Page 5 of Catching Sparks

“I missed this,” Brody notes, that soft, familiar twang heavy in his voice that most of the ranchers have here in Cherry Peak. Multiply it by his time in the country music industry, Nashville, specifically, and you have one hell of a country accent.

“The bickering? Was it really that boring receiving a damn music award and having your ass kissed all weekend?” Bryce asks.

“Boring? No. But I’m always antsy to get back home.”

“Give them a break, Ice. We all hate being away from one another,” I say with a wink at the happy couple.

It was nice that Anna got to go with her man to Nashville for the Country Music Awards because I know how much it kills her every time Brody leaves to record in Calgary with Swift Edge Records without her. She tries to join him whenever she can, but with her salon, it’s not always that easy.

He’s never gone for too long without her, and while Cherry Peak may only be close to three hours from Calgary, it’s still a tedious drive to make over and over again. I’m just happy it hasn’t put too much strain on their relationship.

They’re the couple I aspire to be, so anything bad happening to them would destroy me.

“Have you heard when you start working on the next album yet?” Darren asks.

With a press of his lips to Anna’s temple, Brody answers, “We were supposed to start soon. But I don’t think I’ll get gettin’ to it for a while now.”

I arch a brow. “Why not?”

Brody drags a hand down his face, a scowl appearing beneath it. “Swift Edge is a goddamn mess right now.”

“That’s only the beginning of the problems,” Anna adds, grimacing.

Bryce taps her nails on the table. “Out with it. I’m getting antsy.”

“We got a guest comin’ to Cherry Peak tomorrow.”

“Okay . . . what kind of guest?” I ask slowly.

It’s Anna who answers, a heavy sense of wariness hanging over the table. “The arrogant kind.”

“He got a name?” Darren flexes his fingers around his beer bottle, making me roll my eyes.

I nudge him in the shoulder. “Chill out, Macho Man.”

He ignores me, and a beat later, Brody’s speaking again, dropping a bomb on us all.

“Garrison Beckett. Or more known as the CEO of Swift Edge Records. My fuckin’ boss.”

Crickets. Utter crickets.

My stomach sinks. Every complaint Anna’s ever made to me about Garrison churns my insides. From his unrelenting pushing and expectations being the reason for Brody’s vocal strain last year to the disapproval he doesn’t bother hiding anytime Brody brings Anna up. Cherry Peak is too small of a town to hide from a man on a mission to be a colossal douche.

“Why the hell is he coming here of all places?” I mutter.

Anna tucks a strand of straight brown hair behind her ear, sighing heavier than I’ve heard anyone sigh in a long time. “There’s . . . a lot of things happening with the company right now. You’ve heard of Jocelyn, right? I know you must have, Bryce. She’s a pop singer.”

“I know her. Well, know of her. Know her music. I’ve seen the articles, but—” Bryce starts before my brother cuts her off.

“She was attacked at her last concert. The one in Vegas.”

“Thanks, dick. I was getting there,” Bryce hisses.

Brody clears his throat, effectively snagging their attention back from the start of another bickering session. I don’t remember the last time Bryce and Darren got along with one another. Probably back when we were all children.

“Garrison’s father is head producer at Swift Edge and also half owner. He asked me if my grandparents would make room for Garrison at the ranch, and it took a fuck ton of convincin’, but they agreed.”

“Why here, though? Cherry Peak will drive a rich prick insane,” Bryce says.

---