Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
jake
“Hey, boss,” Jimmy shouts across the stage with a satisfied smirk on his face, knowing how much I hate being called that.
“Yes, Jimmy.” I stroll toward him, curious what he plans to give me shit about today. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. Wasn’t sure how you want us to refer to you, given your secret identity and all,” he snickers, covering his mouth, as if that somehow lessens the impact of his stupid-ass joke.
The one that’s been on repeat ever since my real name became public.
I don’t get his fascination with learning I go by Jake personally and Chase professionally, considering countless other entertainers do the same.
“Chase or Jake is fine. Just not ‘boss’ or ‘bossman’ or any other rendition of it.” I fight back the urge to rant on how ridiculous it is to have this conversation over and over again. But that’s Jimmy for you. One of the best damn guitar players in the industry, and the most obnoxious.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the real boss,” Jimmy calls out, followed by a low whistle.
I turn around quickly to find Jason headed our way.
My face scrunches in confusion because he’s not supposed to be on the road with us this weekend.
Unexpected visits from Jason are never a good sign.
He’s either got bad news or is going to try to sweet-talk me into something he knows I’m not going to like.
It’s a toss-up on which one it might be since we’re in the midst of writing the album and I’ve been more secretive than normal about it.
Jason grins at me. “There’s my favorite superstar.” His suit, shiny dress shoes, and gelled hair make him look completely out of place as he stands on the stage of the outdoor amphitheater, where the temperature is already a balmy ninety-five degrees.
“What do you need, Jason? Pretty confident Charlotte, North Carolina, isn’t on your way home.
” I take off my guitar and hand it to Jimmy, gesturing for Jason to follow me off stage.
Not everyone needs to hear whatever he’s about to ask, especially if I’m going to quickly shoot it down.
The band’s already pissy about the changes that have occurred since Kate came into my life.
The last thing I need is for them to hear me saying no to opportunities to spend less time with her—because that’s exactly what I plan to do every time.
Jason clasps his hand on my shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze. “Let’s head to the bus. We have some things to discuss.”
Fuck. God only knows what the man wants.
As soon as we step on the bus, I’m greeted by Kate’s smiling face sitting at the table, happily typing away while listening to music. Her face lights up when she sees me, and falls slightly when she notices Jason.
Same, Kate. Same.
“I didn’t know you were joining us,” Kate says in a way that comes across as both a statement and a question.
Jason sits on the couch, crossing one leg over his knee. “Thought I’d surprise my favorite client with some good news.” He places his phone face down next to him.
Shit.
He put down his phone. That never happens.
I grip the edge of the table, staring at Jason, preparing myself for whatever shitstorm he’s about to stir up. Because the only thing I know for certain is I’m about to be hit by a Jason-created hurricane.
“Out with it, Jason. What’s going on?”
Jason grins. “Your stock is soaring. Everyone is clamoring for the new album, thanks to the buzz from the surprise single you dropped at the CMAs. The number of offers I’m getting is through the roof.
” Jason leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs.
“We’ve got to capitalize on this momentum. Now.”
The muscles in my jaw and neck stiffen. “What exactly does that mean?”
“For starters, Country Thunder wants to add you to all their Sunday lineup for the rest of their summer concerts. Offered to throw in a private plane to transport you and the band to the events immediately following your Saturday night tour stop.”
“No,” I reply sternly, not wanting to entertain adding another concert to my schedule.
Kate places her hand gently on my arm. “Don’t you think we should know more about what it entails before turning it down?” she asks innocently, batting those long eyelashes at me, turning me into a fucking puddle, willing to do whatever she wants.
I shift my gaze back to Jason. “Fine. How many shows and where?” Not that his answer really matters, I’m still going to say no.
“Two in Canada, and one in Wisconsin. First one is in two weeks.” Jason pauses briefly, shaking his head as his smile widens.
“I’ve seen a lot of things in my career, Jake.
Never once have I seen a major concert bend over backward to make time in their schedule for an artist. You know how these things work—dates and artists are booked months, if not years, in advance. ”
“Not interested,” I answer curtly.
Jason’s smile falls, shifting into a grimace. “You’re not even going to consider it? Take a few minutes to think it over? Be reasonable?”
“Nope.”
Jason sits up straight, his eyes laser-focused on me, almost like we’re about to have a battle of wills. “Have you at least looked over the brand partnerships I sent you? I’ve spent weeks negotiating some major deals with extremely favorable terms.”
“Saw them.” I sit at the table next to Kate and put my arm around her. “Not interested.”
Jason’s mouth drops open, shocked by the fact I’ve told him no twice.
He clenches his jaw, briefly staring at his dress shoes before saying, “What about the opportunity to host the awards show? It would be a major feather in your cap and give you incredible exposure, especially with the new album coming out.”
I shake my head. “Pass.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Jason shouts, standing and pacing furiously in front of the couch. “Are you going to say yes to anything?”
“Only if it involves spending more time with Kate. Everything else is a hard no.”
“Are you being serious?” Kate whispers, so Jason can’t hear.
I tilt my head, locking eyes with her. “One hundred percent.”
“Anything else you want to chat about, Jason?” I ask, casting my gaze in his direction.
He runs both hands through his gelled hair, completely messing it up with a single tug. “I’ll be at the concert tonight. Maybe you’ll be in a more receptive mood afterward, and we can talk then.”
“Answer’s not going to change,” I reply before Jason leaves the bus.
I let out a loud sigh. Why doesn’t he get that my priorities have shifted? Understand there is more to life than just working? It’s all he ever does.
“Did you just turn down massive opportunities because of me?” Kate asks softly.
Adjusting my position, I turn toward her. “Yes. I’ll do the events already on my schedule, but I’m not adding anything new. You come first, always.”
“That’s great, but…”
“What? Did I do something wrong?” Confusion spreads across my face. The last thing I want to do in the world is disappoint her or cause her any frustration.
Her face scrunches like she’s smelled a skunk. Definitely not a good sign. Fuck. Is this one of those situations where I’ve screwed up and don’t even realize it?
“Yes and no.” She chews on the corner of her lower lip. “I love that you’re prioritizing our relationship. You always make it clear how important I am to you, both in your words and in your actions. That means the absolute world to me.”
“But…”
She exhales deeply, tilting her head to look at the ceiling for a brief moment. One of her tells that she’s preparing to say something that makes her uncomfortable. “You don’t involve me when you make decisions about your career. Not once have you asked for my opinion.”
“Oh,” I reply, pulling on the back of my neck. “I didn’t realize you wanted to be part of those conversations.”
“Ideally, we’d make all the decisions about our lives together.
It’s your career, so obviously, your opinion has the biggest say, but it would be nice to feel included.
Especially when it impacts me.” She reaches for my hand, intertwining her fingers with mine and pressing a kiss on my skin.
“When you make decisions because of our relationship, like constantly changing the schedule or turning down opportunities, it impacts how people see me. Everyone assumes I’m the one making you do it.
Although I’m working to not care what other people think, I don’t want your team to see me as the bad guy. Not when I don’t deserve it.”
Fuck. I’ve definitely screwed up.
I rest my head against the wall, closing my eyes tightly. “What do you think I should do about the offers Jason presented?”
“At least consider some of them. You’ve worked your entire career to get to this point.
Let’s not immediately dismiss everything that comes your way.
We should be smart about it. Say no to the ones that won’t move the needle for you and yes to the ones that will.
Find creative ways to lessen the disruption to our lives when you do take on these extra opportunities. ”
I nod. She’s fucking right. I’m so worried about something coming between us, or not having enough time with her, that I haven’t thought about this long-term. How we effectively integrate our lifestyles, because the opportunities I’m getting won’t go away, not as long as my career is doing well.
We spend the next hour debating the merits of every opportunity, making a pro-con list that Kate documents in a spreadsheet.
Because she’s Kate. Agreeing on what I will say yes to and what’s a pass.
And somehow, I feel lighter, even though my schedule is becoming more jam-packed.
Knowing I have Kate on my side, willing to help me figure it out, removes a weight I didn’t know I was carrying.
She’s become a true partner in my life. One I can’t live without.