He took her in, her lips, her eyes, all of her, and leaned closer. “I know. But I want to hear it. From you.”
“The crowd loved it. Isn’t that what matters?”
“Not to me.” He pulled her closer, voice low in her ear. “It was for you. All of it. For you. Now you have it back.”
She understood. She’d shut music out for years, the very thing she’d loved. Tonight, he’d given it back. And though she could never forget he was the one who’d taken it away, it felt right, fitting, that he be the one to return it.
Now you have it back.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“NO, YOU HAVE TO TIEit like this so the bow perks up.”
“Does it really matter what the gift bags look like?”
Daisy didn’t even dignify that with a reply. It was the night before Amelia’s birthday party, and she and Jameson were turning his house into aGooniesset—pirate paraphernalia, skulls, and a banner over the dessert table that read HEY, YOU GUYS! It was a little odd, but Amelia had been on aGoonieskick for weeks ever since she and Jameson watched the movie. She’d been obsessed with Mikey’s treasure maps and had insisted every guest get their own “truffle shuffle cupcake.” Daisy had to admit, it was kind of adorable.
They’d been at her parents’ for dinner when Amelia announced the theme. Nani asked when and where they’d host her birthday. That’s when Amelia said, “It’s going to be at my dad’s house. We’re having aGooniesparty.”
“Goonies?” Nani balked. “What in heaven’s name is a goonie?”
“Only the best movie of all time!”
Daisy bit her tongue and offered carefully, “I know you love the movie, sweet stuff, but do you really want that theme? We could do a luau or a circus like we talked about.”
“I love a good kalua pig,” her father chimed in.
“Nope.Gooniesit is. Dad even said we could get a pirate ship.”
Which he had. A whole portable pirate ship was currently sitting in his backyard.
Amelia was with her grandparents for the night while Jameson and Daisy prepped for tomorrow. It was the first time they’d been alone since LA, and Daisy had been a ball of nerves when she arrived. She’d prepped what she could at home, but her space wasn’t exactly forgiving. And because she’d refused to let Jameson hire an event planner, an idea she was currently regretting, she had no choice but to work late to make sure everything was perfect.
“What about these?” He lifted a bag of balloons. “Please tell me we have a helium tank.”
“What if I said no?”
“Then screw your no-help rule, because I’d be calling reinforcements.”
Daisy rolled her eyes at his dramatics. “Thankfully, I added a helium tank to the order I sent you last week. Assuming you didn’t do the shopping on your own?”
He eyed her, amused. “You only said no event planner, not no assistant. Besides, Alice is basically family. So it doesn’t really count.”
And she was.
After meeting his assistant in LA, Daisy found herself talking with Alice more and more. The woman practically ran Jameson’s life.
“She’s a literal saint. Where would you be without her?”
“Seriously. I hit the jackpot. Ky has gone through seven assistants in three years. They are either half lazy or half crazy.”
“Why either?”
“Because before he met Riley, he shagged all of his assistants, which made them think they were something more and they’d either get lazy or went crazy.”
“That sounds exhausting.” Daisy paused, then winced at the thought forming. “Wait. Was Riley his assistant before…?”
Jameson tried not to laugh and failed. “She was. But she’s smart. She didn’t jump into the sack with him right away. All the man needed was a little chase. Now he’s happier than ever.”
