The record company had offered a new contract months ago despite Nash’s mishaps and bad publicity, but R.J. had asked them to not mention it to keep Nash in line. His producer supported a duet with Ivy, but R.J. had claimed Nash wanted Peyton instead.
People wanted to make money with Nash’s music, but if his wishes worked toward their goal, they were happy to do as he wanted.
Everyone, that was, except his manager.
It had to stop. And would.
Today.
What mattered most to Nash wasn’t having another song hit number one. It was Ivy. She was more important than his career, even himself. But he hadn’t acted like she was.
A text notification buzzed. His heart slammed against his chest. Ivy?
He grabbed his phone.
Mama Aimee: Have you spoken to the snake yet?
Nash: Waiting for him to arrive.
Mama Aimee: Let me know if I need to kick the slime ball’s bottom. No one messes with my babies. Love you, Nev.
Nash smiled, something he’d never thought he’d be doing today. He loved that woman, and knowing she and Sid loved him in return was a much-needed burst of sunshine today.
His front door opened.
Even though this was Nash’s house, R.J. never rang the bell. He always walked in. He might have a key, which meant calling a locksmith.
R.J. entered the living room in his typical designer suit and leather loafers. He dressed more Wall Street than Nashville. “Good to have you back where you belong. You look good. R and R was what you needed.”
Nope. Ivy was what Nash needed, but R.J. had misled him. “So any word on a new contract?”
R.J. sat on the couch. “Everyone’s excited about the duet with Peyton. A lucrative contract is in the works.”
Liar. A sharp pain hit Nash’s chest. A copy of the contract was in a manila folder on the coffee table, but hearing the one person Nash had trusted with his career lie left him feeling exposed and vulnerable, a way that reminded him too much of his childhood.
Nothing R.J. said would fix this. Which meant…
Nash stared directly into his manager’s eyes. Funny how they appeared beady. He’d never noticed before. “You’re fired.”
R.J. startled. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. His brows furrowed. “What?”
“You’re no longer my manager.”
“I-I don’t understand.” His mouth twisted. “Are you drunk? On drugs? Let me help you.”
“I’m one hundred percent sober and more clear-minded than I’ve been in a long time. Your services as my manager are no longer necessary.”
R.J. thrust out his chest. “But I made you. Took you from those bars and seedy venues to stardom.”
“You did a lot for me, but somewhere along the line it became less about me and more about what you wanted.” Nash removed the contract from the folder and tossed it at R.J., whose eyes widened. “You lied about the contract. I have no idea if there are more lies, but I’m assuming there are. But worse, because I followed your advice, I lost the woman I love. I’m assuming you knew that would happen, too.”
“That lounge singer is not worthy of you. She’s nothing more than a waitress and a wannabe.” R.J.’s harsh tone matched the mean expression on his face. “And be real, Nash. Deep feelings don’t develop in two weeks. Love takes time to grow. She’s only using you to get ahead with her music or to seek revenge for what happened ten years ago.”
Nash’s temper flared. He clenched his hands so tight his nails dug into his palms. “You’re wrong. Ivy Quinn is talented, hardworking, and one of the best people I know. I love her. Even if I don’t stand a chance of getting her back, I will let her know how much she means to me.”
A beat passed. R.J. rubbed his palms on his pants.
“Okay, I underestimated your feelings for Ivy, but let’s not go crazy.” R.J. flashed a closed-mouth smile—one that appeared fake. “We’ve been through so much together. Achieved great things. No one knows you the way I do.”
“Which is the problem.” Nash struggled not to lose his temper. “You took advantage of that, using my past to play off my fears so I’d rely on you, trust you, stick with you. No matter what.”
Yesterday, he’d been introduced to his producer’s wife, who was a therapist. She’d met Nash for breakfast this morning. She also knew the music business so she helped him understand how R.J. had done this to Nash. She’d recommended more sessions with her or someone else, which he agreed to schedule soon. Mama Aimee had suggested he see a counselor over the years, but R.J. had claimed it would hurt Nash’s image if anyone found out.
“But that’s over now,” he added in case his former manager wasn’t paying attention.
R.J.’s face paled. “I’m all you’ve got.”
“Not any longer.” Nash picked up an envelope that his new lawyer had prepared. Thankfully, his financial planner had entered the picture early enough he wasn’t one of R.J.’s cronies, and Nash’s investments were secure. “This dissolves our agreement. I’ve included a severance for our years together.”
R.J.’s jaw jutted forward. “You’ll regret this, Neville. Without me, you’re nothing. Just some sad foster kid who wasn’t loved by his parents.”
Nash didn’t flinch. Yes, the words stung, but he wouldn’t allow R.J. to hurt him again.
“Then you can laugh when you see me on a cable reality TV show, trying to stay relevant.” Though Nash knew that would never happen. “You know the way out.”
Heavy footsteps echoed through the house until the front door slammed. Nash breathed a sigh of relief. He’d taken care of business here. Now came the hard part.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Maggie and Ryder had given Ivy the weekend off. She hadn’t been up to visitors except for her mom. Ivy had known better than to let her phone go to voice mail for more than a day, but she’d kept conversations brief. That was as much as she could manage.
Having her heart broken sucked.
Truth was, her heart hurt so bad she wasn’t sure how she kept breathing, but she wasn’t giving up. She’d thought about what Grams had said, considered the options, and made a plan.
Her mother was busy with Harry today, so Ivy had given her mom a brief rundown of what she was going to do. Her mom had cried—a mix of happy and sad tears—before saying Ivy had her full support. Now it was time to tell the rest of the family.
Inside the pub, she stood in front of David, Bethany and Ryder, Avery and Carter, and Maggie and Charlie.
Maggie smiled softly. “You look better than I expected.”
“Thanks, I think.” Ivy half laughed. “I appreciate everyone meeting me here.”
David sat at the bar. He picked at the label on a water bottle. “Nash is gone, and he’s got a new girlfriend. Where does that leave you?”
And so it begins. Ivy took a breath.
“All of you were right about Nash. I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”
Saying that was as hard as she thought it would be, but getting it out lifted a weight from her shoulders.
The hugs and condolences were swift and plentiful. No one said, “I told you so.”
“Nash is still recording three of my songs. One will be a duet with Peyton Rush. I wish things had turned out differently, but…they didn’t.”
Carter frowned. “The guy broke your heart.”
“Nash did, but he also reawakened my dream of having a career in music. And I have a plan on how to do that.”
Ryder leaned forward. “A plan?”
Ivy nodded. “I’m ready to chase the dreams I put on hold ten years ago.”
Maggie’s smile lit up her face. “About time, Ives.”
Her brothers nodded and added their words of encouragement.
Their love and support boosted Ivy’s confidence.
“This time I’m older and don’t have stars in my eyes. Most likely I’ll only write songs, but maybe I can sing them, too. If I end up waiting tables for the next six months or
a year, so be it, but I’ll know I gave it my best shot.”
Grams was correct. Ivy didn’t need Nash to make her dreams come true. She might have gotten caught up wanting the fairy-tale ending with him, but she owed him for rekindling her passion. “Which is why I’m moving to Nashville.”
Mouths gaped.
For once in her life, she’d left her sister, brothers, and in-laws speechless.
“I’ll move you there,” Carter offered. “Avery can handle the farm while I’m away.”
Avery nodded. “Not a problem. We have a trailer for your furniture.”
“I can take time off, too,” David added.
Her siblings talked about visits to Nashville, including a family vacation to the Opryland Resort.
“Wait,” Charlie said over everyone’s excited voices. “Isn’t Nash in Nashville?”
Ignoring the pang in her heart, Ivy nodded. “But we’ll be running in different circles. The chances of seeing him are slim to none.”
“You might want to recalculate those odds.”
The sound of Nash’s voice made Ivy spin around. He stood in the doorway to the kitchen. Her heart crashed against her rib cage.
Her three brothers moved in front of her, reminding her of the bulls in Carter’s herd. Charlie took up the rear, the perfect backup.
She peered around David. “What are you doing here?”
“I forgot something, so I had to come back.” He came closer. “It’s you, Ivy.”
“I can’t—”
“What I asked of you was wrong. So very wrong. But I’m here now saying ‘I’m sorry’ again. I’ll keep saying it as many times as it takes. And there’s one thing I didn’t say the last time I saw you that I should have said. I love you.”
Her jaw dropped. “You…”
“I love you, Ivy Quinn.”
Her brothers parted like the Red Sea, allowing Nash to stand in front of her.
“I listened to R.J., which kept me from hearing you and my heart. If I had done that, I would have never agreed to having Peyton be my ‘fake’ girlfriend or her singing your song.” He cupped Ivy’s face. “I don’t want to keep crushing your dreams. I want to help you make them come true.”
A part of her wanted to swoon. The other part told her to stay strong. She raised her chin. “I’m moving to Nashville.”
His grin crinkled the corners of his eyes. “I heard. Good call, because that’s where you need to be for your music. I also hope it’s where you want to be because of me. I’m miserable without you. I missed you so much.”
Ivy wanted to tell him she missed him, too. But somehow she couldn’t.
“Having you there will make recording easier,” he added.
“Recording?”
“We’re doing ‘Broken Dreams’ together.”
Her lips parted. “But Peyton…”
“I spoke with her. We’ll do another duet. One she and I want you to write for us.”
Ivy tried to make sense of what he was saying. Tried and failed. “I don’t understand.”
“Losing you made me realize what’s most important to me. That’s you.”
Someone sighed. The sound came from where Bethany stood.
“You also made me take a closer look at R.J. and his role as my manager. Turns out he’s been lying and not representing my best interests, so I fired him. I also spoke to a therapist who nailed my abandonment issues within the first five minutes of talking to me. I’ll work with her so I can be a man worthy of you. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Again. Because you were right. This time was worse than the last. I am sorry, Ivy. You’ll never know how sorry I am because you deserve only the best.”
The sincerity in his voice squeezed her heart. A heart that wanted only him. “I forgive you.”
“Thank you.” Nash’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. He kissed her. If he hadn’t already said I love you, she might have figured it out from the way his lips moved over hers. full of emotion and longing.
Someone behind them cleared his throat.
Nash pulled back. The affection in his eyes made her lean into him for support. “I have one more question for you.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled something shiny out before dropping onto one knee. “Ivy Quinn, the only thing that matters is you. I want to grow old with you, singing songs and kissing you. Will you marry me?”
Her family faded into the background. It was just her and Nash. Heart pounding, she forced herself to breathe.
“For so long, I’ve buried my dreams. I stopped believing in happy endings. At least for me. And then you came into my life. You weren’t what I expected, but that’s a good thing, and when we sang together, something shifted inside me. You’re what matters to me, too. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
As her family cheered, Nash slid a diamond engagement ring onto her finger. “I know we haven’t known each other long—”
“I don’t want to wait.” The words tumbled out of her mouth.
“That would be a catchy title for a song.”
Giddy, Ivy stared at the ring shooting colorful prisms of light around the pub. Grams was going to freak out. In a good way.
Nash kissed Ivy. “I don’t want to wait, either. So that means…”
She shimmied her shoulders. “We’re getting married.”
EPILOGUE
Two years later
Ivy sat in the massive theater with Nash next to her. She should be used to seeing him in a tuxedo and cowboy hat, but he still took her breath away. The same way he had on their wedding day.
He held her hand. “You’re the most stunning woman here.”
“You’re my husband. You have to say that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“No matter how many of these awards we attend, I always feel like I’m playing dress-up. This is a long way from Quinn Valley.”
“But it’s where you belong.”
That she believed with her whole heart because… “Wherever you are is where I belong.”
Nash raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “And likewise with you.”
The commercial break must have been coming to an end because people rushed to their seats.
“You ready?” he whispered.
Her knee bounced. “No.”
“It’ll be over before you know it.” He squeezed her hand. “And, darlin’, no matter what song is announced, we have each other. That means we already won. The award is just icing.”
“To go along with your others.”
“And yours.” He ran his finger along her jawline. “You’re all I need.”
He was it for her, too.
The winner of the top male singer, who had beat out Nash, stood at the microphone with an envelope in his hand. “The nominations for the Song of the Year are…”
As each title was read, Ivy fought the urge to wiggle. Any second the camera would be on them.
“‘Never Without You’ sung by Peyton Rush, music and lyrics by Ivy Bennett. ‘Summer Serenade’ sung by Nash and Ivy Bennett, music and lyrics by Nash and Ivy Bennett.”
Hearing her name announced twice was amazing, but that one nomination was for a song they’d written based on her dad’s title sent tingles spreading throughout her. Goose bumps followed.
“And the winner is”—the singer fumbled opening the envelope and then finally removed the card—“‘Summer Serenade’ by Nash and Ivy Bennett, music and lyrics by Nash and Ivy Bennett.”
She gasped.
“We won.” He kissed her on the lips. “Come on.”
They’d won! Won!
Ivy couldn’t believe it.
Stunned, she followed Nash. People, the biggest names in the business, congratulated them as she and her husband made their way to the stage. Peyton blew her a kiss. Ivy was grateful Nash hadn’t let go of her hand or she might have remained in her seat or frozen on the short staircase.
A million thoughts ran through her head.
She though
t about her family watching in Quinn Valley and her dad in heaven, who had always believed in her.
You’re going to be a star, baby girl.
Tears prickled. She glanced up at the ornate ceiling.
You were right, Dad.
A woman in a beaded evening gown handed an award to each of them. Ivy held it, her entire body shaking.
She may have been performing with Nash and on her own in front of thousands during their latest tour, but this was different.
Nash motioned for her to go first.
Oh, boy. She stepped forward, nervous but knowing she could do this because he was with her.
Ivy glanced at the award before swallowing. “I’d like to thank y’all for this great honor. Writing songs and performing them with my husband is a dream come true, but then to be recognized like this is…well, it’s awesome.”
Standing next to her, Nash laughed. So did the crowd.
He shifted his award to his left hand and placed his hand around her waist.
“Your turn, honey,” she said.
He moved slightly to the right so he was in front of the microphone.
“Thank you for this award. You have no idea what this means to us. To…me.” His voice cracked. “Many of our songs tell a story. ‘Summer Serenade’ is the story of us.” Nash glanced at her with affection in his eyes. “How we fell in love one summer in a little town in Idaho called Quinn Valley. A place I call my second home because there I found where I belonged—with this beautiful, talented woman. My wife and the love of my life.”
He leaned over and kissed her to the audience’s delight. As applause sounded, Ivy’s cheeks heated.
“Somehow you found it within your heart to forgive me and put the past—our past—behind you. Thank you for that, Ivy, and for loving me like no one else. I love you, darlin’, and I can’t wait to write and sing more songs.” He placed his hand on her stomach with the most tender of touches. “Including some lullabies.”
The crowd gasped.
Nash laughed. “Yep, we’re having a baby.”
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