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His deep laugh filled me with warmth, and I relaxed once again. “That’s something we can discuss over dinner. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“I didn’t say I would have dinner with you,” I reminded him.
“We both know you want to.” He sounded so sure of himself but not necessarily cocky. “Seven. Dress nice. I’m taking you somewhere special.”
I blew out a long sigh in mock annoyance. “Fine. I’ll see you at seven.”
“Good girl.”
“I hate you,” I grumbled.
“But you’ll love me before the end of the night.” And with that, he hung up.
Laughing, I sank back down onto the mattress and pulled the covers over my shoulder. A glance at my phone’s screen told me it was just after eleven, so I had plenty of time to make it over to the hospital and back before I had to get ready for dinner with him.
No one was home when I finally pulled myself out of bed in search of something to eat. I made myself a bowl of cereal and ate it in front of the television before washing my dish and going back to my room for a shower.
As I was grabbing my keys on my way out the door, my phone rang. Seeing it was Aunt Emmie, I answered it just as the door swung closed behind me.
“What’s up, Auntie Em?” I greeted her with a grin.
“Ugh, I suddenly feel like I’ve been sucked into the Wizard of Oz.”
“You would make a hot Auntie Em,” I assured her as I stepped into the elevator. “What can I do for you?”
“Right, so in the craziness of the baby drama yesterday, I missed a few things at work. I’m just now getting to the email from Petrova Records. Petrova himself listened to the demos I sent him Friday, and he’s demanding I get you signed right away.”
“Aunt Emmie, you know how I feel about him,” I told her, not nearly as excited as I should have been.
“I know, I know. But he’s letting me call the shots on this, sweetie. And he basically said to name our price. He wants you signed, and he wants it bad.”
“What if I came up with a ridiculous number?” I thought aloud. “Do you think he will laugh in my face and back off?”
She snorted inelegantly. “Not even Petrova would laugh in my face. He knows I’ll kick him in the balls. Please, Kin, I’m begging you, and you know I don’t beg. Like, ever. Consider this offer very, very seriously. Think it over for a few days, and get back to me. I need to tell him something before Monday.”
I sighed as I walked off the elevator and out of the building. “Okay, okay. I’ll consider it. But I don’t want to have to deal with him personally. Ever. I think he’s a total sleaze.”
“They all are in some shape or form, baby. But that’s why you have me and Amara. I will handle Petrova for you. You won’t ever have to deal with him, I promise you that. I can get you on tour starting in December, actually, if all goes as planned.”
The sudden realization I was really going to have to perform my songs live, and not just for the small group of people at First Bass on open mic nights either, had me going statue-still with my hand on the door handle of my Range Rover.
Oh shit.
I hadn’t considered that part yet.
I gulped, which must have been loud enough for Emmie to hear because she immediately started trying to reassure me. “It won’t be so bad, Kin. You can be the opening act for the Blonde Bombshells and TK. Which means the crowd will be considerably smaller because the seats don’t really start filling up until closer to the end of the second act to prepare for the main attraction. I’m not going to throw you to the wolves, I swear. This will just be like a warm-up for you. Get your feet a little wet.”
“I feel sick,” I groaned, leaning my head against the window of my vehicle.
“You’re going to do amazing,” she promised me. “I have complete faith in you, honey.”
“But…” I was panicking, trying to find a way out of actually having to go on tour. “I can’t go onstage by myself. I need a band. No one will want to listen to just me playing the guitar and singing.”
Her sigh told me I was being overly dramatic. “Do you honestly think I would let you go out there alone? I’ll put a kick-ass band together for you, Kin. Relax. I’ve been doing this long enough to know what you will need, girl.”
“But… But…” I groaned, stamping my feet like a toddler about to have the world’s biggest tantrum. “I don’t want to!”
There was complete silence on the other end of the phone for a whole minute before she burst out laughing, long and loud. “Okay, I realize you’re freaking out right now, but I really needed that laugh. I love you so much, Kin.”
