The Mixtape

“I understand.”

“Also, Cam might be lingering around in the mornings before she takes off for her day.”

“Cam? As in Cam Jones?” I breathed out, stars in my eyes. “Really?”

Kelly didn’t seem as impressed. “Yes. Really.”

“Oh my gosh. I’m such a fan!”

Cam always seemed like the sweetest person whenever she did an interview. She was the only reason I’d even listened to country music. I couldn’t wait to meet her in person.

“I can’t wait to meet her!” I exclaimed.

Kelly cocked an eyebrow and parted her lips as if she had her own thoughts on the subject, but she shook her head and pushed out a smile. “Yeah. Totally. Also,” she said, shifting the topic, “don’t mind the covered mirrors throughout the house. Oliver’s working through some things. If you have to use a mirror, say in the bathroom or something, just make sure to re-cover it before you leave, please.”

Celebrities and their odd quirks.

Kelly proceeded to give me a tour of the property, starting outside. She showed me the tennis court and an insanely beautiful swimming pool outside, with an attached hot tub, of course. There was a grilling station and an area for entertaining with a stereo system, lounge chairs, and a firepit. If Reese were with me, she’d probably think we were at Disneyland or something. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Prince Charming came from behind the bushes for a photo op.

Kelly showed me all the rooms in the house, including Oliver’s bedroom suite. The teenage version of me would’ve freaked out at the idea of seeing Oliver Smith’s bedroom. The grown-up version of me tried my best to keep my cool.

Then, there was the kitchen.

The kitchen was made for masterpiece meals. Not a tool was missing from the cabinets. There were even some gadgets that I was certain I’d have to google to figure out how to use. “What are the guidelines on meals?” I asked as my fingers ran across the marble countertops.

“Oh, you can cook anything and everything. He has no allergies at all, so everything is fair game. Trust me, he’s very laid back.”

The last space she took me to was the west wing of the house, where Oliver’s studio was located. As we walked down the hallways, we passed glass windows looking into the studio space. At first, I assumed he wasn’t in the room, since he was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, he’s hard at work,” Kelly commented, making me raise an eyebrow. She then pointed to the floor, where Oliver was lying down with crumpled-up pieces of paper surrounding him. His headphones were set against his ears, and he had a grumpy look on his face.

“Sometimes he’ll stay in here all day, so don’t be afraid to interrupt him and get him to eat something. It’s more than okay to do that,” Kelly explained.

I stared at the artist lying on the floor, and a small smile fell against my lips. I wondered if that was how he lay when he wrote my favorite song, “Heart Stamps.” Was he spread out on the floor with crumpled pieces of his mind scattered at his sides? Did he close his eyes and move his lips as he mouthed something to himself? Did he cover his eyes with the palms of his hands and tap his feet?

I wondered what his next creation would be.

I wondered if I’d love it too.

After getting a tour of the house, I unloaded all the groceries and filled up the refrigerator pretty quickly. I had a few hours until lunchtime, so I started chopping up some vegetables that I’d be able to use throughout the week.

A few minutes passed before Oliver appeared in the doorway of the kitchen with his headphones on. I looked up from my cutting board and smiled his way. When his stare found mine, he seemed a bit startled.

“Emery. Hello,” he said, formal as ever. He removed his headphones and let them sit around his neck. “Kelly got you settled in?”

“Yes. I’m getting used to the beautiful space. Honestly, I’d kill for a kitchen like this. It’s so open, and the appliances are out-of-this-world fantastic.”

“I’m glad you’re pleased.”

“I am.” The nerves that I’d often felt around him began to build up again. “Can I make you anything? A smoothie? A snack?”

“No. I was coming for water, that’s all. I’ll be out of your hair,” he said, moving around me to the fridge to grab himself a bottle of water.

“There is something else I wanted to talk to you about, though, if that’s okay,” I started.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Is everything not okay?”

“No. It is. I mean, it isn’t. What I mean is . . .” I walked over to my purse and pulled out the check that Kelly had given me. “I can’t take this.”

“It’s a starting bonus.”