Page 9 of This Side of Beautiful

Cedrick growled. “Everyone chill. He shouldn’t have called you out of your name, but we don’t have time for your attitude when you’re wrong. Can we please run through the show?”

I closed my eyes, rattled by all the heated emotions warring for control.

“Now,” Cedrick said before he strode to the keyboard. Once upon a time, I’d had a crush on him. That faded when I heard through the media that he discarded women like trash.

“Cash needs to apologize first,” I demanded. “I thought I had more time to get here. I didn’t know I was expected to be here for the entire rundown of the show. My bad. I still don’t deserve to be called out of my name.”

Cash shook his head. “I don’t apologize. You can get on with all that noise.”

My face burned. All the misogyny that I’d experienced while trying to make it, and thenafterI’d made it, and I still had to deal with this sexist bullshit.

Del stepped forward. “Please, Cash. She’s here now. Just apologize.”

“No.”

Del pleaded with me, “Can we just rehearse? You don’t have to like each other.”

“But I do deserve respect.” I lifted my chin.

The shimmering sounds of a guitar filled the stage area, and we all looked at Landon, who had his pick in his hand, playing Cash’s song leading into my intro. He looked at me with surprisingly kind eyes. “On you. We practice with or without his apology?”

“Fine. Let’s go.” I grabbed the mic off the stand.

Cash bellowed, “Thank you.”

I stuck up my middle finger at him, and everyone laughed except Cash as I prepared to take the stage.

Unfortunately, the tension returned shortly after. I was more rattled by the confrontation than I’d realized. I couldn’t find my groove. I missed my cue twice, and my voice cracked when I sang Cash’s hook. I even forgot a few lyrics to my own song. “Off my game” was a serious understatement.

“Are you kidding me right now?” Cash asked. “You show up late and can’t get your shit together.”

“Sorry, I got it. I swear I do,” I said, fighting hard not to show any tears. One thing I knew for sure was that these men, especially Cash, would not be moved by crying. They would see it as a sign of weakness, and I couldn’t afford to seem vulnerable.

“I wanted you specifically, and you’re not about to fuck up my show. This is my big moment.” He walked up to my face. “I’m glad I didn’t apologize.”

Although stunned by the contempt, I nodded rapidly. I gripped the mic stand and took calming breaths to avoid lashing out from the deep hurt of being demeaned again. Maybe I deserved to be called out of my name after being so late and giving a weak performance.

“Naw, Cash. We don’t roll like that. I should’ve stopped it earlier. If you don’t apologize to her right now, we’re not going on that stage together.” An angry and frustrated Landon approached with balled fists. My stomach churned. Cedrick jumped in between the two men, trying to push Landon back.

Cash, a hulk of a man compared to Landon, scoffed, “I told you, I don’t apologize.”

“Don’t touch me.” Landon shoved away from Cedrick and took another step toward Cash. “I don’t care what you do outside of here. Tell Janae you’re sorry, or we’re going on that stage without you.”

“You know you need me.”

“Wanna bet?” Landon said, turning to Del, who had been silent, standing next to the filming cameraman at the front of the stage. “Isn’t there a clause in the contract that we can refuse to play for an artist who doesn’t best rep The Hollow Bones?”

Del nodded.

Landon looked back at Cash. “That clause also says that we can replace the artist if we need to do so. We were invited to perform and chose you. We can easily say that Janae is replacing you tonight, and I don’t think Houston, her birth city, will mind at all.”

Cash cursed under his breath. When he looked at the rest of the band, they all stood behind Landon. Even Cedrick looked at Cash with folded arms, as if waiting for his apology.

As Cash stalked past me, he quietly said, “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” I asked, because I knew he wasn’t.

His shoulders drooped slightly. “Calling you a bitch. I was wrong.”

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