Chapter 10
TEN
LANCE
Katherine looks absolutely stunning tonight under the bonfire glow. Her red hair looks soft, I want to run my hands through it. Or wrap my fist around it and pull . Either will work.
Lainey has been playing a few covers for us as we drank some whiskey. It’s been getting colder in Alpine by the minute and it feels like we might just get that Christmas miracle we’ve all been hoping for.
I glance again at Katherine and she locks eyes with mine. We’re across the makeshift bonfire and her lips curve into the smallest smile before she focuses back on Lainey. Our texts have seemed to get a little bit raunchier and raunchier the later the day went on. My phone buzzes and I pull it out, wondering who the hell is texting me this late. It’s almost 10 p.m.
Katherine Pearson
Guess a color.
I look up through my lashes to see her looking at me for a second before bursting out into a fit of giggles. Lainey is still playing her guitar, oblivious to it all. I type out a quick response.
Me
If you’re talking about a color of what you’re wearing underneath…white.
Katherine Pearson
That’s too eager, we just met.
I almost spit out the whiskey I just pulled. Jesus.
Me
Scratch that, then. No eagerness here except to taste you. So I’m hoping it’s red. Or green.
Katherine Pearson
You feeling the holiday spirit?
Me
I could unwrap you like a present if you’d like.
Katherine Pearson
Intriguing. Tempting.
Me
Anything you’d like, Darlin’.
Katherine Pearson
The answer is red.
Lace.
My pants tighten after reading those words and I know that I’m done for. I glance up again and Katherine is talking to Lainey as if she didn’t just taunt me like this over text.
“Lance, want to finally hear that new song?” Lainey asks, shifting her position to face me. I nod.
“You know I do.” Another pull of the whiskey bottle. “What’s this one about?”
She looks at me for a moment and blushes. But it doesn’t seem like the kind where she’s shy, more like embarrassed. I raise a brow.
“Actually, you inspired it.”
Katherine gasps and looks at both me and Lainey. She narrows her eyes at me, and there’s this sudden charge of electricity that I can feel emanating from her. Is she jealous? And why do I think that’s the hottest thing?
“I inspired it? How so?” I ask, taking another pull. I need to stop if I want to enjoy the rest of the night. I don’t need whiskey dick ruining anything I wanted to do with Katherine. And thoughts of my father keep creeping in my mind.
But I’m not him, and I’m not a drunk. I put the whiskey bottle down closer to the fire, away from my reach.
“By wanting me to go to Nashville. You push me to do better in my career and it made me think of all the people who don’t have that kind of support in their corner, but still desire to be more. Whether or not they stay in their small town or not. I feel very lucky to know you, Lance, and to have you in my corner.”
It’s heartfelt and deep and it pulls at my heartstrings. I swallow a thick feeling in my throat, and my eyes get misty; I don’t know if it’s because of my emotions or because the damn bonfire smoke is creeping into my vision.
“That’s what friends do,” I tell her plainly. She shakes her head and Katherine watches intently, as if she’s suddenly super interested in our conversation. She’s quiet while she studies us.
“Exactly. We need more friends like you, Lance,” Lainey agrees with a smile. She strums her guitar and starts picking out a tune. It’s sweet and soft, like a lullaby. She starts to hum along before starting the first verse.
It’s about growing up in a town where everyone stays, but the writer wants to leave so bad. She doesn’t have the option to until a friend comes along to push her to want more. It’s a cute melody that I’m starting to sway to, so is Katherine. Her eyes are closed as she listens to the lyrics.
Lainey dives into the chorus and I choke up. The words sting and it makes me have the urge to really get this bucket list going. I don’t want to be confined to Alpine Ridge forever and I deserve to see what’s out there for me. Even if I end up hating it and settle down in this town for the rest of my life, at least I can say I tried.
The second verse comes and I feel a tear fall down my cheek, but I’m quick to wipe it away so no one sees. I hang my head low and find myself staring at the whiskey bottle. The song starts to remind me more of my mom, too. She loved my dad until his dying days despite what he did to her and her sons. She continues to love him even after he passed. You can see it in her eyes, her words, and her actions.
I don’t ever want to put anyone through what my dad put my mom through. And I won’t. But I don’t want to leave Alpine Ridge while she’s still here. It sucks admitting it to myself, but it’s true. That’s why this bucket list will help me figure out if there’s more out there for me. It’ll allow me to still return to my mom and take care of her. I could tell her about all the places I visit, too. She’d love it.
Lainey finishes up the song and looks at me and Katherine for feedback. We start to clap and Katherine does a cute little howl. “You were amazing!” she yells.
“Thanks, guys. Lance, I hope you enjoyed it,” Lainey states, turning her attention to me.
I nod. “That was great. I’ll always be here to inspire you,” I tell her with truth in my words. If I could inspire her in this way, I’d like to continue to be that. Everyone needs support and inspiration, and if just me talking to her about how she deserves to try for Nashville and knowing her worth and talent, then that’s enough.
“Thanks, Lance,” she states. She looks at Katherine for input. She’s quiet and fussing with her hands on her lap before she smiles.
“I really liked it. Felt from the heart. Kind of reminds me of myself and being too scared to leave Alpine Ridge.”
It’s like she took the words right out of my mouth. I lean in to better listen to her. She glances at me for a moment before inhaling deeply. Lainey gives her the space to talk and I appreciate it a lot.
“I know we barely met, Lainey, but your words pull out the thoughts that I’ve been ruminating on for months, maybe even years. That’s something special and not something every artist can do. But you do it so perfectly without even trying. It can help so many people figure out what they want in their life and I truly hope you’re able to get that when you leave us.”
Lainey has tears in her eyes and she puts her guitar down and gets up to hug Katherine quickly. Katherine holds onto Lainey tightly, and they hug for a few more seconds. It looks like Lainey is whispering something to Katherine and I let them have their moment. She sits back down and grabs her guitar again, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“I’m not leaving y’all, by the way. If I could take you both, I would. Adeline loves Nashville, but she’s not going to stay there long term. She said that you get tired of the famous part of things. The glamor gets to be too much.”
“I thought that’s what you wanted?” I ask, recalling what she told me at The Lost Cowboy last week.
She shrugs. “I talked to Adeline. A few times, actually. She really wants me to visit her and get my career going, but she doesn’t want me to be sucked into the dangerous part of that industry. She just wants me to write my music and get it out there. I’ve never really had anyone be that protective of me in that sense. Sometimes I forget that my music is an extension of me and I need to ultimately protect it as best as I can.”
“She’s a smart woman,” Katherine states.
Lainey nods. “Adeline is one of the smartest women I know and her heart is pure. I don’t know if Lance mentioned it, but she’s coming back to Mason Pointe for Christmas. She’ll be here Saturday night and will stay a week before she gets a head start on the release of her new album. I’d love for you to meet her, too.”
Katherine’s mouth opens wide in shock and she tries to speak, but nothing comes out. That’s when I butt in. “She’d love to meet your friend, Lainey. Thanks.”
She’s finally able to gain her voice back and nods, clearing her throat. “Yeah, what he said. God, I need to work on my reactions if I want to meet her. I can’t be this starstruck when she’s in front of me.”
Lainey laughs. “No, you can’t be. She hates being the center of attention, the complete opposite of me. She goes on tour because she needs to promote her work. She’d rather be holed up in a studio writing her heart away instead of being stuck on a tour bus.”
“Complete opposite of you,” I agree. Lainey wants it all, but now she knows she can’t without a price. I just hope she’s able to keep her head up while she goes through those motions. I have no doubt she will blow up the moment she sets foot in Nashville. Especially with Addie Rose by her side? She’d be unstoppable.
“It’s getting late,” Lainey finally says. “How about one more original Lainey Alpine?”
I pause for a moment. “Is that going to be your stage name? You never used that before, not even at The Lost Cowboy .”
She nods, a smile stretching across her face. “Can’t deny my roots. Alpine will always be in my blood, no matter where I go. Y’all will always be with me, wherever I go.”
The moment is heartfelt, so I get up and sit closer to her, giving her a side hug. God, I’m going to cry again. Katherine decides to get up and sit on the other side of me, laying her head on my shoulder. Her hand goes to my thigh and I rest my palm on top of hers and our fingers interlock.
Lainey strums her guitar and we’re all sitting on a small log, like critters trying to get warmth in the winter time.
The tune is delicate and very country. She whispers to us before she starts singing that this one came to her in a dream the other night and she couldn’t stop writing it. It’s called My Roots Follow Me .
A tear immediately falls again past my cheek and Katherine squeezes my hand. We’ve all got our roots planted deep in Alpine Ridge—we can’t change it, just something we have to live with.
Despite the obstacles, the challenges, and the highs and lows that I’ve encountered in the 37 years of my life here, I’m so fucking thankful that this has become where my life is. Because it brought me to this very moment with Lainey and…Katherine.
And I wouldn’t change it for a damn thing.