Page 57 of My UnTrue Love
She hesitated for a beat too long.
Shit.
“I feel fulfilled when I’m helping to create art.” She allowed and held up her palms. “But I don’t have to use my magic to do that. I’m very happy being your manager.”
He rubbed a palm over his face. Strategy usually came easy for coyotes, but this time… “I think you’re the best manager in town. I really do. That’s got nothing to do with Johnny.”
“I believe you.” She chewed on her lip for a beat. “I like working with you more than I ever liked working with him.”
His eyes jumped to hers.
She smiled. “Fate brought us together.”
He grunted, because it was ten months of careful planning and constant work that had got her here with him.
“I would never want to pressure you into anything you don’t feel comfortable with.” Clementine continued. “But I’d behappyto help you with some deeper inspiration, if you let me. I see so much potential in you.”
“I don’t…” He struggled to find the words, as images of his parents flickered through his head. “To be the musician you see in me, I’d have to sing. And I haven’t sung in front of anyone in a long time.”
Clem’s eyebrows soared in surprise. “Youusedto sing?”
“As a kid. For fun.” It had come naturally to him, much like guitar playing. “My momma didn’t much like it, though.”
“Why not?”
“My pa was a singer. It brought back memories.”
Clementine paused, sensing the pain and screaming and tears behind the simple words. “You don’t have to sing, until you feel ready.”
“I probably won’t ever feel ready.”
“That’s fine.”
“But you think it’ll hurt my career.”
“I don’t care about your career.” She paused. “Well, I mean, Ido. I’m ambitious. That doesn’t mean I would ever want you to be uncomfortable or unhappy, though. Mostly I care about helping you reach your own creative potential, whatever that might be. A muse’s magic helpsyourmusic come out.” She pointed at his heart, even though coyotes didn’t have one. “It all comes from you.”
“Then how come Johnny’s got no more music in him, since you left?”
“Hedoes. It’s all still in there. Creating art is hard work. Johnny had me helping him, for a long time. He needs to figure out how to do all the heavy lifting by himself, now.”
Johnny would never write another song. Not a good one. Bill knew that. He’d known it when he plotted to take Clementine away from Johnny and still he’d taken her anyway. Because coyotes stole happily ever afters from other men.
“I think…” Clementine frowned, as if she was considering something new. “I think there’s a tradeoff. I never really considered it before. But… When you work with a muse, you can more easily reach your full potential as an artist. The creativity flows. Sparks of truth and beauty are everywhere, lighting fireworks.” She spread her fingers out in a quick burst to create a small visual of explosions. “In no time at all, you’ve gottheidea. The one that changes everything. And then…”
“Ka-pow!”Bill finished.
She nodded. “If you lose the magic and you can’t access theka-pow!as fast…? It’s difficult to adjust. You used to run everyplace and now you have to walk. You can still climb to thatka-pow!by yourself, of course. Lots of artists do. But maybe it’s a tougher road knowing that there’s a shortcut to inspiration and you can’t take it. And maybe you can’t ever find a way to generate enough sparks, again.”
“I guess that’s why only a dumbass fires his muse.” Bill theorized.
She made a face. “I’m being serious. This could be a real problem. I don’t like to think of my magic hurting anyone.”
“Your magic didn’t hurt Johnny. He used it to build himself up and then forgot who it really belonged to. Now, he’s right back to where he was before you came into his life.”
“I’ve known Johnny a long time. He’ll see that as being hurt.”
“Well, I’m happy to show him the difference between you not helping him anymore and somebody actuallyhurtinghis spoiled ass. Just say the word.”
