We sit around the table and Mom hands Gage the spoon for the mac and cheese. “You can serve.”
Oh wow. Mom usually doesn’t let anyone serve but me. I hope Gage understands how big an honor it is. Guessing by the blush tainting his cheeks, he does.
“Birthday girl first.” He fills up Mila’s plate before serving the rest of us. He fills his plate last.
“Such a gentleman,” Mom mutters.
“So, what does everyone think of Addy becoming famous?” Gage asks once everyone is eating.
I elbow him. “I’m not famous.”
“Not yet, but you will be. Juliet Ash is the first singer to record one of your songs, but she won’t be the last.”
“I’m proud of her.”
I roll my eyes at Mom. “You’re legally required to be proud of me. You’re my mom.”
Otis shrugs. “It’s cool. But it’d be really cool if we could get tickets to one of Juliet’s concerts.”
“You should ask for tickets in your contract,” Gage says.
I blink up at him. “What?”
“The contract negotiations. You should ask for tickets.”
I bristle. “I’m not in a position to ask for anything.”
He frowns. “Yes, you are. What did the lawyer say?”
I duck my chin and concentrate on my food. “Nothing.”
“Nothing? A lawyer who said nothing?”
“I might not have spoken to her yet,” I mumble.
He freezes. “You didn’t speak to your lawyer yet?”
I shrug. “We have a call scheduled.”
A call I’ve rescheduled twice. It would be different if my lawyer was Siena – the local lawyer who handles pretty much every case on Smuggler’s Hideaway. But no. My lawyer is some fancy entertainment lawyer who works with the biggest names in the business. Why is she interested in me?
Gage studies me. His chocolate brown eyes bore into mine. “Juliet contacted you a while ago. Why haven’t you spoken to your lawyer yet?”
I bristle. I don’t enjoy being exposed in front of my family. “I didn’t get the contracts from Juliet’s lawyers until last week.”
I might be lying. But it’s a teeny weeny white lie. I got the contract two weeks ago. A week? Two weeks? What does it matter?
“I’m done! I want cake!” Mila shouts before Gage can respond.
“Done?” She resembles a chipmunk with her cheeks swollen with mac and cheese.
“You need to eat at least one serving of salad before cake,” Mom says.
“But salad’s boring.”
“Do you want to be big and strong?” Gage asks and she nods. “Then, you have to eat your veggies. They’re good for you.”
“Workers in diamond mines would love to be able to afford the fresh vegetables we have on our table,” Penelope says.
