Chapter 43
Chapter forty-three
Jaxon
“My aunt is ruthless when it comes to setting people up,” Matt says as we bounce around in his truck, making our way through the various fields my dad planted the week before his death.
“You’re lucky you’re with Izzy—I mean, for a lot of reasons—but if you weren’t, I’m sure my aunt would consider it her personal mission to get the town celebrity set up with a local. ”
A spark of jealousy flares to life at his words. I am lucky I’m with Izzy. I know that. And everyone else should know it too. She’s amazing. On the other hand, I’d prefer other men not comment on how lucky I am.
Izzy is mine, damn it. Mine.
“I thought the town hated me,” I reply.
Matt glances at me from the corner of his eye before shrugging. “Izzy forgave you. Have you not noticed how many of the restaurants and stores play your music now?”
“Yeah. I heard it wasn’t that way before.”
Shaking his head, he lets out a low chuckle. “Um, no. There was an unspoken ban on your music. It might’ve come on a station every once in a while, but everyone went out of their way to avoid stations that played your music regularly.”
It doesn’t surprise me that the town backed Izzy when she decided to be done with me. Even if I also grew up here, Izzy was always the one people loved. The fact that I also left my dad likely didn’t play in my favor either.
Though, I’m impressed at the lengths the town went to protect Izzy from anything that would remind her of me. There would’ve been years when that took a significant level of effort.
“I’m not glad she felt that way, but it really makes me see Wild Bluffs differently knowing how everyone rallied around Izzy.”
“We know how special she is,” Matt says.
I’m forced to tamp down my jealousy again, reminding myself that he doesn’t like Izzy. That he isn’t trying to take her from me. I’ve never been this possessive of someone, and it’s making it hard to focus.
Needing to change the topic to anything that won’t require me to hear Matt say Izzy’s name again, I say, “So, what do you need to know about the farm? I know your dad’s land is nearby, and you and your brother have both been helping him for the last few years, but I’d be happy to try to answer any questions you might have. ”
Matt gives me a bit of a puzzled look. “When was the last time you had anything to do with the farm?”
I laugh. “Harvest during my senior year. So, yeah, I probably don’t know anything about the land itself.”
He runs his hand through his hair before giving me an embarrassed smile. “My brother and I have been the ones tending the fields since your dad passed.”
He takes in my gaping mouth and chuckles.
“Don’t looked so shocked, Jaxon. Do you think this is what a farm looks like when no one has taken care of it for three months?”
Scanning the field around me, I realize he’s right. Someone has been maintaining these fields.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, at a loss for words to both explain how embarrassed I am that I didn’t think of the fact that I would need someone to look after it and how grateful I am that they did. “I could’ve paid you or something.”
Matt shrugs. “We had the time. It might get a little tight at harvest to get your fields and ours done, but like I was telling you about earlier, with Chris and me both back, both trying to work with my dad on the same land that my dad previously took care of by himself, well, there are too many hands and not enough work sometimes.”
“I really appreciate it.”
I am grateful they didn’t let the fields fall into disrepair.
My dad and I may not have seen eye to eye on almost anything, but I know how much the farm meant to him, and I can’t believe I never even considered that someone needed to manage them.
Only in small towns like this do you have neighbors helping each other out just because it’s the right thing to do.
Not asking for anything in return. It also makes me even more sure that this plan is a good one—the right one.
“And you and Chris…you both wanted to come back?” I ask, curious as to what that would be like.
I couldn’t get away from here fast enough. It’s hard to imagine a world where not only did I want to return, but I had a sibling who also wanted to. My problem had always been too much land and too few options for my dad to pass it down to.
“Yeah. I like Wild Bluffs. I loved growing up here. So did Chris. This is where we want to grow our families. Raise kids.”
“Wait, are you married?” I ask.
Matt shakes his head, a sad set to his mouth. “No.”
“And Aunt Janice hasn’t found your perfect match yet?” I ask, referencing his previous warning.
“She’s sure given it her best try. Unfortunately, I had my perfect match, but I lost her, so now I settle for a few dates every now and then just to appease my aunt, with no real hope of finding something real. Or at least as real as what I had before.”
It feels like there is more to the story there, but I let it go as Matt pulls off the dirt road and back onto the highway that will lead us into Wild Bluffs.
“So, Matt,” I say, “any interest in farming these fields long-term?”
***
My phone rings as I wave goodbye to Matt, and I stare at my manager’s name as it scrolls across my screen.
I generally like Henry, but I have a bad feeling about this call.
Things between my label and me have been tense, and Henry, as the man whose job, by definition, puts him between us, has been decreasingly happy lately.
I understand that hosting the HMAs is an honor. I also understand I’ve been letting my label down recently by not writing or releasing any new music. That said, I made a deal with Izzy. One I plan on upholding.
“Jaxon,” Henry says when I answer, “you’re in. They’ve officially given Looper Jones the boot after his most recent scandal. You’ve been tapped to replace him.”
My heart drops. Like, sinks to my toes and then zooms back up to lodge itself in my throat kind of drop.
Before I can say anything, Henry continues, “They need you there. You’ve barely been seen in public in a year, and your sales are showing it. The label refused to budge.”
“How are we still talking about this, Henry? I said no. I can’t—” I start, but he cuts me off, his tone moving from professional to clipped.
“I’m not asking, Jaxon. I’m telling you.
You’re hosting the HMAs on Saturday. I did everything I could, but the label has your hands tied.
I tried to get you to renegotiate your contract when you signed this new one four years ago, but you said you didn’t need to rock the boat.
The network head golfs with the head of the label, and they are the ones who decided you are the man to replace Looper. This is what’s happening.”
Since the label was sold three years ago, I’ve met the new owner roughly five times, and it’s always at some big event or another when he wants to have his picture taken with me. He is the kind of guy who prides himself on who he knows and who owes him a favor.
“I understand it’s what’s best for the label, Henry. But it isn’t what’s best for me. I have a previous commitment, and I need to honor it.”
Henry lets out a low sigh, one that captures just how exasperated he must feel.
“Jaxon, your team has told me repeatedly it doesn’t work for you. I passed that along before the decision was made. But they will not budge. You know I only have as much control over the label as you let me put in the contract.”
“Yeah, well, I wasn’t aware they were going to sell to some unknown entity when I signed my last contract,” I say, pouting just a bit.
Fuck. I’m going to let Izzy down when she needs me. Again.
“They can always sell, Jax. I told you that. You are so smart about every other part of your business, but you’ve always had a blind spot for SevenFour.”
“They were the first people to believe in me, Henry. Well, after you.”
“I know. And they’ve been rewarded beyond belief for the risk they took on you. You’ve got to start thinking about yourself.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to hold back my anger. I know this isn’t Henry’s fault, but I’ve jumped through every single hoop the label has ever asked me to, and the first time I ask for something that’s just for me, they say no. I do need to rethink this relationship.
“They’ve got my masters though, Henry.”
“I’m not saying you find a new label, though that’s always an option. You might be able to buy back the masters, though it may be for a hefty price. I’m just suggesting we make some changes to the contract. Ones that artists with half of your revenue power have.”
The thought makes me cringe. I’ve gone out of my way to be easy.
Even as my fame was growing to undeniable levels, I always did my best to be the ideal client.
To make sure that nothing—especially some minor tiff with my label—got in the way of me achieving my dreams. But now?
Well, I might just have a different dream, and my label is certainly standing in its way.
“You’re right, Henry. Things have to change. This is unacceptable.”
I can hear the scratch of a pen as Henry writes something. “I agree, Jaxon. But for now, you’re shit out of luck. There is no secret option C. It’s show up or lose everything you’ve worked your entire life for.”
And if that’s not a kick straight to the gonads, I’m not sure what is.
We finalize the details, and Henry breaks the bad news that not only do I have to be at the event on Saturday, but they need me in Nashville tomorrow to start shooting promos and really amping up all the marketing that they’ve put on hold the last few weeks while everything with the last host was up in the air.
Henry already has my plane on its way.
I’m leaving in two hours.
Which is going to make everything worse. It’d be one thing if I could take my time and explain it to Izzy. If I could stay with her after I break the news. Hold her. Kiss her until I’ve convinced her I’m coming back.
But that’s not what I’m going to get to do. Instead, I’m going to pop in and spend the full two hours begging her to understand that I don’t have a choice. That I have to do this. That I’m not bailing on her three days before the wedding because it’s what I want to do.
As I throw my possessions into my suitcase, I pull out my phone and call her.
It rings and rings.
And rings.
I leave a voicemail, hoping she’ll be at her house when I get there. “Iz, I need to talk to you. I’ll be over soon.”