Page 13 of Movers and Shakers

I was trying to play cool about it, but anxiety pressed into every inch of my body.

And that led me back to Nashville, to where the man who’d saved me lived.

“Isn’t this a great town, Rosie?” Dad asked, smiling over at me. “Listen to all the music playing!”

The last time I was here on Broadway was when I was running from Blaze and paparazzi. That night had been cemented in everyone’s memory as the night I was almost kidnapped. Blaze had made a massive story of it, saying how worried he’d been about me and my whereabouts. The official press release said I’d just gone to my hotel early.

And considering I didn’t even plan to have a hotel in Nashville, the lie felt wrong.

But now I was back in Nashville asme.I hadn’t been Rose in . . . forever.

No one was looking for Lila Wilde here. As far as they knew, I was in LA, either spending my time with Blaze or writing my next album.

I nodded along, eyes looking for the bar I’d waited weeks to get us into. Movers and Shakers was incredibly busy, and they limited who could enter to keep the experience exclusive for all customers. I’d joined the waiting list when I found out Dad wanted to visit Nashville and catch up with me.

We didn’t talk daily. And despite knowing he wasn’t the kind of man who would fix all my problems, I still needed him around.

Mom was the responsible one. Dad was . . . well,Dad.

And her always being there for me was the reason why I was so determined to fixherproblems.

“I hope you’re ready for something other than country,” I told him as we walked. “Where we’re going is different.” I had to yell to be sure he heard me. My hand was tight on his wrist and I was worried we’d get separated in the sea of people.

But I also enjoyed it. I couldn’t be in crowds like this as Lila.

“I love all types of music equally,” Dad said.

And it was true. He was a decently famous songwriter, which was where I got my talent from. When I was a kid, he moved from rental to rental, always chasing his muse. The flavor of the week was Nashville.

After helping me get discovered, he offered more advice about the semi-famous life in the beginning. He’d helped cultivate some of my early songs when we talked on the phone and it helped me grow as an artist. And then he’d leave and do whatever.

I hadn’t told him about my writer’s block yet. He’d probably tell me to travel.

Dad wouldn’t understand the reasons why I couldn’t. I had to sneak out of LA to even be here.I doubted he wanted to know my problems anyway.

We walked up to the line for entry and I showed my ID to a very serious-looking bouncer who nodded and let us both in.

It was somehow more magical with people in it. Pop music played on the speakers and people danced without a care. The pink and teal neon lights were otherworldly, lining the tall wooden beams on the ceiling, illuminating everyone in a different kind of light.

“Wow,” Dad said. “This is something.”

“I’m so glad I finally got in,” I replied. “It’s why we had to go tonight.”

“I’m always free for my favorite daughter. Especially when you’re not touring.”

“It’s nice.” I pushed back the doubts in my mind.Washe really free? Not usually.

“Do you know what’sreallynice? This music! Come on, Rosie. Let’s dance!”

Dad shook his hips like he wasn’t a man nearly in his sixties. Instead of following him to the dance floor, my eyes searched the bar for the man I was desperate to see again.

I hadn’t ever finished that song. I wasn’t able to once he wasn’t in front of me, but I’d at least kept his promise to remember him. He just wouldn’t know who I was.

Dad was busy enjoying himself, so much so that I doubted he would notice if I wandered off. And I didn’t want anyone to see just how hard I was looking for Barry.

Lila might have been with Blaze, but I held to that even as Rose. Though tabloids wouldn’t see this, I would, so if I did talk to Barry, it would only be as a friend. If Dad saw me, however, he would have questions.

Despite my not-so-single status, I felt a little freer coming to see Barry like this. I could talk to him asme.

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