Page 79 of Silver Sweet

Cocaine?

“No.” I shake my head. “I’ve spent too much time around him. I would’ve seen it.”

Shouldn’t I just be happy that Phoenix completed a task that would’ve taken me twice as long? My ex-bandmates would’veneverstayed up to finish this, let alone entertain different variations of one song that’ll never be used except to give me peace of mind.

Eliot pulls me toward the stone wall of the theater. Oh, we made it. I didn’t even fucking notice. Holy shit, I am so in my head.

We’re early, so he’s not rushing inside yet. Beneath his coat, his slim-fit, tailored navy suit looks sharp and expensive. Eliot wears the billions we’ll one day inherit, and he wears it well.

I shove my cold hands in my jean jacket. “They give you a revised script yet?” I ask, and then I switch to French in case any of his theatre friends or coworkers suddenly sneak up around the corner. “Je peux m’enregistrer en le lisant ce soir.”I can record myself reading it tonight.I highly doubt I’ll be toiling over the album as late if Phoenix just pulled an all-nighter.

He rests a shoulder on the stone. “Ne t’inquiète pas pour ça.”Don’t worry about it.

I frown. “Pourquoi?”Why?“N’as-tu pas galéré pour trouver le livre audio du script?”Weren’t you struggling to find the script in audiobook?

“Oui, oui.”Yes, yes.His posture says he’s unbothered, and his deep blue eyes carry mirth and light. “Tu étais occupé. Je ne voulais pas déranger ton génie créatif.”You’ve been busy. I didn’t want to disturb your creative genius.

A sharp pain cramps my side, and I wince. Eliot never shares with people that his dyslexia is so severe, he cannot readanything.He’ll use context clues to try to deduce information. Like if a text is short or long, he can determine brevity, curtness—the tone. But he can’t read the words without audio.

He’s really good at convincing people he can read with his eyes alone. Sometimes he’ll fool Ben and Audrey, our youngest siblings.

But I’ve always known the truth. And when he can’t find his scripts in audiobook, I’vealwaysrecorded them for him so he can listen and memorize his lines.

“You can disturb me,” I say strongly. “I’m not too busy for you. I will never bethatbusy.” I can’t stomach my passion taking away fromthisbrother—the brother who I would rather die beside than ever live without.

His grin emerges like a blinding headlight. “I hope you’rebusyfornicating?—”

“Absolutely no?—”

“—le batteur le plus canon de ta vie.”The hottest drummer of your life.

I’m mid-groan, my head slung back. “Eliot.” I huff out a breath and start to smile when I see his humongous grin. “You know I’m here for you.”

“I’d never forget,” he says.

“Then you should’ve asked me. I am actually, seriously, pissed off you didn’t try to disturb me for the mostimportantrole you’ve ever had.” I don’t sound angry because starting a fight with Eliot takes rage that I can’t muster with him. Wrath is absent inside the love we’ve built.

“Me, you, Luna.” He speaks more hushed when he names our cousin in public. “We’ve all made goals this year that’ve stolen time, and so, I took the opportunity to seek someone who is goalless.” His devilish grin spurs mine.

There is only one aimless brother in our apartment. I mean, I am sure there are goals inside Charlie’s genius brain, but he hasn’t shared them with us. Other than the goal of disappearing from vital obligations. Which he’s not achieving as much anymore.

Whichmakes himverygoalless.

“Dude.” I rock on my feet in excitement. “You did not ask Charlie to record the script in audio for you.”

“I did.” He might as well be giggling.

I am having a giggling fit on the inside. “Please tell me he saidyesthis time.” Charlie hasrejectedEliot’s plea for a sad decade, citing the fact that he has meto record the audio for him, but we’ve dreamed of hearing Charlie recite an entire stage play.

“Every line.” Eliot pulls out his phone. “I’ll email it to you.”

Some dreams are easier to come true than others. “Does he get super into it?” I quickly check my phone to download the file. “Or is he just flat-out monotone.”

“Neither. It’s better.”

I can’t wait to hear this shit. “He’s going to really regret this.” I go still at a thought. “You want me to keep this a secret? Because if I tease Charlie over this audio, he’s not likely to do you another favor.”

“Tease and taunt all you want,” Eliot says, pushing off the wall. “He didn’t record this from the scant kindness of his cruel heart.”