Page 25 of My UnTrue Love
Her eyes widened. “I can’t. I have to get everything organized and packed.”
“I’ll help you. We’ll get you away from Johnny in no time.”
“Good Lord, you don’t have to help me move on top of everything else!” That was expecting way too much from him. “You’ve done enough.”
“Oh, Iwantto help.” Bill sounded very, very sure. “I’ve got plenty of time and cardboard boxes. And Iloveto pack shit.”
Chapter Six
Nothing meant more than music and dance,
Not even True Love’s kiss,
Selfish, perhaps, but this was his chance,
And he refused to miss.
Lyrics from the folk song “Crossroads Coyote”
Johnny heard Clementine’s laughter when he walked through the front door. She hadn’t laughed in their house for a long time. He didn’t realize that he’d missed the sound, until he heard it again.
She was in a good mood. That must mean that she wasn’t holding a grudge about him transitioning her out of the band. Not that he’d been worried, of course. Clementine adored him! He’d known she’d come around.
More laughter from the direction of Clementine’s room.
Johnny’s own mouth curved in response, as he headed towards her. He had plans with Rosalee, but he had a few minutes to spare. Maybe Clem could fix him dinner. Why not? It would make Clementine happy, and she made great chicken and dumplings.
Johnny liked to take care of his body. He owed it to the public to look his best. But he could make an exception on healthy eating for Clem’s chicken and dumplings. It would be like old times, where they ate her food and discussed his music until all hours of the…
“Bill, stop!” Clem got out between more gales of laughter. “Put it down. It was silly enough hearing it the first time.”
Johnny stopped smiling. Bill? She was in there withBill? What the hell was going on? Righteous outrage filled him, as he slammed into Clementine’s room. He shoved the door open so hard that it went careening into the sod wall.
Clementine’s laughter turned into a yelp of surprise. She was standing by her bookcase and her head snapped around. Green eyes widened, like he was the last person in the world she expected to see. “Good Lord, Johnny.” She flattened a palm over her chest. “Can’t you knock?”
His gaze was fixed on Pecos Bill. The coyote was sitting on Clementine’s bed, as if he had a perfect right to besitting on her bed. The dirty bastard looked completely out of place, luxuriating amid Clem’s mismatched, multicolored pillows. Johnny and Clementine’s high school yearbook was lying open on his lap, where he’d apparently been reading aloud from the long list of class superlatives.
Wasthatwhat Clem had found so funny? That was a little insulting, considering Johnny had won “Most Talented.” The award had been totally deserved. Everybody knew it.
Ice-blue eyes glinted. “Howdy, Johnny.” Bill didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed that he’d been caught barging into places he didn’t belong.
“What are you doing in Clem’s bedroom?” Johnny demanded. Clementineneverhad men in her bedroom.
“Bill’s helping me pack.” Instead of sounding grateful for Johnny’s protection, Clementine seemed annoyed. “What are you…?”
Johnny cut her off. “Pack? Why are you packing?” He glanced around, noticing for the first time that cardboard boxes were piled up around the room. “What’s going on?”
Clementine gave a helpless sort of shrug. “I’m broke.”
His brow furrowed, because honestly…? He hadn’t considered her financial circumstances before. Why should he? Artists didn’t worry about the day-to-day mundane shit. They focused on the bigger picture.
“Do we have to talk about money? It diminishes my creativity, when you reduce life to cash amounts. I’ve told you that.”
“I know you have, Johnny. But you have to understand that I can’t pay my half of the rent, if I don’t have money to pay my half of the rent.”
“Well, whose fault is that? You should get better at budgeting, Clem. Seriously, muses can be so ditzy sometimes.”
Clementine winced, probably knowing he was right.
