Page 52 of In This Together

‘Is anyone having dessert?’ a waiter asked as he cleared their plates.

‘Oh, let’s take a peek,’ Hannah said, glancing to Andrea, who seemed to subtly give the green light to Hannah in her PA capacity.

‘So, Andi,’ Rosalie began, taking the dessert menu that was handed to her. ‘Tell me about you seeing Tommy Dawson again.’

‘Hannah should learn to hold her water. And I’m notseeingTommy. I have never beenseeingTommy. He’s hardly the kind of man someone has a relationship with.’

‘Permission to rephrase?’ Rosalie asked, setting down her menu and deciding against dessert for the sake of her waistline, no matter how much she wanted one. ‘So, Andi, Hannah tells me you had a night of romping Tommy Dawson.’

With clear reluctance, Andrea laughed with them. ‘If you must know, it was one extremely long, hot, spine-tinglingly great night. And then it was done.’

‘Oh, tease. Tell me more,’ Rosalie said.

Andrea smiled and, if Rosalie hadn’t known her better, she might have even thought she blushed. ‘There’s nothing more to tell. Tommy and I get each other. But we understand each other for a few hours at a time. He’s not the kind of guy who settles down. Despite what he says about turning over new leaves.’

‘But would you want to… if he did?’ Rosalie probed.

‘God, no. The timing would be awful.’

‘Really? How so?’ Rosalie suspected the timing would be just fine, which meant Andrea would never risk going for it, in case it actually worked out.

‘Ah… well, I… erm… with the promotion. Work is so busy,’ Andrea fumbled.

‘But work will always be busy, won’t it?’ Rosalie asked. ‘I mean, look at Daddy. He’s so hardworking but he manages to be a great husband and father too. You can find a balance, like Daddy has.’

Andrea fiddled with her water glass, seemingly unconvinced, though Rosalie could understand that. Her father was an incredible man, and probably most men in his position – CEO of XM Music Group – wouldn’t have the best of every world. They’d probably be divorced or cheating or doing neither of those things but underperforming at work.

‘But, Andi, Tommy was so sweet at the Presley John concert,’ Rosalie pressed. ‘He kept asking about you.’

‘He did?’ Andrea asked.

‘He did,’ Rosalie and Hannah said in unison.

‘Plus,’ Rosalie said, ‘correct me if I’m wrong here but hasn’t it been, like, a reeeeally long time since you’ve been with a man?’

Andrea’s eyes shot wide. Oh, she could be a prude.‘And, on that note, we need to settle the check and get back to the office.’

Once lunch had been called to an abrupt end, Rosalie decided to walk to Sanfia Records. Her job was now twofold. One, she had to learn everything she could about the indie music scene. Two, she was going to make it her mission to find out just how bad things were between Sofia and Jay and report back to her big sister. Rosalie wouldn’t sit back and let Sofia suffer.

* * *

By the time she had reached Sanfia Records, Rosalie’s feet were red and swollen, her skin was flushed and her hair had lost its bounce. Why on earth had she decided to walk?

Stepping inside the studio, she took a moment to compose herself, slipping her feet from her heels one at a time and wiggling her toes before replacing her feet in her shoes.

As she tangle-teased her long locks, she overheard who she thought was Jimmy, speaking with Sofia in the studio office along the corridor.

‘What happened to your eye?’ Jimmy snapped.

‘We had an accident. Spilled milk,’ Sofia told him. ‘Really, Dad. The milk carton spilled. Jay and I both bent to clean it up at the same time and we… I don’t know, clashed somehow. It looks worse because it’s on the bone.’

Rosalie tiptoed closer to the office door. After a pause, Jimmy spoke softly.

‘I want you to promise me one thing, Sofia. If there’s ever something you feel like you can’t get out of, you tell me. All right?’

‘Dad, it’s a milk injury, that’s all,’ she snapped.

‘Life doesn’t give us points for being a martyr, Sofia. Some things, some people, they can’t be fixed.’

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