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CLIVE DAVIS ANNUAL pre Grammy party was held at a castle like mansion in northern New Jersey this year and Joshua was bored out of his mind.
The party was teeming with celebrities, champagne and reporters.
Joshua was on the balcony on the second floor, surveying his girlfriend.
Ayoluwa was dressed in a slightly slinky and sequined deep red ball gown with a deep v line in the front, her makeup choice was smoky, her heels high and her locs were in a complicated updo to show off her jawline.
She was standing with Bryson Tiller, H.E.R, Travis Scott and PartyNextDoor near the middle of the party, all laughing at a joke that she had made a few seconds before.
Ayoluwa glanced at him and gestured for him to come over but Joshua shook his head adamantly.
He sipped his glass of champagne as she said something to the group of musicians and strutted towards him, "You should come over."
"Nah. I'm good over here." Joshua took another sip of the expensive alcohol and turned back to the New York skyline.
"It's a party. Come and enjoy it with me." Ayoluwa lightly gripped his arm and Joshua lightly shook her off.
"I said I'm fine." The bass in his voice echoed off of the walls and caused some of the people inside to look at the two.
"Aye," A brown skin man a few inches shorter than Joshua and in a tuxedo, walked over, his eyes on Ayoluwa, "You good, Ayo?"
"Yeah, she's good." Joshua answered for her, his eyes narrowed.
He didn't appreciate another man trying to interrupt the conversation that he was having with his significant other.
"I wasn't talking to you. Ayo, are you good?" The man repeated.
"Yeah. I'm good, Rob," Ayoluwa stepped away from him and turned towards the mystery man.
"You wanna come with me to get her d'oeuvres?" The man asked.
"Yeah, give me a minute." Ayoluwa replied.
"We're having a private conversation." Joshua interrupted.
The man glanced at Joshua, rolled his eyes and then walked away.
"Who is that?" Joshua demanded.
"That was Robert, he's my producer." Ayoluwa explained, "Please lower your voice. You're causing a scene."
Joshua looked over her head to see some of the people inside watching the exchange, unashamed.
"Why didn't you tell me that you're not working with Nick anymore?" Joshua asked.
The warmth in his head from the liquor was causing his whole skull to hum a little and lose his inhibitions just the tiniest bit.
"Because you don't like when I bring my work stuff home. I saw how pissed off you were after the at home Vogue shoot and I tried to keep that from happening again. Plus, I didn't think it would matter." Ayoluwa sighed, "He's cool, he likes my ideas and he's good at what he does. It's all professional."
"'He's cool.' You're such a hypocrite." Joshua took another sip.
Ayoluwa glanced at the champagne flute, then behind her at the party before stepping closer so that Joshua could hear her low tone, "And what exactly do you mean by that?"
"You make a big fuss over Tia and then don't tell me about this producer guy." Joshua mumbled.
"Rob is someone I work with. He's never been to our house and this was the first time that I've seen him outside of a studio. Everything has been professional and you and I both know for a fact that you can't say the same," Ayoluwa hissed.
"How many times do I have to tell you that she's just a friend?" Joshua retorted.
"And how many times do I have to tell you that you hanging with that girl bugs the fuck out of me?" Ayoluwa shot back.
"And like I said before, I do what I want!"
Ayoluwa looked up to the dark sky, "This is a big night for me. There's a lot of executives here. Can you just try, just for tonight, to not be selfish and support me?"
Joshua scoffed before saying in a sarcastic tone, "Well, I wouldn't wanna ruin your night."
The lights inside, once golden, changed to a light purple and Ayoluwa sighed, "That's my cue."
Then she walked off, effectively disappearing into the sea of people.
Joshua finished off his glass then strode inside as well.
A server carrying a black circular tray carrying eight glasses filled to the top with champagne carefully walked over.
Joshua replaced his empty one with a full one and then took gulps from the flute until that was empty as well.
The circular stage was lit up by a bright white spotlight, spinning by itself and only holding an old school silver microphone with the matching stand.
The crowd ambled to form around the stage and Joshua joined them, his third glass of champagne in his hands.
"So, you're Josh, right?" Robert's voice appeared next to him and when Joshua looked, the other man was standing on his left.
"Obviously." Joshua took a sip of his glass.
Robert snickered, "Now I know why she was listening to Heather Headley."
"Who?" Joshua asked.
"Here is Ayoluwa Palmer singing Grateful!" An announcer came over the P.A system.
Ayoluwa stepped onto the stage as the instrumental to one of her most popular songs filled the expansive living space.
The audience around Joshua started to clap and Robert laughed, "Man, how did you ever get her?"
Joshua glanced at Ayoluwa and made eye contact before finishing his glass and turning to Robert, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Then because his head was starting to pound, the lights were killing his eyes and because this just wasn't his scene, Joshua turned and started making his way towards the exit.
