The band leaves and I check the clock on the wall for about the thousandth time. I have one hour until I’m officially late for work, and the salon owner, Paz, doesn’t tolerate late. I don’t want to lose my job and have to start all over somewhere else. Not after I was just beginning to fit in. Well, fit in is an exaggeration, but I was feeling comfortable there. Useful. The extra money was good for us, too.

After Sean, Austin, and Trent walk outside, I expect Coy to come through the hallway any minute, but he doesn’t. It’s over an hour before anyone new steps foot in the waiting area and it’s only another hopeful musician here for a meeting. Sinking further into the corner, my imagination races with what could be taking so long. Must be good. It has to be. God, I can only hope. Because otherwise not only am I out of a job, but Coy’s dreams will be crushed.

I can’t even enjoy reading with the anxiousness that grows inside my body with every passing minute. I consider asking the receptionist to borrow the phone so I can call the salon, but what’s the point? I’m most certainly fired.

Coy’s voice reaches the end of the hall before he appears and I take the time to set down the magazines and straighten them so the receptionist won’t have to do it later. A guy in burgundy slacks and a white button down shirt walks at his side, and they talk together with big smiles. Coy shakes his hand, says good-bye, and it’s then I notice the thick folder he’s tucked into his side.

My hopes grow so much I have to stand. Coy turns and his gaze catches mine from across the room. It’s then, right there, that I just know. He did it!

Coy gives a slight nod toward the door and I walk, calm and composed, which is not at all how I feel. I follow him outside to the car and he still doesn’t say a word, unlocking the doors with a turn of his key. With his lips pressed together in a tight line, I wonder whether I’ve read this entire thing wrong.

I open my door and slide into my seat, shutting myself inside before reaching for my safety belt. There’s no way he’d still be playing it cool if—

“I did it! I fucking did it!” Coy hollers as he turns the key and starts the engine. He tosses the folder on the back seat and captures my face between his hands. His eyes are so wide, his smile so bright, almost as if he can’t believe the news he’s telling me.

“You did it!” I squeal and his lips cover mine, coaxing a kiss that’s full of both excitement and raw lust. He holds my jaw between his fingers and punishes my lips until we’re both out of breath. He pulls away and I want more than to celebrate with a kiss. I wish we weren’t in his car and miles from the apartment.

He glances at his mirrors, buckles up, and backs out of the parking space. “Fuck, baby, this is it. This is what I’ve been working for. I can’t believe it!” He glances over at me and takes my hand from my lap to hold it in his.

My smile grows as he doubles back the way we came and I squeeze his hand. “I can. I can believe it. I’m so proud of you.”

“Couldn’t have done it without you.” He glances away from the road to meet my stare. His compliment is everything but I glance away first, because I don’t know exactly how to accept it. He would have done this without me. I know it. But God, I’m thankful he wants me by his side regardless.

“Hungry?” he asks, his eyes darting from the road to glance my way.

I nod a yes. I’m starving, actually. I have no clue whether they fed him during his meetings, but between rushing out the door this morning, I haven’t eaten a thing since last night.

“Good.” His lips permanently fix in a smile and he steers the vehicle toward the drive-thru line of our favorite fast food joint. He orders two burgers, fries, and sodas. Large size. Something we rarely splurge for, and after the attendant hands over the bags, I reach inside to snag a French fry. I don’t even care that the crisp golden goodness burns the roof of my mouth. A giggle escapes my lips as I chew it really fast, my saliva cooling the inside of my mouth.

Coy peels out of the parking lot toward the freeway entrance. “God damn, Jess! This city! This fucking city!” That’s all he says but I know exactly what he means. There’s something magical about a place where dreams come true. Sure, there’s even more that are crushed, but that’s not us today. No, we’re flying high on our fast food meal despite the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Coy cranks the music in our beat up little Chevy and I can’t help but laugh and try to keep up as he sings along with each song that comes on the radio between bites of food. His smile doesn’t let up once, even with the horrible traffic, and by the time we reach our neighborhood the sun’s beginning to set. We stop at the bank to deposit his check from Three Ugly Guys—his first advance that’s more than we’ve both made combined since making LA our home, and probably enough to live off for an entire year.

He pulls into our complex, driving all the way down to the end to find an open parking spot while I gather the food wrappers and now-empty cups. Coy cuts the engine and reaches into the back to retrieve the folder he said is full of contracts, schedules, and details to his new career. With my hand on the door, he stops me with his words.

“This changes everything.” His tone holds absolute reverence as he regards the folder in his hands, a smile on his lips when he lifts his chin to meet my gaze.

His confidence should calm my fears, but instead those very words spark a bubble of nervous anticipation for the unknown. I know he’s right. From this moment on, our life, it completely changes.

And I’m a horrible person for wishing it didn’t have to.

We walk up to our apartment, and his feet hold a bounce to their step, while mine drag as if they’re heavier than when we left this morning. Inside, I catch my appearance in the reflection of the mirror and realize I’m still dressed for work. For a job I no longer have. I know I shouldn’t care. It’s not as if I played an important role at the salon, but still sadness and disappointment hit like a slap. Just another failure to a laundry list of things I can’t get right.

“Babe!” Coy calls from the other room.

I force a smile on my face while I remove my jewelry and tuck it carefully inside the top dresser drawer. I walk over and peek my head out to find him sprawled on the couch, his cell in hand and papers from the folder all over the floor.

He glances up. “I’m meeting the guys to celebrate tonight. Need to leave in an hour.”

“Oh.” Not much in the mood to go anywhere, my stomach flutters with nerves again. But that’s selfish of me. This is a big deal for Coy. Time to rally. “What should I wear?”

He chuckles. “It’s more of a band only outing. Group bonding and crap like that. But hey, I could really use your help.”

Maybe I should be sad that he’s going without me, but actually, it’s a relief. Having to pretend to fit in, smile, and be “on” in a group of strangers is exhausting. Besides, I need time to process this change to our lives without Coy’s scrutiny. I’m thankful for a night to myself. “Sure. What do you need?”

“Can you run down to the office? See if they have extra boxes lying around? We need to be packed up by tomorrow.”

“Packed?” My confusion scrunches my face with a frown.

“You didn’t think I’d be the next drummer for Three Ugly Guys and live in this shit hole?” He laughs, distracted once again by whatever’s on his phone screen.

“Oh, I guess not.” The words slip from my lips and my gut sinks with apprehension. I don’t understand why we’re leaving tomorrow. It takes weeks, sometimes months, to find and secure a new apartment. Though I guess the money will be a help in rushing the process along.

Coy laughs, gathering the stack of papers and sticking them back inside the folder. “I guess with all the excitement I forgot to tell you.” He hops off the couch and wraps my waist in his arms. He smiles, the big one that lights up his entire face, and it takes no effort to return the gesture. “I’m moving in with the band!”

“Wait. What?” I can’t even disguise my shock. My heart hammers against my ribcage so fast and so hard that surely Coy must feel my fear. Him in the band is one thing, but to live with them? I’ll lose him.

“Jess, don’t give me that face. It’ll be fine. I’m sure the place is a fucking mansion. They’ll love you.”

Hold up. What? “I’m coming too?”

He laughs, hard this time, and shakes his head. “Of course. What the fuck, Jess? Stop being weird. Of course I’m bringing you along with me. Who else would take care of you?” For the first time since we got home I can finally breathe. My body melts into his as he tugs me closer and drops a kiss into my hair. “God, can you imagine? You’d never make it in this town without me. What kind of monster do you think I am? I’m not leaving you behind. You’re coming with me.”

My eyes fill with so much emotion I have to pinch them closed to keep the tears at bay. It’s all too much. The intense relief at not being left behind. At being wanted. Being remembered and looked out for, even with this grand opportunity in the forefront. If I believed in the sentiment, I might call it love. “Thank you.” The words leave my lips a whisper.

I make a promise to myself. Right here in our cheap one-bedroom. Whatever happens I will not let him down. I’ll do whatever it takes to support Coy. To give back to him in gratitude the way he’s looked out for me. I owe him my life. I owe him everything.

I won’t let him down. I can’t.