Page 68 of High Note

Kirsten wiped her hands on her good jeans, the dark wash ones with no holes in them. She was going to meet Skyla’s manager. They were going to the steakhouse at the ski lodge.

She’d never even seen the inside of that place. It was nuts.

She breathed in, then out, waiting for Reba and Skyla to get back from Reba’s potty break.

She checked her hair, smoothed her shirt down, and checked her boots.

Okay. Okay, she looked as good as she was going to get. She was who she was.

“Hey. Whew! It’s cold. Do we need to Uber up the mountain?”

“Nah. They keep the road really clean.”

“Okay.” Skyla stopped to stare at her. “Oh, honey, you look amazing.”

“Yeah?” All right, that felt damn fine. “You mean it?”

“Hell, yes.” Skyla came to put both hands on her hips, then went up on tiptoe to kiss her. “I love it. Let me just fix my hair and put on some mascara. Be right back.” She got another kiss before Skyla ran for the bathroom.

She waited on the sofa, loving on Reba, telling herself that this was going to be amazing. That this was the next first step in being accepted in Skyla’s life.

Meeting the band had been…less than stellar.

Oh, Brenda was faultlessly nice to her, and she’d made her peace with Andi and Michelle, but—Yeah. Some of the others seemed to think she was out to get whatever she could.

It wasn’t that—she didn’t have to be a member of the band. She didn’t have to go on the road. She just wanted to be a part of Skyla’s life.

She wanted to be who Skyla came home to.

“Okay! Ready.” Skyla was texting as she came out of the bathroom. “I’m just letting Peach know we’re on our way.”

Oh, didn’t Skyla look cute in her heavy tights and thick sweater dress in a pale blue that made her eyes shine? She was so damn fine. Kirsten took her hand.

“I’m ready too.”

“Good. Peach is so easy, honey. You’re going to love her.”

“I’m sure of it. I just want her to like me, you know?” She wanted to be a good thing, not a hassle.

“She will. What’s not to like, honey?” They bundled up and headed out, the night clear and vicious cold.

“Excellent question.” Sort of.

Okay, know what? That was not the way to think. No way. She was strong, talented, friendly, and she loved Skyla, dammit.

“Stop worrying.” Skyla walked her to the car before letting go.

They headed up the mountain to the ski lodge, the driving technical enough that she had no time to worry.

“God, this is beautiful, babe,” Skyla sighed.

“Wait ’til you see it next Christmas.”

“Yeah? Is it so cool?”

Kirsten grinned. “Greenery and twinkling lights. Downtown does up all the decoration. Wraps the trees. Hangs those weird tinsel things from the light posts. Last year it was gnomes.”

“Oh, wow…”

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