by Shana Gray
“Guys, let’s just take the day as it comes,” Bonni intervened. “For all we know, Fredi will manage to get rip-roaring drunk in a dry county and that’ll be that.”
“Wait. Dry county? What do you mean, dry county?” Celia demanded.
“Ha,” Fredi said. “Now look who didn’t read the emails.”
As they bantered as only old friends could do, Chase took a quick glance at Ava, next to him the passenger seat. She was craning around so she could look at her friends in the back seat but, when she caught his eye, she gave him a secret smile full of promise and he felt better about his chances for one-on-one time. He reached over and took her hand, squeezing her fingers.
Chase couldn’t remember the last time he’d chauffeured around a bunch of women. These days, he was the one being chauffeured. He thought back and figured the last time he’d had this many women in his car was back in high school, but he’d also had the guys, too, as they all drove down to the fishing hole. His truck was filled with a sudden riotous burst of laughter and Ava was hysterical, clutching her stomach. She was just as animated as the rest of them and he couldn’t stop himself from glancing over at her frequently. He loved discovering all these sides to her personality.
The Jack Daniels distillery was a little over an hour away depending on traffic. He’d been there so many times, since everybody always wanted to see it when they came to Nashville. Chase was thoroughly enjoying himself as the drive continued. Fredi was sharply sarcastic and Bonni had a fine dry wit, while Celia just put it all out there. Ava chimed in with an aside or two but was mostly content to enjoy the others.
“This is nice.” Ava reached up and touched the pocket watch hanging from the rear-view mirror. “It looks very old.”
“It is, from the early 1800s, as far as we can tell.” He briefly looked at the watch swinging gently with the motion of the truck.
“Oh my, it’s over two hundred years old? That is really old. Is it a family heirloom?” She leaned forward and cradled it in the palm of her hand to look at it more closely.
“Yes, my six-time removed great-grandfather. It’s been passed down through the years. To the first son.”
“I love that kind of history. Genealogy fascinates me. But don’t you worry that something may happen to it if you keep it here?” She sat back in her seat, letting the watch slip from her fingers. He could only shake his head. His mom was going to love her.
“We’re almost there,” Chase announced when he turned on to Lynchburg Highway. “Cave Spring Hollow is just up that way.”
Bonni said, “It’s supposed to be cool, sweet water…mmm. I could go for a glass of it right now. Jack Daniels bought the acreage for about $2,500 way back then. Imagine what it’s worth now.”
“A fortune,” Fredi said. “But whatever water it is, it sure turns into something delicious.”
“I wonder if it’s highly commercialized,” Bonni mused. “Over time, that’s usually what happens, and it’s a damn shame to taint all the significant places. And the true flavor of the location is lost.”
“Everything is so commercialized now,” Fredi said. “Look at the wedding industry. Getting married used to actually mean something and now it’s just an excuse to have a party. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the taste of that wonderful whiskey.”
“I’m looking it up. I’ll let you know in a second.” Chase looked in his rear-view mirror and saw Celia hunched over her phone, tapping and swiping. She glanced up and they made eye contact in the mirror. She smiled at him then held up her phone.
Ava chose that moment to lean toward Chase to tell him something and Celia called her name. Ava glanced to the back and Celia quickly snapped a photo.
“Oh, that’ll be awesome. I got a couple of great shots of you guys. You’ll thank me for it later,” she said, looking at the photos. “Oh yeah, priceless. Chase, do you mind if I Instagram some?”
Chase tipped his hat back. It wasn’t an issue for him, but if she tagged him and Ava both, he was sure the press would pick it up. It didn’t bother him much as he liked the idea of Ava being linked to him. “My PR people run my account, but it’s cool with me if it’s cool with Ava.”
Celia and Ava had one of those magical silent women conversations, and then Celia pivoted back to the Jack Daniels conversation like nothing had happened.
“Okay, here’s some info on the Jack Daniels website, about their distilling process. They take, like, 800 gallons a minute out of Cave Spring Hollow. Wow, that’s a lot. Wonder where all the water comes from,” Celia said.
“I’m going to guess…a spring in a cave,” Bonni remarked. Celia flipped Bonni off over her head, still focusing on her phone.
“I don’t care how much water it takes,” Fredi said. “It makes my favorite beverage, baby.”
“This site has so much on it, but I bet they cover a lot of it on the tour. I think I have to use this for a book. A hunky distiller—is that a word?—who falls for…someone. It’ll come to me,” Celia muttered as she tapped notes to herself.
Chase said, “It’s quite a process for Jack and they’ll tell you all about it. And you can also get samples. This tour, they do different flights so you can taste a variety.”
“I wouldn’t have expected anything less,” Fredi said. “I am gonna buy sooo many ‘commemorative bottles.’” Take that, dry county!”
It was hard to focus on the road when he wanted to bust a gut laughing. Not once had his fame come up and the women all treated him like he was an average guy. He couldn’t remember the last time he had this much uncomplicated fun.
And he wanted more.
Chapter Twenty
The distillery tour had been a blast. The tour guide was awesome, full of interesting facts, and it had felt a little like walking in history’s footsteps, especially because they had to turn off their cell phones and weren’t allowed to take pictures. Fredi had asked a million questions and, true to form, had gone a little overboard in the gift shop. They engraved the commemorative bottles so Fredi had bought six bottles and had them engraved with the days of the week, Monday through Saturday. The cute cashier had asked about Sunday and, in her best Southern drawl, Fredi replied, “Sunday’s the day of rest, sugar. I drink wine on Sundays.”
Celia had practically gone into withdrawal, not being able to use her camera. When it came time for the sampling portion of the tour, she had shot the first glass on the whiskey flight, rather than sip and savor. Then, after a sharp inhale of breath, she’d grabbed her second glass and shot that, too. The distillery employee had just handed Celia a glass of water and moved on.
Ava had bought herself a cute tee and was incredibly touched when Chase handed her a bottle of Tennessee Honey engraved with her nickname. “Sweetness for the sweet one,” he said. She had to pull him into a corner and kiss him to say thank you.
Chase had been amazing the entire morning. She’d watched him and couldn’t detect an ounce of frustration. He fit in so well with her friends and didn’t seem at all fazed by any of their craziness. He was one hell of a special man and she thanked her lucky stars she met him.
Now, back at the hotel, it was time to part ways. At least for now. He had to head to the studio and they were going to take a short break before heading out to lunch. But she didn’t want to say goodbye. It made her heart hurt.
It felt too real.
Her friends swung their doors open and Chase jumped out to grab their purchases from the back while Ava waited in the passenger seat. Bonni helped Fredi carry her whiskey and they all told Chase goodbye, Fredi even deigning to kiss him on the cheek. Celia popped her head back into the truck. “Ava, you coming, babe?”
“I’ll be right in, just give me a second,” Ava said. Celia gave her a searching look before reaching forward to pat her on the shoulder.
“Take all the time you need, honey. We won’t be far.” And she was out of the truck.
Chase slid back into the driver’s seat and Ava stared at the dashboard rather
than meet his eyes. They were cocooned in silence after an afternoon of being with her friends.
“That was fun,” he said as he reached up to tilt his hat back. “I’ve done the tours a bunch of times but you guys made it seem like the first time.”
He looked quite content and happy, which made Ava feel wonderful. “We do bring the magic. I had a good time.” She wanted to reach to take his hand but knew they couldn’t stay parked for ever. He was already getting curious looks from the valet guys but he didn’t seem in much of a hurry.
“So you all have the evening planned?” he asked.
“We’re going to the concert in the stadium tonight. We have that suite so if you find yourself kicking around the area, come on up and see us. I’m sure a hotshot like you can get through security.” Ava began to reach for her purse, knowing that the time was coming when she was going to have to rip the Band-Aid off and get out of the truck.
“I’ll do my best to try and pop by, but I have some engagements later as well. I’m doing a stand-up interview for CMT at one of the smaller venues and I promised a buddy I’d catch his set. Oh, did I tell you about the party tonight?” Chase asked her, draping his left arm over the steering wheel as he faced her.
“I think so. It’s not until much later, right?” She furrowed her brows, trying to remember what he told her last night.
“Yep, it won’t really get underway until the Fest is over. Did you want to come? It’ll be fun.” The earnest look in his velvety brown eyes made her catch her breath.
“Yes, I’d very much like to come, but I’m not sure what we’re doing later. Our days of being able to stay up all night partying are far behind us.” Ava was torn. She wanted to be with him so badly but she also had about three hours of sleep last night, thanks to his insatiable desire, and walked all over creation this morning in pursuit of Fredi’s one true love. A quiet night in close proximity to a bed sounded just a little more appealing than a party with strangers.
“Your friends are welcome, too. My buddy won’t mind. I think Fredi would have a blast.” Well, that settled that. Love me, love my friends, she always said. Not that she was implying Chase was in love with her. Or that she was in love with him. The latter might be getting more and more likely, except Celia’s picture of the two of them had started to spread. Celia hadn’t tagged either of them but one of her followers had liked it and tagged Chase in a comment. The initial comments about Ava were…not incredibly kind. Would she really want to expose herself to that twenty-four/seven? Not to mention, she dealt with many conservative types in her job. There was the possibility her professional reputation could take a hit if her face and name were blasted all over social media and online gossip sites.
“I could ask them.”
“Yes. Do that and let me know.” Chase glanced out the front window.
The valet guys were starting to get braver and edging closer to the truck. Chase finally noticed them so he opened his door and exited the truck. Ava reached for the handle on her door so she could get out.
“No, wait there,” he told her as he walked around to the back of the vehicle. She turned and watched him lift the tonneau cover and take out her bags before coming to her. Opening the door, he reached in for her so he could help her down from the high truck.
“Really looking forward to seeing you tonight, Boots.”
She searched his eyes and smiled when she saw the emotion she’d hoped to see reflected in them. “Me too, superstar.”
He pulled her into an embrace, the bag bumping gently against her butt, and she tightened her arms around his waist. She looked up at him and he lowered his head for a kiss. He didn’t seem the least bit concerned that they were standing in the lobby driveway of the Opryland Hotel and that everyone could see them.
“Okay then.” He lifted from the kiss. “Keep in touch before tonight?”
Ava nodded her head, still recovering from their passionate kiss. He handed her the bags and she reluctantly walked across the driveway to the front doors of the hotel. Chase raised a hand in farewell before getting back in the truck and driving off. Ava stared after him until there was a discreet cough and she startled. A doorman was waiting on her to enter the hotel. Fumbling with her purse, she gave him a tip—how long had he been holding that door?—and finally went inside.
Feeling oddly bereft, she went up to the room, uncharacteristically oblivious to the gorgeous hotel. When she opened the door her friends were in the living area waiting for her.
“There she is!” Celia cheered, waving around a bottle of beer. “I’m kinda surprised he didn’t just kidnap you and whisk you away.”
“Oh, guys!” She broke down into tears and they swarmed in on her for a group hug.
“I knew it,” Fredi said, but she hugged Ava the hardest.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ava didn’t mind crying the way some people did. Crying was a healthy way to release emotions and it was never something she avoided. Heck, she had The Notebook and Casablanca on her Blu-ray keeper shelf. Still, after this latest crying jag, she felt a little raw, so she was grateful when her friends didn’t plunge right into the inquisition. Instead, they speculated on the party, about what celebrities they might see, and ripped apart their luggage to find acceptable outfits.
Bonni, sprawled out in an armchair, was currently wearing one of Celia’s longer skirts, paired with a shirt of Ava’s while she texted her fiancé, Quinn.
“I’m kind of beat,” Ava said, and flopped down on the couch in their hotel room. She was just going to go back to the store where she bought the pink dress. There had been this little black dress that she had considered, and if ever there was a time to dive into the mad-money fund, this was it. She rested her head back on the cushion and closed her eyes with a big sigh. Her actions seemed to signal to her friends that she was feeling better.
“I’m not surprised. You had quite the active night,” Fredi called from the balcony, where she’d been standing. “You have much to tell, young lady.”
“I know, I know. I’m just reliving it all in my mind.”
“That good, huh?” Celia sank on to the couch next to her and nudged her shoulder.
“Holy shit, look at that grin on her face.” Fredi came into the room and pointed at her before dropping into the armchair beside Bonni’s.
Ava laughed and pushed herself up on the sofa. She gave her friends a recap, holding back certain parts as precious, to be shared only between her and Chase.
They were all open-mouthed and sighing with delight for her as she told them about first kisses, fireflies, the cozy bed and what a workout wall sex was. When she’d finished they fell silent and looked at each other.
“It sounds like it was an amazing night. I can only imagine what tonight is going to hold,” Bonni said. She leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees, resting her chin in her left hand, which made her engagement ring shoot sparks of light from its perfection.
“Your ring is so gorgeous,” Ava said with a wistful tone in her voice.
“Hey, with the way this weekend is shaping up, odds are pretty good that one of those is in your future,” Celia advised with great authority.
“Oh Lord, you guys are just awful. Don’t wish that kind of horror on her,” Fredi said with a groan.
“Just because you are a marriage hater doesn’t mean other people have to believe the same thing. Look at me and Quinn. Celia and Landon. And now, here’s Ava and she’s met Chase.” Bonni raised her eyebrows and gave Fredi the sternest cop stare she could muster.
Ava raised a hand. “While we all know I don’t agree with Fredi, let’s not jump the gun here. I just met Chase and there’s a lot more that goes into a relationship besides amazing, phenomenal, passionate, unbelievable sex…”
Celia said, “Oh, I think we’ve lost her again. Earth to Ava. Look, sometimes you meet someone and you just know.”
“Really? Did you just know when you met your ex?” Fredi snapped.
“Low blow
, Fredi, low blow,” Celia replied. She crossed her arms against her chest and leaned back, retreating into the couch.
Fredi rubbed her forehead. “Celia, I’m sorry. You’re right, that was going too far. But you’re different from Ava.” She shifted so that she could put a hand on Ava’s knee. “You wear your heart on your sleeve. You’ve been hurt in the past. You let everybody in without guarding yourself. So I’m worried for you, babe. How much can you give before you empty yourself out? Just don’t let this whirlwind love affair happen too fast. I don’t want you to get your heart broken,” Fredi said, some very uncharacteristic emotion in her voice.
Ava curled her fingers around Fredi’s hand and squeezed. “Don’t worry about me, hon. Even if I do wind up with a broken heart, last night alone would have been worth it. Because if Chase turns out not to be my Mr. Right, then, when the real one shows up, he’s going to be straight out of a fairy tale.” She softened her voice with love for her friend.
Fredi shook her head, vehemently tossing her long curls in a riot around her head. “Why do you never listen to reason? Fine, then, just don’t come crying to me and expect me to share some of my Green Label Jack with you.”
Bonni snorted and Celia said, “Fredi, who are you fooling?” but Ava replied, “I promise.”
There was a beat of silence then Celia remarked, “Guess we know who’s going to be Ava’s maid of honor.”
It was really hard to keep from building castles in the air when her friends insisted on providing the clouds.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chase was at the label’s preferred studio and his concentration was definitely shot. All he could think of was Ava and their time together. Even his band sensed he was off. But they only had the studio for four hours so they needed to get recording.
She’d permeated his soul. She’d seeped into every piece of him and snared him to the point that he couldn’t focus. The time he spent with her, and with her friends, it had reconnected him with his love for life. There was so much to explore, so much to experience. When had he gotten so jaded? Ava made him think of new possibilities.
