Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Sunlight poured through the big barn windows, catching the steel beams Quinn Kurtz had left exposed when he remodeled the place. The air carried the clean mix of coffee, lemon oil, and the faint sweetness of citrus drifting in from the doors.
Four leather sofas surrounded a wide coffee table, the band’s casual meeting spot when they weren’t practicing or recording. Framed concert photos, and in the corner, a rack of guitars gleamed like a shrine.
Jami slouched into his usual corner of the sofa facing the door, boots crossed at the ankle.
The others trickled in: Sean carrying a mug of coffee, Axel spinning a pair of drumsticks, Maddyn trailing behind him, humming under her breath.
Tony arrived with Livia, his wife, and the band’s second backup singer, their hands linked as naturally as breathing.
Jami watched them all settle in, trying to ignore the flicker of irritation still rolling around in his head.
We make one. Carlene’s words from yesterday kept replaying.
So did the way she’d looked at him, calm and sharp all at once.
He hadn’t decided yet whether she fascinated him or annoyed the hell out of him.
Tony leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “All right, everyone’s here. Carlene’s got a plan to kick off the next leg of the tour. Let’s hear her out.”
The barn’s side door opened, and Carlene stepped inside. She looked polished and crisp, laptop under her arm, hair smooth and gleaming even in the warm morning light. The room seemed to sharpen around her.
“Good morning,” she said, voice smooth and professional.
Maddyn smiled. “Morning. Coffee’s fresh, help yourself.”
Carlene shook her head lightly. “I’m fine, thank you.” She set her laptop on the coffee table and knelt beside it, posture straight and confident.
When the screen lit up, the group leaned forward. Tour photos. Headlines. Snippets of fan comments. Carlene’s tone stayed calm and even, but there was an undercurrent of energy in it, like someone used to holding a room.
“You’ve built an incredible foundation,” she began. “The music is strong, the fanbase loyal. But the next phase is about keeping the emotional connection alive. Fans buy music with their hearts before they buy it with their wallets.”
Sean nodded. “We’ve always said that. Music’s emotion.”
“Exactly,” Carlene said. “And right now, the fans are still invested, but their emotional focus drifts. We need to give them something to hold on to. A story. Something that feels like love.”
Axel raised an eyebrow. “You mean like a documentary?”
“Not quite.” Her eyes flicked toward Jami. “More like a visible connection. Your fans fell in love with your songs because they believed in the feelings behind them. But if the lead singer stops showing that connection offstage, the illusion fades.”
Livia leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. “You’re talking about showing more of Jami’s personal side.”
Carlene met her gaze and smiled, grateful for the perceptive question. “Exactly. Interviews, photos, maybe even a storyline the fans can follow. Something romantic, but aspirational. They want to believe he lives the songs he sings. Just as you all do.”
Tony sat back, studying her. “And by storyline, you mean…”
“A relationship,” she said simply.
Maddyn blinked. “You’re serious?”
“Completely.”
Axel grinned. “So what, you want him to fake a girlfriend?”
Carlene didn’t flinch. “I’m suggesting we control the narrative before someone else does. A visible partnership creates intrigue. People talk. Buzz builds. Done right, it looks authentic.”
Sean rubbed his jaw. “Seems like a slippery slope, though.”
Carlene shrugged, unbothered. “Everything in this business is a slope. The trick is learning how to stand steady on it.”
Jami shifted on the sofa, heat prickling at the back of his neck. “So I’m supposed to smile for the cameras and pretend to fall in love for clicks?”
Carlene met his eyes squarely. “I’m suggesting that you remind people why they fell for you.”
Livia’s tone turned thoughtful. “She’s not wrong. We’ve all seen what happens when the spotlight feels cold. People assume the magic’s gone.”
Tony nodded slowly, giving his wife’s hand a squeeze. “And buzz means momentum. Momentum keeps this whole machine running.”
Jami looked between them, then back at Carlene. “Feels like you’re turning me into a marketing campaign.”
She tilted her head slightly. “Not a campaign. A reminder. They love your voice, but they also love the man they think you are. Let’s show them he’s still there.”
Her words struck something inside him he didn’t want to name. He cleared his throat. “You think I’ve lost him?”
“I think he’s hiding,” she breathed.
No one spoke for a long moment. Even Axel, usually quick with a joke, stayed quiet.
Finally, Maddyn smiled gently. “If it helps, I think what she’s saying is, you’ve still got the spark, Jami. You just stopped letting people see it.”
Axel draped an arm around her shoulders. “I say we give the lady a chance to work her marketing magic. Can’t hurt.”
Tony pushed to his feet, all leadership again. “All right, we’ll test the idea. Carlene, work with Jami to outline the rollout. Start small, see where it goes.”
“Will do,” she said, closing her laptop.
Livia leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “And maybe, don’t overthink it,” she said kindly to Jami. “Fans see what they want to see. If you give them a little romance, they’ll build the rest.”
He exhaled, a half-laugh, half-sigh. “Great. No pressure.”
The group chuckled, the tension easing. Tony and Livia stood first, her hand sliding into his naturally. Sean followed. Axel and Maddyn left last, whispering about breakfast at Mae’s Bakery before rehearsal.
Soon, it was just Jami and Carlene.
She started collecting her notes, the quiet stretch between them thick enough to feel.
“You sure you know what you’re asking?” he said finally.
She looked up, those sharp eyes steady on his. “Completely.”
“You realize rumors spread faster than sound in this business?”
“I do. That’s why we manage them, not chase them.”
He studied her. “You really think I can sell a love story?”
“I think you already do,” she said. “You just forgot to believe in it.”
He huffed out a breath that sounded too close to a laugh. “And what if I don’t want to fake it?”
“Then don’t,” she said simply. “Find something real and let the rest of us work around it.”
He leaned forward, forearms on his knees. “Careful, Ms. Matthews. Might sound like an invitation.”
Her lips curved faintly. “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. Just be ready for the cameras.”
When she left the barn, sunlight spilling around her, Jami stayed where he was, staring at the empty coffee cup she’d left on the table with the dark pink lipstick on the rim.
This whole idea was a mess waiting to happen.
So why did it feel like the first genuine spark of excitement he’d had in months?
He sat back with a thud. He exhaled long and slow. Resting his head against the sofa, two thoughts raced through his mind. Carlene was impressive, and the barn felt incredibly lonely with everyone gone.