“I have something lined up.” She couldn’t remember the last time she heard this much hope in her voice. “My boss at the diner owns two small apartment complexes. I’ve been saving all my money to move into one of the units.” An apartment. A tour. An album. Sindy was dizzy. Angel’s lips were moving, but she couldn’t hear anything. The fog inside her head clouded everything except the knowledge that she would finally have enough money to move into an apartment. She didn’t have to sleep in a storage unit any longer or impose on these nice people. She could stay in a hotel until her apartment was ready.Herapartment. She said it over and over again in her head. She’d never been so overwhelmed. Her lips quivered even though she pressed them together so hard they hurt, and the tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Angel Garcia was suddenly next to her, offering a comforting hand on her back. “I understand this is an emotional moment. You have a wonderful opportunity in front of you. My son tells me you’re very smart.”
Her head snapped up to meet Angel’s gaze. “Lucas thinks I’m smart?”
“Of course.” Angel leaned back, surprised that she was surprised. “Lucas is very enamored by your talent and ability to learn. He’s excited to teach you everything he knows about music.” He gave her a whimsical smile. “I have a Blade man in my life, as well. Lucas is just like his father. They’re both incredibly smart and educated. The best part is that they want to share their knowledge. Impart some of their wisdom so someone else can enjoy the things they love.”
She never looked at it like that before. Lucas didn’t have to go out of his way to teach her the intricate theories he worshiped. She recalled his excitement during their lessons and how animated he would become. He went beyond what she needed to know, which is why she grew so frustrated. She wanted to get on with it and play music. He wanted to teach her every little detail.
“Well, are you going to sign this contract?” Angel prompted.
So many things were swarming in her head that she forgot she was still holding it. She looked down at the paper that would change her life. Lucas, Tessa and Mason’s signatures were already there. It only needed hers to close the deal. With a shaking hand, she signed her name.
“Welcome to our little family, Sindy. You’re officially a member of Prodigy.”
After the meeting with Angel Garcia, Sindy needed to leave for work. She stared at the check one last time, folded it in half, stuffed it into the side pocket of her wallet for safe keeping, and drove to the diner. Waitressing was anticlimactic after the high of signing a recording contract, but she still needed to work. Just because she had a signed contract didn’t mean she could quit her job. The $30,000 check needed to last her at least six months. It seemed like more than enough money at first, but as she added up expenses in her head, she realized how quickly she could go through the money. She couldn’t continue with double shifts at the diner because she’d be spending time rehearsing with Prodigy. She still needed a few thousand dollars to put down on an apartment. She didn’t need furniture, but she needed a wardrobe and necessities to bring on tour. She needed to budget her money carefully, because she could easily blow through it.
“Hellooo.” Justine, Sindy’s boss, waved her hand in front of Sindy’s face.
“Sorry. I was spacing out. Can I talk to you for a moment?”
Placing a balled fist on her hip, Justine sighed. “I hope you’re not leaving me. You’re my best waitress.”
“No. I might be cutting back on the double shifts, but I definitely need this job. I have enough money now to secure that apartment if it’s still available.”
“The studio?”
Sindy nodded.
“I have several actually. A potential tenant I had lined up fell through. His credit report was a disaster, and another tenant just gave notice.”
Oh God, not another background check and credit report.
“Don’t worry if your credit report isn’t perfect,” Justine said, picking up on Sindy’s apprehension. “I’ll cut you some slack. You work hard and come in when I need you. You never take a day off. You don’t take long breaks or leave early. Like I said, you’re my best waitress.”
Sindy was humbled. “Thank you. I appreciate it. Can I see the apartment tonight?”
“Give me a day to make sure the place is clean. The contractor was making some last minute touch ups on the dry wall.”
Sindy didn’t care about any of that. The idea of finally getting the beautiful studio apartment had her over the moon. “Tomorrow is perfect. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
“You can show your appreciation by taking care of booth five.” Justine pointed to the right-hand corner of the diner. “They specifically asked for you.”
Sindy turned toward the booth and found Tessa, Mason, and Lucas smiling and waving at her.
She grabbed a tray, placed three mugs on it and headed over with the coffee pot. “Welcome to Justine’s!” she said as she put the cups on the table and filled them with coffee.
“I’m so excited!” Tessa exclaimed, in a hushed voice so she didn’t draw attention.
“Congrats.” Mason held up his cup.
Lucas was smiling, but shaking his head. “I can’t believe you came straight to the diner after signing the contract.”
“I can’t believe you all bailed on me and I had to meet with Angel Garcia. Alone. Where were you?” She looked pointedly at Tessa. “I was so nervous.”
“Nervous? With my papi? He’s the last person you need to worry about. He never gets mad or raises his voice about anything.”
Lucas chuckled. “Yeah. Unless you take his Bentley out for a spin when you’re 14.”
