Page 75 of With Stars in Her Eyes

“What?”

“They still haven’t announced the dates of their US tour yet. It’s supposed to start at the end of the summer. They were supposed to play this big festival in New Orleans with Kestrel back in February but then they backed out at the last minute after I had already bought tickets to go. The rumors were that they’re going to tour with Kestrel as the official opener instead of just playing with the band in the back like she’s been doing for a while, but she apparently went on some kind of crazy bender or had a psychotic break or something. Was it Chicago? Too hungover to remember.”

“I know you’re speaking English, but I have literally no idea what you’re talking about or why you’re info-dumping about this right now.”

“All this romance book literary criticism rabbit hole is really going to your head, isn’t it?”

Marshall nearly preened. “Maybe. But seriously, what the hell are you talking about?”

“Kestrel. She’s incredible. I was really into her covers in college back in the golden age of YouTube musicians, but then she disappeared for a while.”

“And this relates to the flyer—”

“Because it’s aViolet Trikesflyer. Their last album was just nominated for like six Grammys. They keep getting nominated and losing and last time they wererobbed. How have you never heard of them? They’re British folk pop but with the coolest blend of music styles from all over.”

“So…”

“So…I can surprise Courtney with tickets if I can find cheap ones once they announce the tour. She already likes them if she’s got a flyer. They have some really pretty electric cello bits, which is probably how she got into them.”

“I’m still stuck on the Violet Trikes being an actual real band name. You’re shitting me.”

“They’re one hundred percent a real band. Lead singer is a dreamboat. My bisexuality is basically defined as women, nonbinary people, and Demetrius Adeyemi. His singing voice is like Hozier mixed with Marcus Mumford and Bill Withers all rolled into one. Don’t even get me started on his accent. It’s sex in speech form. Interviews should come with a surgeon general’s warning. But the band’s incredible. Really blew up after being featured in a few key scenes of some HBO show, but I was a fan first—”

“Oh wow. On asoundtrack?”

“Oh lord.” I groaned. “I forgot about your thing with soundtracks.”

“All the best songs are on soundtracks, Thea.”

“Please stop.” My face wrinkled.

“C’mon now,Rudy? AndField of Dreams. It’s not just a movie. It’s lifestyle.”

“I have no idea what that means. I need to set a reminder to keep checking for the tickets.”

“Do you need me to give you a reminder right now to shower because don’t you have an appointment in…?”

“Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” I set an alert for the tickets and then hopped out of bed.

CHAPTER 25Courtney

“So… I guess Thea left for Huntsville already?” Sam leaned on the counter at the bookstore next to where I was trying to do inventory in between bites of my sandwich. It was my first day back in the bookstore after a week in my old life.

“How’d you know?”

“Because you’ve been staring at your lunch sadly for about ten minutes. Is this just about Thea or was New York worse than you let on…”

“It’s not just Thea. I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“About the tour?”

“All of it.” I dug my fists into my forehead.

I tried to figure out what to say, or more specifically what not to say, and settled on the part of the truth that was the least likely to make Sam’s head explode. “I don’t want to wreck the opportunity Demetrius gave me. If I go back on the road too soon and it happens again… Demetrius will look like an idiot for trusting me. There are still so many people in the industry who think I was just on a bender.”

“But youweren’t.”

“Rumors are so loud, and the truth ends up being functionally silent. And beyond that, I don’t know if Icanperform like I did before. I’veneverbeen this afraid to get onstage in my life. It’s why I initially told Demetrius no.” I sniffled and grabbed a tissue from the counter.