Page 60 of A Christmas Duet

“My older son, Tommy, well, he prefers to be called Tom these days, was the one who discovered your video. That kid has a phone in his hand like it’s glued there. For once I didn’t mind. When I watched you and saw howmany views you’d gotten in such a short time, I knew I needed to reach out. Especially when you were relatively close. Never been to Podunk before, but I have to say it’s a friendly town. Folks were helpful. Met quite a few people when I was asking about you. I stopped off at the attorney’s office, and he said the best place to get any information was at the store on the corner. Never been in a grocery store quite like that—one-stop shopping. They give a whole new definition to the worddepartment store.”

Hailey smiled; she’d had much the same thought on her first visit.

“So,” he said, leaning back. “Tell me about yourself, Hailey.”

She blinked, still in something of a daze. A music producer had taken time away from his family to seek her out. “What would you like to know?”

“How long have you been composing music?”

She smiled. “All my life. It’s who I am.”

“What have you sold?”

She mentioned the few sales she’d accumulated over the years. It wasn’t anything to brag about. Her lack of any real success didn’t appear to faze him, though. He asked her about her profession and seemed pleased when she mentioned she was the assistant band director at the high school.

“Are you currently working with anyone in regard to producing your songs?” he asked.

She nodded. “Jay Cantor…from Cantor Music.”

Daniel sat up straighter and nodded. “Has he signed you to a contract?”

“Not yet.” She felt certain that Jay would, once he got what he needed from the settlement.

“I know Jay. Heard of him, I should say. I didn’t realize he’d started his own production company.” He frowned, as if matters weren’t adding up in his mind. “If you’re working with Jay, then…”

“He’s waiting on funding,” she said, and regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth.

“Ah, that explains it.” He reached inside his pocket and withdrew a business card. “I’d like to work with you, Hailey. As you can see, I come from a well-established production company. We work with some of the biggest stars in the industry.” He mentioned a few names that caused her heart rate to accelerate to an alarming speed.

“We are always on the lookout for fresh talent. We would love to work with you.”

Hailey hardly knew what to say. This had to be a dream. She was afraid she’d wake up any minute and find out meeting Daniel Stamper had been a figment of her overactive imagination.

“What about…Jay?”

He paused and looked her straight in the eye. “I realize you must feel a certain loyalty to Jay, and you should. It’s a testament to your character that you do. All I’m saying is that my firm can offer you far more in the way of marketing than Jay ever could, especially at this point in his career. Your songs would be performed by some of the biggest artists in the business. The choice is yours, of course. Keep my card and get in touch after the holidays and we’ll talk.”

Hailey accepted the business card and sat completely speechless as Daniel Stamper slid out of the booth and walked out of the diner.

Chapter Nineteen

Hailey reached for her coffee and grimaced when she found it lukewarm. Her hands shook as she set the mug back down on the table. She found it hard to focus as her mind whirled with the possibilities of what had been offered to her. She sat, staring blankly out the window, trying to absorb what had happened. Nancy returned with the coffeepot. “Would you like me to warm that up for you, sweetie?”

Hailey looked up at her blankly before she realized what Nancy was asking. “Sure,” she said, and slid her mug across the table. “Thanks.”

The friendly server leaned forward as if to share a secret. “I hope you didn’t mind that I told him earlier that you frequently stopped by the diner.”

“No…That’s fine.” Although it was an exaggeration. Hailey had been to the café a few times, but it wasn’t like it had become a regular hangout.

“Someone else was asking about you this morning as well.” She glanced over her shoulder as if she expected someone to be eavesdropping. “You know, since that video went viral.”

Hailey felt like a doe caught in the headlights of an oncoming long-haul truck.

“Don’t worry, we were all instructed not to give out any of your information. Even when that couple claiming to be your parents stopped by. My lips were sealed.” She pantomimed zipping her mouth closed.

Her parents had gotten the directions to the Stockton cabin from Elizabeth at the hair salon.

“The reason I even mention it is because of the man sitting in the booth over there. He’s the one who’s been asking.”

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