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“Wait. You haven’t talked to him yet?”

“No.”

“Finn!”

Taylen stares at me.

“They’re not doing an album, and they’re not going back on tour. They cut ties with the label. That’s what the meeting in New York was.”

I stop breathing.

“What?”

“They’re going independent. All four of them. Bastian told me last night. Nikko is thinking of starting a label. Stone might partner with him. Mik is going to write for other people and work with Tyler’s charity. And Fox—” He stops. Frowns. “You seriously don’t know any of this?”

I can’t speak for a moment.

“No.”

“Finn.”

“I was too afraid to ask. I was so scared he would tell me he was leaving that I couldn’t ask him a single question. So every night he’s come over, I’ve just… I’ve let him in, and we’ve done what we do, and then he leaves before dawn, and I don’t ask. I don’t ask anything.”

Taylen’s eyes search for Bastian before they flick back to me.

“Fuck,” I whisper. “I’ve been pulling away every night. He’s been trying to get closer, and I’ve been pulling away.”

“Yeah. It sounds like you have.”

“I’m an idiot.”

“You are, but you’re not the only one. I’ve been about equal to you these last few weeks.”

“That’s comforting.”

“I do my best.”

I press the heels of my hands against my eyes for a second.

“I’m going to fix it,” I say. “Tonight, after the closing ceremony. I’ll go find him, and I’ll tell him, and I⁠—”

“Griffin?”

I turn.

Meredith is walking toward us with her headset on, her tablet under her arm.

“The mayor’s about to start the closing ceremony. He wants the band there too so we can thank them publicly. I’ve been trying to round them up.”

“Yeah. Yeah, of course. I’m on my way.”

I glance at Taylen. He tips his cup at me like a small salute.

I follow Meredith through the crowd toward the stage.

Bastian, Nikko, and Stone are already gathered near the side of the stage. Sylvie and Henry stand a few feet away, chatting to Chief Morrison. The mayor is checking his notes at the podium.

But something’s off.