The Songwriter by A. P. Jensen Page A

Harper?” Trey hollered.
    The resounding yells shook the ground and Gwen smiled and tried to tug out of Trey’s hold. He pulled her back to center stage and she felt a spear of panic. This wasn’t part of the act! Trey grabbed a stool and gallantly led her to it. She took the seat and stared at him, trying to ask him without words that the hell he was doing.
    “ Since I’ve been an ass to Gwen, let’s see if I can make it up to her,” Trey said.
    Gwen smiled but she was so confused. Was he talking about figuratively or literally? In the song , the man was a douche bag that couldn’t give the woman what she wanted. Was that what he was trying to “make up” for? Trey didn’t move his eyes from hers as he stood beside her and played his guitar.
     
    Baby, you’re the best thing
    that’s happened to me
    You get me like no one else
    Those other women, they meant nothing
    What can I say to make you stay?
     
    Gwen was completely dumbstruck. The song he was singing wasn’t on any of his albums which meant he’d either just written it or he was making it up as he went along. Trey’s boot tapped as he strummed h is guitar and she heard the women sighing as they watched him. When he finished, Trey kissed her on the lips and the women screamed. Trey bowed her off the stage and she walked over to Johnny who sniggered. Gwen saw Angie standing on the side and strode over to her.
    “ What the hell was that?” Gwen demanded angrily.
    Angie looked at Gwen’s furious face, at Trey onstage and then Johnny who was grinning like a fool. “I don’t know. You tell me.”
    “ Do I look like I knew about this?” Gwen growled between clenched teeth.
    Angie shrugged. “I manage Trey, I don’t control him. If you have a problem about what just happened, you take it up with him.”
    “ Don’t worry, I will!”
    For the first time Gwen didn’t go to her bus to shower and sleep. Johnny accompanied her to the bus and chattered while she showered and changed. Gwen was too angry to say more than a few words. She wanted to strangle Trey. What the hell did he think he was doing, changing their act in the middle of the show? She sat on that stool like a dumbass, just listening to him sing to her, wondering where he was going with this and why .
    When Gwen stormed back to the arena , the show was just letting out and Trey was doing interviews and mingling with fans along with Oliver, whose eyes popped when he caught sight of Johnny. Oliver forgot about his promotions and pushed his way over to Johnny. This caused the fans to redirect their focus on Gwen, who was suddenly engulfed in hugs and demands for autographs. At some point, she looked up and saw Trey watching her but there were at least twenty people between them and they lost each other, swept away by the enthusiastic crowd.
    It was midnight by the time she got away and there was still no sign of Trey. She actually had no idea what he did after the show. For all she knew, he could be with a woman or go to a bar with the fans. He wasn’t in his bus and Johnny finally dragged her to bed since she was pale with exhaustion.

Chapter Seven
     
    Gwen woke before the sun was up, slipped out of Johnny’s arms and went to Trey’s bus but he wasn’t there. Frustrated, she headed to her sanctuary, only to find Trey already there. He mumbled under his breath and leaned over his guitar to make a note on a legal pad. Some sixth sense made him look up and for a moment they stared at each other through the glass door of the recording room. Gwen walked through the door and let it shut behind her, locking them in a room where they could yell as loud as they pleased without being heard.
    “ What the hell were you doing last night?” Gwen said.
    Trey surveyed her while he plucked sweet chords on his guitar , which distracted her. “I was doing my show.”
    “ Don’t play games, Trey. You know what I’m talking about. What was with that song?” she demanded, standing in front of him,