Page 132 of Perfect Composition

“Damn right, you are.” Angie’s voice is filled with awe. “StellaNova has Paige’s statement word for word. Are you certain you didn’t do a stint in PR?”

“Right? I was hooting as E! streamed it live,” Carys declares triumphantly.

“Mama? What did you say?” Austyn asks in confusion

“You’d have been proud of your mother, honey,” I murmur into the top of her head.

“That’s where you’re a bit off, Dad. I always have been.” Austyn lets me go to hug her mother hard.

It’s then Paige bursts into tears. I reach down and wipe them away. “Baby, why are you crying now?”

Just then, David walks into the office. His feet come to a complete standstill. “Oh, God. You heard the news about Erzulie.”

And the tension that had left all of us refills the room. “What happened to Erzulie?” Carys panics.

David quickly explains. “I don’t think the media has it yet.”

“They wouldn’t after Paige’s declaration.” Carys races to her office.

I pull out my cell and call down to the security team, ordering them to Erzulie immediately. I snap, “No, I won’t leave the fucking premises. Just go get her to a hospital, Kane. I’ll clear it with Colby.”

Paige tips her head back and presses a kiss to my chin. “You’re a good man.”

“I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to either of you.” I turn to our daughter. “You’re getting permanent security.” Just as Austyn starts to protest, I hold up a hand to silence her. “Don’t argue. Not right now. Please.”

One heartbeat. Two. Then Austyn relents.

“Whatever it takes,” she readily agrees.

Then Paige lightens the burden on my soul when she murmurs, “Maybe a boy this time around.”

Later that night, Carys texts me.Look up the hashtagI created for Paige.

Groaning, I pull out my phone.

“What’s wrong now?” Paige demands as she makes dinner for the three of us.

“Nothing. I hope.” I type in the tag into my search engine. I then sit down to read.

#DrPaigeMD, you’re my new #hero

No one should be ashamed #DrPaigeMD #hero #lifegoals

Way to go, Paige! #DrPaigeMD

Not your business. Leave them alone. #beckettmiller #Kensington #DrPaigeMD

Over and over, I read pages of support from fans and critics of mine in the industry supporting Paige. I’m still reeling from it when I feel her fingers sift through my hair. “Come on. Dinner’s ready. This can wait until later.”

Then she turns and heads back to the kitchen, where she cracks a joke with our daughter about burning the perfectly golden grilled cheese.

And my hand cups the ink around my neck. I’m a lucky bastard and not because of the things around me but because of the people who surround me.

Huh. Quickly, I pull out my phone and jot the line down. That might make a good song. I’ll work on it when Paige and I get back from our honeymoon.

When I go to toss my iPad on the table, a final alert pops in that has me calling out to Paige. “Honey, the news about Erzulie just broke.”

Paige pops out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Then we’ll be her support, the same way everyone was there for us. But there’s nothing you can do tonight, Beckett—as much as I know you want to.”

“Yeah,” I agree, but I’ve done all I can.

For the moment.

Erzulie—always believed to be folk-award-winning singing sensation Kylie Miles—was proven this evening to be her identical twin sister, Leanne, when she was rushed to the emergency room.

Leanne isn’t available for comment.

— StellaNova