“Oh, how nice.” Maybe that was why his name seemed somewhat familiar. She smiled to try to put him at ease. “I didn’t know you were a singer, too.”
“Do you two know each other?” Gary looked confused.
“We met at one of my shows recently. Just chatted for a quick minute at the bar.”
“That’s right,” Cole said.
“So, let’s get started, shall we?” Gary flipped the switch to start the music that they had chosen. Cole went to the microphone and launched into his song. His voice was clear and strong, and Laura felt chills as he sang. Something about the sound of his voice touched her deeply. And seemed oddly familiar. She wondered if she’d heard him sing somewhere before. She knew that some of the artists on the show had recorded music before, toured even, but their careers hadn’t taken off yet.
Something came to her, but it was fleeting. She tried to focus on what she’d been thinking of, but her mind was a blank. The harder she tried to recall what it was the more her head started to throb. She felt a wave of nausea roll over her and then broke into a sweat. A migraine was coming. She hadn’t had one in years, not since just after the accident, but she knew the signs. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to calm her mind.
“Laura, are you okay?” Gary sounded concerned.
She opened her eyes. Both Gary and Cole were watching her. She smiled to assure them that she was all right.
“I’m fine. Just a headache, maybe a migraine. I haven’t had one in a long time, but I used to get them often.”
“I have some Advil in my truck if that might help?” Gary offered.
“Sure, that would be great. If it’s not too much trouble.”
“None at all. Be back in a flash.” He left the room, and Laura sat down and put her hands on her temples.
“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well,” Cole said. “Maybe my singing made you sick?” His tone was light and teasing.
Laura smiled. “Very funny. You were great, actually, and I’ve always loved that song.” She was quiet for a moment and then said, “I do have one suggestion. When you sing that last line, I’d go softer just before and then give it your all at the end. It will let you end with a really big moment.”
He nodded. “Thanks. I will do that. I actually used to do it that way, years ago. My girlfriend at the time made the same suggestion. And it worked. But over the years—you know how it is, you try different things.”
“I do know. I’ve changed the first song I wrote more than any other. I can’t seem to resist tinkering with it. It’s recorded now, but I still change it up sometimes a little when I sing it live.”
“Is that your Young Love song?”
“Yes. You probably heard me sing it that night at the bar.”
“I did, and I remember you saying it was your first song.” He came and sat down in a folding chair a few feet away from her.
“What’s the history of that song? Is there any special meaning to it?”
Laura laughed. “It sounds like there is, doesn’t it? But I honestly don’t know where that song came from. I was never even interested in music until I was in a serious car accident. I had some memory loss, pretty severe actually,” she admitted. “But I don’t remember ever having any musical interest or ability until after the accident when I started working in a music shop. The owner taught me to play guitar and suggested I try to write a song. And that was my first attempt.”
Cole looked impressed. “That’s a hell of a first attempt. It seems like you were meant to do this.”
Laura started to smile and then winced with pain and pressed a hand to her forehead. “Sorry, I don’t know where this is coming from. I haven’t had a headache this bad in years. I thought I was over them, actually.”
Gary walked back into the room with a glass of water and a bottle of Advil. He handed both to Laura.
“Thank you.” She took two pills and washed them down with the water. Already she felt the tension in her head relax a little. She was glad they were done for the day, and she could go home and rest for a while. She’d call Dylan on the way and let him know she wasn’t up for doing anything except going to bed, alone.
Gary turned his attention to Cole. “Great job with that song. Show up and do it just like that and I’m confident we’ll be here again next week.”
“I hope so. Thanks to both of you. Laura, I’ll see you tomorrow. I hope you feel better.”
“Thank you. I’m sure I will.”
Cole watched as Laura walked out of the building. The past hour and a half had been amazing and disturbing at the time.
“I could really use a beer right now,” he muttered to himself.
“I’ll go for a beer with you? Where do you want to go?” Gina surprised him by saying. He hadn’t realized she was right behind him.
He looked at his cell phone. It was a quarter past five, not too early for a beer. And maybe a burger, too.
“There’s a pub around the corner that has good burgers and draft beer. I was thinking of stopping in for dinner. You’re welcome to join me.” He was happy for the company. It was better than sitting alone at a bar or in his small hotel room. Gina was a sweet girl, but she was smiling kind of funny, and Cole recognized the look. She was interested. Crap. He didn’t want to give her the wrong idea, so he looked around and saw one of the other guys he’d gotten to know coming towards them.
“Hey, Kevin, we’re going to go grab a beer and something to eat, want to join us?”
“Sure, I’m starving. Lead the way.”
Cole drove down the street to the pub, and the others followed close behind. They ordered burgers and a round of draft beers. By the time they finished, Cole was glad to see that Kevin and Gina seemed to be hitting it off. While the two of them gabbed, Cole ordered a second round of beers and couldn’t stop thinking about Laura.
He wanted so badly to tell her who they were to each other, but it didn’t seem right. He was married, and she was engaged, and he didn’t want to upset her. As it was, he was concerned about her headache. Especially as she’d mentioned having them when she was trying to force her memory. What would happen if he filled in the blanks and then her mind took over? He didn’t want to hurt her any more than she’d already been hurt.
Both Gina and Kevin were on Gary’s team, too, and during the weeks they’d been living and filming in Nashville, they’d all spent a fair bit of time together and had grown close. They were both talented country singers, too. He hoped that they’d stay in touch and maybe cross paths again, maybe even work together at some point. Gary had told him that when he was starting out, there was a small group of guys he’d been close with and they’d collaborate on songs all the time, working together to find the perfect words and melodies. Not for the first time, he wished he could convince Chelsea to move to Nashville. It was the heart of country music, and the energy here was incredible. But he knew she’d never go for it. She’d made that very clear.
When she’d called earlier, she’d asked how much longer he’d be there and when he thought he might be coming home. That’s how little attention she paid to the whole process. He reminded her that it depended on how he did tomorrow night. He might be coming home in a day, or here for another week. She promised to watch and surprised him by saying she hoped he’d do well enough to stick around a while longer. He was glad to hear that she was feeling better, too, and keeping busy going out with friends.
“Laura’s so awesome. She said she’ll be there tomorrow too, to cheer us on,” Gina said.
“Yeah, I was surprised by how helpful she was. You know, since she’s so new herself. But she had some great suggestions for me. I’m feeling pretty good about my chances,” Kevin said.
“She had some good suggestions for me, too,” Cole said. When they were dating, Laura’s advice was always spot on, and when he took it, it made his performance better. He smiled, remembering that the advice she’d given him earlier that day was the very same suggestions she’d made years ag
o. Maybe her musical ability had always been in her and they’d just never realized it.
Chapter 20
“Don’t be nervous. You’re going to do great.” Laura gave his arm a squeeze and Cole jumped a little at her touch. It was unexpected and still had the same reaction it always did. All of his senses seemed to come alive when Laura was around. He took a deep breath and found himself relaxing. She’d always had a calming effect on him.
“Thanks. I am a little nervous. Big stakes, you know?”
“You’ve got this. I promise.”
He replayed her words to himself as he took his place in the on-deck circle and waited to be announced. They had a live audience now, and the energy in the room was high. When Cole’s name was called, he walked out on stage as the music began. Laura’s quiet encouragement helped him to focus. He thought back to what Gary had said, too, and he felt something shift inside him as he started to believe. He stood taller, took in the energy all around him and began to sing.
When he finished, there was silence at first, and then an eruption of applause and cheers. Three of the judges stood again for him, and all had nice things to stay. It was all a blur as the lights blocked out much of the audience. Cole looked for Laura and found her in the front row, by the judges. She’d been backstage earlier and must have slipped into her seat when he started to sing. She did that for all the contestants on Gary’s team to give them an extra dose of support right before they walked on stage. He waved to her before he walked off stage and joined the others in their row along the side.
They wouldn’t get the results until the next day. The live shows allowed for the audience to vote and to buy the songs online. The votes and sales totals all factored into deciding who stayed and who went home. Cole, Gina, and Kevin all did well, and everyone wanted to go out and hear some live music. They all agreed to meet up at seven.
Gary and one of the other judges joined them, too. Cole was pleasantly surprised to see Laura walk in a half hour or so after they arrived. She was with Dylan, her fiancé, who Cole had taken an immediate dislike to the first time they’d met. The feeling seemed to be mutual as Dylan did not look happy when Laura slid into the empty seat next to Cole.
As soon as they ordered their drinks, Dylan leaned back in his seat and put his arm around Laura, resting his hand on her shoulder possessively. Cole noticed that Laura shifted immediately, almost as if she was annoyed by the presence of his hand there, but she allowed it to stay. Cole had to fight the urge to remove it.
“So, you did really great!” Laura said to Cole and then to Kevin and Gina added, “You both did, too. I’m proud of all of you.”
“How did you get discovered?” Gina asked. “I heard it was like overnight?”
Laura laughed. “Not quite. It was well over a year. I moved to Nashville with a friend from college and worked as an elementary teacher during the day. And in my spare time, I’d write music and go to writer’s nights all over the city.” Gina looked confused, so she added, “It’s like an open mic night. Lots of places allow new artists to perform. It’s a great way to get feedback on your stuff and keep refining it.”
“Is that how you got noticed?” Cole asked her.
“Pretty much. I never planned on singing. I came here to be a songwriter only. But the only way to show people my songs was to sing them. The people at Black Duck liked a few of my songs, but they wanted me to sing them.”
“Is it true that you wrote all the songs on your album?” Kevin asked.
“It is. And I have some fun news to share with you guys, too.”
Everyone leaned in to hear Laura’s news, including Dylan who looked surprised.
“I got word just before I came out tonight that two of my songs have been sold to other artists.”
“That’s so amazing. Can you say to who?” Gina asked.
“I think so. Please keep it to yourself, though, in case I’m not supposed to say anything. It’s Blake Shelton and Carrie Underwood.”
“Wow,” Cole said.
Laura squeezed his arm and laughed. “I know!”
Dylan, meanwhile, was glaring at Laura. “You didn’t tell me.” His voice was low. Cole could tell he was pissed.
“I’m sorry. I was about to but got another call right before we left. I just found out!”
The band came on, and they spent the next few hours listening to live music, and except for Dylan, who still seemed annoyed at the world, they all had a great time.
“Good luck tomorrow, everyone. I’ll see you at the studio,” Laura said before they left.
It was going to be a big day. There would be another major cut that would leave just five contestants remaining for the final episode. Odds were not good that Cole, Gina, and Kevin would all make it.
Dylan was unusually quiet on the drive home. Laura’s few attempts at conversation were met with grumpy, one-word answers. By the time they arrived at her apartment, she was looking forward to falling into bed, alone. She assumed that Dylan was going to go straight home as he’d barely spoken to her, but when they got out of the car, he started walking toward her door. Laura stopped and faced him.
“You don’t have to see me inside. Thank you, though.”
He looked irritated. “I thought I’d be staying with you tonight.”
Laura sighed with frustration. “Why would you think that? You’ve been a grouch all night. I’ve had enough of it.”
“You should have told me your news first.” So, he was still mad about that. “And you shouldn’t be hanging out with those newbies. They can’t do anything for you. You’re way past their level.”
“You really think that? That’s disappointing, Dylan. They’re nice people. I’m happy to try to encourage them. There’s room for all of us in this business.”
“You’re naïve,” he spat out.
“I may be, but you’re not who I thought you were if that’s how you really feel. I think you should go.”
“I’m your fiancé. I love you.” He ran a hand through his hair, and his eyes pleaded with Laura to let him stay. But she just wanted to get away and be alone.
“We’ll talk tomorrow. Good night, Dylan.” Laura turned, walked toward her apartment and didn’t look back. Once she was inside, she locked the door behind her, changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. The evening had ended on a sour note and confirmed to Laura that she and Dylan were moving much too fast. He’d pushed her again earlier about setting a date, and she’d felt that same sense of dread. She just wasn’t ready to make that commitment. And now her headache was back. She tried to think happy thoughts, willing it to go away and not turn into a migraine. As soon as it eased up a bit, she drifted into a deep sleep.
When she woke the next morning, she felt unusually tired and was tempted to roll over and go back to sleep, but she had a busy day ahead. Her dreams had been so vivid and confusing because Cole was in them. Only Cole and no one else. They were singing together, and there were other random images that morphed together as dreams often did—the two of them walking along a cute street lined with shops, eating ice cream, sitting in a park. It was all very sweet and peaceful, and throughout the dreams, Laura felt a happy sense of contentment.
She’d never had a dream like that about Dylan, or anyone else she’d dated. The only thing she could figure to explain it was that she and Cole had struck up a nice friendship. She knew he was married, and he knew she was engaged so there was no undercurrent of anything else there. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was her subconscious’s way of telling her to slow things down with Dylan. Getting engaged was a big step and she needed to be very sure of their relationship before setting a date to get married.
Chapter 21
Filming the results show was always stressful for the contestants. Much more so than the day before when they had to perform. It didn’t help that the show always wanted to maximize the drama and draw it out so the viewers would watch for the full hour. Each time a name was to be mentioned of who made the cut
, they all had to march out on stage and wait, hoping that their name would be called. Only five people would be going on to the final show the following week. And at this point in the process, everyone was a real contender.
Cole was happy for Gina when hers was the first name called. But then the rest of the hour dragged. Almost forty-five minutes passed before they got to the last name, and Cole still hadn’t been called. He resigned himself to the fact that it was probably over for him and he’d be heading home. Kevin was by his side, still waiting, too.
“And our last artist that will be going on to the finals is….Cole Dawson!”
Cole had held his breath, waiting for the news and held it a few seconds longer before he relaxed and started breathing again. He’d made it. Kevin hugged him to show his congratulations and Cole wished him good luck. They both promised to keep in touch. The show ended as Cole walked off stage toward the others who were finalists.
Gary and Laura both came over and congratulated him. Gary shook his hand and Laura gave him a cheerful hug. “I’m so proud of you!”
“Thank you. I can’t believe it. I’m thrilled.”
“You should be. We’ll work on picking a song that you can really crush,” Gary said.
Laura nodded in agreement, and a thought occurred to Cole. He didn’t know if it was possible, but if it was, he knew the perfect song.
“Would you ever consider letting me sing Young Love? It’s a great song. It might be cool to have a guy put his spin on it?”
“That’s an intriguing idea,” Gary said. “What do you think, Laura?”
Laura grinned. “I’m honored, and I love the idea! It’s totally fine by me, but let me just check with Black Duck to make sure it’s okay.”
Cole’s cell phone buzzed in his back pocket. He’d set the phone on silent during the show. He pulled it out and saw a text message from his father.
“There’s been an accident. Chelsea is in the hospital. Come home ASAP.”
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