22. Twenty-Two

Twenty-Two

Cass

Another performance, another town. The morning light filters in through the large windows of the penthouse. I walk over to the balcony and slide open the glass door. The hum of the city below serves as a backdrop for my restless thoughts.

I’ve got the balcony all to myself as Kendrick and Cassidy are still asleep. My rambling thoughts have me up and pacing way too early. For a moment, I pretend my life is simple–just us, sharing laughter and moments that don’t feel staged for an audience. I lean against the railing, looking down at the city streets below.

The sound of the door sliding open makes me glance over my shoulder. I see Kendrick, her hair mussed and a sleepy smile on her face. “Couldn’t sleep?” she asks, sliding closer.

Nodding, I suddenly know that this is what I want. Her. A life with Kendrick and my daughter… but I also want to continue to make music. That has always been and always will be important to me.

“Hey, beautiful,” I murmur softly as I wrap my arm around her, pulling the warmth of her body close against my side.

Kendrick’s arms go around my middle as she rests her head against my shoulder, her gaze on the view before us.

“I can’t believe you’re up so early. Shouldn’t you be resting?” She questions softly as I feel her fingers caress the back of my neck.

With a shrug, I reply, “I was awake. So, I came out here so I wouldn’t disturb you.”

“Your absence in the bed is what woke me up,” she admits as she turns her head, softly brushing my shoulder with her lips in a chaste kiss.

It makes me smile as I remember all the other times, in the past and in the last couple of weeks, that Kendrick would show her affection for me with a simple kiss. In public or in private, she will sometimes lean in and kiss my cheek, my arm, my shoulder–whatever is closest. It’s her way of naturally showing she cares. I didn’t even know how much I missed it until just now.

I lean down and place an equally soft kiss on her hair, and she turns away from the view to smile up at me.

“Want to go back to bed?” she asks sleepily on a yawn. Grinning, I turn, and we walk back into our room.

Later, we’re just finishing breakfast via room service when there’s a knock on the door, and Derrick comes crashing in, bringing reality with him.

I know what’s coming—my six-month schedule packed with performances and appearances, all planned before Kendrick and Cassidy reentered my life. Now, it’s all feeling a little too suffocating.

Steeling myself, I say drily, “Good morning, Derrick. Would you care to join us?”

“Cass!” His tone is way too chipper for this early in the morning. “As you know, last night’s performance was fantastic. So, listen—I’ve got some incredible updates. Looks like we can book that three-city sweep in Europe we talked about. The fans are screaming for it. And there’s a spot on a late-night show in L.A. right after that. Great promotion.”

“Hold on,” I say, interrupting him. I push back from the table and motion toward the balcony. “We can talk out here.” I step outside and take a seat, keeping my tone calm even as tension tightens my chest. Derrick follows, crossing his arms and giving me an impatient look.

In a steady but firm voice, I state, “I don’t like the proposed schedule. I told you I wanted to slow down and scale back a bit. I want time to focus on my family.”

Derrick’s silence stretches, his undisguised outrage written across his face like a brewing storm. Finally, he clears his throat, his tone now sharp and almost dangerous sounding. “I thought you’d reconsider. “Cass, you’re at the peak of your career. Pulling back now? It’s career suicide. Do you know how many artists would kill for this kind of demand?”

“And how many of them have a twelve-year-old daughter and a woman worth making time for?” I challenge, leaning back in my chair. “I’m not walking away completely. But I need balance. Find a way to make this work.”

Derrick groans, and I watch as he rubs his temples in angry frustration. “Look, Cass. You’re the Cass Wild. That name means something, and it demands commitment. Cutting back will negatively impact your popularity.“ His voice rising to almost a shout.

I exhale, feeling my patience wearing thin. “I’m done with the heavy schedules, Derrick. I want Kendrick and Cassidy with me. Figure something out, or cancel some performances.”

Derrick grits his teeth, visibly holding back his anger. “Alright. Let’s say we scale back—fewer stops, a more spread-out schedule. But even then, taking a kid on tour is a logistical nightmare,” he states, his voice rising.

At that moment, the door slides open, and Sam strolls out. “What’s all the yelling about?” he asks, leaning casually against the wall.

I glance at him with a nod before turning back to my manager. “Derrick,” I say, keeping my voice level, “Find a solution that keeps me on tour but on my terms. Maybe a more controlled setup so my family can join me without exposing Cassidy to craziness.”

Derrick’s voice drips with sarcasm. “What are you thinking, a tour bus tricked out with bunk beds and a snack bar?”

Sam raises an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Actually,” he chimes in, “why not? We could get a customized tour bus—a private space just for Cass and his family. Their own bus, completely separated from the rest of the band and crew. We could make it kid-friendly.”

There’s a tense pause as Derrick processes this. “A private tour bus? You realize this isn’t going to be cheap or simple, right?”

“Since when has anything in this industry been simple?” I shoot back.

Derrick sighs, clearly against the idea but seeing my determination. “Fine. I’ll look into it. But Cass, this will change things. You’ll risk your image.”

“Not my image—your version of it,” I reply sharply. “I’m adjusting my career around what’s important.”

The door slides open, and I look up to see Kendrick standing there, looking at me and only me with a soft smile. Her presence alone feels like a breath of fresh air in the middle of this tense conversation.

“Let’s pick this up later,” I say firmly, ending the conversation before Derrick has a chance to protest further.

“Fine,” Derrick mumbles harshly as he frowns resentfully at Kendrick. He stomps to the door, muttering under his breath, and lets himself out.

The moment the door shuts, I reach for Kendrick, pulling her close. Feeling her body pressed against me, her steady heartbeat—it’s everything I need to ground me right now. I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, then her lips—a gesture as natural as breathing

When I pull back, she’s looking up at me, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. “You sounded serious,” she says, her voice gentle.

“I am. I’m rethinking my priorities,” I murmur, rubbing my thumb along her hand. “Derrick only cares about my image and the bottom line. He’s worried about me losing my fanbase.”

She shakes her head with a slight laugh. “I don’t think any of your genuine fans would turn their back on you or your music.”

Sam, who’s been watching us with amused approval, gives a low chuckle. “If anything, I’d say a family might make you more relatable. Rock stars who have a bit of humanity left? That’s worth more than any image Derrick wants to sell.” He gives me a direct look. “Don’t worry about the band, Cass. All of us guys are fine with whatever you decide. Luke, Nate, hell. even Vince is with you on this.”

“Thank you, Sam,” I say, feeling a surge of gratitude toward him for understanding. “I don’t want to hurt the brand. But this is about finding balance in my life.”

Kendrick’s eyes hold mine, her gaze filled with an understanding that runs deep. “I don’t want Cassidy and I to be the reason you give up on your dreams, Cass.”

I pull her in tighter, unwilling to let her doubt my choice. “My dreams changed when I learned about Cassidy, and you came back into my life. This—us—is what I’ve been searching for all along. I’m just adjusting my career around what’s important to me.”

Sam clears his throat, and I can’t help but grin at his mock discomfort. “Right, well, I’ll give you two a moment–or three,” he says with a wink, stepping through the glass sliding door to give us some privacy.

Once he’s gone, Kendrick smiles at me, her hand resting gently on my chest. “Cass, I just… I don’t want to jeopardize your career or your fame. I know it won’t be easy, shifting things around to make room for us.”

I tilt her chin up, looking deep into her eyes. “It’s the easiest choice I’ve ever made,” I whisper before leaning down to kiss her, slow and deep, wanting to erase any doubt from her mind.

Just then, Cassidy yanks open the sliding door, her face lighting up when she sees us. “Mom! Dad! Guess what? Sam invited me to go to the sound studio tomorrow. He said maybe I could record my song as a demo this time!”

A huge grin covers my face, and I reach out, giving my daughter a triumphant fist-bump. “That’s great, Cassidy. You like learning the ins and outs of the music industry, don’t you?”

“Yes.” She nods enthusiastically before looking up at me with a hesitant smile. “Dad, do you think it’s a good idea for me to cut a demo?”

I give her a proud grin. “Absolutely, sweetheart.”

Cassidy glances at Kendrick. “Mom? What about all those songs you’ve written?”

Surprised, I look at Kendrick. “You’ve been writing songs?”

Kendrick looks a bit uncomfortable before shrugging. “Yeah, it helped–writing down my feelings.”

“Do you want to perform again?” I ask.

She shakes her head quickly. “No, I like singing, but I think we have enough performers in the family.”

Cassidy chimes in, “I told Mom she should sell them – to a female singer. They wouldn’t work for a man.”

I nod. “I see. Well, let me know if you want me to help...”

“No, thank you, Cass,” Kendrick interrupts firmly. Cassidy rolls her eyes at her mother’s response.

Cassidy then turns to me. “Would you… would you maybe perform with me at the studio?” she asks with a half-pleading, half-hopeful look in her big gray eyes.

Walking over to her, I wrap her in a warm, loving hug. “I can’t think of anything I’d enjoy more than singing and playing the guitar with you,” I tell her truthfully, my voice husky with emotion.

Cassidy returns my hug with a huge smile. Obviously thrilled at my response and the prospect of being professionally recorded, she turns as I let her go. She practically floats out of the room, her head in the clouds, leaving us alone again.

When I look back at Kendrick, I can see a new softness in her gaze that makes my heart skip a beat. “She’s delighted,” she says quietly. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her this content and happy.”

“Our daughter’s happy, and so am I,” I reply, leaning down for another kiss. This time, it’s slower, deeper, a promise of everything I want to give her and Cassidy. And for once, I’m not thinking about the demands of my manager, the crowd, the flashing lights, or anyone’s expectations. Instead, I’m just thinking about her–Kendrick and the life we’re building together.