Page 52 of A Country Kind Of Love
Nashville is pretty at night; she likes the walk through downtown between First and Fifth Avenues. Nashville’s Broadway is the epicentre of all things music related, it’s a buzz, and Peyton loves it.
She opts for a suedette sleeveless jacket with a white tank top this afternoon, like the country magazine suggested. She couples it with a pair of denim shorts and the brown cowboy boots she got half price on sale. She looks the part of a country singer. She takes a quick snap for social media before she leaves the apartment, and the comments are blowing up her phone. Cleo thinks she should have a presence on social media; her currentpresenceconsists of 589 followers and a singing cat gif with 200 likes. She’s brutally aware that she’s got somework to do.
The studio looks different, there’s a makeshift reception area that Peyton is positive wasn’t there last week. A brown-haired woman pops up from behind the encloseddesk space.
“Hello.”
“Erm, hi. I’m here tosee Marvin.”
“Marvin is with a client; he’ll come and get you when he’s available.” The lady glances at Jesse. “Oh, hi, Jess.”
“Hey, Janine.” He leans casually across the table. “How’s the kids?”
“Oh, you know. Some days I wish I could pack their bags and send them off to live with their dad, and other days I want them to turn eighteen and move out.” She chuckles only half serious.
Peyton watches Jesse exchange niceties before he heads over to sit bythe window.
“Has Marvin always had a receptionist?”
“That’s his sister.” Jesse laughs. “If he has anyone new coming in, he makes her work for him, so he seems more professional.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope.” He sits back and crosses one long leg over the other. “How’s things goingwith Cleo?”
She could be honest and tell him that she wants to hyperventilate internally whenever she hears her name because, well, it would be the truth. She’s spent every night with her for the past week, and as soon as she leaves, she can’t wait to be wrapped in her arms again. It’s corny, slightly obsessive, and probably categorically unhealthy, but she doesn’t wantit to stop.
“Great.”
How blasé.
“It’s actually our four-week anniversary.”
“Well, I never. What do they call that? Not pearl or diamond, is it like stainless steel or something?” Jesse throws his head back in a fit of laughter. He reminds her so much of her brother that she wants to sucker punch him in the face, but she refrains.
“I take back everything I thought about you earlier butdidn’t say.”
He straightens up. “I’m just playing. I happen to like stainless steel. My ring is made out of it. Whilst it isn’t as desired as gold or silver, it’s still extremely important for making pans and stuff.” He winks.
“You think you’re funny, don’t you?” Peyton says. She tries not to smile, but he’s a goofball, and she can’t help it.
“On a serious note, four weeks is longer than any relationship I’ve ever had,” Jesse admits.
“It isn’t a relationship yet, not really, we haven’t put a label on it.”
“But you want to?”
“Of course, she’s amazing,” Peyton gushes.
“She’s a good girl. I didn’t think she’d be your type, but I see the two of you together, and it works.”
“What did you think my type was?” Peyton asks. She’scurious now.
“I pictured a Maya Bishop type. Someone stern, competitive, a little stubborn.” He isn’t wrong. It’s the type she would’ve gone for in the past. Chloe was the epitomeof stubborn.
“Do you want to explain to me how you know who Maya Bishop is?” She laughs. “DoyouwatchStation 19?” Huge emphasison the you.
“It’s my guilty pleasure.”
