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“Stop talking like that.”
“Why?” He smiled at her, curious.
“Because you’re making me fall for you even more.”
His throat tightened. He tried not to think too much about the way he was feeling for Cassie. It was complicated and difficult, all mixed up with his need to be a good father, and the guilt he still felt over her being without a mother.
And now he was planning to leave his kid for a couple of days so he could go to this stupid audition.
He was already feeling guilty about that, even though his mom had assured him they’d love to have her while the band headed to New York. And sure, his head told him that everybody would be happy with the arrangement – not least Delilah who’d be the center of attention at his parents’ house
But his heart told him she only had one parent. And he was abandoning her, if only for a few days.
And then there was the other guilt. The knowledge that he was doing this as a favor to the rest of them. He was adamant that if the label showed any interest, he’d suggest they find a new singer. There were enough of them around.
Even if the thought of Cassie singing with somebody else made him feel a little dizzy.
But she deserved a break. They all did. They didn’t have the ties that he had, and he shouldn’t hold them back.
So if the label showed interest, he’d already decided to talk with his dad to see if he had any suggestions about a new singer. He hadn’t told Cassie that part. Or any of them.
Cassie reached for his hand, sliding her fingers through his before squeezing them tight. He squeezed back. When he looked at her, she had the softest expression on her face. Like she knew what he was thinking.
But she couldn’t know. If she did, she’d think he was an asshole for wanting them to fail.
And right now, he didn’t want her knowing that.
“It’ll be fun, going to New York,” Cassie promised. “We get two nights alone together.”
“Yeah, it will.” He nodded, pushing the bad thoughts out of his head. It would all be fine. He’d make sure it was. He was just being stupid, seeing things that weren’t there. Worrying about things that hadn’t happened.
“Now go home to your daughter.” She leaned forward to press her mouth against his. “And call me later.”
He kissed her back. “I was planning on it.”
Chapter
Twenty-Three
“What are you doing?” Delilah asked. It was the night before the band was driving to New York and she’d insisted on Cassie coming over for dinner. Cassie was in Presley’s living room, using her nail polish remover pads to take off the half-peeled red polish on her nails. She’d need to repaint them before the audition.
“Just taking off my nail polish,” she told Delilah. “It got chipped.” She held up a nail that she hadn’t started on. “See?”
“What are those?” Delilah asked, pointing at the pads.
“They’re polish remover pads. You can buy the liquid separately and use it on cotton pads, but I like to carry these around in my bag in case of an emergency.”
“Do you always paint your nails?” Delilah asked, tipping her head to the side.
“Most of the time. I like the way it makes my hands look.”
“You have pretty hands,” Delilah said, reaching out and touching the nail Cassie had just cleaned. “Will you paint them again?”
“Yes, when I get home.” Cassie nodded. She’d started taking it off here because she wanted to be able to repaint them as soon as she got home. That way they’d be dry before she crashed for an early night and right now Presley was running Delilah a bath. It was early, but Delilah looked beat.
So did Presley. The poor guy had been working himself to the bone. Cassie was planning on leaving as soon as she’d read Delilah’s bedtime story, since the little girl had made her promise to.
“Can you paint my nails?” Delilah asked.
