Page 268 of A Song for You

To: [email protected]

September 20, 2023

Subject: Dinner

I’m going to be late again. Can you feed Chloe?

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

September 20, 2023

Subject: Re: Dinner

Wife,

Please come home. You’re running yourself ragged.

I love you and I’m worried.

Still head over heels in love with you,

Your husband

Seventy

Cat

Unsteady by X Ambassadors

Iswipe the tears from my face and pull up the next article waiting for my approval. It’s been months since the explosion. Since my life changed so drastically. And I’m barely hanging on. The only bright spots in my life are Jay and Chloe. Even the magazine is a chore these days. I never imagined I could walk into this building feeling resentment. But every time someone asks for my opinion, I want to scream can’t you figure it out yourself?

Night and day, I’ve been working to dig Hanson Liquors out of the debt my family put them in. Garreth and Hayden swear my family’s deception barely made a dent in their portfolio, but I can’t shake the guilt.

I learned a lot about the liquor industry and had some really great ideas before Cash drove James Liquors into the ground. Or so I thought. And I assumed Jay and I would work our magic there like we did at Jolie.

Instead, Jay shows virtually no interest in the liquor business and is constantly hovering over me, encouraging me to give up.

Doesn’t he know me? Those words don’t exist in my vocabulary.

“Hey, you’re here late again,” Sophie says as she taps on my door wearing a worried expression.

“So are you,” I counter. I take a deep breath and bury the emotions threatening to escape.

“Dexter and I have a date tonight, so I’m waiting for him to finish up with a photo shoot.” She walks into my office, studying me with a frown, and plops into the chair on the other side of my desk.

“Date? What’s that like?” I ask, a sarcastic laugh bubbling up from my throat.

“Cat.” Her tone is laced with disappointment. Or maybe it’s pity. Either way, it has the tears escaping.

“How do you do it, Soph?”

“Do what?” She tilts her head in question.

“Balance everything. Work, motherhood, marriage.” I choke on a sob. “You’ve got four kids. I only have one, and I feel like I’m drowning. I’m failing her. And Jay.”

Sophie rushes over and kneels beside my chair. “You aren’t failing them. And I don’t have it all together. I schedule kinky sex with my husband. I rely on fast food far too often, and at least twice a week, I hide in the bathtub with a glass of wine while my kids scream for me.”