“It’s okay. Really.”
Eyes shimmering, she tucks my hair behind my shoulder. “So now you know what you don’t want to do—what do you want to do?”
“I’m not sure yet. Work for a nonprofit, maybe? I’d love to use my law degree in a way that helps people. Maybe get into community development.”
“Well, if a career at a nonprofit, or even a different field altogether, makes you happy, then I’m happy.”
“Thanks, Mom. And you know… it’s never too late to go back to school. Melanie Walker, esquire, has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
She laughs. “Ask me again when the twins are older.” Her gaze catches on the news crew, and she frowns. “But really, what is Charlotte Owens doing here? God, she’s the worst.”
“Cass, they’re ready for you,” Brie shouts from farther up the street. Behind her, Charlotte eyes me with sharp-edged hunger. Next to her, Devin is off to the side, talking to—Perry? My heart thunders. Whereas Perry is wearing his green festival T-shirt, Devin is dressed in a sleek polo and jeans. I suck in a deep breath.
Gathering my courage, I pat Mom’s shoulder. “You’ll find out soon.”
A small crowd has formed outside the barricade the crew set up around the camera and stools, and I have to squeeze my way through the gathering people.
A familiar face crosses my vision—Val. She’d texted this morning that she was planning on swinging by the festival around noon today, and I told her she might want to arrive early. Looks like she made it. “Hey! Val!” I call, and her sunglasses-covered face swivels in my direction.
She bobs over to me, the silver threads of her T-shirt shining. “Cass! What’s going on here?”
“A surprise.” I give her a quick hug. “So good to see you. Thanks again for your help with the events permits. I have to go right now, but let’s connect after this, okay?”
“For sure.” She waves as I slip through the crowd.
One of the news crew members briefly stops me, but Charlotte waves me past the barricade. “Cassidy, Cassidy, Cassidy. It’s been too long.” She air-kisses my cheek, and I try not to gag at the overpowering smell of her perfume.
“At least eight years,” I say.
“I was shocked when Brie called me last night. I can’t believe she didn’t tell me your story before now. If I’d have known, I would have invited you on the show weeks ago. This is seriously compelling stuff. People are going to love it.”
“Well, thank you for accommodating our request to film here.”
“No problem. It’s perfect, actually. The background is gorgeous and it really sets the scene. Gary here will fit you and your boyfriend for a mic, okay?” She waves at the shorter of the two crew members, who sidles up holding a tangle of wires and a small black box. He clips a small lapel mic to my collar, helps me run the wire inside my blouse down my back, and instructs me to clip the small box at the end to the waistband of my skirt.
Devin steps even with me just as he finishes with his own mic, Perry right behind him.
“Cass,” Perry murmurs, and my heart nearly breaks all over again. His hands are jammed into his pockets and dark shadows ring his eyes, like he didn’t sleep much last night. “Devin told me Brie finally convinced her mom to cover the event, but that she wants to do an interview with you and Devin?”
I shrug. “Yeah. It’s bananas, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I should probably go. Good lu—”
I grab his arm. “Stay. Please. I don’t think I can do this if you’re not here.”
He nods. “Sure. I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines. Quietly, of course.”
Gary checks Devin’s mic, and gives the thumbs-up to Charlotte.
“All right. Let’s take our places, people,” she says.
“You got this,” murmurs Brie before stepping off to the side with Perry.
The cameraman shows Devin and me to our respective seats: Charlotte on the left, Devin in the middle, and me on the right.
As they do a sound check, I lean over and whisper in his ear. “Thank you so much for doing this for me.”
His lips quirk. “Like I said last night when you called, it’s not just for you. It’s for Perry too.”
“You’re sure you’re okay with this? Until yesterday, there was a chance you and I…”
He shakes his head. “I’ve known since the day we met with Councilman Truman it was never going to work out.”