Dissonance

by Michele Shriver

  Chase set the notebook down and grabbed his laptop and booted it up. Research time. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t done this the second Carey suggested he pair up with Kenzie. He hadn’t done his due diligence, but that would change now. He typed Kenzie’s name in the search bar.

  Not surprisingly, it yielded a lot of results, most of which were of little interest to him. He didn’t need to read about her chart-topping first single or her Academy of Country Music award. One headline did catch his eye, though.

  Bolton, Cole Announce Split.

  Chase clicked on the link and skimmed the article, but didn’t find it particularly newsworthy, simply announcing that Kenize and her manager/husband had announced their separation after two years of marriage. It went on to talk about Kenzie’s breakout success, and posited that Jesse was the driving force behind it. Of course. The asshole must have loved that.

  He clicked the back button on his browser, taking him back to the search results. More of the same, and one headline that caught his eye. It was from a popular gossip site called The Dish Zone, or TDZ, that Chase seldom placed any faith in. After all, it was TDZ that had once speculated that Chase’s wedding—to none other than Lisanne Ward—would be the hot ticket for spring. Since Chase knew better than anyone that reports of his engagement were greatly exaggerated, he was disinclined to believe anything the website printed. It was hard to ignore the headline, though.

  Rehab Stint for Nashville’s Sweetheart?

  Chase clicked on the link.

  Confidential sources report that country music sweetheart, Kenzie Bolton, recently checked herself into the Hamilton Clinic for treatment of an undisclosed illness. Could Nashville’s breakout artist of 2015 be seeking help for an addiction? Details are sketchy, but Bolton did recently split with her manager-turned-husband Jesse Cole. Perhaps she’s had a hard time dealing with the breakup and turned to drink or drugs to help her cope.

  “Yeah, right. She couldn’t wait to get away from him, you idiots,” Chase muttered under his breath. He wondered if there might be some truth to the piece, though. After all, the speculation of his would-be nuptials came after he’d been spotted with Lisanne at a gala where Chase’s father had been named president of the local hospital, and his mother had made no secret of the fact that she thought it would be a wonderful time for Chase and Lisanne to become engaged. It was typical of the gossip site to take a tiny bit of actual news and turn it into rampant speculation, so maybe Kenzie had sought treatment.

  For what, though? Rehab didn’t fit, because she hadn’t hesitated to order a beer at the chicken place, and even told Chase about some of her favorite local beers. Okay, maybe it was possible she’d had a drug problem and still drank alcohol. That wasn’t unheard of, but it didn’t ring true to Chase. No, it had to be something else, but what?

  What are you hiding from Kenzie? What did that jerk do to you? Chase continued searching, but came up blank. There was nothing else about a possible hospital stay or a medical issue. If something had happened, Kenzie and her representatives had done one heck of a job keeping it a secret.

  ***

  Kenzie intended to get right to work on the song as soon as Chase left, but she was interrupted by a phone call. One glance at the Caller ID told her it was a good interruption. A smile tugged at her lips as she answered. “Hey, Aunt Audrey.”

  “Hiya, Sugar.” A familiar Tennessee drawl greeted her. “How’s my favorite niece?”

  “I’m your only niece,” Kenzie reminded her. And Audrey was her only aunt, but Kenzie thought of her more as a mother. After all, it was Audrey who’d raised Kenzie after her own mother’s death when she was only eight.

  Audrey chuckled. “Which means less competition for you, not that it matters. You’d probably still be my favorite. You didn’t answer my question.”

  “I’m good. Better than I’ve been in a long time,” Kenzie said. “I’m working on a new project. I think it’s going to be great.”

  “The duet with that rock star? What’s his name, Chance Something?”

  “Chase,” Kenzie corrected. “Chase Radcliffe. And how did you know, anyway?” They’d barely made the decision a day ago. Had Carey started the promotion machine rolling already?

  “Oh, honey, I have my sources,” Audrey said. “I may be retired and living in Florida now, but I still have friends there, and they have their ears to the ground.”

  “Apparently.” Audrey Carlton was a former recording artist, and even if she’d never been a huge star, settling mostly for being the opening act rather than the headliner, Kenzie shouldn’t have doubted her aunt’s knack for being in the know. She also should have heeded her aunt’s warning about Jesse. “I’m excited about the project,” Kenzie said. “Chase is very nice and talented.”

  “And sex on a stick, from what I’ve seen.” Audrey whistled. “Oh, my. I’ve looked at a few videos on You Tube. Hot.”

  Kenzie laughed. Her aunt was something else, and it was easy to see why she’d been a popular figure in the Nashville scene in the late eighties and early nineties. Kenzie wished she had even a tenth of the brash confidence that Audrey did. “I haven’t watched any of his videos.”

  “But surely you’ve noticed he’s sexy.”

  Yeah, I’d have to be completely blind not to notice that. “Maybe a little,” Kenzie tried to sound nonchalant. “But we’re working together. That’s it. The last thing I need is another relationship.”

  “It depends on the relationship,” Audrey countered with a huff. “You don’t need another toxic one, that’s for sure. But don’t tell me you couldn’t make room in your life for a man who’s good and honest and treats you right.”

  “I don’t know,” Kenzie mused. “I haven’t met one yet.”

  “You will,” her aunt predicted. “And when you do, I hope you’re brave enough to let him into your life and your heart.”

  I hope so, too, Kenzie thought.

  They talked for a few more minutes, catching up on everything from the weather to The Young and the Restless and Audrey’s upcoming trip to Vegas with Kenzie’s step uncle, Eddie, a trip they made every spring. Kenzie hung up with a smile. Her aunt was a hoot, and she always enjoyed their conversations.

  It was time to get busy, though. She had a song to write, or at least an opening verse. Chase was probably already done with his, and Kenzie wanted to impress him, even if she had no idea how. What kind of lyrics was he likely to write? Could he keep his melancholy side in check and write a hopeful song? Better yet, could Kenzie keep her cynicism in check? What had she been thinking, suggesting a love song, anyway? This might be her biggest challenge yet.

  ***

  Chase studied the page in front of him. Great. So far, he’d crossed out no less than ten lines. Yeah, some songwriter he was. Maybe he should’ve agreed to use one of the songs Keith had in mind for him and Kenzie to record. Well, too late for that now. He had to come up with something. Hopefully Kenzie was faring better than he was, not that that would take much.

  Frustrated, Chase ripped the page out of the notebook, balled it up, and aimed for the wastebasket. And predictably missed. His shooting touch was not improving. He got up from the bed, picked up the wad of paper and properly threw it away, then picked up his phone. Since Chase had to write a song about love, and he knew nothing about it, he’d better consult with someone who did.

  He considered calling Jordy. After all, it was Jordy’s crazy decision to get married that put their band on hold. But no, Jordy was still honeymooning in Costa Rica, and Chase doubted he and his bride would welcome the interruption. No, better to call someone who wouldn’t hang up on him, if for no other reason than he was family.

  His cousin answered on the second ring. “Yo, Chase, how’s it going?” Colin greeted him.

  “Not bad,” Chase said. “How about you and Taylor and the baby?”

  “Good. We’re all fine. Mason’s growing like a weed.”

  “I bet.” His nephew was eight months old now, and
getting bigger all the time.

  “So what do I owe this pleasure?” Colin asked. “Not that I don’t want to hear from my little cousin, but it’s kind of out of the blue in the middle of the week.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Chase said. Colin was an ER doctor who worked long hours, and when he wasn’t on call, he wanted to spend his time with his wife and their son. As a result, the two of them didn’t see each other as much as they had in the past. As in before Colin got married. “I just felt like saying hi. I’m actually in Nashville at the moment.”

  “Nashville? What are you doing there?”

  Good question. “New project. I’m recording a duet with a country singer named Kenzie Bolton.”

  “Duet? Country?” Colin repeated. “Are you feeling all right?”

  “I’m feeling fine,” Chase said. “It’s a great opportunity. Well, except I’m supposed to be writing a love song and I know nothing about love.”

  “A love song? You? Mr. Melancholy?”

  Chase had to wait for Colin’s laughter to subside before he spoke again. “Yeah, yeah. I know. It’s happening, though.” He couldn’t back out now. “That’s why I called you. I need some help,” he said. “What’s it like to fall in love?”

  “Are you serious?” Colin asked. “You sound serious.”

  “I am. Tell me, when you met Taylor, what’s the first thing you noticed about her?”

  “Her left hook,” his cousin deadpanned.

  “You mean she punched you?” Chase teased.

  “No, dickweed. It was in a kick box class. We met in kick box, and she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in my life, and even though she’d had a rough life, and she was hard to get close to at first, she was easy to love,” Colin said. “Even when it was difficult, even when she tried to push me away, I thought she was easy to love. And I still do.” He paused. “And those, cousin, are my words of wisdom on that thing we call love.”

  Chase exhaled. “Wow.”

  “Sorry you asked?”

  “No,” Chase said. “It’s just a lot to think about. Thanks, buddy.”

  “Anytime,” Colin said. “Good luck with the song. And the girl.”

  “Girl? I never said anything about a girl.”

  Laughter came over the line. “You didn’t have to.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Kenzie was up half the night trying to perfect her verse of the song, and went through several sheets of paper worth of false starts. First, she tried for happy and upbeat, but then she remembered Chase’s words about wanting a song that came from the heart. Nope. The whole “love is amazing and wonderful” thing felt a little hollow to Kenzie.

  It was close to two a.m. when she finally had a verse she’d be comfortable sharing with Chase. She should have collapsed in a heap on her bed at that point, but Kenzie was wired from too much sweet tea and couldn’t fall sleep, so she stayed up two more hours watching the shopping channel. Finally, about four a.m., after ordering a great set of earrings for Aunt Audrey, Kenzie finally dozed off.

  She didn’t stir again until the door buzzed shortly after nine, and she jolted out of bed with a start. Chase was here. Kenzie let him in the building and met him at her door, still rubbing sleep from her eyes.

  “Did I wake you?” he asked. To his credit, Chase looked fully awake. He was clean shaven, and his still-damp hair was hanging over his brow. Today, he wore a Dartmouth T-shirt, faded jeans and the familiar combat boots.

  Time to get this man a pair of alligator-skinned Luccheses, Kenzie thought, followed by a Down, girl. The sooner she got control of this attraction, the better.

  “Yes, sorry,” she said, glancing sheepishly down at her Vanderbilt Commodores sleep pants and oversized Tennessee Titans T-shirt. It was highly doubtful that Chase was having any sexually-charged thoughts about her dressed this way, especially with her hair pulled back in a disheveled ponytail. “I was up late.”

  “Writing lyrics?”

  “Yeah,” Kenzie admitted. “Or trying to.”

  “I know the feeling,” Chase said. “It wasn’t easy.”

  “No.” So he struggled, too? Given his relaxed and fully awake appearance, Kenzie wouldn’t have guessed. “I got it, though. At least I think so. Can I get you some coffee?”

  Chase nodded. “Sure. Coffee’s good.” He followed her into the kitchen, where she pulled out a handful of single serve packages.

  “Pick your poison,” she said.

  “Doesn’t matter much.” He pointed to one without even glancing at it. He obviously wasn’t the coffee aficionado that she was.

  Kenzie brewed his classic roast, then her own preferred flavor, and set both on the table.

  Chase took a drink, nodded, then asked, “What’s yours? It smells good.”

  “Gingerbread,” she said. “And it is good.”

  “My cousin’s wife has one of those fancy-schmancy coffee makers, and always has at least ten different flavors on hand.”

  Kenzie laughed. “Then I like her already.”

  “She’s a good woman, for sure,” Chase said, taking a drink. “So tell me about the lyrics you wrote.”

  “Hold on a sec,” Kenzie told him, and ran up the steps to the loft area. She retrieved her notepad and took it back to the kitchen, where she set it on the table.

  Chase didn’t even look at it before pushing it away.

  “What? It’s so bad you can’t even look?”

  “Of course not.” Chase gave her a smile. “I don’t want to read your lyrics, Kenz. I want you to explain them. Or better yet, sing them to me.”

  “You want me to sing them?” Kenzie stared at him. “When we haven’t even discussed a chord progression or musical accompaniment?”

  “That’s right. Come on, don’t tell me you haven’t already practiced singing them, and have an idea what the notes are.”

  She couldn’t deny it. That was part of what kept her up late, trying to get everything just right. “I have,” she admitted. “But singing them in front of someone else is a different story.”

  “Come on, I don’t bite,” Chase urged. “And it’s not like you won’t have to sing them for Keith next week. He’ll be a more critical audience than me.”

  Kenzie didn’t doubt that, so she took a drink of coffee to bolster her nerves, followed by a deep breath, and began to sing.

  I’ve been battered, I’ve been bruised

  I’ve been hurt and I’m confused

  Then you walk in my life and turn it upside down

  And I find myself wearing a smile, not a frown.

  ***

  Chase listened with a critical ear. Sometimes he found rhyming lyrics to be forced and contrived, but these didn’t bother him. They worked, and even though the verse was short, it was a good starting point and segue to what would be his part of their story.

  “Do you hate it?” If Kenzie spoke of smiling in the song, she now sported an uncertain frown.

  Yeah, someone tore her down, and good.

  “Not at all,” Chase said. “I think it’s a good solid start, and I could see this song going from uncertain and wary in the beginning, to something hopeful and positive in the end.” He furrowed his brow as he thought of what they might be able to do with the piece. “I think a little more stretch in your middle register after ‘confused’ to build to the next section can help build a little tension, though.” He was thinking out loud now. “You know, the first part’s pretty sad, then there’s a shift there, to a more positive-sounding song. With that little stretch, maybe people aren’t sure what they’re getting.”

  “Hmm.” Kenzie’s eyes narrowed in a thoughtful expression. “You may be on to something there. Are you sure you’re not a producer?”

  Chase couldn’t help but laugh. “Hardly, and Keith may have a completely different idea about how to arrange the song.” He shrugged. “I have a passion for music, though.”

  “It shows.”

  “Thanks.” Chase averted her gaze and reached for his cof
fee. He appreciated compliments, but was still never exactly sure how to take them. Maybe it came from having a family—with the exception of Colin—that still insisted on treating his music as a silly hobby he’d grow out of. “If I haven’t said this before, I like your voice. It’s got a real Stevie Nicks quality to it. Deep, smoky, sultry...”

  “Stevie Nicks?”

  “You have heard of her, right?” Chase asked, half-teasing.

  “Um, yeah... I’ve just never been compared to her before.”

  “Then those people are crazy or dumb,” Chase said. “She’s the first one that came to mind when I heard you. Stevie’s a legend.”

  “That’s for sure,” Kenzie said. “I... thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “So what do you have?”

  “What?”

  “For lyrics,” she said. “What do you have for lyrics? You did write your verse?”

  “Oh, that. Of course.” Chase reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out the piece of paper with lyrics he’d finally managed to keep and not discard. It had been a process that probably killed a few trees. “You want me to sing it?”

  Kenzie smirked. “I think that’s only fair...”

  Yeah. He figured she’d say that. “Can’t get anything past you, can I? Okay, here goes.” Chase took a deep breath, trying to ready himself to capture the right tone.

  I wasn’t looking for anything

  I sure wasn’t looking for you,

  Then there you were, in front of me

  Now I’m feeling things that scare me,

  Thrill me, Turn me upside down,

  And I don’t know what to do.

  Chase kept his eyes on the paper as he sang the words, all six lines of them. Six freaking lines, and it’d taken him almost as many hours to write them. Worse yet, he wasn’t even sure he liked them all that much. This might end up being the hardest song he ever wrote.