Made in Nashville: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance by Mandy Baggot Page B
Authors: Mandy Baggot
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Empty.
Don’t panic.
Her hand went to the scar on her cheek and she checked her reflection in the mirror again.
‘You’re gonna be great, doll. Those butterflies you’re getting are good butterflies. You’d be a freaking robot if you weren’t nervous.’
Honor nodded. She couldn’t speak. She was more than just nervous. She was exactly how she knew she would be. She just had to get over herself. It wouldn’t be forever. If she did this this one time, the next time would be easier. That’s how it worked.
She could hear someone on the microphone addressing the crowd. There were cheers and handclapping. The volume was arena level, not bar and grill level. She wanted to be sick.
‘Listen, remember that old guy that kept coming into the store? The one that said he was related to Vince Gill. The one that touched my ass and called me “beauty”. I used to see his car pull into the lot and make an excuse to hide in the basement so you had to serve him. Until you told me he was never going to learn anything about respecting people if I didn’t go out there, stand up in front of him and tell him to take his hands off my butt or take his business elsewhere.’ Mia ran her hands through Honor’s curls. ‘And you were right. And I did. And we never saw him again. This is no different. You’ve got no reason to be afraid. You might not have been born in Nashville but you were made here, doll. And you need to go out there and reclaim that life you loved. Because you sure as hell deserve it.’
Mia was right. She just needed to remember why she was doing this. Not for Micro, not for Larry, not even for her fans. She was doing it for herself. She just needed to regain her strength and her focus, think back to the confident, music industry dominating artist she used to be.
She stood up and grabbed her guitar. ‘I’m ready.’
When the music started he felt the beat thud in his chest. She was really going to do this. In front of all these people, this audience of country music fans, the record company representatives, the dozens of press. He hadn’t seen Cody’s this packed since Luke Bryan had held an impromptu fan-club event. He was worried. He couldn’t believe she was ready for this. He’d seen her lose it just a few days ago in front of a much smaller group. He couldn’t believe this change had happened so quickly. Or was it more a case of him not wanting it to have happened without him? He bit his lip and started to toy with the chain on his belt.
‘Man, this is a launch! I’m expecting smoke machines and dancers any second,’ Byron commented as they watched.
‘Ladies and gentleman! Put your hands together and welcome her back! Here at Cody’s Bar and Grill, Micro Records give to you, the one, the only, the former CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, platinum-selling artist, Nashville’s own … Honor Blackwood!’
The over-the-top build-up had him sitting forward on his seat and folding his hands behind the back of his neck. He could feel a slick of perspiration at his nape. Half of him wanted to see what was going to happen here, the other half wanted it all to go away.
When she stepped out from the wings his stomach took a dive. There she was, clad in tight jeans, wearing her brown leather cowboy boots and a white gypsy blouse, her raven hair sitting on her shoulders. The sight of her made him swallow down an emotion that had ridden up fast and hard. The roar from the crowd made it obvious how excited they all were to see Honor back and a wave of jealousy pulled at him. She was back to being public property.
She’d put one foot in front of the other and tried to take herself back ten years. How had she felt then? Excited instead of terrified. Hot and alive, ready to give not just her songs but her soul. She could do that again. There was security surrounding the stage. Larry had made sure of it. He’d promised her. But when the lights went up and the bulbs from the cameras started popping and
Don’t panic.
Her hand went to the scar on her cheek and she checked her reflection in the mirror again.
‘You’re gonna be great, doll. Those butterflies you’re getting are good butterflies. You’d be a freaking robot if you weren’t nervous.’
Honor nodded. She couldn’t speak. She was more than just nervous. She was exactly how she knew she would be. She just had to get over herself. It wouldn’t be forever. If she did this this one time, the next time would be easier. That’s how it worked.
She could hear someone on the microphone addressing the crowd. There were cheers and handclapping. The volume was arena level, not bar and grill level. She wanted to be sick.
‘Listen, remember that old guy that kept coming into the store? The one that said he was related to Vince Gill. The one that touched my ass and called me “beauty”. I used to see his car pull into the lot and make an excuse to hide in the basement so you had to serve him. Until you told me he was never going to learn anything about respecting people if I didn’t go out there, stand up in front of him and tell him to take his hands off my butt or take his business elsewhere.’ Mia ran her hands through Honor’s curls. ‘And you were right. And I did. And we never saw him again. This is no different. You’ve got no reason to be afraid. You might not have been born in Nashville but you were made here, doll. And you need to go out there and reclaim that life you loved. Because you sure as hell deserve it.’
Mia was right. She just needed to remember why she was doing this. Not for Micro, not for Larry, not even for her fans. She was doing it for herself. She just needed to regain her strength and her focus, think back to the confident, music industry dominating artist she used to be.
She stood up and grabbed her guitar. ‘I’m ready.’
When the music started he felt the beat thud in his chest. She was really going to do this. In front of all these people, this audience of country music fans, the record company representatives, the dozens of press. He hadn’t seen Cody’s this packed since Luke Bryan had held an impromptu fan-club event. He was worried. He couldn’t believe she was ready for this. He’d seen her lose it just a few days ago in front of a much smaller group. He couldn’t believe this change had happened so quickly. Or was it more a case of him not wanting it to have happened without him? He bit his lip and started to toy with the chain on his belt.
‘Man, this is a launch! I’m expecting smoke machines and dancers any second,’ Byron commented as they watched.
‘Ladies and gentleman! Put your hands together and welcome her back! Here at Cody’s Bar and Grill, Micro Records give to you, the one, the only, the former CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, platinum-selling artist, Nashville’s own … Honor Blackwood!’
The over-the-top build-up had him sitting forward on his seat and folding his hands behind the back of his neck. He could feel a slick of perspiration at his nape. Half of him wanted to see what was going to happen here, the other half wanted it all to go away.
When she stepped out from the wings his stomach took a dive. There she was, clad in tight jeans, wearing her brown leather cowboy boots and a white gypsy blouse, her raven hair sitting on her shoulders. The sight of her made him swallow down an emotion that had ridden up fast and hard. The roar from the crowd made it obvious how excited they all were to see Honor back and a wave of jealousy pulled at him. She was back to being public property.
She’d put one foot in front of the other and tried to take herself back ten years. How had she felt then? Excited instead of terrified. Hot and alive, ready to give not just her songs but her soul. She could do that again. There was security surrounding the stage. Larry had made sure of it. He’d promised her. But when the lights went up and the bulbs from the cameras started popping and
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