Made in Nashville: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance by Mandy Baggot

into a baby stroller and wheeled her into position himself.
    She hadn’t explained herself to anyone about the ‘incident’ at the studios. When she’d finally got up the nerve and made her decision about the future she’d not let Larry speak until she’d said what she needed to say.
    She’d set up a recording session of her own. Three days ago she’d gone into the studio with the minimum amount of people she could get away with and her guitar from home. They’d laid down
Goodbye Joe
, Micro had loved it and now …  well now the industry machine was taking over.
    But while all this was going on around her, while she took on board exactly what she was getting herself into, the only thing on her mind was Jared Marshall. She knew he was the reason she’d recorded the track. Spending that time in his studio had taught her so much. Musically she
was
country through and through. Hiding away from that fact was only doing two things: making her miserable and letting Simeon Stewart win. As terrified as she was, she had the rest of her life to lead and being the town’s resident recluse was doing her no favors.
    So why hadn’t she called him? Didn’t he deserve to know what was happening? He’d coached her, told her to dig deep and if it hadn’t been for him then …  Well all she knew was she wouldn’t be getting ready for her first public appearance in ten years. She’d probably be wandering around Target looking for cheap homeware she didn’t need.
    She found the latest delivery, the box not even opened. Tearing at the tape she checked the inventory.
    What Jared had said to her had made fire run through her veins. The way he’d looked at her, the way his breath had rushed from his mouth, the words penetrating her skin and resting on a part of her that palpitated with need. For a second she had held herself still, waited to see what would happen, looked expectant. And then he’d turned and went and she was left even more confused. What had she really expected from him? Despite her almost wanton behavior in his studio, she wasn’t in the market for any sort of relationship. She still didn’t understand what had made her behave that way. The inch or two of bare abdomen above denim when his vest rode up was one explanation, but that shouldn’t have been enough to make her display desire so readily. And she had. Then he’d turned her down, and later told her he’d wanted to. Did he have someone? Maybe she should Google or ask the Wikipedia of Nashville, Mia. Was she interested in knowing? Didn’t she have enough on her plate already?
    She retrieved the Vince Gill album from the box and headed back upstairs.
    It was his third beer in thirty minutes. He didn’t know what he was doing; he just knew he needed something to get him through it. He was angry. He wanted to go to the music store and tell her just how mad he was. The trouble was, he knew he had no reason to be feeling that way. She didn’t belong to him. He had helped her a little but so what? She didn’t owe him anything. He should be pleased she’d finally recorded again. She was getting back to what she loved, moving on with a new release. Soon she’d be on stage at the Opry and it’d be like they’d never met. And why should it be any other way? Up until a week or so ago he’d never even heard of her.
    He got his cell phone out of his jeans and pressed a contact.
    ‘Hey, Byron it’s Jed. Listen, are you doin’ anything later? I was thinkin’ of headin’ to Cody’s.’

Chapter Fifteen
    ‘ChapStick,’ Mia announced.
    Honor couldn’t believe the record company had sent a stylist over to Cody’s. It was going to be one song and some autograph signing, not a sold-out festival gig. She’d looked at the Asian girl with plaits and three types of rollers in her hand and almost freaked out. Mia had taken charge and ushered her away while Honor had headed for the dressing room. It contained a battered table and chair, a warped mirror and a