This One is For You

Chapter Five

Hudson

I come off the stage riding the last waves of adrenaline. Josie is in the wing, staring at nothing in particular. Her forehead is creased and she chews her bottom lip.

"You okay?"

"Yes. Sorry, I was daydreaming." A smile lights her features, "You did great!"

"Thanks. You were awesome. I think we killed it."

Josie beams at me, and I take the moment of calm to soak up how pretty she is. Her blonde waves are tossed, a piece sticking to her glossy lips and I have to refrain myself from reaching out to touch it.

"Well, well, well." Deanna's entrance to the side stage takes my attention. "You two." She stops in her tracks, placing her hands on her hips and giving us a gigantic grin. "Perfection. Hudson, best show I've ever seen from you. Josie, you can sing! Maybe I should be your manager, too."

"Oh, thank you."

"Yeah. Thanks." I chime in, too. "Do you think I have a shot?"

"Only one way to find out. He wants to talk to you both. Come on."

"Me, too?" Josie doesn't follow along with our rapid footsteps, and I halt.

"Yes." Deanna nods, motioning for her to follow. "He specifically said both of you. I think he loved the duet."

Josie makes wide-eyes at me, as if I have the answers for her. All I know is that I want to hear what he has to say. I can hardly think at all because anticipation is eating me alive.

We make our way to the upstairs of the club, where a man in his forties, wearing rose-colored sunglasses, paired with a suit jacket, sits alone at a corner table.

He stands as we approach, and I offer out my hand first.

"Hudson, nice to meet you. I'm Mark, a producer for Blue Prism Records." He nods his head, then releases my hand and turns to Josie. "And you're Josie, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Glad to meet you. Let's sit."

We do as he requests, and I notice Josie's leg bouncing up and down the second she's sitting.

"That duet... it was fantastic." Mark let's the silence settle between us. The thumping bass of the DJ that's taken over the music feels miles away. I shuffle in my seat as a bead of sweat glides down my spine. "Let me just get to the point. Hudson, I really like your music. I'm wondering, Josie, if you'd be interested in a music career?"

I can't help the pang of envy that stabs my chest. I wanted her to help me get a record deal, not steal my shot from me.

"Oh. No, uh, not really." She hangs her head, twiddling her thumbs.

"Shame." Mark says, sitting back in his seat and studying us like we might develop superpowers or something. "I have a proposition." I lean forward, bracing myself for whatever he's about to say. "Hudson, I want you to make an EP. Your writing is good, your voice is a true talent. I think if we can fine-tune those things in an EP, you could really be something. Let's say five songs. My condition is... one of those songs be the duet. And, the only person I want on it is Josie. You two had this chemistry that felt natural. It's rare to find that in a duet partner. I think that song will be a hit. I want it released as your first single."

My heartrate picks up, and I have to make myself play it cool. Yes! Hell fucking yes!

Deanna smiles, nodding at me like she's never been prouder.

When I look over at Josie, however, she looks like a deer in headlights.

"I—I don't know if..." She looks between us. Tears filling her brown eyes.