Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 75243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
She shakes her head. “I haven’t signed anything yet. I’m due to fly there tomorrow night to make a final decision. My lawyer says that their press release was meant to persuade me to sign before I go to California.”
“I had no idea, Astrid.”
She smiles. “I admit it would be amazing to have a recording contract, but they have a very specific vision for my career. They see me as a pop star with all the glitz and glamor that goes with that. I see myself differently. The exposure would be incredible, but I’m not sure it’s the right move for me.”
Nodding, I lean forward to brush my lips over hers. “Whatever your next move is, I’ll be right by your side.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Astrid
I take a deep breath as we reach Berk’s front door.
“Someone is about to give you a huge hug.” He laughs. “Stevie is going to be thrilled to see you, Astrid.”
I smile. “I’ve really missed her.”
“That feeling is mutual all the way around.” He kisses me again. “Let’s head in.”
I swallow back all of the emotions rushing to the surface and follow Berk into his home.
No one is in sight, but I can hear someone singing.
It’s a man’s voice, and he’s not half-bad.
He’s singing the same song Stevie debuted in her music room the night Berk and I danced.
Berk huffs out a laugh. “It seems that my daughter convinced Gaines to sing for her.”
I smile. “You were right when you told Stevie that some hit songs don’t make sense. I think we’re listening to one right now.”
Suddenly, the thundering sound of racing footsteps fills the space just as the singing quiets.
Stevie appears around the corner and lets out a high-pitched squeal. “Daddy found her! Astrid is back!”
I rush toward her with open arms.
She launches herself at me, and although she’s not that much shorter than I am, I haul her into my arms and hug her.
“I missed you,” she says softly. “Dad did too.”
“I missed you too.”
She slides from my arms to the floor to adjust the skirt of her dress. “You make my dad really happy.”
I smile. “He makes me happy too.”
“Hey!” A man’s voice pulls my attention to the spot behind Stevie.
The sight of a dark-haired man greets me. “Hi. I’m Astrid.”
He moves to approach where I’m standing. “Gaines Morgan.”
“Doctor Gaines,” Stevie corrects him. “He fixes broken hearts. When I called him last night, I asked if he could fix my daddy’s broken heart. He said he’d do his… it was a bad word that starts with d, so he is paying one hundred to the fund.”
Berk laughs. “You called Gaines from my phone too?”
Stevie shrugs. “You take long showers, Dad. I had to ask him to repair your heart. It was the right thing to do.”
I look at Gaines. “It’s good to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine,” he says. “I caught you performing one night. You’re incredible, Astrid. I was blown away by your voice.”
Stevie turns abruptly to wrap her arms around Gaines. “You found Astrid and fixed my dad’s heart. I knew you could do it.”
He runs a hand over the top of her head. “I was in the right place at the right time. My work here is done. I’m going to take off.”
“That took a bit,” Berk says as he walks into his bedroom. “I had a hell of time calming her down enough to close her eyes.”
I look toward him. “Is she asleep now?”
“Fast asleep.” His hands fall to his hips. “She’s overjoyed, Astrid. She loves you.”
I know that she does.
Stevie whispered that she loved me when I brushed her hair after she had a shower. The admission came in the middle of a story she was telling me about a brown-haired girl who is an artist with only one name.
When the story was over, I leaned in and told her that I loved her too.
Her response was a big hug.
“You’re staying here tonight.”
I don’t argue. I want that. I want to fall asleep wrapped in his arms, and I never want him to let me go.
He walks closer to where I’m standing near the window. “I fucked this up once, but I need you to know that I’ll do whatever it takes to love you the way you deserve to be loved. I’ll support every decision you make, Astrid. All I ask in return is that you let me know when I’m failing you, so I can fix it.”
The thought of him failing me feels foreign.
I know now that he ended our relationship because he wanted to get out of the way of what he thought were my dreams. He was making an enormous sacrifice, so I could pursue the future he believed I wanted.
“Promise me that you’ll do the same if I fail you.”
“That’s never going to happen.” He laughs. “You’ve brought so much light into my life. I never knew I could feel this deep of a connection to anyone.”