"How does this look?"

I spun around in circles until I made myself dizzy.

"Pretty girl, you look stunning. They won't know what hit them. You are going to kill it today." Sven said through the speaker on my laptop. 

I chewed on my lip as I looked at myself in the little box on the screen. My ass looked enormous in the high-waisted black shorts that tied up the side. At least the little simple white half-shirt was cute with the little black suspenders over top of it.

Cameron took me shopping and helped me pick out the outfit. I should have never trusted him when it came to fashion. He would tell me I looked good in a potato sack.

"You are hot, but that looks even better," Stells pointed behind me. "Sorry Jessa, I think you just got upstaged."

I could see Cameron strut across the screen behind me in this birthday suit. I could even see the little dimple in his ass cheek as his muscles moved across the screen. 

You had to love high-definition technology. 

"Cameron!" I giggled and covered the camera on the laptop. I turned him around and waved him away from the computer.

"What?" He asked. For such an intelligent guy, he was slow sometimes.  He studied my hand covering the top of my laptop screen and started blushing immediately.  "Oh, I forgot. Oops."

He performed a quick little jog back away from the screen to go grab his clothes.

"No, wait. Come back. I want to see the goods." Stells whined. 

"Late for work." He hollered back as he hurried to get dressed.

I shook my head as I stared at the screen. Stells was still drooling as she searched for him behind me.

"What time is your meeting with the label?" Sven asked.

"At noon. Link arranged a car to come get my parents and me to bring us to the studio. It should be here any minute. The label flew a representative and two lawyers in last night." I swallowed and looked over at Cam. He was trying to pretend not to listen in, but I knew he couldn't help himself. I had been too big of a chicken to give him much information about what was going to happen today.

Cameron had been a little on edge about my secrecy, but he was playing the perfect supporting man role and letting me handle the business side of my career. I knew he wanted more than anything to be by my side today but couldn't because he had to work. 

Having him sit this one out was a bit of a relief for me.  All eyes were going to be on me this afternoon and having his added in the mix would only make it that much harder.  Cameron and I needed to get through this together in our own way without everyone jumping in offering their advice. 

The only guidance I wanted right now was from Puddles' blubbery butt.  He was sitting next to the computer and turned his head to look at me like he could read my mind.

I could definitely read his.  He was telling me we should skip the meeting and go eat instead. He was the best partner in crime.

"Ughhh! I hate this. Why is the car taking so long?" I complained.

"You're so adorable when you're nervous," Cameron said, rushing up behind me to peck me on the cheek. "I have to go before I get fired. I love you, darling."

"Awww...what about me?" Sven asked, sticking his lip out at Cameron.

"I love you too." Cameron laughed and kissed me one last time before running out the door.

I closed my eyes and sighed, letting my guard down as soon as he was gone.

"You haven't told him yet, have you?" Stells looked a little sad.

"Does it look like I have? I have been trying to wait for the right time, but I can't seem to find it. He needs to know, but I can't just blurt it out."

"You can't hide it from him forever. He will find out soon. Wouldn't you rather he hear it from you than from the social media gossip? The label will issue a press release soon." Stells was trying to reason with me and it made sense, but it just felt too soon.

Why did everything have to have a timeline and feel so rushed?

There was a sharp, quick knock on the door.

"My car is here," I said, leaning back down into the camera.

"Twirl one more time," Sven said and spun his finger around. 

I stood up and whirled around again for him. 

"Perfection." He kissed his fingertips with a loud smack.  "Now, go tear the place down."

"I'm planning on it." I winked and closed the lid to the computer. 

I walked out to the living room and grabbed my long black leather coat to keep warm.  I wasn't really dressed for Ohio winter weather in this outfit, but when it came to these meetings, putting on a good performance was just as important as it was when I was on stage. 

Everything you did when it came to the music industry was just another show. 

I opened the door to see the driver dancing around on the other side, trying to keep warm.

"Jessa Miller?" He asked, blowing warm breath on his frozen hands.

"That's me. I'm ready." I tried out my chipper, fake voice I had practiced for the meeting today.

The driver escorted me down to the limo and grabbed the door handle to open it for me. 

"Oh, fucking hell! Aren't you too old to do that shit?" I screamed when I leaned in. I almost stood up and slammed the door shut.

My parents were making out in the back of the limo like two sixteen-year-olds on their way to prom instead of a business meeting. My eyes were burning like they were covered in acid. The image was in my brain and wouldn't leave.

Yuck. Bleh. I began retching. I was going to be sick. I grabbed my stomach and covered my mouth to try to hold it down.

"Just quit being dramatic and get in the fucking limo." My dad barked at me.

"Ezra, I think she is really going to puke." Mom warned.

I leaned over and tossed the contents of my stomach up on Cam's front lawn. All the half-chewed chocolate peanut butter Cheerios I had for breakfast came pouring out.

"Sorry." I mouthed out a whisper.

"Are you sick, sweet pea?" My mom asked in a concerned tone.

"No, it's just my nerves. That and the fact you two were groping each other two seconds ago in the car. You live together, for fuck's sake. Couldn't you have waited until you got home behind closed doors?" I chastised them.

"The door was closed. It's not our fault you opened it." My dad raised his eyebrow at me and smiled.

"You are a child," I muttered at my dad as I climbed in the car, wishing I had some disinfectant spray to hose them down with.

The driver was trying to keep his composure as he shut the door behind me. The poor guy had no idea what he was getting himself into when he signed on for this assignment today. I would have to check with Link to make sure he tipped this guy an insane amount of money for dealing with my family. 

I fidgeted and messed with the buttons on my coat the whole drive over to the studio.  My parents kept exchanging looks with each other every time I would reposition on the leather seat and make a noise.

Today was going to be tough. I had to get myself together.

The driver pulled to a stop by the front door and walked around to let us out.  Link was standing near the front entrance and hurried to hide the vape pen he was using away before we could see it.  His naturally ruddy-colored face was even worse out in the cold. 

"Jessa. My favorite Miller." He walked over to me to give me a hug.

"Hey, Link." I hugged him back and struggled to breathe from the great big bear hug.

"The label guys just got here about an hour ago and they are in a mood." He warned me as he broke the hug and began ushering me inside the studio towards the meeting rooms.

"Great," I mumbled and scurried inside with my parents trailing behind me.

When we got to the all-glass doors, I saw two men in dark suits and a woman with extremely tight, slicked back hair sitting impatiently at the conference room table.  Each of the expressions on their faces looked like they wanted to be anywhere but here.

I didn't blame them. I didn't want to be here either.

I sucked in a breath and put a smile on my face as Link pulled the door open for me.