Page 9 of Forever Country (Forever Bluegrass #24)

H olt smiled and engaged in mindless small talk as he kept an eye on the entrance of the ballroom.

Annaleigh’s parents and brother had just arrived, but Annaleigh wasn’t with them.

Holt turned back to the couple he was talking with and ignored the calculating looks the Astore family was sending his way.

It was going to be hard to stay polite while knowing how they treated Annaleigh.

He’d about lost it earlier when Annaleigh told them they brushed off her stalker.

Dallas Loyd, Holt’s best friend in country music approached, turning Holt’s attention away from the couple who had just walked off to join a new group nearby.

Dallas and Holt had arrived in Nashville at the same time.

Dallas’s career hadn’t taken off like Holt’s had, but he was holding his own and slowly growing a solid-sized fanbase.

It didn’t hurt that Dallas, with his beard, twinkling blue eyes, and easy-going smile was truly a good guy—even if he was way more of a Broadway Bachelor than Holt.

They got along well since they weren’t the kind of people who shied away from hard work or who engaged in backstabbing to get to the top.

They were the type to enjoy a cold beer and talk about sports, music, and yeah, girls.

“Hey, man,” Dallas said, joining Holt and handing him a beer.

“Another night, another event. I just want to sing my music, but my agent told me I needed to be seen more in Nashville now that my song hit the top fifty. I was so relieved when I saw you here too. How’s the album coming? Did you get your contract worked out?”

Holt clinked his beer bottle with Dallas’s and took a quick drink. “Album isn’t the problem. The contract is what’s taking up all the time. And I am very glad you’re here. You can help me with something.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve needed me as your wingman, or is this something less entertaining?” Dallas asked, casually looking around as he shifted in his cowboy boots.

“I need you to play interference with the Astores. They’re trying to sign me.”

Dallas rolled his eyes. “They just love poaching. Look, there’s their daughter. I’ve never seen someone so opposite from the rest of her family.”

Holt’s head spun to the entrance. There was Annaleigh looking drop-dead gorgeous in a dark green dress.

“She’s more than just a pretty face. Some guy has been giving her trouble and her parents are more interested in signing me than protecting her,” Holt said, dropping his voice so they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Assholes. Who would want to hurt her?”

“I don’t know, but it’s how we met. She’s my new neighbor.”

Dallas grinned at that, but then his eyes went to the woman in pink next to Annaleigh. “Who’s that with Annaleigh?”

“I’m not sure, but I bet it is probably Maddie. I think she’s Annaleigh’s assistant, but she’s also Annaleigh’s best friend, so rein in the playboy game.” Holt told Dallas. “Want to go with me to talk to them?”

“Sure. It’ll just piss off her family since I turned them down for representation. That’ll make my night.”

Holt kept his eyes on Annaleigh as she walked through the crowd.

She hadn’t spotted Holt yet. Instead, it looked as if she were headed straight for the bar with Maddie right next to her.

Annaleigh looked breathtaking, but there was also a tightness to her mouth.

He didn’t know what was causing it, but he felt something had happened.

Her parents probably. If it were the stalker causing problems, she would have let Holt know.

“Annaleigh,” Holt said softly to her back as she reached for her glass of wine. Holt loved the way her eye lit up when she saw him and a smile spread across her face.

“Holt. I’m so glad to see you. I want you to meet my friend, Maddie Underwood.”

“Holt Everett,” Holt said, holding out his hand to Annaleigh’s best friend. “It’s really nice to meet you.”

“It’s very nice to meet you too. I’ve heard so much about you.” Maddie cast a glance at Dallas and Holt noticed that both he and Annaleigh witnessed the exchange between their two friends.

“Maddie Underwood, Annaleigh Astore, this is my friend, Dallas Loyd,” Holt introduced.

Dallas swooped in and kissed Maddie’s hand. “Would you care to dance with an ol’ country boy?”

Maddie cocked her head, but smiled. “Can you be ol’ and a boy? I’d much prefer a man.”

“I can guarantee I’m all man, ma’am.”

Maddie put her hand to her heart. “Being called ma’am is like a dagger to my youth.

Come on, now. You have one dance to make it up to me.

” Maddie placed her hand into the crook of Dallas’s offered arm before turning back to Holt with a very serious look to her face.

“Besides, Holt needs to talk to Annaleigh about what happened after work today.”

Holt turned back to Annaleigh. Her lips were tight once again. “Are you okay?”

“Physically, yes.” Annaleigh took a healthy drink of her wine. “Emotionally, not so much.”

“What happened?” Holt tried to keep his voice calm, but anger was coursing through him. Not at Annaleigh, but at whoever was stalking her.

“I found a note on my car. Same handwriting. The previous notes were in the flowers and were all nice and lovey, even if the more recent ones were a little more aggressive in their pursuit of me. This... wasn’t nice.

” Annaleigh handed him her phone and Holt looked down at the picture of the note.

“Oh, sweetheart. You must have been so scared. I know we haven’t known each other long but I wish I could have been there for you. We need to get the police involved.”

“They’re not going to do anything. We saw that last night.” Annaleigh already sounded defeated and it broke his heart.

“Mr. Everett!” Holt turned to see the organizer of the event hurrying toward him. “You were supposed to give your speech three minutes ago.”

Dammit. The last thing he wanted to do was to leave Annaleigh right now. “I’ll be right there,” Holt said, looking at the assistant until she got the hint to give him some space. “Annaleigh, promise me something. Don’t leave tonight without me walking you to your car. Please.”

Annaleigh nodded. “I promise. Now, go do your thing.”

Holt followed the assistant to the stage where she introduced him between songs.

Holt spoke about the charity, asked people to give generously, and spoke about why he gave.

The whole time his eyes were on Annaleigh.

A man approached her and she frowned. He stepped into Annaleigh’s personal space, placed his hand on her bare shoulder, and Annaleigh flinched in response.

Holt wrapped up his speech and practically jogged off the stage.

He rounded the stairs and stepped onto the ballroom floor only to be caged in by the Astores. They cut off his forward momentum and trapped him against the stage. “Holt,” Mrs. Astore said, practically cooing his name. “It’s so nice to meet you. Our little Annaleigh has spoken so highly of you.”

“Yes, she has,” her father said, holding out his hand. “Drew Astore. My wife, Mary Kathryn, and my son, Saxton. I’m sure Annaleigh told you that we own Astore Entertainment.”

“I’m aware.” Holt had had manners drilled into him, sometimes at the end of a wooden spoon or a spatula. He knew how to keep his tone as polite as possible even when he didn’t want to. That didn’t mean he couldn’t cut someone down, it meant he knew the appropriate time to do so.

“Wouldn’t it be lovely to work with Annaleigh? Well, not her of course, but with us. You’d see her every time you come into the office. We’re a very hands-on family with our clients. Once you’re part of our team, you’re family.” Mrs. Astore was laying it on thick.

“Then I’m sure you’re concerned with the person stalking Annaleigh. I’m surprised for such a close family you haven’t hired security for her,” Holt said, trying very hard not to growl it. Instead, he said it with a mocking innocence in his tone.

Anger flared in their eyes. “My daughter,” Drew said with a sigh, “can overreact sometimes.”

“She’s so na?ve about men,” Mary Kathryn added, dismissively. “She simply mistook a man interested in her as something other than that. As you can see, men flock to her. She’s too innocent to know they’re flirting.”

The man talking to Annaleigh trailed his hand down her arm until he wrapped his hand around her wrist and gave her a little tug.

That was it. Holt saw red. “Excuse me. If you won’t look for your daughter, I will.

” And there went his manners. He found it hard to care that they were already sputtering with indignation.

Holt pushed between Drew and Saxton and marched across the room.

“I told you, Benton. I don’t want to dance,” her voice was tight and her posture rigid.

“There you are, sweetheart.” Holt stopped and dropped a kiss on her cheek before turning to the man who was still holding on to Annaleigh’s wrist. “Take your hand off my girlfriend or I will take it from your body.” There was nothing polite about this conversation.

Annaleigh gave a little gasp, but didn’t correct him. He might have gone a little overboard on the protection thing, but he’d known Annaleigh was the woman for him the second he wrapped his arms around her. Now, he hoped she felt the same way.

“Boyfriend? My, you work fast,” the man said to Annaleigh before turning to Holt. He dropped his grip on Annaleigh and held out his hand to Holt. “Welcome to the Astore Entertainment family. I’m Benton Proctor. I’m the Senior VP at Astore Entertainment.”

Holt didn’t shake his hand and eventually Benton lowered his own. “I’m not currently, nor will I ever be, part of Astore Entertainment. What I am is part of Annaleigh’s life for as long as she’ll have me. Now, should we dance, sweetheart?”

Annaleigh smiled warmly. “I’d love to.”

Holt placed his hand on the small of her back and they headed toward the dance floor together. “I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

“Darn,” Annaleigh said, jokingly. “Does that mean you’re not really my boyfriend?”

“I am if you’ll let me.”

Annaleigh stopped walking and turned a surprised face toward him. “Wait, are you serious?”

“I’m serious about wanting to spend more time with you and hope you want that too. Then, hopefully in a couple of days, we can make it official.” Holt winked and she snickered. He liked it when she was relaxed and smiling.

“I’d like that too. You and Maddie are the only people I can be myself around. In fact, I told Maddie that I feel more comfortable with you than I do my own family.”

“Your family is... very career focused. Speaking of which, who was that asshole?”

“Benton is my father’s protégé.”

“What about Saxton?”

“Saxton is also a vice president, but Benton has a killer drive that Saxton doesn’t. From my understanding, the idea is to sell 25% of the company to Benton when my parents retire and then give 75% to Saxton. Basically, Benton will keep the company running and Saxton is set for life.”

Holt took one hand in his then slid the other to her waist. Her body fit perfectly against his as they began to slowly dance. “What’s your title and your ownership share because you accounted for 100% of the company and I didn’t hear your name.”

“My title is associate agent and I don’t have any ownership stake in the business.

The idea is to get me to marry Benton if my mom can’t find anyone she likes better.

She was hoping for a record executive. My wishes and dreams mean nothing.

I knew I was in a bad situation, but I’d gotten used to ignoring it over the years.

I guess I’ve always figured I’d keep a low profile, ride it out and eventually fall in love with somebody of my choosing.

I stupidly thought they’d be happy for me when I did.

Funny how even Maddie had told me to get my head out of the sand, but it wasn’t until my current situation and meeting you that I could finally see how toxic it all is.

There’s no more ignoring it and hoping it’ll go away.

” Annaleigh was lost in thought for a second, but then smiled up at him a moment later.

“I’m talking to Maddie about starting our own agency.

I know I’ll be blackballed by my parents, but I can’t stay with them anymore. ”

“That’s excellent news. I’m so proud of you. I’m happy to help anyway I can.”

“That’s very nice of you. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to be my first client.

I actually don’t have a no-compete because my parents assumed I’d never leave them, so I can take all my current clients with me.

I don’t even have an employment contract.

” Annaleigh looked around his shoulder and smiled again.

“Dallas and Maddie are still dancing. I’ve met him a couple of times.

He’s a good guy. Hope he won’t be upset when Maddie runs him over like a truck. ”

Holt glanced over his shoulder to find the two in deep conversation.

“He really is a good guy. He was the first friend I made when I moved to Nashville, but I know he’s not looking for anything serious.

It might be good for him to get a dose of his own medicine from Maddie.

” The song sadly came to an end and Holt battled his conscience.

“I want to keep dancing with you all night, but since I’m co-hosting this event, I really need to mingle. ”

“Yes, go do your thing. I see someone I want to talk to anyway. Thanks for the dance. And the talk.”

“You’re my almost girlfriend. I’m here for you anytime.” Holt winked at her and loved the big smile she wore as he walked off to do hosting duties.