Her question tugged at Annie’s heart. “Soon. I’ll miss your first day of school, but I’ll be home next week. Does Raven miss me?”

Peyton shrugged. “I think so.”

Sarah kissed the top of Peyton’s head and slid her off her lap. “Why don’t you put your bag away and grab a snack?” Sarah waited until Peyton was out of the room before she turned her attention back to the phone. “What is going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean with Bristol.”

Annie sighed. “We’re so busy we can’t even find time alone. She gets zero time to herself.”

“That’s dumb. She’s the star. Why can’t she just say ‘Hey, I want a break. I’m going to go hang out with Annie. Don’t interrupt me.’ I mean, she gets a say in her daily activities, right?”

Annie didn’t know how to answer that question. Maybe she didn’t, and Top Shelf and Lizzy were pushing her to the limits. Maybe Bristol didn’t know how to say no. “I don’t know really. Lizzy pushes her, and sometimes I think she puts too much on Bristol.”

“That’s sad. Isn’t there a rule about trusting your manager with your life? They have to do what’s best for you, not what’s best for them. It’s like an investor. If you do well, they do well.”

“That’s the idea, I think. I should probably call the two Dani suggested.”

“Since you’re sitting there doing nothing, why don’t you call them? Dani gave you two contacts, right?”

“I really didn’t want to deal with this until the tour was over and I had some time to reflect and relax.”

“Okay, so call them and make appointments next week or the week after and tell everyone to settle the fuck down. I know you’re hot right now, but this is a huge decision. It might even be a good idea to have Dani’s team review any contract,” Sarah said.

Annie rubbed her face as her anxiety grew. “Why is this so hard? Why can’t I make a decision?”

“You should think about that. What’s holding you back? You know what it’s like on the road. People are starting to recognize you. Your EP is getting tons of downloads on iTunes. Maybe doing what you’re doing is working for you. Just don’t let anyone pressure you, okay?”

Annie nodded. “I know. Thank you for looking out for me. I owe you big.”

“Now get to work so we can see your adorable face in person. We miss you.”