Page 30 of A Duet of Darkness and Dreams

I bite my lip. “I sent in my applications two days ago, so it’ll be a while before I hear back.”

“You’re going to get one. I just know it. How could they pass you over?”

Smiling, I nod encouragingly, but I still don’t know how much of that I believe. I got lucky with the opportunity to write about the band, but maybe that’s where it stops.

“Oh!” Becks says, clapping her hands together. “So, I need a favor.”

“A favor?”

“I need help shopping for an outfit,” she says. “Want to come with me?”

I laugh, the tension that has somehow built in my chest easing. “Shopping for clothes? I’m in. What’s the occasion?”

“Well, the band thought it would be fun” —her face turns bright pink—“to put me on the cover of the album.”

My jaw drops. “Really? I thought metal bands usually put, like, demons and monsters on the covers.”

Her nose scrunches with distaste and she shakes her head. “Yeah, usually, but James had a different idea.” She smiles a little wickedly, her lips quirking. “Do you know what ‘carnal sins’ are?” she asks.

“Yeah, of course. I grew up Catholic.”

She opens her mouth for a moment, her eyes scanning my face but before I can ask her what’s wrong she continues. “Well, they thought I could be on the cover, you know . . . indulging in such things.” She raises her hands. “I mean, obviously nothing graphic. I wouldn’t want to do that anyway. But, something sexy. With maybe a bit of Christian imagery thrown in, you know, like a middle finger to the church.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize you were an atheist.”

“I’m not!” she says, a little panicked. “I just—” Her shoulders turn in, as though she’s protecting herself from something painful. “I’m a Christian, I just don’t exactly have the best relationship with some institutions.”

“Sure. I get that. I’m Catholic, but it’s not really something I practice on the daily, you know? Usually just on Christmas and Easter.”

She smiles brightly and I smile back.

“So something sexy that says a big F-U to organized religion. Got it.”

I don’t thinkI’ve ever been so busy in my entire life. What I told my mom was mostly true. Life the past month has been . . . in a word, chaotic. The phone rings on my desk and I snatch up the receiver.

“Stoneman Press,” I mutter.

“Hi, yes, I saw this article in your paper about that band. Uh, what was the name . . . ?”

I roll my eyes. “Carnal Sins.”

“Right! Yes, do you know when their album is coming out?”

I clear my throat. “It’s coming out November 18th, and they’re also performing this weekend down at Pier 22 if you’re interested.”

“Thank you so much! It’s my boyfriend’s birthday coming up and I need a present to give him.”

A smile breaks across my face. “That’s nice. You should take him to the show.”

“Great idea. Thanks again.”

She hangs up and I replace the phone on the receiver. A low whistle hits my eardrums, and as I look up, Simon is headed my way.

“Bella, Bella, Bella,” he says, tsking at me like I’m some impudent toddler. “I’m amazed you can get anything done with that phone ringing all day.”

I feed a new piece of paper through my typewriter and shuffle around the papers of my finished draft, ready to be typed. “You could always help, you know.”

“I’m afraid my voice doesn’t sound nearly as appealing on the other end of a call. Besides, most people would expect a woman to answer. It makes us sound legit that we have a secretary.”

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