Page 47 of Rockstar Daddy's Second Chance

“Fine,” Derrick mumbles harshly as he frowns resentfully at Kendrick. He stomps to the door, muttering under his breath, and lets himself out.

The moment the door shuts, I reach for Kendrick, pulling her close. Feeling her body pressed against me, her steady heartbeat—it’s everything I need to ground me right now. I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, then her lips—a gesture as natural as breathing

When I pull back, she’s looking up at me, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. “You sounded serious,” she says, her voice gentle.

“I am. I’m rethinking my priorities,” I murmur, rubbing my thumb along her hand. “Derrick only cares about my image and the bottom line. He’s worried about me losing my fanbase.”

She shakes her head with a slight laugh. “I don’t think any of your genuine fans would turn their back on you or your music.”

Sam, who’s been watching us with amused approval, gives a low chuckle. “If anything, I’d say a family might make you more relatable. Rock stars who have a bit of humanity left? That’s worth more than any image Derrick wants to sell.” He gives me a direct look. “Don’t worry about the band, Cass. All of us guysare fine with whatever you decide. Luke, Nate, hell. even Vince is with you on this.”

“Thank you, Sam,” I say, feeling a surge of gratitude toward him for understanding. “I don’t want to hurt the brand. But this is about finding balance in my life.”

Kendrick’s eyes hold mine, her gaze filled with an understanding that runs deep. “I don’t want Cassidy and I to be the reason you give up on your dreams, Cass.”

I pull her in tighter, unwilling to let her doubt my choice. “My dreams changed when I learned about Cassidy, and you came back into my life. This—us—is what I’ve been searching for all along. I’m just adjusting my career around what’s important to me.”

Sam clears his throat, and I can’t help but grin at his mock discomfort. “Right, well, I’ll give you two a moment–or three,” he says with a wink, stepping through the glass sliding door to give us some privacy.

Once he’s gone, Kendrick smiles at me, her hand resting gently on my chest. “Cass, I just… I don’t want to jeopardize your career or your fame. I know it won’t be easy, shifting things around to make room for us.”

I tilt her chin up, looking deep into her eyes. “It’s the easiest choice I’ve ever made,” I whisper before leaning down to kiss her, slow and deep, wanting to erase any doubt from her mind.

Just then, Cassidy yanks open the sliding door, her face lighting up when she sees us. “Mom! Dad! Guess what? Sam invited me to go to the sound studio tomorrow. He said maybe I could record my song as a demo this time!”

A huge grin covers my face, and I reach out, giving my daughter a triumphant fist-bump. “That’s great, Cassidy. You like learning the ins and outs of the music industry, don’t you?”

“Yes.” She nods enthusiastically before looking up at me with a hesitant smile. “Dad, do you think it’s a good idea for me to cut a demo?”

I give her a proud grin. “Absolutely, sweetheart.”

Cassidy glances at Kendrick. “Mom? What about all those songs you’ve written?”

Surprised, I look at Kendrick. “You’ve been writing songs?”

Kendrick looks a bit uncomfortable before shrugging. “Yeah, it helped–writing down my feelings.”

“Do you want to perform again?” I ask.

She shakes her head quickly. “No, I like singing, but I think we have enough performers in the family.”

Cassidy chimes in, “I told Mom she should sell them – to a female singer. They wouldn’t work for a man.”

I nod. “I see. Well, let me know if you want me to help...”

“No, thank you, Cass,” Kendrick interrupts firmly. Cassidy rolls her eyes at her mother’s response.

Cassidy then turns to me. “Would you… would you maybe perform with me at the studio?” she asks with a half-pleading, half-hopeful look in her big gray eyes.

Walking over to her, I wrap her in a warm, loving hug. “I can’t think of anything I’d enjoy more than singing and playing the guitar with you,” I tell her truthfully, my voice husky with emotion.

Cassidy returns my hug with a huge smile. Obviously thrilled at my response and the prospect of being professionally recorded, she turns as I let her go. She practically floats out of the room, her head in the clouds, leaving us alone again.

When I look back at Kendrick, I can see a new softness in her gaze that makes my heart skip a beat. “She’s delighted,” she says quietly. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her this content and happy.”

“Our daughter’s happy, and so am I,” I reply, leaning down for another kiss. This time, it’s slower, deeper, a promise of everything I want to give her and Cassidy. And for once, I’m not thinking about the demands of my manager, the crowd, the flashing lights, or anyone’s expectations. Instead, I’m just thinking about her–Kendrick and the life we’re building together.

Twenty-Three

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