“Some will delight in it,” Autumn added. “But that’s for Rhys to deal with. He didn’t tell them for a reason.”
I lifted a shoulder. The hurt from feeling like his dirty secret still lingered. I took another sip and let the bourbon burn the ache away. “I’ll just be there to teach them how to play guitar.”
“Bethany loves to sing,” Scarlett said. “You should’ve heard her at the school play. Loudest one in the bunch.”
“I’ve heard her singing your songs all the time.” Autumn’s murmur sounded more like a warning.
His kids were fans. I couldn’t forget that. The rift between me and Rhys hadn’t been repaired just because I’d opened up to him. He wanted to keep his kids buffered from our history, and I’d have to respect that. They had their own mother and maybe... Maybe Rhys was dating.
My stomach clenched around the few sips of alcohol I’d had. Was he seeing someone? Was that why he was so uptight about my presence? “Is he dating?” I held up my hands as five sets of eyebrows rose. “I’m not interested, but I need to know if gossip’s going to spread.”
“Oh, it’s going to spread.” Wynter snorted. “First, he shocks the town by marrying Kirstin and moving her to Bourbon Canyon. Now he’s been single how long and hasn’t seriously dated? But his high school sweetheart is suddenly teaching his kids guitar?”
“He won’t even volunteer to be a bachelor in the fundraising auction,” Scarlett added.
Summer stirred her juice and sparkling water with a tiny straw Mama had produced from the tote bag she’d brought. “I’m sure after what he saw happen with Tate, he’ll always stay far away.”
Mama nodded. “More than a few bachelors have found their partners with that auction.” She aimed her fond smile at Scarlett. “And I’m very grateful Tate did too, with the help of his meddling sisters.”
“Money well spent,” Summer muttered. “The point is—Rhys doesn’t date. I think I heard him actually growl at a woman once.”
Autumn’s red ponytail bobbed with her nod. “When he came for a mystery reader event for Bethany last year, our admin tried to show him to the classroom and he snapped at her. Said that he’d gone to school there and could find his own way.”
I chuckled. “He’s not technically wrong.” He’d moved in with his dad during our middle school years, but Bourbon was so small the elementary school and high school were practically the same building, linked by the playground. I used to hang out on the playground with Rhys when school was out. He’d push me in the swing.
“It was the tone,” Autumn said pointedly. “So when people hear that you’re giving the girls guitar lessons, it’s going to burn through town like a July wildfire. People’s memories are going to suddenly be real clear.”
“Ugh.” I downed the rest of my bourbon. “It’s just lessons. He offered because he felt sorry for me after I told him what had happened.”
I flopped against the couch cushions and stared at one of the beams crossing the ceiling. The room got quiet. If I lifted my head, would I find them exchanging loaded looks?
“Rhys has always been a nice boy,” Mama said. “The lessons might be an olive branch. A lot of time has passed between you two. But he’s still the same Rhys. He’s still not dazzled by the limelight, and you’re still drawn to it like a moth to a flame.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I am.” I didn’t know why I was driven to share my art. Why did painters spend hours and hours on a portrait and hope someone displayed it on a prominent wall for others to enjoy? Why did people write books and hope others read them? Why did I pena song and need to hear it come from someone’s mouth, preferably mine?
The limelight allowed me to share my work and that made me happy. I could be heard. Which was more and more important when I went home to my empty house.
I sat up and ignored their curious yet concerned expressions. I was done talking about Rhys. There would be enough of that from everyone else. My family was my safe place. Always had been. As soon as I had been introduced to Mae Bailey, everything in my world had quit spinning. She was solid and secure.
There would be no Copper Summit without the Baileys, and it was why I’d kept my work with them separate from my music career. Lucy and other agents had tried to limit my exposure with Copper Summit and set parameters, but I’d only hired better lawyers. Thankfully, Daddy had suggested I ask around and go with legal representation other than who my manager and record label had recommended.
Copper Summit gave me freedom, and I’d seek refuge there now. And inspiration. Something had to get my creative juices flowing again. “Since I’m only tutoring on the weekends, I have my weeks free. What can I do?”
Wynter set her empty glass down. Mama immediately retrieved it to refill. Wynter didn’t stop her. Mama didn’t like to sit still for long, and she loved doting on her grandkids and on us as adults. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t put us to work.
“I’m working on the Christmas campaigns,” Wynter said. “Stop by and we’ll brainstorm some shoots.”
Excitement sparked in my chest for the first time in months. “Need a jingle?” A short verse shouldn’t be hard to come up with. Wynter usually worked with me onbrainstorming the tagline and I put it to music. Perhaps I’d just found my starting point.
She smiled. “You know I never turn down a tune from you.”
Grateful to have something to do instead of hiking through my regrets, I grinned. Working with Wynter at Copper Summit would keep me occupied most of the week, and I wouldn’t keep longing for the end of the week when I could see Rhys again.
Rhys
The day I’d been dreading since I’d accepted the offer of guitar lessons was here. It was Sunday.
June had shown up in her repaired car with three goddamn guitars, and I knew she hadn’t had those when I’d found her on the side of the road. Perhaps Mae had stored some of her old music equipment, but the two unfamiliar guitars looked brand fucking new.
