Read Online Baby Stetson (Love and Music in Texas #1) by Nikki Lynn Barrett - Free Book Online
Authors: Nikki Lynn Barrett
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for changes.
“Like it? I love it! I appreciate all of you for this.” Laura looked at all the band members.
“That’s so good to hear,” Jameson said, looking up at Laura, the corners of his lips turned up slightly, then bowed his head again.
“Our fearless leader has been relentlessly practicing it. She’s been agonizing over it for weeks,” the keyboard player, Randy, teased, shooting Avery a look. His eyes danced with amusement, but Avery knew from all of their faces that they were proud.
“That totally sounds like Avery.” Laura giggled again, reaching for another tissue.
Heat rushed into her cheeks, and Avery knew she was blushing. “Stop picking on me, y’all.” But she wasn’t angry. How could she be? The song did come out well, and the fact that Laura loved it pleased her. She couldn’t wait to sing it at the wedding, as Laura danced with her new husband.
The bass guitarist, Marty, swept behind Avery and lightly scraped her arm with his guitar pick. “But if we didn’t pick on you, what else would we do?” Everyone, including Jameson, laughed.
“Ha ha, smart ass,” Avery said, swatting playfully at Marty.
“Better a smart ass than a dumb one.” Marty grinned at his old saying. Cheesy, but that was Marty for you. Avery wouldn’t have him any other way. As she looked at the happy faces around the room, what would she ever do without this band? Did her breakup with Jameson threaten all of this? By everyone else’s faces, it didn’t appear to, but Jameson lurked in the shadows today. His guitar playing didn’t falter, he still played every note with heart, but by the look on his face most of today, his heart was only in the music.
“Yeah, sure.” Avery smiled. “Well, great playing today, guys. Had a blast as always.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Practice was officially over for the day. As everyone gathered their instruments and said their goodbyes, one by one, the room slowly emptied. In just minutes, only Avery and Jameson were left. Even Laura, who had a date for a mani-pedi, had already left. Avery swallowed hard and approached Jameson. She sat down in the seat beside him and reached for his hand. Surprisingly, Jameson didn’t pull away. He even looked up at her, a regretful expression across his face.
“I hate this tension,” Avery said softly. Jameson nodded.
“I knew once I told you, things would change, and they certainly did. I can’t blame you for being so upset and hating me. I hate myself,” Jameson said.
“Oh, Jameson, the last thing I do is hate you. I love you, so much, but the romantic feelings I had did change. I won’t lie. I’m as devastated as you. I wanted nothing more than to get past it ... I- I just can’t. I know it’s going to be weird going back to friends, but I hope we can at least try.”
“Me too, Avery. We’ve been through too much to let a stupid thing I did ruin us, even if we can’t be together. I don’t want to lose you completely in my life.”
Avery shook her head. “I don’t want to lose you either, Jameson. As a friend, as a band mate, at all.”
That was the truth. The fact of the matter was, they took a chance taking their relationship to a new level. Now they had to brace themselves for the fall out.
“Okay. Then we won’t. Let’s both promise to do what we can to keep things going smooth. I’m sorry I ran out the other day the way I did. I was being a coward and I’m pretty pissed at myself. I knew what was coming, and as usual, I didn’t want to hear it.” Jameson squeezed her hand, then let it go. He leaned forward in his chair, his gaze never leaving Avery’s face. His deep blue eyes were filled with sorrow and pain. Avery hurt for him. Jameson endured a lot in the past few months.
“I agree,” Avery said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Oh, damn it. She wasn’t going to cry again, was she?
Jameson stood, grabbing his guitar case. “I’ve gotta go. I promised Mom I’d help her out
“Like it? I love it! I appreciate all of you for this.” Laura looked at all the band members.
“That’s so good to hear,” Jameson said, looking up at Laura, the corners of his lips turned up slightly, then bowed his head again.
“Our fearless leader has been relentlessly practicing it. She’s been agonizing over it for weeks,” the keyboard player, Randy, teased, shooting Avery a look. His eyes danced with amusement, but Avery knew from all of their faces that they were proud.
“That totally sounds like Avery.” Laura giggled again, reaching for another tissue.
Heat rushed into her cheeks, and Avery knew she was blushing. “Stop picking on me, y’all.” But she wasn’t angry. How could she be? The song did come out well, and the fact that Laura loved it pleased her. She couldn’t wait to sing it at the wedding, as Laura danced with her new husband.
The bass guitarist, Marty, swept behind Avery and lightly scraped her arm with his guitar pick. “But if we didn’t pick on you, what else would we do?” Everyone, including Jameson, laughed.
“Ha ha, smart ass,” Avery said, swatting playfully at Marty.
“Better a smart ass than a dumb one.” Marty grinned at his old saying. Cheesy, but that was Marty for you. Avery wouldn’t have him any other way. As she looked at the happy faces around the room, what would she ever do without this band? Did her breakup with Jameson threaten all of this? By everyone else’s faces, it didn’t appear to, but Jameson lurked in the shadows today. His guitar playing didn’t falter, he still played every note with heart, but by the look on his face most of today, his heart was only in the music.
“Yeah, sure.” Avery smiled. “Well, great playing today, guys. Had a blast as always.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Practice was officially over for the day. As everyone gathered their instruments and said their goodbyes, one by one, the room slowly emptied. In just minutes, only Avery and Jameson were left. Even Laura, who had a date for a mani-pedi, had already left. Avery swallowed hard and approached Jameson. She sat down in the seat beside him and reached for his hand. Surprisingly, Jameson didn’t pull away. He even looked up at her, a regretful expression across his face.
“I hate this tension,” Avery said softly. Jameson nodded.
“I knew once I told you, things would change, and they certainly did. I can’t blame you for being so upset and hating me. I hate myself,” Jameson said.
“Oh, Jameson, the last thing I do is hate you. I love you, so much, but the romantic feelings I had did change. I won’t lie. I’m as devastated as you. I wanted nothing more than to get past it ... I- I just can’t. I know it’s going to be weird going back to friends, but I hope we can at least try.”
“Me too, Avery. We’ve been through too much to let a stupid thing I did ruin us, even if we can’t be together. I don’t want to lose you completely in my life.”
Avery shook her head. “I don’t want to lose you either, Jameson. As a friend, as a band mate, at all.”
That was the truth. The fact of the matter was, they took a chance taking their relationship to a new level. Now they had to brace themselves for the fall out.
“Okay. Then we won’t. Let’s both promise to do what we can to keep things going smooth. I’m sorry I ran out the other day the way I did. I was being a coward and I’m pretty pissed at myself. I knew what was coming, and as usual, I didn’t want to hear it.” Jameson squeezed her hand, then let it go. He leaned forward in his chair, his gaze never leaving Avery’s face. His deep blue eyes were filled with sorrow and pain. Avery hurt for him. Jameson endured a lot in the past few months.
“I agree,” Avery said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Oh, damn it. She wasn’t going to cry again, was she?
Jameson stood, grabbing his guitar case. “I’ve gotta go. I promised Mom I’d help her out
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