Page 57 of Home Coming

“You have a plan for me?”

“Of course.” Josie turned back, mug in hand. “Want to hear it?”

Bailey lifted her brows. “Do I have a choice?”

“No,” Josie said and sat down in the kitchen chair opposite Bailey’s. “So, listeners are eating up that song you wrote about Axel and they’re clamoring for more. So you need to write more.”

Now Josie sounded just like Xander.

“About what?” She only had one man bashing heartbreak song in her. At least as far as Axel was concerned. She had plenty of feelings about Quinn right now…

“I’m thinking that since the internet already has you and Quinn in a relationship, write a love song. Give the public what they want.”

“A love song about Quinn?” she whispered, eyes wide as she glanced toward the hall to make sure he couldn’t hear. “Uh, no.”

“It doesn’t have to really be about him, but they’re going to assume it is anyway. And they’re all going to buy it because it’s about you two and as the evidence proves, they’re obsessed with you.”

Bailey shook her head. “No. I couldn’t.”

“I’d think you’d be happy about everyone shipping you two. Getting a new boyfriend is the best revenge against your old boyfriend.”

“But it’s not real,” Bailey protested.

“A fake boyfriend is just as good as a real one,” Josie pointed out.

With a sigh, Bailey begged, “Can we change the subject please?” Before Quinn came back into the room and heard everything.

“Okay. So back to your career. If you don’t want to write a love song, then just write any old song. It doesn’t have to be about falling in love or whatever. They’ll eat up anything you release right now so why not take advantage of it?”

It was like Xander had occupied Josie’s body.Strike while the iron is hot. Take advantage of her fifteen-minutes of fame before the internet moved on to someone else. Maybe Josie should go work for Xander at the Paragon Agency—and leave her alone.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I can.” Bailey finally raised her gaze to find Josie staring at her.

“You can tell me to mind my own business, but can I ask you something?” Josie asked.

“Can I stop you?” Bailey lobbed back.

“No.” Josie leaned forward. “Whatishappening with you and Quinn?”

She felt her cheeks heat. “Nothing. Like I told you.”

Josie leaned back and planted one foot on the edge of the chair as she hugged her knee. “That’s fine. I know I’m being nosy. You don’t have to tell me—”

Her best friend thought she was lying? She wished she were. Unfortunately, she was telling the complete truth.

Bailey let out a short laugh. “Josie, there’s honestly nothing to tell.”

“You’ve spent day and night together since he got home,” Josie argued.

“Yes, and nothing’s happened.” Undeniable proof, as if she needed more, that Quinn wasn’t interested in her like that. She raised her gaze to Josie. “I think we’ve become… friends.”

Josie cringed.

“No. It’s fine,” Bailey protested. “I mean, he’s great. He’s a sounding board when I need to talk. He supports my decisions, no matter what. Quinn is actually turning out to be a really great… friend.”

She was starting to hate that word.

“But are you happy with that? Being in the friend zone?” Josie asked.

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