Page 14 of Dream Girl Drama

Their meeting wasn’t an accident.

It had been for a reason.

Time sort of slowed down as that belief registered, before it sped back up in a big way.

“Yes, actually,” Chloe said, keeping her gaze fixed on Sig. “I’ve always wanted to attend conservatory at Berklee.”

Sofia’s laughter wasn’t as carefree as before. “There are world-class instructors in Connecticut, Chloe. Ourhomeis here. We can’t simply pick up and move to Boston.”

“Why is it assumed that you would have to move with me?”

As soon as Chloe asked that question, she wished she hadn’t, because she knew what was coming. A list of everything that made her helpless and incapable. “For one, dear, you don’t know how to cook for yourself. Neither do I. That’s why we have the incredible Yuri.” Sofia paused to smile blithely at the chef as he circled the table. “You don’t have any experience or knowledge of what it takes to live alone. The transportation system is a bear.”

“It truly is,” Harvey agreed. “Abear.”

“And cities can be dangerous. If you don’t need to live in one, why would you?”

“To try. To experience. To see if I’m able to do it—”

“But what if you’re not?” Sofia asked, nose wrinkling with sympathy. “We have such a lovely life here in Darien. A safe, contained one. There’s no reason to take risks.”

“I’min Boston,” Sig said, his voice landing like a judge’s gavel. “She’d be safe.”

Silence reigned. Outside of Chloe’s head and chest, anyway. Inside those two places, it sounded like the cluttered notes of an orchestra warming up.

“Son...” Harvey began, visibly uncomfortable by the shift in the evening’s mood. “Don’t get in between them.”

“He’s not,” Chloe found herself saying. Loudly. And she found in that moment that she didn’t like anyone questioning Sig. She wanted to run over to his side of the table and pat his big shoulders to make up for it. “He’s not getting in between anything. I... want to go to Boston. I’ve been invited to train at Berklee and they’ve even offered to waive the tuition.” Whatever the amount happened to be. She should probably look into that. “So... that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve already decided.”

She hadn’t really decided. Not until the declaration had left her mouth.

But once it was out there,oh God, the way the pressure released from her chest like a valve had been twisted in the right direction.

“Well. What an interesting plot twist.” Her mother looked at her serenely, but the snap of fire in her eyes was ominous. “If you go to Boston, Chloe, you’ll do it without my money.”

Just like that, her stomach filled with hot, bubbling concrete.

There it was. Money was the roadblock she couldn’t go past.

Without money, she wouldn’t be able to rent an apartment, wouldn’t be able to simply add food to her family’s tab at the country club. She’d be helpless and broke. And she had no idea how to survive like that. She didn’t even know how to live alonewithmoney. Not yet.

“I’ll help you get started, Chloe,” Sig said, drawing her attention with a meaningful look. A look that said,Hey, don’t listen to them, you got this. “I’ll find you a safe place to live and show you how to get around. How to order takeout or cook. Whatever you want.” Sig looked at her mother, openly confused. “A free ride at her dream school is a huge opportunity, right?”

“Money isn’t the issue,” Sofia responded sweetly.

Harvey scrubbed a hand down his face. “Sig, please. You are overstepping.”

“No, he isn’t. He’s offering support... and that’s exactly what I need. I think maybe I’ve needed it for a long time. And... how hard can it be to make pancetta and pear puffs, right?” Chloe noticed the affront on Yuri’s face and immediately backpedaled. “Very hard, obviously. I’ll start with Pop-Tarts.”

Yuri softened. “Pop-Tarts make a delicious pie crust in a pinch,” the chef whispered, winking at her.

A gust of air blew into her chest at that subtle show of solidarity. “Thank you.”

Sofia threw up her hands. “Chloe, I forbid you to go. Don’t you care that I won’t be able to sleep at night because I’ll be worrying about you? Do you care about me at all?”

Guilt threatened to capsize Chloe, but she wouldn’t let it. The decision to go somewhere on her own felt too good. Too freeing. Honestly, she was having trouble stopping herself from running straight out the door into the night.

Why was she stopping herself?

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