“Are you still recording her songs?”
That was a strange question. “Of course. They’re great songs.”
“So Ivy writes great songs you want to sing, and she’s enough for you to date in secret, but not in public, so you need a fake girlfriend instead.”
“The fake girlfriend is Peyton Rush.”
Travis sneered. “Am I supposed to be impressed? I’m not. Maybe Peyton is awesome, but Ivy makes you happy.”
“Don’t blame me.” Nash held up his hands. “Ivy’s the one who walked out. I care about her.”
“Dude, you have a funny way of showing you care because you gave her no reason to stick with you.”
“Being together is reason enough,” Nash countered.
“Together, but only in secret?” Travis shook his head. “Put yourself in her place. You left her in an impossible situation.”
“How so?”
“Two days ago, you were lovey-dovey in front of our entire family. You also paid for an expensive, extravagant fireworks show. Now you’re dating someone else? Doesn’t matter if it’s real or fake, my family will consider you a cheater. Though whether Ivy is called a cheater will depend on when you started ‘fake’ dating Peyton. Ivy won’t be able to defend herself or you because she signed an NDA.”
My family won’t understand.
Nash rubbed his chin. His fingertips ran across smooth skin, not wiry hair from his beard. “She mentioned her family, but…”
So I become your secret girlfriend? A guilty pleasure? Not good enough to be out in public with you? Please tell me you’re joking.
That wasn’t all she’d said.
I won’t be a secret. Your “other” woman. Because that’s what I’d be called if the media and fans found out even though I was here first. I deserve better, and the fact you don’t realize that when you say you care about me breaks my heart.
The words replayed in his head. Over and over again until they finally sank in.
What had he done?
Nash felt as if he’d gotten hit by a truck or was catching the flu. Sweat coated him. His stomach churned. His face heated with…shame. “I’m an idiot.”
“You said it, not me.”
He’d been so focused on R.J. saying Ivy would be fine with the scenario, Nash was confused why she wasn’t. He should have listened to her, heard her concerns, and agreed dating her in secret was a horrible thing to ask her to do.
“You see the problem now?” Travis asked.
“I listened to the wrong person.” R.J. not Ivy. Nash’s shoulders sagged. His knees went weak. He clutched the counter to keep from falling to the carpet. She was everything he needed, but he’d messed up so badly. “I don’t think she’ll forgive me this time.”
“You may be right, but you won’t know unless you try.”
The thought of her rejecting him made Nash nauseous. But if he didn’t do something, she would be out of his life forever.
Travis was correct.
What did Nash have to lose? He’d already lost her, and she wasn’t coming back on her own. “I have to finish packing.”
Travis tilted his head. “You’re still leaving?”
“I have to take care of business in Nashville.” That was the only way Nash stood a chance with Ivy. He didn’t know how he knew that. Okay, he did because she’d told him. Well, hinted at it. “I’m going to have to fight my way back into her life, which means I need to stack the odds in my favor.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks, man. I have a feeling I’ll need it.”
On Nash’s way out of the office, he pulled up his contacts and hitcall.
After the second ring, the line connected.
“Howdy, boyfriend,” Peyton joked.
It was now or never. Nash gripped his phone. “About that…”
