Page 64 of Pink and Country

Carter pushed his bottom lip out, pouting, but it didn’t last.

“Go get ready, I’ll wait here.” Carter closed the door after him with a kick. His security details, two men I saw for the first time yesterday, stayed behind in the hallway, dressed in street clothes. Astonished and unable to speak any coherent words, I disappeared into the bedroom. “Usually, we don’t have to hide in Nashville. People let us be. But after last night’s show, my team thinks I made the matter worse instead of helping it.” Carter was talking about my song. His voice changed to a more serious tone. “I’m sorry you were brought into this. Again. I never meant for you to be drawn into this mess. The song meant a lot to me, and I thought you’d like it too. It was an in-the-heat-of-the-moment thing, and I didn’t think it through.”

I came out of the bedroom, dressed up in my new clothes, only to face the sad expression on Carter’s face. His hands were stuffed in his jacket pockets, and his head hung low. My pulse rattled at his sight. I treaded through the room and placed a hand on his forearm.

“I know you didn’t mean to. It’s okay, we’ll deal with it. I’m sure some young actress will forget to put her panties on, or a rock star will trash a hotel room or burn down a house. Soon enough, we’ll be old news.” I offered him a reassuring smile. “And the song means everything to me. Never apologize for it. This is the best gift I’ve ever received.” I rose on my tiptoes and dropped a kiss on his cheek. The worry lines around his eyes smoothed.

“Are you sure? People will make up all kinds of stories about us. About you.”

“How bad could it be?” Carter’s face darkened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but I silenced him with a finger against his lips. “We’ll deal with it later. Now, tell me who picked up these horrible outfits.”

Legitimate amusement lit up his face.

“June. She said she had a blast selecting each piece for us. She knew your size and let her imagination run wild. I bet her four-year-old is to blame. That kid has weird taste. She’s heartless, I’m telling you. She has something against me and made it personal.” Carter flashed his pearly whites. “Anyway, June said she got inspired.”

His manager or personal assistant, or whatever she was, chose a large purple knitted sweater for me, white aviator shades, a matching purple beanie to hide my pink strands, a long mustard-yellow scarf, matching Carter’s hat, and a royal-blue sleeveless puffer vest.

Carter gave me a slow once-over, and holding the lapel of my vest, he smirked. A giant, wild smirk. “Even when it looks like you got dressed in the dark, you still look beautiful, Fairy.”

I curtsied and admiring ourselves in the full-length mirror, we both laughed. Every time I got him to laugh, it felt like a small victory.

Still giggling and looking ridiculous, I followed HN to the elevator. Feeling brave, I inhaled and slid my hand into his. Carter intertwined our fingers and looked at me. Looked into me. In that small gesture, he said much more than his words ever could. My heart doubled in size, and prickles woke up inside me. I stopped breathing as the elevator doors closed.

14

Carter

A pril and I played tourists for the rest of the day. We ate sweet potato pancakes at this little place mostly visited by locals, far from the tourists’ hotspots, where I knew we wouldn’t be disturbed, and strolled through Centennial Park.

After lunch, we sauntered across Music Row. “I recorded my very first album here,” I said, pointing to a little craftsman powder blue house with white columns.

“With your band?”

“Yeah, before we all went our separate ways.” I silenced a laugh. “We were just kids. It seems like a lifetime ago.”

Later, we hopped in one of those golf carts transporting tourists all over the city.

“Broadway and Fifth, please,” I asked the sixty-something-year-old man who took it upon himself to give us a tour of the city. April listened to everything he said, asking questions. Next thing I knew they were talking about the man’s grandchildren, and he was showing her pictures on his phone. April gave the man her full attention. I watched the exchange in silence, a wide smile stretching my lips.

“So, where are y’all from?” the man asked.

“Georgia,” April answered without missing a beat. “We’re in town for the weekend. Huge fans of country music here.” She elbowed me in the ribs.

“Sure,” I said, scratching the side of my head. “The biggest fans.”

April smirked and brought her attention back to our tour guide, squeezing my arm with her small hand.

The man dropped us in front of the Ryman Auditorium. “Y’all enjoy your trip.”

“Frank, tell Rosa”—was she his wife?—“to try frankincense essential oil for her arthritis. It should help. She can contact me if she has questions. You have my contact info on your phone.” When did April have the time to learn about our tour guide’s wife and her health? I didn’t pay attention to much they said.

“Will do.” Frank turned around to face me. “Take good care of your wife, sir, she’s a keeper.” He winked, and I stopped in my tracks. Wife? What did I miss?

April and I grabbed vegan tacos from a food truck on Second and traipsed down Broadway. April’s face lit up.

“All the bars are already open.” This was more an affirmation than a question. Even at this time of the day, bands were playing live music. “Did you ever play here?” she asked me, pivoting on her heels until we faced each other. I nodded. April watched me, and I had a hard time reading her eyes through those shades. My mouth went dry. “I wish I’d heard you back then.” She rose on her tiptoes and brushed my lips with hers, not quite kissing me. We breathed the same air, and I got dizzy. My arm wound around her waist, and I pulled her close to me.

“Let’s hang out here for a while.” April turned and pressed her back to my front. I gripped her hipbones, and she swayed her hips to an old Garth Brooks’s hit as we listened to the cover band through a large window from the sidewalk. Pixie couldn’t miss how much I loved having her in my arms. My appreciation pressed firmly against her lower back.