day.
Her phone buzzed again where she had it firmly clutched in her hand, but unless it was Darcy… she couldn’t really give a fuck right now.
But – hey. At the very least, this provided a wonderful distraction from the phone call she’d just gotten off of with Golden Tide Records!
This – Darcy’s well-being – was just about the only thing that would be able to distract her from that phone call.
The phone call that had everything inside of her raging, her blood pumping through her veins so powerfully, she just wanted to – to scream . She wished she’d been able to push that pap. She wanted to rage, but had no one to rage at.
Juliet’s rage had always been kept on a leash. She’d felt it plenty, but … she was Juliet Jacobs. She had to deal with those emotions privately.
And nothing – nothing other than Harrison himself – had ever made her feel the way the phone call with Golden Tide had just made her feel.
The meeting she’d spent the entire last month covertly setting up so that Thomas, her manager, and Copper Canyon wouldn’t catch wind of it… had been canceled as of eleven minutes ago. Unceremoniously canceled, the rug was pulled swiftly out from under her feet.
Given the circumstances, we think it would be best to revisit this conversation down the road.
“Down the road.”
No timeline. No hint of what that could mean. Which told Juliet everything she needed to know. Confirmed everything she’d been concerned about but had pushed away.
But she’d wanted that label.
More than wanted it; she’d built a future around it in her mind. She’d been able to see it all as her tour had been coming to an end, as she and Darcy had been fervently, passionately, working on their album together.
And now, being honest about who she loved was an inconvenient circumstance.
Not that she hadn’t known that could happen; of course she had.
But… maybe Darcy had rubbed off on her, because she’d na?vely hoped that with her and Darcy’s track records, with the sales numbers and the awards they could bring in, Golden Tide would be their next home.
They didn’t have any out, queer artists signed with them, but they also hadn’t gone wide with supporting conservative policies, either.
Juliet hated being so wrong. Especially about something so important.
She snapped her head up, tossing her phone onto the table when the front door opened. Already anticipating Darcy’s presence.
Juliet had seen Darcy leave a little while ago, and had then seen the video, but she greedily dragged her eyes over Darcy, needing to catalogue every part of her. A feast for Juliet’s eyes.
She was wearing the same – stolen from Juliet – sweatshirt.
Her hair was still pulled back, but was definitely messier than it had been when she’d left.
Her face was bare of makeup, and her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes were big, and they were lit up. Energized and stressed in a way that made her movements a little jerky as she shut the door behind her.
There was a faint red mark along her cheek where the man’s camera had caught her before Darcy had pushed him.
Juliet’s anger flared even hotter.
Not at Darcy, but at herself.
At the entire world.
And most certainly at that paparazzi.
After a few beats, Darcy ducked her chin as she murmured, “So… you saw it.”
Juliet nodded, rolling her lips together. “I saw it.”
The sharp curve of Darcy’s jaw set tightly as she shook her head. She fiddled with the rings she wore in that classic-Darcy move before she said softly, “I didn’t mean to shove him. I didn’t – I didn’t think it was going to get to that point.”
Juliet nodded again. “I know.”
Darcy heaved a heavy breath, her shoulders tight. “He wouldn’t get away from me.”
“I know.”
“I told him. More than once.”
“I know that, too,” Juliet acknowledged, everything inside of her also drawn up tight. Her voice sounded a little strained.
Darcy slowly lifted her eyebrows in question.
“Are you going to say anything other than that you know?” She gave Juliet a look in those big, green eyes.
“I know you’re not feeling calm right now,” she pointed out.
“Even though you’re trying to look calm.
” Darcy tilted her head, looking closer.
“In fact, I think you look like you’re pissed. ”
She worked her jaw back and forth, reaching up to rub at her eyebrow again. Realizing belatedly that there was the beginning of a migraine. Perfect. Just what would take this day to the next level. “Piero from Golden Tide called when you were out. They canceled the meeting.”
Darcy’s mouth dropped open, the surprise and sympathy immediately etching into her expression. “Are you serious?”
Juliet rubbed harder at the ridge of her eyebrow. “I’m certainly not laughing, Thief.”
Darcy paused, glancing up at her hand, before her generous lips tugged into a frown. She grabbed Juliet’s free hand and tugged her along into the living room before she hurried to the bathroom and grabbed one of Juliet’s injections.
“Here,” she presented it to her. “Unless–”
Juliet took it from her, allowing her fingertips to brush softly over Darcy’s as she took it from her. “I’ve got it. But thank you.”
Darcy worried at her bottom lip, tracking Juliet’s every movement as she injected the medication. She’d never loved feeling like she was being watched when she felt vulnerable, but as with most things with Darcy, this was different.
She released a shaky exhale when it was over, dropping the pen to the table next to the couch. She anticipated that she’d need a lot of that medication in the coming weeks. Months?
She draped her arm over her eyes as she leaned back, settling onto the couch. “They said we could revisit down the road . It was supposed to happen. It was coming together. It all made sense. They wanted us.”
She couldn’t control the way her voice cracked slightly, the way she felt the world spinning out of her control.
Darcy’s voice was quiet. “They still might. Down the road.”
“No,” Juliet breathed out, a humorless laugh escaping her. “They won’t.”
And she didn’t want to talk about that anymore. She really couldn’t think about it. Not right now. She’d had a couple of backup meetings on the books. She could make other plans.
Blinking her eyes open, she looked up at Darcy, and her stomach twisted all over again, fiercely, as she looked at her face. She shifted, bringing her legs up so she could lie down on the couch, then lifted her hand up to gesture for Darcy to lie with her.
Darcy did so without hesitation, the length of her body pressed against Juliet’s in a warm cuddle. Her butt pressed into her hips, and Juliet draped her arm over the curve of her waist, tugging Darcy back, possessively, against herself.
“Are you okay? I’m sorry for letting this get sidetracked. Golden Tide isn’t the point.” Not right now, anyway. The time for it would come later. She tightened her hold on Darcy, something deep inside of her only calming down now that she had Darcy like this.
She felt Darcy inhale deeply, then hold her breath for several seconds. Before letting it out in a controlled manner that told Juliet just how much Darcy didn’t feel in control right now. “I’m… okay.”
“That was really believable.” And it made the concern claw at her all over again.
Darcy let out a tired chuckle. “I’m not amazing , I’ll admit. But I am okay. Especially as long as we can just do this for a little while.”
Juliet certainly wasn’t planning on going anywhere. “We shouldn’t have gotten out of bed this morning,” she whispered against the back of Darcy’s neck.
“No,” Darcy softly agreed. “Maybe not.”
That slight catch in her voice made Juliet hold her even tighter, if that was possible. She tried not to feel guilty with the knowledge that she’d made this choice for them, tried to ward that off.
There were a lot of unknowns swirling around them right now. How long would this take to get better, to get back to normal? Would the other labels keep their meetings? What was going to happen ?
Juliet had never liked unknowns. She’d never had to deal with this kind of them, before.
But for now, for this moment, she was going to simply let herself get a little lost in Darcy, staying in their little bubble. Holding onto her and making sure the outside world wasn’t going to get in.
“I’ve got you.”
And she was going to sue the hell out of that paparazzi who’d cornered her.
She was going to make sure Lucía brought down a legal hammer on him for closing in on Darcy like that.
Juliet’s name would become its own living legend in his family.
His children’s children’s children would talk about the day he’d fucked around and found out.
For now, though – for now, she closed her eyes and breathed Darcy in, shutting everyone else out.