The Prince and The Knight

Chapter 4

Joshua clutched his guitar as he entered the polished conference room at his label's headquarters. It was an intimidating space—floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, sleek furniture, and a long table filled with executives waiting expectantly. They all looked at him, poised with notepads, some with barely contained curiosity and others with the serious, unflinching look that came with discussing money and careers.

Today, he was presenting three new songs he'd written: You Give Good Love, Saving All My Love, and So Emotional. These tracks felt like pieces of his heart, each one carrying a piece of the whirlwind emotions he'd been feeling lately—especially with everything happening with Jace. He took a breath, mentally going over each song's flow, and began.

First, he played You Give Good Love. He let himself sink into the soulful, mid-tempo rhythm, the warm '80s-inspired vibe filling the room as he lost himself in the lyrics. He glanced up as he finished, and the executives were nodding, some even swaying along. It gave him a little boost of confidence.

Then came Saving All My Love, a bluesy, more vulnerable song about unspoken feelings. As he strummed the final chord, he could tell the song had hit something in the room—there was a quiet, almost reflective moment among the executives before the next song began.

Lastly, he played So Emotional, his newest song. It was upbeat, driven by electric synths and an infectious, nostalgic hook that captured the rush of new love. By the time he finished, the whole room seemed to be in sync with the song's rhythm, some of the executives tapping their pens or nodding to the beat.

When he looked up again, he was met with warm smiles and nods of approval. Claire, his A&R rep, beamed at him.

"Joshua, this is incredible," she said. "This sound—it's fresh, it's authentic. I can see an entire album here."

The lead executive chimed in, "We're green-lighting this. Let's make it happen. Full album, and we'll put some serious resources into the rollout."

The words hit Joshua like a wave, and he had to remind himself to breathe. All of this—the music, the album, the budget—was actually happening. They believed in him, in his work. His music was finally going to reach people in a way he'd always dreamed of. The weight of it overwhelmed him, a swell of gratitude and disbelief that left him feeling dizzy as he thanked them and left the room.

As soon as he was outside, he pulled out his phone and called Matt Cornett. Matt picked up on the second ring, his voice instantly brightening when he heard Joshua's.

"Josh! How'd it go?" Matt asked.

Joshua took a breath, struggling to keep his voice steady. "They... they loved it, Matt. They're giving me an album. Full budget, rollout, everything." The reality of his words hit him harder as he said them out loud. "It's... I don't know, man. I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Dude!" Matt's voice was all excitement. "You did it! This is huge! But seriously, you deserve this. You've worked so hard, and you're so crazy talented. There's no one else I know who deserves this more."

Joshua felt his eyes sting, a lump forming in his throat. "Thanks, man. I just... I don't know what I'd do without you, honestly."

"Hey, anytime," Matt said, his tone softening. "So, what's going on in that head of yours? You know, aside from freaking out."

Joshua laughed, feeling some of the tension ease. "Well... I mean, there is one thing. Or, uh, one person."

There was a pause, then Matt's voice turned teasing. "Oh-ho, is this a certain co-star who happens to wear armor?"

Joshua groaned, but he couldn't help grinning. "Shut up. I didn't say anything!"

"Come on, I know you, Josh," Matt teased, his laughter bubbling through the phone. "So, you've got it bad for Jace, huh?"

Joshua's face turned red. "It's... I don't even know, okay? He's just—I mean, he's funny and easy to talk to, and he... he's just been really supportive, you know?"

"I get it," Matt said, his voice more serious now. "Look, Josh, don't overthink it. Just go with it. This is your moment, and if Jace is part of that, then awesome. Don't let yourself hold back, okay?"

Joshua exhaled, letting his friend's words settle over him. "You're right. Thanks, Matt. You always know what to say."

"Hey, what are best friends for?" Matt said with a chuckle. "Now go celebrate, start working on that album, and text me if there are any juicy updates on the knight and prince front."

Joshua rolled his eyes but laughed. "Deal. Talk soon, Matt."

When Joshua returned to his apartment, a surge of creative energy hit him like a wave. He was about to record his first full album—something he'd dreamt about for years—and the realization left him buzzing. He went straight to his guitar, his notebook, the endless piles of unfinished songs and old ideas that were scattered around his apartment. Some songs he'd started and abandoned felt new and alive again, as if they'd been waiting for this moment.

He pulled out one song draft after another, setting aside those that felt right, making notes in the margins, scribbling down ideas for new lyrics and melodies. Hours passed, and he felt himself slipping into that familiar, blissful state where time disappeared, and it was just him and the music.

In the midst of it all, his phone buzzed on the table, breaking his focus. He reached for it, expecting a text from Matt, but his breath caught when he saw Jace's name.

Jace: Hey, random question for you—what did the ocean say to the beach?

Joshua blinked, surprised, and then typed back, a grin forming on his face.

Joshua: I have no idea. What?

Jace: Nothing, it just waved. 😎

Joshua laughed out loud, shaking his head. It was such a stupid joke, but it made him feel warm all over. He texted back, playfully mocking him.

Joshua: Wow, that's... impressively terrible.

Jace: Excuse me, I'll have you know it's a classic.

Joshua found himself smiling, completely drawn in. They started texting back and forth, the conversation drifting from dad jokes to random questions about their favorite movies and music, and then to funny stories from past projects. Jace had this way of making Joshua feel at ease, like he didn't have to be "Joshua Bassett the actor" but could just be himself.

The hours slipped by as they messaged each other, the conversation flowing effortlessly. Joshua could barely keep up with his own excitement, his heart beating a little faster with every joke, every story, every moment where Jace shared another part of himself. It was easy to picture Jace's laugh, his expressions, his voice—and it left Joshua feeling giddy, like he was falling even harder.

Somewhere close to three in the morning, Joshua finally looked up from his phone, realizing how late it was. He felt a mixture of exhaustion and pure, undeniable happiness, a glow that lingered as he set his phone down and lay back on his bed.

All the overwhelming changes—landing the album, his role in the film, these new, thrilling feelings for Jace—they were a lot, but tonight, he felt a deep sense of excitement and possibility. He was ready for all of it.

With a final, quiet smile, he drifted off to sleep, the warmth of Jace's words carrying him into his dreams, already humming new melodies for the songs he'd write tomorrow.