Page 86 of Wild and Wanted

Need? Who said anything about need? ‘What if I want to stay longer?’

Ignoring the question, Cindy Everhart blew her nose and continued forward. ‘I think, from a production point of view, the earlier we get started on the songs you’ve written while you’re here, the better. That’s just good business sense.’

Stevie had, of course, told her mom about the songs. Not just because she was her mother but also her manager. That’s how it worked. She hadn’t played her any of them but her mother had been excited as always when Stevie wrote something new.

It was easy to forget amongst all the emotional quagmire over Yolly that her mom was also Stevie’s biggest fan.

‘If we can get them ready in time you can debut them during the tour. Make it a thing. Get a buzz going on social media. It could be something the crowds really love and get behind.’

The thing about her mom was that, in only two years, she’d become an excellent manager. Which wasn’t really surprising. Cindy Everhart, like her eldest daughter, had always had a determined streak.

But… ugh. The crowds.

‘Four days isn’t going to make a difference, Mom.’ Stevie tried not to sound irritable but the pitch and roil of her stomach made it impossible.

As soon as she said the words, her mother’s eyes welled up again and Stevie wished she could bite off her tongue. Voice thick with tears her mom said, ‘You and I know intimately what kind of a difference four days can make.’

Oh God… What an idiot to have spoken without thinking. Those four days Yolly was on life support had changed their lives completely. ‘I’m sorry,’ Stevie said on a sigh. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’

Her mother sobbed quietly and Stevie felt like a terrible daughter thoughtlessly picking at her mother’s scab. She’d spent the last two years doing anything – including agreeing to a six-month tour – to keep her mother away from the dark abyss of those early days after Yolly had died, and she couldn’t bear to see her crying again.

She especially couldn’t bear being the cause of those tears. Stevie wasn’t the daughter that made her mother cry. Moving to the couch, she sat beside her mom and pulled her into a hug. ‘I’m so sorry, Mom, I didn’t think.’

‘It’s okay,’ she sobbed. ‘I know… It’s okay.’

But the tears kept flowing and all Stevie could do was hug her tight like she’d done in those terrible after days until eventually her mother’s crying jag subsided and she blew her nose and wiped her eyes. Her face was a wreck, though, misery etched into the smudged tear tracks.

‘I’m sorry,’ her mom said. ‘I know I’m still too emotional and I need to do something about that and I will. After the tour.’

Yeah. After the tour. It felt like their entire lives had been put on hold until after the damn tour.

‘But for now… darling, can we please go home and get to work. You’ve done what you came here to do, let’s get back and do what you need to do there.’

The problem with that was, Stevie had done so much more here than she’d ever planned on doing. And the thought of going back tomorrow, was like a knife to her chest.

Which was startlingly scary after such a short period of time. Talk about a wake-up call. Maybe her mother was right? This was supposed to just be a temporary excursion in her life, not become her entire existence.

She did have songs to produce – good songs – and she couldn’t do that here.

‘Please.’ Her mother squeezed her hand. ‘Please.’

Stevie sucked in a husky breath and nodded. ‘Okay, Mom. Okay.’

She’d come this far on her mother’s quest to achieve her sister’s dream of a national tour; she couldn’t bail now. This couldn’t fail because she doubted her mom would ever recover. And if leaving the ranch early meant her mother felt back in control again, then that’s what she’d do.

Yolly’s death had already fractured their lives; Stevie couldn’t let it break them altogether. Was that kicking the can down the road? Maybe. But they’d been doing it for two years.

They could do it a bit longer.

‘Oh, thank you, darling.’ Her mother pulled her in tight, her voice breaking again as she sniffled. ‘Thank you.’

Stevie shut her eyes and leaned into the hug. Her mother’s hugs had always made things better. Until Yolly. But if they could just get through these next months, maybe they would again.

She broke away, smiling at her mother before she patted her hand and stood. ‘I’m going out for a bit, I’ll be back…’ She faltered. How long did it take to say goodbye to a guy who had taught her much, much more than how to ride? ‘In an hour or so.’

‘To see Clay?’

Stevie jutted her chin. ‘Yes.’