Page 51 of Everything I Desire

“Jake is our manager, both of us. He’s been promising me I could go on tour with Calvin, be his opener in the Nashville area, but it never happens. I finally pushed Calvin about it when he came to a gig with his fiancee,” she explains.

“Wait - you casually just hang out and chat with one of the biggest country names out there?” I ask slack jawed.

She stares at me, giving me a look that means this is not the point of her phone call. “Sorry. Keep going.”

“Turns out, Calvin’s been on Jake to get me to agree to be the opener of his upcoming tour, and Jake has been telling him that I didn’t want to! All because I won’t. . .” Her tears start again.

“Won’t what, Will?” I ask, not knowing if I want the answers.

“I won’t sleep with Jake!” She gets out between sobs.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard that right. Your manager, the one in charge of your career at the moment, is basing career opportunities for you on whether or not you will sleep with him?” My hand is shaking with anger.

“Yes, and that’s why . . . I . . .haven’t. . . been. . .getting. . . jobs. . . and the other girls have been.” She wails uncontrollably into the phone. I wish I was there to hug her. It kills me that I’m not there.

“Oh. My. God. Willow! That’s awful! What are you going to do? What can I do?” I fidget with the hem of my tee.

“I don’t know, Ade. Calvin had to fill the spot, so my chance is gone! I lost the biggest opportunity. I don’t even know why I’m still here. I miss home. I miss you guys, and I just want my sisters.” She begins to cry harder.

“So come home.” I offer.

“It isn’t that simple.” It is. I’m already looking up flights.

“There’s a flight today at four. Can you be on it?” She looks at me wide eyed.

“Ade, I don’t -”

“Yes or no Willow. Can you be at the airport?” I ask sternly, raising my eyebrows to let her know I don’t want excuses.

“Yes. I can be there.”

“Good.” I finish booking the ticket and send it to her email. “In your email. I’ll pick you up at nine tonight. This weekend we have Lacey and Colton’s engagement party so you can be surrounded by everyone who loves you.”

“Addy, this is too-” I hold up my hand to the screen to stop her. She’s annoying me so early in the morning.

“Nope. See you at nine. Love you, babe.” I blow her a kiss and hang up before she can argue more.

When will she learn that in this family, if you need it, we do it. She’s always been so independent. Never wanting our help. She used to be more open with me, but lately she’s clammed up, and I guess I know why now. We all love her so much and every one of us would be there for her if she’d let us.

“Who are we going to see at nine?” Porter’s deep voice makes me jump.

“You scared me!” I cover my chest with my hand.

He leans over the back of the couch and kisses my neck. “I didn’t like waking up to an empty bed, baby.”

“I’m sorry. Willow called. I booked her a flight home, I have to get her at nine from the airport.” I answer him, sitting up on my knees to face him behind the couch.

“You mean we need to get her from the airport.” He walks into the kitchen and sees the pile of food that I left on the counter.

“I’m sorry. I was going to make breakfast while talking to her but then she was crying.” I walk overto the counter and start pulling pans out from the cabinet. Porter places his hand on mine over the handle of the pan.

“I’ll cook. You explain.” He leads me over to the bar stools at his island, and places my coffee in front of me.

I tell him everything from the first time she found out her manager was giving her less money than he should be until this morning. He is furious. The vein in his neck is thumping with the anger coursing through him. His hand is clenched around the spatula so tight his knuckles are white. I know if he ever has the chance to be around her manager, he might actually end up in jail, just like any of the other guys in our life.

“So we’ll leave at seven?” He asks like I didn’t just spew out a ton of information that no one else knows.

“Um. Yea. What about Kayla?” I don’t want to make her give up her plans.

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