I hear the snapping of her camera but don’t dare move until she tells me what my next position will be.
“How’s it going?” Knox’s voice hits my ears.
“Great,” Abbie responds. “I’m taking a variety of photos like we spoke about. I’m sure one can be used for the album cover, but you’ll have plenty for promotions, social media, posters, and digital teasers and banners.”
“Perfect. How are you doing?” Knox asks me.
I finally turn my head to face him and beam. “Let me see, I have a song higher on the Apple Music rank than you,” I brag.
“You’re such a brat,” Knox chuckles.
“That’s awesome,” Abbie pipes up. “Congrats!”
“Thank you. It’s surreal.” I shake my head and bite down my smile. I am still trying to process the news Ainsley gave me two days ago.
“We should go to Clarke’s tonight to celebrate,” Abbie suggests. Clarke’s is Everton’s local watering hole. “Finn and I are going with Poppy and Harris, and I believe Faith is as well,” she mentions her other best friend.
“Harris mentioned something,” Knox nods. “We’ll be there.” He turns to look at me.
“Same. I wouldn’t miss a chance to tell all of Everton that the new singer in town knocked your ass off the charts.”
Knox rolls his eyes, and a burst of boisterous laughter leaves my lips. “He’s going to kick me off of the label if I keep teasin’ him,” I whisper to Abbie.
She giggles and shakes her head before we move around Knox’s dad’s ranch to take pictures in the barn.
The vast land is so different than where I grew up, yet the sense of home brushes in the wind. It’s the rural lifestyle and humility of this place. Granted, Knox’s family has hundreds of acres where my dad has about thirty in his smaller ranch, but being here always pours nostalgia out of me.
In the year and a half that I’ve known and worked with Knox and Harris, they’ve become like family. A lot of that has to do with the fact that they understand and appreciate the simple things. I may have up and moved to Nashville to chase my dream, but deep down, I’m just a southern girl wanting to share her voice with the world.
“Oh, I ran into your cousin the other day,” I throw naturally at Abbie.
“Gavin? Really?” Her eyebrows raise a tiny bit, and a small smile marks her face.
“Yeah, he was with his daughter. I literally ran into him, it was so embarrassin’.” I recall that incident.
Abbie giggles. “Like you crashed into him?”
“Yeah,” I sigh, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Oh man,” she tries to hold in her giggles. “I’m sure he didn’t care.”
“No, he was cool about it. I, on the other hand, was mortified. I don’t think he remembered me, which was even more embarrassing.”
“Is this your way of telling me you have a crush on my cousin?” Abbie’s eyes narrow, and mine pop open.
“What? No. Why would you say that? Oh my God, Abbie, I just ran into him…” I ramble in defense, sounding like a bitch. When her laughter interrupts me, I glare at her.
“I’m just teasing you. It was pretty obvious you thought he was cute when you met him on Labor Day.”
“Really?” My eyes widen, and I cringe. “Do you think he noticed?”
“No way. Gavin is… Well, he kinda lives in his own world most days.” Abbie frowns.
I nod. I have no idea what his story is, but I can imagine raising a daughter on your own would keep you preoccupied.
“Anyway, he’ll be at Clarke’s tonight. I try to get him out of the house and with adult interaction whenever I can.”
“Cool,” I attempt to be nonchalant. Abbie smiles but doesn’t tease me, for which I’m grateful.
“Does this mean you don’t want to star in my next blind photoshoot?”
“I still can’t get over those photos.” I shake my head and sigh dreamily.
Abbie set up a photoshoot between two strangers last summer, where they met the day of the shoot. The photos she shared were spectacular.
When Knox and Harris told me they wanted her to shoot my photos for the album cover and promotions, I was on board without thinking twice. Granted, at the end of the day, they make the decisions, being the owners of the label, but I like that they consult some things with me. I don’t feel like a number or moneymaker for them.
“I could secretly set both you and Gavin up for a photoshoot and not tell you until you showed up there.” I see the wheels turning in her mind.
“Don’t you dare,” I warn with wide eyes.
“I’m only kidding,” she chuckles.
While I wouldn’t mind having to take photos with him, I don’t want his cousin setting us up. That’s more awkward than face-planting into his chest in the middle of town.
Once Abbie finishes up the photos, I release a heavy exhale. As much fun as it is to work with her, doing a photoshoot is exhausting. All the sitting and standing and put your hand here and there and hold the guitar while always smiling.
“Ready to go?” Knox approaches us.
“Yeah. I’m tired and hungry,” I tell him.
“When aren’t you hungry?” He rubs my head.
“Hey! I need to keep the hair intact for tonight.” I pat down and make sure the waves on my short hair aren’t frizzy.
“I’ll edit and send you some pictures after the weekend and have the rest for you in two weeks.” Abbie packs up her camera.
“Sounds perfect. Thanks,” Knox responds. “We’ll see you tonight.”
“Yeah.” Abbie waves and walks to her car.
Knox turns to me and smiles. “Ready to write some music?”
“Heck, yes.” I skip toward Knox’s truck. His chuckles leave a trail behind me.
…
I’m cradling a whiskey soda between both hands as I stand next to Ainsley at Clarke’s. Axel, Knox’s brother, is telling us how his wife, Lia, and him, helped birth one of their mares today. Fortunately, Lia is a veterinarian, and Axel has been raised on a ranch
