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“And nor are you.” She tried to make herself relax. “So that’s it. I just wanted you to know, that’s all. Now go see Delilah, I bet she’s jumping up and down waiting for you.”
“I’ll call you tonight,” he told her, kissing her softly. “And I’m proud of you. I mean it. You’re good at everything you do. You deserve to be recognized.”
She looped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. This was where she belonged. In his arms. Grounded.
In love.
She was doing the right thing, turning it down. She didn’t want anything but this.
Now she just had to deal with Alex. But that was a job for tomorrow.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
Presley walked into his parents’ house, trying to keep his expression neutral. His facial muscles were aching from the effort, the same one he’d made when Cassie had told him about the record label’s offer.
He was pleased for her, he was. But that feeling of weirdness he’d had ever since they’d got back from New York had increased. It was a strange feeling. Like he couldn’t stand still.
Like his thoughts were itchy in his brain.
“Hi.” His mom smiled at him. “How was your day?”
“Yeah, good.” They were almost at the end of this project. Another couple of weeks and they’d be ready for all the work to be signed off. He already had his next two customers booked in. There was plenty of work for his business, thanks to their reputation of coming in on budget and mostly on time.
“Mine was good too,” his mom said pointedly.
“I’m sorry. My mind’s a little full.” He offered her a smile. “How was your day, Mom?”
“Still good.” She nodded. “Delilah has a spelling list to work on. She keeps tripping up on airplane.”
“We’ll work on it tonight,” he told her. “Where is she?”
“At the studio with your dad. I’ll let him know that you’re here.” She went to reach for her phone.
“It’s okay, I’ll walk out there.” He kissed her cheek and turned to head out the door leading to the backyard. Then he turned back to look at her. “Mom?”
“Yes, honey?”
“I appreciate everything you do to help me. You know that, right?”
“Of course I do. And as I keep telling you, it’s not a burden, it’s a pleasure.”
He blew out a mouthful of air. Because a burden was exactly what he was feeling like.
He’d spent the drive here going over Cassie’s words in his mind. She’d been as excited as the rest of them, going to New York. And now she’d been offered the role of a lifetime and she was going to turn it down.
And he couldn’t help but feel like it was all his fault. Not just for her wanting to stay here in Hartson’s Creek, but for the band not getting a chance in the first place.
If it wasn’t for him, he had a feeling the result would have been different.
Yeah, burden. That was the perfect word for it.
When he got to the studio, he could see his dad in the mixing room, Delilah next to him talking animatedly. He knocked on the window and she jumped, her face lighting up as she saw him standing there.
“Daddy!”
His dad stood and smiled at him. And for a minute he got a flashback, to the day of Jade’s funeral. His dad had stood beside him, holding his hand.
