Page 156 of California Wild

Epitaph Records. Their label.

A meeting with Caiden, Kilgor, Billy, the managers, the people who held her career in their hands.

The next step.

The biggest moment of her career.

And here she was, carrying Jesse Navarro’s baby. At some point, this baby would be here, in her arms, and she wasn’t going to want to do anything but nest.

The thought lodged deep in her chest, a pressure she couldn’t escape.

She forced a smile, lifting her coffee to her lips, masking everything.

“Yeah,” she said, clearing her throat. “I’m excited.”

She didn’t know if that was a lie.

But she sure as hell hoped not.

The drive from San Diego to Los Angeles had been long enough for Hayley to zone out, watching the coastline blur past the window, the hum of music filling the car as Zoe weaved through traffic like she was born to do it.

By the time they pulled up outside Epitaph Records’ headquarters, the morning haze had burned off, leaving the city baking under a clear, blue sky.

The building itself wasn’t flashy like the major labels up in Hollywood—no corporate skyscrapers, no polished, soulless offices. Instead, Epitaph had that old-school punk ethos woven into its bones. A low, industrial-style building, tucked into a side street off Sunset Boulevard, with murals and stickers slapped all over the entryway.

The second they stepped inside, it smelled like old vinyl and burnt coffee.

A wall of platinum and gold records lined the entrance, framed posters of legendary bands who’d walked through these hallsbefore them. Rancid, The Offspring, Bad Religion. The names that built this place.

The reception area was controlled chaos.

Phones ringing off the hook, interns and assistants darting between desks, piles of promo CDs, press kits, and band merch stacked haphazardly along the counters. A guy in a denim vest covered in patches strolled past them, talking animatedly to someone on the phone about vinyl pressings for an upcoming album.

And just beyond that—

Their people.

Kilgor, Billy, and Caiden were already there, leaning near the entrance to the core offices, chatting with one of the execs. Caiden was very unfortunately sporting a fresh black eye.

Kilgor spotted them first, his wild-ass grin splitting across his face. “Look who finally showed up.”

“Hey girl.” Billy gave Hayley a nod, casual but warm. “Long drive?”

“Nothing some caffeine and singing in the car couldn’t fix,” Hayley deadpanned, lifting her iced coffee as proof.

Zoe smirked. “You mean your entire personality?”

“Exactly.”

They all moved toward the inner offices together, past walls covered in framed magazine covers, signed memorabilia, and black-and-white candids of bands who had called Epitaph home.

And that was when Caiden pulled her aside.

His fingers wrapped around her wrist, a firm but not forceful tug.

“Hey. Hold up.”

Hayley’s stomach tightened.

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