45. Nalini
Chapter forty-five
Nalini
By the time Cassidy and I got back from yoga, the photographers were gone. She’d looked at me strangely the entire drive back, and I was certain she had questions from things she’d overheard in the lobby.
“I was thinking of having a girls day,” I suggested as we got back inside the house, “Your Dad had to go to New York for some business, and he’s going to get back late. I’m thinking… pizza and makeovers?”
“Are you dating my Dad?” Cassidy blurted out, and I immediately sat down on the couch. “Yes,” I said, deciding it was better to tell the truth — even if the plan had been to wait for Kam to get back to tell her, “for about a month.”
“Finally!” she exclaimed, more excited than I expected, “Why didn’t you tell me? I gave Dad permission like forever ago! I tried to hang up mistletoe during Christmas to make you kiss, but Uncle Noah told me no. But you were already dating?”
“I wanted to take things slow, and we didn’t want to get your hopes up,” I admitted, “So, we decided to wait to tell you until we were ready.”
“Then why did you tell the internet first?” Cassidy demanded, “Like it’s all anyone at your yoga class could talk about. They didn’t even notice I was there listening!”
“Someone figured it out and decided to tell the internet before we wanted them to,” I explained, “And we’d already decided we were going to tell you today. Things just got crazy, and then your Dad had to leave, and we wanted to do it together. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out that way.”
“Well, that’s rude!” Cassidy scoffed, and I smiled. “People aren’t supposed to share other people’s lives on the internet! Dad tells me that all the time. And when I’m allowed to have social media, I don’t have to share anything I don’t want to.”
“And he’s right,” I nodded, “but you know how your Dad was in a band with your Uncles, right? And since the band was famous, a lot of people decide that famous people don’t get that kind of privacy.”
“Wait a second… Dad’s famous?!” Cassidy asked, shaking her head in shock, “Since when?”
“Since he was seventeen,” I laughed, acting like I was telling her a giant secret, “Before he ever met your mom.”
“But why?” she asked, grimacing at the idea, “He’s boring. And he’s my Dad!”
“Wait, you really didn’t know RaineFall was giant? Like,” I paused for a moment, trying to think of what musicians she’d know, “You know how Taylor Swift is super famous? They were almost as famous as her. Because he and your uncles are magic when they make music together.”
“Gross,” the girl whispered under her breath.
“I know; him being famous is my least favorite thing about him too,” I nodded, “But you’re really okay with us dating?”
“You make Dad happy,” Cassidy smiled, “And you’re cool and fun. And most importantly, you don’t pretend like I don’t exist. You’re not my Mom, and that’s okay. Everyone talks about how stepmoms ignore them or are mean, and I know you wouldn’t do that. We’d be a family instead!”
“Hey, we only started dating, and you’re already trying to promote me to Stepmom?” I laughed while she innocently shrugged.
“Everyone says your New Year’s Candle Wish comes true, and guess what I wished for,” Cassidy sing-songly teased me.
“Are you really sure Dad is famous?” she asked, changing the subject back.
Laughing, I pulled up one of their concert movies I knew was still streaming, despite the fact I'd never actually watched it. It proved my point to the girl, while also proving to me I was glad I hadn’t tried to stop Kam from living out this dream.
The camera might've focused more on Jack and Noah, but all I could see was Kam, playing his heart out and making musical magic.