AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Uh, that varies,” he said. “The actual recording isn’t what takes the time. And everything takes longer than you want it to.” He smiled again, because he knew that much. He’d poured a lot of time and energy into learning the business.
“I’ve never actually recorded an album,” he said. “So I can’t really say. But it’s not like I’ll have to go into the studio to write the music and practice it. I can do that here.” He shifted his hand to lay hers down flatter. “Plus, I’ve already got most of the songs written. I made a demo tape and sent it to Black Hill. That’s how Jolene found me.”
“So not long,” Maddy said.
“If they signed me, I’d probably have to go to Nashville to meet everyone. That could take anywhere from a couple of days to a week.” He honestly didn’t know. “We’d want to make a set list from there. I’ve got dozens of songs—more than what’s on the tape. It would be my first album, and we’d want to lead with the best of the best.”
He swallowed, because he’d never made it this far in his music, and he felt like he spoke of nebulous things. “The actual recording would probably take less than a month. That’s the valuable time in the studio. Almost everything else happens outside of the sound booth.”
Maddy nodded, and Kyle hoped they could move the conversation to something else. Anything else, really. He wasn’t sure why. He normally loved talking about music and making music, but today it felt…awkward.
“Would you keep working at Longhorn?” she asked next.
“Sure,” he said, the word only sounding slightly pinched to him. “At least until the album came out. Then there’s—well, several months before that, as well as after—there’s a lot of publicity to do.”
She nodded again, and Kyle faced her. She swallowed, and he wondered what he’d said that had made her nervous. “Are you worried about me leaving Texas?”
Her eyes met his, and the worry was plain to see. “A little,” she said as she looked back to the road. “It doesn’t feel like great timing.”
“It wouldn’t be for a long time,” he said. “Certainly not this summer.”
“You don’t think so?”
“No,” he said. “Let’s say they signed me tomorrow. They won’t, but let’s say they did. They have a release schedule for their artists. It’s full for this year already, and probably most of next year. They have very few slots for new artists, because they have all their existing musicians, and they need release dates too.”
“Ah, I see.”
“I’d probably travel more,” he said. “If they signed me tomorrow. I’d want to meet with Jolene and make sure I’m preparing the right so when I get in the studio, it’s not a waste of time. Once the album is made and approved, it’s anywhere from three to eighteen months before it comes out.”
“Eighteen months?”
“That’s in the contract.” He looked out his window again, fearing he was about to admit he’d been studying label contracts. “They’re obligated to release it within eighteen months of completion, or you get your rights back. Most labels. Not all. But most.” He willed himself to stop talking, sure Maddy was bored by now.
“Fascinating,” she said.
“What about you?” he asked. “What’s new with you?”
“New?” She gave a light giggle. “I just moved an hour north to be closer to my boyfriend.”
He met her eyes, the flirtatious vibe between them suddenly off the chart. “Oh, you must really like him then.”
“Yeah,” Maddy said, just admitting it right out loud. “I do.”
Kyle chuckled and lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles. “I like you too, Mads.”
She beamed and asked, “What do you want to know about my family?”
“Anything you think I should,” he said. “Your sisters are older, right? Protective?”
“Mm, not really,” she said. “I am the youngest, and they’re both married. Tammy has a couple of girls. Kristen has a son and a daughter. David’s in town, but Will travels all over, as you know.”
“Yeah.” Kyle’s mind sparked at him. “Hey, I was gonna ask you… Why is your last name different than his?” He watched her for her reaction. She’d never mentioned a husband or an ex-husband, but they hadn’t talked too terribly much about their previous dating experiences.
Way back in the beginning, she’d been hesitant to try long-distance, and she’d mentioned she’d had a relationship like that once that had ended badly. That was all he knew.
“He’s Will Steadman, right? You’re Maddy Cruise.”
“We have different dads.” She pulled her hand back to the wheel as she started around a curve that was sharper than she knew. She eased up on the gas to slow down. “His daddy died when he and Dave were real little. I think Will was six or seven. Dave was three or something. So Momma got remarried a few years later, and she and my daddy had us girls.”
