Page 6 of Hired By My Rich Baby Daddy 2

"Thank you, Opal. You got everything under control for the interviews today?"

"I have it all covered. We've got about six young ladies coming in and one young man."

I laughed. "Nah, we don't need no manny."

She swatted at my arm, giving me a look. "Oh, don't be so close-minded. I'll interview him just like everybody else, take my notes, and I'll make the most appropriate decision for King. I have your best interest at heart. You know that."

"I know, I know. I'm just playing with you."

My phone started ringing right as Simone came through with our bags, wheeling them toward the front door. I glanced at the screen and saw it was Derez, so I answered it, walking outside behind Ginger, who already had her phone up, filming herself for her page and talking a mile a minute to her followers about the trip.

"What's good?" I said into the phone, standing at the open door of the truck while the driver waited.

"Ozy Love. Happy birthday, man. Look, I'm hyped you finally getting back in the studio. New album, new tour, all that!”

Thanks, bruh, and yeah, I'm ready."

There was a slight pause, and I could hear him doing something on his end.

“Good…so, listen, I was going through some old files, pulling stuff together for the label meeting, and I came across a track from that weekend. The Ozy Love Weekend Experience. It ain't got a title on it, though." He paused. "And I know you were supposed to be recording that with Ginger, but that doesn't sound like Ginger on there."

I had no idea what he was talkin' 'bout. "Let me hear it right quick."

"Hold up." I heard him typing, then a few seconds of quiet before he came back. "Alright, here it is."

I put him on speaker, and the second her voice came through, my whole chest went tight. That smooth, sultry, angelic voice belonged to a woman I’d never forget.

"Damn," I said, more to myself than to him. "Yeah, that wasn't Ginger."

"Who was that?"

I cleared my throat. "That was one of the girls who won the contest. She could sing her ass off, so I brought her in the booth to help me work through some of the kinks on that record. We never finished it, though."

“Oh, right… it’s coming back to me now,” Derez said, and then I heard him typing again.

“We never finished editing the documentary out of respect for you while you were grieving, but if you’re cool with it, we can still roll this out.”

The mention of the documentary brought it all rushing back.

I paused for a moment, then sighed. "Yeah, I mean, that's straight."

"Aight, bet. Well, you enjoy your⁠—"

"Can you, uh… send me a clip of me and shawty in the booth?"

"Yup, I'll have the editor do it. Probably in about an hour or so."

"Bet."

"Anyway, happy birthday, man. Have fun in Costa Rica, and when you get back, we back to work."

"Yeah, you already know," I said, and we hung up as I climbed into the truck beside Ginger.

She was just wrapping up her live, blowing a kiss to the camera. "Alright, y'all, I love you. Catch me on the beach in Costa Rica with my man." She turned the camera toward me, and I gave a little smile before she ended it, then leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.

"What was that call about?"

"Nothing, just Derez talking to me about getting back to work when we get back."