Her team and she flew out of St. Louis on a private jet early the next morning after a long night of partying in a suite atop the Ritz Carlton Hotel with some friends and family. All she remembered was drinking way too much and falling asleep in a big bed with Malaika and Orlando.

Why the hell not? She was Tika Foster.

Sheila burst in early with a cup of matcha, shook her awake, and helped her get out of bed. Then off to the shower. Covered in a fluffy robe. Sheila had her breakfast of whole wheat toast and almond butter with strawberries. Malaika started on her hair and makeup. She got dressed. And then she was out of the door. Like a robot.

All was very routine of her life.

She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to Autumn, she was back at work. In the car on the way to the airport, Sheila briefed her on her schedule.

She had five appearances in one day starting with Chicago, then off to Philadelphia, and then to New York City for her final three appearances. She stayed busy all day with no chance to even catch her breath. None of them were singing appearances so at least she could rest her voice.

Everything was about promoting the new album that would be released in a week. And then the performances would begin.

"I've scheduled you on a tour," her manager Telly said. Donatella thought of herself as the Italian Princess. She was the best at what she did. Telly had been with her since she had to fire her last manager who demanded she have an abortion. She did not need that kind of energy from someone she paid. Telly was her manager, her employee, she knew how to stay in her lane.

But a tour?

"Since when?" She sat in the makeup chair getting done up for an appearance on a talk show. She was tired from too much drinking and partying last night, plus the flight. Now she still had to keep a smile on her face for the talk show.

"Since now."

"Do we need to?"

"We always need to if we want to make money."

"Money is good!" Malaika added with a cackle. "We have to eat."

Money was good and very necessary. It was needed to keep her team employed, which she desperately needed. Even though she had been in the business for years now, she knew less than nothing about how everything got rolling. She wrote the songs and made the music. She knew enough about her money to know no one was robbing her.

How it all made money, she was not so sure of. Record sales, endorsements, appearances, and of course tours. That's where the money came in. She seemed to be doing okay with that, meeting with her financial planner quarterly. Her accountant gave her detailed weekly reports which she only checked the bottom line. Money in, money out.

Besides paying her team, there were the private jets, the hotel suites, the fancy clothes and costumes, plus taking care of her parents and Autumn. And then being financially stable and having a savings, and money for Autumn's future. She felt like she worked nonstop and would do it without the money.

Financially, she hit millionaire status at age twenty-one. Now at age twenty-five, money was not a problem. She could pick and choose if she wanted to tour, which she hated.

"Who's tour?" In all of her years in the business. She had done many tours, big and small. When she was a newbie, she loved the tour life and hopped on any tour she could.

Getting herself out there was important. Her fans needed to see she was a great live singer. That she was not a studio singer, only good with the added backing from a producer. No, she was the real deal. Later, when she became bigger, she only did select tours. The last album, two years ago, she headlined her first big tour.

She never wanted to do that again.

"I listened when you said you did not want to headline another tour," Telly stated, then smiled at her. "So how about a co-headliner?"

"With whom?"

"You know, someone I know you will get along with. The girl group Petite Trois has gotten back together for a reunion tour and of course, they asked for you."

"Me? I'm in direct competition with them."

"As solo artists, not while they are in the group. They are big fans of yours. You all have a similar background, you know, hailing from St. Louis and all, starting in this business in your teen years."

Petite Trois was a trio pop music girl group that was a year older than her. They were born and raised in St. Louis, but before they were signed they moved to Atlanta and never made it back to their hometown like her. They weren't claiming the Lou like she was in their songs. They also started when they were fifteen, two years before her and she was a big fan of theirs.

"I am honored. They are all lovely girls."

"Women," Telly corrected.

"You know what I mean."

"We're going to announce the tour next week. I'll have Sheila work with me on keeping your schedule clear for rehearsals."

"Ummm..." She was afraid to ask, but she had to. "When will it start?"

"Ten weeks."

Was she crazy? There was no way she could get a viable show together in that short time. She needed to hold auditions for dancers and backup singers, then actually rehearse. This would keep her too busy to promote an album.

The look of disbelief on her face made Malaika stop doing her makeup.

"They must think you're the Energizer Bunny," Malaika said with a click of her tongue.

"Ten weeks? Telly!"

"Two weeks to finish this album promotion, then we dig into this."

Hell, even Beyonce took about a year to prepare a show.

Well, she was no Beyonce. She knew that. She was still working on getting to that level. If she had to compare herself to anyone, she was the bald-headed stepchild of Beyonce. If she wanted to get to that level, she had to do things like this and prove herself.

"Okay, I guess I'm in."

Thoughts of her daughter ran into her mind. This was why when she was pregnant everyone around her told her there was no way she could have her career and a baby. To wait till she was more established in her career. Hell, even Beyonce and Rihanna waited.

But why did she have to choose one when men got to have it all?

Maybe she would bring Autumn on tour with her. Hire a nanny and tutors to make sure she did not fall behind or anything. She could still see her every day. It might be brutal on her the tour bus, the flying, not having her own room to sleep in. She would miss her grandparents and family at home.

Could she be that selfish and do that to her daughter? She missed her like crazy

After she was made up for the day, she Facetimed her daughter.

"Hey sweetie, miss you."

"Hi Mommy, when are you coming back home?"

Hearing that brought instant tears and she could not mess up her face. "Baby girl, soon. You know I miss you too."

"Then I want to come with you, not see you on TV."

Hearing her little squeaky voice speak like that as if she was wise beyond her years. She had to grow up fast because of the business her mother was in. Autumn didn't get to be the typical kid playing outside enjoying her life. Even in St. Louis, people wanted to catch a picture of her and plaster her all over the media.

She was five and would be starting kindergarten this year. For now, she had preschool at a very prestigious and private school where no one knew she was her mother. She wanted to have a normal life as much as possible, so she never came to pick her up or caused mass confusion for students and parents. But she wanted those normal things with her daughter.

"I will see what I can do, but in the meantime, I will call you every day, several times a day."

"Mommy!" Autumn whined.

Then they both cried over the phone. Why was this life? Why was she having to choose her family over her career? She wanted it all. Including a man in her life to share it with.

After she finished with her daughter, she went back to Telly.

"I'll do the tour, on one condition."

Telly gave her full attention as she snapped her laptop shut.

"We hold all auditions and rehearsals in St. Louis. I want to be home for a long stretch. And maybe the ladies of Petite Trois will agree."

And then they were off to the next city. To take the edge off missing Autumn, she scrolled through the page of the Cardinals to see what Rico and the team were up to. She still had fantasies about that man she could not shake, and maybe she needed to do something about it.

A/N: If you don't know who Petite Trois is, check my book Bad By Myself. I figured why not use a fictional group I already created. This book will have so many cameos from my other books. I did that for my diehards that have read all my books. Hope you find one of your faves here. Love you guys! ❤️