Chapter 9
“ W ell, I called Tidal Wave and talked to them.”
Blue was almost holding his breath.
Glen grinned. “They’ve got a one hundred and twenty day right of refusal, meaning they have the rights to a song for four months and if they don’t pay for it by then, it reverts to you and it’s yours again.
The contract is very well written, and it’s obvious their attorney is experienced in the legalities of the business.
It’s an authentic deal.” Blue almost leaped out of his chair until Glen said, “But there’s something you need to know. ”
“Yeah?”
“I looked the deal over.”
“Yeah?”
“This is going to give you a good supplemental income, but it won’t be something you can live on.
It’s great that it happened right now while you’re without a job, but you’re not going to be able to live on what they’ll pay you for the songs, at least not for a year until they renegotiate the contract,” Glen said, pointing to the bottom line.
“Oh, I know that,” Blue said, nodding. “But right now, it’s money.”
“Agreed. And that’s a healthy check to get you started. Will that catch up your bills and get gas for your truck and food for the two of you?”
Blue nodded again. “Yeah. I think it’ll take care of everything for about two months, but you’re right. I’ve got to find a job.”
“However, I will say this: Congratulations. This is a great opportunity for you. I hope you enjoy it and make some money,” Glen said, standing. Blue took it that was his signal to leave, so he stood and stuck out a hand. The attorney took it and shook it.
“I’ll have enough money to pay you too,” Blue offered.
“Nah. This is fun. You’re a great guy and I’m enjoying working with you on this. Now if we can get social services off your ass, everything will be good.”
“Yep. Well, thanks, sir.”
“Please, call me Glen.”
Blue grinned. “Thanks, Glen!”
“You’re welcome! Have a great week.”
Blue left Glen’s office more hopeful than he’d been in a long time.
He could cash the check! It wasn’t some huge amount, but it was more money than he’d seen in a long, long time and over half of what he’d been making at the garage in a year.
Glen didn’t understand―that money would last Blue a good while, especially since he wasn’t driving to and from work.
After the check was deposited in his account, he decided to take Indigo to the toy store on his way home, so he set her carrier in a cart and strolled down the aisles.
One of the employees was hanging out in front of the video games, but one look at Indigo and she was ready to help Blue find some toys a little one would enjoy.
He’d chosen a couple of learning-type toys and a new stuffed animal when the girl said, “She’s so cute. I bet your wife’s pretty.”
“I’m not married,” Blue said, never thinking anything of it.
“Really? Well, I love babies. Maybe I could watch her sometime when you’re home.”
Blue took a look at the girl. God, she was stacked!
She couldn’t have been more than about twenty-eight with a headful of straight, blond hair and big blue eyes.
And those perky tits… his palms almost itched when he looked at them.
He was about to give her his address when he pulled himself up short.
What the hell, Wallace! You’re going to throw away what you’ve got for a fifteen-minute fuck?
That’s pretty damn stupid. “Um, I’m sorry. I’ve got a girlfriend.”
“Oh. Well, if you ever decide you’re in the market…” the girl said and trailed off.
“No. Thanks. You’re very pretty, but I’m crazy about my girlfriend.” My girlfriend! Blue loved saying that. Anne was his girlfriend. God, he hadn’t had a girlfriend in forever. “But thanks for your help. I don’t know anything about baby toys.”
The girl mumbled, “You’re welcome,” and disappeared down the aisle.
Blue was proud of himself. He’d run into temptation and met it head on, defeated it, and moved forward.
For a split second he closed his eyes and thought, I love you, Anne.
That was all it took to put a smile on his face and a spring in his step.
He pushed the cart through the checkout lane with Indigo gurgling and squealing at one of her new toys.
He made another stop as he drove toward home. When he stepped into the shop with the baby carrier hanging from his hand, he looked around. What would she like? “May I help you?” an older lady asked.
“Yes. Um, what kind of flowers would I get for a new love?”
“Oh! Well, isn’t that sweet? I think pink roses are nice. But red are too.”
Blue thought about it for a minute. “Do the colors mean something?”
“Yes, they do. Hang on.” The woman disappeared behind the counter, then came back with a card. “It says here that red means beauty. Pink means happiness. And white means respect.”
“I think I want four red, four white, and four pink, please,” Blue said. Then he spotted a pretty vase. “And I want them in that.”
“Yes, sir! That’s a good choice. We just got those vases in and they’ve been very popular.” In ten minutes, she had the flowers together and ready. “And you get one of these little cards to put with it.”
“Thanks.” Blue took the card and pen she handed him and wrote a little message.
Red stands for beauty because you’re gorgeous.
Pink stands for happiness because that’s what I feel when I’m with you.
White stands for respect because I respect you more than anyone I know.
Love, Brent
The woman took the card from him, slipped it into the little envelope, and stuck it into the holder in the vase. “There you go! She’ll love these.” She took Blue’s debit card, ran the transaction, and handed him the slip.
He’d bought flowers for a woman! That was something new. The lady took pity on him with the baby to tote and brought the flowers out to the truck for him. He wedged them between him and Indigo’s car seat so they wouldn’t turn over and drove straight home.
Leaving the flowers in the truck, he took the baby inside and got her settled into her bed, then grabbed the flowers from the truck seat and sprinted across the yard. Anne was probably asleep, so he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Sure enough, she was stretched out on the couch, a book on the floor where it had fallen when she’d drifted off. He set the flowers in the middle of the table, then locked the door quietly behind him and went back home.
He’d gotten a load of laundry in the dryer and a second load in the washer when his phone pinged two hours later.
I love you, BrentWallace.
He grinned. Like the flowers? he texted back.
No. Love them. Thank you. Dinner?
Dinner. Then it hit him: He should take her on a real date that weekend! That would be so nice. He’d have to start planning it, he knew, or it wouldn’t happen, and he wondered if he could get anybody on that list to babysit for them.
He was standing at the counter, making up bottles, when a pair of hands wrapped around his midsection and someone laid their face against his back. “Well, hello there, sleepyhead!” he said, laughing.
“Where’s the girl?”
“She’s been down for a nap for about two hours. Maybe you should wake her up.”
Anne wandered across the room in her scrubs and Blue watched her go.
“Probably should.” He heard her in the nursery when she said, “Hey, pretty girl! Wanna get up and visit with me before I go to work?” There were some baby-type noises and Anne said, “Yeah! You got new toys! Daddy’s been busy today, hasn’t he? ”
“Anne?”
“Yeah?” she yelled back.
“I cashed the check. Glen said congratulations and good luck.”
“ Yes !” he heard her shout and start to laugh. “You’re daddy’s pauper rich, little girl!”
After Anne left for work, Blue took Indigo and went over to stay with the kids. That had become his routine, and he loved it. He had a family and someone to hold him. Life was good, as good as it had ever been.
But because of his past, he had a terrible feeling that it wouldn’t stay that way for long.
“I liked that one. But could you work on the chorus a little? It seemed a bit weak to me,” Hank told him.
“Yeah, I thought that myself, but I thought maybe it was just me. I’ll see what I can do. But otherwise?”
“Otherwise, it’s a great song. You know, it’s like you really get me, Blue. I’m enjoying working with you on this stuff,” Hank told him.
Blue smiled. He’d gotten three more checks from the record company, and when they’d discovered what a hardship it would be for him to come to Nashville, they’d even flown their attorney to him to get his signature on everything.
Since then, every time he sent them a song, they liked it and sent him a check.
It wasn’t much, but it was something. It had been two months and he still had quite a bit of the money from the first check left. “I’m enjoying working with you too.”
“We make a great team. Oh, and I think we’re going to be working on putting an album together in the next year, so you’re going to have more work.”
“Great! Just let me know what you want and when. I’m sure I can come up with some pieces you’ll like.”
“Can’t wait. And I’ve already told my producer, Dave, that I want your fee tripled. You’re an amazing songwriter, and they’re not paying you nearly enough.”
Blue was stunned. “Uh, thanks. I really appreciate that, especially coming from you.”