Page 66 of High Note

“No?” She put her elbows on the table. “It’s not going to kill my career?”

“Nope. I think it will open a whole new market for you. And I loved that demo you sent me.”

“Kirsten co-wrote it. She’s stunning. Seriously, Peach, she’s amazing.”

“Sounds like it. She played the guitar on the demo, right?”

“She did. She can pick so damn pretty.” She was waxing poetic.

“You are in love. Is it—I mean, I’ve been with you a long time, seriously, and I know that you and your ex were a political arrangement…”

“Political?”

“Not exactly a love match?” Peach shot back.

“Well, no. I wanted to love him, but the road to hell and all.” She sighed. “I think it’s time for me.”

“I do too. So, we’ll spin it. I don’t think you should sell that song. I think you should do an EP.”

“Yeah?” She hadn’t considered that. “You think?”

“Absolutely. You have your band here, right. You write a couple more, do a remix of—Loving Her? We’ll sell the fuck out of it.”

“I can see that.” She chewed her lower lip. “Things are tense with the band, lady. Not all of them, but—” She shook her head. “We might have to bring in a few studio folks.”

“So, we do. I’ll talk to Mich and Andi, let them know that you’re solid. You know Brenda’s never going anywhere.”

“I do.” She had to laugh. “Brenda told me to go for it.”

“Doesn’t surprise me at all. So, tell me about her. Is she pretty?”

“She’s hot.” She wasn’t sure anyone would say Kirsten was pretty. That was way too insipid a word. “Fierce.”

“Yeah? That’s one hell of a description. So she’s a little butchy?”

“Yeah. Tattoos and piercings and overalls, oh my.” Skyla winked at Peach. “I’m in love, honey. For real.”

“I’m tickled. I want to meet her. She has to get along with me and think I’m amazing.”

“Well, you are.” Her jitters were totally gone. Peach had come in pretty soft, and that meant the world to her. “We can have supper with her if you want. She had a bunch of classes to teach today.”

“Oh? What does she teach?”

“She’s teaching guitar lessons right now.” She knew Peach would get the waiting tables, but that wasn’t the first thing she wanted Peach to know.

“Oh, good for her. That’s got to be easier than slinging suds and pizza. Music teacher, songwriter, and picker all fit together much more nicely.”

“Yeah. I want her on the road with me, but we’re still navigating all that.”

Peach nodded. “That’s always a thing, isn’t it? I can’t tell you how many couples have to figure all this out.”

“Yeah?” She blew out a breath. “I mean, my last relationship was BS, and you know it. So, it was never a thing.”

“No, and you were both on the road. The nice thing is, when she wants to be on the bus, she can. Otherwise, you can fly for the most part. This doesn’t have to be hard.”

“What about the label? Does that have to be hard?”

Peach shrugged, one shoulder lifting. “You might lose some rodeo concerts. You might gain others. Same with fans. You don’t have a huge older fan base. The real question is what about your folks?”

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