“Oh shoot, I slept in,” she muttered, like she had just checked the time.“I was on a roll editing and stayed up late.”
“Good book?”I asked, my gaze fixed on the rolling hills of Nashville.
“Yeah,” she answered on a yawn.“I think she really has something.It’s a unique idea.I’ll definitely put it at the top of my publisher’s list.”
“What have you got going on today?”I asked, hearing her rustling around and murmuring to Ranger as she got up to let him out.When she’d offered to take him while I was gone, I’d jumped at the chance.He was hardly an attack dog, but he’d alert her if something was amiss.
“Going to go on a run with Katie.I was thinking I’d take Ranger—he could make it a few miles, couldn’t he?”
“He’d love it,” I assured her.
“Cool.Then I’ll help Goodie out for a bit, and later Daphne, JoJo, and I are going to have dinner.”
“Sounds like a full day.”I marveled at how easily she’d slid into life in Green River.It was as though she’d lived there all her life.Having family rooted there helped, but for a town with a close community of locals, it was still an unusual feat.
But Lucy had a way about her.Even though I was thoroughly enamored with her and clearly biased, I could still see it plainly.
“You on your way to your meeting?”she asked.
“Yeah, should take a lot of the day.They want to run through the material I have.We’ll talk tracks and the finishing touches I’ll need to make with the band.”
I explained how I’d been playing with the same band since I made it big.Though the five of us were spread across the country, we vibed perfectly in the studio and on tour.
“Then I have a dinner tonight,” I grumbled.
She laughed.“Is torture the main dish or something?”
“I just hate the schmoozing shit.I’d rather order room service.But it’s part of the deal,” I admitted begrudgingly.
“Well, maybe sometime I can come with you and make it less painful,” she offered shyly.
I grinned.I’d had the same thought, hoping this might be one of the few trips I made alone from here on out.“You would definitely make it less painful, baby.”I’d take her everywhere in my pocket if I could.“I’m gonna have to let you go.We’re pulling up.I’ll call you to say good night.”
“Okay, talk later.”I could hear the grin in her voice.
“Later, babe.”Reluctantly, I ended the call.
“Hudson!”an unfortunately familiar voice called as I stepped out of the car and headed for the building.I turned to face Spencer Jones, a particularly obnoxious tabloid blogger who had been a pain in my ass since my first single.
“Releasing new music?”he prompted.
“Get a life, Jones.”
“Any new ladies in your life?”He raised a prompting brow.I had no idea if he could have found out about Lucy, but then again, I never knew how he found out half the shit he did.One time, he’d even managed to get my number, forcing me to change it.
I shot him a glare.He was one of the key reasons I was reluctant to bring Lucy into the spotlight.Unfortunately, she’d have to deal with shit like this because of me.
Ignoring him, I stepped through the double doors, leaving him with nothing to report, as always.
The meeting went well.The suits loved the music, practically salivating for a release date and subsequent tour—the latter I firmly declined to discuss.I hadn’t wanted to leave home before, but now, with Lucy and me just starting out, I couldn’t fathom going out on the road.
I couldn’t deny it felt good to share what I’d been working on and have it met with so much enthusiasm.I wanted to share it with my fans—it was part of what I loved—but it would need to be on my terms, and Lucy’s.
“So, how’s the muse?”Davis asked later that night over drinks at the latest hot spot in Nashville as a few of the label executives sat around us talking amongst themselves.
I never knew why they chose the places guaranteed to draw the most attention—as we clearly were now, if the number of cell phones not so subtly pointed in my direction was any indication.It was why my ball cap, currently pulled low over my brow, had become standard attire for such occasions.
“Lucy,” I reminded him.“She’s good.”
