Page 49 of False Promises

“Is Taylor coming with us?” Riley looked around while I stuffed my luggage inside the trunk.

“Nah. His wife is picking him up. She’s not really a fan of my going to California all the time either. She misses having him around. He sends Ed to watch over me now and then to appease her.”

“June is so excited to have you back. She even shopped for an outfit for tonight.”

“Let’s pray she didn’t let that kid of hers choose it.”

We both burst into a fit of chuckles.

“I swear, when you’re on tour, we’re aware you’re away. But when you’re in-between engagements, we’re used to having you stop over at the office unannounced just for the sake of it. Your living in Los Angeles changes things. Green Mountain is a three-hour drive. LA is not next door.” He shrugged. “I’m rambling, but all I wanna say is we miss you, man.” He pulled me into his arms, and I hugged him back.

“Yeah, well, I miss you too. LA can get pretty lonely. And in my opinion, it doesn’t have the same appeal as Tennessee. The vibe isn’t the same.”

We broke apart.

“Wanna go to your penthouse now to unwind and get ready early, or are you coming home with me for an hour or two to catch up?”

I glanced at my phone for an instant, wishing Savannah had reached out. Negative. “I have nowhere to be until tonight. Let’s go to your place. A jamming session with you sounds about perfect right now.”

Riley lowered his golden aviator shades over his eyes as he wheeled out of the parking lot. “Works for me.”

Riley Burns wasn’t as musically talented as me or his famous dad, but he could find his way with a guitar. As long as he didn’t have to sing—the man couldn’t hold a note even if his life depended on it—we had fun playing together. However, his musical ear was irreproachable. And his sense of business too. Which made him the most talented and sought-after music manager I knew. The guy was a tiger in a ring when you mixed both of his gifts together. He had the connections and the will. He was also the most loyal and caring person I knew. Nothing could stop him, and I was the lucky bastard he’d discovered at the beginning of his career and whom he'd taken under his wing.

We arrived at the label party at six. Wearing a new pair of denims and a dark plaid shirt—my usual outfit since I was a kid and the one June got for me—I raked my fingers through my hair, probably messing it up a little as I took it all in. Over fifty people stood in a half-circle and clapped their hands at my entrance.

A banner with my name hung over the far wall. I perused the space around me, not really understanding what was going on.

“Ry?” I asked my friend still by my side. “What is this?”

His smile broke free, and with an arm draped around my shoulders, he pulled me to him. “This, Carter, is the record label celebrating your success. ‘One Of Us’ has been topping the charts for over four months now, which is a record. You deserve the recognition. Enjoy tonight.”

I blinked. “You mean…you all knew about it?”

My friend shrugged. “I must say, having you in LA helped a lot. June was in charge. She did an incredible job.” He winked and let go of me, accepting the flute of champagne servers were passing around. Seconds later, a mocktail was handed to me.

“Thanks.” I brought the sparkly lemon concoction to my lips and smiled.

This time, I surveyed the room in slow motion, taking every detail in.

Set in an old barn, with a rustic chic accent of steel, black velvet, and dabs of gold, tonight’s décor looked masculine and sober. Low profile and simple. Very much like me.

Dahlia came to join me and pulled me into her arms. “Cart, see, I knew you were the best. Congratulation. This is incredible.”

I kissed her cheek and held out my hand to shake Nick’s, who stood beside her.

“You guys came?”

“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Nick said. “This is really impressive. Congrats, man.”

Dahlia pushed a curl of my hair away from my forehead. “Are you okay? Did you have any clue about tonight? You looked surprised when you walked in.”

“No idea. I swear.”

My best friend scanned the room. “Where is she? I thought you said Savannah would be here.”

“Has a work engagement. Couldn’t make it.” I shrugged it off with as much nonchalance as I could muster. Dahlia’s eyes laser-focused on me. She could read me. She knew I was talking bullshit right now. And I was pretty sure Riley saw through me too when he picked me up earlier. My friends always said I had the worst poker face, that my face showcased every emotion I felt.

Are you okay with that? Dahlia’s eyes asked. You don’t look happy about it.