Read Online Made in Nashville: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance by Mandy Baggot - Free Book Online Page B

industry there was little rivalry. He was good buddies with most of the top stars, but Dan Steele…he wasn’t sure he could put his feelings aside.
    His cell phone started to ring. Buzz.
    ‘Hey, you’ve reached Jed Marshall. Leave a message after the beep,’ he spoke into the handset.
    ‘I know that’s you, Jed. So, tell me, are you ready to sign on with Raintown?’
    ‘I’ve got five days left. Listen, I’m gonna be pretty tied up today. Can you do somethin’ for me?’ He listened to Buzz’s aggravated breath before continuing. ‘Can you call Gear? I want you to make it clear to them that if they even think of signin’ Dan Steele…if they even think about thinkin’ about signin’ him…I’m out.’
    ‘You heard he’s opening the Marlon,’ Buzz stated.
    ‘I don’t care if he’s openin’ for Obama. There’s no way he’s gettin’ on my label. Make it clear, Buzz.’
    He ended the call and punched the off button on the TV.
    ‘So, this is Milo, he’s your new lead guitarist and Greg and Johnny you already know.’
    She was smiling so much her cheeks were hurting. Russell Johns from Black Monkey was doing the introductions and his violet-colored shirt was bringing on nausea. Greg and Johnny had been with her ten years ago. Neither of them looked changed at all. Greg’s beard still needed attention and she was sure Johnny was in the same pair of jeans he’d worn that last night on stage. She shook her head, trying to make the memory dissipate. She looked to Larry who was sat on the couch at the back of the room. He stood up and was at her side within seconds.
    ‘Are you OK darlin’?’ he spoke softly.
    She was being ridiculous. Why was this such a big deal? Nothing bad had happened at the studios. This was how her life had been all the time before. She’d loved it. It had been all she’d wanted. It had been her everything. She’d spent days in the studio before, pulled all-nighters to get things right.
    ‘Could I get a glass of water?’ she asked. She cleared her throat.
    Everyone was staring at her. Greg, Johnny, Milo the new guitarist, Larry and Russell. Why were they staring at her? It was only when she looked at her right hand she realized. She’d been pulling at her hair so hard some of it was in her fist.
    She opened her mouth to speak but was distracted.
    He rapped his knuckles on the Perspex screen that separated the editing booth from the recording studio. He’d had to work his charm on the receptionist on the front desk before he could get inside the inner sanctum of Black Monkey today. Now he was being gawped at by five guys and Honor who had a handful of hair clenched between her fingers.
    He waved a hand at her and watched her cheeks pink up. He indicated the door. They were all looking at him but no one was making any move. He hit the glass with the silver ring on the middle finger of his right hand. Was there a fucking password or something?
    ‘Honor, honey, what’s Jed Marshall doing here?’ Larry asked, standing in front of her. He touched her chin with his finger and made her turn to look at him. She was still holding the hair. She didn’t know how it had happened. Why had she done that?
How
had she done that?
    ‘Jed Marshall is here,’ Larry repeated. ‘Do you know something about it? He hasn’t busted the door down but he’s looking as if he might like to, darlin’.’
    She looked to the other side of the room. Jed had his palm on the glass. His eyes flicked over to the door and she watched his breath steam up the panel.
    ‘I…I can’t do this, Larry.’
    She unclenched her hand, dropping the hair and bolting for the door.

Chapter Eleven
    She pushed open the door and didn’t stop. She wasn’t going to stop until she was out of Black Monkey and into some air. She was a couple of feet away from reaching the door back to reception when he grabbed her arm.
    ‘Hey, what’s goin’ on? Where you goin’?’
    Where was she going? Out, was all she knew. Where