wires, and surreptitiously checked their phones. Without a crutch of her own, she scrambled for the best way to break the ice. Most of her experience with meeting fans and groups came naturally. When she was working, her task was clear, and when fans approached her in public, they usually steered the conversation. But hey, this afternoon was supposed to be an inspirational visit, not a life-changing experience, so she asked if any of the students had questions for her. Finally, a girl wearing cutoff denim shorts and a tight plaid shirt spoke up.
“Um, what’s it like working with Dave Miller? And does he have a girlfriend?” The group laughed. Her former boyfriend’s public persona was one of a notorious, unapologetic ladies’ man, but that didn’t stop young girls all around the country from falling in love with his swoon-worthy good looks, rugged cowboy persona, and panty-melting voice. Hell, Macy would never try to rekindle their relationship after all she’d put him through, but she still found herself lost in his baby blues every once in a while. In reality, he hadn’t had a serious girlfriend since they broke up, but he wasn’t hurting for female company.
“He’s like a brother to me. A really handsome brother.” That earned a laugh from the group, who all seemed more relaxed now that the ball was rolling. “Working with him is fun, but I always have to be on guard because he is the prankster out of the four of us. Nobody’s safe. Honestly, he’s super-talented, and I love the way he can spot great talent that the rest of us judges might miss. We always place bets on which contestants will go all the way. He has beaten me two years in a row, but I haven’t lost hope just yet. Oh, and no, he doesn’t have a girlfriend. I’m afraid he’s just a little bit too old for most of you, though.”
The truth was, Dave was an incredibly talented musician who kept himself on top through hard work, dedication, and passion. It was sometimes difficult to celebrate another chart-topping hit, sold-out concert, or incredible collaboration with him—to be genuinely happy for her friend when he was living the life she used to have, fueled by her love of music, of performing, of creating something bigger than herself. It pushed her and Tori to break every barrier they encountered and make every song, performance, and tour concept better than the last.
Being rudderless was anguish, nothing less.
The next kid asked what she thought about streaming services and people who pirated music, impressing Macy with his thoughtfulness and understanding of how those things affected artists rather than focusing on how people could get more music without paying. With the ball rolling, the kids threw questions at her, about life on the road, how to get backstage at concerts, and what kinds of jobs were available if you loved music but didn’t end up becoming a famous singer.
“There are plenty of jobs in music that don’t involve becoming a recording artist. You can do studio work, write for other artists, compose, work in television or film. Oh, and if you’re creative, you can write jingles for companies. And it’s not all singing and performing. Maybe you love music but don’t have that creative mind that’s required to work in the arts. You could become an entertainment lawyer or an agent, something like that. The list goes on and on.”
She held back the first option that popped into her head: a music counselor. Was that even realistic? Sure, Mr. Procter had been a huge influence on her life, but could you use a passion for music to change lives directly? Or was that a desperate pipe dream?
It was hard to believe how far away from her original dreams she’d strayed, but it was easy to remember what it was like to want that life.
• • •
Gavin waited outside the choir room’s door, not sure if he was an idiot or a jackass for being there. When she was hundreds of miles away in Nashville, she was abstract, and
“Um, what’s it like working with Dave Miller? And does he have a girlfriend?” The group laughed. Her former boyfriend’s public persona was one of a notorious, unapologetic ladies’ man, but that didn’t stop young girls all around the country from falling in love with his swoon-worthy good looks, rugged cowboy persona, and panty-melting voice. Hell, Macy would never try to rekindle their relationship after all she’d put him through, but she still found herself lost in his baby blues every once in a while. In reality, he hadn’t had a serious girlfriend since they broke up, but he wasn’t hurting for female company.
“He’s like a brother to me. A really handsome brother.” That earned a laugh from the group, who all seemed more relaxed now that the ball was rolling. “Working with him is fun, but I always have to be on guard because he is the prankster out of the four of us. Nobody’s safe. Honestly, he’s super-talented, and I love the way he can spot great talent that the rest of us judges might miss. We always place bets on which contestants will go all the way. He has beaten me two years in a row, but I haven’t lost hope just yet. Oh, and no, he doesn’t have a girlfriend. I’m afraid he’s just a little bit too old for most of you, though.”
The truth was, Dave was an incredibly talented musician who kept himself on top through hard work, dedication, and passion. It was sometimes difficult to celebrate another chart-topping hit, sold-out concert, or incredible collaboration with him—to be genuinely happy for her friend when he was living the life she used to have, fueled by her love of music, of performing, of creating something bigger than herself. It pushed her and Tori to break every barrier they encountered and make every song, performance, and tour concept better than the last.
Being rudderless was anguish, nothing less.
The next kid asked what she thought about streaming services and people who pirated music, impressing Macy with his thoughtfulness and understanding of how those things affected artists rather than focusing on how people could get more music without paying. With the ball rolling, the kids threw questions at her, about life on the road, how to get backstage at concerts, and what kinds of jobs were available if you loved music but didn’t end up becoming a famous singer.
“There are plenty of jobs in music that don’t involve becoming a recording artist. You can do studio work, write for other artists, compose, work in television or film. Oh, and if you’re creative, you can write jingles for companies. And it’s not all singing and performing. Maybe you love music but don’t have that creative mind that’s required to work in the arts. You could become an entertainment lawyer or an agent, something like that. The list goes on and on.”
She held back the first option that popped into her head: a music counselor. Was that even realistic? Sure, Mr. Procter had been a huge influence on her life, but could you use a passion for music to change lives directly? Or was that a desperate pipe dream?
It was hard to believe how far away from her original dreams she’d strayed, but it was easy to remember what it was like to want that life.
• • •
Gavin waited outside the choir room’s door, not sure if he was an idiot or a jackass for being there. When she was hundreds of miles away in Nashville, she was abstract, and
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