Chapter 1
Chapter One
“That was much better Cedra, but let’s run through it one more time,” Bud Roberts called out from the production booth. Cedra Tyler and the rest of the Bentleys band had been in the studio for their first day of recording for four grueling hours. They had managed to nail down one track and were almost to the point of finishing another.
Cedra nodded to Bud. “What do I need to improve?”
“Take the range up just a bit when you hit the harmony this time. After this track, we will take a lunch break,” Bud promised. “You all have done very well today.”
“Thanks, Bud,” Juliet replied as she took her seat beside Cedra. “I think we’re all ready for a break,” she said to Cedra with a wink.
“Bud told us this morning in orientation this wouldn’t be easy, but I like the sound of the first track. I will nail this one so that we can have a break,” Cedra replied. “Ready, boys?”
Stone, Keith, and Wayne all nodded.
“One, two, three, four,” Cedra called out and began playing.
Bud’s voice rang through the studio when she sang the last chord. “That’s it. That’s the one I was waiting on. Good job, guys.”
“Hallelujah,” Keith cried out. “My kidneys are about to explode.”
Bud grinned. “Lunch is set up in the break room. I’ll see you there.”
Cedra placed her guitar in the stand and stretched her arms above her head. “This has been a great first day, don’t you think?”
Juliet smiled. “My fingertips aren’t bleeding yet, so I consider this a win. Seriously, it’s not as difficult as I thought it would be. We’ve managed to cut two of our original four tracks already.”
Stone smiled. “I can’t wait to hear what they sound like; they sounded great from in here.”
“Maybe Bud will play them for us after lunch,” Wayne said. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
Juliet looked at Wayne. “You’re beginning to sound a lot like Keith.”
Wayne smiled at Juliet. “Ma’s bacon and French toast are long gone. It seems like days ago since we had breakfast.”
†
Bud and Carrie were already seated around the table when they entered the break room. Cedra hadn’t seen their agent in the studio.
“I didn’t know you were here. Good afternoon, by the way.”
“Carrie has been here for the last two hours,” Bud replied. “I wouldn’t let her into the production booth, so she’s been watching from here.” Bud picked up a remote and turned on a large monitor.
“You all sounded great,” Carrie said.
“They have done well so far today. Are you all up for a few more hours? I want to shoot for one more track,” Bud told them.
“We are good until seven tonight,” Keith replied as he returned from the restroom.
“I don’t think it will take that long, but that’s good to know. How about we take a run at ‘Backwoods Boogie’ after everyone gets refueled?” Bud asked.
“Oh, heck yeah. That song always gets us reenergized,” Wayne answered.
Cedra placed a turkey sandwich on her plate and picked up a bag of chips. She walked to the table and sat beside Carrie. “Are you eating?”
“I’ve been nibbling for the last half hour.” Carrie smiled.
“Do you want water or something else?” Juliet asked Cedra from the drink area.
“Some water would be great. Thanks, Juliet,” Cedra answered.
When everyone was settled around the table, Bud spoke. “I am very impressed by your work ethic today. I’ve worked you pretty hard, and there hasn’t been one complaint from any of you.”
“We are all excited to be here, and we appreciate everything you are doing for us,” Juliet said.
Bud smiled at her. “Eat up then, and I want to share the first two tracks with you. We have them nailed down, but I want you all to agree that the sound is what we are looking for.”
Carrie stood and walked over to a cabinet and took out seven pairs of headphones, placing one in front of each of them. “These will block out any external noise and give you the pure sound of what we recorded,” Bud explained.
“Eat up, guys, I can’t wait to hear this,” Cedra replied.
All heads turned to Keith. “I’m eating as fast as I can without choking,” Keith mumbled between bites.
“Be thankful there are no cookies or sweets, or we could be here for a while,” Cedra informed Bud.
“Those will be available after the next track,” Bud assured them. “We will break again around four and see how everyone feels. I don’t want to wear you out on day one, but damn, you all are doing great.”
“We all agreed to work as long as the sound was good, or you tell us it’s time to quit,” Juliet told him.
Bud looked at Carrie. “I already love working with this group.”
“I told you so.” Carrie smiled at Bud. “They are hard workers and dedicated to being successful.”
Bud nodded his head and looked around at the smiling faces. “I have an excellent feeling about you all. I believe you’re going to do well in Nashville.”
“Thanks for all your hard work, Bud,” Cedra replied.
“You all are making it easy for me. All I have to do is sit back and listen. Are you ready to hear what we’ve created so far?”
“Heck yeah,” Keith said.
Bud pushed a button on the remote, and their first track started playing. He paused after the song ended and smiled at Juliet and Cedra. “What do you think?”
Cedra was the first to answer. “I am shocked by how great it sounds.”
Juliet nodded. “I knew it was good, but this is amazing. Every note sounds so pure.”
Bud chuckled. “Big Machine has spared no expense in purchasing the best equipment possible. Are you ready for track two?”
“Bring it on,” Stone replied with excitement.
The duet with Cedra and Stone was the best version of the song. Their voices blended perfectly, and Cedra smiled as she saw tears pooling in Juliet’s eyes.
“I believe that was just the sound it needed,” Cedra told Bud.
Bud nodded to Cedra. “I’ll admit to a dilemma. Carrie asked me to recommend a song for your first release, and it will be hard to decide between that one and ‘Six Strings’ and we haven’t even recorded it yet.”
“All he’s heard so far is the recording I made on my iPhone Saturday night,” Carrie replied. “Even when he heard that version, Bud told me, ‘We have to record that song.’”
“Yes, I did. We could work on that next if you want or wait until you are fresh tomorrow,” Bud suggested.
“Let’s stick with ‘Backwoods’ for now, and if that goes smoothly, maybe we can take a run at ‘Six Strings’ today while still energized,” Juliet suggested.
“That works for me. I have no problem cutting four tracks today as long as you all are feeling good,” Bud replied.
“We have waited all our lives for this opportunity,” Juliet answered. “We’re all good.”
“I love it,” Bud declared with a chuckle. He looked at Carrie. “Thank you for bringing them to me.”
Carrie stood and began picking up the headphones. “I knew you wouldn’t be disappointed.”
Mark came rushing into the breakroom. “Hello,” he spoke to everyone. “I just finished listening to the first two tracks. Damn, they sound good.”
“We have worked hard this morning, and we hope to have one to two more done today,” Bud told him.
“Would you mind if I stayed to watch for a bit?” Mark asked.
“You can join Carrie in here,” Bud replied. “You’re too much of a distraction in my sound booth,” Bud added with a soft laugh. “I will turn the video on so you can watch.”
“That works for me. You all do sound great,” Mark told them.
“We have been pleased so far,” Juliet remarked.
“I’m going to head back to the booth, but take your time and come back to the studio when you’re ready,” Bud told them and left the room.
“So, what do you think about Bud?” Mark asked.
“He’s a genius and so much fun to work with,” Cedra replied.
Keith held up his hands. “No bloody fingertips yet.”
“He will work you hard as long as he sees effort in you,” Mark told them. “I believe he’s enjoying working with you all. I haven’t seen him smile like that in ages.”
“We hope to keep him smiling then,” Cedra told him. “I need to hit the ladies’ room, and I’ll be ready if y’all are.”
“That’s a good idea,” Juliet agreed, and stood to leave the room with Cedra.
†
Cedra locked the door behind them and took Juliet in her arms for a kiss. “I’ve been wanting to do that for hours.”
“I have, too,” Juliet admitted. “How do you think things are going so far?”
“Better than I thought possible. I like the way we sounded on those two cuts. Bud, Mark, and Carrie seem pleased as well.”
“Yeah, they do. I hope we can do two more today. I think we’ve performed ‘Backwoods’ enough that we’ve got it down pat,” Juliet said.
“I think so, too. Let’s hurry and get back out there,” Cedra suggested. “One last kiss, though, to hold me until later.”
Juliet kissed Cedra, and after they used the facilities, they returned to the studio.
†
It took two tries to get the sound Bud wanted for “Backwoods.” It was hard to tell who was more excited to take a run at “Six Strings.” “Do you need a break?” he asked from the sound booth.
“No, we’re good to go,” Juliet answered.
“I’m ready when you are,” Bud said.
“Let’s do this,” Cedra called out, and they began playing. Cedra looked into the booth halfway through the song to find Bud smiling and his head bobbing along with the music.
When the song ended, Bud’s voice came over the speaker. “That was a good first run, but let’s do another. A bit heavier on the banjo and bass this time, boys.”
Wayne and Keith nodded. “Heck yeah,” Keith replied.
“Just don’t go crazy with it,” Juliet teased.
“I’m ready when you are,” Bud replied.
Juliet looked at Cedra and nodded. “One, two, three, four,” Cedra called out, and began playing.
“Meet me in the break room in five,” Bud said. “Something’s missing, and I want to let you hear it for yourself.”
“Let’s hit the ladies’ room,” Juliet told Cedra.
Juliet turned to Cedra. “What do you think it is that’s missing?”
Cedra’s face scrunched up in thought. “The only thing we’ve done differently is the bass guitar. Why don’t we ditch it for this one and go back to Stone’s fiddle?”
“That’s what I thought, too. The bass isn’t suitable for this song,” Juliet answered. “Let’s see what the boys come up with.”
Keith couldn’t resist a cookie as he entered the room. He grabbed two and took a seat at the table.
“You are such a sweet hound,” Cedra teased.
Bud joined them and played “Backwoods” first. “I think we’re good on this one. That’s a fun song, by the way. Something is not clicking on ‘Six Strings,’ but I can’t put my finger on it.” Bud frowned.
“We have an idea but want to hear the recording and see what the boys come up with,” Cedra told them.
They listened to the track, and Keith was the first to answer. “As much as I loved playing it, the bass just doesn’t fit that song.”
Juliet nodded with a smile. “That was our conclusion too. The bass was the only thing we did differently. Let’s drop it and go back to Stone’s fiddle.”
“Yes, that’s precisely what it needs,” Bud answered. “I was hoping you would come up with the same solution.”
“We passed our test then?” Cedra teased Bud.
Bud nodded. “Yes, ma’am, you did. I need to make sure that I stay on the same page with the artists when suggesting changes. No one knows your sound better than you.”
“Can we take another run or two at it today?” Juliet asked.
“I’m certainly up for it if y’all are,” Bud answered.
“Let’s do this,” Juliet replied.
They huddled up in the studio before they began playing. “I know we’ve all worked hard today, but let’s finish the day with our best,” Cedra replied. “I want there to be no doubt in Bud’s mind that ‘Six Strings’ is our debut single.”
The band picked up their instruments, and when Bud nodded, they began to play.
Cedra closed her eyes for a second and envisioned being on Ma’s porch. Her lead-off stanza was terrific, and she opened her eyes to watch each of her band mates perform their parts. The harmony in the chorus was perfect, and when they stopped playing, they all looked at the sound booth for Bud’s reaction.
“That is it!” Bud cried out with excitement. “Come listen.”
Carrie and Mark were back in the break room when they entered. “That was the best yet,” Mark said.
Bud walked into the room and picked up the remote. He looked at Mark and Carrie. “We have our debut single.” He pushed the button, and they all listened carefully.
Juliet smiled broadly. “That’s the best we’ve ever done on that song.”
“I agree,” Cedra replied.
“How long will it take to burn fifty copies?” Mark asked.
“I’ll have one of the assistants do them tomorrow,” Bud replied.
“We will start shooting them out to radio stations on Monday, then,” Mark informed them. “That’s too good to wait for the entire album.”
“Hell yes.” Cedra high-fived Juliet.
“You all have had a heck of a great day,” Bud praised. “Why don’t we call it done? Are we on for tomorrow?”
“Same time, same place,” Cedra answered.
“We should be able to finish two or three more tracks tomorrow. My goal is to get halfway through,” Bud replied. “I think you’re going to take off like a rocket, and I don’t want fans to have to wait long for the album.”
“What studio time is available to us next week?” Juliet asked.
“Any time you are ready,” Mark said.
“We’ll compare work schedules tonight and let you know tomorrow,” Cedra replied. “Two or three more sessions to complete the album?” she asked Bud.
“Definitely by three.”
Carrie looked at Juliet. “I know you’ve had photo shoots and have begun working on the cover art. Will you bring in your files tomorrow, and we can have our artist review and take over from there?”
“Consider it done,” Juliet answered. “Will you need full lyrics for each of the tracks?”
“Yes, as well as the writer’s name.”
“That should be easy enough.”
“Oh, before I forget.” Mark pulled an envelope out of his briefcase. “Your advances and apparel allowance. We split everything five ways on the apparel. Have fun shopping. Go easy on the Wrangler goods. I think you will receive plenty of their products when you go on your first tour.”
“Thank you so much.” Juliet looked at her friends. “Let’s load up and head home.”
“Great first day, guys. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Bud called to them.
“Goodnight,” Cedra answered and followed the rest back to the studio.
†
“I am so excited about today.” Cedra entwined her fingers with Juliet’s on the ride home. “We had an incredibly productive day.”
“Yeah, we did. I was amazed we got four tracks cut. Bud was easier to work for than I expected. He’s a really nice guy.”
“I was expecting someone much more aggressive, but he treated us with respect and allowed us input. I’ve heard horror stories about some producers having carte blanche and taking all the controls away from the artists,” Cedra replied. “I was happy to find he was the complete opposite.”
“That was a huge relief, and I think he genuinely enjoyed working with us today.”
“What’s not to love about working with us? We gave it everything we could, and I think he appreciated our effort.”
Juliet lifted Cedra’s hand to her lips. “That sounded just like something I would say.” She kissed her hand.
“I think you’re a good influence on me,” Cedra replied.
Juliet chuckled. “I hate to sound like Keith, but I hope Ma has something cooked for dinner. I’m hungry.”
“You know she’ll have a spread ready for us,” Cedra replied. “My sandwich is long gone, too.”
“After dinner, do you want to help me collect the lyrics for the album cover?” Juliet asked. “I’ve got a few of them typed up already. I don’t have Stone’s, though.”
“We can ask him to type up his three tracks and email them to you while we work on the rest,” Cedra suggested.
“That sounds like a plan.” Juliet turned into the drive.
The boys had already arrived and were piling out of Keith’s truck. They waited for Cedra and Juliet on the porch before entering the house.
“I guess this would be a good time to pass out checks.”
“I agree. I think everyone is anxious to have the first checks in their hands. It’s so exciting,” Cedra said.
Juliet parked and pulled the envelope out and handed it to Cedra. “Would you do the honors?”
“I’d love to,” Cedra replied. “How about a payday?” she asked as they stepped onto the porch.
“Hell yeah,” Wayne yelled.
Cedra began sorting through the checks and handed each of them an advance check and apparel allowance check. “Thanks.” Keith kissed her cheek when she offered him the pair.
“The first of many, I hope.” Cedra left hers in the envelope.
“Amen,” Juliet replied. “You want me to take yours upstairs as I go?”
“Yes, please. I need to take a picture to send to Dad.”
“That’s a great idea,” Stone agreed. “I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t be too long,” Ma called from the front door. “Dinner will be on the table in ten minutes.”
“Yes, Ma,” Stone replied and jogged over to his truck.
“I hope y’all had a great first day in the studio,” Ma said as they filed into the house.
“We did, Ma. We got four tracks cut,” Wayne answered. “We got our first checks, too.” He showed her the checks.
“That’s a fine day all around,” Ma agreed with a proud smile.
“The best part is that we’ve recorded and decided on ‘Six Strings’ to be our debut single. Bud is burning the copies tomorrow. Mark and Carrie will begin sending them out Monday. We could be on the radio soon, Ma,” Juliet reported.
“I can’t wait to hear it,” Ma said.
“We were blown away with the sound,” Cedra replied. “The quality of the studio equipment made a huge difference.”
“Is that your fried chicken I smell?” Wayne asked.
“Yes, it is,” Ma responded.
“That was my first meal in my new home,” Cedra replied. “It’s still one of my favorites.”
“We also have a big bowl of fried okra, rice, and chicken gravy, green beans, corn, and biscuits,” Ma informed them.
“That sounds perfect, Ma. Thank you for another great meal and cooking some of our favorites.” Cedra leaned down and kissed Ma’s cheek. “You are so good to us.”
“You all make it easy on me. I cook it, and you eat it with never a complaint,” Ma answered.
“There’s never anything to complain about,” Juliet replied as she returned to the kitchen. “What can we do to help?”
“You can pour drinks and help me get dishes set on the table,” Ma replied.
“No problem.” Juliet walked to the counter and began filling glasses with tea. “Oh, dear Lord, pecan pie for dessert? I have died and gone to heaven.”
Ma’s chuckles filled the kitchen. “You are all so incredibly good for my ego.”
Stone rushed in just as everyone was taking their seats. “Oh, my goodness. This meal looks and smells terrific.”
“Have a seat and let’s get to eating,” Ma said. “I think we need to bless the good lord for this meal and the success of the Bentleys,” Ma stated. She reached for Keith’s and Cedra’s hands and then blessed the meal for them.
“Thank you, for everything, Ma. We wouldn’t be here without you,” Juliet told her as she speared a piece of chicken when Wayne passed it around the table.
Ma shook her head. “I wouldn’t be here, and as proud as I am if it weren’t for the five of you. I could never have selected a better family.”
“This is so delicious, Ma,” Cedra praised.
“I’m glad you are enjoying it,” Ma replied. “What’s the next step for y’all?”
Juliet passed the bowl of okra back to Cedra with a smile. “To finish the other eight tracks for the album and finalize the cover art. Cedra, Stone, and I need to copy the song lyrics tonight. Once Carrie and Mark begin distributing the debut track, we hope to get some airtime and maybe an interview or two.”
“I wonder how they would feel if we continued to play live at Wild Bill’s or the Iron Horse?” Keith asked.
“That would be a question for Carrie tomorrow,” Juliet answered. “I think it could go either way, but they may want us to limit free performances until they can start gigging us.”
“This is the first time since I moved out of my parent’s home that I didn’t have to worry about money,” Wayne said.
“Just don’t go crazy with it. It can go away just as fast as we make it,” Juliet replied. “I’ll feel more confident once we have regular checks rolling in or consistent gigs.”
“I’m sending the majority of mine home.” Stone smiled. “Sarah will spend it more wisely than me.” He grinned.
“I finally have enough to open a checking account.” Keith laughed.
“I think we will all enjoy going to the bank next week,” Cedra answered. “Okra, anyone?” Cedra held up the bowl.
“Go for it, sweetie,” Ma told Cedra.
“I don’t mind if I do,” Cedra replied and scraped the last of the fried delicacy onto her plate. “So damned good.”
“Is there anything you need around here, Ma?” Wayne asked. “A bigger freezer or anything?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t use your hard-earned money, but thank you for the offering. You deserve to spend that on you or your family,” Ma replied.
“I’ve got you now, Ma,” Wayne teased. “You have told us many times you are claiming us as family, so you are considered family. A chest freezer or upright?”
“An upright we could fill with cookies and milk, so we’d never run out,” Keith suggested.
“They do have a point. We could fill it with vegetables from the Farmers Market for the winter,” Juliet replied.
“I don’t have room for it,” Ma pointed out.
“Nonsense, it will fit right by the backdoor,” Wayne said. “You just need to tell us if you want white or white,” he added with a grin. “I don’t think they come in any other color.”
“You don’t have to do anything,” Ma answered.
“Please just let us have this one little win?” Keith pleaded. “Wayne and I will split it.”
“Cedra and I will take you to the Farmers Market to buy the vegetables you want to freeze,” Juliet replied.
“I guess that leaves me gallons of milk and a couple of cases of cookie dough,” Stone joined in on the fun.
“I guess it’s white then, boys,” Ma replied.
“Yes!” Keith answered. “We can get it Monday and get it cooling down.”
“That reminds me. What is everyone’s work schedule next week? We need to reserve more time in the studio,” Juliet reminded them.
“I’m off Tuesday and Wednesday,” Cedra replied.
“Wednesday and Thursday for me,” Stone answered.
“When do you guys work Wednesday?” Juliet asked.
“I’m off,” Keith said.
“I go in at eight,” Wayne answered.
“Do we want to try for as many hours on Wednesday as we can? If we have another good day tomorrow, maybe one more full day will be enough,” Juliet stated.
“If not, we can do some late afternoons when Cedra and Stone get off work,” Keith suggested.
“That works for me,” Cedra replied.
Juliet turned to Stone. “Can you type up the lyrics for the three songs of yours we are using and email them to me tonight? Cedra and I will do the rest.”
“Sure, that won’t take long at all,” Stone agreed.
Keith smiled at Ma. “I’ll clear the table and load the dishes if you start serving pie.”
“We can all pitch in, Ma. We won’t let Keith destroy the dishes,” Cedra teased. “You can supervise him putting away the leftovers.”
Wayne chuckled. “That won’t take long at all. There’s not much left to store.”
“You can start a pot of coffee,” Ma told Wayne.
“What can I do, Ma?” Stone asked.
“You can empty the garbage can and put in a new liner.”
“Easy enough,” Stone answered. “I’ll wait on the dishes to be emptied first.”
“What do you all want for breakfast?” Ma asked. “I assume you’re going in at nine again?”
“How about biscuits and gravy? Your gravy was off the chain tonight, Ma,” Wayne praised.
“I’ll make a fresh batch of biscuits in the morning if that’s good for everyone,” Ma stated.
“I’d never turn your cooking down, Ma,” Stone responded.
“That’s easy enough then,” Ma said. “Keith, will you bring me a pie, a knife, forks, and some fine china?”
“You bet I will, Ma,” Keith answered and went to work.
Wayne worked on the coffee pot while Stone carried plates to the kitchen counter for Cedra and Juliet. “I knew my serving skills would come in handy,” Stone teased as he balanced a large stack of dishes.
†
Juliet sat on the bed with her laptop as Cedra sat at her desk. “I’ll start from the bottom and work up if you want to start with the first tracks,” Juliet offered.
“This shouldn’t take us long at all,” Cedra replied. “Especially with three of us working together.”
“Did you take a picture of your checks to send to your dad?” Juliet asked.
“Thank you for reminding me,” Cedra replied. She quickly snapped a photo and sent it to her dad. “I bet my phone will ring within five minutes.”
“Probably less,” Juliet replied. “I wish my family was as supportive as your dad.”
Cedra’s head turned to look at Juliet. She was about to comment when her phone rang. “Hey, Dad,” she answered and put the phone on speaker.
“Hey, Baby Girl. That’s impressive money for day one.” He chuckled. “Is Juliet with you?”
“Yes, she is.”
“Hey, Dad,” Juliet called out from the bed.
“Hey, Juliet. So, which one of you can I borrow from?” Hank teased.
“Either one or both,” Juliet replied. “What do you need?”
Hank chuckled. “Nothing, sweetie, I am just teasing. You all should be very proud. I know I am. What’s next?”
“Another day in the studio tomorrow and then one to two more next week to hopefully finish the tracks for the album. Bud, our producer, has already selected ‘Six Strings’ as our debut single. Mark and Carrie will begin distributing them to the media Monday.”
“Wow. Things are moving quickly,” Hank said.
“Yeah, Daddy, they are.”
“I’d better start keeping the radio on twenty-four seven then,” he teased.
“If we get a heads up, I’ll let you know,” Cedra promised.
“I’m so proud of y’all. I know your mother has to be smiling,” he told her.
Cedra could hear the heartache in his voice. “I know she is. I feel her with me all the time,” Cedra told him. “Thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams.”
“This is only the beginning, Baby Girl. There is so much coming your way. I can feel it in my bones.”
“I sure hope so, Daddy. I can’t wait for you to come up in a few weeks. We will have a jam session for you when you’re here.”
“I’m looking forward to that. I bet I will hear you on the radio before that.”
“I pray you’re right.”
“I won’t keep you tonight. I know you’ve got stuff to prepare for tomorrow. I wanted y’all to know how proud I am for you.”
“Thanks, Daddy. I’ll call you soon. Hopefully, with more good news. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, ladies. Love you both.”
“Love you too, Dad,” Cedra and Juliet answered.
Cedra turned to look at Juliet and saw tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I wish my dad would talk to me like that,” Juliet answered.
“You never talk much about them. Do you talk to your family often?” Cedra asked.
“No, but it’s my fault. The last time I talked to Dad, he was so negative, I went off on him. That was months ago.”
“Maybe it’s time to reach out to him again?” Cedra suggested.
“Not until we have a song on the radio. I don’t want to jinx anything.” She wiped a tear from her eyes.
“I don’t think you can jinx us, but I will support your decision. Does your dad know anything about the band?”
“Nope, nothing at all.”
“Would you mind if I make a suggestion?” Cedra asked.
“Not at all, sweetie.”
“Why don’t you get a copy of the single tomorrow and send it to him? I was thinking of asking for a copy for Dad and Ma.”
Juliet smiled. “That’s a good idea. Thank you.”
“I know Daddy has enough love for two, but I believe family is important, and you should try to keep a relationship with them,” Cedra replied.
“I’ll send them a CD, and we’ll see where it goes from there,” Juliet promised.
Cedra leaned over and kissed her. “I love you.”
Juliet smiled. “I know you do, and if your love is all I have, it’s enough to carry me through.”
“More people than me love you,” Cedra replied. “Just keep me at the top of your list.”
“Always,” Juliet said. Her phone pinged with an email from Stone. “Stone’s done with his project. I guess we’d better get busy.”
“Yes, boss.” Cedra smiled at turned back to her laptop. She emailed the first four tracks to Juliet, who saved them on her jump drive an hour later.
“I’m almost done, too. Do you want to go back down for another slice of pie?” Juliet asked.
“That does sound good. Coffee? I can go get a pot started while you finish,” Cedra suggested.
Juliet nodded. “That works for me. I’ll see you in a few.”
Cedra leaned down to kiss her. “Don’t be too long.”
“I won’t. Hopefully, the boys left some pie.” Juliet smiled.
“Good point. If not, I’ll bake us some cookies.”
“That works, too,” Juliet replied.
†
Cedra walked downstairs and the lights were on in the kitchen. Ma and the boys were sitting around the table. “Is there any pie left?” she asked Keith.
“Why are you asking me?” Keith smiled.
“Because you are the biggest sweet tooth in the house,” Cedra said as she looked at the coffee pot. “Will you drink some coffee, Ma?”
“I could do another cup,” Ma replied. “The pie is in the fridge. Do you want me to heat some for you?”
“I’ll get it, Ma. Juliet is coming down as soon as she finishes the last of the lyrics.”
“I got the coffee,” Wayne offered.
“What have y’all been up to?” Cedra asked.
“Just dreaming,” Keith answered. “We’ve been planning our first tour.”
“Where are we going?” Cedra asked.
“We thought it would be cool to play the college towns in the south. Most of the larger schools have country venues in town that would help grow our younger fan base,” Keith explained.
“That’s not a bad idea. Is this something that is done regularly with new artists?” Cedra asked.
“I think it’s a possibility until the music festivals start in the spring,” Wayne answered as he filled the coffee pot.
“Maybe we should pick Carrie’s brain about it tomorrow to see what her plans are for us,” Cedra replied. She cut two pieces of pie and placed them in the microwave.
Juliet arrived just as Cedra removed the pie. “That was good timing,” she joked as she entered the kitchen.
“Coffee will be up in a minute,” Wayne replied.
“The boys have been planning our first tour of college towns,” Cedra told her as she brought the pie to the table.
“Not a bad idea,” Juliet agreed as she picked up her fork. “Towns like Athens, Gainesville, Knoxville, Baton Rouge, and Lexington have some awesome country venues.” She cut a bite of pie. “We could travel on Fridays, do a show Friday night, Saturday, and be home on Sunday. You may have to drop down to working four days a week.”
“I don’t think that would be a problem for any of us,” Keith answered. “The winter months can be slow at the theater.”
“I could bartend part time too,” Wayne replied.
“Lisa Marie asked if I would consider some part-time work at the café,” Ma said. “Maybe I could fill in on the days when y’all are on the road.”
“That would be good. You’re an early riser, and you wouldn’t have us to look after,” Juliet teased.
“Working at the café would be cake compared to tending to us.” Keith chuckled.
“You all aren’t bad,” Ma replied. “It’s quite a comfort having you around.”
Cedra finished her pie and sipped on her coffee. “I know Lisa Marie would benefit from your help. You wouldn’t have to worry about cooking but one meal. She’ll feed you well for breakfast and lunch.”
“This is sounding better by the minute.” Ma smiled at Cedra. “I think I could handle two or three days a week.”
“I’m sure you could, Ma,” Cedra replied. “It would get you out more too.”
“That’s an added benefit I hadn’t considered.”
“Thanks for the pie. I reckon we all need to get some rest. Tomorrow will be another long day,” Cedra stated.
“I hope it’s as productive as this one was,” Wayne said. “Goodnight, ladies.”
“Goodnight, boys,” Ma said.
“Do you two have any recommendations for dinner tomorrow night?” Ma asked Cedra and Juliet.
“How about a taco night? We haven’t done one of those in ages,” Juliet replied.
“With an ice cream sundae selection for dessert?” Ma asked.
“That works for me,” Cedra agreed. “Do we need to pick up anything from the store?”
“Naw, I’ll go shopping after y’all head to the studio tomorrow,” Ma replied. “It’ll give me something to do.”
“Why don’t you invite Patsy over, too, for some company and dinner? I’ll drive her home,” Juliet replied.
“That’s not a bad idea. Maybe we can sip on a margarita while we cook.” Ma chuckled.
“There ya go. I can’t do the liquor, but I’ll have a beer with you when we get home,” Juliet promised.
“Have a great night and get some sleep. I’ll see you for breakfast.”
“You too, Ma. Goodnight.” Juliet reached for Cedra’s hand, and they climbed the stairs.
†
Cedra and Juliet stretched out on the bed as reflections from a candle flame danced on the ceiling. “Today was a great day,” Cedra replied.
“Yes, it was. I wasn’t expecting it to be so productive,” Juliet admitted.
Cedra turned toward Juliet. “Will you do something with me Monday when we get home from work?”
“Sure. What do you want to do?”
“I want to go shopping for some boots. I’ve never had a nice pair before. I know you have a collection, so you could guide me on what to buy.”
“I love going boot shopping. If I didn’t have six pairs already, I’d buy more,” Juliet answered. “I know just the spot to take you.”
“Thanks,” Cedra replied and snuggled into Juliet.
“We sounded good today, didn’t we?” Juliet asked.
Cedra frowned. “I think everyone was surprised. It won’t be disappointing to fans if we don’t sound so perfect when we perform live, will it?”
“No, not at all. We sound good when we go live. Fans realize the acoustics and studio environment enhance the quality.”
“When we start performing gigs, will we still do some cover songs?”
Juliet’s smile grew. “We will mix some in, but I think we will need to play mostly songs from Six Strings. Maybe some others as we develop them to prepare fans for our next album.”
Cedra laughed softly. “We haven’t finished cutting our first album yet, and you are already planning a second.”
“Of course, I am. You have so many songs already written we could be busy for months in the studio, even after you offer some to other artists.”
“I love that you have that much confidence in me,” Cedra replied.
“You have such a beautiful talent for writing tremendous lyrics,” Juliet replied. “I fully believe once Carrie and Mark get their hands on the lyrics in your songbooks, they will go wild promoting them.”
“I hope the words never leave me,” Cedra said.
“Just write from your heart and the music you want to hear created and don’t try to conform to a template. Too many artists fail to write new tunes, and their music has the same sound with different words. That’s so bland and lacks imagination.”
“I have to agree with you there. Even if the first song was successful, it could be ruined by diluting it with different lyrics.”
“Exactly my point. You take a winning song and don’t create beyond that. I don’t want us to ever do that. With the skills you and Stone have, I don’t think we are in fear of running out of good material anytime soon.”
Cedra rolled over and blew out the candle. “We won’t. If anything, my writing has dramatically increased since we met. Lyrics just seem to pour from my head onto paper.”
“It must be love,” Juliet replied and kissed Cedra.
“It’s definitely love. Goodnight, sweetie.”
“Goodnight, my songwriting wonder.”
Cedra laughed and snuggled into Juliet’s warmth.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.