Rockin' Country: The Price Of Love Part 2

aHave you calmed down enough to see reason?a Sh.e.l.l asked as Hannah made her way back into the studio.

Hannah fixed her with an icy glare, putting her hand on her hip. She was tired of this, tired of trying to defend herself, and now it looked like she had to defend her marriage too. aI have. I talked to my husband and he supports my decision.a aHe would.a The words were said under Sh.e.l.las breath, and they made Hannah mad all over again. Deciding she was done for the day, she grabbed her stuff and started packing it into her bag.

aWhere are you going?a Sh.e.l.l asked, confused.

Hannah sighed. aIam done for the day, so Iam going home. n.o.body cares what I have to say about anything anyway. Itas not like you need me here for anything.a aWe still have two hours left,a Sh.e.l.l told her, checking her watch.

aNo, we donat. Iam going home.a The sound guys, Sh.e.l.l, and Bryson, who had come into the studio, were all speechless as she finished packing her stuff and walked out the door. n.o.body tried to stop her as she made her way to her car and got in. Once there, she sat in the driveras seat, breathing deeply. Starting up the car, she drove around to nowhere in particular. She needed to clear her head and shopping would do just that. As she was making her way to one of her favorite boutiques, the dashboard screen lit up, telling her that her sister-in-law, Stacey, was calling.

aHey,a she answered, happy to talk to someone who wasnat a part of the issue-at-hand she was dealing with.

aGarrett called me, p.i.s.sed at the world. Iad like to hear your side of the story. Figured youad like to talk about it.a Garrett and Stacey were close, and in the months since he and Hannah had gotten married, more and more, he went to Stacey to try to see Hannahas side if they argued. They tried hard not to take things out on each other and to wait until they had both calmed down so that they could talk things through rationally.

aThey want me to record a love song with another artist as a duet,a she sighed. aI donat want to do it, but Sh.e.l.las pressuring me, which means the record company is pressuring her. Garrettas mad, Iam mad, the other recording artist thinks itas funny, and Sh.e.l.las about had enough of me.a aI canat believe that Sh.e.l.l, of all people, would ask you to do that,a Stacey mused across the phone line.

aI know! Thatas why Iam so angry. She knows what my marriage means to me, she knows how badly I miss Garrett, and she knows me better than almost anyone in this world. I know she wants whatas best for me, but sometimes I could give a care less if I sell another million alb.u.ms. At this point in my life, I just donat care,a she whispered.

aIs it not what you want anymore?a Stacey asked, her voice soft.

Tears clouded Hannahas vision, making her pull over on the side of the road. aIam not sure what I want right now. I know that I donat want to make a snap decision, but everybody keeps pus.h.i.+ng me in that direction.a aNo, youare more sure than you think; otherwise, this wouldnat be so hard for you.a Hannah gripped the steering wheel then slammed her fist against it in agitation. aIam almost twenty-five years old, Iam a newlywed, and Iam in love for the first time in my life with someone who loves me back. Not the me he sees on stage either, the real me. I want to bask in that, glory in it. Our honeymoon was three days long, and we havenat spent more than that together since we got married.a aYou want a break?a Stacey could hear the frustration from Hannah, and to a point, she could understand it. She felt this way with Brad sometimesa"the band and his career would always come first. Their lives would always be expected to come second.

aI do,a her voice was strong. aIave never really taken one. Itas always been a few weeks here, a few weeks there, maybe a month. Iave gone from tour to record and back three times since I turned eighteen. Iave not had more than a month off in almost seven years. I need a break.a aWhat will Sh.e.l.l say about that?a aIam not sure, but going to rehab for an eating disorder was the only freakina long-term vacation Iave had. Thatas sad.a Stacey had to agree with her. Someone with her star power, who had sold millions of records, should be able to get a vacation. aYou need to have your lawyer read through your contract; there should be some clause in there that says you get time off. Garrett and the guys have taken a year off at three different points that I know of.a Hannah bit her lip as she rolled that over in her head. What would the record company say if she did find the clause and she exerted her power? She was like any other human being in the world. She was feeling tired and used up; shead been feeling it more and more lately. Another part of her wondered if they would let her do it. She had one more song to record, and then the record would be done. A boatload of money had already been spent on this, and she had a feeling they wouldnat let her walk away from it.

aThanks, Stace, youave given me a lot to think about.a aSometimes it takes someone whoas not in the situation to see it clearly.a Truer words had never been spoken. A lot of the time, she and Garrett had such strong feelings about who was right and who was wrong, they argued over the stupidest of things. Wanting to deflect that attention, Hannah pulled into the parking lot of the boutique, grateful that this was the day of the week they were open late. aHow did Garrett sound?a aHe was p.i.s.sed at firsta"you know that his temper starts out hot. Then, as we talked more, he sounded sad. He misses you.a aI miss him too. We could have picked a better time to get married. Our lives are so crazy.a Stacey laughed. aThe first day I met you, I knew that Garrett would marry you. You ground him in a way n.o.body else can, but at the same time, youare a trigger for him. All it takes is someone saying one thing about you that he doesnat like and he flies off the handle or comes to the wrong conclusion. It hurt him a lot that they want you to do a love song with someone whoas more your type.a aIs that what he said?a Hannah was shocked those words had come out of his mouth. aSomeone more my type? Iave never heard anything more ridiculous in my life. There is n.o.body in this world more my type than him. I didnat know it when I first met him, but now, without a shadow of a doubt, I know it.a aYou make him insecure in a lot of areas Iave never heard him be insecure about before. When you arenat with him, his mind wanders.a Stacey knew that she shouldnat be telling her sister-in-law these things, but Hannah needed to know. She needed to know that it wasnat one-sideda"the fear that this could all go away tomorrow. It was very much felt on both sides.

Garrettas insecurities were completely stupid, and Hannah knew she was going to have to have a talk with him. There was no reason in this world for him to believe that he needed to be insecure over them. aOkay, Iall talk to him. Iam gonna let you go,a she told her sister-in-law.

aAlright, if you need anything else, give me a call!a aLove you,a Hannah told her. aThank you for listening to me.a aLove you too. Come visit soon!a They hung up, leaving Hannah to stew. She knew exactly what she needed to do and she knew exactly who she needed to contact. It was time to go over Sh.e.l.las head. With a sigh, she dialed the number for her lawyer.

aWhat the h.e.l.l, Hannah?a Sh.e.l.l came storming into the house that the two of them shared, waving a paper around, later in the afternoon.

Hannah had been mentally preparing for this since shead gone to her lawyeras office. aExerting some of the clauses in my contract and my authority.a aThere was a time when we would have talked about this,a Sh.e.l.l fumed from where she stood.

aI tried to talk to you about it, but you shot me down. The only duet Iam going to be singing is going to be with my husband. Itas up to the record company now, if they want to ask his record company. If you read the whole thing, you saw that Iam touring for eight weeks and thatas it. Iam taking a year and a half off after that. I deserve it, and it was in my contract to be able to do that.a aWhat about me, Han? What am I going to do for a year and a half? Have you thought about that?a Sh.e.l.l hated to call her out on it, but this felt too selfish to her. Her whole life was tied up in Hannah and her business. Now, because Hannah was married, she was going to forget one of the people who had helped her get there?

Hannah had given some thought to that. aYouare gonna still be paid. Be a girlfriend to your boyfriend, spend some time with him, and find a hobby. Be normal. We havenat done that in so long, Sh.e.l.l. I want it so much. I need it so much.a The fight went out of Sh.e.l.l and she collapsed on the couch. aThis is really what you want?a aIt is, and I want you to be happy for me. I want you to do all the things that youave never been able to because weave been on the road. I want you and Jared to have what Garrett and I have.a The two of them were quiet for a long time.

aIt scares me, you know?a Sh.e.l.l admitted.

aWhat does?a aSpending all that time with Jared and not having you to do things for. What if I get on his nerves? What if you decide that you donat need me anymore? What if you never come back to this, then where is my life and what do I do about all the time Iave put into it. The love you have for Garrett is amazing and beautiful, but it worries me that youare going to give everything up for him. I know Iam being selfish, but I canat help but think of it. Iave spent most of my adult life making sure you have everything you need and that youare okay. You donat need me anymore.a aThatas not true at all.a Hannah put her arms around Sh.e.l.las neck and hugged her tightly. aIam going to always need you, but I need him too. Life changes, it evolves. If you give Jared the chance to be your Garrett, he could be.a aI know,a she grinned. aMaybe thatas what scares me the most.a aItas time for us to stand on our own. Weave depended on each other for a long time, and now, weave got to do it apart.a aI know.a Sh.e.l.l wrinkled her nose.

aWhen Garrett and I find a house here, this one is yours. I know you love it here, and I would never take your home away from you. Maybe you and Jared can make some amazing memories here.a That sounded good to Sh.e.l.l. At least she wouldnat be in this alone, she did have Jared, but she worried that she wouldnat ever be enough for him. It would only take one thing to set him back, and she worried she was a trigger for him more than a help at times. Although she would never admit that out loud.

aThank you.a Sh.e.l.l hugged Hannah back. aYou know, as mad as I was at you earlier, I was proud too, acause you stood up for yourself.a aIave got to. If I donat, people are going to walk all over me and they are going to ruin the only things that make me happy in life. Thereas more to life than when the next record is coming out and which tour weare going to do next.a That was a very mature way to put things, and again, Sh.e.l.l was impressed. aWhat do you think Brysonas going to say?a aI donat really care,a Hannah laughed. aHe and I have been friends for a long time. If heas still my friend, then heas going to understand.a Sh.e.l.l laughed along with her, but there was a small part of her that wondered if Hannah knew exactly what she was doing. This could be the end of Harmony Stewart if they didnat play this correctly, but this was Hannahas decision to make and Sh.e.l.l knew that she would have to support her, no matter what.

Chapter Six.

aThatas it, Hannah,a the sound engineer in the booth told her. aWeare done.a aWith the whole thing?a she asked, holding her headphones to her ears tightly, afraid that she might have heard him wrong. She knew they were getting close, but she hadnat realized they were that close.

aWith the whole thing! Go enjoy yourself for a week or so while we mix this and get record company approval.a aYouall send me the finished copy of everything?a she questioned.

He nodded, giving her a thumbs-up as she took the headphones off her head and made her way out of the booth.

aI think youave got somethina special here, Hannah,a he told her. aYouare voice has gotten much more mature, and you seem more comfortable with yourself. Youare fans are growing up, just like you are. Theyare going to appreciate the changes that youave made in your life, and theyare going to be able to tell that youare comfortable in your own skin.a aI am.a She smiled. aI love the changes that Iave made in my life.a He reached up, giving her a hug. She had worked with Brett since shead started in the business. Head been the sound engineer on every single one of her alb.u.ms. aThey look good on ya, doll.a She hurried around the studio, grabbing up her stuff. aWhen should I have the final product, do you think?a He glanced at his watch. aTodayas Wednesday. Iad say by Friday of next week. Go have yourself a mini-vacation. Go visit that husband of yours.a That was exactly what she was thinking too. aThanks for workina so hard, Brett.a She reached down, giving him a hug around the shoulders.

aI only work as hard as the artist, and you, my friend, work your a.s.s off. You deserve this break that Iave heard rumblings about.a She bit her lip, s.h.i.+fting her weight from one foot to the other. aDo you think Iam makina a mistake? Youave been doina this a long time.a aIf you were a flash in the pan, I would tell you to strike while the iron is hot and donat you dare take any time off. That you need to capitalize on everything youave got. But youare Harmony Stewart, and youave changed the way we do things here on a certain level. You write amazing songs, youare sweet, but at the same time youare learning not to take any s.h.i.+t off other people. I say if you want to take some time off, youall be fine. If youare burnt out and p.i.s.sed off at the world, youare not going to do anybody any good.a aI need this time off,a she re-iterated. aBut then I look at the long line of female country singers that took time off, that never made it back. LeeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith Hill. Theyare still very respected and big names in the industry, but they never made it back.a aThey were also older than you when they took a break,a he raised his eyebrows. aAnd their breaks were years long. Not to mention, they didnat have hot rocker husbands, like you.a She smiled, a blush covering her face.

aDoes making it back concern you so much?a She shook her head. aI donat think so, but itas one of those things where Iam kind of on the fence about it. Sometimes I hate being so big that I canat take time off, but then I think to myself, this isnat everything that life is about. Itas a double-edged sword.a He turned to face her. aWith your social media presence, no one is going to wonder where you are or what youare doing. At this point, theyare just as interested in what you and Garrett are doing together personally as they are what youare doing professionally. This is a whole new world, a whole new ballgame. Ainat n.o.body gonna forget Harmony Stewart.a Hannah laughed, throwing her head back. aThatas right; acause we ainat gonna let aem.a They hugged again before she made her way out of the studio. On this particular night, Sh.e.l.l had decided not to accompany her, so she quickly texted her to let her know they were done and she was getting a flight out of Nashville to Los Angeles. Her phone rang almost instantly.

aYouare not even waiting until morning?a Sh.e.l.l asked, aItas almost nine at night.a aWhich means itas seven there, and by the time I get there, itall be around midnight their time. I can sleep on the plane; itas not that big of a deal.a aWhat about clothes?a Hannah was getting good and fed up with Sh.e.l.l trying to talk her out of anything that had to do with Garrett. aI packed a bag this morning, and Iad like for you to stop this.a aStop what?a The airport was less than twenty minutes from the studio, and Hannah was already halfway to the airport with her lead foot. aBeing the way youare being.a aI donat know what youare talkina about.a aYou do,a she insisted. aThe thing with you is that youare fine as long as I check my schedule and get the okay from you on everything. I donat have to do that in my personal life. Iam going to see Garrett. The sound guys told me I have at least a week before theyare done.a aThereas a lot you could be doing around here. Photography and press.a aI can just as easily do that in California. Stop being a b.i.t.c.h.a Hannahas voice was getting louder, and she pulled out a word she hardly ever used.

aWhat?a aYou are. I get that youare used to our relations.h.i.+p being the most important one in our lives, but itas not anymore. Itas still important to me, but if you keep pus.h.i.+ng me, Iam going to shut down, and then where will we be? Stop being so d.a.m.n jealous.a Sh.e.l.l swallowed roughly. Like always, Hannah had called it right. She was jealous. Jealous of the fact that Hannah knew exactly what she wanted and that she had a man who knew what he wanted. They werenat scared to jump in blind and with both feet. She envied it and wanted it for herself.

aIam sorry.a aWhile Iam gone, you need to figure out what it is you want. Do you still want to be my friend or just my a.s.sistant and partial manager? I canat keep doing this and I refuse to. Iall see ya in a few days.a Hannah hung up as she pulled into Nashville International Airport.

She was done letting other people run her life. Shead told people that same thing a million times. At some point, they were going to believe her.

Iam here! Be aware, even at almost midnight, thereas a bunch of paparazzi still here.

Hannah looked down at the text as she de-boarded the plane and made her way in the throng of people to the baggage claim. Shead texted Stacey once they were in the air to let her know that she was on her way, and to ask for a ride. While she recorded during the day, Black Friday recorded day and night. She knew that this was one night they were booked until the wee hours of the morning.

aUgh, at least I had a little bit of sleep on the plane,a she whispered to herself as she broached the concourse, seeing Stacey, but also seeing the paparazzi she had been talking about.

aHey!a Stacey yelled, waving.

aHey, yourself. I donat have any luggage, just this.a She indicated the shoulder bag that shead carried on.

aThen letas get the f.u.c.k outta here, these guys make me claustrophobic.a aIs there a huge star coming in today?a Hannah asked, the two of them keeping their head down and moving swiftly.

aYeah, girl, you.a As Stacey said that, the paparazzi noticed her and Hannah moving quickly away from the throng, and she heard someone yell aHarmonya loudly. ac.r.a.p,a she laughed, wondering if they should run.

They looked at each other, aI canat run as fast as Garrett,a Stacey laughed.

aMe neither.a They locked hands as about twenty photographers crowded around them. Neither wanted to get separated from the other. Questions and comments were shouted from everywhere as the bright flash of cameras s.h.i.+ned in their faces.

Harmony!! How is Reaper? Are you here to visit him? Trouble in paradise? Here to check on your hubby?

She kept her head down, moving forward, inch by inch. aHere to visit,a she called out.

Is he p.i.s.sed about the pictures of you and Bryson Grant taken outside the studio the other day? He couldnat have been happy! Was Bryson taking your wedding ring off?

That was a new one on her; she didnat know anything had been printed. Garrett hadnat mentioned it, so possibly he hadnat seen them. That would be a relief to her, especially since she hadnat seen them either.

aCan you guys give us a little bit of room, please?a she asked, finally lifting her head up.

The flashbulbs went off even faster.

Camon, Harmony, smile for us! You and Stacey pose together. Give us something.

She did her best to smile, but when there were this many people around her and she couldnat see an escape, it made her feel uneasy. They were trying desperately to make their way to the end of the terminal so they could get out of the doors, but it was taking forever. Just as she was about to lose it, she felt a strong arm come around her shoulders and give her some breathing room. Looking up, she smiled at her father-in-law.

aStacey brought me, just in case you two needed me. I figured when you didnat make it back to the car by a certain time, you needed me.a Garrett got his height and muscular build from his dad, and obviously a bit of his temper too as Kevin started yelling for the crush of photographers to give them some room. This time, they listened.

Finally they made it to the end of the terminal and out of the gla.s.s doors. Once they were there, she inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. aThanks for coming to save us,a she said as she hooked hands with Kevin. The three of them made a united front, finally running for the car.

They could hear the photographers giving chase behind them, but Stacey and Kevin had been smart and parked in a regulated area, so that the paparazzi couldnat follow.

aThatas insane,a Kevin shook his head.

aIt is,a Hannah agreed. aAnd honestly scary, when I donat have Garrett with me. Heas big enough that he can give me some breathing room, but when itas only me or me and another friend like Stacey, they swarm everywhere. n.o.body wants to get on Garrettas bad side, so when heas with me, itas not so bad. Thank you again.a aNot a problem,a he told her as he backed the car out of the lot and then pulled into the main lane to get out of the airport.

She laughed, but it was humorless as they saw another group of photographers, racing to get pictures of her in the front seat of the car. They were too slow though as Kevin pulled the car onto the freeway.

aYou want me to take you to the house or studio?a Stacey, from where she sat in the back, spoke. aThey still have a few hours at the studio.a aThen thatas where I want to go. I still feel weird going into the house by myself. I know thatas stupid, but I hate going in there without Garrett with me.a aIall drop you off,a Kevin told her as he continued driving. aThis time of night, it shouldnat take us long to get to Huntington Beach.a She knew it was about an hour drive from the airport to the studio, but shead never been to the studio before and shead never seen Garrett in the studio. This would be a new experience and it was one that she couldnat wait to have.

Chapter Seven.

aTheyare in the second room on the right,a Stacey told Hannah as they pulled to a stop in front of the recording studio that Black Friday used.

aYou arenat coming in?a Stacey grinned. aAlready been there tonight and got kicked out by big brother.a Hannah laughed loudly. That meant Stacey and Brad had been a little too close for Garrettas comfort. He was doing better with the two of them being together, as long as it wasnat thrown in his face. Every once in a while, he had to put a stop to it.

an.o.body should be at the front desk, but if they are, show them this,a Stacey shoved a laminated card in her hand that at first looked like a backstage pa.s.s.

Hannah turned it over in her hand, examining it. It had her picture on it, her name, and at the bottom aGarrettas wifea.

aEverybody who comes to the studio out here has one. They have to keep it on lockdown, because fans like to sneak in and their favorite line is that theyare family. The band had these made last time they were in the studio. I snuck and had you one made today,a she explained.

There was something about seeing her name. The card said Hannah Thompsona"not Harmony Stewart, not Hannah Stewart. It said Hannah Thompson. She knew she was wearing a stupid grin on her face, but the fact of the matter was, she hadnat had time to change her last name and, in all honesty, hadnat really thought about it. Seeing it in print like that solidified what her plans were. She had to find a happy medium between Harmony, the singer, and Hannah, the wife. If that meant being less Harmony, then so be it. aThank you so much, for everything, you two!a aNot a problem.a Kevin yawned from behind the wheel. aGarrettas been a big grouch lately, and I know itas because of the way the two of you have been seeing each other. Go enjoy your week with him. Maybe he can take a day or two off himself.a She hugged both of them as best she could before grabbing her purse and carry-on bag. When she got to the front door, she noticed there was a scanner and no other way to get in. Taking the badge that Stacey had given her, she swiped it, almost squealing when it let her in. She was so close to seeing Garrett she could taste it. Entering the building was eerie at this time of nighta"she glanced at her watcha"or early morning, as the case may be. She walked down the hall to the room that Stacey had told her they would be in and noticed that it said Black Friday on the outside of the door. The dilemma was if she should knock or not, but that was settled for her when the door opened and she came face to face with Jared.

aWell, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.a He grinned at her, scooping her up in a hug.

Over the past few months, the two of them had developed a friends.h.i.+p that bordered on brother and sister. She was equally excited to see him, squealing when he swung her around her in a circle.

aWho are you molesting? Is that Sh.e.l.l?a Hannah bit back the laugh. If Garrett only knew. But she and Jared were hidden by the partially open door.

aShould we mess with him a bit?a he asked, an evil twinkle in his eye.

aNo, I canat wait to see him!a She moved back to allow Jared to come out of the room. He had obviously been on a mission to go somewhere when she had appeared.

aI think you should come see,a Jared called over his shoulder before walking across the hall to the restroom.

aWho the f.u.c.kaa Garrettas words were cut off when he saw who stood in front of him.

They stared at each other for what seemed like a year, until the side of his mouth kicked up, giving her that half-grin that made every part of her body stand at attention. He didnat take his green eyes off her as he turned his head slightly. aIall be right back.a He quickly slammed the door and then grabbed her hand, leading her down another hallway, this one darker than the one they had stood in before. No words were spoken between them as he stopped and pushed her up against the wall. One hand boxed her in, along with his body, while the other cupped the back of her neck.

Hannahas heart pounded in her chest, and she could hear the breath coming from her mouth. It sounded like she had just run a marathon. He adjusted his stance so that he was more on eye level with her. It unnerved her because he still hadnat said anything. Her hands went to his sides, gripping his s.h.i.+rt, unsure of what to do.

aI missed you,a he whispered, a moment before his lips captured hers.

This was one of the things that she loved about him. Sometimes with them it was a slow burn, a casual build up. Other times it was a 100 mph rush to the finish line. This was one of those times. His lips owned her, manipulating her mouth into doing exactly what he wanted her to. The hand at the back of her neck applied gentle pressure, s.h.i.+fting her whichever way he wanted her to go, and she followed him, never hesitating. When her tongue snaked out, touching his, he let his body fall against hers, pressing her even harder against the wall, his breath coming as fast as hers. She could feel the pounding of his heart against her chest.

af.u.c.k, Han, I missed you,a he growled out again as he ripped his lips from hers.

She could do nothing more than nod as she wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting her chin up to make room when he moved his mouth along the column of her throat. Her knees were getting weak from the feelings coursing through her body, and she wasnat sure that she could remain standing for much longer.

As with everything else, he was right there with her. aI got you,a he rasped against her shoulder. Head somehow pulled her T-s.h.i.+rt down, exposing a part of her shoulder and chest to him. His large hands sat at her hips. Bending his knees, he lifted, wrapping her legs around his waist, using the wall for leverage. aI got you, always got youa he said again, going back to the skin he had exposed.

Her mind was swirling from the feelings he evoked in her. She dug her fingers into his hair, tugging tightly, not wanting him to let her go, not wanting him to move his lips from her body. But she wanted a turn too. Maneuvering so that she could get to him, she allowed herself to play. Under the cover of the dark hallway, with people not too far away, she sucked his earlobe into her mouth, feeling the coolness of the earring he wore there. She felt his fingers grip her harder, grinding himself against her.

She wasnat sure how long they stood there, making out like a couple of high school kids, but eventually Garrett pulled away, burying his head in her neck. His breath tickled against the skin there, but she panted just as hard as he did.

aI canat.a He shook his head. aIf we keep going, Iall have to go home and change my pants,a he said darkly, next to her ear.

Hannah couldnat hold back the giggle that erupted, and she was glad for the darkness of the hallwaya"it hid her blush. It was fun to play with him. She bit her lip, thrusting herself against him.

as.h.i.+t, woman.a His head dropped against her shoulder and his fingers tightened at her hips. aIam trying to get myself under control here.a aMaybe I like you out of control,a she whispered, speaking for the first time.

He laughed, using his teeth to nip at the skin he had exposed earlier. aYou just like to tease me.a aI do, but I also like the follow-through.a She lifted his chin so that she could see his face. aThereas that face I missed.a He breathed deeply before adjusting his stance again and slowly lowering her down so that her feet touched the floor. aWhat are you doing here? I didnat even know you were coming.a She continued to hold his hand as they talked, not wanting to lose that connection with him. For some reason she wanted to touch him, didnat want to break it. aI got done recording, and the other things I have planned, I can do here.a She shrugged. aIam here for a little over a week, as long as you want me.a aI think Iave proven that I want you forever, babe.a He reached down, moving her hair back from her face. aWe still have another hour here. You wanna come in or do you want to take my car home?a aCome in.a She gripped his hand tightly in excitement. aIave never seen you in the studio before. Itas a new experience for me.a He loved that she got so excited over the little things. It helped keep him grounded in the world that sometimes got to be way too serious. He appreciated it, and it always reminded him that he had made the best decision of his life when he got her to marry him. A thought occurred to him out of nowhere. aIs Sh.e.l.l with you, or is she coming tomorrow?a aI donat know what Sh.e.l.las doing. I think sheas staying home.a The way she said the words caused him to closely study her face. aEverything okay with her?a aYes and no. Sheas having a hard time not being my only best friend anymore. She and I are having some growing pains, but weall get through it. I told her she needs to figure out where she wants to be in my life.a Garrett could understand that. As he had gotten older, many of his friends.h.i.+ps had changed and evolved. It just happened. aAre you okay with that?a aI am.a She nodded. There was no reason for her to go into the real reason theyad had an argument. She was sick to death of dealing with the duet that was never going to be.

aIf youare good, then Iam good. Camon, letas go finish this real quick. That way we can get home.a She loved every time that he called it home. Wherever he was, it was home for her, and she hoped it was the same way for him.

They walked down the hallway, and he pushed open the door that she had attempted to go in a few minutes before. aLook whoas here.a Hannah was greeted by all of them enthusiastically. It made her happy that they made the effort to do that because she knew that Garrett being married was a new thing for all of them too. aThanks,a she told them, accepting a hug from Brad.

aYouare in luck,a the sound engineer told her. aGarrettas about to go lay down some tracks. Youall get to hear him f.u.c.k up a million times.a Everyone in the room laughed, calling out insults to their front man while he held up two middle fingers.