by Elle Viviani
The tall, willowy woman next to him steps into my arms, her gray hair brushing my cheek as she holds me close. My mother’s scent reminds me of home: fresh baked bread, pine trees, and wood crackling in the fireplace. When I told them I was staying in Nashville after the tour, they started talking about moving up, too. I know I stayed away from home to long, but it looked like home might be coming to me.
“We’re so happy for you,” she whispers against my shoulder. Her chocolate-brown eyes find mine as she rocks back. “Now, where’s the big star?”
I laugh as her gaze lands on Autumn, who’s half obscured by her own greeting party. “I knew you weren’t here to see me.”
“Oh, hush,” she says, giving me a stern look. “We’re just happy y’all figured out you were meant to be together.”
I press a hand to my forehead. “We’ve gotten that line from more than a few people.”
My father’s laugh shakes the floors over the booming sound coming from Autumn’s opening act. “We couldn’t say anything, but your mother and I always knew you two would figure it out.”
“Figure what out?”
We turn at the sound of Autumn’s voice. She stands behind me, wearing a deceivingly innocent look while she splits a huge smile between my parents. Everyone’s quiet for a moment before all hell breaks loose.
“Oh, sweetie!” my mother cries, bringing Autumn in for a tight hug. Growing up, Autumn was considered by my parents to be the daughter they never had, and it gave me a deep sense of peace and pride to see that bond was still there.
Autumn’s grin deepens as she wraps her arms around my mother’s back and closes her eyes. “It’s so good to see you, Sandra.”
The moment they pull apart, my dad steps forward for his turn. “Thank you for inviting us,” my dad says as they step back. “Backstage passes? VIP seats? You’re spoiling us.”
“It’s the least I can do for the parents of a son like yours.” She leans toward me and wraps an arm around my waist. My parents practically beam with happiness at the sight. “Aren’t we lucky to have our loved ones here for this special night, Bry?”
I speak the honest truth as I stare down at her. “The luckiest.”
A beautiful look comes across her face. When we snap out of our little moment, our families are already chattering away about us. My mother’s head is bent toward Kathleen Hartman, the spitting image of her daughter except for the graying roots beginning to peep through her dark brown hair, as she retells that story of when I refused to wear pants for three days.
I was four years old.
And my dad’s just behind her, speaking with a tall young woman with auburn hair.
Miranda yelps as I pick her up for a crushing hug. “Bryce! Put me down!”
She steps back with a grin when her feet touch the floor.
"Am I in for that every time we see each other? Because—” she glances at Autumn “—that’s gonna be a lot now that you two finally got wise.”
Autumn nods at my stunned look. “Yup. I’m getting this ‘I told you so’ nonsense from her and my momma.”
I rake my fingers over my eyes and pinch. “Mine too.”
“Can’t blame them—they’ve been hoping for this for years,” Miranda says, like it’s obvious. She takes one look at our faces and shrugs. “My mother hosts their book club. I hear all the juicy Asheville gossip.”
Before we can respond to the horrifying idea of a legion of mothers planning out our futures, Bella Cruz strums the last few chords of her last song. While she’s thanking the audience, the stage manager comes up to our little group.
“You’re on in ten,” he tells Autumn, rubbing his black t-shirt across his slick brow. “We’re old hands at transitioning the set by now, so it should be a piece of cake.”
“Thanks, Keith.” Autumn turns back to us and takes a shaky breath. “Looks like it’s time to close out this tour.”
Miranda grabs Autumn’s balled-up fist and squeezes. “I know it’s sad to see a tour coming to an end, but you’re going to give Asheville the best show of their lives, and then some!”
When she shoots Autumn a wide smile, my girl can’t help but return it full force.
“Thanks,” Autumn whispers, pulling her friend in for a long hug. She closes her eyes and presses her forehead into Miranda’s shoulder. “For everything.”
“Always. Especially when it’s important.”
Both of their eyes are misty when they draw back. Miranda gives me a watery smile before stepping in for one last hug. “Don’t be stranger, big guy. And take care of her, okay?”
My arms tighten around her before letting go. “You got it.”
After we’ve waved them down the stairs and out the door, Autumn finds my hand. “They’re so happy for us,” she says, lacing her fingers between mine.
I lift her chin up with my finger. “I’m happy for us, too.”
The radiant smile she gives me goes straight to my heart. As she takes a deep breath that has her almost popping out of her tight bodice, I know I’d do anything for the woman gazing up at me.
She buries her face in my shirt and lets out a soft sigh. “So am I. Isn’t love amazing? Inspiring? I only hope I’m worthy of it. After all the wrong turns and mistakes, I can’t believe I’ve found a love like this. With you. And now we’re going to be living together—Dolly’s gonna lose it, by the way. Lordy, I’m so happy all the time that—”
“It scares you?” I finish.
She looks up in surprise. “How’d you know?”
I draw my thumb across her bottom lip. “Because I feel the same way. The unimaginable happened.”
Her eyes are wide and clear as they lock with mine. “What’s that?”
“I found you again.” Her lips are soft against mine when I lean down and kiss her. I slide one hand into her hair and cup her head, bringing her face closer as our tongues sweep out across our lips and dance together. This time, I can’t put the brakes on my desire.
I need to grip her luscious curves and feel her breasts pressed up against my chest. And when my hand creeps up from her hip to the bottom of her rib cage and then higher, she shivers with pleasure, revealing that she’s as needy as me.
Things are heating up fast when a voice rings out backstage. “One minute warning!”
It takes a great deal self-control to release Autumn. I gaze down into her face and wonder how she could have grown more addicting in the space of a few minutes.
“You’ll be here, right?” she asks in a breathless voice. “Watching?”
“Always.”
“Good, because I have a little surprise for you.”
“What’s the surprise?”
A hush falls over the crowd as the lights black out, and then their voices roar as the strobe lights begin to flash. They’re screaming for Autumn, for the girl in my arms that I don’t want to let go.
She grins as the noise around us grows to a fevered pitch. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” She rocks up on her toes to bring her lips up to mine. She kisses me with a fieriness that sends my heart pounding against my chest. She kisses me like she can’t get enough, like it will kill her if she has to stop.
Her eyes glitter wildly when she pulls away. She whispers “I love you” before stepping back, and before I can answer, she turns and strides out on stage.
“Hello, Asheville! It's good to be home!"
The audience loses it, and I don't blame them. After all the press this tour has gotten, and then the story that’s sweeping the nation about how Cody tried to ruin her career, her fans are more fired up—and in love with Autumn—than ever.
She's the girl that won't stay down. She may be on the ropes and struggling, but she doesn't quit. She comes back stronger and better than before, and that's a strength that no one can ever take away.
Autumn laughs when they finally calm down enough for her to speak. "I have something prepared for you lovelies that I wrote on tour—a surprise for someone special who's here wi
th me tonight…and every night.”
The crowd whistles and calls out their approval. I hear a few We love you, Bryce!’s before they grow quiet again.
“Looks like y’all approve!” Autumn cries, shaking her head wickedly. “Y’all might love him more than me!”
She stops again as they shout their agreement (and a few suggestive whistles).
“Well, this tour’s coming to an end tomorrow, but it’s been incredible. I’ve seen twenty-two cities in forty-two days, met amazing people and seen amazing places… Though none of them compare to the great city of Asheville—”
She’s cut off by a roar of applause.
“But above it all, something happened to me over the last six weeks,” Autumn continues. “Something that I wasn’t ready for and wasn’t expecting. I lost a game with love, and got real hurt in the process.”
In unison, the audience sighs sadly. A few people start to call out Cody’s name with an accompanying boo.
Autumn holds up her hand. “No, don’t be sad! It’s all behind me now. You see, I may have lost love, but I won it back in the end, and this song is a window into that experience.”
She walks over to her guitar and grabs it out of its stand. “Let me know if y’all recognize some of the words. It’s an old favorite of mine that I’ve adapted.”
A hush falls over the crowd as she steps up to the microphone. Her mouth softens, her eyes look out at the sea of faces, and she begins.
“At first I was afraid, I was petrified…”
A grin dances on Autumn’s lips as the crowd erupts in applause at the Gloria Gaynor classic. But as she segues into her own lyrics, they quiet, their attention transfixed by the passion and love transforming her voice.
“But now I’ve found my man, now I’ve found my love. And suddenly, living didn’t seem so rough. Our whole lives we’ve waited for this, our whole lives we’ve craved to kiss, and now you’re mine. And I’ll cherish you ’til the end of time!”
The lights come up fast and bright as Autumn picks up the tempo. The crowd begins clapping and singing along as the star returns to everyone’s favorite oldie. Yet when she nears the next refrain, a hush sweeps through the crowd. They know she may be here for them tonight, but they also know this song is meant for someone else.
It’s meant for me.
Her gaze lands on me, locking me in place.
“Now I’m with somebody who holds my world in his two hands. He’s strong and brave and fearless and cherishes what we have. When he looks into my eyes and says he’ll never say goodbye, I know my heart’s safe, and I’m the luckiest girl alive!”
Autumn’s fingers strum fast over her strings as she belts out the chorus with every single person in the audience. But I don’t hear a word.
Everything fades away as I watch her. I could hardly remember what my life was like before Autumn. I only knew it couldn’t hold a candle to what it is now.
Autumn’s voice grows quiet as she turns to face me one more time. When her beautiful mouth opens, I find she’s changed one more line.
“We will survive, my love…”
Her eyes never leave mine as she drags her fingers over the strings one more time, the melodic notes translating our love into song. And then she takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and sings that last perfect line.
“We will survive!”
Chapter 30
Autumn
A smile grows on my lips as I lead Bryce and Zoe through the glossy reception area of Sunny Records. The hallway leading to the conference room is lined with the faces of world-famous pop stars, old and new. A shot of a rapper currently in the top ten is next to an album cover of my guiltiest pleasure (hint, his name starts with “J” and ends with “lake”), all followed by a slew of rock gods who have been around longer than I’ve been alive.
I’m in the presence of pop royalty.
I try to not let this get to me, but when we pass a poster of the queen of pop with her iconic tasseled bra, I find my legs turning to jelly.
Bryce’s hand is there to steady me when the toe of my Frye booties catches the plush carpet. His firm grasp on my arm steadies my fraying nerves. He leans in slightly as we follow the receptionist around a corner.
“You’ve got this, Hartman.”
My tight smile relaxes as his hand glides down my arm to rest in my hand, and when his fingers lace with mine, I remember that I am ready for this.
I’m prepared. I’m poised. I’m Autumn frickin’ Hart. Sunny Records isn’t going to know what hit them.
I squeeze Bryce’s hand as we turn another corner to find the conference room before us. Its floor-to-ceiling glass walls reveal the same sleek white table that Cody and I sat at when we met with Rhonda.
Only now, in addition to the impeccably dressed record executive, two more designer-suited men were seated next to her.
Oh Lordy.
A quick look at the two people by my side slows my racing heart. There’s nothing to be afraid of. They may have brought in two more corporate goons, but I brought my A-team.
The receptionist reaches for the door, but Bryce is quicker. With incredible grace, he glides in front of me and grasps the shiny metal handle. “After you, Ms. Hart… Ms. Gomez.”
All three suits waiting for me swivel around as I glide into the room.
“Good morning,” I say confidently. The two men jump up as I move toward the empty side of the long, narrow table. The shorter, plumper one gets to me first.
“Ms. Hart,” he gushes, “what a—” His eyes land on the Thor look-alike looming behind me. W-who’s this?”
I step to the side and lay a hand on Bryce’s arm, pride sweeping through me. “This is my head of security, and to your right is my new manager, Zoe Gomez. Cody Jensen and I have gone our separate ways.” I pause. “Professionally and personally.”
“Ah.” The poor man blanches a little under his navy-blue suit as he cranes his neck back to smile at Bryce. “Well, I’m Chad Thomson, legal representative for Sunny.”
I’ve barely taken his hand when the other executive sidles up next to us. “And I’m Perry Smith, head of production.”
I draw back my hand before looking over their shoulders at the woman sitting on the other side of the conference table. “Rhonda.”
She dons a wide smile as her colleagues make their way around the table to take their seats. “Ms. Hart! May I congratulate you on your knockout tour. It’s going to be one for the history books, I dare say.”
“I sure hope so.” I reach for my chair and find that it’s already two feet from the table. Bryce is standing behind it, hands on either side of the white leather, waiting for me to take my seat. He’s already taken care of Zoe, who’s literally sitting on the edge of her seat.
“Thank you,” I murmur as I lower into it. The mere proximity of his tall, strong frame at my back sends a wave of longing through me, heightened to epic proportions when his fingers graze the bare skin of the back of my neck as he steps back.
I look across the table to find three pairs of eyes fixed on my face. “Shall we begin?”
Rhonda gives me a tight smile. “Of course. This is the last day of your tour, yes? You must be busy. And I love that you chose Nashville as your finale. So fitting!”
I nod. “It’s bittersweet, though. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself now that it’s over.”
Rhonda’s smile widens. “We have some ideas.”
Perry leans forward in his seat. “I understand that Rhonda went over our proposal with your previous manager?”
“Correct. However, Ms. Gomez is up to date despite our breakneck touring schedule.”
Perry gives Zoe a sympathetic nod that I’m sure he’s practiced in the mirror. “Then I assume you’ve perused our contract?”
Zoe’s hands twist in her lap as she nods. “I have.”
Perry waits for her to go on. She doesn’t.
“Any questions?” he asks. “I realize this is a hectic day for all of you, b
ut I feel I must remind you that we’ve applied a firm deadline to our offer.”
“We understand,” Zoe says.
The three suits exchange glances when it’s clear she’s not going to continue.
Chad turns to me. “I’m sorry, Ms. Hart, but after today, that proposal is no longer valid.” His cheeks jiggle slightly as he gives his colleague a furtive glance. “I hope Rhonda made that clear.”
“Perfectly clear,” I answer calmly, giving Zoe a bit more time to find her voice. This is her first record label meeting and Sunny is a huge beast to take on. “And I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your deal, as generous and unique as is it.”
Each person sitting across from me has a different reaction. Perry sputters, Chad’s eyebrows shoot up as he sits back, and Rhonda does nothing. Nothing at all. I direct my next comment to her.
“Thank you for the opportunity. I am so grateful for your consideration.” Her once warm eyes narrow slightly when I fall silent.
“May I hear the reason for your easy dismissal of our offer?” she asks, her sharp jaw moving back and forth as her eyes try to turn me into an iceberg.
“Please know that it wasn’t easy. I know I was asking for a lot when I requested six weeks to make a decision, but I needed every single hour of it.” The hostility brewing across the table almost sends me running for the elevator, but then a low cough behind me draws my attention.
Bryce.
One eyebrow raises slightly as my eyes meet his. You can do this, Hartman.
I flash him a smile. You bet your ass I can.
When I turn back around and meet three sets of glaring eyes, I barely blink. “I know your time is precious, so I won’t waste any more of it. You asked for a reason why I’m refusing your offer? First and foremost, the moment I sign on that dotted line, I’d be giving up my artistic and creative licenses.”
Rhonda’s lips grow tight. “If you remember, I said you would have an opportunity to write your own songs after this first album.”
“I remember—”
“And that’s unacceptable,” Zoe finishes for me. She meets Rhonda’s glare head-on. “My client is known for her lyrical genius.”