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“What reason would my daughter have to lie about something like that?”
“I really couldn’t say.” He was really trying not to go there with Javier. Nate leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. “I think your daughter is incredibly talented and has the potential to be a huge star. Our relationship is and always has been professional.”
“Not all that professional. You’ve done nothing but badger Ivy the entire time she was recording at your studio.”
“That’s not what happened.” But Nate knew he was wasting his breath. Still, he persisted. “Ivy and I had creative differences, that’s all.”
“Well, Ivy wants Hunter Graves to step in as the producer.”
“Trent and I have already spoken about this and I understand.” Nate didn’t add that he’d thrown Hunter at Ivy hoping for this exact result. “I’m sure they’ll work well together.”
“She has a lot riding on this album,” Javier said. “I hope the label is ready to get behind her.”
“Of course. Ivy is very important to West Coast Records. The intention is to get behind her one hundred percent.”
This last seemed to mollify Ivy’s father and the conversation ended more cordially than it had begun.
After Nate hung up with Mia’s father, he raked his fingers through his hair and spent several minutes calming down. He couldn’t call Mia, given his mood. When he felt sufficiently chilled, he dialed her number. Once again it went to voice mail. He left her a quick message, summarizing his conversation with her father. And then he returned to the recording studio to wait for her to call him back.
That call didn’t come until a little after nine. He’d just let himself into his hotel room in LA and was about to leave Mia another text when she called.
“Hi.”
“Hey.” Air gusted from his lungs. He was so relieved to hear her voice. “Did you get my messages?”
“Ah...” She drew the word out. “Not until just now. I’m sorry.”
Nate reined in his concern. She sounded mortified, but her voice lacked the tense edge from that morning. He realized that whatever she’d been up to, she’d discovered some peace.
“I cleared my schedule and came to LA. Where are you?”
“Ah...” Again that strange little pause. “I’m not in LA. Last minute, I decided to visit Eva in Chicago.”
“That’s not what we discussed this morning.”
“I know, but I just needed a little more time to think things through and Eva has always been the voice of sanity in our family.”
Nate was torn between frustration, relief and concern. Frustration, because he wanted Mia’s priorities to shift from her family to him. What would it have taken for her to text him before her flight and let him know where she was bound? But he wasn’t going to react as her family would, pushing her around, telling her what she should and shouldn’t do.
He was relieved because when he hadn’t heard from her since dropping her at the airport, he’d begun thinking all sorts of terrible things. Didn’t she realize she meant the world to him, even before he found out she was carrying his child? Why was it she refused to believe anyone would want to put her first? Surely it couldn’t all be laid at Ivy’s feet.
And lastly he felt concern because if she’d fled to Chicago instead of confronting her problems and going to LA, then she was a lot more out of sorts than she’d let on.
“What did Eva tell you?” Nate made his voice as calm as possible.
“Nothing that I didn’t already know. That Ivy is insecure and has a knack for spoiling other people’s happiness.”
“So what are you going to do about that?”
“Be happy in spite of her?”
“You don’t sound very convinced.”
“What is wrong with me?” Mia blurted out.
He wished he was there to offer her support, but as he’d often remarked about Ivy needing to become more responsible, Mia also needed to not only claim her independence, but also accept that she deserved to be happy.
“There’s nothing wrong with you. It isn’t your fault that your parents put too great a burden on you at such a young age. They pushed Ivy to be a star and made you her keeper.” Nate paused and listened, wishing he could see Mia face. “There’s nothing wrong with you,” he repeated, more quietly this time. “Tomorrow you’ll fly back to LA, and then you and I will go talk to your parents together.”
