Page 7 of Heartbreaker
I haven’t even considered selling my Nashville farmhouse. “But I love my home.”
“You’ll love the newer, bigger, more private house just as much,” he says drolly.
“I go to my farm to unwind, relax, write songs…”
“How’s that working out for you now that you’re famous?”
I chuckle. “Not that well, I guess.”
“Would you like a little unsolicited advice?” he asks as he strolls toward me.
“Absolutely.”
He stops in front of me, his body mere inches from mine, his voice soft when he says, “Surround yourself with people you trust.Reallytrust. Not just the people who got you where you are—because they don’t always have your best interests at heart—but honest-to-goodness smart, loyal people who will put your career, and your needs, first.”
“How do you know who those people are?” I ask just as softly. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell the good from the bad.”
“And it’ll only get harder from here on out. That’s why the people you surround yourself with are so important. There’s a price to pay for each level of success. And the more successful you are, the higher the price.”
“Why does that sound ominous?”
He shrugs. “It can be. Like I said, get the right team around you. That’s the only way to navigate it.”
“There are a lot of moving parts in my career right now, and it’s probably only going to get worse after tonight. I trust my team, but I’m not really close to any of them. If that makes sense? From where I’m sitting, I don’t think they put my needs first. I’m just a name on a talent roster to them.”
“That’s going to change after tonight,” he says. “Make sure you don’t reward them for mediocre effort.”
“That sounds great in theory, but how do you put that into practice? Because the reality is, I’ve had this team since I got my first record deal. Now, I win this big award and I suddenly dump everyone? How does that make me look?”
He takes my hand in his, squeezes lightly. “Like a smart, successful young woman taking control of her career and doing what’s best for her future.”
“Is that what you did?” I ask quietly.
He pauses and then shakes his head. “No. I didn’t. And that’s why I’m giving you the benefit of my experience. I was stupid. And now I’m paying the price. But that’s another story for another night.”
“Maybe you’ll tell me someday.”
A long moment of silence falls between us.
“Maybe I will,” he finally says, voice quiet, the words gentle fingers stroking along the bare skin of my wrist.
Our eyes are glued together, as if neither of us can look away.
And I really don’t want to.
He’s enigmatic, gorgeous, mysterious, and the complete opposite of the kind of guys I usually go for. Standing here in this little dressing room, it feels like the outside world doesn’t exist. It’s just us. And I can’t explain why I’m so drawn to him.
The way he’s looking at me—like a starving man about to have his first meal in a long time—I know he feels it too.
I just don’t know what to do about it.
Any minute now, my assistant Rosie is going to come in and tell me the limo is here.
Royal will most likely be heading to his ride as well.
If I don’t say or do something to prolong our time together, I may never see him again.
And for some reason, I’m not okay with that.
