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“Her manager.”

I shrugged him off. “You’re treating her like a child, so it’s pretty much the same thing.”

“Look, I was only giving you a heads up.”

“And trying to scare me away.” No doubt he was more concerned about her public image than anything else.

>

“I’ve looked into this place and I’ve done my research on you,” he said, lowering his voice so no one would overhear.

“You’re barely making ends meet, but if you agree to cut things off and let her down gently, then I might be able to help.”

I scoffed at that. “No thanks. I can manage just fine without you and your handouts.” And I’ll never hurt Cassidy like that.

She’d already been through so much. If her manager knew the pain she was in, then maybe… No. He probably wouldn’t care at all. Her manager was more interested in his bottom line. Cassidy was an asset to him, that’s all.

I figured that was the case before, but now that I’d met the guy, I hated him even more.

He opened up his wallet and put his card on the counter. “In case you change your mind.”

I picked up the card and immediately tossed it in the trash.

“I won’t.”

His face darkened, but whatever came to mind he kept to himself. Annoyed, he turned on his heels and left, practically knocking over my sister who’d walked in as we were arguing.

“What was that all about?” my sister asked, gesturing back the way Cassidy’s manager had gone.

“A bad deal,” I said, watching him go as Cassidy continued to fill the front of the shop with music. “What are you doing here?” I asked, looking back at my sister once she joined me behind the counter. “You never visit the shop.”

“Same reason as everyone else, I suppose,” she said with a shrug, removing her coat before folding it behind the counter.

“Man, this place hasn’t changed.”

“The front window and lounge have changed a tiny bit.”

Which was something she’d know if she ever cared to visit. I fought back my temper, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “It’s something Dad had always wanted—the gold lettering.”

Bridget smiled at that, then turned her attention to Cassidy who’d moved on to another song. “You remember that one time we planned to see her on tour?”

How could I forget? “This is almost as good,” I said, fondly thinking back to when my sister and I used to hang out all the time.

She nodded in agreement, leaning her head on my shoulder as we both swayed back and forth to the music. “We should take her out to dinner.”

“We?” I almost choked on my own spit.

Bridget stopped swaying and looked right at me. “Sure. I saw how short her manager got with you. You could barely get in a word. Now, I have no idea what that was about, but you know I’m great at reading people.”

“And?” Not usually one for my sister’s input, I had to admit I was curious.

“He’s clearly worried about her image or how she’s perceived, but if the three of us go out together…” She trailed off, smiling as she did.

“It would make her time in the shop less suspicious,” I finished for her.

“And it’s not like I wouldn’t benefit from it. It isn’t every day you get to hang out with Cassidy Blake. Well, most of us, anyway.” She passed me a sly smile before mouthing the words to the song.

“I’ll see what she says once everyone else has gone,” I promised, bobbing my head to the music as I finished reading over the updated inventory.