But there was Shelby Gray to consider. She’d replaced Peyton as Viral Fanfare’s lead singer. And she was friends with Luna. Last I talked to Shelby, she’d been hanging out with Luna, even as Luna was plotting to kill me. Tangling with Shelby Gray was about as fun—and about as productive—as beating my forehead against a wall. With Luna still out there, I had zero desire to bring Shelby back into my life. With Shelby came suspicions. With suspicions came trouble. I wasn’t looking for trouble; I was looking for resolution.

Vee gestured to the mic. “Nah, acoustic bass is kind of outside my price range. Plus, somebody has to sing. That’s the problem with your lead singer still being in high school.”

“You sing?” I couldn’t picture it.

She shrugged. “When I have to.”

We both stood there awkwardly for a beat. A couple wound past us toward a table, holding plastic baskets heaped with salad, and I shuffled to the side to let them by. “So, regular gig? In a sandwich shop.”

Vee laughed. “Wouldn’t Peyton just die?” Her face flushed. “You know what I mean.”

I chuckled. “She totally would. This place hardly screams glamour. Where are the rhinestones and fur?”

“Those are on my other shirt,” she said. “I didn’t want to start out too Hollywood, you know?” She stuck her fingers through a gaping hole near the bottom of her shirt.

“Order’s ready,” the woman behind the counter hollered. I turned. She was setting a paper sack and three paper cups on the counter.

“That’s mine,” I said to Vee. “I’m sort of working with my dad. Otherwise, I’d stay.”

“That’s cool. You can buy the album when it comes out.” She winked. “So are you, like, working for your dad now? Everything’s good?”

I shook my head. “Just for today. Helping out. But, yeah, I guess everything’s good. Shelby say anything about Luna these days?”

“She wouldn’t dare. Maybe to Gib, but not me. She knows how I feel about the whole thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if Luna was somehow behind what happened to Peyton.”

This time it was my turn to blush; my cheeks felt hot. She had no idea. But it was probably best kept that way.

“She hasn’t talked about her at all, though,” she continued. “For some reason, I was under the impression that Luna was gone. Like, left California completely.”

“Yeah,” I said. “That’s what I’m hoping for, anyway.” Too bad I couldn’t be as convinced as Vee was.

“If I hear anything, I’ll let you know. I don’t think she’d be dumb enough to come around.”

“No, Luna is definitely not dumb.” Sometimes I wished she was dumber. She would have been a lot easier to defeat if she was.