Page 100 of Playing the Backbeat

“We text here and there.” It’s a pitiful admission bearing no real weight, but I don’t want her to think I’m not working on fixing this. Her eye roll tells me she’s unimpressed. “But I know that’s not enough, and I need your help.”

Morgan keeps her face impassive while Emi screeches, squeezing her hands together, bouncing with unbridled enthusiasm. “Ooooo, can I help? I want to help. Mom said the only way she’d stick around to hear what you had to say was if you obviously realized you took a big poop on things and wanted to date Aunt Dee again.”

Morgan’s cheeks redden, but she flicks her head to the side, tossing her hair over her shoulder, attempting to appear unbothered by her daughter outing her. Once again, Emi proves she is more like Dom than anyone I know in her unfailing ability toneverkeep a secret.

“Your mom is right to feel that way. I messed up,” I say to Emi. I lift my gaze to meet Morgan’s harsh stare, which begins to soften. “That’s why I need your help.”

“Anything, man,” Emi says, much to her dad’s amusement. Morgan still doesn’t give, but she hasn’t walked out, so I keep going.

“I’m hosting an event here next week. And I need as many star performers as I can get.” I drop to one knee. “Think you can come to a practice or two this week? If it’s okay with your mom and dad.”

Emi can barely contain her excitement as she looks up at her mom and dad. “Puuh-lease,” she begs. “This is my dream.”

“Since when?” Kai asks with a laugh.

“Since Dylan just invited me,” she says as if it were obvious.

Kai looks to Morgan, who still hasn’t relaxed her stance. Emi, picking up that her mom is the sticking point, turns her pleading eyes on her.

“What exactly does this accomplish?” Morgan asks.

“I want to show Dee that I’m ready to fight for what I want. And not shy away from it anymore. She’s been trying to push me to do that for a long time now, and I didn’t listen…in more than one way.”

“Luca Thomas Moretti. You better stop when I tell you to stop. Okay, at least slow down. Hey, okay. Hold my hand before you hurt yourself.” Dom runs across the stage, chasing a giggling Luca.

“Uh…who is that?” Kai asks.

“That’s my friend Dominic and his son. He wanted to help me with everything that I’m planning, so naturally Luca is here to derail those efforts…with style.”

Dom and Luca race across the stage again in the opposite direction before Dom finally catches up, swooping Luca into his arms. He sits behind the drum set, letting Luca have his way with the sticks, crashing them into everything within reach.

“Okay, I’m listening,” Morgan says, trying to hide her amusement.

Huh. Thatwashelpful. I make a mental note to thank Dom later and explain everything to Dee’s family. With any luck, they can help me turn this around.

Chapter forty-six

Dee

Dylan: Good luck today. I know you’ve got this.

Dee: Thanks.

Dee: Are you good?

I don’t know why I ask. Dylan and I have only texted a few times since he moved out over a month ago. I’m not even sure how he knows I have an interview today.

Who am I kidding? Dom. Dom is the reason he knows.

Dylan: I will be.

Ouch. I rub my chest, willing the ache there to dissipate. It shouldn’t hurt to hear that he’s moving on, but it does.

I shake off the disappointment, sliding my phone into my bag. It’s another twenty minutes before I’m called back for my final interview. Not totally unexpected, but still not a great sign that we’re starting late.

The woman from the reception area leads me into an empty conference room where I wait another ten minutes for Phil and his grandfather to walk in. Fucking annoying, but whatever. Ineed this job, and it shouldn’t surprise me that this meeting is only a priority for me.

But at least Phil finally came through and got me this meeting with his grandfather. And he’s as intimidating as they come.