“Excuse me?” Offense and shock shot through Lily’s tone. She glanced around, relieved Daisy wasn’t in sight.
The woman inched her chin in the air.
“I’m … the cat …” Lily spluttered, frustrated by her helpless, mute self. I’m the cat? Seriously, Lil? She shook her head. “Here for the cat.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed. “What cat? There’s no cat.” She snapped her fingers under Lily’s nose. “Unless it’s the one that’s got your tongue. Better tell me who you are before I call the cops.”
Jessica, who looked every bit as beautiful as her picture, moved from behind the she-devil and rested an elegant hand on the woman’s shoulder. To Lily, she said, “I’m Jessica Phelan, an old friend of Gage’s, and this is Nola Nelson, his mother.”
Lily’s stupor must have been written all over her face as her eyes bounced between the two, her thoughts zooming between What the hell are you doing here to Why didn’t Gage warn me? “I’m,” she squeaked before clearing her throat, “Lily Everett. I’m here to feed Gage’s cat.”
“I didn’t know hookers fed cats.” Nasty Nola smirked.
“I’m not a hooker! I’m a performer.”
“Oh! A stripper, then! Same difference.”
Jessica stepped between them. With her four-inch heels, Lily was just about even with her. And as much as she wanted to hate her, she was grateful for the woman’s calming presence in that moment. It allowed coherent thoughts to form in her head and connect to her mouth. Daisy’s wail brought the exchange to a halt just as Hobbes tore from out of nowhere toward Lily, stopped, took in the strangers, and streaked the other way.
Surprise flitted over the woman’s face as she looked at Daisy and back to Lily. Lily picked her daughter up, balancing her on her hip, soothing her.
“That was Hobbes. She’s Gage’s cat. I’m Lily Everett, and this is my daughter, Daisy. I’m a singer on my way to perform in a concert, which is why I’m dressed this way. Gage asked me to take care of Hobbes while he was away. I haven’t checked on her in a few days, and he’s coming home today, so I thought I’d get the cat squared away for him. Does he know you’re here?”
Nola stepped beside Jessica. “Why else would we be here?”
“Doesn’t answer my question.”
Jessica smiled sweetly. “He has a few days off before his playoff season starts, and he usually comes home for a visit, but he said he couldn’t make it this time. Apparently, something,” Jessica’s eyes swept Lily and Daisy, “came up. We thought we’d, um, bring California to him.”
Scratch being grateful for Jessica’s presence. Lily wanted to blurt out that she and Daisy were the “something,” but she stifled the inclination, more muddled by the minute. “Well, then, I guess I’ll feed the cat and be on my way.”
“Don’t bother,” Nola huffed. “Now that we know there’s a cat, we’ll feed him.”
“Her.” Lily stole a glance at Hobbes before heading for the door. Good luck, girl.
“How do you know my son?” Nola’s voice was laced with suspicion.
Lily pivoted on her high heels. “We met at a wedding last summer and became friends. He hired me to take care of his social media.”
“Social something, at any rate,” Nola muttered. “I can see why he’s never mentioned you.”
Lily felt the burn creeping up her cheeks. “Look, you don’t know anything about me, yet you’ve been nothing but rude since I walked in. As for why your son’s never mentioned me, you’ll have to ask him. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have other places to be.”
Nola unfolded her arms long enough to give Lily a shooing motion. “Don’t want you to be late.”
Lily’s shaking hands made it hard to buckle Daisy in.
“Why was that lady mad at us, Mom?” Daisy sniffed.
“Oh, baby, she wasn’t mad at you. She was just surprised to see me, and it upset her. That’s all. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
On the verge of hyperventilating, Lily gulped air as she situated herself behind the wheel. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.
She pushed out a breath and drove, her mind rapid-firing through questions. How long had Gage known they were coming? Why hadn’t he told her? The getaway had to be off, right? Would he go with Jessica and his rabid wolverine of a mother instead? Jessica was more beautiful than Lily had imagined. Would Gage want his old flame when he saw her again? The fact he hadn’t mentioned her and Daisy to his mother stung like the lash of a whip. But he had to have some reasonable explanation. She’d find out when she talked to him after the show.
When Lily took the stage, she was still trembling and holding tears at bay. But then magic happened. The dregs of her day dissolved into the lights, the sea of people, and the sounds of laughter and music. Their joy enveloped her, lifting her up. And even that faded into the background, leaving a river of music that carried her along. It rushed through her, filled her, pushing everything else from her mind, and she let herself dissolve in its soothing current.
Every emotion that had been coursing through her came out in melodies. She nailed every note, her voice resonating with power from her core. She was strong, alive, her soul a bright beam.
It wasn’t until the last song was over and deafening applause drowned out every other sound that she re-entered her body. The crowd pulsed with energy, and she pulled it in, radiating it back out again. This was different than the emotion that had overcome her last July when she’d been pulled toward Gage.
Gage.
Scanning a sea of shadowed faces through bright lights made it impossible to spot him, so she waited for him to find her as the band packed up.
He didn’t come.
When she finally checked her phone, two texts from him flashed. Running late, followed hours later by Sorry, can’t make it. Sure you understand. Text me when you’re done.
Yeah, she
