“I haven’t said yes,” I tell her.
“But you want to.”
“I don’t know what I want.”
“Yes, you do. You want the album and the career boost and the recognition you deserve. And you should have all of that.”
“What if I want this too? You and Lily and Sunday mornings teaching her guitar?”
Rye looks away, out the window at the indent in the grass from their practice. “People always think they want a simple life until something better comes along.”
“That’s not?—”
“My ex left for a job. Said it was temporary. Never came back.”
“I’m not him.”
“No,” she agrees. “But you’re still a musician with dreams bigger than playing in coffee shops in Nashville.”
Before I can respond, Lily comes back into the room, hands clean but hair still wild. “Can we work on the bridge section? I keep messing up the timing.”
I look at her eager face, then at Rye who’s carefully not looking at either of us.
“Sure,” I tell Lily. “Let’s work on it.”
We spend the next hour going over the bridge, Lily’s concentration absolute as she works through the tricky timing. She’s got talent, real talent. When she finally nails the section, her whole face lights up.
“I did it! Mom, did you hear? I got it!”
Rye smiles from where she’s been pretending to read a magazine. “I heard, baby. You sound great.”
“Darian says if I keep practicing, I could play professionally someday.”
“Is that what you want?” Rye asks.
Lily shrugs. “Maybe. Right now I just want to learn.”
After dinner, when Lily's in her room, Rye and I sit on the porch.
“The person who called,” I start. “It was Laura. She was Reverend Sister’s publicist.”
“Was?”
“Remember the publicist that was screwing Van?”
Rye nods.
“Her. I’m sure she’s working with Van and the other guys. I don’t know what they’re doing now because I don’t want to care.” I pause.
“Jesus.”
“Yeah. Laura told Zara to just get over it, stay with the band. Said it would blow over.”
“And now she’s calling you with opportunities?”
“Apparently Rex’s people reached out to her because of her connections to the band. She’s playing agent now, trying to make a commission.”
“Do you trust her?”
