His Secret Obsession by Nichole Rose
Chapter Eight
Gwen
"Are you nervous?"
"No. Yes." I huff out a breath and tug at the hem of my dress again, worried for the millionth time this morning that it's not long enough. I'm nervous as hell and somehow walking on cloud nine at the same time. Yesterday with Cyrus was everything I ever wanted and more.
We talked for hours, purging ourselves of all the secrets we should have shared long ago. He made love to me over and over, only to wake and do it all over again as soon as we regained the energy. I watched him like a creeper for a while, afraid he'd have nightmares, but he slept peacefully, only waking when he couldn't stand being separated from me a minute longer.
My whole body is sore this morning, but it was worth it. I feel closer to him than I ever have. Two years ago, I had hope. But today, for the first time since I met him, I finally feel like we're right where we were always supposed to be. We're good. No, we're better than that. We're together. His ring on my finger, his seed in my body, his marks in my skin together.
He chose the perfect ring for me. It's a salt and pepper kite diamond on a gold band. It's so beautiful. I cried when he admitted that he's been carrying it around since he got back from Iraq.
It breaks my heart that he didn't feel like he deserved me because of what he did over there. Had I known that's why he pushed me away, the last year would have gone so differently. I would have camped out on his front steps until he let me in. But I was so afraid he changed his mind about me. I let that fear rule me while he fought alone.
I'll regret that for the rest of my life, but we can't go back and undo it. All we can do is move forward. And he will never again think he doesn't deserve me or isn't good enough for me. Every day for the rest of his life, I'll be here to remind him that he's never been anything less than perfect for me.
I don't know what today is going to bring. But I know we'll be together at the end of it, and that's enough for me. It's more than that. This crazy, amazing man actually demanded an audience with Cami Reynolds and convinced her to give me a chance. Even if she and Riley tell me that I don't have a chance in hell of making it in Nashville, I'll cherish this experience because he made it happen. Because that's how much he believes in my dreams.
I think we both understand each other so much better now than we did just a few days ago. I've never really told anyone about my mom before. Jessa knows a little, but not a lot. Not everything. For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with me that made her want to leave me so often. Cyrus is the only one I've ever spoken that fear aloud to. He silenced it with a kiss that filled me with light.
Being vulnerable is new to both of us, but I feel like we're finally on the right track.
"What are you going to sing?" he asks, reaching over to wrap his hand around mine as we take the turn onto Music Row.
I'm less nervous about singing than I am about meeting Cami. Go figure.
"You'll see," I say. I'm singing the song I intended to sing six years ago for Country Roots, Alison Krause's When You Say Nothing at All. I didn't get to sing it then, and maybe that's a good thing, because I didn't truly understand the song then. I do now though. The man beside me has been teaching me what the lyrics really mean for the last six years.
"You're not going to tell me?" Cyrus cocks a brow at me.
"Nope." I smile over at him. "You'll just have to stay if you want to know."
"You think I'd leave?" he asks, turning to look at me with furrowed brows.
"I'm kind of hoping you plan to stay for the audition," I say.
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," he promises, reaching out to touch the side of my face. "Bentley Reynolds will just have to deal with my presence."
"Bentley?"
"He doesn't like me much."
"What did you do?" I groan, though I'm not really surprised that their meeting did not go well. Cyrus doesn't play nice with most people, and if the rumors are to be believed, neither does Bentley. People say he was an asshole before he met Cami, but that she tamed him.
"Interrupted him trying to get his wife pregnant," Cyrus says and then shrugs. "He'll get over it."
"You did not!"
"Baby, it was three in the morning. There's only one reason a man is that pissed that early in the morning," he says, flipping on his blinker as Riley Jamison's building comes into view. "They were fucking, and I interrupted."
"Cyrus!"
"It's true," he mutters, pulling up to parallel park outside of the building.
Even though it's Sunday, Music Row is busy as tourists explore the famous area, but the Saunders' building is dark. My stomach turns flips as I stare up at it. Some of the biggest names in country music found their start inside this building, but it's unassuming, tucked between a museum and an old-fashioned record store.
Once Cyrus parks, he grabs his phone and fires off a text.
"You have her phone number?" I squeak. If my eyes get any bigger, they're going to fall out of my head. The man I love has my idol's phone number saved in his phone like it's no big deal.
"Nah. Bentley's an overprotective SOB. He gave me his number instead of hers."
"I'm so mad I missed all of this," I whisper, pouting. While I was crying with a pillow over my head, he was meeting Cami and Bentley Reynolds and exchanging phone numbers with them. "Have I ever told you that you're my hero?"
"No, but I like hearing that sentence from you, angel," he says.
"You are," I say, my heart melting at the look on his face. I forget all about Bentley and Cami and reach for his hand. "And not just because you convinced my idol to give me a shot, but because of who you are. You're an amazing man, Cyrus. One of the best I've ever met."
"You keep talking, you're going to be late to your audition," he growls, his eyes dark and stormy. "And you'll be warming up by screaming my name."
"I'm serious," I say. "You're a good man, Cyrus. You love your family and your country, and you try like hell not to cuss in front of your mama even though you usually fail. You look out for your sister and for me, and you never complain. You're a good–"
He cuts me off by slashing his mouth down on mine. His kiss is hard and deep. It leaves me floating about ten feet off the ground and a little giddy, like I had a giant shot of adrenaline and endorphins. It only ends when his phone chimes and I jump about a foot into the air.
"Come on," he says, barely even glancing at it before he hops out and circles around to let me out. I tug on the hem of my dress again. Next time he tells me to bring a pretty dress, I'm bringing all of them. At least then I'll be prepared. Because this one is a butterfly sleeved, draped front dress that ends too far above midthigh to be entirely decent. I chose it to drive him crazy, not for an audition. Even paired with cowboy boots and a hat, it's still a little too much.
But there's nothing I can do about that now and I liked the way Cyrus grumbled and growled this morning when he first saw me in it. So I take a deep breath and let him help me out of the truck. We left Ruby at his house. She was on the couch, curled up beneath a throw blanket when we left. Actually, I'm pretty sure she's been in the exact same spot since we got there yesterday. He put her food and water bowls up there with her.
As we're walking toward the building, the double doors fly open. I've never met the petite brunette who comes rushing out or even seen her in person before, but she's as recognizable as the gorgeous giant following hot on her heels. Riley Jamison, and her husband, Cash.
Riley is crazy beautiful and she's a genius when it comes to dressing herself. She wears the most incredible vintage dresses and hairstyles. In every picture I've ever seen of her, she looks exactly like a pin-up girl who stepped into the future. She's petite and curvy, with the perfect hourglass shape and big gray eyes. She's one of the most dedicated music managers in Nashville. She's also in her twenties and raising kids. There is nothing she can't do. People call her the heart of country music for a reason. She knows the business better than anyone, and once she decides to sign you, there is nothing she won't do for you.
"Gwen London?" she asks, stopping in front of me with her hand extended. "I'm Riley Jamison."
"Hi, Ms. Jamison," I say, shaking her hand and smiling even though my heart is beating a thousand miles a minute and I feel like I'm going to throw up. "It's so nice to meet you."
"Please call me Riley," she says, scrunching up her nose. "Ms. Jamison makes me feel old, and there can only be one old person in my marriage."
"Riley," Cash growls, stopping behind her. He's tall and broad like Cyrus, with dark hair tinged with silver and dark eyes. He's wickedly handsome.
"What? It's true," she says, biting her lip to hide a teasing smile. Like Cami and Bentley, Riley and Cash are famous for being adorably in love. He's a legitimate billionaire, and he moved his entire company into her building just so he could be close to her. They met and were married in a matter of weeks seven years ago and have been madly in love ever since. "This is my husband, Cash. You can ignore him. He's always grumpy."
Cash gives a long-suffering sigh, but I can tell by the smile he tries to hide that he's probably only grumpy because he has to share her with the world.
"This is Cyrus Jordan," I say, introducing him. "He's always grumpy too."
Riley gives him a once over and then smiles. "I'm guessing the ring on your finger is the reason he doesn't seem very grumpy right now."
"Yes, ma'am," he says and then coughs like he's embarrassed even though he's grinning ear to ear. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am. Thank you for making yourself available today. I promise you won't regret it."
"I already don't regret it," she says, waving her hand in a dismissive motion. "You have an amazing voice." She gives me a bright, happy smile. "You're beautiful too. I've been stalking you on YouTube since Cami called me, and I love your style."
Dying on the inside and trying not to show it is impossible. I clutch Cyrus's hand in mine so tightly he grunts. I try to loosen my grip but can't seem to make my fingers cooperate. I haven't been this nervous in six years.
"Riley, you're freaking her out," Cami Reynold says, strolling up to us with Bentley in tow. I didn't even see them coming!
Bentley smiles and dips his head in a silent hello when he looks at me but then his gaze lands on Cyrus and he grunts. Cyrus makes the same sound in return, and I almost laugh. Except I can't because I'm freaking out. Cami is even more beautiful in person than she is in photos and music videos. She also looks as nervous as I do.
She's incredibly shy and so sweet. Bentley is incredibly protective of her because of it. He doesn't like to let many people close to her, especially ones he doesn't know. He's completely unapologetic about it too. He idolizes his wife and doesn't care what anyone thinks.
"I'm Cami," she says, holding out her hand to me. "It's really nice to meet you, Gwen."
"You too," I whisper, trying not to squeal like a fangirl. That's probably not particularly professional. "Um, I just wanted to say thank you for this opportunity, and for giving me hope that I could make it in this industry."
"I give you hope?" she says, her eyes wide.
"There aren't many girls who look like me in country music," I explain. "At least there weren't until you stepped on the stage. You gave seventeen-year-old me hope that all the producers who took one look at me and decided I was too fat and too unconventional weren't the gatekeepers anymore." I bite my lip. "Maybe I shouldn't be admitting that I've met with producers before, and they turned me down."
"Assholes," Riley swears.
Cami bobs her head in a nod of agreement. Even Bentley and Cash scowl right alongside Cyrus.
"I don't care what they have to say," Bentley says, looking at me. "You're fucking talented, sweetheart. You're beautiful too."
Cyrus tenses at my side, a soft growl emanating from him.
Bentley hears it, but instead of getting mad, he grins. "Yeah, now you get it," he says and then chuckles quietly when Cyrus nods. "Possessive asshole."
Cyrus just shrugs, but Cami huffs Bentley's name and swats him on the chest.
He grabs her hand and pulls it to his lips to kiss her fingers.
"Maybe we should take this inside," Cash suggests as a group of tourists stop on the other side of the street and start pointing at Cami and Bentley.
Within seconds, the group have their phones out, furiously snapping pictures and waving.
Cami waves back, and then kicks Bentley's boot with her foot, prompting him to wave too. I think he was too busy watching her to even realize they were there.
"Come on," Riley says after a moment, ushering us toward the building.
I gape all around me at the lobby. It's impressive. The glass windows shoot all the way up the front of the building to the roof. The massive staircase behind the receptionist's desk is the focal point of the room. The stairs are some sort of marble with ornate railing. Standing here with Cyrus at my side and Cami and Bentley Reynolds two steps ahead of me is surreal.
"My offices are on the fourth floor," Riley explains, marching us toward the elevator. "I think it's silly for executives to be on the top floor. No one wants to walk up all those stairs or wait fourteen years for the elevator. I know I don't."
"That's because you wear heels everywhere," Cami says and then looks at the staircase and scrunches up her nose. "Never mind. I take it back. I don't want to walk up eight flights of stairs either and I never wear tall heels."
"Maybe if Jason Momoa was waiting at the top," I mumble.
Cami and Riley both laugh, which makes Cyrus, Cash, and Bentley glare at all three of us.
"Great," Bentley mutters. "Now I have to kick Aquaman's ass."
"I'll help," Cash says.
"You'll pay for that later," Cyrus growls in my ear, discreetly palming my ass.
I bite my lip to hide a moan when I see the look in his eyes. It's completely wicked, promising retribution that ends with him inside me, and me forgetting Jason Momoa even exists. Though, let's be honest, that'll never happen. Judging by the way Riley and Cami look at me with humor dancing in their eyes, they agree.
The elevator is as wide as the staircase, with more than enough room for the six of us even though three of us are curvy and the other three might as well be auditioning to play bodyguards. They're all more than capable of filling that role based on size alone.
"I met your grandma a few times," Riley says, pulling my attention back to her.
"Really?"
She nods as the elevator jolts into motion. "My dad was a big fan. He loved when she would sing the blues. He said there wasn't a woman alive who sang them better," she says with a quiet laugh. "I think I was eleven or twelve the last time I saw her. She passed right around the time my dad did. They're probably up there together right now, having a ball. Heaven gained a legend when she earned her wings."
"Thank you," I whisper, choking up. Knowing she knew my grandma makes me feel a little like she's right here with us. It's been a long time since I met someone new who also knew her. The fact that Riley does feels a little like divine provenance. I may have taken a detour along the way, but I landed right where I was supposed to land all along.
If my grandma is here with us, I hope she knows how much I miss her.
I hope she knows that I'm finally okay.
Cyrus tugs me closer to him, pressing his lips to my temple. His touch steadies me, allowing me to draw a deep breath and blink the tears away. I draw on his strength and his love, letting them fill me. By the time the elevator shudders to a stop on the fourth floor, my nerves are gone and I'm ready to sing like I never have before.
"I love you," he whispers in my ear.
"Since day one," I whisper back.
