Linda stands up, grabbing her purse from the seat next to her. “Thank you so much for doing this for her. It really means a lot.”
“It’s nothing. I enjoy singing just as much as she does. Hopefully, this will teach her that it’s okay to sing, but there’s just a time and a place.” I raise my eyebrow at her, making sure she gets my drift.
“I promise I won’t sing anymore in class.” She reaches her hand out to shake mine, like she’s making a deal with me.
I meet her hand, and she gives me one firm shake before letting go. The gesture makes me chuckle, and Linda does the same.
“How about we go get some lunch?” Linda asks Cailin while running her fingers through the little girl’s hair.
“Okay. Bye, Miss Russo.” She waves, and I wave back.
“Bye.”
I head to my dad’s office where I keep my personal things. When I check my phone, there are multiple missed calls and texts from Maggie.
How did you not call me?
I’m guessing this is at your school, but why are you so dressed up, and who is this little girl?
Is she a student?
Please tell me what I’m reading is true.
He’s her DAD?!?!?! How did no one know this?!
OMG, what does your dad think?
Each text message is sent a few seconds to a few minutes apart. She has to be talking about last night, but how does she already know?
I step out of the church and hide in between the building and parking lot, so I can talk in private. The phone only rings once, and she answers on FaceTime.
“That was the longest church service—ever!” she yells with her black hair falling down over her smoky eye shadow. “Now, spill it.”
I laugh nervously. “Spill what?”
“Ha! Don’t act all innocent with me. I’ve seen the photo and read the stories online. How are you photographed with Adam Jacobson?” The way she says his name makes my stomach flutter and my palms sweat.
Then, reality of what she’s saying clicks in. “Wait, what photo?”
“You haven’t seen?” she asks way too loudly, making me jump and almost drop the phone.
She ends our FaceTime call without another word, and two seconds later, my phone chimes with another incoming text message. I click the link, and there, plain as day, is a photo of Adam and me smiling at each other while Cailin stares up at her dad with the headline of:
THE DEVIL’S SECRET LIFE
My hand instantly covers my mouth as I inhale a deep breath when my phone rings again with another FaceTime call from Maggie.
“Yes, the article says lust-filled if you haven’t let that sink in yet,” she says with eyes wide open at me, her bright red lips perched together in question for a beat. “Now, as I said before, spill it.”
“It’s not what you think …” I trail off, my mind going twenty different directions at once.
Who sent the photos to these news sites? Oh my God, my dad will freak if he sees me even talking to Adam. He’ll think I’m planning things all over again. I can’t start that fight back up.
“Hello?” Maggie yells.
“Um, sorry. She’s his—”
“Daughter,” she finishes my sentence in shock. “How does the most eligible rock star, everyone’s dreamy bad boy, have a daughter no one knew about?”
