Page 126 of Keep Me Close

That announcement is met with silence. I can almost hear her recalculating, trying to figure out how to fit this into the version of my life she already planned out for me.

“That’s… wonderful,” she says finally, but I can already hear the wheels turning. “Think of the exposure. We can work it into the show, maybe even film some behind-the-scenes⁠—”

“I don’t think you understand, Mom. I’m staying in Chicago.”

“Cheyenne—”

“I’m doing the production here,” I continue calmly. “And I won’t be coming back to LA. Not right now. Maybe not ever.”

Her tone sharpens. “You don’t make decisions like this without talking to me.”

For the first time in my life, those words don’t make me feel sick or guilty. They just make me tired.

I release a slow breath. “I just did.”

Fury vibrates through her next question. “This is about him, isn’t it?”

I look at the man I’ve fallen in love with.

His gaze is locked on mine as I admit, “Knox is definitely part of it.”

“You barely know him,” she snaps. “You’re caught up in some love affair. Trust me, it happens to the best of us, but that doesn’t mean you throw away everything you’ve built.”

“I’m not throwing anything away.”

“You’re risking your career. Your livelihood. You need to understand that as soon as you step out of the spotlight, it fades.”

“No,” I say quietly. “For the first time ever, I’m following my heart and doing what I want.”

The words hang between us. They’re true in a way that makes my throat burn.

“You’ll regret this, Cheyenne. I know you will.”

Maybe she really believes that. And maybe the old me would have too. But as I stand in Knox’s kitchen with a life stretched out in front of me that finally feels like mine, I don’t.

“Maybe,” I admit. “But it’s my mistake to make.”

She exhales sharply. “We’ll talk about this later.”

“No,” I say evenly. “We won’t.”

There’s something about finally ending a dysfunctional pattern instead of feeding into it that makes me feel a hundred pounds lighter.

“I love you, Mom,” I add, softer now. “But I’m staying.”

Instead of waiting for a response, I end the call. My hand shakes as I lower the phone to the counter. For just a second, I stand frozen, my heart pounding against my ribs as the adrenaline works its way through my system.

Knox slips his arms around me before dropping a kiss against the top of my head. “How do you feel?”

“Surprisingly good. That went better than I expected.”

His mouth twitches. “Are you telling me that could’ve gone worse?”

“Are you kidding me?” I release a shaky breath. “She could have had a stroke when I told her I wasn’t coming back.”

A quiet laugh rumbles through him as his arms tighten around me. “I’m proud of you, baby. Proud of you for standing up for yourself and following your heart.”

Emotion rises within me. “Thanks.”