Page 5 of The Music of Love

I’ve never been one to believe in fate like a lot of artists seem to. I always thought that it was hard work and talent that got you where you end up in life, but last night running into Reese at Henry’s has me starting to reconsider.

All I can think of as I’m showering, though, is how poorly I behaved when we first met.

I checked her out like she was one of the girls at my shows—a fan. I asked her if she had a boyfriend right off the bat as if it was a foregone conclusion that she’d be into me.

But that’s what being a rockstar for this long does to you. It distorts your perceptions of reality. And that’s what I need to apologize to Reese for.

I’m just getting into my clothes when there’s a knock at the door to my hotel room. I groan. I know it’s my managers. We don’t have a meeting planned for today, so that means whatever they want will be what they call an “emergency meeting,” which always ends up being an emergency to them and something just kind of silly to me.

I go to the door, and just as I expected, find Josh and Kathleen standing there lookingveryconcerned.

“We need to talk,” Kathleen says, sounding very much like a mother as she pushes her way past me into the room.

“Can I at least put my shirt on first?” I ask.

“You asked her out, didn’t you?” She storms over to the table at the center of the room and sets her laptop bag down, along with her purse and other things, then turns to give me that stern glare she’s so good at.

I turn to Josh, who just sort of shrugs as if to sayI’m with her.

“Asked who out?” I reply. “Because I’ve told you many times before, Kathleen, your mom is a very attractive older woman, but—”

“This is no time for games, Cal,” she barks back. “That waitress from last night. The one whoclearlydislikes you.”

“Oh, her!” I nod with a snap. “That may have happened.”

“Mayhave happened?” Kathleen is getting pissed now. I wish I knew why I love screwing with her so badly. “This isn’t what we spoke about in terms of cultivating your image.”

“No, it’s not whatyouspoke about in terms of cultivating my image.”

With a deep sigh, Kathleen glances over my shoulder at Josh. “Are you going to chime in here? Or let me do all the heavy lifting?”

I glance behind me at Josh, who chuckles and shrugs. “She’s right, Cal. Youneeda girl who matches your star-status.”

“My star-status?” I laugh and shake my head. “How can you guys say stuff like that without cringing?”

“You are where you are because of us, Cal,” Kathleen says.

“No,” I say firmly. “I am where I am because I can sing, write songs, and play guitar, thank you very much.”

“That’spartof it.” She nods. “But another very big part of it is your image. And you can thank the two of us for that.”

“And you dating a nobody waitress isn’t going to help that image at all, Cal,” Josh adds.

There are good mornings, and there are bad mornings, and I don’t have to think too hard to see which one this is shaping up to be. I tilt my head and smile, but it definitely has nothing to do with positive emotion.

“You understand we’re just trying to do what’s best for you, Cal,” Kathleen says. “And we’ve got a few girls we think would make great matches for you. Especially Jenni Hinderman. She’s so hot right now–”

“Get out,” I snap. Kathleen stops and looks at Josh. I turn to him and motion to the door. “Out. Now. I’ve had enough of this conversation.”

“Will you at least consider what she’s saying?” Josh asks.

“I’m the biggest rockstar on the planet, Josh,” I reply. “I’ll do whatever the hell I want.”

4

Reese

I rememberthe first date that Tucker took me on back in high school. It was a movie date.

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