Page 157 of Need You Now

She looks beautiful. Sad, but beautiful. A thread of worry tugs at him.

Something’s wrong.

Lacey returned to the studio, quiet, her green eyes far away. He asked her what was wrong, but she played it off, putting on a happy act as they went out to lunch, had drinks on Broadway. Now, after unloading the instruments, a bottle of wine uncorked, Luke and Sal are in the kitchen tossing together a salad to go with the pizza they ordered.

But Seth knows better. Something’s bothering Lacey, and he ain’t letting her be upset for one minute longer.

Seth sets his whiskey on the coffee table. The knock of glass on metal has Lacey turning. Seeing Seth, her eyes soften, but not before he catches that river of sadness welling up behind her green depths. “It’s really coming down out there,” she murmurs. “I’ve never driven in the snow before.”

“Now is that what’s botherin’ you?” he asks softly. “The snow?”

She meets his eyes, shaking her blond head. “No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it?” He peers at her close. “Was it the song? You didn’t like it?”

“Oh, Seth, no. I loved it. I ...” She swallows. “We need to talk about Nashville. What we’re doing.”

He grins, stepping up to hold her by the arms. “We damn sure do. How ’bout you come stay at my place?” Her eyes flash warily, and Seth amends his offer. “Or we get you a place of your own. Or we could get a place together.”

She drops her gaze. “I called Colin today.”

The news catches Seth off guard. “Colin from LA?” When she nods, he lets out a breath. “For what?”

She bites her lip. “Back at the cabin, he offered me a job. A really great job, Seth. One I can’t turn down.”

“But you did, right?”

“No,” she says, shamefaced. “I didn’t. I go back to LA tomorrow night.”

He shakes his head like there’s water in his ears. Her news like an atom bomb that’s been dropped on his heart. Every conversation they’ve had has been about the future, about him and Lacey doing them, and now he’s confused as hell. “I don’t understand,” he says. “I’m serious about you, Lace. I thought that’s what we’ve been talkin’ about. Us.”

She tosses her hair. “Talk is all. We’ve been on vacation. Of course things seemed easy and fun. But now we have to be realistic, Seth. This is real life.”

He stares, hurt. Her words skewer him.

Lacey lifts her arms, lets them drop to her side. “I thought I was ready to walk away from LA, but ... I don’t belong here. You have your band and you’re going to be on the road and I have nothing. I’m in the way.”

“Goddamnit, no, you ain’t,” Seth says, desperate to make her understand. “You belong here. You belong with me. We’ll make it work, whatever we gotta do.”

“You can’t fix everything.”

“The hell I can’t. You don’t want me to.”

She scoffs.“We’re not in love like a country song, Seth.”

He closes his eyes. “Don’t do that.”

“There’s no ocean in Nashville.”

“North Carolina’s hours away.”

“I can’t drive in the snow. No one likes me because I’m not country.”

“Who gives a shit? I’ll get you a limo, kick anybody’s ass who says otherwise—you’re just lookin’ for damn excuses.” He scoffs, takes a pace around the floor, then faces her. “Hell, I don’t know why I’m surprised. You’ve been fightin’ us ever since you got back here.”

She bristles, her defenses going up. “That’s not fair.”

“Isn’t it?” He gives her a doubtful look. “I don’t know what you’re goin’ back to, Lace. A shitty job that works you to death.”