“I love that you have a favorite spot here in town. It better not be a pedal tavern though, or so help me I will jump from this Batmobile to escape.”
“I promise it’s not a pedal tavern.” He laughed. “As Derek said, we come here a lot, especially these last three years. Our label is here, but our contract is up next year. We haven’t exactly been thrilled with the direction things are going, so we’re in the process of shopping around.”
“Why haven’t you guys been happy?” I asked. “If that’s not too personal.”
“Our label wants us to start using other writers’ songs.” He sighed heavily. “They’ve been sending us some stuff to listen to, and none of it’s exciting. None of it isus,you know?They’ve also been really pushing us to do collabs with some other artists whose style isn’t anything like ours. No shade, but that’s not something we want to do. Don’t get me wrong, if the right collaboration came along, we wouldn’t say no. But it needs to be organic and not forced to pump up sales.”
“From what I could tell tonight, you guys are really talented in the songwriting department and every other department for that matter. Sounds like parting ways may be the right thing to do.”
“This industry is weird.” He glanced over at me as he changed lanes. “I hope this doesn’t sound conceited, but we got to where we are because ofoursongs. Because of our writing and the way we click together. We put our souls into what we write, and that’s what got us to this point. Not because we did a collab and a high budget music video with some pop star. That probably sounds really cocky.”
I sat thoughtfully for a moment. “I don’t think so. If anything, I think it says you guys are smart. You know what works, but more than that, you know what feels right for you, and you’re staying true to yourself. It’s refreshing, honestly.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah. I do.” I watched as the Nashville skyline disappeared from view in the side mirror. “What’s it like anyway? That level of fame... is it weird?”
“Honestly? It’s weird as hell.” His thumb smoothed over the steering wheel, and he seemed lost in thought for a moment. “I’d give anything if I could go on stage and not have to worry that someone may try to follow me home or back to my hotel. To be able to exist without having to be Jaxon Slade, frontman of Midnight in Dallas. Most of the time, I want a quiet, simple life, you know?”
“And a Batmobile, obviously.”
“Obviously.”He laughed, taking my teasing in stride.
“I can’t imagine what that’s like.” Back when I played the honky-tonk bars on Broadway, I could walk off stage and go back to my regular life. They’d probably forgotten my name by the time the next band started up if they even remembered it at all.
“I don’t mean that to sound ungrateful,” he added quickly as he exited the interstate. “I know we wouldn’t be where we are without our fans, and I love them. I do. I love hearing how our music was there for them during a difficult time in their lives or what their favorite song means to them. It’s the other stuff that goes along with it that’s challenging.”
“I don’t think that makes you ungrateful.” I shook my head. “I think you can be grateful for your success without being in love with every aspect of it.” I paused a moment and glanced over at him. “So these meet and greets, where do those fall on the love it or leave it spectrum?”
“Sometimes they can be draining. But tonight… tonight, I loved it.” He smiled over at me as we cruised down a road I was only vaguely familiar with. “We’re almost at our pitstop.” I began looking around for any clue as to what this pitstop might be. I saw several car lots, a bank, and a thrift store. The street was lined with businesses, but none that would be open at this hour.
That’s when I saw it.
The pink neon lights blinked in invitation to Lion’s Den Adult Entertainment Store.
Surely not, right? I hadn’t given any indication I would be down for a trip to the Lion’s Den, had I? This guy was hot, but I wasdefinitelynot ready for him to see my Batcave. He began to slow the car as we got closer to the neon pink beacon in the night.
Shit. Shit. Shit.My palms started sweating, and my heart thudded so hard I could feel it in my ears. The one time I forgot to put my mace in my purse, I managed to find myself in the Batmobile with a rockstar going to the fucking Lion’s Den to tame my hostile kitty.Shit.
“Um, Jax... I think maybe you got the wrong idea here,” I squeaked out as the car’s speed slowed more, the entrance to the Lion’s Den only a few yards away. “I know you said you wanted to make my night, but I hope I didn’t make you think I would be interested in…” I trailed off as we passed by the pink neon lights, and he turned right into the Krispy Kreme parking lot. The donut shop sat far back enough that I couldn’t see it until that moment, and conveniently enough, the light on their road sign was out.
“Wait, what?” Jax looked over at me, confused. “I thought everyone liked donuts.”
Chapter 4
Jax
“Oh shit.” I brought thecar to a stop in the parking lot. “Are you gluten-free?” After she’d mentioned her bakery earlier, I thought for sure she’d be down for some donuts, and these were my favorite. Every time I was in a city with a Krispy Kreme, I had to have them. “Or on a low carb thing or…”
“No, it’s not that.” She covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking with laughter. “I love donuts, but I thought—” A fit of giggles ripped through her, and it was so damn cute. I found myself laughing along with her, even though I had no clue what the joke was. She removed her hands, and even in the dim lighting of the parking lot, I could see that her face had turned pink. Her eyes glistened with tears as she tried unsuccessfully to stop laughing. “I didn’t think this was where we were going,” she choked out. “I kind of freaked out for a minute there. Whew. Crisis averted.”
I chuckled, still completely confused, as I watched her entire body vibrate with laughter.
That’s when I saw it. Pink neon lights glittered in my rearview mirror advertising the Lion’s Den Adult Entertainment Store.
Oh. My. God.“Wait. You thought I was taking you to the sex shop?” Warmth rose to my cheeks, and I roared with laughter.
She nodded and pressed her lips together, unable to meet my gaze. Slowly she turned to look at me and nodded, causing us both to dissolve once again.
