When superstar Kade Hendrix steals Ivy's song, she falls into his world of public scrutiny-and his arms-just as the rest of her world falls down around her.
Ivy is sure superstar Kade Hendrix won't notice his number one fan in the crowd of his intim...
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"Well, I'm really sorry to have to cut this breakfast short, but I'm afraid I have work to do with Kade on his album."
"You guys work in the studio every weekday, though."
I shot daggers into Hollin with my eyes. He didn't even look up from his newspaper.
"But we should be leaving soon. Jackie just called, she said your off day was rescheduled. Apparently you missed an appearance at something called Odeon?"
Kade stiffened as he stood in front of the dining room table as the majority of my family not including my half brother and sister along with Caleb, his father and Mia and her father watched on in piqued interest.
Finally, Catalina spoke up.
"Oh, Ivy, you can't leave yet. Remember what we talked about?"
I bristled at her sweet as sin tone.
"Yes, I remember. I have too much work to do today, though. And apparently Kade needs to work as well. Hollin—I'm assuming my car made it home somehow last night, right? Or do I need to go and pick it up?"
"You'll need to go and pick it up. There was no way I was letting either of you drive home last night."
Caleb cooked his eggs on his plate with the lasers shooting from his eyes.
My father chilled his coffee with the cool blankness that fell across his features.
"Thank you for your generosity, but I need to call my manager and get to work. The breakfast was nice. Great meeting you."
Except Kade shot Caleb a glare that could've cut the table in half.
"Ivy, you need to stay. You have guests—"
"That's alright Mrs. Bennett. I totally get it, Ivy's super busy. We can catch up another time."
I was already halfway to the foyer after Mia spoke up for me when my stepmother called out behind me.
"Remember what we discussed, Ivy."
How could I forget?
I didn't respond to her as I opened the door and inhaled the turning autumn air, shocks of orange and brown assaulting my vision as I pulled my phone from the pocket in my dress, mostly sure that I left my wallet in my car.
Right?
Kade and Hollin were right behind me, the large oak door slamming shut behind them while I stood on the oversized wrap-around porch gazing out at the landscape immaculately kept surrounded by a pristine pond that didn't bely the swampy underbelly beneath.
Everything about this home was gilded—a faux perfectness that swirled around everyone and constricted them like a snake squeezed its prey.
