by Kenzie Rose
“Just go out to the receptionist and fill out the papers and come back in a few hours.” I smiled softly hoping she would. She nodded, took ahold of her sister’s arm, and headed down the hall.
“Jeremy, why the hell did you do that? You’re letting her get away.”
“I’m not letting her get away but if you were watching her you would have seen that she didn’t want to be here, and she didn’t appreciate being pushed into doing this. Give her some time, if this is what she wants then she will be back.”
If not then I might just have to track her down and see what I can do to change her mind.
Chapter Four
Kennedy–Nashville TN.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THE NERVE of that guy trying to get me to sign a contract out of the blue. Not going to happen. I’m going back to Mason and to my horses. I don’t sing any more, my horses are what make me happy.
“Sis, that was so cool, and you sounded amazing. I can’t wait to hear it after it’s finished. You’re going to have an actual recording! How much fun was that anyways? Plus, the sound guy, Jeremy, O.M.G. he was so hot, and he had that melt your panties off smile. I could feel the sparks between the two of you as soon as he took your hand. If I wasn’t committed to no life for the next few years I would have jumped on him.” she said as we walked down the street.
“Stacy Christine, I can’t believe you said that. For your information, there is no chemistry or spark between us.” Even though the shock from his touch made my lady parts stand up and take notice.
“What? I’m not dead, just an overworked college student. I have eyes and some very underused female parts that are in need of some attention, and soon.” I instantly laughed, completely caught off guard.
“You definitely don’t hold back anymore do you?” I said as I slide my arm through hers.
“Life’s too short, I just go with the flow.” We laughed as we walked down the street. I’ll probably never see the gorgeous guy from the sound booth again anyways so why bother thinking about him.
We finished shopping, went back to Stacy’s house, and ordered pizza. I was leaving for Austin tomorrow morning and then driving home to Mason, Texas where the ranch my family owned and worked on raising horses.
“Do you really have to leave?” Stacy asked as we watched Pitch Perfect for the 100th time.
“Yes, your roommate will be here tomorrow, and I need to get home. Jeff will be coming over to bring one of his Broodmares to see if we can get him to mate with Tulip or Whisper. He is leaving him in our pasture for a week. Arianna is coming with him and I can’t wait to play with Luke and Grace, those kids are such cutie pies.”
“Why do you like to work with the horses so much, Kennedy?”
“It was the last thing that Pawpaw taught me, and I made him a promise that I would keep working with the horses like he did, he wanted the ranch kept in the family.”
“Well I am glad it’s you and not me. Don’t get me wrong I love the horses, but I need something else in my life, like a guy and the city. I am just over living in a small town.”
I sighed, she’s been saying that since she went on a trip to Dallas back in High School.
“I know . . . I’ve heard it before.”
The next morning, I said goodbye to my baby sister and headed to the airport. I can’t wait to get back to Mason. The city is nice to visit but I love the country air and being able to see the stars. I boarded the plane for the two-hour flight. I pulled out my book and sat back to read the latest romance novel. Once we landed and I picked up my luggage and made my way to the pickup area. I saw my friend Tracy and threw my luggage into the back of the truck and jumped in.
“Hey sweetie, thanks for picking me up.” I leaned over and gave her a hug before she pulled out into traffic.
“Not a problem, I was in town dropping off Rob for his flight to New York, so it made perfect sense to just pick you up too. Did you get Stacy all moved in? I am sure she is loving being right in the middle of the action.”
“Oh, she is loving it all right. In fact, do you know what she talked me into doing? Recording a CD in a real recording studio.” I said still feeling frustrated with her about it. I still can’t believe that I did that, and I’ll never forget the hot sound guy that just sat and watched me as I sang.
“Really, where is it? I want to hear it.” She said as she started to unhook her iPod, but I stopped her.
“I didn’t pick it up. I really didn’t want it.” She shot a glance my way.
“Why not? You’re an amazing singer.” she asked.
“You know why, I don’t sing anymore. Besides I just think the guy was humoring me.”
“Well I think you should have at least taken the CD as a reminder of your sister going away to college. I mean how many times do you take your baby sister to the city and leave her there?”
“Too late now.” I decided it was time to change the subject.
“So, how’s the baby making coming along? Any buns in the oven yet?”
Laughing she said. “Oh, we are having a lot of fun trying but nothing yet.”
“I bet you are!” we both laughed as we left Austin and headed for home.
“Thanks for the ride, do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow night? I can show you the plans for the new barn that Jeff helped me to design.”
“Oh, that would be so much fun, I’ll bring the wine.” I gave her a hug and watched her drive away. I unlocked the door to my house and stepped inside. I walked around and opened the shades and the windows to let the air in. My house had been closed for almost a week and I could tell. I went into the master bedroom that was now mine and unpacked my bags, then I made my way into the bathroom and started the water in the clawfoot bathtub that my grandmother loved. I poured some pomegranate bubble bath into the water. My parents decided to build a house on the far side of the property where my dad could retire and not feel the need to help me with the horses and the garden that had been in our family for decades. I loved living in the old four-bedroom ranch style home. My grandfather built it for my grandmother before they got married, He said he built it piece by piece, so she would know it was built with love.
I walked back into the kitchen and filled up a large glass with iced sweet tea, grabbed my book and then went into the bathroom to take my bubble bath. I placed my glass and my book on the
handmade table that fit across the bathtub and lit a candle. I stripped my clothes and piled my hair on top of my head and stepped into the hot water. The long flight and sleeping on the sofa was not good for my body. As I slid farther down into the water I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Letting my mind wander to Jeremy, the sexy guy I met yesterday. He was definitely some kind of hot, but, he’s in Tennessee and I’m in Texas. There’s not even the possibility I will ever see him again. So, I just need to let the fantasy go and tuck the experience away for those days when I want to dream about a man like him. I sighed and picked up my book. Stop thinking about him and relax. Some day you will meet a cowboy who will want to raise horses and be with you. Not some guy in the city.
The next morning, I woke up and got ready for my day. I took my coffee out onto the wrap around porch and sat, watching the sun come up. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, I love the smell of the country first thing in the morning. The air’s so crisp and fresh. Most people hate the smell of hay and wildflowers, but I love it. I could hear the horses in the distance and the sound of tires on the gravel drive. I watched as my dad drove up and parked, opening the door of his truck I watched as my dog Rufus jumped out and bounded up the stairs.
“There’s my baby boy, did you miss me?” He barked and jumped in my lap trying to lick my face.
“Hi daddy. Thanks for watching him and the horses. He wasn’t any trouble, was he?” I asked as my dad sat down next to me, leaned over, and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“No, he wasn’t, how is Stacy getting along? All settled in? It’s a safe neighborhood, right?” Dad asked as he took
a drink of my coffee. “What the hell is in this? That’s not coffee.”
I laughed. “Today it’s salted caramel, and tomorrow it might be pumpkin spice. I can’t drink plain coffee.” he shook his head. “When I left yesterday she was getting ready for her roommate Tiffani to move in. We walked to the school which was like five minutes away and we spent some time on Music Row. I made sure that the locks were changed and that the windows had locks too. I’m sure she will be fine Daddy. She has too much schooling to do to really get into trouble.”
“She’s in college, out of state and there are boys there. She can get into trouble.” I just smiled at him. He raised two daughters, and only one of them wanted to stay on the ranch. I think that’s been hard since it has been in his family for close to a hundred years.
“What’s mom up to today?” I moved over so Rufus could lay down next to me.
“I was thinking of taking your mom for a drive to Marble Falls today and maybe spending the night. Your Aunt Edna is going to be there, and I would prefer not to have that woman on my property. All she ever does is complain about the dirt and the smell.” My dad cannot stand my mother’s sister.
“You guys have fun, I am waiting for Jeff to bring over one of his Broodmares to see if the girls will breed this time.” I looked out onto the land that has oak trees and wildflowers on it. I could feel him staring at me. “What’s on your mind dad?”
“I just worry about you being here in this big house all alone, running the ranch and doing it all. You really need to find some help or maybe settle down.” He took my hand and kissed the back of it like he used to when he was worried about something.
“Daddy, I’m not alone. You and Mama are here. Jeff and Ari are next door. Plus, Garrett and Emma are just up the road with Gunner and Ellie. I don’t need a man and I’m not ready to settle down. When I do, that man must want to be part of this ranch. Every aspect of it. I want a partner not just a husband. I want what you and Mama have and what Pawpaw and Nana had.” I looked over at him and noticed he had a faraway look in his eyes.
“When you find that special person that is meant to be in your life, you will know it.” He got up and leaned down to kiss my cheek. “Love you baby girl.” And with that he got in his truck and drove away. I smiled as the dust settled.
“Alright Rufus. Time to go to work, let’s go check on the horses.”
Chapter Five
Jeremy—Nashville TN.
IT’S BEEN TWO WEEKS. TWO very long weeks since she walked into the studio. I placed her recording on my soundboard. Hoping she would walk in the door to pick it up so I can see her again, but she hasn’t been back. No other woman has ever made me want to seek them out and get to know them. Get a grip, you don’t do stuff like this. You meet them, sleep with them, and then move on. I shake my head, there are plenty of woman that I can meet in the bars and honkytonks. Stop focusing on this one who did not even want to be here. So why can’t I get her face and voice out of my head. I need coffee. I walk down the hall to the green room and grab a cup before heading back to my booth, but I stop at the reception desk instead of going back to my office.
“Are you trying to avoid Donovan too?” Tracy asks, looking around the room.
“Well kind of, but I needed coffee more.” I looked at her desk, full of pictures of her family. “Anything going on that I should know about? The schedule is pretty slow, so I have plenty of downtime.” She nodded and motioned for me to come closer.
“Do you have any idea why he’s a bear lately?” She whispered.
“No, do you?” I asked. Donovan’s been in a bad mood for a couple of weeks.
“He’s upset that Kennedy Drummond never came back. He really thought he had found the one that would be his big break.” She said as she looked around to make sure he wasn’t walking down the hall.
“Didn’t he notice she doesn’t want to be here? She didn’t even come back and pick up her recording. That should be a clue, right?”
“He doesn’t care. He thinks he can change her mind.”
“He’s delusional if he thinks he can do that.” But I wonder if I can. “Hey, she filled out the information, like her phone number and address, right?” What the hell am I thinking? Don’t do this.
“Yes, she did, why?”
“Well she never came back to pick up her CD and I thought she might like to have it. Or maybe her sister, she did say she was doing it for her.”
She clicked some keys on the keyboard and then wrote down something before handing it to me. “You didn’t get this from me.” She winked and then answered the phone that was ringing. I put the paper in my pocket, leaned over the desk, kissed her cheek, and then took my coffee back to my office. I looked at the schedule for the next week to see who was scheduled to record, then I closed the door and looked at the paper she handed me.
I know what I am going to do. I’m just going to go to Texas and give her the CD and maybe try and get her to come back and record again. I shake my head, I must be losing my freaking mind. Why am I doing this? This isn’t me at all, this is something that my brother would do. There’s something about her that I have never seen before. She didn’t fall all over me. She didn’t see me as a way for her to make it in the industry. In fact, she doesn’t want anything to do with music at all. I look at the schedule again and pick up the phone.
“Frankie, it’s Jeremy. Hey, can you fill in for me at the studio for a few days? I need to go out of town.”
“Sure man.”
“Great, it’s a light recording schedule. Looks like they opened it up to indie bands this week. Anyways, I need you to start tomorrow. I need to catch a flight.” if I can get one “and I’m not sure when I will be back, but hopefully it will just be a couple of days.”
“Not a problem, I don’t have anything on the books this month. I’ll be there.”
“Great man. I owe you.”
“Nah, you let me use the studio when there isn’t anyone in there. That’s enough.” and with that the line went dead and I sat there wondering what the hell I just did.
I sat there for a few more minutes, trying to decide if I was crazy. I must be, because I’ve never taken time off work to go and chase down a woman. Even if she can sing, I don’t do this. So why the hell am I taking time off and flying to Texas to find this woman. What makes her different from everyone else? Not a clue but I’m going to find out. I picked up her CD, my phone, and wallet and walked out of the booth. I walked by the reception and told Tracy that I was taking some time off and that Frankie was filling in. Before she could answer I was out the door and on my bike. I know I’m crazy, but I need to see her again, but only to give her the CD and try to talk her into coming back to Nashville. But even I know that was a lie. I am so screwed.
After getting the last seat on a flight to Austin, I had to race to the departure gate. I got there just as they were closing the doors. I took my seat and sighed. I am fucking crazy, I have lost my ever-loving mind. That’s the only explanation for it. This is insane. I sat back and waited for the plane to take off. What am I going to do if she doesn’t want to talk to me? Just hand her the CD and leave? I can do that, but do I really want to? Well you idiot, you are on a plane headed to Texas, you don’t have a car or a place to stay. So, either you see this through and convince her to come back or you get off the plane and turn back around and fly home. I would love to tell myself to shut the hell up but I already felt like I was losing my mind, so I stayed quiet. I’m about an hour from landing so I pull out my phone and look up her address, thank goodness for GPS. I will find her house and then look for a hotel before I contact her tomorrow. God I need to find a bar and have a drink.
Once the plane landed and I found the rental car’s, I was on my way in a Porsche 911 convertible. I loved my Harley, but I could get used to this. I turned up the music and listened to Dustin Lynch’s Small Town Boy while I drove down the road. I looked at the time and then the GPS and realized I still had about another hour to go. Damn.
I made a few calls using the Bluetooth to pass the time. How can someone live this far out in the middle of nowhere. I mean you have to drive two hours to the nearest city. The farther I drive the more I am realizing this is a stupid idea and I should have just dropped it in the mail. The GPS said to turn down a dirt road, all I saw was oak trees and fences with horses and cows everywhere. I saw someone out on the horses, I turned to look and there she was. The next thing I know a cow runs across the road, I swerve and end up hitting a tree, the airbag explodes in my face from the impact. Once I punched it down and looked up, there she was. Standing next to the car, looking at me with genuine concern on her face.
“Oh my god! Are you all right?” she asked as she looked at my face and then tried to open the car door, but it was stuck.
“I’m umm fine. Was that a cow that ran in front of me?” she nodded. “Let me climb out.”
“No stay there in case you’re hurt.”
“Really, I’m all right. I think I’m going to have some bruises and be sore but I’m all right. My rental car is another story.” Damn it. I said as I cut the seatbelt and slowly climbed out of the smashed car, at least it was a convertible. Once I was standing on the ground I finally got a look at the car. Damn. Well now what am I going to do.
“Umm don’t I know you from somewhere?” she was looking at me with a puzzled look on her face.
“You were in my recording studio a couple of weeks ago. I was bringing you the CD that you made.” She stared at me, mouth open.
“Why did you drive all the way here to do that. When you could have just dropped it in the mail.” She just shook her head. “And now look at your car.”
“I wanted to bring it to you and maybe talk to you about possibly coming back to Nashville to do a full recording.” She just shook her head and walked back to her horse.
“I am sorry that you came all this way, but I have no desire to be a recording artist. I am happy running my ranch and spending time with my horses and family.” She has got to be kidding me.