Page 16 of Edge of Heaven

We work on the figurines one at a time until they’re all built and then Toby leans back, clutching one tiny figure in his hand.

“I’m tired,” he says.

“You sure?” I tease. “Because we still have to look at your schoolwork.”

He sighs dramatically, and I bite back my smile.

“Fine.” He sits up again and gives me the side eye. “I hate fractions.”

“No problem.” I put the now-empty Lego box on the counter while he gathers his schoolwork. He was a straight A student last year. Before the leukemia came back. Before all of our lives went into a tailspin.

I was saving money, planning to move back to L.A. and focus on my career.

I’ve wanted to get custody of Toby for a long time, but I don’t have a stable income. Or enough money to get a place for us. It would be cheaper to live somewhere other than L.A., but then we wouldn’t be near my mother, and I’d need her for emergencies or when I have to go out of town for modeling jobs.

My life has been a string of bad luck, and sometimes it’s hard to put one foot in front of the other.

This is different, though.

I’ll do whatever it takes for my son.

And I have a plan.

Or at least the beginning of one.

I’ve had to use some of my savings to fly back and forth to L.A., but I’ve also made just enough to cover those costs. And if I can get more work going forward, before I leave Callum, then it might get the modeling ball rolling for me. I’ll move in with my mom short-term and make sure my agent knows I’ll take any work that comes my way.

Toby’s just opened his math book when I see my agent’s name flash on the screen of my phone, and I answer quickly.

“Hey, Diane.”

“Guess what?” she asks breathlessly.

“What?”

“Rock Vibe wants you to do another shoot for them.” Rock Vibe is the clothing line I did the shoot for when I met Mick.

“When?” I ask carefully. “I’m already pretty booked while I’m here and I have to get back to… my boyfriend.”

“They want you to go to the casting call Thursday, but the shoot itself won’t be for another month, in New York.”

“Okay,” I say. “Send me the specifics.”

“Will do. And Taryn—Now that you’ve given me the green light, there’s a lot of interest in you. Just tell me how busy you want me to keep you.”

I hesitate.

Callum will hate the idea of me being gone more than one week a month and I have to manage that—and him—for nearly six more months.

“I guess it’ll have to be on a case-by-case basis,” I admit. “My son needs me and there are a few things I have to take care of over the next few months.”

She sighs. “Do you want me to find you work or not? You can’t keep saying no and expect people to keep reaching out.”

“I know. Believe me, I know.” I clear my throat. “It’s just…I have some responsibilities that I can’t get out of, but they’ll be taken care of within the next five or six months. Please don’t give up on me. I’m working on it. I promise.”

“All right. We’ll figure it out.”

“Thank you.”

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