“Hey, Robert?”
He paused, before slipping into his sports car.
“I want to say thank you for seeing that young kid on stage that night and believing in him. I wouldn’t have been able to live out my dream if it hadn’t been for you.”
With a wide smile, he replied, “I saw great talent in you then, and I see even greater things happening for you in the future, Anson.”
I cleared my throat as I tried to keep the emotions I was suddenly feeling at bay.
Robert did the same, then said, “Talk to you soon.”
When I walked into the kitchen, I couldn’t help but laugh. Bristol had the music up loud and was dancing to Tyler Rich’s song “Leave Her Wild” as she made eggs. I leaned against the wall and smiled as I watched her shake her ass and cook. The song changed to Tenille Arts’ “Slow It Down,” and I nearly forgot how to breathe when she started to sing along.
I pushed off the wall and started to move toward her. But when she hit the chorus, I stopped in my tracks.
What in the hell?
How had I never noticed her voice? Chills ran over my entire body as I listened to the woman I loved belt out in a voice so beautiful she could give me more than a ran for my money when it came to singing.
I got my wits about me and walked up to her. I reached over and turned the stove off, then took her hand and twirled her around. She laughed as I pulled her into my arms.
“Keep singing,” I said as we danced together.
I joined her, and it felt like my fucking heart exploded in my chest. The way we harmonized together was the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard. I placed my hand on the side of her face and smiled as she sang the last few cords.
Her cheeks turned pink, and she buried her face into my chest.
“Christ Almighty, Bri. Why haven’t I ever heard you sing like that before?”
She casually shrugged her shoulder. “I’ve sung around you before.”
I shook my head. “No, if you had sung like that around me, I’d have dragged your ass to Nashville. Will you do me a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Can we leave the eggs?”
She glanced back at them and nodded. “If you promise to feed me before we get on the plane. I’m starving.”
I pulled out my phone and called Robert.
“Come back and meet me in the studio and have someone bring breakfast tacos.”
“Anson, what are you doing?”
With a wink, I replied, “I’m putting you on a record with me.”
She stared at me in disbelief. “What?!”
Bristol
WHEN I FINISHED singing the last note, I opened my eyes to find Anson, Robert, and Logan—who was a sound producer or something like that—all staring at me. I smiled because I wasn’t really sure what to do next, and honestly, the way they were all looking at me made me feel a little weird.
After Anson and I danced in the kitchen, the next thing I knew he had me sitting in a booth, a song in front of me, and Robert and Logan behind the glass.
Robert leaned forward and said into the mic that played in my ear, “I’m going to need you to sign a contract stating that I’m your manager.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed. I’d sung the chorus to Anson’s new song “Memory Lane.” It had been the final song he’d played at the last concert in Nashville.
Besides the chorus, Anson had highlighted a few other places in the song where he wanted us to harmonize. When he came into the booth with me and we sang together, chills moved across my body. At first, I told him he was crazy, there was no way I was going to sing on a record. But when he got in the booth and sang the song with me, I knew I had to do it.
With the way he was looking at me now, I’m glad I did. It helped that Anson simply played the guitar and sang first, then I came in and sang, and then finally we sang together.
“That was perfect, Baby. You can take the headphones off and come in here.”
Logan sat down and concentrated while Robert and Anson started to talk about dates for Anson to finish up the European tour.
It sounded like they were thinking of heading out on the road rather quickly.
“Listen to this,” Logan said as he handed me headphones and gave two more to Anson and Robert. The song played back, and I gasped when I heard the two of us singing the first few lines together.
“You own every piece of my soul.
Though I’ve tried to move on…
I can’t let you go.”
I lifted my eyes and met Anson’s. He had the biggest smile on his face, and I couldn’t help but smile back.