Page 4 of Hard Rock Muse

2

Imust have had the worst luck in the world. Either that, or some higher power up there was having a laugh at my expense.

I’d finally gotten the one thing I’d been working towards. I had the opportunity to get back into the music industry, working as a songwriter with a popular artist.

An artist that just so happened to be my ex.

My ex, and the man he’d chosen over me.

I blew out a slow breath through my nose and tried to regain my composure.

“So Seth needs help, too?” I asked.

“He’s a drummer,” Julian explained. “Lyrics aren’t his thing, either.”

“Right,” I said tightly. “How is Seth, anyway?”

Still stringing you along and making you think you have a chance with him?I thought to myself savagely as that rage threatened to return.

I didn’t care how Seth was doing. What I did care about was whether or not Julian was still hung up on him.

“He’s good,” he replied.

I examined Julian, trying to decipher his expression, trying to see if there was anything in his voice I could read, but it was the same flat tones he used with everyone. If there was anything deeper there, he wasn’t giving it away.

“Will any of the others want to work with me?” I asked.

At least I didn’t have a hate-on for the other members of Cherry Lips.

“Maybe,” Julian said. “I suggested we hire someone.”

“And you decided to hire me.”

“You’re one of several in the running.”

“What are you playing at?” I said roughly, beginning to get annoyed. “It can’t be as simple as you don’t want to work with a stranger.”

Working with your ex was infinitely worse than working with a stranger, wasn’t it?

Was it because he wanted to see me again, after all these years? Was he filled with remorse and wanted to apologize? To make up for everything? But why now? He could have contacted me ages ago if that was the case.

Julian’s expression turned tense. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead, exposing more of his handsome face and strong jaw.

“Honestly?” he said, his voice sounding tired. “I didn’t realize it was you.”

I let out a scoffing laugh.

“Are you shitting me?” I said. “You didn’t know the Everly Davis being interviewed was me?”

“Ev, you never used to use your real name,” he explained.

“Don’t call me Ev,” I said automatically. Julian didn’t get to use pet names with me. He didn’t have that right.

“Everly,” he corrected himself. “It’s the truth. Until I walked in, I didn’t realize it was you.”

Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he really hadn’t planned this whole thing.

“I think it could work,” Julian said. “I told you. We work well together. A stranger will never know me the way you do.”