“I’ll think about it. We’ll talk it over and let you know first thing next week.”
This could be a dream come true.
It could be everything I ever wanted, but what if I wasn’t good enough? What if Benton Wyatt had been right all along?
“You’ve been tossing and turning all night, baby. What’s going on?” I felt Jax wrap his arms around me, pulling me into him. He gently kissed my shoulder, and I felt myself relax, my entire body melting beneath his touch.
“I’ve been thinking about this whole thing.” I sighed. “You really think we should do this?”
“I do,” he said softly.
I rolled over so that I was facing him, his skin veiled by the moonlight that filtered in through the blinds. “You really think we’re ready? Not even musically, but our relationship?”
“Liv, I’m ready for anything as long as you’re by my side.” He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “Tell me what’s worrying you.”
“Bands break up over differences all the time, right?” I asked softly. “What if you start to hate me after working with me for a while?”
“You don’t actually think that’s a possibility, do you?” He chuckled and placed a tender kiss on my forehead. “We work well together no matter what we’re doing. It’s as easy as breathing for us.”
“You’re right,” I admitted, “but do you think it will put too much of a strain on us? I don’t want it to have a negative impact on our relationship.”
“I think that’s where we have to set some boundaries.” He traced light circles down my arm. “Work has to stay at work, and we come first. No matter what. If it ever feels like it’s causing tension, we take a step back and reevaluate, but I don’t think it’s going to be like that.”
“What if people hate it?” I groaned. “What if they hate me? What if people think I’m too old to be doing this? What if I’m not good enough?”
“Is that what you really think, or is that a belief someone else put in your head years ago?”
I chewed my lip, lost in thought. He had a good point. I closed my eyes for a moment and imagined what nineteen-year-old Liv would do. I thought about how that Liv felt about herself before other people told her how she should feel. That Liv knew what she was capable of. She knew exactly who she was and what she deserved, and I knew what her answer would be. For her, this wouldn’t even be a question.
“You really want to do this?” I asked, opening my eyes to look into his.
“I really want to do this,” he whispered.
Once again, I didn’t think. I let my heart do the talking. “Me too. I think I’m ready to show Jax & Liv to the world.”
“Yeah?” His smile stretched across his mouth.
I took his face in my hands, kissing him soundly. “Yeah.”
The days between Thanksgiving and Christmas passed in a twinkly lit blur. Jax and I put up our first Christmas tree together as Mama watched disapprovingly from the sofa. She quickly forgave us when she realized she could knock all the ornaments off the tree in the middle of the night, one at a time. Jax also got to participate when Grace and I had our holiday baking pajama parties. I loved the tenderness he showed her as he carefully cut out the dough for our gingerbread men. I could tell by the way Ella gazed at them over her glass of wine that she loved it too.
Things were extra busy at the bakery for the holidays, but Jax and I still found time to rehearse and work on new material. Cash continued to speed things along, even managing to set up a mini photoshoot in my backyard on a chilly Sunday afternoon so I wouldn’t have to miss any time at the store. Cash had done everything he could to make this as easy on me as possible, and I was grateful. He’d even brought the final images by the bakery one evening later that week while Jax was there so we could see them together for the first time. Grace and the rest of the guys came, and we locked the doors and had our own mini viewing party, complete with cupcakes and champagne. Cash set up his laptop on the counter, and we all crowded around to see the final selections.
My hands flew to my mouth when Cash enlarged the images on the screen. Through the magic of the editing process, the photographer had managed to extract us from my backyard and put us up against the backdrop of a stunning sunrise. They’d taken my fence and made it look even more distressed than it was in real life. Then, there we were with our bodies turned toward one another. Jax looked down at me, his eyes smoldering, with one hand behind my head as though he were about to pull me in for a kiss. He had on a simple white button-up, dark pants, and a tie. I had one hand on his waist as the other pulled him toward me by his tie. I wore a long, silky sleeveless dress with a beaded bodice in the most beautiful shade of peach. Between the hair and makeup team and the miracle that was photoshop, I looked almost ethereal as I gave the camera a coquettish stare. ‘Jax & Liv’ had been inscribed above our heads in a beautiful script. Ella and Grace shrieked with delight, pulling me and Jax into a series of hugs while the guys whooped and hollered.
Jax hadn’t been able to spend as much time at the bakery as usual because he, along with the rest of the guys and Cash, had been taking meetings with various record labels who were all in something of a bidding war for who would get to work with Midnight in Dallas. Several labels were interested, and the guys would soon be faced with a pretty big decision as to what label they would ultimately go with. Their current label had stepped up their offerings, should they choose to resign with them, making it an even tougher choice.
One weekend, Jax paid for us to go into the studio, and with the help of the rest of the guys, we recorded the song we would be playing for the New Year’s Eve special. Cash had everything prepared for the song to be released to the masses at midnight on January 1st. He felt certain that after the world heard our song, Midnight in Dallas wouldn’t be the only ones the record labels were fighting over.
Cash was already in talks with a couple of directors about a music video for our song, and everything was moving at warped speed. I was both terrified and thrilled by the fact that when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, my life would never be the same.
By the time Christmas Eve rolled around, I was thankful for a couple days of rest. Ella and Grace were spending time with Ella’s mom, and the guys had other plans, which left me and Jax alone for our first Christmas together. We watched movies, lazed about in bed, drank wine, and savored every second together.
On Christmas Day, we snuggled on the couch by the light of the Christmas tree, never even making it out of our pajamas. We exchanged gifts and reveled in the luxuriousness of having nowhere to be but with each other. We were slow-dancing in the kitchen, waiting for our lasagna to bake, when I found myself overcome with gratitude for the beautiful man in front of me.
“I have something for you,” he whispered in my ear as he held me in his arms. We stopped swaying, and he pulled a small wrapped box out of his back pocket.
I smiled up at him. “But you’ve given me so much already.”
“Open it,” he urged.
I gingerly unwrapped the small package revealing a black velvet box. I gently pried it open to find a beautiful, dainty rose-gold necklace with a shining round disc pendant. ‘Liv’ had been inscribed on the front in the same beautiful font from the images Cash had shown us.
“It’s beautiful, Jax.” He took the box from my hands, carefully extracting the necklace and unfastening the clasp. He moved behind me as I swept my hair to one side so that he could secure the chain around my neck. Once he’d done so, he turned me to face him, and I glanced down to see my name shimmering up at me.
“Liv, you mean everything to me. You’re so special, and I’ve had the distinct honor of having you to myself these last several weeks. Now, it’s time for the whole world to see how amazing you are, and I have no doubt they’re going to love you too.” He slid his finger beneath the charm, lightly caressing the surface with his thumb. “I w
ant you to share with the world who Liv is, but this part I want you to keep close to your heart.” With that, he flipped the tiny disc over to reveal ‘Jax’ inscribed in the same script on the other side.
“Jax,” I clutched the pendant gently against my chest, and tears filled my eyes. “I love you.” I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me so I could kiss his perfect mouth. “I love you so much.”
He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, and I’d never felt more safe or loved. “I love you, Liv.”
Chapter 28
Jax
New Year’s Eve arrived, and the energy of Nashville was electric. It was a cold but clear day, and fans had already started lining the streets early in the morning in anticipation of the evening’s festivities. Liv had been a bundle of nerves most of the day until she finally set off with Ella, Grace, Katie, and Antoni for an afternoon of getting glammed-up for the show.
Brady and the guys picked me up from Liv’s house, and we traveled downtown for all of the press Cash had lined up before the big show. We stopped by the bakery for a box of treats on the way because Dallas had a craving for cupcakes. Cash had masterfully leaked information about Jax & Liv in the days leading up to the show, and the media was in a frenzy. Social media was buzzing with #Jax&Liv and #WhoIsLiv. We teased the unveiling of the new project during our interviews, but the world wouldn’t get a look at us until we finally took the stage together in front of millions of people, live on national television just before midnight.
People had started to piece together that Liv was most likely the woman I’d been photographed with at the Halloween party in Las Vegas, and the internet had been trying desperately to identify her. There were rumors about it being some up-and-coming pop star and even a famous actress. Of course, no one had even gotten close to the real thing.
Cash had also lined up a meeting with another record label executive, some guy who was anxious to meet us and throw his hat in the ring. According to Cash, the guy was adamant he could offer us something none of the other labels could, so he’d agreed to let him have his fifteen minutes after we finished up with press for the day.
After we wrapped up, we were sitting in our trailer relaxing for a moment when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Cash called. The door opened to reveal a dark-haired guy in a smart-looking suit. “You must be from 6th & 15th Records. I’m Cash Montgomery, and this is the band. That’s Dallas, Derek, Luca, and Jaxon.” He pointed to each of us, and we gave a nod of acknowledgment.
“I’m the owner of 6th & 15th,” he said. “The name is Benton Wyatt. It’s a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen.”
“Nice to meet you, Benton. Please have a seat.” Cash gestured to the vacant lounge chair beside me. “I hear you have quite the proposal for us.”
“Jaxon.” Benton said my name like he was trying it on, completely ignoring Cash’s question. “I heard you have a new project you’re launching tonight.”
I smiled. “I do, with my girlfriend Liv.”
“Is that right?” Benton wore a look of amusement on his face.
“Would you like a cupcake, Benton?” Dallas asked as he opened the Tiffany Blue box on the small coffee table, grabbing one for himself.
Benton’s eyes lingered on the box, and though he looked like he was practically salivating, he declined. “No, thank you.”
“Liv is an amazing baker. She owns Livvie Cakes Bakery and Cupcakery,” Dallas gushed, taking a bite of his cupcake. I shot him an annoyed glance. “What? The cat will be out of the bag soon anyway. You can keep a secret for the next couple of hours, can’t you, Benton?”
“Of course I can.” Benton nodded, eyeing me. “It sounds like you’ll be looking for another contract soon.”
“We will, but we’re taking it one step at a time,” I said.
Benton looked like he wanted to say something else, but Cash spoke up before he could. “If memory serves me correctly, 6th & 15th houses strictly country artists right now.” Cash folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Why the interest in Midnight in Dallas?”
“It’s simple really,” Benton replied, shifting his focus to Cash. “I’m looking to expand the brand. Nashville is growing, gentlemen. It’s not all country music anymore, as I’m sure you know. I want 6th & 15th to represent a more diverse roster.”
“Starting with Midnight in Dallas?” Derek asked curiously.
“That’s right,” Benton agreed.
Luca eyed Benton suspiciously. “Okay, but why us?”
“You guys are one of the hottest acts on the scene.” Benton leaned forward, his attention back on me. “I want to be part of your evolution, and I think Nashville is the perfect home for your band.”
“As I’m sure you can imagine, we’re fielding a lot of interest,” Cash said. “What can you give us that no other label can?”
“How does a ten million dollar sign-on bonus sound?” Benton asked casually, settling back into his chair.
“It sounds not real,” Dallas commented, taking another bite of his cupcake.
Derek laughed. “It sounds like sign me the hell up.”
“That’s what I like to hear,’ Benton said with a nod, glancing over at me. “If I can also secure your side project, I think we could make that number go up.”
“How much?” Luca asked.
“Significantly.” Benton’s gaze settled back on me. “But I move fast.”
“I think I could move fast for ten million,” Derek joked.
“We don’t move quite that fast.” Cash’s eyes flickered over to me. This was going unlike any other label meeting we’d had. Benton had barely acknowledged the rest of the guys, focusing most of his attention on me.
“We definitely don’t.” Dallas shot Benton a look.
“And I won’t even consider a label for Jax & Liv without Liv present,” I added firmly.
“When will she be here?” Benton countered, a challenging look in his eye. “I’d love to meet her. I could stick around.”
My fists clenched involuntarily, and I folded my arms across my chest, determined not to let this big-shot asshole get under my skin. “We can set up another time to talk, but Liv and I won’t be making any decisions tonight.”
“In fact, we should probably let you get on with your evening so the guys can get focused for the show tonight.” Cash said, moving to open the door. “If we’re interested, we’ll make sure to give you a call.”
“Hmmm.” Benton nodded and rose to his feet, handing me a business card. “Well, that’s a shame. Here’s my card in case you should change your mind.”
“We won’t,” I said under my breath.
“Thanks for stopping by.” Dallas made a face as Benton straightened his tie and exited the bus without so much as a backward glance. “What the fuck was that about?”
“I don’t know.” Cash returned to his chair. “I think we can all agree we won’t be calling him back. We don’t work with assholes.”
Dallas snorted, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “We work with Luca.”
“That’s fair.” Luca shrugged.
“What was his deal with you?” Dallas asked, turning toward me. “He seemed zeroed in on you the whole time. It was weird.”
“Tell me about it.” I looked down at the sleek black business card in my hands with the gold typeface.
“Don’t worry about that jerk,” Cash said dismissively with a wave of his hand. “The Benton Wyatts of the world are a dime a dozen. I just got a text from Antoni. He and the girls are on their way over. It’s time for you guys to get ready for the show.”
“Showtime!” Dallas clapped his hands together. “I call dibs on the bathroom.” He disappeared to the far end of the trailer.
“Dallas needs to do his hair,” Luca teased, propping his feet up on the table. “Good thing som
e of us woke up like this.” He gestured across his body.
I chuckled softly, my eyes still focused on the business card, when I felt Cash’s hand on my shoulder. “Forget about it. Tonight is about you and Liv. Here, let me file that away for you.” With that, he took the card out of my hands and threw it in the garbage.
“Cash, why don’t you start your own label?” I asked, attempting to put Benton Wyatt out of my mind. “You know more about the business than all of these jokers combined.”
“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it.” Cash scratched the back of his neck. “Carrie was always telling me I should. She loved the idea of us having our own business and growing it together. I thought about it a lot before Carrie passed, but since then I… I don’t know.”
“It’s never too late,” Derek said, “and you know we’d help you.”
“Fuck yeah, we would,” Luca added.
“I think it’s still worth considering.” I nodded at Cash. “I think she’d want you to carry on.”
Cash’s face grew pensive as he looked over me. Before he could say anything else, Dallas bounded down the hall and struck a pose. “How do I look?”
“Literally the same.” Luca snorted, and we all dissolved into laughter, except for Cash who was lost in thought.
Chapter 29
Liv
My stomach twisted with nerves as we pulled up to the venue. Even from inside the SUV, the sound of the crowd was deafening. I’d watched the New Year’s Eve celebration from the couch for several years with Ella and Grace, but I’d never imagined performing there.
This didn’t seem possible, even in my wildest dreams. Yet here I was about to perform in front of the masses with the man I loved and everyone who mattered most to me by my side.
After receiving the Cinderella treatment from the stylists, I looked like a woman who performed for millions, but on the inside my blood had run ice cold. I was shivering with fear. What if I choked? What if I got on that stage and couldn’t sing a single note?
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