“I came in to drop off sheet music for my sister.”
“And you did that. What else do you want?”
He shrugged. “I was wondering how you were doing.”
He was being nice. Not sarcastic. Not coy. Nice. He’d done so much for her in the past 24 hours. He didn’t deserve to be taunted. She relaxed and let go of her defensive side. “I’ve been better, but things are looking up. Thanks to you. I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you and Tessa have done for me.”
His boyish smile made him irresistible. Almost.
“I like you when you’re like this,” he said. “I also like when you’re feisty and argumentative and ready to pull your hair out of your head because I don’t agree with you.”
“You’re not always right, you know.”
“Oh, but I am.”
He said it with such serious consternation that she didn’t realize he was kidding until the corners of his mouth drew up into a teasing smile. She took the pillow from in front of her and socked him in the chest with it. He let out a surprised, “Oof!” and she socked him again.
“Hey!” Laughing, he tried to snatch the pillow from her hands, but she held onto it and tugged it toward her. He must not have been expecting her to pull so hard, because he fell into her. His face was inches from hers. One of his hands rested on her thigh. His breath, hot and filled with pheromones, blew across her cheek. All laughter subsided as her gaze dropped to his lips. He parted them, inviting her to come closer.
Pull away! Back up!But she didn’t listen to the little voice inside her head because she didn’t want to. She was powerless against the gravity that pulled them together, and their lips met in the softest of kisses.
The bathroom door opened, and Tessa’s loud singing filled the room. Both Sindy and Lucas laughed, the moment broken. Sindy lowered her chin into her chest. What the hell was she thinking? She didn’t need to fall into bed with Lucas again. Her life was complicated enough. She told herself that her mind was clouded by the generosity that had been extended her way. But, in her heart, she knew it was so much more than that.
Sindy found herself sitting in Angel Garcia’s office for the second time in 48 hours. Concern about another meeting so soon after he had learned about her homeless situation made her fidget in her chair. This time, there were no allies. No Tessa. No Lucas. Not even Tommy Blade shared the desk with Angel. The lack of other people in the room made Sindy twice as anxious, and she wondered if he’d changed his mind about offering her a contract. Even more discerning was the strange man sitting in the chair next to her.
The corners of Angel’s mouth curled into a tiny smile, and the warmth and amity that resonated from him made her feel more at ease. This man was naturally nurturing and calming.
“I’d like to introduce John Whittier.” Angel smiled as he spoke. “He’s your attorney.”
Surprised, she turned to the man sitting next to her. She expected him to be Angel’s attorney or the band’s attorney. She never thought this professional-looking man was here to represent her interests. “I don’t have any money.” She felt stupid that those were the first words she said to him, but she wanted it clear.
He gave her a relaxed nod of the head. “My representation is pro bono. That means I’m not charging a fee for my services. I’ve known the Garcia family for 30 years. I’m happy to be of service.”
Momentarily flabbergasted, she sat with her mouth open for a few seconds before thanking him and offering her hand. He shook it and then opened a manila folder. “I have an engagement letter outlining my services.” He handed her a copy and retained one for himself. He explained each paragraph of the two-page document, which basically said his representation was limited to negotiation of the contract between herself and BGW Records as rhythm guitarist for Prodigy, and that he wasn’t charging her a fee. She listened intently and followed along carefully. Although it was hard to absorb so much information all at once, she trusted Angel and signed it.
“Wonderful.” Angel placed his hands on the desk. “Now we can move on to the next phase of business.” He pulled a folder from the middle drawer, opened it, took out two sets of clipped papers and handed one set to Sindy and the other to her attorney. “This is your contract with Prodigy and our offer.”
“Already?” She stared at it in disbelief. This was really happening. She held the key to her future and all of her dreams in her hand.
“I escalated everything, in light of the current situation.”
The contract was lengthy, and although her attorney explained it paragraph by paragraph just as he had done with the engagement letter, there was a lot of information outlined that she couldn’t fully comprehend. The main things her attorney told her to pay attention to were what was expected of her as rhythm guitarist, the term of the contract, which was one year and renewable, and her compensation, which was subject to renegotiation upon renewal of her contract.
She stared at the dollar amount and blinked several times, sure that there were too many zeros. It was contingent upon the success of the first album. She was guaranteed a fixed amount if the album tanked, which was still larger than she’d expected. This was more money than she ever imagined.
“This is the best part,” Angel said. “And I wanted to hand it to you myself. Here’s your advance.”
She took the envelope he offered her and slowly opened it, still in a stupor. It was a check for $30,000. She gasped, and her gaze shot to Angel, who wore a genuine smile that extended all the way to his eyes. She’d never seen anyone so happy about giving away so much money before. And then she wondered, is this his money or Tessa, Lucas, and Mason’s money? The contract was with BGW Records, but Angel managed the band and, she assumed, its finances. It was all too complicated and her head was still reeling from the offer and the amount of money in her hand. She squeaked out a pathetic, “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, Sindy. I see a bright light ahead for you with much success. You have fortitude and determination. I don’t think you have any idea how talented you are and how far it can take you.”
“Thank you.” This time her voice resonated strength. “I won’t let you down. I promise. I’ll work my butt off for this band.”
“I’m sure you will. I value your work ethic. That’s very important to me. I trust this will help you with housing and living expenses, but you’ll also need wardrobe for the promotional tour.”
“Wait. What?” She leaned forward, sure she misheard. “We’re going on tour?”
“Yes. The wheels have been in motion for many, many years. We’re ready to introduce Prodigy to the world. The songs you’re working on are going to be part of Prodigy’s first album. A single will be out shortly. I’m sure Tessa has already extended the invitation for you to stay here until you find an apartment, and I want you to know that you’re welcome here. I can get a recommendation for a realtor if you need one.”
