You'd Be Mine(66)

He blinks. “Definitely.” And he sounds it. “Don’t get me wrong; I love my job, but I love Clay more. It’s been like watching a car crash in slow motion this summer—maybe even this year. I have no doubt he’s meant to sing, but I wonder if it all happened too soon. Too early for him? Too close to Danny’s death? He never had a chance to deal, and the open road gives a guy way too much freedom at eighteen.”

I swallow hard, and Fitz narrows his eyes at me. “I’m not talking about you, Annie. You’re different. Even Clay has said so. You aren’t sidetracked by your grief. You transform it into genius. Clay can do that, too, someday, maybe. But he needs to face it first. If that means taking time off…”

“But will the label wait?” Jason asks.

Fitz grimaces. “That’s Trina’s argument. She’s not sure they will. All things considered this summer, it’s a risk. By the time Clay decides he’s ready, a new guy might’ve come along and stolen his spot. Fame is a fickle fucker.”

“What do you mean by ‘all things considered this summer’?”

Kacey and Fitz exchange a loaded look. Kacey lifts a shoulder, and Fitz turns to me. “I suppose it won’t hurt, now that he’s calling it. When I followed Clay back to Indy, I learned that before she left, Lora told him some rumors about you switching to Southern Belle. She seemed to think if you left, he’d be done.”

“But that’s ridiculous. This tour’s been raking in money all summer long.”

“That’s not how they see it. They see it as you’ve raked in the money, and Clay’s still a liability. If you left, he’d lose his contract.”

“What?”

“Calm down, Annie. It doesn’t matter. Like I said, Clay’s done.”

“But it does matter! I could’ve said something!”

“And that’s exactly what he wouldn’t want. Come on, girl. Think about it. He doesn’t want to be the weight on your line, dragging.”

It hits me suddenly, how convoluted all of this has gotten: me thinking I can’t love Clay without hurting him and him thinking he’s not good enough for me.

We turn back to Clay as he holds a long, gravelly note that sends goose bumps up and down my arms. Fame might be fickle, but I don’t agree with Trina. There’s no one alive who could steal Clay’s spot. If he took ten years off, even, it would only serve to deepen his lyrics and age his tenor. Jefferson will only improve with age.

Take your time, boy. Get your feet under you. I’ll be right here.



* * *



“The label wants you to play ‘You’d Be Mine’ to close out the tour.”

My eyes meet Trina’s over Kacey’s shoulders as she’s smoothing out my curls. My tour stylist had to return to school, but it’s fine. Kacey’s been shaping my mop for years.

“Not happening,” I say.

“It wasn’t really a request,” Connie says, backing up Trina from the doorway.

“Which label is asking?” I snip.

Connie rolls her eyes. “Don’t get sassy. You know which label. After the way you shut it down with Southern Belle, I doubt any label will work with you again.”

I sink back into my chair. “He shouldn’t have brought up my daddy. Clearly, it would be a sore subject.”

“He was offering you the moon.”

We’ve been through this a dozen times, and anyway, Connie’s just blowing smoke. I flat-out told her I wouldn’t sit for the man trashing my dad, even if he was a selfish piece of work in his time. Only one person can talk shit about my parents and that’s me.

“He could’ve offered me Mars and I still would’ve dumped his stupid mimosa down his overpriced shirt. What’re you all sore about, anyway? SunCoast was more than happy to match his offer and then some.”

“Speaking of,” Trina butts in, preening in the mirror. “Tonight. ‘You’d Be Mine.’ It’s happening.”

“It’s not ready for a live performance, and no one knows it. It’ll kill the vibe we have going to introduce something unfamiliar so late in the game.” I’m using every possible excuse in my arsenal. I could go all night.

Trina smooths her glossy lips with her fingertip in her reflection. “So replace ‘Jolene.’ You don’t need to hide behind covers anymore, Annie.”

“I’m bringing back the classics. It’s an education.”

This makes Trina pause in her grooming. She levels a look at me and then raises her heavily lined eyes up at Kacey. “As I said, it’s not a request. Makes sure Jason knows.” She walks out with a clatter of her heels, and Connie follows. So much for having my best interests. I slump.

“Well … shit.”

Kacey presses her lips together around a mouthful of bobby pins, her fingers still gathered in my curls.

I shake my head, waving her off. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s fine. Who’s to say he’ll even hear it? Besides, for all anyone knows, I wrote that song long before this tour.”

She fusses with the pins, placing them all carefully in silence. Then, “If he doesn’t know, he’s a fucking idiot.”

This startles me so much, I giggle until I’m clutching my belly and laughing, tense tears pouring from my eyes and ruining my makeup. Kacey joins in. Jason knocks on the door while walking in, not bothering to wait for the invite.