Page 67 of The Déjà Glitch
Lila stood and pressed her palms into her shoulders. “You’re going to take a breath, realize this isn’t the end of the world, and finish getting ready for dinner so that they don’t give away our table.”
Gemma took the prescribed breath, though it wasn’t at all soothing.
CHAPTER
12
For economical purposes,they ordered a rideshare to the radio studio, where they retrieved both the concert passes and Gemma’s car. It was, after all, Lila’s birthday, so Gemma offered to chauffeur.
After a quick chat with Carmen and a dash across town, Gemma and Lila folded themselves into the dinner crowd of Angelenos enjoying a dimly lit meal in a trendy restaurant a stone’s throw from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The vintage glam dining room was all purple velvet and chrome, with beaded chandeliers dangling from the vaulted ceiling like enormous jellyfish. The lighting made everyone look ten times sexier.
Lila sat across from Gemma in a pair of leather pants and a tasteful tube top with her hair tumbling over her shoulders. She had forgone her originally planned birthday party outfit of strapless minidress for something more practical for their new plans for a backstage adventure. She still looked hot as hell and wore vertiginous heels, as always.
“Thank you for changing plans tonight, Lila,” Gemma said, and sipped her fizzy pink cocktail. They’d finished their appetizers and were on to their main courses.
Lila bulged her eyes at her. “Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t miss this for anything. And it’s about time you use your connections to get us somewhere good.” She lifted her matching pink cocktail and sipped as Gemma narrowed her eyes at her implication. She smacked her lips. “That’snot the connection I’m talking about. I know you did this on your own.”
Gemma had done it on her own, really. Sure, Nigel knew her father, but he invited her to the show because of the conversation he’d had withher. She smiled about it all over again. Her smile quickly faded when she remembered a detail she hadn’t yet shared with Lila.
“Nick is going to be there, you know.”
Lila gave her a flat, loyal stare of annoyance. “So I’ve heard.”
“Yeah, well, the part you didn’t hear is that my dad set it all up.”
Her eyes widened again.
“I know. When I went to visit him, he told me he pulled some strings to get Azalea as the opener tonight, and then he asked me how Nick is doing because apparently Nick told him we are still together.”
“What?”
“Exactly. See, that’s an appropriate reaction. When I told my dad, he tried to spin it into somehow being my fault that he didn’t know because we never talk.” She rolled her eyes, feeling her anger return and doing her best not to let it ruin dinner.
Lila took a sip of her drink. “Well, Gem, you do hardly see him. Can you fault him for not knowing what’s going on in your love life?”
She gaped at her friend. “Me not talking to my father is different than my ex-boyfriendlyingto him, Lila.”
“Of course it is. I’m only saying that the lie worked because you don’t see your dad enough to correct it. You know I’d shove Nick in front of a bus the first chance I got. Or maybe take clippers to his ridiculous hair. Or stomp on his hand with some heels so he couldn’t play guitar anymore.” She pumped her eyebrows and devilishly grinned over her drink like she couldn’t decide which vicious option was her favorite.
Gemma forgave her for her comment. Still, she sipped her drink in hope that it would wash down the uncomfortable cocktail of guilt and annoyance souring her mood.
Lila’s phone buzzed on the table. Another notification. The video of Gemma and Jack was certified trending by that point, and the more popular it got, the more Gemma felt like it was a reminder that she had ruined things with him.
“I’m sure my dad knows about my love life now,” she said, and nodded at the glowing screen. “Everyoneknows.” The mere thought of however many hundred thousand people had seen the video by then made her want to hide under the table.
Lila smiled at whatever she saw and turned it screen down.
“I don’t know what you hope to achieve with that. Jack probably never wants to see me again.”
Lila looked up and rolled her eyes. “I hardly think that’s true, Gem. He’s probably—” She suddenly sucked in asharp breath and cut herself off. “Oh god. Don’t look behind you.Don’t look don’t look don’t look,” she said in a rush. Her eyes were pinned to a point near the restaurant entrance, and it took everything in Gemma’s power not to turn around.
“Lila, you know saying that is only going to make me want to look.”
“Okay, but don’t. Trust me, you want to sit this one out.”
Gemma’s heart thumped against her ribs. She could only imagine what was happening over her shoulder that would warrant such a warning.
Lila quietly cursed under her breath. “Damn it.This is what I get for having such good taste in restaurants.”