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a visit? That alone speaks volumes.”
    “I know, and I’m sorry. I’ve got a meeting scheduled with one of the record companies in LA.” A tiny shred of hope flickered in her otherwise-fractured heart. “Maybe we can talk.”
    “Maybe.” Jane drew in a sharp breath, then the clipped tone returned. “I’ll look forward to hearing from your assistant.”
    Click. Typical. And with that, the flickering was sufficiently extinguished.
    “Dammit!” Who was she kidding? Jane wasn’t interested in repairing their relationship. And the perpetual guilt… it never would subside. She was destined to forever suffer the consequences of her choices. Avery picked up a Rubik’s cube from her desk and hurled it at the wall. It made a satisfying thud and left a deep dent in the freshly painted sheetrock.
    Her assistant, Divya, rushed into the office. “What happened? Is everything okay?” She gasped at the gash on the wall. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll get someone here first thing tomorrow to take care of it.”
    “No, I don’t want paint and spackle to cover it. There’s nothing wrong with a flaw here and there. They build character. Life without imperfections would be boring and lackluster, right?”
    “Um, sure. Whatever you say. We’ll keep the dent.” Divya’s eyebrows knitted together. “Do you need any coffee? Water?”
    “Do we have any vodka in the pantry?”
    “Um…”
    Avery forced a smile and picked up a pile of printed emails. “I’m kidding. Kind of.”
    “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “Although the word is relative, yes, for the moment I’m okay .”
    “Do you want to review the calendar for the rest of the week?”
    “Sure.” Avery smoothed back her hair and flashed what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m really not crazy.”
    “You sound pretty convincing today. Nice work. Keep it up.” Divya winked at her and Avery had to laugh. The girl had such a fabulous sense of humor, and her organizational skills were unparalleled.
    Avery toyed with her bracelet. “What do we have on tap?”
    “You’re meeting with Atlanta Records on Thursday to discuss Ally Maxwell’s contract.”
    Ally Maxwell. The girl was a certifiable goldmine. Her pipes and songwriting talent, combined with her online fan base, had landed her an extremely lucrative recording deal. She’d taken cyberspace by storm and was on the brink of becoming the music industry’s newest superstar. CrowdRok provided an online stage to anyone with a credit card, a computer, and a dream. Talent wasn’t a prerequisite, although every now and again, a diamond in the rough like Ally materialized, and Avery morphed into agent-slash-manager. Once recording contracts were signed and royalties poured in, the returns were almost instantaneous.
    “What else?”
    “The usual messages from an assortment of investors eager to buy you out. They really want a number.”
    Nobody could put a value on CrowdRok. She wasn’t about to sign it over to anyone, no matter what the offer. “Not happening. I refuse to hand over the reins. We can take credit for five of the hottest names in music right now. Financiers can’t run CrowdRok. This business is about people realizing their dreams and becoming part of something really special. It’s not about the Benjamins. That’s just the frosting.”
    “Got it. Not selling out.” Divya consulted her iPad. “You have a guest lecture at Berkeley as part of their annual Innovation Day.”
    “Oh, that’s right. It’s such a great event. The students are always so enthusiastic and engaging. Totally pumps me up. Would you mind putting a quick presentation together, my darling PowerPoint guru?”
    “Anything for you.” Divya looked up, her eyes reflecting the trepidation laced with her next statement. “So, everything is cool?”
    “Yes, and thanks for looking out for me. What would I do without you?”
    “That’s a loaded question but, at a minimum, your own PowerPoint