Page 51 of Playing With My Heart Strings

baylor

The Girls

Dusty’s been radio silent since we got back to Nashville.

I was informed by the producers that I won’t be going on a solo date this week.

They didn’t give me a reason why, but I’m not an idiot.

I can read between the lines. And I can’t say I blame Dusty.

Even though I hadn’t told him any bold-faced lies since our first meeting, a lie by omission is still a lie.

Instead of taking us to the house during solo dates, we’re stuck at the hotel, which means I’ll likely be spending the week alone in my room.

I’m not sure how Katherine and Valerie feel about me, and they’re probably too concerned about their relationships with Dusty to want to spend time with me.

I don’t blame them. They came here with good intentions.

They both deserve to be in the final three. Sage deserved to be here, too.

I sit cross-legged on my bed and pull out my journal, because if I’m going to wallow in my feelings, I might as well get a song out of it.

I also flip through the pages I’ve filled since the week I came on the show.

At some point between week two and now, I found my voice.

Inspiration sparked in me, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone snuff it out.

I have to continue the show with my head held high, because if I don’t, then everything my parents have tried to tell me—about a career in music not being worthwhile—will be true.

When I finally leave my room a few hours later, I catch Alex in the hallway.

I call out to him, walking at a faster pace to catch up.

He doesn’t slow down for me. “What’s up, Baylor?”

“Oh, you know, just staying out of the way,” I retort.

That gets him to pause. “Listen, Baylor, I’m really busy right now. Dusty’s been a mess, and I need to go deal with it.”

This could be my opportunity to talk to him. No other producer would willingly take me to see Dusty, but Alex just might.

“I know this is a lot to ask, but?—”

“Baylor,” Alex warns.

“I just want to talk to him, Alex.”

He lets out an exasperated sigh. “It’s a bad idea.”

“But—”

“He doesn’t want to see you.” Alex has never been so short with me. When he sees the hurt on my face, his voice softens. “I know this is hard. It’s not easy for me either, but I can’t lose my job by disobeying his wishes. Colette’s already on everyone’s ass for what happened in Atlanta.”

I open my mouth to protest, but he holds up a hand.

“I know it’s not your fault. But everyone is on edge right now, and it’s best if you just lay low until the live concert. I’m sorry.”

The day before the next concert arrives, and when we head to the tour buses, Dusty doesn’t so much as look in my direction.

Valerie gives me a sympathetic smile as she boards, and my heart drops. It feels like someone’s stabbing thousands of tiny needles into my chest as I trudge onto the bus and plop down in a seat.

“How were your dates this week?” I ask, not because I’m threatened by Katherine and Valerie, but because I want them to succeed just as much as I want to.

“Mine was good. It felt”—Katherine furrows her brows and looks down for a moment before bobbing her head back up—“right.”

“I had a fun time. I’m sorry you didn’t get a solo date this week, Baylor,” Valerie replies.

I shrug. “I get it. Last week was rough.”

“If it’s any consolation, there were some moments when Dusty looked a bit out of sorts,” she offers.

It doesn’t really do much to ease the sting, though.

Especially if it impacted her time with him.

She must see the guilt on my face, because she immediately adds, “It didn’t affect our date, though.

I just happened to notice it a few times when we weren’t talking. ”

“If I go home, it is what it is. Of course, I want to continue, but I’ll be so happy for you both if it’s not me,” I confess. “And I’m so glad I got to meet both of you.”

Valerie gets up to switch seats, landing in the one next to me to give me a hug. “It’s not over, Baylor. All we can do is our best tomorrow.” The way she’s supporting me, even after Aspen’s shocking revelation, almost brings tears to my eyes.

Katherine also chimes in. “Any one of us could be going home. Nothing’s ever guaranteed. Keep your head up.”

I give them a soft smile. “Thank you. I know what happened in Atlanta was pretty incriminating, and both of you could have rightfully turned your back on me, so it means a lot that you’re still my friends.”

“Let’s be real. Aspen was drama from the beginning.” Katherine laughs. “Sure, it was a bit unfair that you got to skip the auditions and everything, but you’re here now, in the final three, and that’s a testament to your relationship with Dusty and what the viewers think of you.”

I nod, relief cascading down my spine. Heart Strings is designed for competition, to pit us against each other, yet I’ve never felt so supported and lifted up by the girls who are supposed to be my rivals.

What I assumed would be a long, uncomfortable bus ride to Knoxville turns into a road trip filled with laughs and hearty conversations.

Later that night, Charlie informs us that the setlist and order of the concert has changed.

We’ll still get to open the concert with a trio performance, but instead of both a solo and a duet with Dusty, we’ll only have the opportunity to perform a solo.

And those will take place after Dusty’s main set, right before the elimination.

We only get one chance to impress Dusty this week, and the viewers won’t have any say in who goes home.

There’s no live voting.

It’s all up to Dusty.

“Baylor, let’s run through your solo,” Charlie suggests when the rehearsal hits a lull.

Dusty literally walks in the opposite direction when I walk on stage and try to approach him.

Charlie places a hand on my shoulder. “Give him time. He’ll come around. Kid wears his heart on his sleeve.”

I sigh, steeling my expression to not let anyone see that I’m just as hurt. “Let’s just go through the song.”

While the song I’ve been performing has—ironically—been a breakup song, this week I’m shifting gears in the hopes that a happier, more upbeat song will demonstrate my range and save me in the elimination.

However, when we run through the song the first time, my heart just isn’t in it.

How can I sing about love when everything has already come crashing down around me?

“You good?” Valerie asks after we run through it another time. This time at least was better than the first go, but it’s clear everyone can tell my head’s not in the right place.

“I don’t know. I’m just not feeling it.”

“Take a break. Katherine or I can run through our song and maybe that will help?” she suggests, already signaling for Charlie and the rest of the band members to switch it up.

I flash her a look of gratitude before disappearing in the wing of the stage to decompress for a moment.

Hushed voices catch my attention on my way to the dressing room, and I strain my ears to listen.

“He hasn’t seen her all week,” a male voice mumbles.

“Good. Make it happen. Do whatever you have to do.” I recognize Colette’s voice immediately.

What the fuck is going on?

I’m not able to eavesdrop any longer as heels start to click across the floor. I dart away, closing the door to the dressing room before anyone can catch me.