“And now, that local artist who’s shooting up the charts. She’s reached number twenty-five on the iTunes download charts already . . . here’s Roxy with Heartstopper!”

I look over at the radio, shaking my head as I reach over and turn it off. While I’m amazed and shocked that my song has gained so much traction, I don’t need to listen to it again. I suspect that most of the buzz in downloads is from locals who saw me at the club, but it still feels good.

Mr. Felix is sitting in my lap, purring. It helps, even though I still feel a little down. Looking around the apartment, it’s hard. In packing my stuff up, this place just doesn’t look at all like the apartment I’ve shared with Hannah.

Some of the things are the same, the voice in my head says. This sofa is the place you and Jake first had sex.

I run my hands along the cushion, sighing. Setting Felix aside, I glance at the clock. It’s nearly five thirty now, and Hannah said she’d be home around six. I promised her that I’d get some delivery Chinese food for us to share. I feel like hell, running out on her, but she said that she’s already got people lined up to share rent with her. I think she’s trying to make me feel better about it, but I hope it’s true.

There’s a knock at the door, and I set Felix aside. Going over, I look through the peephole to see that it’s Mindy, and I open up. “Hey, Min, what’s up?”

“What’s up?” she asks, grinning. “I just heard you on the radio again, and you ask what’s up? I see you’ve got the jaded pop star act down already.”

I smile slightly, letting Mindy in. She looks around, whistling. “Wow, you got packed quickly. Is Hannah upset?”

“No, she says she understands, and we’re going to have some girl time later. I mean, I still haven’t turned in my resignation to the office. I’ve got another three days of vacation time built up.”

“That’s good,” Mindy says. “So where is your stuff, anyway?”

“I packed up what I’m going to take. It’s in my room. Feels strange to be living out of a suitcase again. Well, partially. I gave Hannah a lot of my office clothes. If I ever have to put on a professional pencil skirt and those damn heels again, I’m going to scream.”

Mindy chuckles, nodding. “The advantages of owning a cafe. I wear New Balances to work most days. The only heels I have I wear when Oliver and I—”

“TMI!”

Mindy laughs. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Where?” I ask. “I mean, I promised Hannah dinner!”

“Send her a text. She’ll understand. And if she is upset, tell her Oliver Steele will pay for her to go out to dinner tomorrow anywhere in town.”

I can’t help it. I smirk. “More of his ‘fuck you’ money?”

“Something like that. Come on, the whole family’s waiting for you.”

* * *

I wake up with a start, surprised that I dozed off. Part of it was that I’ve been getting over my depression, and part of it has been that my body clock is still so screwed up. I blink, looking around. “Where are we?”

Mindy, who’s driving, glances over. “Ha, you don’t recognize it?”

I sit up some more, looking out the side windows. Unfortunately, Mindy’s got some of those dark tinted windows and it takes me a minute. “We’re heading downtown. I thought you said we were getting together with everyone. The hotel’s out near the airport, right?”

“Right both times, but I didn’t say that the rest of the fam was at the hotel.”

I’m immediately suspicious, my shock growing as we make a right turn and I see Club Jasmine. “What the hell are we doing here?”

“Trust me,” Mindy says, parking out front. The amount of work that’s been done is amazing. There’s still some scorch marks on the front, but all of the fire smell is gone. Mindy leads me up the steps, opening the door. It’s dark inside, and I blink, trying to adjust to the gloom. “Well, here we are.”

“Mindy, this is so not cool,” I complain. “I mean, why remind me . . .”

“She’s baaaa-aaaaaack!” an electronic voice booms out of the darkness, and suddenly, stage lights blossom. The floor is still a mostly scarred wreck, but they’ve swept and cleared out an area in the middle, where the bare concrete is surrounded by lights.

Hannah steps out of the shadows, grinning. “Our guest of honor has arrived. Have a seat.”

“Mindy, what is going on?” I ask as the lights come up and I see Mom, Grandma, Brianna . . .

“Hit it!” Hannah says as Mindy leads me over to a chair and sits me down. Hannah moves out of the light as bumping dance music starts up. There’s a silly little curtain, nothing more than a rope with a sheet hung over it, and Hannah giggles as she gets on the mic again. “Welcome to the Club Jasmine Gentlemen’s Revue!”

Suddenly, the curtain twitches, and Bertha comes running out, yapping furiously. “Goddammit, Mary Jo, if you don’t stop dragging that thing with you everywhere, I’m not going with you anywhere anymore!”

Mom gets up and chases Bertha down while I lean over to Mindy. “What the hell is this?”

“Just enjoy. Think of it as more fuck you money,” Mindy says, patting my shoulder. “Trust me, you’ll enjoy it.”

Mom gets Bertha under control and sits down, grumbling to Grandma. “You know, you’ve had pets too.”

“Whatever,” Grandma says. “Bring on the flesh parade!”

“Up first,” Hannah says, trying not to laugh, “is our very own superstar, former All-Pro running back, Gavin ‘Anaconda’ Adams!”

Brianna, of course, claps the loudest as Gavin emerges, clad in what I can only call a stripper’s version of a Navy uniform. Skintight white pants are underneath his cheap white tunic as he adjusts the bill of his cap. Lifting a microphone to his lips, the music changes, and I groan.

Gavin starts to sing Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker, and even Brianna has to clap her hands over her ears.

“I love you, but never again!” she screams as Gavin shrugs and drops his microphone. Ripping off his tunic top, the music changes into a techno/club remix of the classic Joe Cocker song, and he gives his wife a lap dance that leaves Brianna in a fit of laughter before he sashays offstage.

Mindy’s laughing her ass off as Brianna wipes her forehead with a hand towel. She looks over at Mindy and me, chuckling. “I didn’t marry him for his singing.”

Hannah chuckles, shaking her head. “And now, for our second act . . . Oliver Steele!”

Oliver comes out, and my jaw drops as he comes out dressed in perhaps the most ridiculous outfit I’ve ever seen him in, a leather set of hot pants and a motorcycle vest. “What the hell do you and he get up to?” Grandma asks. “That sure as hell ain’t what I expected!”

Mindy’s beet red as Oliver picks up the mic and starts singing Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? As he sings, he dances, and he’s even worse than Gavin, Mindy blushing and laughing uproariously as he caterwauls his way through the song. “Brad would love this!” I laugh as Oliver peels off his vest to show off his chiseled torso.

Mindy’s flushed herself as Oliver retreats behind the curtain, and Hannah takes a minute to laugh. “Don’t quit your day jobs. Either of you.”

“So who’s next?” Grandma asks. “I love those men, but damn if my ears aren’t bleeding.”

“Next . . . a very special performance,” Hannah says. The music slows, not the silly club mixes, but I’ve heard this in clubs before.

The voice I hear next shocks me. I’ve never heard it like this before.

I watch in pure amazement as Jake comes through the curtain, stripped to the waist, his body gleaming under the lights as he approaches me with pure love in his eyes, singing Take My Breath Away by Berlin.

The song finishes, Jake saying nothing as he lowers the microphone, and I feel tears in my eyes. “Jake . . .”

“HIT IT!” a booming voice comes from the back, and suddenly, Gavin and Oli are back, having changed clothes, thank God, this time with Nathan joining them as they suddenly break into the Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way.

“My fucking ears!” Mindy screams in laughter as Gavin and Oliver both sing their parts. Nathan’s even worse, but he’s a good sport as he swings his hips in front of Grandma and Mom.

I barely notice, my eyes on Jake as he sings, reaching out for me. I lift my hand to his, not even realizing it until he pulls me to my feet. I look in his eyes as he sings the final lines.

The music fades away as the other ladies clap, but I can’t do anything but look at Jake. “Roxy, my sweet, beautiful Angel,” he says softly, wrapping his arm around my waist. “I can’t live without you. When I heard your song . . . I’m sorry. I was wrong. I was an idiot . . . please don’t leave. Stay here. Stay with me. I need you. I love you. I didn’t mean what I said. You were blameless. I was angry and scared for Sophie and took it out on you.”

I nod, putting my arms around his neck and pulling him into a soft kiss. His tongue caresses mine, and I hear cheering behind me. I turn to see Mindy and Brianna in their husbands’ arms while Grandma and Mom wipe away their tears. Even Hannah is wiping away a tear or two, and Nathan looks like he’s got some allergies going on.

“Looks like I’m staying,” I tell Mindy, who grins and gives me a thumbs-up.

“But what about the apartment?” Hannah mock whines. “I’ve got two potential roomies wanting to see the place tomorrow!”

“Well, I’ve got a spare bedroom,” Jake says, “and Sophie would love to have you around.”

“Deal!” Hannah says, grinning. “Roxy, you’ve got twenty-four hours to get your shit out!”

There’s laughter all around, and Nathan disappears to the back to return with four bags of Chinese food. He starts divvying it out, and I turn to Jake, looking into his eyes. “You’d really want me to move in?”

“I want to start with you moving in,” Jake says quietly. “And Mindy already told me you want to leave Franklin. If you still want to, that’s fine. You can pay your share another way.”

“How?” I ask.

“Next Saturday, we’re doing an outdoor concert for Club Jasmine. Know of a hot pop act who can work the stage and has a song that’s rocketing up the charts who can sing her ass off for us?”

I blush, giving Jake a raised eyebrow, and he nods. “Only if you want to,” he adds.

I nod and jerk my thumb over my shoulder at Nathan. “Talk to my manager,” I say, giving Jake a huge smile. “He’s the brains of the outfit, remember?”