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“I’ll be here,” I insist, holding his hand tightly. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
“I hope so,” he says. “Chloe would be crushed if you missed it. It’s her first real birthday party.”
“I know. And I’m as excited as she is. It’s going to be great.”
“That’s everything,” I say as I slam the trunk on my car and turn to Tucker, who helped me pack. I went ahead and gathered up pretty much everything I brought with me in the beginning, aside from some personal toiletries that I left in his bathroom, and some panties I left in the drawer he gave me in his dresser.
The weather’s only getting hotter as summer takes over in the south, so I’ll return with more appropriate clothes.
I’ll be in New York, for God’s sake. I can take a couple of hours Friday to do some shopping.
“I’ll see you in two days,” I remind him as he pulls me in for a long, slow kiss.
“See that you do,” he whispers. “My bed’s going to be damn empty without you in it.”
“Good.” I smile as he pats my ass playfully. “That means you’ll miss me.”
“That goes without saying.”
“I thought we’d have longer before real life took over again. Before the things we talked about in Nashville would be an issue.”
“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” he reminds me and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.
“I was rooting for later.” I lean in and press my ear to his chest, holding on for just a minute more.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” His big hands move over my back in soothing circles. “Stop worrying. Have a fantastic show, and we’ll see you on Saturday. Everything’s ready to go. You planned it down to the napkins, remember?”
“And you have the folder? In case anything comes up?”
“I have the folder.” He laughs and kisses me on the head. “You never used to be such a worry-wart.”
“I want Chloe to have the perfect party.”
“She will. Thanks to you.”
“Love you,” I mutter before his lips close over mine.
“Love you, too, babe.”
“You’d never know you’ve been out of the game for a month,” Susan says Friday night after the show. My heart is pumping, my breath coming fast, and I can’t wait to get out of this sequined costume.
But damn, it felt good.
“Nothing beats Madison Square Garden,” I say before taking a long drink of water. “It’s fucking amazing.”
“So amazing, we added a second night,” she says casually, and I blink at her.
“For Sunday?”
“For tomorrow.”
My heart stops. “No. No, Susan, I told you I have to go to New Hope tomorrow.”
She sighs and props her hands on her hips. “Scarlett, I just made you an extra three million dollars—that’s your take—by adding the second night. Not only did people want to honor the tickets they already bought for the show we canceled, but more wanted in. This is not a bad thing. It’s amazing. People work their whole lives and never experience something like this. You,”—she starts ticking off on her hand—“Beyonce, Garth, and Justin Timberlake are the only ones who come to mind who can pull this off.”
“It’s amazing,” I agree, trying to calm her down. “But I have responsibilities—”
“You’re a megastar,” she cuts me off coldly. “This is your responsibility. And until six weeks ago, you understood that. Now, I’m sorry about your daddy, and I’m so glad that he’s made a full recovery. Beyond that, your job is to fucking entertain the people who have given you everything you ever dreamed of.”
“I’ll finish these last few shows with you,” I say, my voice firm, not shaking but angry. “And then we’re done.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m the boss here, Susan, not the other way around. You seem to have forgotten that. Oh, and I went back and looked through my emails. You never sent one. You blindsided me.”
“I sent it.”
“No. You didn’t. Maybe you forgot, and that’s okay. I know this is all a lot of work. But I’m not your puppet. I’ve made you a very rich woman, and I’m done. I call the shots, not the other way around, Sue.”
“Look, we can work this out.”
“I’ve made up my mind.” I shake my head, feeling heartsick and so damn guilty. I can’t believe I’m going to miss Chloe’s party.
Susan stomps out of my green room without another word, and I deflate. Jesus, she’s been with me for years. Years. I have come to rely on her for so much, and she is the boss of most things.
But not of me or my time. Susan booked the second show without even talking to me, without confirming that it would work with my schedule. Even after I told her I had to go back home after tonight’s show.
I mean, what in the actual fuck?
I check my phone and see that I’ve missed a call from Tucker. I haven’t spoken to him since yesterday morning. When I call, he’s not available. And when he calls, I miss it. It’s a horrible feeling.
