“How did it go?” Abby asked.

My sister was already in her pajamas and sitting on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn by the time I got home.

“Did you get the job?” she continued before stuffing a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

“It’s not really a job,” I explained. “More like a temporary contract or gig. But yeah. I got it.”

She squealed, jumping up to run over and throw her arms around me.

“Don’t drop the popcorn,” I said as she knocked me over with her enthusiastic hug, but I returned the embrace all the same.

“See?” she said. “I knew all you had to do was put yourself out there.”

“All I had to do was change my appearance, change my name and pretend my old life doesn’t exist, you mean.”

She leaned back to look at me, her eyes full of hope.

“This could be a new start for you,” she said.

“That would be nice, wouldn’t it?”

I wandered over to the kitchen to make myself a cup of herbal tea. I needed something soothing after the day I’d had.

“Tell me all about it,” Abby insisted. She sat down at the kitchen table, chin her in her hands as she watched me.

I realized I’d have to tell her all the details.

I’d have to tell her about Julian.

Shit.

“I’m working with a musician to help him write the lyrics to a song,” I started.

Her eyes lit up. “That’s amazing! You wanted to get back into songwriting. This will look great on your resume.”

“Right.” I poured the boiling water into my mug and dipped my tea bag into it. “But the job comes with a sort of complication.”

Abby looked at me, waiting patiently.

“The musician I’m working with…”

I braced myself for her reaction, not sure whether it would be good or bad.

“It’s Julian,” I said.

Her face went blank, before her mouth dropped into an O.

“Your Julian?” she asked breathlessly.

“He’s not my anything,” I replied. “But yes, that Julian.”

She let out a little choked back squeak before clamping her mouth shut. It didn’t stop the corners of her lips from curling up into a beaming smile.

I sighed inwardly. I’d feared this was going to happen.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” I told her. “We’re just working together. It’s a professional relationship.”

“Right,” she said, but the smile didn’t leave her face.

“You do remember he dumped me, walked away from the band and broke my heart?” I asked her, feeling annoyed.

Her expression fell, and I felt bad, but I wasn’t going to let her get ideas into her head.

“It’s been years,” she said. “If you just talked to him about what happened—”

“That’s the last thing I want,” I said. “I don’t need to be opening up old wounds.”

“I still think there was more going on back then than Julian just deciding to leave.”

“I know exactly what was going on.”

Keith had offered the band a contract with his record label. Seth and Julian didn’t think we should sign. They didn’t like the terms. They thought we’d have to give up too much control. We’d have to change too much.

Julian always had been more about the music than the fame.

But they didn’t get it. Keith was our best shot. We’d worked so hard for so long. We finally had a chance to hit it big, to finally stop living like starving artists. I wouldn’t have to worry about how I’d put Abby through college. I wouldn’t have to worry whether my mom would be stuck working until she was ninety. We wouldn’t have to work three jobs to make ends meet. We could finally be free of debt.

And I’d finally be able to achieve one of my dreams. To be able to play music, to perform for people, to share my vision with the world. Music was powerful. It was life-changing. And I’d always wanted to be a part of that, even if it was just in some small way.

Maybe they had been right. Maybe I was a sell out.

But it didn’t matter what they thought. In the end, Seth wouldn’t sign and Julian decided to leave with him rather than stay with me.

“You were both young back then,” Abby said. “People are dumb and immature when they’re young. They make bad decisions. Maybe he’s changed.”

“Look who’s calling who immature,” I said, trying to change the subject.

Abby made a face, hating to be reminded that she was only eighteen, not even old enough to drink legally. She’d always looked up to me, always wanting to do what her big sister was allowed to do. It grated on her that she was still considered the baby of the family.

“You’re not the same person you were, either,” Abby said. “You’ve changed.”

My sister didn’t know all the details of my relationship with Keith, but the pity in her voice was almost too much to take.

I’d isolated myself, pushed people away and pretended things were fine for so long. But she had seen the aftermath. She’d been the one to help me get through it all.

I was more grateful to her than she could know.

“Maybe you should give Julian another chance,” Abby said.

“What makes you think he would even want one?” I replied. “Our relationship was in the past. He’s moved on.”

“Ev…” Abby’s eyes went soft. “Julian adored you. He loved you.”

“Clearly he didn’t love me enough.” I grabbed a granola bar and stalked out of the kitchen. “I’m going to go work on that song in my room.”

Abby didn’t say anything, but I could sense the disappointed look on her face behind my back.

I closed the bedroom door, shutting her out. I sat on my bed with the notebook where I’d written down words while Julian played.

My gut churned, a jumble of emotions. It was impossible to work on the song while I was like this. Thinking about Seth and Julian making that ultimatum, Julian walking out on me, Keith picking up the pieces when I fell apart and then fucking me over just as bad as Julian had…

I laid on my back, closing my eyes and letting out a deep, calming breath. I placed my hands on my stomach, feeling the rise and fall with every inhale and exhale.

I’d thought I could do it. I’d thought I could work with Julian again. But Abby’s words kept rattling around in my head.

He loved me.

I let out a derisive laugh, the sound harsh as it bounced off the bedroom walls.

I’d loved Julian. I’d loved him with everything I had in me. And I’d known he loved me.

The only problem was, he’d never said it back. Not once.

At least, not out loud.

Talking about his emotions was hard for him. I understood that. I’d never pushed. I knew he’d say the words when he finally felt safe enough, secure enough.

He showed his love through his actions, not his words. The way he looked at me, the way he touched me, the way he devoted himself to me…

But I’d been wrong. I’d only been seeing what I wanted to see.

I heaved off the bed and got my guitar off its stand. I settled onto an armchair, curling my legs under me, and hugged the instrument to my chest. It used to hurt, the sight of my guitar. It reminded me of everything I’d lost. But eventually the lure of it was too much. I could never go through life without music. Channeling my pain into song was one of the only things that helped.

I strummed absentmindedly as I thought through my options.

I could turn down the job. Tell Julian I didn’t think it was a good idea after all.

Or I could push through and continue working with him on his song. Get it over with just to have something to put on my resume. Finally get a start on my new, reinvented career.

I sat, head bowed over my guitar for far too long, until my back ached and my legs cramped up. It was only my phone ringing that made me lift my head. No one ever called me. It was always just messaging. I put it to my ear.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Hello, Ever.”

My blood froze in my veins. My fingers went cold and numb, almost dropping the phone. My throat closed up.

“It’s been a while,” said a smooth voice through the tinny speaker.

Keith.

I’d gotten a new phone number. I’d blocked his. How was he calling me?

“What do you want?” I tried to sound forceful, but it came out in a small whisper.

“I heard Everly Davis is working with Cherry Lips now.”

“Word spreads fast.” I gripped the phone tight in my hand, knuckles turning white.

“I thought we’d come to an understanding, Ever.”

I swallowed hard. “You can’t keep me from working, Keith.”

“But I can keep everyone from wanting to work with you.”

My hands shook. “What do you want?”

“I want to see you again,” he said, still sounding as smooth as silk.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“I’m disappointed in you,” he said with a tsk. “I thought you were smarter than to test me.”

“I don’t need you anymore,” I snapped, “so fuck off.”

His dark chuckle was the last thing I heard before I jabbed my finger on the phone’s screen to end the phone call.

My heart was beating so fast I thought it might give out. My head swam, overcome with dizziness.

I should have known.

I should have known this wasn’t going to work.

I was never going to be able to escape him.

A hot, salty tear fell down my cheek. I quickly swiped at it with the back of my hand. The wet sensation on my hand was familiar.

Too familiar.

I let out a shaky breath.

No. Fuck that.

I refused to let that asshole dictate my life any longer.

Ever Darling might have been blacklisted from the music industry, but I was Everly Davis now. I was going to make a name for myself, and this time without Keith’s help. I was going to do this on my own. I was going to prove myself, no matter how many times it took.

I sat up straight in my chair and nodded.

I was going to show that asshole.

I was going to show everyone.

Whether I was Ev, Ever or Everly, it didn’t matter.

My life was my own, and I wasn’t going to let anyone forget that.