Page 54 of The Masks We Wear

My eye twitches in irritation. “What do you want?” I won’t hint to him that Brody means something more to me than just a client. I don’t want him to have that kind of information.

He laughs, “Do you think I’m a fool, Taylor? I’m watching you right now on the security footage from that recording studio you’re in in Boca Raton. You look really irritated by my suggestions.”

The bastard. I look up at the corners where the walls meet the ceilings and flip off the first camera I see. “I’m hanging up unless you tell me what you want?”

His tone shifts to one of seriousness, “I have a job I could use you on.”

“No.”

“What do you mean no? I could use your expertise,” he throws in the little compliment to butter me up but it doesn’t work.

“I mean no. I’m going home when this contract ends and spending time with Lucy. I’ve been away from her for too long and she needs me.”

He sighs, irritated. “Harvey, the job is big,” he uses my first name instead of my last.

I shake my head, “I don’t care. My sister comes first.”

He grunts, “What if I told you it was in LA and you would be closer to the rockstar? Brody, isn’t it? No point in pretending I don’t know every detail. You know me and you know I do my research and keep tabs on the people in my circle. I know you have feelings for her even if you don’t want to admit it so I’mgiving you the chance to act on them by being in the same state as her.”

This piques my interest. “How long is the job?” I instantly regret asking because he thinks he’s won.

I can hear his grin on the other end, “A year, but it could be longer. It’s long term is all I know right now.”

“And when it ends?” I ask, looking for a reason to convince myself not to consider the job. I feel guilty for even going this far.

He offers, “I’m looking for a partner to help me run the company. It’s gotten too big for me to handle on my own and after this job, if you want to stick around in California, I want you to partner with me, get back into business. I don’t trust anyone but you to do this with me.”

I sigh, squeezing my eyes shut. Fuck that would be perfect, a dream come true. I quickly remind myself that I have Lucy to take care of and that I can’t move to another state. I also remind myself that I can’t uproot my whole life for a woman I would never be able to build a real future with. Brody’s life is too out of control for me, we’re like two differently shaped puzzle pieces that don’t fit together. “I can’t do it, Carter. I have Lucy.”

He goes silent on the other end. “How about this, I’ll give you a month to think about it and then you let me know if that’s still your answer?”

I shake my head, “My answer will be the same.”

“We’ll see,” he protests. “One month.”

“Whatever, I’m hanging up now.”

Dallas promises, “One month,” he speaks right before I press the end call button, “Oh, and Harvey?”

“What?” I ask, annoyed.

“The mere fact that you didn’t care to discuss financial compensation or contracts for either of the two propositions I gave you shows me you’re considering it more than you lead on.Talk soon,” he declares before hanging up.

I stuff my phone back into my pocket and walk back into the studio, rubbing the spot between my eyes. Fucking Dallas giving me something so heavy to consider. I can’t just abandon Lucy and especially not to be with Brody. Ican’tbe with her, end of story.But what if?....My mind wanders and I force the intrusive thought at bay. The more time I spend with Brody, the more my priorities seem to shift and mold around her.

As if sensing she’s the bane to my thoughts, she meets my eye from where she sits on her knees on the floor and smiles at me warmly. I feel all of my self control leaving me and get irritated with my weakness. I can’t let thoughts of her or anything involving her throw me off track. I need to remember what’s important isn’t that. Lucy comes first and she always will. I need to make sure that nothing stops me from being able to walk away from Brody when the time comes. The sour taste in my mouth that comes when I think about leaving her is telling enough that I care about her more than I let on with myself. I need to put an end to it before it gets deeper, irreversible.

Brody

THREE SHOWS LEFT. THAT’Sall. It’s bittersweet because I want this tour to fucking end, but at the same time, I don’t want it to because when the tour ends, my time with Harvey ends. How fucked up is that?

Since our night in the studio, I’ve almost completely wrapped up my song and I know what you’re thinking and no, I still didn’t tell the girls about my song. I’m just not ready and I don’t think I ever will be. I don’t know. I’m focused on the album and so are the girls. I have no time to stress over a song that I’m not sure will ever be heard by anyone aside from Harvey and myself.

We’re almost finished working on a new song, leaving three unfinished. We’re making impressive progress and it’s amazinghow once the creativity starts flowing, it doesn’t stop. We’re in Boca Raton, Florida, now working in a new studio. Our Florida show is tonight and for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel anxious over it. I feel calm when I think about getting up on the stage, the fear and stress over the various opinions of my fans and thoughts on me and what I went through foreign to me now. I blame Harvey for the change in my self image. He peeled the corner of the mask I wear up and left me to remove the rest myself and for that, I’ll forever be grateful to him.

Almost on instinct, my eyes find him in the studio. He’s watching me from where he sits on the couch, his arms crossed over his broad chest. He forces a smile when he looks at me and I frown. His eyes look darker than usual, haunted in a way. He seemed fine before he stepped out to take that phone call, did something happen after? I mouth “Everything okay?” to him silently and he just nods, avoiding my eyes before he pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts typing.

My face must look surprised and confused because Aria nudges my shoulder and whispers, “Trouble in paradise?” She wiggles her brows as she looks between Harvey and I.

---