AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But hope is hard to come by these days and… I don’tknow. Maybe thatwasit for me. Maybe Craig was right when he said what happened to me paved the way for today’s young artists. But that doesn’t mean I get to make a return. It just means I was a cog in the collective efforts. A valuable piece, even, but the patent’s expired and I have a classroom waiting for me in Michigan.
“Uh-oh. What are you thinking?” He’s looking at me, his blue eyes narrowed, and it’s as though everyone else fades away.
I sigh and my voice is soft, but I know he hears me. “What if this is it, Huckleberry? What if this is all I get?”
He shakes his head. “It’s not. This is only the beginning, Lorelai. We’re just getting settled at the start.”
I’m wrapped in strong arms and held for a long moment as his fingers smooth up and down my spine and my chin tucks into the pocket formed by his collarbone. I inhale his familiar scent and let my eyes fall shut and I’m struck with the insane thought, in this devastating moment, that despite all of it, thiscouldbe enough. Being held by this man is enough.
The moment ends when someone accidentally knocks into us and Craig steers us toward our booth. We scoot inside and I ask a server for an ice water and run my hands down my jeans, feeling off-center.
The questions, the revelations, the rise and fall of adrenaline. The gin and tonics from earlier slosh in my gut and I wonder if I should go home. But Annie and Kasey are fired up after our performance, and Jefferson, Fitz, and Jason are heading up to the stage to finish their set. I shouldn’t leave yet. Besides, what am I gonna do? Rush home so I canpretend not to listen to Huck move around his apartment while pretending not to check social media for what bullshit people are saying about me today?
Trina leans in. “You said before that you fired Jennifer—”
Huck raises his beer. “Thank God.”
Trina smirks in agreement. “I like him,” she says to me, and then to him she adds, “I don’t like most people in this town, but you, I like.”
He tips his bottle against hers. “Cheers, Hamilton.”
“Anyway, as I was saying, you fired Jennifer. So presumably you’re without representation currently. Is that correct?”
I frown. “Well, yeah. But I figure at this point no rep is better than a shitty rep and Huck’s been helping me to reinvent—”
“You misunderstand,” Trina cuts me off. “That wasn’t me judging you. That was me offering you representation.”
My jaw drops open and my brain flip-flops for the third time in an hour. “Are you serious? That’s a terrible idea. I’m a fucking shit show.”
“What? You are not! You’re incredible,” Annie breaks in. “That’s an awesome idea!”
“I’m basically a pariah in this town—”
Craig’s warm fingers reach out and cover my lips, and as out of control as this all is right now, I still fight the urge to lick him.
“Stop talking the nice agent out of representing you.”
Trina waves him off. “Look, Lorelai, I’m no stranger to tough cases, but I know what I like, and I like what I see in you. You’ve got stage presence, you’re down-to-earth, yourrange is sultry and sweet, and you have a good head on your shoulders. You also come with a built-in fan base and a record producer who knows his way around lyrics and composition.”
“Trina.” I try to instill reason. “Let’s be real. I’m more than a tough case. This town hates me.”
“Bullshit. From what I saw, they love you.”
“Here, at a bar, sure. But radio and record companies? Square just canceled on me, and as of last week, my name was still trending on Twitter, and not in a good way.”
Trina presses forward, tapping the table with her long red fingernails. “Okay, I’m gonna be real transparent with you. Annie didn’t invite me along tonight.”
Annie starts to protest, and Trina rolls her eyes. “Yes, yes, I know I’m always invited, but honestly, you kids exhaust me most of the time. Anyway, she mentioned she was inviting you and I tagged along because I’ve been following your career since you first hit the scene, a cute little southern belle with terrible highlights. I wanted to meet you and see what you were like. I’ve long suspected you were impressive, and you’ve proven it tonight.”
“God,” I groan. “I wouldn’t have drunk so much. I’m acting like a twenty-something. No offense,” I say to Mathers.
“None taken!” she replies cheerfully.
Trina scoffs. “Fuck’s sake, Jones, I bought your drinks. I have no interest in polish. I just want to know you’re the real deal, and everything I saw tonight proves that. You don’t have to tell me right now. Go home, sober up, talk to whoever you need to talk to,” she says, obviously eyeing Craig, “and get back to me.” She passes me a business card.
I take the card and immediately slip it in my pocket. “I will. Thank you.”
Oops! She Does It Again!
