The guys drive Kai and I back to the hotel, dropping us off so they can go back out to celebrate.
When we get in the room, Kai wakes his mom and Khloe up to share the news, after getting a shirt and letting me change. No way was I going to try to explain what happened to me.
Kelli can’t believe her ears. Clive wants to fly him and the band to LA in a week to meet with a huge record label. I know she has been supportive of Kai having the band, but I don’t think she realized how talented they are. I still have Kai’s phone, so I show her the video. She cries proud tears seeing how truly amazing he is.
“I am so proud of you, Kai.” She wraps her arms around him. “Your father is going to be hard to convince. But if this is your dream, we will make it happen,” she tells him, embracing him once more. She reaches for me, bringing me into their hug. Khloe joins in, wrapping her arms around my leg, not knowing why we are all smiling with happy tears.
~**~
I am so elated for Kai. Cooper’s Religion is going to take off. My boyfriend, the rock star. I smile at him as he and the rest of the band wait for Clive Owens to come talk to them before we check out. I am taking Khloe down to the beach to play one last time, so they can have privacy. His mom is staying to make sure everything is legit.
Khloe is burying my feet in the sand. I pull my phone from my bag and mark today’s date as being the day my boyfriend has his dream come true. The date catches my eye. Today is Penny’s birthday. I do the right thing and I send her a text.
Me: Penny I know I am the last person you expected to hear from today, but no matter how you feel about me. I am sorry I didn’t tell you about Aaron. Anyway, Happy Birthday. I hope you have an amazing day. Katie <3
My phone rings. Penny is calling me. Despite everything, I miss her. “Hello.”
“Katie.” She starts to cry. “I’m so sorry I was an awful bitch. I shouldn’t have treated you so horrible. I miss you so much.” She starts rambling about how Becks isn’t very good for girl talk and dating advice. I am shocked to hear that she broke up with Aaron. She ended up not going to her grandma’s house for spring break. She wanted to surprise Aaron, and well, she ended up being the one surprised when she caught him with a freshman. She says Becks punched Aaron and Aaron kicked his ass. That comes as no surprise.
“Is Beckett okay?”
“Yeah, he totally is milking having gotten a black eye and bloody nose defending my honor though. Where are you? I want to see you. My dad actually caved and bought me a car. It’s for my birthday and graduation,” she squeals.
“Um, I am actually in Myrtle Beach with Kai. We are driving home today though.”
Khloe is getting close to the edge of the water, so I hang up with Penny, promising she can come see me when I get back. She will flip her shit when she finds out I am living with the Cooper’s.
I get Khloe and we go for a walk down the beach before heading back to the room. I hope that they have come to some sort of agreement with Clive by now.
I tell Khloe we are getting ready to go home. She flops down in the sand, pouting. “Khloe no go. Stay beach,” she says, whining.
“What if Katie gets you an ice cream?”
She perks up and gives me her hand.
I take her down the street from the hotel a little ways and get her a vanilla cone covered in sprinkles. I get a text from Kai asking where I am. I tell him Khloe, and I are getting ready to come through the lobby.
Kai is pacing in the hotel lobby when I walk in with Khloe. Jake is sitting in a chair next to where Kai is burning holes in the tile with his feet.
“Jake take Khloe to my mom, so I can talk to Katie.”
The way he is shuffling his feet and scratching the back of his neck anxiously is freaking me out. I wait until Jake and Khloe are out of earshot.
“Hey, you okay?” I ask him.
“Promise me you won’t get mad.”
“I promise. You are freaking me out. What is it?”
He sits down in the chair Jake was just in and holds his arms open for me. I take a deep breath, afraid he is about to breakup with me
or something. I sit in his lap and get ready for whatever he is afraid to tell me.
“Clive wants to represent Cooper’s Religion.” I start say something…but he puts his finger to my lips, shushing me. “I tried to get him to take you on with us, and he said no. I haven’t given him an answer. I wanted to talk to you first.” He is still holding his finger over my mouth, keeping me silent. “If I say yes, I will have to leave Monday morning for LA. He sent the video to his contacts and they want us. Clive and my mom got into specifics. If I take this chance, I could be away from you for months. I will have to finish school online or something.”
I swat his finger away. “I love that you wanted me to go with you. I do, but this is it. This is your big chance, it may never come again and if you turn it down, I might kill you. I am so proud of you, Kai.”
“Okay, so I am really doing this,” he says.