Page 18 of Sultry Summer

His voice squeaks like a teenage girl. I chuckle. “I’ve written the bare bones of one. But I’ll have it ready in a few days. I want you to get your ass up here and help me get all this stuff taken care of so I can premiere it here. For her. For her family and her town. So they all know how I feel about her.”

“You sound like a nut. But a happy nut.” He pauses. “I’m happy for you. But why do you need to surprise her?”

“She…well, she’s not sure if she wants to leave here. And I’m not sure I can leave her. So I also need a house with a studio. Because except when I’m on tour, I’m gonna spend every spare second I have trying to make her happy. She’s my future, Ryan. She’s the one. Mine.”

“Wow! You…I can’t get over how the mighty have fallen. I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon and we’ll get this sorted out. I cannot wait to hear this song.”

I grumble under my breath, “you and me both. It’s coming along.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow. If you need anything before I get on a plane, you tell me and I’ll make it happen, man.”

“Thanks.” I gulp a swallow. “I really appreciate all that you’ve done for me over the years.”

“Uh-uh. We’re not done here. So don’t go giving me some sappy good-bye. I think we’re about to have another gold album.”

“We’ll see.”

“Talk to you later. Get some damn rest. I don’t want to put you onstage if you look like shit. That reflects on me too!”

Rolling my eyes, I growl but he just laughs and hangs up.

And I pick up my guitar again and a piece of paper. Then I let it all out. All the feelings she brings alive.

All the hurt and anger that came before and the relief of finding the one.

And I smile for the first time in a long time. Because it feels right.

CHAPTER 11

Aspen

Ilean back on my door, tears streaming down my face. The lights from his car cut across the glass in my door. And then he’s gone.

I drop to my knees, sobbing, my chest so tight I can’t breathe.

He’s gone. I sent him away and he left. I lean my head back on the door and groan, wiping at my eyes. Of course, he left. I told him to. I told the only man I’ll ever love that I couldn’t choose him and he left.

It’s all my fault. I’m a damn idiot.

My phone rings and I hold it up, groaning and smacking my head into the door.

I answer it, knowing that if I don’t, I’ll never hear the end of it. She’ll keep calling.

“Hello, Fee. You need me to go in early in the morning.” For just a second, there’s nothing but silence. And I hope that I sound normal enough that she leaves it alone. Let’s me hold onto my secrets.

“Why do you sound like you’ve been crying?”

“Dammit,” I hiss to myself.

“I heard that. Why are you crying? What happened?” I hear a man’s voice in the background and I wince. “Did that guy from the shop hurt you?”

Another sound in the background and I hear a door slamming. I sit up straight. “No! He didn’t hurt me. I hurt me! I hurt him! Go tell Monroe to settle down.”

She growls but then I hear her footsteps and she opens the door, hollering, “She’s just being an idiot, like we all did! He didn’t hurt her.” She scoffs. “Put away the gun, Monroe.”

Rolling my eyes, I glare at my phone. “I’m tired, Fee. I need to go to bed.”

“Too damn bad. I’m gonna be there in ten minutes and we’re gonna talk about this. I want to know how you can hurt a man you barely know.”