Page 82 of Protecting Hailey

Next time you see me, I will be free.

“Not bad. I can work with that.” Then she sang the lyrics at a faster speed than I’d originally sung them and I nodded.

“Yes, I like that much better.”

“Me, too.”

While Kendra and I worked on the lyrics, Fitz continued testing different sounds. There was a violin riff that caught my attention. “Yes, love that,” I said, and Fitz noted it down.

We worked together for at least a couple of hours in this way until Fitz’s stomach growled.

“Must be noon. Fitz’s stomach is never wrong.”

He chuckled, and I checked my phone. “It is.” Smiling, I turned to Kendra. “I think we’re almost there. There’s just something missing in the bridge.”

“Yeah, I think so, too.”

“Do you mind if I share the tape of what we’ve got with my producer, Tessa? She’s amazing at finding the right sound.”

Kendra turned to Fitz and raised her eyebrows. “You cool with that?”

Fitz nodded slowly and crossed his arms over his rounded belly. “I’ve got no problem with that.”

“Great,” I said and stuck out my hand to Kendra.

She pushed it away and pulled me in for a hug. “I’m glad you arranged this meeting,” she said. “It took guts, and it worked out.”

“Me, too. I’ll call you as soon as Tessa has something for you to hear.”

“All right. Talk to you later, Hailey.”

I waved goodbye to Fitz and turned to leave.

Christian waited in the foyer for me, but Sam had left.

“You ready to go?” he asked when I reached him.

I nodded, and he put his black sunglasses on.

Stepping into the warm California sunshine outside, I couldn’t help but smile. Despite everything that had happened, I was happy. Perhaps the happiest I’d ever been.

“Where to?” Christian asked, opening my car door.

“I have to go to the studio and speak to Tessa.” He nodded and closed the door.

“After that, I’m free for the rest of the weekend.”

He tilted his head and smiled. “Did you forget?”

I blinked, and he laughed. “I’m taking you to Puerto Rico tomorrow, and my brothers will join us there.”

I gulped. “I’m going to meet all of them at once?”

He nodded. “Yup. I thought it would be fun.”

“Yeah, fun.” My throat went dry, and I felt as though I was about to face a packed stadium of people. Except I wasn’t sure if his brothers were fans of mine yet or not.

I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

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