Chapter 6

Theo pulled his gaze from the cracked glass. "I can't do tonight," he told Delia.

There was a short silence. "Are you sure? I'll be on for hours."

"I'm sure. Have a good stream."

He ended the call. Mara let out the breath she'd been holding and took the damaged glass to the sink.

"You could have told me not to go," he said.

"I did."

"You broke a glass."

"I was trying not to interrupt you."

Theo watched her wrap the glass before throwing it away. "You think she only called because I bring viewers."

"I think she could have asked you what you wanted to do tonight."

He glanced at the paused film. "I wanted to finish this."

They did. Later, Mara opened Delia's public stream on her phone. Delia smiled into the camera and said Theo had been invited; perhaps he'd surprise everyone after all. Theo leaned over Mara's shoulder.

"I told her no."

"The people watching don't know that."

The viewer count climbed. Comments asked when Theo would sing. Delia read a few questions about herself and passed over the rest.

"He isn't even here," Mara said.

"Maybe I should tell them—"

"Wait."

A group of Delia's regular viewers had begun replying to Theo's fans. Stop coming here just to ask for him. Another comment told them Delia's stream wasn't a waiting room for Theo Mercer.

Mara tilted the phone so Theo could see. He read the comments and went still.

"They're my fans," he said.

"And she said you might come."

Theo took the phone. Delia kept smiling for the camera, talking over the argument as if she hadn't used his name to bring people in. More comments appeared from his fans: If we're not welcome, we'll leave. The stream's viewer count dropped.

"They'll come back," Theo said, though he didn't sound convinced.

"Why would they? They're being mocked for believing her."

He watched a while longer, then put the phone down without trying to call Delia. Mara checked the screen again. Delia was talking faster now, trying to fill the spaces where the comments had been.

The count kept falling. She held her smile and asked everyone to stay, but the fans who'd left to find Theo didn't return.