I flushed with their praise, and Boone gave me a squeeze.
Our friends also showered me with compliments when I sat down as the Barn Cats took the stage. Ace raised his hand, and I gave him a high five. Roy winked.
This was what I’d missed being married. Marty had isolated me from my friends and family. I’d felt so alone. Now, I had community again. I had family.
But Boone had been self-isolating before we met. Even from his own brothers. He was punishing himself for his past. I knew from personal experience how horrible it was to not feel connected to people you loved. I wasn’t going to let Boone isolate anymore.
“That was epic,” Riley leaned over to say. “I’m posting the video on social media.” She held up her phone screen to show me the video of me playing the last song. “Do you have an account I can tag?”
I shook my head. God, I’d lost touch completely with how to market myself. I didn't have the slightest clue where to begin, and I hadn’t had energy to do anything besides getting divorce papers filed, coming to Cooper Valley, and earning enough money to get back on my feet.
“Let’s start one up tonight,” Boone suggested.
“What?” I laughed.
“Yeah, baby. Because you’re going to be famous, and you’ll need a way to reach your fans.” He took my phone from my purse and held the screen up to my face to unlock it. “I’ll get it set up for you.”
As the Barn Cats started their first song, a lively tempo with Natalie playing the melody on the fiddle, my glow burned brighter. I felt so taken care of. So supported. Suddenly, everything felt possible. Even the actualization of the old dreams that I’d let fizzle out and die.
21
BOONE
* * *
For a week, things were amazing. When Summer worked at Cody’s, I picked her up, arriving a little early to help with cleanup. Then we spent the night at her place on Rand and Natalie’s ranch. One night, I’d replaced the bed with one Roy had recently built. It was made of logs I’d cut down and hewn and sturdy enough to handle any kind of lovemaking.
When Summer had off, we stayed in my cabin on the mountain. I could’ve sat and stared at her all day. Hell, I could’ve kept her in bed, naked, and never let her out.
But I had trees to cut, and she had songs to write. I loved knowing that after a hard day outside, I had her to come home to.
Her music. Her smiles. Her cries of pleasure when I always satisfied her.
She was less fearful, her wariness slipping away with each day that passed. I was proving through words and actions that I was trustworthy, that I only had her best interest at heart.
That while she was mine, I was hers, too.
On a bright, sunny day a week after her performance, I returned from Roy’s woodshop to find Riley sitting with Summer at the kitchen table. They had mugs of hot cocoa in front of them.
They both looked up when I came in, stomping snow off my boots and taking off my jacket.
I sat on the bench by the door and tugged them off as I greeted Riley.
“This is a nice surprise,” I said. “You two staying at Cody’s place up here on the mountain?”
She nodded and smiled. “Yes, for two nights. Cody’s taking a well-needed break.”
Then she blushed, and there was no way either Summer or I could miss it. Their break definitely involved a lot of sex.
I stood in my sock-covered feet and went over to Summer, leaned down and kissed the top of her head, ready for a little sexy time of our own.
“Riley came to tell me my song went viral,” Summer announced, beaming.
I looked to the younger woman, who looked beyond excited.
“Oh?”
Riley nodded and grinned then flipped her cell around to face me. “It’s insane. I put up a clip right after the show last week. Then I added a few more. The first one, with that last fun song you played, has over a million views. And it’s still climbing!”
