Riley hurried to her intercom. 

“Katie? “ she checked

“It’s me, Ry…”

Letting her best friend up, Riley waited at her door.

“Uhhh...new look?” Katie asked as they walked in, noting the slouchy beanie her friend had on. It appeared all of her hair was stuffed up into it. 

“Yeah...About that...That’s why I called you over.”

“Are you ok? What’s the emergency?” she asked, concerned. 

Riley took a breath and slowly took off the beanie, letting her hair fall.

“Riley…WHAT the HELL did you do…?” Katie asked

“Dyed my hair purple…” she said quietly.

“That’s….NOT purple…” Katie stared.

“Yeah, no shit..I..I think I left the bleach on too long or something…”

“Wow...Yeah...Or something…” 

Riley sighed “Can it be fixed?” Katie had had a serious hair experimentation phase in college, so Riley had thought she might have an idea.

Katie giggled “Well...You aren’t bald, so there’s that…”

Riley rolled her eyes “Katie…”

“Relax. We’ll just dye it back.”

“Ok…”

**

Returning with a box of Feria, Katie helped Riley get the color on her head to set.

“Ok, Ry...What’s going on...The last time you dyed your hair in college...You HATED it and cried…”

“It came out BLONDE..!” Riley defended herself.

Katie laughed “Yeah..that was not the look for you...but why now...I thought we were past the whole breakup new hair phase…”

“This isn’t about that I just...I don’t know..I felt like a change…”

Katie raised her eyebrows in suspicion “...A change? Riley ...Are you feeling ok?”

“HEY! I can be spontaneous!”

“Um...Okayy...Well, you haven’t been for...awhile…”

“No time like the present.”

“Are you even allowed to dye your hair? Ya know...Does Justin want you to…”

“I can do whatever I want” Riley cut her off.

“Whoa...Ok. I just asked. It IS a job, after all.”

Riley sighed. “Sorry. I don’t have that much to do while he’s on tour, anyway. Little errands here and there...Check-ins. I’m not gonna physically see him for months, so...It wouldn’t matter.”

Katie smiled “Do you miss him?”

Riley was glad Katie was busy with her hair and couldn’t see her face. “Not as much as you would, no..” she teased “It’s actually been nice to have some free time.”

“So do you check in every day?” Katie asked curiously.

Riley smirked “Why, do you want transcripts?”

“I wouldn’t turn them down,” Katie tugged Riley’s hair.

“Oww. Easy...Not so much right now, which is kind of weird. I mean I know he is busy, but his replies are getting shorter...Probably just tired.”

Katie chuckled “I bet he’s tired…”

Riley twisted her head to look back at her “What?”

“Well...Apparently..He’s been seen with this...singer I think she is? I guess people saw her at a Florida show and then Memphis last night…”

“Yolanda?”

“OMG YES...You know of her?”

“Yeah...He’s had a couple studio sessions with her. The label is picking her up.” Riley explained.

“Hmm. Well...According to my Facebook group…”

Riley rolled her eyes. “Katie...Come on…”

“NO! I swear! There are like...pictures...They AREN’T in a studio…”

“Ok?”

“Riley...I think they’re like….hooking up …She is REALLY pretty”

“He’s working with her, Katie…” Riley countered, annoyed.

“You sure...You don’t sound convinced,” Katie teased “OH MY GOD...RY…”

“Yes?”

“RILEY… MARIN...DID YOU DYE YOUR HAIR FOR JUSTIN?”

Riley jerked away to look at Katie “Are you insane?!”

Katie smiled “No...You’re jealous…”

“JEALOUS? Of WHAT?!”

“He’s paying more attention to her…”

“Katie...Stop...I am not jealous of anything. Have you lost your mind?”

Katie shook her head “Ok. Whatever you say…”

Riley focused her attention back at her bathroom wall, letting Katie finish fixing her hair. Katie was nuts. Justin was free to do whatever he wanted. They had agreed on business only. 

She also knew he was serious about music, and Yolanda was really talented. Still, Riley couldn’t shake the truth that his shorter replies were bothering her. It wasn’t how he usually worked with her, and it was throwing her off.

Wasn’t she allowed to just want purple hair? What was Katie implying?

Just because Yolanda had a more flamboyant style didn’t mean it had anything to do with her.

Did it?

**

“We really don’t have much time to make this decision…” Johnny stressed from across the small conference table.

Justin sat in a small meeting room. A last minute meeting, as one of his tour singers had had to leave the tour for personal reasons. 

“This is an unfortunate situation, but we are a month out from Europe...You REALLY don’t like any of those demos?” Johnny gestured toward the stack of headshots that all belonged to audition samples.

“I just don’t think there’s a fit there…”Justin focused and a light bulb went off in his brain. Grinning, he continued “...But I have an idea…”

“Which is…”

“Yolanda…”

“Justin...She is too green…”

“Maybe on a tour...but she HAS the voice. She’s adaptable...tough…”

“Justin…”

“Johnny...You have to trust me on this one…”

Johnny gave him a suspicious look “You’ve invested a lot of time into her career…”

“She’s good…”

“Uh huh...And that’s it?”

“And that’s it. You know she’s going places...You signed her.”

Johnny sighed “Well it’s not the worst idea. She’s gonna need some rehearsal time. “

“Done”

“This is on you, Justin. Your tour. Your decision. Just make sure it’s the right one.”

“It is. Thank you.”

**

Yolanda walked in to the studio, heart racing as she prepared for what was about to happen. A tour. She was going ON TOUR. With JUSTIN. 

Her life had turned upside down since meeting him, and it all felt like a dream. She deserved this. She knew she did, but she was still pinching herself, expecting it all to be a fantasy. 

“Hey…” he smiled and walked toward her. 

“Hey. “ she smiled back.

“You ready for this?” he grinned.

She laughed lightly “Not even a little bit...but I’m excited…”

He rubbed her arms and looked into her eyes “You’ve GOT it. You’re gonna fit right in. I promise.” He dipped his head and brushed her lips. 

Kissing him back for a moment, she smiled and looked at him. “You didn’t ask me on tour because…” she gestured back and forth between the two of them. “Because I can handle myself…”

Justin smirked “Just a bonus. You’re coming on tour because you deserve it. You were the best choice.”

Yolanda smiled. “Then let’s get to work.”

Yolanda breezed through a rundown of vocals. Justin let her make it through the whole show once before clicking off the track.

“First pass was good. Montana needs work…Higher Higher could use some tweaking…” 

Yolanda took a deep breath “Ok. Run it again.”

Her focus was impressive. Distracting, even. Her work ethic matched his own intensity, which was something he was not used to, particularly with newer artists. 

An hour later, Justin spoke up “Need a break?”

Yolanda nodded “Yeah. Probably a good idea.”

“I actually think we could be done for today. You should probably meet everyone soon...See where you fit in there…”

“I hope it works…”

“It will” he smiled. “They’ll love you…”

“I’m not used to the group dynamic…” she shook her head.

“You’ll be fine...and they’re an amazing group...It’s gonna be fun.”

Yolanda relaxed, sitting on the couch to take a sip of water. 

“I’ve never been to Europe. To be honest, I’ve never been to most of THIS country…”

Justin smiled “Older hotels...different food...Other than that, it won’t seem that different on tour…”

“I’ll have to sneak out to see some sights…”

“I might have to join you…” he sat down next to her, placing his hand on her leg. “It’s cute…”

“What is?” she smiled.

“You being nervous….”

“Then I should be downright hott..” Yolanda joked.

Justin grinned “I mean...You are…” 

Yolanda giggled. “You’re...impossible…” 

“Am I?” Justin charmed.

“Little bit,” Yolanda nodded as she leaned in, hovering over his lips before returning his kiss from earlier in the day.

Justin’s hand moved from her leg to her back, guiding her closer. Pulling her up onto his lap, she stopped for a moment.

“We’re ...in the studio…”

Justin nodded and spoke softly “Uh huh...alone...private booking...for another hour…”

Yolanda smiled as he found her mouth again. Their shirts were off in record time as they shifted backwards onto the couch. 

They were drawn to each other in a way that was almost hypnotic, primal. Justin could barely contain himself around her, fascinated by her energy and drive. 

Yolanda didn’t know quite what to make of what existed between them, but she knew she couldn’t resist it. The attraction, the way they worked together, their musical chemistry. She was in bliss, and had decided to just go with it.

Letting their bodies do the talking, neither one of them was questioning their connection.