Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Lola
T his is crazy. There are so many people.
It’s like an ocean of faces smiling at me, singing my songs, dancing along to my music. This is incredible. It’s amazing.
It’s so loud my insides are vibrating to the sound of the cheers as I finish My Soul’s Match . I can feel the vibrations through my feet. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much as I stare out at the roaring crowd in awe.
I turn to my drummer Rachel and smile. She gives me a wink. I was freaking out a little backstage since this is by far the biggest crowd I’ve ever played to and she helped calm me down.
“It’s not about you, Lola,” she said to me. “It’s not your job to get nervous. It’s not your job to focus on yourself. They’re here to have fun and to dance to a rocking show and it’s your job to give it to them. Focus on them, not on yourself, and you’ll be fine.”
I wink back at her and turn to the crowd with a deep breath. There’s just so many of them. I still can’t believe this is happening to me. That my dreams are actually coming true.
It’s so wild. I must be the luckiest girl in the world. That’s how it feels anyway.
“Anyone here like Biscuits and Brandy?” I say into the microphone.
The crowd erupts in front of me. Oh wow . I feel my cheeks getting hot. A lightness in my chest. Energy and adrenaline rush into my veins when the music starts playing.
I didn’t even know anyone knew this song. It’s not one of my singles. It’s just a fun track that I liked, but didn’t think anyone else would. But by the way the crowd is dancing and having an amazing time, you’d swear it was the track of the year.
It’s a hard one to play and I get a little nervous as my part comes up. I clutch onto my guitar, kind of wishing I had taken my mom’s advice to let Sasha play my part instead. I’m a pretty good guitarist, but with all of my nerves ringing me out like the Liberty Bell, I’m a bit shaky.
“You can keep your whiskey,
You can keep your candy,”
Oh my god! They even know the words!
I’m so touched that tears flood my eyes as one hundred thousand people sing the song I wrote in my childhood bedroom back to me. This is the most amazing moment of my life.
“All I need,
Are my biscuits and brandy.”
Everyone erupts in cheers as I play along and keep singing.
This is pure happiness right here. This stage is where I was born to be.
You’re doing good. Just keep at it. Shit, I missed that note. It’s okay. Keep going. The crowd is with you. Have fun. Don’t be nervous.
Just fuck it, suck it, and lame goose duck it. My uncle says that. I don’t know what it means and neither does he, I’m sure.
I take a deep breath as the chorus comes rolling forward.
“Grandma at the table in the farmhouse kitchen,
Gazing out the window, you know she’s missing,
Seeing Grandpa running around he was always so handy.
Crying to old memories with her biscuits and brandy.”
Everyone sings with me. I mean, everyone!
It takes everything I have not to cry. I hope everyone gets a moment like this in their lives. Where everything just comes together and is just so… perfect.
The rest of the show goes by like a dream. I’m in the zone the entire time, feeling one with the music, feeling one with the crowd.
The entire experience since I signed with my record label has been a struggle, but this… This has made it all worth it.
There were arguments over my songs, their order on the album, the album’s title, the cover, even my clothes and hair. They wanted to sculpt every single part of my personality, transforming me into a persona instead of just letting me be myself.
“We want you to take the good girl virgin angle,” the record producer, a slimeball named Sonny, said in a business meeting. “Play it up like you’re an innocent virgin. Pretend that you’re waiting for the right guy to come along. It’s okay to lie.”
I still remember sitting there, shocked and disgusted. I actually was a virgin (and still am). There was nothing to pretend since I was waiting for the right guy to come along—a wise old soul who’d sweep me off my feet in a magical, irresistible love affair. I guessed Sonny just assumed I slept with every guy who crossed my path.
I vowed to myself in that moment that no matter what they thought, said, or threatened me with, I was just going to be myself. They can take it or leave it. But they haven’t said a word since I naturally am kind of the ‘nice sweet girl next door’ type anyway.
I wave to the crowd and smile as they roar and clap, showering me with love and affection. I wish I could go down there and hug each one of them.
“I love you, Tennessee!” I shout and they all erupt again. This is so fun. It’s like I’m a conductor in front of my own orchestra of one hundred thousand people.
I see my manager Karen waving to me from beside the stage. She’s giving me the signal that it’s time to go. Candice and The Crows are coming on next. I really want to see them perform. I’m hoping the crew backstage will let me watch from the side of the stage.
I still can’t believe that I missed Cash Edwards performing. He’s my favorite. I’ve had a crush on him since I was twelve years old.
I still have his posters hanging in my bedroom in my parent’s house and I refuse to take them down. I really hope I get to meet him.
One more wave and then I rush off the stage.
“That was perfect,” Karen says as she takes my guitar. “You’re really coming into your own as a performer.”
“I can’t believe everyone knew the words to Biscuits and Brandy.” I’m in awe of everything. That the show went well, that they knew the words, and that the crowd is still cheering for me.
“Of course, they know it,” she says as she guides me into the back. “The whole album is amazing! You’re on your way to becoming iconic. A true vocal powerhouse.”
I shake off her compliments and continue into the back. That’s the thing no one warns you about. The thing you really have to watch. Everyone around me showers me with praise. I can’t listen to it and get a big head. I have to remember where I came from. I have to remember who I am.
My amazing band catches up to me and we take a moment to celebrate in a big group hug.
“Y’all we’re amazing!” I tell them. “Thank you so much. I don’t even have words.”
“That was fun,” Rachel says with a smile. “You, girl, are one hell of a performer.”
“And you are one hell of a drummer!”
We walk toward my room laughing but the smile melts from my face when I see him staring at me.
Him = Cash Edwards.
In real life. Staring at me .
I get a warm shiver with those intense brown eyes that I know so well focused on me. He’s leaning against a metal column with his hands in his pockets staring shamelessly at me.
My feet slowly stop.
“What is it?” Rachel says when she sees my face. She looks where I’m looking and squeals. “That’s Cash Edwards! Oh my god. Oh. My. God!”
She rushes over and bounces up and down in front of him excitedly. Rachel is stunning, but he doesn’t even so much as glance at her. His eyes are focused completely on me.
“I’m a huge fan, Mr. Edwards!” she says as he stares at me. “Can I get a selfie?”
He agrees, but doesn’t look at her or the phone she’s shoving into his face.
What is happening?
Cash Edwards, the country superstar, the icon, my lifelong crush, my idol, the most talented man in the world is staring at me like I’m his. I can feel the possession rolling off that gaze and wrapping around me like a warm blanket on a chilly night.
I glance behind me, sure I’m going to see Patty Wilmington or Cassidy Cline or any of the other more gorgeous, more popular, more talented country singers standing there, but there’s no one. He’s staring at me .
I have to go over there. I can’t .
He takes the decision out of my hands and comes over first.
God, he’s sexy. He’s so unbelievably hot. He’s wearing brown pants and a black button-up collared shirt with enough buttons open that I can see the top of his chest. His brown hair is messy and there’s stubble all over his cheeks and strong jaw, but it looks good. It suits him well. Every look suits this gorgeous man well.
“You’re Lola Lively,” he says in that deep raspy voice that has made women all over the globe fall for him.
I’m trembling as I try to find my voice. “I am.”
He knows my name. Cash Edwards actually knows my name!
“You got one hell of a voice,” he says with a nod.
I hold in the scream that’s trying to burst out of my chest. “Really?"
He nods and my eyes drop to the sharp edge of his jaw. I shiver as I follow the line to his mouth. His lips are so sensual. So sexy. I might have kissed these exact same lips dozens of times, only they were on the poster of him on my wall.
I still can’t believe he’s here. I want to touch him to make sure he’s real.
“I was watching you perform,” he says with his dark eyes fixated firmly on me. “You’re one of a kind. Something very special.”
I’ve had a lot of career highlights so far—hearing my song on the radio for the first time, seeing my record for sale at the mall, signing my first autograph—but hearing those encouraging words coming out of Cash Edward’s sexy mouth is at the top of the list by far.
“I’ve been a big fan of yours,” I tell him without trying to come across as gushing, but I’m not succeeding too well. I probably have little hearts in my eyes right now as I gaze up at him in awe. “You were a big inspiration to me growing up. I became a singer because of you.”
My manager Karen comes over and grabs my arm. Seriously? This woman is always sticking her nose in my business at the worst possible times.
“We have to go now,” she says. “We have to get you on the plane and in New York for the show tonight.”
Geez, I forgot all about that. I’m scheduled to perform on The Live Tonight Show with Jimmy Owens. I was really looking forward to it, but now, all I want to do is stay with Cash. I don’t want to leave. Unfortunately, Karen’s grip is getting tighter.
“Let’s go,” she says as she starts to pull me.
Cash grabs my other arm, holding me in place. “I have to see you again.”
There’s a desperation in his heated eyes as he says it, like the thought of being apart from me is crushing him.
“Come to Graham Marshall’s launch party on Thursday,” I tell him. “It’s at his ranch in Austin.”
“I’ll be there,” he says as he stares at me with such intensity that it makes my body quake. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
I want to say something smart, something cool, something sophisticated, but all I can manage to squeak out is an “okay” before Karen drags me away from the man of my dreams.
Our eyes never leave each other until I turn the corner.