Page 68 of Nashville Lights

“But what about you? We can figure it out together. You could hire some help for your contracting business. Find some local guys who can step up and help you run it without being so involved in the day-in, day-out stuff. What about Shane?”

“What do you expect me to do, Rox, take off on tour for months on end? That’s not really something that can happen right now.”

“You could do local shows. Start with Nashville.”

He’s quiet, still twirling a lock of my hair.

“I have to go back tomorrow,” I tell him gently. “I’ve got a meeting with a new artist I’m taking on. She’s flying up from Austin.”

“Why don’t I drive you in.”

“I have a few other things to take care of too. I’ve offered to take on another new artist as well. Her name’s Ivy Laine. She lives in New York. I’ll probably have to go and meet with her at some point soon.”

More silence.

“Nate?”

“What do you want me to say, Roxie? Go to Nashville? Go to New York? Take on ten new artists so there’s no time for anything else? Leave us behind and don’t come back?”

It’s not what I was expecting him to say. But he’s got a point. “I’ll come back. Of course I will.”

“When?”

“When…I can.”

“Well, that’s not really good enough, is it?” He’s pissed off now.

I climb off him and sit next to him. “Why are you mad? We knew we’d have to figure this out. I can’t just move in, like, right now.”

“Why not?”

“Well, because I have a job and a life in Nashville. And because…” I saw the way Ainsley Beal looked at me, dressed in his shirt and very little else. Like I was some kind of hussy who would no doubt be a terrible influence on Daisy. It doesn’t matter that she’s wrong about all of that. What matters is that her point of view holds so much weight in this situation. The thought of Nate losing Daisy because of me is one I can’t tolerate. “I have a job and a life in Nashville,” I say again.

“So, that’s it?” he fumes. “You’re leaving to go back to yourlifein Nashville? What about what happened here this weekend?”

“It was…perfect. Of course it was. But it doesn’t mean I can justnotgo back to all the responsibilities I have and the people who are relying on me. You know that better than anyone.”

He stands up, getting out of the hot tub with a splash, and wrapping a towel around his waist. “Okay, then. See you later. Have fun in Nashville.”

I follow him, grabbing the other towel and wrapping it around me. “Nate. Why are you acting like this? I told you I had a meeting. I can come back in a few days. Or…soon.” I actually have meetings all week and into the weekend, but right now doesn’t seem the best time to tell him that.

“Fine, Rox. Maybe I’ll see you in another eight years. Just make sure you give me a call when you find out I knocked you up this weekend since we spent the entire time having raw dog sex like there’s no tomorrow.”

His rage catches me off guard. “What do you expect from me, Boone? To just leave everything behind to move in with you and forget that I have a career and a life that I’ve spent a long time working my ass off to create? I have to figure out how it’s going to work. And I will. But it might take some time.”

Nate dries himself off and gets into bed, his body big and insanely…hard, even though we’re arguing, if that’s what we’re doing. The sheet barely covers him. “I don’t expect anything from you. Just forget that we finally found each other again after eight fucking years. Forget that we told each other welovedeach other. Forget that we mighthave created ababy. But, hey, no big fucking deal. You go back to yourlife. Goodnight, Rox.” He closes his eyes.

I sit on the bed, the towel still wrapped around me. “Nate. We can talk about this. We can make a plan. I said I would try to start delegating. And so did you.”

His eyes open. “Except that there are certain things I can’t delegate. Daisy’s starting school tomorrow. I’m on the verge of losing her. Especially if I don’t do everything I can to make sure she has a stable life and a routine. Which is here, Roxie. Unless I have to move to fucking Ohio because I lose custody so I can make sure she’s okay. I can cut back on my work hours if that’s what you want me to do. And I’m going to have to do that anyway. Shane’s a good idea. I’ll talk to him. But I can’t move to Nashville. Not right now.”

I nod, tears pricking behind my eyes at the sorrow in him. I lay down next to him. “I know. I’m sorry. Iwantto be with you, Nate, of course I do. I just…I don’t want me being here to have any kind of negative influence on Ainsley Beal’s decision.”

“What do you mean? Why would it?”

“I feel like there were certain things that were obvious. And that she didn’t approve of them. Or of me.”

Nate exhales a laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “Are you serious? Roxie. You’re a superstar, a shining gem of a human being and the kind of success story someone like Ainsley Beal could only aspire to. Plus Daisy adores you. It goes without saying thatI’mon my fuckingkneesfor you.We’ve spent too long letting other people get in the way of us. The last thing I’m going to let happen now is for Ainsley FuckingBealto get in the way of us. You letmehandle Ainsley Beal. Okay?”

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