Page 138 of Perfect Satisfaction

Sula drops to her knees and opens her arms.

The little boy crashes against her at the same time Brendan Blake fills the doorway. Pressing the heel of his hand against his heart, he drawls, “That kid moves faster than Dani when she’s pissed.”

“Brendan!” is shrieked from inside the dressing room. “Where is our child?”

“One guess?” His eyes haven’t left Sula to acknowledge me.

I wouldn’t interrupt anyway. This moment is like finding pieces of Sula I never knew existed.

Brendan’s son is chattering away. He twists and shoots a withering look at his father. Sula apparently makes the appropriate commiserating comment, because he helps her up from the floor and takes her hand. Dragging her over to his father, Max Blake announces, “Aunt Sula says I should have been able to keep the frog.”

Brendan aims a piercing glare down at his son. “Did you leave out the part where you put it down your sister’s shirt—while she was riding?”

Sula groans. “Max, you didn’t.

He scrubs his toe back and forth. “I mighta left that part out.”

“Uh-huh. Inside. You can apologize to Aunt Sula for your half-truth later.”

“Yes, sir.”

Now, it’s my turn to face the fierce protectiveness in Brendan Blake’s eyes. I hold out a hand and say, “Mr. Blake. I apologize if any of our past meetings—‍”

He knocks my hand out of the way. “Don’t give me that.”

Shit. This isn’t going to go well.I wait for whatever is thrown at me.

“Anybody—and I mean anybody—who can put the light back in my little sister’s eyes deserves at least a second chance.”

“B,” Sula whispers, overcome.

He tugs her close, kissing the top of her head. “Love you, Sula.”

“Love you too, B.” She pulls away and dabs at her eyes.

That’s when Dani shouts, “Are you planning on hanging out in the hallway or do I get my chance at him?”

Brendan rolls his eyes heavenward. “Right. Come get a beer. Let’s get to know one another without all this secrecy hanging over our heads.”

Mildly, like the idea doesn’t worry me in the least, I ask, “Is this before or after you find a rattler to bite me?”

“Not tonight, Ronan. My kids are here.”

Just then a little girl with blond curls and violet eyes prances up and declares, “Daddy, I have to go wee wee.”

Brendan throws his head back and laughs. With the aplomb of a television gameshow host, Brendan extends his arm as if showcasing a prize. “Welcome to backstage. Tell me, Mr. StellaNova, does this live up to what you expected?”

My eyes take in the scene. There’s a wet bar filled with juice packs, water bottles, and soda. And beside it is a buffet of everything from seafood, to fruit, to Ding Dongs, and corn chips.

Amid the chaos, Sula’s ensconced on the couch with Dani, Max cuddled up to her side. A baby is rocked in a bassinet by Danielle Madison’s long leg.

“I think it’s better than anything anyone could have imagined.”

He gives me a little shove so he can close the door behind us trapping all the inhabitants inside before scooping up his daughter. “Right answer.”

I’m holding my phone steady as I record Brendan and Beckett Miller practicing “Bloodlines,” the song the duo is about to debut onstage in just a few minutes. The ballad they wrote together about tugging on the right chord within yourself to find your personal strengthis going to knock the world on its ass.

I turn off the video when the last note is sung and the entire room starts wolf whistling. I wait until they both turn their attention to me before I say, “Thank you. I honestly didn’t expect anything like this.”