Page 30 of In This Together

And we’re here

And we’re fighting

To make a better place

We’re supposed to be tough

But these things we see

Goddamn they’re rough

We question everything

Except our hope

To make a better place

Lord knows, I couldn’t get by

Without my brothers

Infallible as she tried to be, Andrea found herself pressing her thumbs to the corners of her eyes to stem her impending tears as she listened to his words and the sincerity in his voice.

Then she laughed as a soldier took off his Santa hat and threw it at Seth on the video. ‘It’s fucking Christmas, man!’

She watched Seth laugh and burst into a rendition of ‘White Christmas’.

Then she took a breath and exhaled the words ‘Dear God.’ Seth Young had it all. He was the complete musician, who had faith and decency and love inside him. And, of course, his brother was none other than Randy Jonson. He was a ready-made star andboywas he exactly what she needed for Stellar right now. The board couldn’t doubt her if she landed someone like Seth Young. They would nurture him, build him up whilst keeping the rawness and truth of his own sound. They would pump so much money into promoting him in all the right channels that he’d be printing money for the label in no time.

But he was signed to Sanfia Records. He was signed to her sister. Their family label, though not so much hers any longer since she had given up her directorship and stock holding as a requirement of her contract with Stellar.

‘Urgh,’ she groaned, suddenly feeling another wave of exhaustion and hangover.

She leaned back in her desk chair. She was being so unproductive, she might as well get through the ‘must-do’s for the day and go home, pour herself a hair-of-the-dog and wait for Hunter. And when he turned up for a screw and to leave, she would tell him he could leave without the screw and not bother coming around again. Ever.

* * *

Andrea had bathed and shaved since arriving home and was sitting on her sofa, wearing a silk dressing gown, with her legs folded beneath her, the Hudson and New York’s skyline her backdrop. A smooth jazz channel played on her vintage radio. The wall-mounted fire flickered above its grey pebbles, not putting out real heat but providing ambience. Andrea held a glass of red wine in one hand and various contracts relating to Stellar that she had been asked to review and sign off on in her lap.

Hunter hadn’t given a specific time that he would come over, but she was fed up with playing her words over and over in her mind. Whatever shape they took, they needed to have the same end result. She and Hunter were done.Finito. She would not be theotherwoman. She would not wait for her heart to be broken. And she would not continue lying to her friends and family.

The wine was both medicinal – hangover cure – and Dutch courage. She took another sip and as she did, she considered her image to someone who walked through the door. Her attire and demeanour did not suggestI’m breaking up with you.They suggestedCome get me.

‘Yoga pants. I need yoga pants.’

She set her contracts and wine glass down on the coffee table in front of her and stood, but before she had a chance to change, her door buzzer sounded.

With another mouthful of wine, she told Hunter to come up and set about pouring him a glass too. She could at least soften the blow with the light-headedness of alcohol and, who knew, maybe they could talk afterwards. Try to establish a platonic relationship again. Lord knew it would be awkward enough in the office for a while after this.

After one strong rap, she opened the door to her apartment to reveal Hunter – one hand resting on the frame, the other holding his suit jacket across his shoulder. He was still in his tailored grey slacks and white shirt from the office. She squeezed her thighs together and reminded herself of the plan.

Hunter took in her silk gown, which she knew she should have changed, and his eyes seemed to darken. ‘Baby,’ he said appreciatively.

Flattery was nice but it didn’t change things.

‘Come in,’ Andrea said, walking to her kitchen counter to retrieve the two glasses of wine.

As she turned to hand a drink to Hunter, he cast his jacket aside and pressed his lips to her neck, groaning against her skin, his tongue gently licking her collarbone.

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