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Zara swallowed. “What did he say?”
“He said there wasn’t anything happening between you two.” Hannah took a sip of coffee, her ice blue eyes on Zara.
“In October there wasn’t anything. He wouldn’t even return my texts.” Zara chewed on her lower lip. She should have just left him alone. None of this would have happened.
“And now?” Hannah asked.
Now?
She didn’t know. She loved him. But… She shook her head. “How did you balance it? The music and the fame and relationships?”
“Oh. My sweet summer child,” Hannah said with a small laugh. “I didn’t. I self-medicated with anything I could get my hands on.”
“But not now.”
“No. Not now. Now? I have more than I deserve. And I work really hard at protecting it.” Her smile turned soft as her expression turned reflective. “We protect our peace for as long as we can. But this is an imperfect world with imperfect people. All we can expect from them, and from ourselves, is to do our best with what we have. I’m fond of reminding myself that all we can do is all we can do.”
Those words were filled with more hope than Zara was ready to absorb in the moment.
Hannah was right. Asa did a human thing. Thinking he was doing the right thing. How often did she do that too? A little more of the hurt slipped away.
But what about the rest? Being in love in the public eye would ask so much from the both of them.
“I can see your mind is working up the urge to freak out,” Hannah interrupted her thoughts. “I spoke to Asa again. Just a few days ago.”
Zara was afraid to move. Afraid to breathe. Did she want to know the rest of what Hannah knew?
“He’s not stupid, Zara,” Hannah said softly. “He knows what the job is. He’s in this with you as much as you’ll let him be.”
Her mind raced back to that night in LA. Suddenly her hope was a large stone, pushing her anxiety and doubt out of the way and taking up her entire chest.
“Job is probably the wrong word for it. But if someone wants to be in a relationship with you, they’re gonna have to check their ego at the door. They have to be secure enough to step back and let you shine. They should be your biggest fan. I feel like that goes without saying.”
Was that—? Was this—? Did he?—?
Zara blinked back the sudden moisture in her eyes. Hannah was right. Asa wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly who she was and what being with her meant. He’d known it the whole time.
Why did that make everything in her body feel like it was flying?
Hannah smiled a small smile like she knew what was happening in Zara’s head and heart. She checked her watch. “I have to get going. I don’t want to be here when…you’ll see.” She finished her coffee and stood. “And trust me, Quinn’s services are well worth it. Oh! And maybe have Sabine talk to Ace. She might have some pointers on being the not-so-famous partner.”
That was a really good idea, Zara realized. Sabine had been thrust into the spotlight the first time she’d been seen with her rock star husband. Plus she was a kickass teacher. She probably had great advice.
Zara stood as well and watched Hannah leave.
She must’ve only been there to talk to her. That was super sweet. It made Zara feel less alone in all this. And Hannah hadn’t seemed pissed about the media attention either.
She finished her coffee and decided to make another one.
“Ms. Lorna, I hope we didn’t keep you waiting for too long.”
She turned to see a tall man in an expensive suit with chiseled features and icy eyes pull a chair out at the conference table. He didn’t sit down.
“I’m just Zara,” she said.
He nodded and another man, also tall, dark, and handsome but with glasses, took a seat next to the one the first man had pulled out.
“I am Quinn Sullivan,” the first man introduced. “And this is my associate, Alex Green.”
