I smile. If wanting them to see the magic of Sami was the only thing I have on the line, I’d be grinning like a maniac. But ever since the meeting with Big Time on Wednesday night, an idea has been growing, one that feels risky but right. I’m about to lay it all out for my dad when a whirlwind of pink and purple flies from the artists’ area and cannonballs into my arms.
I gather Sami up, holding her against me, and feeling the energy still pulsing through her body. “You were incredible, babe,” I tell her.
She pushes against me until I let her down and grins up at me. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. But bad news,” I say, still grinning.
Her eyes narrow. “What is it?”
“You’re going to have to choose between two record deals. Bat Bridge wants to sign you.”
She pushes her mask up, her eyes wide. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“YEAH!” she shouts, and runs back toward the artists’ section, probably to tell the rest of the band. Halfway there, she runs back, flings her arms around my grandfather’s waist and yells, “Hey, Grampa Jim.” Then she rushes over to my parents, tiptoes to plant a kiss on each of their cheeks, and disappears again.
I grin as I watch her go, but her mom catches her before she makes it past the rope again and sweeps her into a giant hug. Guess her mom is a believer too now.
I turn back to my parents. “You were saying you have concerns.” My dad nods and starts to speak, but I hold up a hand. “Wait. I want to say something, and it’s not going to make you feel any better.”
My mom’s smile fades, and my dad gives me a slight frown.
“I’ve really enjoyed working at the firm, but—”
“Hey, Josh,” Marisol says, stopping to shake my hand as my dad’s frown deepens. “You’re a hell of a negotiator. Look forward to sparring with you soon.”
“Same,” I say as she waves and makes her way over to the band.
“You were saying?” my dad prompts me.
“I enjoy working at the firm, and I learned a lot from the cases I’ve been on, but . . .”
His mouth tightens, and my mom looks worried. “But what?” she asks.
“But I’ve been learning a lot about entertainment law, specifically the music industry lately. It’s fascinating, and there are plenty of artists right here in Austin who need someone watching their back.” I’d heard enough stories from Luther about bands who had signed all their rights away, too excited about getting a deal to ask tough questions. I take a steadying breath. “So anyway, that’s what I want to do. Entertainment law.”
My dad’s face doesn’t soften. “So you’ve found a different firm?”
I shake my head. “No. That’s the thing. Sami’s told me more than once that I’m entitled, and maybe that’s how this will sound, but I want it all. I want to date SamiandI want you to like her. I want to practice entertainment lawandI want to stay with the firm.” I hesitate, then spit it out. “I’d like to open an entertainment division at Brower and Moore. At first, it’ll just be me, and it’ll just be music, but Austin has a huge film industry too, and I’d like to expand in that direction as quickly as possible.”
My dad gives me a long look, his face inscrutable, before turning to Gramps and exchanging looks with him. Gramps’s expression doesn’t give anything away either.
“Let me get this straight,” my dad says, turning back to me. “You want to stay with the firm but practice whatever law you think is interesting? And make a whole division out of it?”
“Basically.” When he doesn’t say anything, I add quietly, “I’m hungry for this, Dad.”
Something flickers in his eyes, and my mom slides her hand through his. “Josh?” he says, a twitch of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Yes, sir?”
“You start Monday.”
Gramps chuckles and Mom pulls me into a hug. “We like her, Josh. Sami is good for you.”
Then my dad takes his turn. “Proud of you, son.” We stay in the hug for several long moments, and I swear I hear him sniffle before he pulls away.
“Your Sami is something,” Gramps says. “She made me promise to stick to your parents like white on rice so I could make sure they could hear you talking business with the record people. Sent me pictures of the executives so I knew who to keep an eye out for.”
