Soulmates, I thought.That’s what we are.
The next morning,Madeleine arrived at the cottage at nine with her coffee and her laptop and that gunner vibe she’d perfected. She had on a blue power suit and black pumps. Her hair was up today, making her seem even more intimidating. Regardless, I welcomed her inside.
“This is about as cute as anything can get,” Madeleine said. “It seems like the perfect place to write songs.”
“They had it built for Margaret’s mother. Fortunately for me, it was available when I needed a change.”
“I’m glad it helped you find your voice again.”
“It wasn’t the cottage,” I said.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” Madeleine said, raising one perfectly shaped eyebrow.
Ivy came through the door carrying her own coffee. “Howdy, peeps. Am I late?” She dropped onto the cream sofa and tucked her feet underneath a jean-clad thigh. “Margaret was hounding me to eat some oatmeal. Which I did, but under protest.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, she loves her oatmeal, but no one else does.”
“What were those crunchy things in it?” Ivy asked me.
“Some kind of grain, I think. Supposed to be good for you.” I shrugged. “It’s best not to ask questions.”
We shared a chuckle as Madeleine sat next to Ivy on the couch and opened her laptop. “All right, let’s get started. I have a call in an hour, so no time for small talk.”
“Do you ever have time for small talk?” Ivy asked.
“Not really. I never could understand everyone talking about the weather all the livelong day,” Madeleine said. “When there’s so many important things to say.”
I sat across from her in the leather chair. Ivy grabbed one of my guitar pics from the bowl on the table and started flipping it between her fingers like one of those toys developed for kids who had trouble staying still. This was why she was at her best with a guitar in her hand.
I sent a long glance at Georgia, wishing we were working instead of doing whatever this was. I should have thought of that when I married Dana. But I’d been such an idiot in love.
“Okay,” Madeleine said. “Here’s how this works. Claire Ainsley is coming at two with her team. Recording equipment etc. She’s the real deal. Knows country music better than almost anyone out there, in my opinion.”
“Yeah, I listen to her show all the time,” I said. “She’s fantastic.”
“Great. She knows your catalog very well. Apparently, she’s a huge fan. She’s not interested in the tabloid story. She’s interested in the music and the man who makes it.” Madeleine looked at me over her laptop. “Which means you can relax. She’s not coming to trap you.”
“I wasn’t worried about being trapped,” I said. “Should I be?”
“No. I’ve made sure the media folks understand what they can and cannot ask.” Madeleine grinned, showing her perfect teeth. “Everyone’s scared of me, which is how I like it.”
Ivy laughed. “I’m glad you’re on our side.”
“I like to think I’m always on therightside,” Madeleine said. “But that’s not always been the case. Anyway, I’m going to run you through some questions she’ll most likely ask. Just so you feel prepared.”
“Shoot,” I said. “I’m ready.”
“She’ll want to know about your break from music and Nashville. Tell her the truth. You needed a change after a difficult event in your personal life.”
“Okay, yeah. I can do that.”
“I’m pretty sure she’ll ask about your collaboration with Ivy, both past and current. Tell your story about how you met and all that. People love to hear the background on how songs come to be. And this is a music show, so you can geek out as much as you want. I think people would love to hear about the new song. Why you wanted Ivy to record it.”
“That’s easy enough. About Dana—what do I say if she asks me about her book and the insinuation that I cheated?” I asked.
“She won’t. She understands the boundaries.” Madeleine scrolled again, her nails clicking on the trackpad. “But I told it was okay to ask you about Seraphina. In fact, I want you to talk about it. Remember, you have nothing to hide. You’ve met someone special who happens to be a famous author. You’d hoped for privacy, but someone invaded it and sold the photos to the tabloids. You don’t have be whiny about it, but you should talk about how difficult it was for both of you to have something so private revealed without your permission. Maybe emphasize that you and Seraphina are writers and not used to the spotlight.”
“All right. That seems simple enough,” I said.
