Well, he certainly wasn’t the most tactful. That much could be said. Then again, Rachel could appreciate someone who got straight to the point. She had been raised to face problems head on – like when her father passed away, leaving the family destitute. Her mother sat all the children down and explained that there was too much debt for them to continue on as they were.

Rachel studied Eddie for a moment and then decided she might as well lay it all out since they were going to be working together.

“I had just turned fourteen when my father died,” she began.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thank you,” Rachel said and continued. “I had an older brother and two younger ones, too.”

“So you were the only girl?”

Rachel cocked her head.

“I don’t mean to keep interrupting. It’s just that you started a little different than what I was expecting.”

“You mean I was supposed to tell you about how I was born this way? Something like that?”

He shrugged, slightly embarrassed. “Please go on.”

She nodded. “Like I was saying, I had an older brother and two younger ones. So I had always been something of a tomboy. When my father passed and my mother learned just how much debt he had, she said there was no way she could keep on the hired hands.”

“Hired hands?”

“We own a small farm not too far from here,” she explained. “It’s got a big sign out front that reads, ‘Linden’s Land.’”

“Hey, I’ve seen that sign.” Eddie’s eyes lit up, his excitement to have seen the place mildly amusing her. “I remember it because I used to dream about living somewhere like that when I was a kid. Anyway. We were on the tour bus, driving through Mill Springs. It was a pretty little place – a small white house with big green pastures surrounding it; flowers all out front and a couple of horses off to the side.”

“Yep. That’s it,” Rachel confirmed. “That’s my home. And it is a pretty little place, too. It it wasn’t always that way, though. After my mother said we couldn’t afford employees anymore, I figured she would sell the farm. She said it just wasn’t in her, though, and that it would’ve broke my father’s heart to know our birthright had been sold off. You see, according to my mother, there are only three things of any real value in this world. Faith, family, and farms.’”

“So what did she do?” Eddie asked.

“The only thing she could. She pulled us all out of school to help out on the farm. Of course, that doesn’t mean we forsake our studies or anything. We just did them at home instead.”

He chuckled. “Eh, I don’t know if I could sit in the same house I did chores in all day.”

“We didn’t just sit there,” she explained, enjoying the opportunity to share sweet memories of her childhood. “We’d get up real early in the morning to do our chores – collecting eggs, milking the cows, feeding the animals. Then we’d all hustle into the house for a hearty breakfast. On winter days, she’d use the oven to warm up the house. We’d eat fried ham and eggs, buttermilk biscuits and hot sawmill gravy. To keep us warm on the inside. It’s what my folks like to call ‘living countrified.’”

“Sounds real nice… cozy.” He smiled. “What did you all do the rest of the time? You know, like for a school break or something.”

“My studies didn’t really take much of a break. Although on summer days, we mostly ate hot cereals topped with fruit and honey – the kind of food that could be made quickly so the stove wasn’t on too long and the house wouldn’t overheat. Then we would do three hours of homeschooling before heading back outside to work or run down to the River Bend Creek to go swimming.”

“Interesting to hear ‘river’ and ‘creek’ in the same name like that.” He laughed. “It’s almost like someone couldn’t decide which it should be.”

She understood his mirth and agreed. “It was kind of like that, too. One end of River Bend is small and thin – great for small children looking to wade in for a while. But the further down it goes? Well, it gets wide and wild once it’s past the bend. Of course, no one goes swimming down that way. It’s mostly for the likes of kayaks and rafts.”

“So… no indoor heating and you homeschooled?” He asked, as if taking inventory. Then he shook his head. “I couldn’t imagine doing something like that.”

“Why not?” She asked, waiting for him to exchange a story of his own. It would be nice to get to know the real Eddie Rivera, and not just the one that shined on stage. Especially if they were going to be collaborating together. Eddie’s lips drew into a thin line, though. He shifted uneasily.

“Let’s just say I didn’t have the kind of home life that encouraged that kind of studying.”

She considered his words for a moment. Determined to learn more about him, she pressed on. “Then what kind of home life would you say it was?”

“The one that prepared me to grow up fast,” he snapped. His brows drew together, a look of irritation suddenly replacing the easy-going one he had moments earlier.

“Oh! Okay,” she quickly said, nodding as if she knew what he meant even though she really didn’t at all. She certainly didn’t want him thinking she was pushy or prying. It was important they form a good relationship.

For work purposes, she silently added. She would have questioned her need to make such a distinction for herself, but couldn’t ignore his brooding. Suddenly sullen and staring away, off into space, he looked hopelessly lost.

Searching for a lifeline, she glanced over to his manager. However, Jimmy seemed completely engrossed with whatever was on his cellphone. She was obviously going to have to navigate these waters on her own. She turned back to Eddie. Hoping to smooth over any misunderstanding, she said the first thing that came to mind – the beginning of the answer to his first question. “Well, I had a fast life, too. From cooking to cleaning, outside chores and studies, there was always something to do around the farm. I guess that’s part of the reason I joined the army.”

“You were in the military?” Disbelief laced his words. She grew indignant.

“Does that sound so difficult to believe?”

Eddie hesitated. “No. I mean, it’s just… Well, I’ve known of women serving in the forces. You don’t seem like the sort, though.”

Rachel frowned. Who was this man to question whether or not she was army tough? She had gone through the training like every other good soldier – fought right alongside them and…

She sighed. Well, kind of fought right alongside them.

Eddie quickly continued, “I didn’t mean for that to sound like you couldn’t or shouldn’t be in the army.”

“No. I understand,” she said. “And you’re right. I wasn’t really army material. I thought it would be the best way to get an education, though. You see, I didn’t like being at home. In fact, I hated the place. I looked at it like us owning a farm destroyed all our dreams. See, before my father passed, I had singing lessons. I even learned to play the piano some, and for the longest time, that’s what I thought I’d do one day – be a musician. More specifically, I thought I’d be a singer. But all that changed after daddy was gone. There was no more money for stuff like music. I couldn’t even get a part-time job somewhere to save up for it on my own, because I was busy with chores. Then mama said there wasn’t any money to send us off to college, either. That’s when my brother, Billy, got it in his mind to join the army. We were out in the stables, brushing the horses, when he told me about how they would pay for a college education. So he was joining and going to get him one. It sounded like a good idea. So when I turned eighteen the following year, I did the same. Only thing is that neither of us got the education we thought we would. I came back with hearing loss… and Billy didn’t come back at all.”

The silence between them grew long and heavy. Finally rejoining the conversation, Ol’ Jimmy cleared his throat, reminding them that he was still there.

“I think I’m going to go get that drink now,” he said and left the room.

Eddie let out a low whistle. “Wow. That’s some really heavy stuff. I’m sorry about your brother. Your father, too. I know what it’s like to lose both.”

“Really?” Rachel asked, surprised. “I guess I kind of assumed that you must have always had such a glamorous life.”

Eddie chuckled. “My life isn’t all that glamorous… yet. And, no, I didn’t have such a wonderful childhood.”

“What was it like?” she insisted.

“Difficult,” he said. He remained hesitant to talk about himself, telling her just enough to raise even more questions. “My parents were the absentee sorts. That doesn’t go over so well with social services.”

He fell silent and the seconds stretched out before them. Was he trying to figure out how to share his story, or still stalling so he could avoid it?

“And then what happened?” she prodded.

Eddie inhaled deeply. He turned to her, their eyes locking. The turmoil held in his made the black-rimmed orbs appear even darker… made her feel like she would drown in a stormy sea of churned up dark chocolate sand. They were close – much closer than she had originally intended – and she could hear his slow, steady breath in the quiet space between them. She leaned forward to lay a hand of encouragement on his arm. However, the dressing room door swung open and she quickly dropped it.

“Okay,” Jimmy said. He held out two beverages, handing the first to Eddie and then her. “I figured I’d get you a Shirley Temple since you can’t drink the hard stuff like Eddie here.”

Rachel gratefully accepted the grenadine sweetened soda, plucked the cherry out of it and popped it into her mouth. “Thank you,” she said. “I never said I couldn’t drink, though. I said I didn’t.”

“Why is that?” Eddie asked. “Some kind of army thing?”

“No,” she laughed and took a sip from her glass. “I had plenty of comrades who liked to party. However, I’ve also known less fortunate ones who drank, too. My younger brother was friends with a girl who died from alcohol poisoning not too long ago. Some kids got together down by the lake I guess you could say it served as a real wake up call for the entire town.”

“You must have a really close-knit community then. We have a kind of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ kind of policy where I’m from.”

“And why is th—”

“Speaking of where people come from,” Jimmy interrupted, “isn’t it about time we let this gal get home?”

A look passed between the two men and Rachel had the sudden feeling that Jimmy was trying to get rid of her. But then he turned to her and flashed a brilliant smile. “Don’t worry. The interview might be over, but this is just the beginning for you, my dear.”

A spark of anticipation flashed inside her. “It is?”

“Sure enough, kid. Ol’ Jimmy here knows what the goods are – and you’ve definitely got ‘em. What say we catch up tomorrow to we’ll discuss how we’re going to jumpstart your new career as a singer.”

Jimmy stretched out a slender hand. Rachel sprung up and grabbed it, pumping hard as they sealed the deal. “Yes, sir. I can be back first thing in the morning. You know how they say, ‘bright eyed and bushy tailed.’ No time’s too early to get started.”

The manager forced a laugh. “Oh, we’re more like afternoon people around here. How about we do lunch? We can talk specifics over food.”

“Sounds good to me. Where should we meet?”

“Well, these are your stomping grounds. Where do you suggest?”

Rachel hardly had to think about it. “There’s a small diner – well, I guess some might call it a dive. Anyway. It’s owned by a couple of Greeks who make the… best… food… ever. Trust me, you would love it.”

Jimmy gave Eddie the deciding vote. “What do you say, boss? She guarantees we’ll love it.”

Eddie eased back and shrugged. “Sounds like a done deal.”

“Thank you so much!” Rachel beamed brightly. “I promise I won’t let you down, Eddie.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he mumbled.

She wanted to ask him exactly what he meant by that, but Jimmy was already escorting her out the door, asking her for directions to the diner, and waving goodbye as she drove off before a simple fact dawned on her. She had told Eddie all kinds of particulars about herself, but still knew hardly anything about him.