“And you haven’t committed us for anything else, correct? I want to discuss every tour for this upcoming year before we agree to anything.”
“Have you talked to the guys about this? They’re all fine with it?”
“They are. Everyone is exhausted. You’re the only one fighting it.”
“Listen, Ty, it’s because I fucking care. We need to get everyone in the studio and put down a couple tracks and then head out on the road a few weeks after. How’s the writing coming?”
“It’s actually finally starting to flow,” I said. I’d talked to Lucy for an hour today and told her everything that was going on with Ivy. She thought spending this time with her was a great idea.
“Well, that’s good. The label is spending a shit ton of money on that therapist for you. Apparently, she’s worked her magic on a few big names before you.”
I rolled my eyes, because he didn’t care about me actually being okay. He just cared about me producing lyrics, which led to songs, which led to more money. In both of our pockets.
“Yeah, she’s great.”
“Are you bored as shit in that little town?”
I dropped to sit on the couch. “Not at all, actually. It’s been good to be home. Better than I expected. And the words are coming, so I can’t complain.”
Understatement of the year.
“I got a call today that there’s some girl you’re latching on to there?”
“What? Are you the one who sent these fucking paps to follow me here?” I pushed to my feet and paced the room. I knew the photos would go public, but they’d just caught us together a few hours ago. I hadn’t expected him to know about Ivy just yet.
“Fuck, no. I just have a guy on the inside that calls me when stories are about to break. And apparently, you’re all over this girl in public. Five years you’ve kept your nose clean, then you go to podunk Texas and make everything messy?”
“Fuck you, Zane. Stay the fuck out of my personal life. And it’s Willow fucking Springs. I suggest you remember that. It’s where I came from.”
“Settle down, asshole. I was just making a point. When did you get so fucking sensitive?”
“When I started figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. You need to get on board. I’m taking control, Zane. So if you can’t handle it, it’s time to jump ship.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Brother, it’s you and me till the end. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got you,” he said, and I heard his ice cubes clinking in his rocks glass in the background now.
Ivy walked out looking like my every fantasy. She was wearing a black fitted dress that clung to her body like a second skin. Thin straps held it up on her shoulders and it ended just below her knees. She wore nude strappy heels, and her luscious waves ran down her back. She spun around playfully, and my tongue dipped out to wet my lips because my mouth went dry at just the sight of her.
“I’ve got to go. See you at the studio when I get back home.” I ended the call and whistled.
“Damn, baby, you look so good. I wish we didn’t have to leave.”
“This will be fun. I remember the first time the four of us went out. It’s been a long time.” She grabbed her purse, which matched her shoes, before heading to the refrigerator and grabbing two water bottles. She dropped a few cookies from the counter into a sandwich baggy and walked toward the door.
“What’s that? A snack for the walk?”
“No. It’s for Isaac. It’s hot outside.”
“Who the fuck is Isaac?” I asked as I followed her out.
“He’s Isaac,” she whispered and thrust her thumb at the camera guy standing at the end of her walkway. Ivy covered her mouth to keep from laughing when I gaped at the man.
“You’re feeding my stalkers now?”
“Stop being a baby. Where’s your hospitality?” She approached the parasite and handed him the water bottles and the cookies. “So listen up. We’re going to go have a nice dinner. How about you take a quick photo of us, and then you head to the hotel and get some rest and we’ll head to the restaurant for a nice night. No sense trying to catch us through the bushes if we pose for you right here, right? And then you give us the rest of the night off?”
His eyes bulged and he nodded. “That sounds great.”
“For fuck’s sake. We’re posing for paparazzi?”
“Damn straight, Greene. And then he gets to go home and call his baby mama and check on his little boy, and we get to go have a date night without being followed. At least by Isaac. I don’t know about the other guys yet.”
“They’re staked out at the hotel. Ty must have gotten out of there quietly today because they lost him.”
I laughed. What were we, girlfriends now? He was giving us tips on the other guys?
“Thanks, Isaac. We’ll see you tomorrow,” Ivy sang out, and I intertwined our fingers as we walked toward town.
This girl. She had it all figured out. And somehow, everyone melted at her feet and did as she asked. I’d been dodging these dickheads for years, and Ivy found a way to get them on her side.
“Well, that was something. My only concern is that once these photos of you go public, they’ll be all over your ass. I’ve never been photographed with a woman. The fans will be all over this, Ive.” I tensed at my own words. Coming to Willow Springs had been a reprieve. This was a small invasion in comparison. I normally couldn’t go anywhere in Nashville without having twenty paps camped outside of my house. That was the one benefit of being on the road. We were too busy to care, and they had a hard time keeping up with how often we moved. I’d never been caught in an intimate photo with a woman. I was careful. And oddly enough, in the five years since I’d left Ivy, she was the reason I hadn’t allowed that to happen. I never wanted her to see me with someone else and question for one minute that I’d replaced her. Because that would never happen. Sure, there had been rumors, photos of women around me, but never anything that I thought would allow her to think I was in a real relationship.
Because I never was.
“You haven’t?”
“Nope. I told you I’ve never been involved in anything serious, so there hasn’t been reason.”
“It’s fine, Ty. I doubt anyone is going to hang out in Willow Springs for long. Besides, the clock is ticking. They’ve got nine days to do their best. They’ll pack it up and follow you right out of town when you leave.”
Her words stung. She was resolved to the fact that this was ending. Hell, they were my rules, but hearing her repeat them with no emotion hurt more than it should. It was the truth. We’d keep in touch for a while, but when Ivy started dating someone seriously who could give her what she wanted, what she deserved, I’m sure her future husband wouldn’t tolerate this friendship.