“It’s me, Star,” Kylie said. Star never answered unknown calls with her own name. She was a bit of a nut, but a well-meaning one.

“Sweetie! How are you? How’s the tour? You will not believe what I saw in the news! Did you know—”

“Yep, I know,” Kylie said tiredly. “And I’m under a gag order not to talk about it. I need a favor. You know the boxes I have in your storage closet?”

“Yup. What’s up?”

“My nana’s vintage mink coat is in one of them. Can you eBay that for me and forward me the money?”

“Sec,” Star said, and put down the phone.

Kylie waited impatiently, twisting her finger in the curling phone cord. Star had an incredible eye for valuables, and could spot a dollar to be made at an estate sale. She could look at the coat and judge how much it was worth for her to sell. Hopefully it’d be enough.

Star returned a few minutes later. “All right, I took a look at it. Definitely vintage—at least eighty years old. Which is good because people like fur, but they don’t like recently dead fur, if you know what I mean. Apparently it’s okay if it died a hundred years ago, but not ten. Go figure. And the sizing is good, which means I can sell it. You know some of that vintage stuff is teeny tiny. I can probably get one or one point five grand for it on auction. You want me to advance you?”

They’d done this dance before, and at this point, Star didn’t even ask why. Kylie could have kissed Star’s crystal-rubbing horoscope-loving self. “Yes, please. One thousand should get me home.”

“Can do, baby doll. You sound upset. You okay?”

Kylie smiled, fighting back tears. “Just having a rough week.”

“Save all that for next week, honey! Mercury’s not in retrograde until then.”

“Got it. Just send the money, okay?”

They made payment arrangements and Kylie thanked Star profusely. Star was a bit of an eccentric, but a loyal and dependable one, and Kylie adored her for it. She called the nursing home next, and let them know that her next payment would be somewhat delayed, but she was making arrangements and if they could please just charge her a premium late fee until everything was settled, that would be wonderful.

She winced at the new monthly dollar amount quoted to her, but had no choice but to agree to it. She couldn’t have her nana on the street, no matter how much it cost to keep her in the home. She’d luck into a job at some point. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

When all the arrangements were made, her flight booked, her nana handled, Kylie sat for a moment on the edge of the bed and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying hard not to cry. Everything felt so overwhelming at the moment.

It would be so easy to go to Cade, whine to him about her troubles, and let him fix it. Let him fling some money at it and make it go away.

And . . . then what? Be indebted to him? Wait for him to throw her a bone? Constantly be anxious about money and how much she owes him and how she’d pay him back? Wonder if he’s going to get tired of having to clean up her messes and send her packing?

She’d been there before. And it was awful.

Never again. She’d just have to suck it up and figure out other ways to make things work. And if they didn’t involve Cade, so be it. The timing was all wrong. She swiped at her eyes, hating the decision she was going to make, but knowing she was going to do it anyhow.

Still, she was unprepared when she opened the door to her hotel room, and Cade stood there, tired and rumpled and smiling at the sight of her.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he said. “Can I come in?”

And she hesitated all over again. More than anything, she wanted to throw herself into his arms. To say, Yes, please hold me, Cade, and make it better for me. Instead, she shook her head. “I need to get to the airport.”

His face fell. “What? Kylie, why?”

“I’m going home.” The words were strained, hard to get out around the knot in her throat.

Cade blocked the door, not letting her pass. “I don’t understand. I thought we were good. I thought—last night, when I held you—”

She shook her head. “We can’t be good, Cade.” I have the threat of a lawsuit hanging over my head and the timing’s all wrong and I don’t want to come to you as a burden.

“Why not?”

“Because we’re fucking everyone over by trying to be together,” she snapped. “You choosing me publicly made Daphne go off the deep end.”

His face grew red with anger. “We’re not to blame for Daphne’s actions—”