Page 81 of SnowBound

“You know who I am, right?”

“You’re the man behind Carter Hills’s success. You are the best in the business.”

“And yet, you prefer to finish your degree in—”

“Music.”

He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Interesting. I respect you, kid. You have some spine. Let’s make a deal here and now.”

I bobbed my head. Riley Burns, manager extraordinaire, was showing an interest in me. This alone was like winning the lottery.

“Two years. As soon as you get your diploma, you call my office, and we’ll schedule that meeting. How does it sound? You have raw talent, man. And I can take you to the top if we work together.”

“Thank you, si—Riley.”

He turned to leave but stopped and lifted two fingers in my direction. “Two years, man. Find me or I’ll come to find you.”

“Met Burns?” Tucker asked when I went to collect my pay. “The guy is the best in the business, and he was really impressed by your talent.”

I swallowed down the emotions clogging my airways. I still couldn’t believe Riley Burns had shown interest in me and I’d turned him down. “Yeah. He’s like a superstar in the business.”

“He sees a lot of emerging talent, but between you and me, he always says they all sound the same. You have that je-ne-sais-quoi that makes you unique. The guy is always looking for that little something that makes you different from the rest of the crowd. You’d be a fool to not call him. Just sayin’.” We exchanged one last handshake. “Anyway, whenever you’re in town and you wanna play, reach out.”

“Sure thing. Thanks again. For giving me a chance.”

On the sidewalk, I took a deep inhale of the night air. It was thick with humidity and smelled faintly like barbecue.

With nowhere to go and too exhausted to drive, now that the adrenaline had crashed, I decided to book a hotel room for the night. With the amount Wild and Country paid me and the hefty tips I received tonight, I had made a generous sum of money, and I deserved a little reward. Aka, a hot shower and a real bed.

Within walking distance, I booked a room at The Row, a hotel with decent room prices and an industrial vibe.

Under the covers, I replayed the night in my head. Fuck, I could have maybe been signed to a major label in the near future. And I’d refused.

What a freaking joke.