Page 25 of Four More The Merrier

"He said he can't wait," Beau translates, shooting me an apologetic look.

Monica pulls out a stack of cards. "We're going to share three things about ourselves. Two truths and one lie."

"I've got one," Jarron sits up. "I think this is stupid, I'd rather be anywhere else, and I respect our opener."

My cheeks burn. "Well, that's easy. The lie is that you think this is stupid, because you're acting like a child who definitely knows it is."

Lyle's head pops up from the table. "Oh snap."

"My turn," Lyle sits up straighter. "I once ate an entire pizza in under five minutes, I have a tattoo of my mom's face on my ass, and I think Quinn's got more talent in her pinky than most people I know."

"The pizza thing has to be the lie," I say, grateful for the attempt to lighten the mood.

"Nope. Won it at a county fair." He grins. "The tattoo's fake news though."

Austen rolls his eyes. "Nobody cares about your eating habits."

"I care," Beau chimes in. "Quinn, what about you? What's your story?"

Before I can answer, Jarron cuts in. "Let me guess - daddy issues drove you to Nashville, you've got a notebook full of break-up songs, and you actually think you belong on this tour."

My hands ball into fists under the table. "Wrong on all counts, cowboy. I came to Nashville because I'm good enough to be here. I write about real life, not just break-ups. And the only issue I have with my dad is that he sounds just like you - thinking he knows better than everyone else."

"Enough!" Monica slams her hand on the table. "Jarron, this attitude stops now. Quinn proved herself last night, and if you can't be professional-"

"Professional?" Austen jumps in. "Quinn you have four hundred followers on Youtube I'd hardly-"

"It doesn't matter," I stand up, my chair scraping against the floor. "Now I'm here, whether you like it or not. And I earned my spot."

"By sleeping with someone at the label?" Jarron sneers.

The room goes dead silent. My blood boils as I lean across the table. "Say that again. I dare you. I'm not like you, trying to fuck anything with a pulse…"

"Oookay, let's try something different," Monica interjects, stepping between Jarron and me. "Studio. Now. All of you."

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife as we follow Monica down the hallway to the studio. My heels click against the polished floor, each step fueling my anger. Jarron's accusation still burns in my ears.

"What, are we gonna sing the 'I love you, you love me' song from Barney?" Beau's deep voice breaks through the silence. "Because I gotta warn y'all, I only know the chorus."

A snort escapes me before I can stop it. Lyle starts humming the tune, and even Monica's shoulders relax a fraction.

"I always pegged you more as a Teletubbies fan," I say, glancing back at Beau.

He adjusts his baseball cap, a slight smile hidden beneath his beard. "Nah, those things gave me nightmares. Though right now, they might be less scary than Monica's team building exercises."

"I can hear you," Monica calls over her shoulder.

"That was the point," Beau says, winking at me.

Jarron shoves past us both. "If we're done with the preschool reunion, some of us have actual work to do."

"Yeah, like nursing that hangover," Lyle mutters, still humming the Barney theme song under his breath.

"What's the plan here oh fearless leader?" Austen asks, running his hands through his hair.

"Singing. Together." Monica's tone leaves no room for argument. "Quinn, you're going to harmonize with Jarron on 'Midnight in Memphis.'"

"That's our biggest hit," Jarron protests. "She doesn't even know-"

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