Page 74 of Scorpio Season

She pauses, as though to give Florence the opportunity to let the information sink in. With her heart pounding in her ears, she can’t think of anything more clever to say than, “I see.”

“You caught our eye because of your affiliation with Juno Wilde and the recent media attention you’ve been getting,” Linda Norton continues. It takes Florence a moment to understand that recent media attention refers to the internet’s obsession with her and Luca’s fictional relationship. “We think that you would make a fantastic addition to our roster. Do you see yourself sticking to the rock genre?”

Florence blinks, overwhelmed. “I . . . yeah. I think so.” She presses the heel of her hand to her forehead. “I’m sorry. Are you offering me a record deal?”

Linda Norton laughs. “I am. What do you say, Miss Gibson?”

Florence feels like she’s stepped into some strange alternate universe. She wants to laugh. She wants to cry. She wants to curl up behind the BMW to her left and have a panic attack.

She asks, “What about the band?”

“Ah.” There’s a quiet squeaking noise on the other end of the line as Linda Norton presumably shifts on her chair. “To be perfectly candid, we are primarily interested in you. We think you have something special, Miss Gibson.”

“So do they,” Florence says.

There’s a beat of silence. Linda Norton’s voice is ruthlessly pleasant as she repeats, “We are primarily interested in you.”

Florence opens her mouth. She feels like someone has poured molasses into her brain, shock rendering her thoughts sticky and sluggish. “I’m sorry,” she says. “I don’t know . . . I’m not a solo artist. I don’t want to be a solo artist.”

The pause on the other end of the line feels distinctly judgmental. “How long have the five of you been playing together?” Linda Norton asks.

“Two years,” Florence says. Less, if they consider that Luca only joined weeks ago. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a laughable amount of time.

Linda Norton seems to think so too. She sounds like a primary school teacher gently explaining that eating dirt is bad for you as she says, “I understand that this is a difficult decision to make. How about this: I’m going to send you the draft of our contract. You review it and let me know by the end of the week. All right?”

Florence’s mouth is operating without any input from her brain. “Okay. Yeah.”

“Wonderful. I do hope you’ll consider working with us, Miss Gibson. I am certain that we could get you into the mainstream within the next year. A talent like yours is just what we’ve been looking for.”

“Thank you,” Florence says, dazed.

“We’ll be in touch. Have a good day, Miss Gibson.”

The line goes dead.

Not even a minute later, an email hits Florence’s inbox with a contract attached to it. She stares at it for a moment, eyes catching on the number of zeros next to a dollar sign, before she abruptly locks her phone. She has the ridiculous urge to wash her hands. The scorpion on her arm itches viciously.

Her phone buzzes again, this time with a text from Izzy.

oi muppet

did u get lost in the basement? we’re on in twenty minutes.

It takes another moment to remind her lungs how to breathe normally. Finally, she tucks her hair behind her ears and straightens, turning her phone off as she makes her way back to her band.

When she returns to the dressing room, everyone else is fully dressed and wearing their stage makeup. Luca and Miray are sitting next to each other on the sofa with Miray’s Nintendo, heads bent together. At Florence’s entrance, they look up at her with twin expressions of worry.

“Is everything all right with your mum?” asks Miray.

“Yeah.” Florence’s voice sounds too high, too breathy. She clears her throat and tries again. “She’s fine.”

Miray gives her an odd look. “Okay. That’s good.”

Before either of them can subject her to any more interrogation, Amy appears in the doorway. Clapping her hands to announce herself, she says, “All right, Scorpios, you’re up!”

Florence hastily takes a sip of lukewarm tea before following the others out into the corridor. Normally, this is the part where her entire body floods with adrenaline and her brain goes into tunnel vision. Today, she feels jittery in a different way instead.

We think you have something special.