Page 120 of A Ballad of Betrayal and Beauty

“No,” I say, blood pounding in my ears. “We needed you here. I had to sit across from Logan in that fucking lawyer’s office and listen to himlieabout you. Say that you wrote those songs with him.”

“That’s not true.”

“Then help me prove him wrong! He had the songs written on paper with both your signatures on them! Please tell me you havesomething.”

Key closes his eyes and sighs. “Joel, look, I’ll tell you everything, okay? I?—”

A shuffling noise from the living room draws his attention.

“Wait, is . . . is someone here?” he asks.

Fuck, I forgot about Dusty. “Uh, yeah, actually . . . wait?—”

“Who is it?”

Shit . . . I was hoping this conversation would come at a better time, but I can’t avoid it now. “It’s my girlfriend.”

He blinks at me and the muscles in his face spasm. “Your?—?”

“My girlfriend,” I repeat. “I didn’t tell you because . . . because you were so adamant on us staying single. Then everything else started to fall apart, you left . . . then she happened and, well?—”

“I know, Joel.” He taps at the wonky cupboard door with his shoe, looking everywhere but at me. “I-I overheard you on the phone,” he says, and I’m relieved at least by the flags of color on his cheeks. “When you were talking to your mom on the phone, I was—fuck, I was listening, okay?”

My mouth drops open. “What the hell, man?”

“It was an accident!” he insists. “Those reporters were calling morning and night and I picked up the phone to tell them to fuck off but it was your mom and . . . look, I’m sorry. And,” he continues, “I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to hide it from me.”

He looks hurt, and my insides twist. “I was going to tell you. I was just waiting for the right time. Then you left, and I’ve been so worried?—”

“Guess you weren’tthatworried about me,” he says, rolling his eyes. “You still had time to get your cock wet.”

“Watch it, man,” I say, pointing my finger at his chest. “You left us to deal with this shit storm. It’s been hell. Plus, you listen to my private conversations then insult my girlfriend the moment you’re back?” I shake my head. “And, this isnotjust some girl, okay?” I admit. “I have real feelings for her.”

“Feelings?”

“I . . . I love her.”

I can’t believe I just said that. But now it’s out there, and it’s the truth. That I love that fiery redhead. My heart has been sprinting ahead while my brain was lagging behind and they only just now decided to catch up to each other.

“Wow.” Key places his hands on his hips and looks down at the floor. “I’m sorry, man. Seriously. I—I don’t know why I said that.” He grabs a fistful of his hair, his brows pinching together. “I feel like I’m going crazy lately, but I shouldn’t be taking it out on you. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t expect it to happen,” I say truthfully. “It just . . . kind of did.”

Key nods but says nothing. He doesn’t look at me, and I suspect he needs a few minutes to process the information. We stand together in silence until finally he looks up, sniffs loudly and says, “Okay, well, you going to introduce me to your . . . girlfriend?”

“Key,” I start.

He raises his hands in surrender. “Just introduce me, will you?”

He offers the barest of smiles, and right there, I know the worst of it is over. That it’ll take some getting used to, but that ultimately my best friend is happy for me, so I smile back. “Fine, but we have a lot more to talk about and I’m not the only one who deserves an explanation and an apology. Not while she’s here, though.”

Key nods. “Okay.”

“Come on,” I say. “She’s in the living room.”

I grab the cup of juice for Dusty, and Key follows behind as we walk down the hall and turn into the living room.

Something’s wrong.

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