Page 26 of In This Together

Rosalie leaned into Sofia’s ear and told her, ‘You can stop holding your breath now.’

Sofia’s lips broke into a smile, then a laugh. Then she shook her head and quickly swiped a rogue tear from under her eye.

If Andrea wouldn’t show any emotion, Rosalie certainly could. Instinctively, she wrapped an arm around Sofia’s waist and they pressed their heads together long enough for Sofia to regain some composure. Sometimes, people just needed to feel loved and lately, Rosalie felt like she had more love inside her than she was able to give.

As the track built to a crescendo, Randy Jonson announced through his microphone, ‘Madison Square Gardens, meet Seth Young.’

The ever-growing crowd roared, and Seth did what most artists forgot to do – he paused for a moment and took it all in. As far as Rosalie could tell, he would have to get used to people screaming his name very quickly.

Her hips swayed and she tapped her foot in her fine high-heeled shoe as she stood among her friends.

‘Sofia, Seth is fantastic, well done, you,’ she shouted above the roaring crowd and her own applause as the track ended.

Sofia was beaming. ‘Thanks, but it’s mostly him, I assure you. He’s incredible – voice, lyrics, guy.’ Sofia shook her head as she looked at the stage Seth was leaving, seemingly in awe.

As the noise in the arena calmed, Rosalie saw Andrea place an almost rigid hand on Sofia’s shoulder and tell her, ‘He is good. With the right support, he could be really something.’

Well, that was about as close to an endorsement as Andrea was likely to give – a tiny chink in her otherwise imperishable armour.

Sofia didn’t have a chance to respond before Calvin Richards raised his closed fist for her to bump.

‘I’ll be more than happy to give him airtime, Soph. Send over the track. I want an exclusive.’

Rosalie watched as Sofia’s mouth curved into yet another smile. ‘It’s yours,’ she told Calvin.

Then, with a gentle but large hand pressed to her shoulder, Rosalie was politely asked to move aside by none other than Seth Young – who suddenly seemed taller, broader and even more ruggedly handsome than he had appeared to her before.

When Seth spoke to Sofia, the southern twang that decorated his voice when he sang was even stronger.

‘I was once told that a man should never argue with a woman because women are always right,’ he said.

Sofia blushed, uncommonly so, Rosalie silently mused. ‘I don’t know about that but a good producer always knows what’s best for her clients.’

Seth laughed – a soft, rich laugh – as he rubbed the light covering of stubble around his jaw. ‘Yeah, all right, I’ll give you that. Thank you.’

Rosalie held her breath, grinning as she waited for Seth and Sofia’s gratitude. It had, after all, been her initiative that got Seth a slot and her sharp thinking that got Randy Jonson up on the stage with him – something she knew would bring Seth countless hits on social media and pictures in the rags as showbiz columns wrote about the newest face in country rock.

‘You were great up there, Seth,’ she gushed.

Seth turned to her with a scowl as Sofia said, ‘I’m not sure if that was brave or ridiculous, Ros, and I don’t know whether to thank you or curse you.’

Oh.If Sofia hadn’t shaken her head with a glint in her eye, Rosalie might have felt the exact opposite of praised.

But Seth didn’t offer a smile as he folded his big arms across his chest and said, ‘You know, Sofia may forgive you for putting us in that situation, but I won’t thank you. It was a stupid thing to do, way before I was ready for it, and it could have ruined my career before it even got started. Not just that but Sofia knew, becausesheis my producer,notyou, that I don’t want to ride on the back of my big brother.Hell,I didn’t want anyone to know he’s my brother, not if that’s going to be the thing that gets me on the stage over my own music. But I guess this is how your life of pretty things and parties works, right? Be seen with all the right people. Daddy gifting you record labels you have no clue how to run. Prancing around in high heels and sparkly dresses and acting like life isn’t real.’

Before Rosalie had a chance to even process her shock, Seth had been pulled into another conversation, leaving Rosalie feeling winded.

The feel of Sofia’s hand on her now cold skin reminded Rosalie to breathe. ‘He’s still wired from the show. Try not to take it to heart. But he does have a point, Ros. Next time, maybe you could ask first and act once we’ve all thought it through?’

As tears welled behind her eyes, Rosalie offered her brightest smile and nodded. ‘Of course. I’m sorry. Silly me, always acting before thinking.’

9

ANDREA

It was nearly 1a.m. when Andrea, Hannah, Sofia and Rosalie took up seats around the corner of a kitchen bar in East Village. It lacked lustre and finesse. The choice of wine and beer was limited to whatever they’d decided to stock that week. The walls were decorated in old music posters that had been stuck right onto the plaster, rather than put into frames, and were, consequently, worn and discoloured. Andrea had always suspected that the low lighting was more for disguise than mood-setting.

In fact, this was far from what Andrea wanted to be doing right now. She would have ranked bed, preparing for tomorrow’s presentation to her board, or wallowing over the fact she’d been having an affair with a married man and had to endure his romance with his wife at the concert tonight as priorities far outweighing sitting at this bar.

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