Willow, Stone, and Judge are on their way into the office to talk about this Beau thing. I've pulled up every little indiscretion of his in the last year. He's always been a bit of a wild child, but things got progressively worse when his girlfriend was killed in a car wreck a few months ago. Not that it makes it okay, but it explains a lot. I didn't go into a ton of detail on the phone with Judge earlier, just a quick rundown. I'm grateful that they're all in town right now. This would have been a pain in the ass to put together so quickly had they not been. Judge has been spending more and more time in Toronto with Stone and Wills. Lawson and Arrow too. In fact, that's where those two are right now scouting a new band. I'm the only one who hasn't caved yet. I'm a Southern girl through and through. I'd shrivel up and die if I had to brave snow and the cold. No thank you. I'll just hold down the fort here. They like it because it's low key. People and the paparazzi don't dog them there like they do here. It's refreshing for them. I don't have that problem so I'm perfectly fine right here in good ol' Austin.

Nelle comes into the conference room carrying a tray of sweets, Stone right behind her reaching over her shoulder trying to snag a little cake. Nelle giggles like a preteen and let's him take what he wants, blushing beet red when he busses her cheek with a noisy kiss. Willow and Judge laugh and shake their heads at him, Willow breaking off to give me a hug.

“Hey you,” she greets, giving me a good squeeze.

“Hey yourself. Why do you smell like a picnic?” I ask confused, giving Judge a quick hug and then Stone. “You too. The both of you smell like watermelon and sweat.” I crinkle my nose. Judge groans and Stone winks at a sheepishly grinning Willow.

“Think about what you just said, Addy,” Judge says taking his seat. Then it hits me. Stone has a thing for watermelon lollipops. I don't even want to know what they've been doing with them or each other.

“Ewww. You two need a hobby.”

“Fucking is a hobby as long as you're doing it right.” Stone laughs at my disgusted look.

“Just sit down, pervert.” I can't help but laugh along. He's ridiculous. I don't know how Willow puts up with him. She does though, and it's so great to see them and their daughter so happy together after being unhappy and apart for so long.

Once they all sit down and Nelle leaves to man the phones, I pass out the printouts I did with Beaus numbers, charts, album sales, concert tickets, and all the other stuff that makes him good on paper. Then I pass out the rag mag articles. Exposé seems to really love him.

“So that's Beau McCrae on paper. He's killing the charts, album sales and downloads are through the roof, every show is a sellout. The guy’s on fire.” They nod in agreement as they scan the pages before them.

“So what's the problem? How does a guy on top get let go from his label?” Judge asks pointedly.

I glance over at Stone before saying anything. He's watching me, waiting. As a recovering addict and a man who doesn't drink anything stronger than sweet tea anymore, I don't want to upset him. It wasn't too long ago that he lost everything because of his addiction. I see a lot of Stone in Beau in a way. Both stupidly talented, hot headed, stubborn, and neither of them know when enough is enough. Knowing that I have to be completely honest with them, I shake off my trepidation.

“He's been drinking too much. Partying too hard. Sleeping with the wrong women. He's been on a downward spiral since his high school sweetheart died, but even before that, he was a little bit of a loose cannon.”

“Wow, that's gotta be tough.” Willow murmurs sincerely.

“Is he doing drugs?” Stone cuts to the chase. “Because I gotta tell ya, if anything were to happen to Wills, I'd lose my fucking shit too. Downward spiral would be an understatement, so if this guy’s just drinking a little more than normal, I'd say he's doing all right.”

Judge doesn't look convinced.

“No drugs that I'm aware of. He really doesn't seem the type though. No offense, Stone,” I rush. Continuing when he shakes his head at me like I'm silly, “I only meant that he's a good ol' boy. Comes from a family of ranchers, small town football star turned country music's next big thing. I honestly don't think he's abusing anything more than whiskey and beer.” I take a sip of water. “However he did show up drunk as hell to the last award show. I watched the YouTube video of it. It wasn't pretty. I'm guessing that was what pushed the label over the edge, and then the other night the paps caught some waitress sneaking out of his trailer in the middle of the night who was more than happy to offer up naked pictures of him and whatnot. The label publically canned him as soon as that story hit Exposé and TMZ. Beau and Jimmy Don had already been told he was being released they just hadn’t gone public with it yet. I think they were waiting for the right moment to make it more his fault and he gave them the perfect opportunity.”

Willow speaks up. “So he's obviously gonna need a keeper. But is he worth it? I don't listen to a whole lot of country, but I have heard and loved his whole unplugged vibe, and obviously the charts don’t lie. Have you heard his new stuff yet?”

I nod enthusiastically. “Yes! Jimmy Don gave me the demo for the next album that we would be releasing under our name since Glenn Co. Records is dissolving their contract completely. I’m not sure how that even works honestly, but I sent it over to Bear in Toronto. I’m just waiting for him to clear the legal side of things and get back to me.” I shift and pull my laptop in front of me. “Here’s the new album, there’s nine tracks here, Jimmy Don said they’re aiming for thirteen but the label was really involved and kept shooting them down so Beau may even have the songs already.” Pulling up the music on my laptop, I hit shuffle. “Jimmy Don said that they were helicoptering and it was driving Beau nuts. He felt like they were trying to make him fit into some box. Beau’s said basically the same thing.” I shrug and stop talking so they can listen to the music. Judge hasn’t said much of anything, but that doesn’t surprise me. He’s the quiet one. The thinker. He’s probably running numbers in his head right now, going over the pros and cons of taking on someone like Beau. He could be amazing for our label. He might also be a nightmare and give us a shitty name out of the gate. But in the year that we’ve branched out, we’ve signed some big, already established artists, and everyone else we’ve added to the family is going to be household names before long. Stone and Willow along with the rest of our talent-focused crew have an incredible ear and are able to find the most amazing talent in the least likely of places. Judge and I are here to hold up the business end of the label which suits us just fine. I look over at Willow and Stone—they both have their eyes closed while they listen. I don’t pretend to know what they feel when they hear music. I hear the catchy tune or the powerful words. They feel it all on a level I’m not capable of. It’s a gift.

“This one. This is the one we need to release as the first single,” Willow cuts in. Stone nods his head in agreement. I do a little happy dance in my chair because it’s the same one I had suggested. I don’t dare tell them that he shot me down. I noticed a shift in his attitude as soon as I mentioned it.

“All of these are originals. He said there’s only one on the album that his brother worked on with him.”

“I can tell,” Stone says leaning back in his chair. I turn down the music and look over at Judge who looks over at Stone. I almost feel as if we’re all looking at him to say that we should do this. Like because of his checkered past, he should be the one to give us the go ahead on Beau. I’m not even sure why, just that I think it should be his call, and Judge obviously feels the same way. “I want to meet him before I make a decision. From where I sit right now, I say we would be stupid not to sign him. But I need to sit down with him before I can commit.” We all nod.

“Fair enough. I’ll call Jimmy Don and see when I can get them here. When do you guys go back to Toronto?”

Stone looks over at Willow who shrugs.

“We’re not on any schedule. School is out for the summer, so we have some time.”

“Okay good. I’ll get him in here as soon as I can.”

Judge stands, collecting all the files I prepared for them. “I’m going to head out, I have a few things to take care of and I want to call Bear and see what he thinks about the legal side.” His phone chirps from his pocket, “Speak of the devil, this is him now. I’ll talk to you all in a bit.” He strides from the room, phone already to his ear.

“So Addy, you’ve met him, what do you think?” Willow asks, thoughtfully twirling a long strand of hair around her finger.

“I didn’t spend a ton of time with him, but he seems like a decent guy. Cocky and a little bit of a jackass, but Jimmy Don believes in him and for that I can overlook his jackassness.” We laugh at that, Beau’s music still playing quietly in the background, his voice coasting over me as if he’s right in the room.

“But aside from that, you think he’s all right? A good fit for us?” Stone questions, as he pulls yet another lollipop from his pocket.

“I honestly do. I wouldn’t have even brought him to y’all if I didn’t think that we could really make this work for him … and us. He may not admit it because he’s just as stubborn as your ass,” I point an accusing finger at Stone, “but this whole thing is weighing heavily on him. On Jimmy Don too. I’ve never seen him so frazzled in all my life. Good Lord, Beau’s about to give that man an ulcer.”

“That’s what worries me. Jimmy Don clearly can’t handle him, so who do we have that can? I mean, honestly? He can be the bad boy of country music all he wants, but he can’t be showing up to concerts and award shows messed up no matter how awesome he is. The fans will only put up with that for so long.” Willow isn’t wrong.

“Aww, Birdie. Cut him some slack. He just lost his woman. It wasn’t a breakup. She died. That’s not something he can just bounce back from. Let’s meet him before we decide he needs a babysitter, okay?” Stone’s voice is full of compassion and understanding. He knows better than most what it’s like to hit rock bottom and lose it all. He’s been there, done that, and is still standing. For that reason alone I think we’re a good fit for Beau.

“You’re right, Stone. I’m going to wait ’til I meet him to make my decision. I’ll know if he’s trouble or not. I can spot trouble from a mile away,” Willow teases.

“That’s because trouble has a big dick and a stash of watermelon lollies.”

“Oh Lord have mercy. Get out of my office with all that mess. I need to make some calls and do some actual work.” I shoo them out, laughing when Stone tosses Willow over his shoulder. One day I’ll find a love like theirs. One that makes all the bad days worth it; all the highs better than any low. Those two radiate that love. I thought I had found it once before but I was wrong. I won’t be making that mistake again. I’m not a foolish young girl with hearts in her eyes over the captain of the football team anymore. I’ve grown since then and I’ll continue to grow. Like my mama always says, my man’s out there, he just hasn’t earned me yet.