I knew I was here so Mav could sell me on his label, but I still wasn’t sure I was buying.“I don’t know if I’m cut out for the music business.”
“I can respect that.But how many people get a shot like this, right?You might kick yourself in the ass years from now if you don’t take this chance.”
I’d quit taking stupid risks years ago, telling myself I was too damn old to keep making the same mistakes over and over.But what if this changed my life, for the better?And I could finally prove to my daughter that I wasn’t the worthless loser she’d grown up believing I was?
“I might.”
I looked around Mav’s backyard, wondering what it would be like to live like country music royalty.To have screaming fans who showed up every night to support me and my music.To finally be proud of something, instead of living in the shadows of shame and guilt and regret.
“You owe it to yourself, man.”
Mav looked me in the eye and it reminded me of inmates who’d become like brothers.Someone who’d survived the depths of hell and lived to tell their story.Codie wasn’t the only one who got me.Her husband did too.
“Yeah, brother.Maybe I do.”
ChapterThree
Grace
I was having coffee with my sister after the movie, when I leaned over and whispered, “I did something kind of crazy tonight, and totally out of character for me.”
Codie frowned as she sipped her iced coffee through a straw.“Uh, you were with me all night?—”
“No, I mean when you were upstairs getting changed.”I grinned.“I asked Taz out.”
Her eyes widened before she sank back against the vinyl bench seat.“Seriously?”
I nodded.“I know he’s not the type I usually go for?—”
“Uh, furthest thing from it.”
I rolled my eyes before taking a sip of iced cappuccino.“After Brandon, I’m so sick of dating guys who care more about their career and stock portfolio than they do about me.”
“I get that,” Codie said, obviously choosing her words carefully.“But Taz may not be the guy to cut your teeth on, sis.”
“I know he’s a little rough around the edges, but?—”
“You don’t know the half of it, trust me.”
“Okay, so tell me.”
Codie shook her head.“No, it’s not my story to tell.It’s his.If he wants to.If not, you’ll have to respect his privacy.”
“But—” My phone buzzed and my heart sank.“Damn, he can’t make it tonight.”
“Where were y’all supposed to meet?”
“Just at Jimmy’s for a beer.”I couldn’t believe how disappointed I was.I’d just met the guy.Why should I care if he was blowing me off?
“So, step outside and call him.Find out why he can’t meet you.”
“But you were just discouraging me?—”
“I wasn’t discouraging you.”She raised her index finger.“I was warning you.Big difference, sis.”
“You really think I should call him?”I asked, turning the phone over in my hand.“Wouldn’t that be too forward?”
Codie smiled.“Yes, and that’s exactly why you should do it.Because asking him out was out of character and calling him out when he tries to bail on you would be really out of character.If you really want to step out of your comfort zone, you’ve gotta be brave, and do things you’ve never done before, right?”
