Page 18 of My UnTrue Love
“I don’t care about any of that.”
“You might not care about all the attention, but you care about making music.”
He instinctively shook his head.
She stopped moving and dragged him to a halt, as well. “Bill.” Her voice was soft and knowing. “Music is a part of you. It’s okay to need it.”
Itwasn’tokay. Bill ran a hand through his hair, staring into the middle distance. He didn’t need music. He didn’t need anything. Needing left you vulnerable. If you didn’t need something, you couldn’t be broken when you lost it. And coyotes lost a lot, because nothing was ever really theirs.
“I care about music.” He muttered after a long moment. He felt antsy even admitting that much, but he forced the words out. “But not as much as I care aboutyou. That’s the truth.”
Clementine was the first and only thing he’d ever wanted enough to risk grabbing for. She made him exposed in ways he hadn’t been before. Bill knew that, but nothing could stop it from happening. He’d stolen himself the most complicated, maddening, perfect woman in the world, and he planned to keep her as long as he possibly could.
He just couldn’tneedher.
Clementine reached over to rub a hand over his arm, sensing his inner turmoil. “This job was a big opportunity.” She murmured. “I would’ve understood if you were a little selfish.”
“I’m always selfish. It’s my nature.”
“No, it’s not. Sometimes you have a mischievous streak, like when you told Dinah Johnny badmouthed The Kitchen. He’ll catch hell for that.”
Bill laughed in surprise, delighted that she’d called him on that trick and that she didn’t seem to mind it.
Clem rolled her eyes in amused exasperation. “But you’re an overall wonderful person. You’re always looking out for me. This is the second job in twelve hours that you gave up for my sake.”
“I can get a lot of jobs, but I’ve only got one Clementine.”
That made her smile. “See? You just can’t help being charming.” She shook her head, her eyes warm. “One cigarette wasn’t going to kill me, you know.”
“You think I’d risk your health for an audition? Foranything?”
“The Kitchen is an excellent venue for you. You’d be seen by so many…”
Bill cut her off. “Did the doctor say you should avoid secondhand smoke?”
Clementine’s mouth pressed together in a stubborn line. “I never should have let you come with me to that appointment. You were taking notes on all his stupid, worst-case scenarios.”
“Did he say it?”
“Yes! Okay? He said it. But the music industry has a lot of smokers, and I work in the music industry. You can’t expect the whole town to suddenly quit smoking for me.”
Bill didn’t see why not. He’d quit smoking for her. Everyone else could, too. Last night, he’d even decided to give up having the occasional unlit cigarette in his mouth. He couldn’t risk having any tobacco near her, now that they were going to be so close.
“No place else in town is as good as the Kitchen.” Clementine lamented. “They’re not going to showcase your talent properly.”
“I’m not worried. I got a manager to figure that stuff out and she’s plenty capable.”
“Oh, I’ll figure it out. But playing here would have really given you a leg up.” She wrinkled her nose. “The Lone Prairie is the next stop on our list and it’s kind of a dive.”
“Just so nobody smokes near you, I’m sure it’ll do just fine.”
Chapter Five
He wished to end the True Love bond,
That once had brought him joy,
Fame now beck’ed his mind beyond,
