Page 68 of Sunsets at the Beach House

“No, it’s fine to ask. He’s doing all right. I haven’t texted him yet today. I told him before I left the hospital last night that he should text me when he wakes up. I didn’t want to be the one to do that.” She reached for her travel mug and took a drink of her coffee. She’d definitely use up the caffeine today.

“I think it’s cool he’s teaching you to surf.”

She smiled. “Me, too. I can’t believe how much I like it. As soon as I get a couple of paychecks under my belt, I’m going to buy my own board.”

“Now that is cool. I had to sell my board before I came here. Too much to travel with and I needed the money.”

“Maybe when you get some saved up, you can buy another one.”

“Maybe. But I have a feeling it’s going to be a while before I have the time to really spend some time in the water like I’d want to. Especially if the tour happens, which I’m sure it will. This new song of my mom’s is going to blow up. I’m telling you, it’s going to be big.”

“Yeah?” Kat grinned. “That’s awesome.”

“I’m not the only one who thinks so. Her agent and Jesse agree with me. So does Sierra. Everybody who hears it, loves it.”

“I’d love to hear it sometime.”

He pulled out his phone. “How about right now?”

“Seriously?”

“It’s just a rough version she and I recorded together so I could learn the song, but it’ll give you the idea.”

“Play it. I’m dying to hear it.”

“Let me see if I can connect my phone to your car’s Bluetooth.” He fiddled around with the touchscreen control panel, then his phone for a minute. “Okay, let’s see if this works.”

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then guitar music filled the car.

Kat started tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. It was already catchy. Her aunt’s voice followed and by the second round of the chorus, Kat was mouthing the words along with her. “Dixie’s got her boots on and she’s headed into town. By the way she’s walking, trouble’s about to go down.”

When the song finished, she was smiling and nodding. “That was amazing. I already want to hear it again. It’s the kind of song you put on repeat.”

Cash grinning. “I know! That’s what I was saying. It could be the new country summer jam.”

“Definitely.”

“That was me singing with her on the bridge.”

“Yeah?” Kat glanced over at him. “I don’t know what a bridge is, but I’m assuming you mean that softer, deeper part.”

“Yep. And me playing rhythm guitar. I wish you could hear how it sounded yesterday with Sierra on keyboards and helping with backup vocals. When the whole thing comes together it’s going to rock.”

“It already rocks,” Kat said.

“Well, it’ll rock harder. And I think it’s bigger than just country. It’s going to get all kinds of play. I hope so, anyway.”

“We’ll call the biggest radio stations and request it.”

He laughed. “Not a bad idea. But I’m hoping we can do a video and get that to go viral.”

“Now that would be cool. You have any ideas for it?”

“A few things, but nothing’s really gelled yet. Why? Do you have one?”

“Why don’t you play that song a few more times and let me think about it.”

He smiled. “You got it.”

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