Little Secret, Red Hot Scandal (Las Vegas Nights 4)

“She supports all of us.”

“Well, maybe I’m tired of being supported by her. Maybe it’s time I started supporting myself.”

When had her level of resentment risen so high? How had she not noticed that each day of acting as her sister’s assistant grew harder than the one before? Nate’s constant pointing out how badly Ivy treated her didn’t help.

Mia’s mother retreated a half step beneath the rush of her daughter’s emotional tirade. “You can’t turn your back on her sister. She isn’t strong enough to do this on her own.”

“I’m not turning my back on her.” All the energy drained from her. No matter what she said or did, Mia was never going to win this battle. It all came down to guilt. Responsibility. “She’s my sister and I love her. But my life revolves around her and I want a little something for myself.”

“You mean your songwriting,” Mia’s mother said. “I’ll speak to your father. Maybe there’s room on Ivy’s next album for a few of your songs. And this time you should get the credit.”

“That’s not what I mean.” But Mia could tell her mother wasn’t listening.

Her fingers shifted to her abdomen and the child that lay there. Now wasn’t the time to get into this with her mom. She needed to talk to Nate first.

But right now, Mia needed some sleep. The past twenty-four hours had been a roller coaster of highs and lows, all of which had taken every ounce of Mia’s energy.

“Can we talk about this later?” she said. “I’m exhausted. Are you going to stick around for a while?”

“No. I have a meeting at the foundation.”

Sharon Navarro ran the Ivy Bliss Foundation, a program that promoted hearing health and helped low-income children with hearing impairm

ents. It was a charity near and dear to her heart because of her eldest daughter’s hearing loss at age two.

“Where is Dad?”

“Your father’s meeting with Trent Caldwell about Ivy’s album. It looks as if she’s going to finish recording it with Hunter Graves.” Mia’s mother picked up her purse. “He’ll come by afterward.”

“Then I guess it’s just me keeping an eye on her.” Again.

“I don’t understand what has gotten into you lately. You used to be happy for your sister’s success.”

“I still am. But she’s become such a different person. There are times when I don’t recognize her anymore.”

“She’s a star,” Mia’s mother said, as if that explained everything.

Overwhelmed by defeat, Mia watched her mother depart before shuffling toward her bedroom. She shut the door behind her and glanced around the space. Besides the clothes in the closet, barely anything in the room belonged to her. Mia dropped her overnight bag on the floor and flung herself on her bed, where she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes were dry despite the lump in her throat.

She didn’t remember ever feeling so alone. And yet, what about her situation had changed? Acting as her sister’s full-time personal assistant and keeper had kept Mia from forming lasting friendships, and interfered with every man she’d ever tried to date.

Except now, Mia had been given a glimpse of what her life could be. A career as a music producer. Friendships with Melody, Trent and Savannah. A relationship with Nate. Motherhood.

Mia closed her eyes. Ready or not, everything was going to change.

* * *

Nate was surprised when the person picking him up at the Las Vegas airport was Kyle and not Melody. As he slid into the passenger seat of Kyle’s bright blue BMW convertible, he glanced at his business partner and thought he looked as exhausted and miserable as Nate felt.

“I didn’t expect to see you,” Nate said.

“Melody asked if I could get you. Seems she had a small window to get Hunter’s input on her album—” Kyle’s eyes widened. “Hey, you’re talking again.”

“My doctor gave me the go-ahead to start using my voice, but I’m not supposed to overdo it. So you and Melody are finally talking?”

“If by talking you mean she sent me a text saying she was stuck at the studio and would I pick you up, then yeah.”

Nate winced at the other man’s bitterness. “You two have got to sit down and chat. Why don’t you come for Thanksgiving.” Nate had extended the invitation to Kyle once already and been turned down. This time, he decided to push harder.