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“You said firstly. Which led me to believe there’d be a second reason.” She blinked. “Now you’ve got me questioning myself.”
He laughed, pushing the plate toward where she was sitting at the breakfast bar. “Eat,” he said, pointing at the plate of bacon he’d already cooked. “And yeah, there was a second. I just don’t want to think about it.”
She looked up from where she was lifting pancakes onto her plate. “Why not?”
“Because it almost certainly won’t go anywhere. And if it does, it’ll have to go somewhere without me.”
Cassie frowned. “The band couldn’t exist without you. You’re the lead singer.”
“I’m also Delilah’s father. And she lives here.” He put the empty pan to the side and grabbed his own plate, loading it with pancakes and bacon before taking the stool next to hers. “It’s one thing doing an occasional gig at a local bar while my mom takes care of her, another to have to move somewhere to record music and then tour without her.”
“Oh. I didn’t think of that.” She swallowed a mouthful of pancake. “Damn, this is good. Where’d you learn to make pancakes like this?”
“You’ve met Delilah. You see how much she talks. The only way I can keep her quiet is by feeding her lots of sugar.”
Cassie started laughing. “Surely that makes her worse.”
His brows knitted. “Now that you say that, it probably does. Why didn’t I think of that?”
He took a sip of coffee. Damn, he loved this. The two of them sitting here, just talking. Nobody wanting something, nobody interrupting.
“We could record music here,” Cassie pointed out. “Your dad has the whole studio set up for it.”
“Doesn’t solve the touring part though,” he said, popping a piece of bacon into his mouth. When he swallowed it down, he looked carefully at her. “And that’s where the money is in music.”
“I guess.”
He tipped his head to the side. “Are you actually interested in getting signed?” he asked her. “I thought you liked working with Gemma.”
“I do.” She shrugged. “It just sounded like fun, that’s all. But you’re right, it’ll probably go nowhere. And I’d never leave Gemma hanging.”
And now he felt like an asshole for taking away the shine of it. Sure, he had responsibilities, but Cassie didn’t. And she’d already had to step out of the limelight once, thanks to her accident. He ate another mouthful of pancake.
“I guess we could go to the audition and see where it goes,” he said carefully. “We’re probably not what they’re looking for anyway. Some old has been single dad trying to sing with a gorgeous younger woman.”
She rolled her eyes. “Has been? Old?” she repeated. “Seriously?”
His lips twitched.
“Anyway, even if what you’re saying is right, it’s a tried and tested trope. In most bands the guys get older and the women get younger. A sad reflection of life.” She lifted a brow.
His phone started to buzz. His mom’s name appeared across it. “Hey,” he said, accepting the call. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” his mom said warmly. “I just wanted to check that we’re meeting you at church this morning rather than here.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Unless you need me to pick Delilah up now?”
“No. We got it covered. Although I think I might wear my fingers out trying to put her hair into a fishtail braid.”
He laughed. “Just tell her a ponytail will do.”
“I’m her grandma. What Delilah wants, Delilah gets. I’m the one who spoils her, and you’re the one who picks up the pieces.”
“Great, thanks.” But he was smiling, because he knew his mom didn’t mean it. “I’ll see you at church.”
“Yes you will. Bye, honey. Oh, and say hi to Cassie for me.”
He looked over at her and she was grinning. Okay, so his mom wasn’t an idiot.
