Aww, fuck. No one can say no to that face. I think it’s physically impossible.
“Fine. Let’s do this.”
Ryder kneels to Kaylee’s level. “I have a super-brilliant idea. What if you and Lyric record together?”
Her gorgeous face lights up. “Really, Daddy? But I’m not allowed in there.”
“I want to be able to hear you two sing ‘Into the Unknown’ whenever I want. And if you record it, I won’t have to beg you guys to sing it for me.” He turns to Maggie. “If that’s okay with you.”
“As long as it doesn’t end up in a label’s hands, I’m cool with it.”
Ryder gives her a derisive look. “Never.”
Kaylee jumps up and down and turns to me. “Can we, can we, can we?”
I smile. “I’d love to.”
“I’m so not missing this,” Maggie says while eyeing me in challenge.
It’s like I can read her mind, and she’s saying, “Show me what you’ve got.”
And now I’m back to being intimidated again.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ryder
Lyric pulls me aside on our way into the studio. “I know I usually like the lights up when I record, but can you kill the light in the sound booth? Thanks.”
I can’t help the chuckle that falls from my mouth. “Are you really that intimidated by Maggie? I don’t get it.”
Lyric bites his lip.
“Is it the military thing, or—”
“No. She’s your daughter’s mother, and if she hates me, there’s no way you and I ever have a chance.”
“You want her to like you. Oh, that is so fucking adorable.”
“Shut up,” he mutters.
“Get in the booth.” I shove him.
We get a stool for Kaylee to stand on so she can reach the microphone, but she’s glancing around the room with a panicked look in her eye.
“You okay, bub?” I ask.
She nods, but I know she’s not okay.
“Want Lyric to show you how it’s done first? You can stand here next to him and watch.”
She nods again.
I smile at Lyric. “She might have your nerves. Gonna show her how to overcome it?”
Lyric feigns confidence I can tell he doesn’t actually feel. “For sure.” He holds up his hand for her to fist-bump. “We got this.”
The way she listens to Lyric and trusts him is amazing, and the way he pushes through his own issues to reassure her warms my gut. I have to pull myself away before I lean in and kiss him after the big deal I made about keeping this from Kaylee for now.
Maggie’s smiling when I take the seat next to her, but I ignore her. She stares at me as if awaiting an explanation while I get everything set up.
I dim the lights and hit the intercom. “Ready to give me something a cappella to play with before doing it properly?”
Lyric throws me a thumbs-up even though he can no longer see us.
“Rolling.”
Lyric starts at the soft verse but is animated and makes sure to keep glancing at Kaylee.
As it builds toward the chorus, he slows and tries to encourage Kaylee to take over, but she shakes her head.
When he belts out the chorus, hitting every note flawlessly, Kaylee watches him in awe, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Maggie’s attention is no longer on me.
He stops after the chorus. “How was that?”
“Wow,” Maggie breathes.
“Told you. And you ain’t seen nothing yet. That was him goofing around.” I hit the intercom. “It was great. We’ll be good to go in five.”
“You think you’re ready to give it a try?” Lyric asks Kaylee, and she nods. “We’re not even recording right now, so it’s just practice. Pretend we’re in your playroom watching Frozen and singing along.”
“Okay.” She takes a deep breath and begins to sing.
Her voice is soft and angelic. The day I found out she had a natural voice, the kind that I knew could be exploited for fame, was probably the most proud and dreaded day I’ve ever had as a parent.
She sings the first verse with Lyric harmonizing, and together, they’re … There are no words to describe it.
When they hit the chorus, goose bumps break out over my skin.
Maggie hears it too. “What if she wants to grow up to be famous?”
“Then we’re fucking screwed. It’s not like I can tell her no. That’d be hypocritical.”
“Haven’t you learned yet? Ninety percent of parenting is being hypocritical.”
“Truth. I don’t want her to do the Hollywood thing.”
“But if she chooses it, I don’t think we get a say.”
“We can at least protect her until she’s eighteen.”
“Or try to. Oh God, she’s going to be a teenager in eight years. What the hell are we supposed to do then?”
I shrug. “Pray.”
We both laugh.
“But speaking of which, are you going to be back in time for her birthday?”
“My official end date is three days before it, so as long as everything goes to plan, I’ll be here. I’ve missed too many birthdays already.”
I reach over to grip her hand. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters to her.”
She smiles. “If I don’t say it enough, thank you for being cool about me coming and going from her life the last few years.”
I squeeze her hand. “I know it’s something you felt you needed to do.”
Maggie’s eyes fill. She averts her gaze to watch our daughter, and I pretend not to see her emotion.
If Maggie wanted to talk about it, she would. That’s who she is. She says what she’s feeling and keeps to herself when she doesn’t want to talk. So I won’t push.
Lyric and Kaylee make it through their practice go, and Lyric praises her for doing a good job.
“He’s so good with her,” Maggie says.
“I know.”
And that’s why it’s so hard to think about a future. Both Kaylee and I would have to be okay with him being on the road for most of the year because there’s no doubt in my mind he’s going to make it big.
Relationships are hard enough without the added pressure of fame, and I won’t make Lyric choose.
He was born to be in the spotlight.
I know this is a future problem for us to deal with because Lyric doesn’t even have a manager let alone a record deal, but I know it’s only a matter of time. With his talent, the only way he won’t get picked up is if his pretentious and stubborn side holds him back.
If all we have is the here and now, I’m going to take it. I just hope when it all comes to an end, I’m the one who’s heartbroken, not my daughter.
As I watch them in the booth together, I fear that ship may have already sailed.
Kaylee’s already in love with him.
Maybe instead of fighting what we have, I should embrace it fully. I would never make him choose, but I will fight to give him a reason to take us into consideration when he does get that deal.
I hit the speaker button. “Ready to lay it down for real?”