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“Have fun!” Scarlett waves goodbye to the girls and tucks herself back under my arm.
“You’re good with your fans,” I tell her.
“They’re good to me. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be doing what I love.”
“I disagree. You’re famous because you have an amazing voice. You’re damn good at what you do.”
“I appreciate the compliment, but it’s more than that. I’ve met several people along the way who have voices better than mine, but they didn’t make it anywhere. I got lucky. Right place, right time, loyal fans.”
“Do you ever get tired of it?” I ask.
Scarlett and I haven’t talked much about her career since she returned home, but it’s a huge part of her life, which means I want to know more about it.
“Being famous?”
“All of it. Touring, performing night after night, award shows, premieres, interviews, fans. It has to get exhausting.”
“It does, but when I start to get overwhelmed, I remind myself that this is all fleeting. One of these days, it’ll slow way down or come to an end, and all I’ll have left are the memories.”
“And what happens when it comes to an end? What then?” I ask, stepping in at the end of the food cart line.
“I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far.”
“Come on, surely you picture something. Marriage? Kids? A big house with a white picket fence and a golden retriever?”
“I honestly haven’t thought about it. I’ve always just lived day to day.” Scarlett props her chin on my chest and gazes up at me. “This is a pretty deep conversation for a music festival.”
Okay, maybe I shot too far, too fast with the marriage and kids thing, but I’m genuinely curious as to where she sees herself. I was also a little hopeful that she’d say that wherever she is and whatever she’s doing, she pictures Chloe and me right there with her.
“What about you?” she asks. “Where do you see yourself?”
With you. Maybe another kid—or two. But I can’t tell her that. I can’t put my dreams and my heart on the line when I don’t know where she stands.
“Probably in prison for killing Chloe’s first boyfriend.”
Scarlett tips her head back and laughs as we move to the counter. All conversation about the future is set aside when the worker asks for our order.
“Can I go home with Jenny? Please, please, please.” Chloe lays it on thick, hugging me and blinking up at me with those big eyes of hers.
“Let her go,” Rick says from his spot across the table. “She’s only young once.”
“You heard the man. Go,” I concede, earning a wet kiss to the cheek from my daughter. “Wait, what about clothes and a toothbrush.”
“She can wear some of my clothes, Mr. Andrews,” Jenny says. “And we have an extra toothbrush she can use.”
“Sounds like you girls have thought of everything.” I look at Jenny’s mom, who is standing behind the girls. “Are you sure you don’t mind her going home with you?”
“Positive. I can drop her off in the morning on my way to work.”
“I work tomorrow. I’ll have to call Grandma and see if—”
“She can come hang with me,” Scarlett says.
“Really?” Chloe throws her arms around Scarlett. “Thank you, Scarlett. I’d love to spend the day with you and Rick.”
Scarlett pats Chloe’s arm. “We have to get the okay from your dad first.”
“I’m okay with it if you are.”
Scarlett nods, and Chloe high-fives her friend. “Thanks, Dad. See you tomorrow, Scarlett.”
We all wave goodbye, even Alexis, who doesn’t seem as stiff as she was earlier when we came back with the food.
A band starts playing an old rock song, and Rick stands up. He taps Lucy on the shoulder. “I love this song. Let’s go dance.”
“Okay,” Lucy giggles, getting up and taking her grandpa’s hand.
“What about me?” Declan frowns.
“You can come, too.”
Rick and the kids boogie their way onto the dance floor, and a second later, Jason excuses himself to talk to someone he knows.
Scarlett claps and smiles as she laughs at her dad. I notice Lexi watching her sister and, eventually, she slides down the bench and puts herself across from Scarlett.
“Hey.”
Scarlett pulls her eyes from the dance floor and looks at Lexi. I hate that her smile falters. “Hey.”
“So, Dad is really doing better?”
“Yeah. The physical therapist said that he’s regained ninety percent of his strength and full use of his hand. Occupational therapy only has two more visits, and then they’re done.”
“I guess he won’t be needing you anymore.”
Oh, shit.
Scarlett’s face hardens. “I guess not.”
Alexis looks taken aback by the harsh tone of Scarlett’s voice. “I—I didn’t mean that in a bad way. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I meant it very literally.”
Scarlett doesn’t look convinced, and after a long, awkward pause, Lexi clears her throat. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat.”
