Page 103 of Now Their Starlet

“Yeah,” she swallows hard before glancing up at Edison. “Please—please don’t take offense to this. I just—just need to hear that there’s not some secret way I could fuck up and have you change your mind about being such a nice Dad to me.”

“Oh, Andi,” Edison says, his brows drawing down. He reaches out, his hand trembling as he gently pats her on the head. “There’s nothing you could ever say or do that would make me stop loving you. And my love for you will always be the kind that looks like championing for what you want. I will be honest and say that as your father, there are certain things I wish for you—in order for you to have a happy life—but you have a good head on your shoulders, I will support whatever you choose.”

Andi swallows hard, nodding slowly.

“What kind of things do you wish for?” she asks softly.

“Well, selfishly, I love that you have an interest in film and video editing; I’d love it if you wanted to continue that passion,” he says, offering her a reassuring smile.

“That’s a good thing, though. Are there any not-good things you want?” She shakes her head. “Sorry, I’m not making any sense.”

“No, I understand you.” Edison pauses, seemingly thinking for a few moments. “I don’t mean to be presumptuous at all. I don’t know what happened between you and that ex-boyfriend of yours when your mother held your conservatorship, but I hope that you won’t include him in your pack. You... deserve better than someone who has the ability to hurt you like he did.”

My thumb brushes reassuring circles on the back of her hand when I feel her stiffen beside me at the mention of Ezra.

“Oh, he and I are done. He—he was just being helpful when I was stuck and alone. But... I agree. We’re on the same page,” she says, biting the inside of her cheek. “I guess we’re on the same page for a lot of things, then.”

“It certainly looks like it,” Edison says with a soft smile.

“I was kind of hoping your list of things you didn’t want me to do would be long enough for me to figure out what I wanted to do,” Andi says with a soft huff. “Gina’s list of things not to do was definitely long enough for that.”

“I may have a suggestion,” I murmur softly.

“Yeah?” she says, blinking up at me with a look of open relief.

I don’t know if I deserve that, but I like her looking at me like that. Like she’s looking at me for something. Like I have something to offer her.

“Remember Everett’s deal when it came to landing that first interview with Beck? The Omegas of Hollywood, Docuseries?”

“I do,” she nods.

“I think you have an incredibly powerful story, Andi,” I murmur, squeezing her hand. “I would love to work with you on a project about your journey. Edison and I were talking... and he has a lot of footage from when you were a kid. There’s a big gap in footage from the years your mother took you away and when you started filming your own vlogs, but I think with your creativity, we could tell your story in a really unique way. A mosaic of your life, captured on film, you know?”

I’ve pitched my ideas to plenty of people over the years. People with far more money and influence than Andi, but I find myself caring significantly more about her answer than any green light from some higher-up at the news outlets I’ve worked for in the past.

“You’re—you’re wrong,” she says, blinking at me.

I wince at her words. Shit, what part did I get wrong? Maybe I should’ve taken this more seriously and come up with a more coherent pitch to her.

“Sorry, wrong about what?” I ask.

“There’s not a big gap in footage. The Real Omegas of Beverly Hills has footage of me growing up in those years between everything,” she says, tapping her finger against her lips. “This is—this is a really cool idea, though! Are you sure you want me working with you?”

“Of course,” I say, my shoulders slumping forward with relief. “You could’ve led with that, though.”

“What, and miss the opportunity to watch you sweat a little?” she giggles.

The sound is light and airy in a way that lights me up far more than the iced americano I’m drinking right now.

“No wonder Everett calls you a brat.”

“Dude!” she hisses, smacking me on the arm. “My dad is sitting right here!”

“Whoops, sorry about that, Edison,” I say, reaching up and rubbing the back of my neck with my free hand.

“Don’t worry about me,” he says with a chuckle and an off-handed wave. “I was young once, too.”

“Dad! Too soon! Actually, not too soon! I don’t know if I ever want to hear about that kinda stuff from you,” Andi laughs.