Chapter 1
Noah Kidd
I was still at the beach house with my family.
Our annual trip.
Wren’s team had already reached out.
We’d spoken.
Wren and I had even talked for a while after Stacey left us alone.
Talking to Wren was nice.
Not because she was beautiful—although she fucking was.
But because she knew her shit.
She was so fucking talented.
My dad came up beside me.
“Hey, son.”
“Hey, Dad.”
I leaned back in the chair, looking out at the beach.
He sat down beside me.
“How are you feeling about everything now?”
I shrugged. “Good.”
Dad stared at me.
“What?”
“You’ve been saying good since you came downstairs after that first call.”
“Because it is good.”
“You’re also my son.”
I sighed.
Of course.
I’d already told them what happened.
They knew Wren’s team wanted me.
They knew I’d talked to her.
They knew this could be huge for me.
What I hadn’t told them was how fucking terrified I was that I wasn’t ready for something this big.
“It’s different now,” I admitted.
Dad leaned back in his chair. “How?”
“I talked to her.”
“I know.”
“No. I mean, really talked to her.”
His eyebrow lifted.
“Not like that.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking it.”
He laughed. “Keep going.”
I looked back toward the water.
“She knows what she wants, but she doesn’t at the same time. It’s fucking weird.”
“Sounds like an artist.”
I glanced at him. “You’re hilarious.”
“I’ve been told.”
“By Mom?”
“Mostly.”
I laughed.
Then looked down at my hands.
“She trusts me.”
That shut him up.
“Wren’s seen some graphics I threw together. My portfolio. That’s it. And she’s sitting there talking to me like she thinks I can actually do this.”
“You can.”
“You have to say that.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You’re my dad.”
“And?”
“And parents are supposed to tell their kids they’re talented.”
Dad snorted. “You clearly don’t remember Grandpa.”
I laughed.
Fair.
He leaned forward.
“You know what I think?”
“You’re going to tell me anyway.”
“I think you’re scared because this is the first thing you’ve wanted this bad since you left school.”
Fuck.
I hated when he did that.
Dad wasn’t supposed to be insightful.
He was supposed to make inappropriate jokes and piss Mom off.
I looked back at the ocean.
“Maybe.”
“You don’t have to have it all figured out, Noah.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
I didn’t answer.
Because maybe I didn’t.
I’d spent months doing little jobs.
Building my portfolio.
Telling everyone I had a plan.
And I did.
Sort of.
But Wren?
This could change everything.
And for the first time since I walked away from art school, I could actually see where I might be going.
That was fucking terrifying.
Dad bumped his shoulder against mine.
“Do the work.”
I looked at him.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. Stop worrying about what happens if this turns into something huge. Make something you’re proud of.”
I nodded slowly.
“Then make the next thing.”
My phone buzzed on the table between us.
I glanced down.
Wren.
Dad saw the name.
Then looked at me.
I grabbed my phone.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say shit.”
“Your face did.”
He laughed as he stood.
“Have fun working.”
“That’s what I’m doing.”
“Sure, kid.”
“Fuck off.”
“Love you too.”
I shook my head as he headed back toward the house.
Then opened Wren’s message.
Wren Parker: Okay, don’t hate me. I have another idea.
I smiled before I could stop myself.
Yeah.
Working with Wren Parker might be a problem.
Me: What is your idea?
The three dots danced across the screen before a reply came through.
Wren Parker: I’m stumped on this song. Want some help.
I smiled.
We’d already worked through some of the album together on FaceTime that morning.
And somehow, it had been easy.
Way too fucking easy.
Me: Send it over.
The three dots appeared again.
Wren Parker: Actually, I was thinking we could work on it in person.
I sat up.
In person?
Me: You want me to come to you?
Her reply came through almost immediately.
Wren Parker: No.
I frowned.
What the fuck?
Another message popped up.
Wren Parker: I want to come to you.
I about dropped my damn phone.
Come here?
As in here?
To the beach house?
Where my entire fucking family was currently staying?
Me: Here here?
Wren Parker: Is there another here?
Smartass.
Me: Wren, I’m at a beach house with my entire family.
Wren Parker: I know.
Of course she knew.
I’d told her that this morning.
Me: You still want to come?
There was a longer pause that time.
Then—
Wren Parker: If that’s okay.
Fuck.
I looked toward the house.
My family was in there.
All of them.
Mom.
Dad.
Emerson.
Luna.
Harmony.
Ryder.
Rose.
Tyler.
And everyone else who would lose their collective fucking minds the second Wren Parker walked through that door.
Then again...
I looked down at her message.
I wanted to see her.
That realization hit me harder than it probably should have.
Not FaceTime.
Not a little square on my phone.
Her.
Me: Yeah. Come here.
The dots appeared instantly.
Wren Parker: Yeah?
Me: Yeah.
A few seconds passed.
Wren Parker: Send me the address.
I stared at the message.
Holy fuck.
I stood.
Dad hadn’t even made it all the way inside yet.
“Dad.”
He turned around.
“What?”
I held up my phone.
“We might have a guest.”
His eyebrows pulled together. “Who?”
I swallowed.
“Wren.”
Dad just stared at me.
Yeah.
That was about the reaction I expected.
Plus, apparently she might be opening for them on the reunion tour.
What the fuck?
Dad went and told Mom.
Mom went into panic mode.
Oh, this was going to be a disaster.
I was so losing this job.
Thirty minutes later, a Tesla pulled into the drive.
I was fucking nervous.
Because this wasn’t Wren on FaceTime.
This was Wren in person.
At our beach house.
With my entire fucking family inside.
“You going to go out there?”
I jumped and looked over at Emerson.
“Jesus Christ.”
He laughed. “Nervous?”
“No.”
“You look nervous.”
“Fuck off.”
His grin widened.
Asshole.
I looked back through the window.
The driver’s door opened.
Wren stepped out.
And—
Fuck me.
Pictures didn’t do her justice.
FaceTime sure as hell didn’t either.
She had sunglasses pushed onto the top of her head, her hair falling around her shoulders.
She looked casual.
Normal.
Which was fucking weird considering she was Wren Parker.
“You should probably stop staring and go say hi,” Emerson said.
“I hate you.”
“Love you too.”
I opened the door before anyone else could say something.
The second I stepped outside, Wren looked up.
Her eyes found mine.
Then she smiled.
Fuck.
That smile was dangerous.
“Hey,” she called.
“Hey.”
Brilliant, Noah.
Absolutely fucking brilliant.
I walked toward her.
She shut the car door and looked past me at the massive beach house.
“So this is the famous family trip?”
I shoved my hands into my pockets. “Unfortunately.”
She laughed.
And somehow that helped.
A little.
“You found it okay?”
“Yeah.” She glanced toward the house again. “You weren’t kidding when you said everyone was here, were you?”
“Nope.”
“How many people are we talking?”
I thought about it.
“Do you want the real number or one that won’t make you get back in your car?”
Her eyes widened.
“Oh God.”
“Exactly.”
She laughed again.
Then the front door opened behind me.
Of course it fucking did.
“No No!”
I closed my eyes.
Marlow.
Wren looked around me just as my niece came running outside.
Harmony was a few steps behind her.
“Marlow,” Harmony called. “Slow down.”
Marlow ignored her.
Obviously.
She ran straight for me.
I bent down and caught her when she threw herself at my legs.
“Hey, bug.”
“Up.”
I picked her up.
Then remembered Wren Parker was standing three feet away watching the entire thing.
Her expression had changed.
Not much.
But enough that I noticed.
Her smile was softer.
Marlow finally noticed her too.
She stared at Wren.
Wren gave her a little wave. “Hi.”
Marlow immediately buried her face against my shoulder.
I laughed. “She’s usually not shy.”
“I don’t blame her. I’m a stranger.”
Harmony reached us.
Her eyes went to Wren.
Then me.
Then Wren again.
I knew that look.
I was going to hear about this shit later.
“Wren, this is my sister, Harmony. And this is Marlow.”
“Nice to meet you,” Wren said.
Harmony smiled. “You too.”
Then the door opened again.
Mom.
Fuck.
Here we go.
“Noah, are you going to make her stand outside all day?”
“I’ve been out here for like two minutes.”
Mom ignored me and smiled at Wren.
“Hi. I’m Andrea.”
Wren smiled back. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too. Come inside.”
I looked at Wren.
She looked at me.
“You ready?” I asked.
“For what?”
“My family.”
She glanced toward the house.
Then back at me.
“I’ve performed in front of twenty thousand people.”
I snorted.
“Yeah, well, you’ve never met the Kidds, Brimmers, Drakes, or Williams.”
She laughed and started toward the house.
Marlow lifted her head from my shoulder and watched her.
I followed behind them.
This was a terrible idea.
Wren Parker was about to walk into a house filled with my entire family.
She was possibly going on tour with them.
She’d driven here because she wanted my help with a song.
And I couldn’t stop thinking about how fucking beautiful she’d looked when she smiled at me.
Yep.
I was absolutely losing this job.
