Page 119 of Paint Our Song

“I don’t want to get rid of you, though who knows if we’re having any future releases? The producers called a band meeting for us tomorrow. It sounds very serious. There’s a lot of noise because of all the stupid drama and the rumors, and they think our image right now isn’t so great. Maybe they won’t want to renew our contract anymore, since it’s more trouble than it’s worth it.”

“You only just released a song, and it’s already at the top of the charts. I was assuming your image was pretty good.”

“We got a record amount of listens, but social media’s still going crazy. General feedback’s dropping because we’ve lost our charm, whatever that means. Plus, Theo’s insisting we get a ghostwriter.”

“What the fuck? Why?”

“Because of you,” Calvin says, as if it’s the most obvious answer in the world. “He said he’s not going to sing love songs about my boyfriend.”

He perks up. “Boyfriend?”

“That’s what he said. What, you don’t like that word?”

“I love it. Say it again.”

Calvin smirks. “Anyway, it’s all very dumb. I’m pretty sure Chase and Gil are going to vote to break the band up again before our contract’s renewed. Honestly, I don’t blame them.”

“I thought you were going to vote for the break-up as well,” Miles states, because that’s definitely what he remembers Calvin said.

“Should I?” His voice is so unsure and defeated, and it breaks Miles’s heart.

Miles rubs his knuckles against Calvin’s arms, against the lines of his tattoos. “Yeah. I think you should back Chase and Gil up.”

“You want the band to break up?”

“Yeah. Well, no, obviously. But I don’t think you should work with Theo anymore.”

“Miles…”

“He makes you miserable, and he makes Chase and Gil miserable, too. I’m not only saying this because it drives me nuts that you’re working with your ex, but because I truly think you’ll do much better without him. Imagine what you could do, the songs you couldwrite, if you didn’t have to deal with him.”

“We wouldn’t have a lead singer.”

Miles shrugs. “You do it.”

“I don’t want to be the lead singer. I want to write songs and play the guitar.”

“Okay, so open auditions for it. It’ll sort itself out.”

Calvin’s expression pinches, and Miles can see all the uncertainty in there. So, he kisses him again, puts a hand on his nape and gently runs a thumb across his jaw.

“I said you needed him to write songs, but I was really fucking wrong about that, wasn’t I?” Miles says.

That gets him a soft laugh. “Yes, that last one was all you.”

“And even if it wasn’t about me… You’re so incredibly talented, and you should know that. You don’t need him. Or me.” He pauses. “Okay, but I want to be with you, though. But that’s besides the point.”

Calvin smirks and raises his eyebrows.

Smiling, Miles says, “I know you think you won’t have a career if you cut him out of your life, but you will. You already do.”

He nods, then ducks his head, leaning it against Miles’s shoulder, and Miles only hopes he got his point across.

Calvin’s quiet for a long while and Miles almost misses it when he says, voice muffled, “Just so we’re clear… I’m also falling ridiculously in love with you.”

Heat radiates through Miles’s chest. His heart leaps and he doesn’t know what to do with all the emotions that surge through him, so he pulls Calvin away from his shoulder and kisses him, again and again.

Chapter Thirty-Three