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“What?”
“You’re sure about this?” I asked for what was probably the fiftieth time since she announced one morning a week ago that she was ready to go home. She had plans for all the new music she’d written, and both Emmie and I were equally surprised by her decision.
Kin shrugged as she lowered her gaze to her fisted hands. “No, but I need to do this. I thought just writing everything down and putting all these feelings into music would be enough. But it’s not. Fuck, I’m not sure anything will ever be enough. So, yeah, I really need to do this.”
“Okay. Then you will. Emmie assured me she was already making it happen. Which is why we can’t go straight home.” I switched my phone off of airplane mode and was instantly assaulted with a dozen messages. Most of them were from my boss, but my heart twisted when I saw the usual ones from Cash waiting on me.
Ignoring his texts, I started answering Emmie back, and just under an hour later, we were walking into her office. Maybe Emmie suspected she would eventually wear Kin down about turning her writing career into something bigger, because she had all the contracts waiting to be signed when Kin sat down in front of her desk.
“Shane is ready whenever you are to record the demos,” Emmie assured her when the two of them were done signing on all the dotted lines.
“I’m good with tomorrow,” Kin told her eagerly.
“Great. The sooner I can pimp these to the record labels, the better. Actually…” She broke off with a grimace that for some reason set Kin on edge. “Well, actually, Petrova was really impressed with the songs you wrote for TK’s last album and is interested in hearing what you might have to offer.”
“No,” Kin groaned, shaking her head adamantly. “Petrova is an ass.”
“He’s allowed to be an ass. He’s the biggest name in the business.”
“I don’t want to sign with Petrova. Jace will think I’m following him, and I’m done with that shit.” She folded her arms over her chest, glaring at the redhead behind the desk. “Anyone but Petrova, Aunt Emmie. Anyone.”
Emmie came around the desk and crouched down in front of her. “I know the reason you don’t want to work with Petrova, but just signing with him will get your career started in all the right ways. Everything he touches turns to gold, and that’s what I want for you. Ignore Jace St. Charles. He’s nothing to you now.” Kin’s chin began to tremble, but she squared her shoulders and nodded. “Show him how bad he fucked up, Kin. Show him that you’re stronger than he could ever dream of being. Let me show you how easily I can put the world at your fingertips and make that sonofabitch see what he threw away.”
Kin’s head fell back against the chair, and she glared up at the ceiling as a single tear spilled down her cheek. “Yeah. You’re right. But it’s going to hurt.”
“The best things in life usually do.” Patting Kin’s knee, Emmie stood and grinned down at me. “And look at you. That baby bump is cute as hell.”
I rubbed a hand over my distended stomach, smiling at my boss. “She’s a pain in the ass, but I kind of like her.”
“Her?”
I pulled the ultrasound photo out of my bag and handed it to Emmie. “Oddly enough, there are doctors in the backwoods of nowhere.”
“Gods, she’s already a little beauty.” Emmie smoothed her thumb lovingly over my daughter’s head. “I remember the first ultrasound picture I got of Mia. I’d never been so terrified in my life as I was when the doctor told me I was pregnant.”
“Speaking of being pregnant and beautiful babies…” Kin jumped to her feet excitedly. “I need to go check on Lucy. I made sure I was home before the baby was born, but if I don’t go check in with her, she’s liable to kill me.”
“Your Rover is in the parking garage beside my vehicle. Angie and Jenna dropped it off this morning.” Emmie tossed her the keys, and she caught them easily. “I’ll let Shane know that we’re going to start tomorrow. I’ll text you when I know a definite time.”
“I’ll text you when I have the time,” I corrected, shooting my one and only client a wink.
“Right,” Emmie muttered with a grimace. “Amara will text you.”
Kin snorted and shut the door behind her, leaving the two of us alone. Emmie handed the ultrasound picture back to me, and I carefully put it back in my bag. “Have you talked to Cash recently?”
I shrugged. “He’s texted. A lot. But I haven’t responded to any of them. We both needed to get our heads on straight. Keeping communications open would only have clouded them more.”
“Maybe you should go see him,” she suggested with a smile, as if she could actually see the anticipation that was zinging through my veins. “I think it would be good for you. Both of you, actually.”
Curiosity and concern overtook me as I watched her face for any sign that something was wrong with Cash. “Is he okay?” I finally asked when I couldn’t decipher anything she was thinking.
“As far as I know, he’s fine. But he doesn’t talk to me much unless it’s band-related.” She patted my knee just as she had done Kin’s and walked back around her desk to sit down. “Go see the boy, Amara. Figure things out for you and your baby’s sake. I’ll let you know when I hear from Shane, and we can talk more tomorrow.” Her eyes brightened with excitement. “It’s going to be a busy few months. I have so many plans for Kin, and I’m going to need you to be with her every step of the way.”
I grabbed my bag and stood, thankful the driver had already taken my cases home. Riley knew I was coming home today, but I hadn’t told her what time. Deciding to take Emmie’s advice since it hadn’t let me down yet, I waved as I left her office.
Excitement and nervousness made my stomach flutter, and I touched my hands to the small kicks the baby kept giving me on the ride to Cash’s apartment. I had no idea if he was even home, and the last time I showed up unannounced replayed in my head, but I pushed those thoughts away as I knocked on his door.
“Just a sec,” he called out before I heard his footsteps. I bit my lip as the door slowly opened and I got my first look at Cash in two months.
