“What the hell.” I shrugged. “Let’s do it.”
We moved out to the bonfire with our beverages in tow. Katie stopped by the drink table and snagged one of the open bottles of wine, bringing it with her to top off our drinks.
I sat next to Jax and watched as he carefully pulled his guitar from its case, handing it to me.
“Y’all have got to hear this girl sing some Johnny Cash,” Ella said.
“That’s the truth,” Jax echoed from beside me.
I gazed at the expectant faces around me for a moment, and then I closed my eyes and began to play. I sang “Ring Of Fire” to overwhelming praise before Jax and I played a couple of the new songs we’d been working on together. When we finished, everyone applauded as Jax returned his guitar back to its case.
“Damn, Liv.” Dallas took in a deep breath. “You really were holding out on us.”
“Watch out, Jax,” Luca teased. “We’ll be replacing you with Liv if you’re not careful.”
Derek took a sip of his wine and leaned back into the sofa. “Seriously, your voice is incredible. You should be making records.”
“I agree,” Cash said, looking at me and Jax. “Have you guys considered starting your own project separate from Midnight in Dallas?”
Grace beamed. “That would be awesome.”
“Actually, I mentioned the idea to Liv a few days ago.” Jax looked over at me hopefully. “I’ve been trying to convince her it’s a good idea.”
Luca nodded approvingly. “That’s a fucking brilliant idea.”
“I told you so.” Ella grinned.
“It’s not that I think it’s a bad idea,” I said. “It’s just a big commitment, and I wouldn’t want to get in the way of the band.”
Cash shook his head. “It wouldn’t. Artists have side projects all the time. It’s absolutely possible for Jax to do both without it taking away from the band.”
“And it’s not like the two wouldn’t have some crossover,” Dallas mentioned. “The music would be complimentary enough that Jax & Liv could easily be the opener for Midnight in Dallas, especially while you guys are starting out.”
Ella squealed. “I can hear it now—and the Best New Artist Grammy award goes to… Jax & Liv!”
“Jax & Liv need to be a thing,” Luca agreed with a nod.
“You guys have something special.” Derek gave me an encouraging smile. “Something that’s completely separate from Midnight in Dallas.”
Jax nudged me with his elbow. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her.”
“You’ve written some great material that could absolutely be used for the band’s next album, but there are some songs I think need to belong to Jax & Liv,” Cash said simply.
Dallas leaned forward, focusing on me. “I think I speak for everyone when I say we want you involved on the next Midnight in Dallas record.”
“Damn right, we do,” Luca echoed as Cash and Derek nodded in agreement.
“And if you’d be willing, it’d be nice to have your voice on a song or two.” Dallas looked at me hopefully. “But more than that, Jax & Liv need to be a reality.”
“Come on, honey.” Ella cheered me on. “Do it.”
“The important thing to remember is you guys aren’t on any sort of timeline,” Cash said. “You and Jax are in the driver’s seat. Right now, you can focus on writing songs for a record. We don’t have to make any announcements or have you performing in the public arena anytime soon.”
“Cash is right.” Jax placed his hand on my knee. “There’s no rush. We’ll take our time, and we won’t take our music to the public until you’re ready.”
As afraid as I was, I knew I wanted this. I wanted to give this a shot, and I had to admit, the excitement on the faces surrounding me was contagious. “Okay.” I turned to face Jax. “Let’s do this.”
His eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
