Page 60 of The Lyrics of Love

“Yes, you would,” Phil said sternly. “I don’t care how much you think you love her or how she has her own business. I am here for you, my client. I will protect you.”

It didn’t sit right with Nash to think of asking Rylie to sign a prenup. That would be a bridge he would cross later down the line. He’d already screwed up at his first attempt at marriage.

He couldn’t afford to make any mistakes the second time around.

CHAPTER 20

Nash waved as Phil departed in his Uber and then returned inside to where the others were in the conference room. Pops was deep in conversation with Rylie and Jarrod, while Chuck waited near the door.

“Hey, can we talk some business?” his new manager asked.

Phil had already taken care of Chuck weeks ago, once Nash had made the former head of the roadie crew his manager. At regular intervals over the last few weeks, Chuck had e-mailed Nash ideas of ways he wanted to promote Nash and particular songs that were coming out of him, as well as ways to market the CD that came from these songs. They had worked, along with Phil, on how to release A Mistake I Can’t Take Back and roll the profits over to Make-A-Wish. Chuck even had met with a representative from Make-A-Wish, and the organization was eager to partner with Nash.

Once he had decided to record in Portland, he had called Chuck, wanting his input on the idea and asking if he knew of anyone who had recorded in studios located here. They had discussed at length the recording team they would use in the studio and agreed that Lars Landvik, Nash’s longtime producer, would be a definite.

“I wanted to talk to you about the new people I’ve brought on board,” Chuck said. “Tim Beeman and Rose Rosewood.”

Chuck took a few minutes, elaborating on the acts both engineers had worked with, citing specific albums. They also were mixers, as well as engineers, which would come in handy.

“Lars flew out with them two days early, just to get to know them and discuss what they would be looking to do for your new album. I rented a large house for the four of us to stay in and joined them yesterday afternoon. They’ve all heard the new material and can’t wait to hear how you and the guys will interpret it.”

“Is the band here now?” Nash asked.

“They should be.”

“Let’s grab the others and go down to the studio then.”

He signaled Rylie, and she helped move Pops and Jarrod toward the door.

“We’re going into the studio now. Jarrod, I’ll want you sitting in on all sessions with the team in the booth. This time around, you’ll mostly be learning, but don’t be shy if you feel strongly about something. Your contribution is just as important as theirs will be.”

“Don’t worry about me being too shy, Nash,” Jarrod assured him. “I’m already getting pretty possessive about our work. I want what we put out to be the best representation of it. I won’t hesitate to speak up.”

“I like hearing that.”

Nash led the group to the engineering booth first, introducing them to Lars. In turn, Lars introduced Tim and Rose. Tim was a burly man with a bald pate and friendly face. Rose was a petite woman with a pixie cut and ready smile.

“I almost didn’t take my husband’s last name,” she said. “Of all the men I could’ve married, why he had to be a Rosewood is beyond me. Rose Rosewood sounds so made-up.”

“I think it suits you,” Rylie said.

Rose laughed. “Since my maiden name was Podsednik, I actually think I got the better end of the deal. Podsednik is Czech. Nobody ever pronounced or spelled it correctly. Rosewood is a piece of cake.”

Rose offered to walk Jarrod through all the controls and their purpose, while Nash sat with Lars and Tim and talked about the new music he’d composed, both on his own and with Jarrod. They began talking about an overall theme for the album, with Nash giving his preferences on the type of sound he was interested in capturing. It made him feel good that they all seemed to be on the same page as far as recording the album went.

He joined Rylie and Pops, who had listened in while Rose taught Jarrod about the equipment.

Slipping his arm around Rylie’s waist, he said, “Learn anything new?”

“This is fascinating,” she whispered. “I never realized how complicated recording voices and instruments could be.”

He saw his three bandmates had entered the studio. While Billy and his wife had eaten dinner with Rylie and him twice in the past few weeks, this would be the first time she met the other two members of his band.

“That about wraps it up,” Rose told Jarrod.

“Come meet my other bandmates,” Nash told Rose. They all left the recording booth and entered the studio.

He introduced his new songwriting partner first, and then Rose and Tim, ending with Rylie. He saw the way Dart assessed her and how Wills flirted with her. He had warned Rylie how Wills was the king of one-night stands, while Dart focused on short-term, highly intense relationships.

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