Page 43 of Out of the Shadow

Relieved at what he proposed, I agree without thought. I’m sure I’ve won. When I see King’s eyes catch Kaitlyn’s, though, I realize this was an “ask” of the show. Whatever. I’ve still got this.

We don’t have to wait long before the Maguires walk back into the family room and resume their positions on the couch. My breathing accelerates, and I rub my now-damp palms on my skirt.Keep it together, Angie.

“We want to thank both of you for coming here today,” Tessa begins. “And we appreciated your very different approaches to the Open House.”

Liam takes over. “We discussed it, and we’ve decided to go with Angie.”

I refrain from doing a happy dance in my chair and don’t even make one little whoop, although I’m doing both in my head. I do, however, stand up to shake hands with them, thank them for placing their trust in me, and promise to do everything I can to sell their house quickly.

King sits in his chair, his face a mask of polite positivity.Ha. Score one for the Brooklyn girl. Now to keep this winning streak up and take home that bonus check.

King

THE PAST DAYShave been busy, what with helping Angie prepare for the Maguires’ Open House and filming another contest, which I won. But I had no time to gloat since the only agents here are Angie and me, and we’ve had to handle everything from social media posts to ordering food for the event. I might have lost the contest for the Open House, but I’m secretly glad I get to help her with it. I’ve never participated in anything like this before, and it’s new and exciting and frustrating all at once. But I’ll never let on how much I’m enjoying this work. After all, itiswork—something I don’t do.

I’m packing it up to head to the weekly party at my condo building when Marlene jumps to her feet, purse around her shoulder. “All right, lady and gent. It’s the second Thursday of the month, so you know what that means!”

Um, no. I don’t. I look to Angie, who’s bending down to pick up her purse. Her ass in the air derails all my thoughts until she straightens and faces me. “Come on, King. You deserve a break—it’s time for you to get a taste of fun, Romano-style.”

Callie, in all of her blonde glory, will be at the rooftop tonight. I swallow and take in my co-star’s excited grin and her outfit of an oversized button-down over capris. She really is adorable.In an off-limits, pixie sort of way. Although she isn’t technically married anymore…

The apartment building will be throwing another party next week. Tossing my pen down on the desk, I shrug and join them at the registration desk. “Where are we going?”

“To a club about fifteen minutes from here,” Marlene explains. “It’s cousins’ night—a guaranteed riot.” The three of us head toward the door. “I’m picking up my husband and we’ll meet you there.”

“Sure thing.” Angie locks up. “You can ride with me, King.”

No one really asked if I wanted to go—it was sort of assumed—but I find that I like the assumption. So I just follow Angie to the parking lot. When she turns onto Main Street, I can’t contain my curiosity any longer. “What’s so special about this place?”

Her smile transforms her face in a way that makes me suck in my breath. “Francesco found it ages ago. It’s only the best karaoke you’ll ever find.”

Oh, hell no. My all-time worst nightmare. I have avoided karaoke like the plague for years, ever since my father told me my voice sucks.

“Oh, God.” Impulsively, I lean forward and turn on the radio. A Hunte song is playing. Seriously? Aren’t there any other bands on this fucking planet? I groan and shut it off.

Angie licks her lips. “I guess it sucks not being able to get away from him. When did your parents split up?”

For some reason, words spill from my mouth. “When I was five, but he really wasn’t around much before that anyway. My guess is he figured out my mother’s number, but Mom says he cheated on her—and I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

I turn my head away from her and continue. “Well, back then, he wasn’t the big star he is today—he had to go on tour if he wanted to make any money. Still, he had time off, and he sure lived it up. I remember getting my hands on a magazine Mom threw out that showed him in Ibiza with a bunch of women, partying it up.” I try to laugh, but it sounds more like a whimper. Turning my head back to her, I finish my thought. “Some role model.”

Angie’s not looking at me, but a quick glance tells me her eyes have a sheen. “I’ll say.”

Now that the floodgates have opened, I can’t stop. “Dad would show up at the house every so often, like for my birthday. Sometimes his band would put on a mini-concert, which was the best. The kids in my class would all come to hear them, and I’d be the big man around school for a while. But then he got remarried and the band made a huge resurgence, and I got older. The concerts just sort of fizzled out.”

“Didn’t he have visitation? Did you ever go on vacation with him?”

“He lived in Chicago, so visitation was limited to holidays. I got to know his wife and their daughter mainly through the magazines. He didn’t really want a reminder of his failed marriage tagging along with his new, perfect family, so when I hit my teenage years, I decided I didn’t want to go anymore.” I shrug.

She parks under a sign that reads “Sing-A-Longs” and turns to me. “King, I didn’t know it was that bad. Even after what you told me the other day.”

I force a smile. “It’s way in the past now.” I’m not sure which I hate more, re-living all my shitty baggage or singing karaoke. I swing my body out of Angie’s car and decide both suck.

Walking next to Angie, I try to muster up some courage for the night ahead. Maybe I can slip under the radar and not sing? After all, it sounds like a gaggle of her cousins will be around. We enter the darkened club where several stage areas, delineated by sofas and a variety of chairs, are set up. My stomach drops. This isn’t a one stage for everyone kind of situation. It means there’ll be more opportunities to sing. Not good.

She points to a group of people in an alcove across the way.

---