Page 40 of A Love Song for Dreamers

I hang up without listening to therest.

I’m being unprofessional?You fucked some actress who wanted yourconnections.

Unreal.

I rub myforehead.

Looking back, I know why I was attracted to Ian. He was older and confident and knew the business. When he advised me, it didn’t come off as controlling, it washelpful.

Turned out he liked to advise more thanme.

I walked in on him in his apartment with an actress who was, apparently, even more desperate for his mentorship than Iwas.

Fuck it. I have bigger things to worry about thanhim.

The café is filling up, and I’m not getting done what I need tohere.

I remember the piano in Tyler’s office at thestudio.

Maybe having the instrument in front of me willhelp.

On impulse, I buy a second coffee and take that one, plus the one I’m barely halfway through, with me in Haley’scar.

Once I get back to the house, I head around to the patio, letting myself in the side door of the studio. Shay’s not at the desk, and my hands are too full for signing the visitor’s log, so I start down thehall.

The first studio is full, and I can see unfamiliar artists recordinginside.

The door to the second is open. I move toward it, pulling up when a figure comes outfirst.

“Dad!” I exclaim when I nearly bump intohim.

He looks as surprised as me. “Annie.”

We haven’t spoken alone since I’ve beenhere.

I guess we’re speakingnow.

“I was checking on my investment.” He cuts a look over his shoulder toward the studio, as if expecting someone to appear, but turns back to me almost asfast.

“Thank you for offering to help with your sister,” he says. “We started building the label before Haley got pregnant again, and she didn’t want to hold thingsup.”

“Sure.”

“You came to watch too?” Shay appears at the end of the hall, bouncing toward me. “They’re sogood.”

She balks when she realizes my dad is there. “Mr. Jamieson, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you comein.”

“Shay, call meJax.”

“I can’t. It’sweird.”

He frowns, uncomfortable. “Well, get overit.”

Dad looks between us then heads for the door without anotherword.

“God, I fucked that up, didn’t I?” shebreathes.

“It’s fine. My dad doesn’t know what to do with candid women who aren’t intimidated byhim.”

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