Crescendo

by Laurie Larsen

  Haley studied his face, her mind taking off. “So you want to fire Lindsay and bring in a professional manager?”

  “Well. It’s not really firing someone if you never paid them to begin with.” He chuckled. “But yeah, we’ve been saving for a while to hire someone to help us take a major step forward. We feel like we’re ready. We just need help.”

  “And Lindsay would not take kindly to this news, I take it.”

  “No. Not at all. Jake’s worried about what that would do to their relationship.”

  Haley nodded.

  “Well listen, it’s three am and I’m thinking it’s probably past your bedtime,” Blake said.

  Haley looked at the car clock. It was, indeed, three o’clock, but she wasn’t the least bit tired. Of course, maybe he was. “Okay,” she said. “Thanks again for inviting me to listen to you. I really had fun.”

  “I’ll call you with a few nights that we could plan our dinner out. And Haley, my advice to you is to ignore Lindsay. Really.”

  Haley blinked and thought again about bringing up the other topic about Lindsay that made her uncomfortable, Lindsay’s insinuation that Blake only asked her out because he knew she was from a wealthy family and could help them get into bigger venues. With the power of her name behind them, she had no doubt that she could ask her father to make a few phone calls. But that was never her way. She spent her entire life hiding from the Witherspoon moniker, not bragging about it. In fact, Blake had no idea she was a Witherspoon. Did he?

  Due to the lateness of the hour, she decided to table that topic. Now was not the time to bring it up. But she would need to bring it up later, if she wanted a chance at an honest relationship with him.

  “Good night,” she said, and he leaned in for another kiss. Her heart pounded as he placed a tender hand on her cheek and left the car.

  Chapter Two

  ON MONDAY MORNING, Haley arrived at her desk at the community college where she worked as the receptionist of the Admissions department. She was the first greeter of any students who came into the department looking for help, and she also performed secretarial duties for the Admissions representatives who worked there.

  She tossed her purse and her lunch bag into her desk drawer and picked up her ringing phone. A few minutes later she hung up, and saw her friend Carly, an Admissions rep, standing there smiling at her. “Hey, girl,” Haley said.

  “Hey you, not hey me,” Carly giggled. “How was the date with Blake?”

  Carly had met Blake the same time Haley did, since they were Uber customers together the night of the car accident with the deer. In fact, it was Carly’s daughter Grace who was in the car, driven by Grace’s grandmother, who suffered the accident. While Haley waited in the hospital for news of both Grace and her grandmother, Blake had generously sat with her instead of going out for more Uber fares.

  Haley’s happy smile couldn’t be denied. “He’s really nice.”

  Carly squealed and ran around her desk to pull her into a hug. “I knew it! Any guy who would sit there with you in the hospital when he didn’t even know anyone involved, is a keeper.”

  “Not only is he nice...,”

  “And cute,” Carly inserted.

  “And cute, but he’s also a very talented singer. I went and watched his band play, Ace in the Hole. They were awesome. Blake’s the lead singer.”

  “Wow. That’s cool.”

  Haley thought about inviting Carly to come along the next time she went to one of Blake’s gigs so she wouldn’t have to sit with the nasty girls again. But she hurriedly decided against it. Carly was a newlywed with her dreamboat husband Ryan, and Grace, their toddler, kept them hopping. She was quite certain Carly wouldn’t want to give up a night with the family if it meant sitting in a dark bar all night.

  “Are you going to see him again?” Carly asked with a wicked grin.

  “Yes. He’s going to let me know when, but he wants to take me out to dinner before his next gig.”

  Carly lifted a palm into the air and Haley slapped it. “The only thing is, his schedule is crazy. The nights he’s playing gigs, he usually works from eight pm to three am. On the nights he doesn’t have a gig, he’s driving Uber to make money. I work nine to five. When will we ever see each other?” Haley raised an eyebrow at Carly, hoping she’d have a solution.

  Carly considered, then shrugged. “If he’s worth it, you’ll figure it out. You’re both youngsters. Start getting by on less sleep.” She laughed. A student entered the office and Carly tapped her on the shoulder. “Better get back to work. See you at lunch.”

  The morning passed quickly. At lunch with Carly, she considered telling her friend about the troubling comment from Lindsay about why Blake had asked her out. But she couldn’t. Although she and Carly had been friends for almost a year now, they’d never discussed Haley’s family’s wealth. Haley always kept it secret because she didn’t want it to play a part in her friendships. The wealth that stood behind her father and her grandfather had nothing to do with her. She didn’t earn it, and she felt strongly about making her own living without relying on it. Sure, her parents were generous, letting her live in one of their luxurious beachfront condos without charging her rent. Her Christmas and birthday gifts from her parents were much larger and more expensive than her friends’. But the wealth didn’t define her. There was no reason to talk about it.

  That’s why she was caught by surprise when Lindsay figured it out so quickly. That hardly ever happened.

  In the mid-afternoon, things around the office slowed down and Haley leaned back in her chair and let out a breath. After taking a quick walk around campus to satisfy the step app on her phone, and filling her cup with iced water, she returned to her desk. Pulling up the internet browser, she tapped on her keyboard. She wanted to get a feel for some of the venues in the Myrtle Beach area that offered live music that were a step above a place like Losers Lounge.

  She entered some search criteria, such as “live country music” and soon, her browser presented her with many choices. She researched each one and began a list with links to the venue. She’d share it with Blake and if he gave the go-ahead, she’d call each one to begin negotiations on what they’d pay Ace in the Hole for performing.

  She was certain that she could help the band expand to bigger and better paying venues. If they were going to play two or three nights a week anyway, why not play somewhere that paid more money? Then maybe Blake could cut back on Uber’ing and play more nights.

  Her heart pumped with excitement, but she knew she’d have to put a rein on it. She needed to talk to Blake. He, as well as Jake and Robbie, had to be onboard with her ambitions for the band.

  BLAKE SCOTT PULLED into the parking lot of Haley’s apartment complex. Walking to the building, he caught a peek of the Atlantic Ocean. Her complex was oceanfront! He didn’t realize anyone actually lived in an oceanfront apartment. He thought they were all vacation rentals.

  He jogged up the outdoor staircase and followed the numbers till he found hers, then knocked on the door. A moment later, the door swung open and there she was, his Haley, standing in the doorway, grinning at him. Her smile caught him and grabbed hold. It was the one feature that had caught his attention the very first night they met. He’d never known anyone whose pure joy and zest for life was transmitted through her happy smile.

  Then he got to know her. And he realized that she was the real deal. She was a happy, joyful, truly loving person. All wrapped up in a beautiful exterior, with long copper hair that shimmered like a swimmer’s, full cheeks that popped when she smiled, and a curvaceous body that made him want to stare as she moved. The girl was the full package.

  It hadn’t been a hardship to spend the evening talking to her in the hospital waiting room. It gave him a chance to get to know her. Coming away from that evening, he knew two things without a doubt: she was a good person, through and through. And, he wanted to get to know her better.

  He lucked into the fact that she was a
country music fan. It was sort of feeling like it was meant to be.

  He put a hand on her back and pulled her closer, resting his lips on hers. Her heart thudded against his chest and he tempered his desires to run his hands over her. He didn’t want to rush this one. Something in the back of his mind schooled him on taking it slow, showing her the respect she deserved. He had no idea where that voice came from, because it wasn’t the voice of experience. He’d never had a serious romance in his twenty-eight years of life. He’d been too busy with music and his family. But it seemed like good advice.

  So, when he’d sampled her lips and caressed her back with his palm, he put a clamp on his desire and pulled himself back. He smiled, his heart and head racing. He took a breath, then noticed what she was wearing. A floral print sundress, covered with a light denim jacket, and red cowboy boots that went mid-calf. “You look cute,” he said.

  She smiled brighter, if possible, and pulled him inside her apartment. “Thanks. You too.”

  He was wearing what he always wore when he had a gig – tight, worn blue jeans, boots with a slight heel and either a t-shirt or a flannel shirt, depending on the season. He followed her into the apartment and she strode over to the kitchen counter, where she picked up a sheet of paper. She turned and handed it to him.

  “What’s this?” he asked, then focused on it. It was a list of names with internet hyperlinks.

  “Research I’ve done. Are you familiar with any of these places?”

  Blake looked back at the paper. They all appeared to be names of bars, theaters or amphitheaters. “Yeah, some of these I’ve been to.”

  “Have you ever played at any of these?”

  He frowned. “Played? Like, with the band?”

  “Yeah.”

  He shook his head. “No, no, these all are out of our range. We’ve never played places like this.”

  She grimaced, and his eyes followed the movement of her mouth, while his imagination gave him a pretty clear vision of what he wanted to do with that mouth. He cleared his throat and pulled his eyes up to hers.

  “These places are your next step. You’ve been stuck at Loser’s Lounge for way too long. It’s time to be promoted.”

  Blake chuckled and thumbed the page. “Well, yeah, but do you know how hard it is to get into places like this?”

  “No, but do you know how good you guys are? Do you realize that you deserve to play in places like this?”

  He went speechless then; all his brain could think was how lucky he’d been to meet her. Not only was she a nice person, not only was she gorgeous, but she believed in him. The Triple Crown of girlfriends.

  He handed the paper back to her. “What do you want to do? What do you need from me?”

  “I’d be willing to do some work. Research these places, contact them, talk to them about terms. You just need to get the band to buy into it.”

  “Okay.”

  “I want you guys to move outside of Myrtle Beach too. All up and down the seaboard. Charleston, Hilton Head, Savannah, down into Florida. Do you think you guys are ready for that? Willing to make that next step?”

  “I know I am. But you’re right, I’ll talk to the guys. I’ll let you know.”

  “You do that.”

  “And Haley? Thank you.”

  She winked at him. “Don’t mention it. Now, what were you saying about dinner? I’m starving.”

  They went to a pretty nice steak house, if he did say so himself, and he paid more for two steak dinners than he would’ve ever thought he’d be comfortable doing. But Haley was worth it. When they were finished, and the waiter had cleared the table, he sensed a change in mood. It was so easy to tell with Haley when something wasn’t right, because usually she was happy and open.

  “There’s something I want to talk to you about,” Haley began.

  He reached over the table and put a hand over hers. “Tell me.” Whatever was on her mind, he wanted to hear, especially if it was troubling her.

  “It’s Lindsay.”

  Blake rolled his eyes. “Didn’t I tell you to ignore Lindsay? It’ll be up to Jake to talk to her about your plans for the band. I mean, if you can do it better than her, why wouldn’t we want to let you manage the band?”

  She looked confused a moment. “Oh, no. Actually, yes, that is something to worry about in the future. How Lindsay reacts to me trying to get the band to the next level. But no, that’s not what I was going to say.”

  He patted her hand. “Go ahead.”

  “I’m sort of breaking the girl code telling you this ...”

  “The girl code?”

  She gave her head a quick shake. “I shouldn’t be telling tales about what is said when there’s no guys around. But. This is about you. And me.”

  Blake stared. He’d never understand the innerworkings of female minds.

  “Lindsay thinks that the only reason you asked me out is because you knew my family was wealthy and you wanted to use that money to help advance the band.”

  “What?” he exploded. He drew the attention of diners nearby and had to purposely calm himself before continuing. “She said that?”

  Haley simply nodded, then studied him to see his reaction.

  “I’m really, really sorry about that, Haley. That was uncalled for. And mean.” He cleared his throat and tried to slow his racing mind.

  “But is it true?” she asked in a quiet, little voice.

  His eyes darted to hers. “No! Of course not. You can’t really think that, can you?”

  She sat quietly for a moment, then said, “They said you never bring girls to the band gigs, and they said you really want to try to hit the big time in country music. Then suddenly you show up with me, and I start thinking about how we can get you into bigger venues. I guess it’s not out of the realm of possibility ...”

  “No.”

  “I mean, I guess, from Lindsay’s viewpoint, I could understand why she’d think ...”

  “No. First of all, I didn’t know your family was wealthy. Second, we just started getting to know each other. I invited you because ...” What? What would he admit to her without letting too many of his growing feelings for her out of the bag too early on? Was he really going to blow this thing? The first woman in a long time he had feelings for? He cleared his throat and pushed a hand through his hair. “Look. I know we don’t know each other well, but I have feelings for you. I can tell you’re a really, really good person, and I want to get to know you better. It has nothing to do with what your last name is, or how many dollars are in your bank account. I like you, Haley.”

  She stayed still, her eyes glued to his, and he could tell her mind was churning as she processed what he was saying, but until she opened her mouth and told him, he had no idea what she was thinking. Just when he thought he couldn’t wait another second, she said, “I believe you. I believe you, Blake.”

  A whoosh of relief left his chest. “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

  “And for the record, I like you, too.” She smiled. “And I’d like to get to know you better, too.”

  The moment seemed monumental, but he carefully guided the conversation back to normal, everyday topics. He didn’t want to make mistakes he’d regret later. One thing he made a mental note about: never talk about her family’s money, and never let her pay for things just because she could afford them. This relationship was not about money. There was enough about Haley to fall in love with without that.

  Chapter Three

  BAND PRACTICE NIGHT was the right time to bring up Haley’s ideas, Blake decided. The band reserved one night each week when they weren’t performing to meet in Robbie’s parents’ garage in Murrells Inlet. They went over portions of songs that hadn’t gone well the previous week, they learned new songs to add to their inventory, and they talked about topics that impacted the band. This week, Blake brought along Haley’s sheet of paper.

  They played and sang for two hours, and as always, they clicked. These guys were like his substitu
te brothers. They fought sometimes, they played together a lot, and they always had each other’s backs.

  They were putting their instruments away when Blake said, “I’ve got something to show you guys.” They gathered around a tall round table that stood in the corner of the garage. “I’ve got this list of venues that would be a step up for our band. Instead of crowding into the corner of loud beach bars like Winners Lounge, we’d be playing bigger bars, where the music is more the focus. And even theaters that play country music. I really think this is the path we need to take, and I think we’re ready to take it.”

  “Let me see this thing,” Robbie said and pulled the list over.

  “Here, let’s look at it online.” Blake pulled up the document on his phone so the hyperlinks were active. He clicked on the first one. “Look at this place.”

  “Nice,” murmured Jake.

  They spent fifteen minutes clicking through all the links and Blake was feeling excited that they were on board with the expansion. “I mean, it’ll be like a new commitment to the success of this band. We’ll be traveling up and down the coast. With the extra money we’ll make maybe we can buy a bus or a van for transportation. I don’t know. Maybe we’ll need to get an accountant to help us figure out how to spend our money wisely. I’m just saying ... if we can pull off these type of places, our lives would change. More gigs, more traveling, more money.”

  “Yeah, man,” said Robbie and he and Jake burst in laughter.

  “I mean, I want you guys to really think about this. Are we ready for this step? Do we want to do what it takes to get there? Or do we want to stay in the Myrtle Beach bar scene playing the same bars over and over?”

  “For peanuts,” Jake added.