“I—” I should correct her. I should tell her the truth. That every word is about her, that she’s the one I’ve been falling for.
But the gentle sympathy in her expression stops me. She’s looking at me like I’m her heartbroken best friend who needs comfort, not like someone she could ever see romantically. If I tell her the truth now, if I explain that the song was actually about her, it might ruin everything between us. What if she feels awkward around me? What if it makes things weird? What if I lose the most important friendship I have?
“Yeah,” I hear myself say, my voice hollow. “Maybe you’re right.”
Cricket’s smile grows warmer, more encouraging. “I know I’m right. That song was beautiful, Micah. It was so honest and raw. Whoever you end up with is going to be blown away by how deeply you feel things.”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Inside, my chest feels like it’s caving in. She heard every word, every note, every emotion I poured into that song, and she never once considered that it might be about her.
“You should definitely put that on your album,” she continues. “I mean, maybe change some of the lyrics so it’s not so specifically about Kiera, but the melody and the emotion… it’s some of your best work.”
“Thanks,” I manage, picking up my guitar and standing. “I should probably go work on it some more.”
“Micah.” She stands, too, concern flickering across her face. “Are you okay?”
I force a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just stressed, you know?”
She nods, though she still looks worried. “Get some rest. And don’t let the impostor syndrome get to you, okay? You’re incredibly talented.”
“Right. Thanks, Cricket.” I head toward the bedroom, each step feeling heavier than the last.
As I close the door behind me, I lean against it and close my eyes. I just sang my heart out to the woman I’m falling in love with, and she thinks it’s about someone else entirely.
Maybe that tells me everything I need to know.
CHAPTER 24
Cricket Jenkins
Friday, December 4
The sleek whitejet sits on the tarmac like something out of a movie, and I stop dead in my tracks. “That’s for us?”
Micah chuckles beside me, adjusting the strap of his guitar case. “Levi doesn’t do anything halfway.”
River falls into step on the other side of me. “Nice.”
My mouth goes dry as we approach the aircraft. The Barrett family fortune has always been an abstract concept to me, like numbers on paper that Micah never talks about. But this? This gleaming machine with its curved windows and pristine exterior makes it suddenly overwhelmingly real. How much money is Micah going to inherit?
A flight attendant in a crisp uniform greets us at the bottom of the stairs. He smiles. “Welcome aboard. Please watch your step.”
I grip the handrail as we climb up, my palms alreadysweaty. Behind me, I can hear Skyler chattering excitedly about the plane being “so shiny!” while Tobias murmurs something to Kiki about making sure she doesn’t break anything.
The interior takes my breath away. Cream leather seats that look more like armchairs are arranged in clusters of four, with polished wood tables between them. Everything gleams under soft lighting, and the carpet beneath my feet is thicker than anything in my parents’ house.
“This is insane,” I whisper to Micah as we walk to our seats.
Micah motions. “Go ahead and sit by the window. You’ve never flown before.”
I slide into the seat and grin at him. How considerate. I try not to swoon, but that’s pretty much all I do around Micah.
River slides in across from me, looking completely at ease, like private jets are just another regular thing for him.
Micah sits next to me and pulls out his phone to show me a voice memo app. “Want to hear what I’ve been working on? A new song came to me last night, and I’ve been working on it nonstop.”
“Another song for your new album?” I lean forward, excited to hear it.
He nods and hits play. His voice fills the small space between us, raw and beautiful even through the tinny phone speaker. The melody is haunting, and I can already imagine how it’ll sound with full instrumentation. The lyrics are about love and loss, and they hit me in the feels. I didn’t know he could write a song like that. It seems like all of his songs of late have had deeper meanings. He’s growing as an artist, and it makes me so proud of him.
