“What should we do?”
“They’ll never believe we’re also Seven reps. Not with Jonah back there.”
“I could, you know, use my girlish wiles.”
I looked at her, shocked. “I’m not going to pimp you out to gain backstage access, January.”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s disgusting!” I practically yelled, appalled.
She laughed at me. “Tom, it’s not like I’m stripping or something equally sketchy. I was just going to flirt my way through.”
“No,” I said emphatically. I pulled her body to mine. “No way in hell. No.”
I led us to the bar in the corner of the club.
“Fine, then what should we do?”
“We wait.”
“And what if he talks to All the Pretty Girls before we get a chance? Dude, he is not above stealing. I told you this.”
“I know. All we can do is play it by ear tonight, but from now on I’m not even telling Jason where we’re going next. No one will know but us.”
“Good idea.”
“Speak of the devil,” I told her as Jonah exited from the backstage entrance. I didn’t have to bother getting his attention, he saw us.
“January,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. I didn’t care about appearances, I pulled him off her. I figured he’d misinterpret my possessiveness for anger at him for cheating.
“What the hell, Jonah?”
“What?”
“Don’t play dumb, Jonah. How the hell did you know we were going to be here?”
Jonah laughed, clapping me on the shoulder harshly. I stared at this hand, a muscle ticked in my jaw. I shrugged his hand off roughly.
“I’m not joking with you, Jonah. How did you know?”
“Is Paris this secretive town no one knows about? I’m here for the music just like you.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.”
He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“Who are you stealing from us?”
“You’re paranoid.”
“No, I’m not an idiot. Who?”
“Not that it’s not any of your business, but I just convinced All the Pretty Girls to visit Jason next week.”
“Son of a-”
“Come on, Tom,” January said, tugging at my arm to get me away from Jonah. “We’ll still win,” she whispered to me.