Page 73 of Country Music Cowboy

“All of that?” Emmy Lou’s eyes were round.

“You lost me.” Loretta scanned the sheet music.

“Krystal cooks when she’s working on a new song. Bakes, mostly,” Jace explained.

“Got it,” Loretta said, scanning the sheet music. “Johnny used to clean.” She pulled a long strand of hair over her shoulder, twining it around her fingers as she read.

Damn but she was beautiful.

“Cleaning? That’s a way more productive process.” Krystal shrugged.

“And way less delicious,” Travis pointed out, sitting back in his chair and turning his attention to the sheet music. He tapped his foot, playing through the song in his head, softly singing the chorus.

The blood that binds is not enough,

It’s who stands up and chooses us.

You’re scarred and broken, that is true.

But take my hand, we’ll make it through.

Time. Time to let go.

Time to stand tall.

Time. Time to be brave.

Time to trust love.

All I know is…

I lose time when I’m with you.

Travis glanced at Loretta. There’d been a few times in his life when a song had been so true it nearly knocked him to his knees. This was one of those times.

Chapter 13

Loretta’s heart was thumping hard. It was all good. Tonight had been…amazing. And standing here, now, holding hands with Three Kings and Jace Black while the packed auditorium roared with approval? She was pretty sure things couldn’t get much better than this. She was proud. Of herself, the Kings, the performance—it was one hell of a show. Confetti cannons and strobe lights, costume changes and so much more.

They took another bow, waving and smiling as they left the stage after their third encore.

“I guess that means they liked it,” Travis said once they were headed toward their respective dressing rooms.

“It was the song.” Krystal winked. “Perfect way to wrap up the show.”

Loretta had her doubts. While she loved the song Krystal had presented to them last night, she hadn’t realized they’d be performing it tonight. One rehearsal was all they had. One rehearsal to stumble through it—feel out the notes and rhythm—and hope like hell they didn’t screw it up in front of thousands of fans.

“Ten minutes and meet here?” Emmy Lou asked.

Loretta nodded, catching Travis’s parting wink before heading to her dressing room to freshen up. The record label had arranged meet and greets after every concert along the way. It was her least favorite part of touring, but she’d manage to grin and bear it.

But she hadn’t expected to find CiCi King waiting for her.

“That was some show. You’d think they’d try to do a little better than this,” CiCi said, surveying Loretta’s dressing room. “I thought I was in Emmy Lou’s dressing room but once I saw this, I knew I had the wrong room.”

“It works.” Loretta shrugged. “Emmy Lou is around the corner.” The room with the large gold star taped to it—the large gold star with Emmy Lou King printed on it. There was no way CiCi was here by accident.

“Is she?” CiCi perched on one of the folding chairs. “I’ll go find her in a sec. I’m glad I have a minute with you. You go on and do what you need to be ready for the meet and greet, don’t mind me.”