Love Songs And Lullabies

“I’m not mad,” Piper argued. She wasn’t the only one who hadn’t wanted to pursue a relationship. “I just thought you were going to set the record straight, so I didn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t mean to put you two on the spot.” Kelly slid her headphones off her head and let them hang around her neck. “There’s something so heartbreaking about that song. The way you sing it makes me want to believe love will win in the end, even though you’re saying goodbye. Does that even make sense?”

“Boone Williams knows how to write a song,” Sawyer said, giving credit where credit was due.

Last summer, Dean had asked Boone to mentor Piper so she could learn to write her own songs. Boone had tried, but the Grammy-award winner didn’t have an abundance of patience, and writing songs had proved to be more difficult than Piper had hoped it would be.

He’d written most of “You Don’t Need Me” and was kind enough to give Piper credit for the very little input she’d offered. Even after all his hard work on the song, he’d opted not to sing on the track. Boone had given that honor to Sawyer—as well as the job of helping her write songs for her new album.

“Boone once told me that a good song makes people feel,” Piper said. “If our song made you feel like believing in love can win, then we did our job.”

“You did an excellent job.” Kelly smiled and saw them out. Heath and Lana were ready to leave as soon as the interview was over. Piper was ushered out of the station and back into the limo without a chance to say anything to Sawyer.

“Lana, make a note that the next time we go to K104, I’ll need to approve all the questions ahead of time.” Her father’s peeved expression left no question he was unhappy with the insinuation that Piper and Sawyer were a couple. He was not going to take the news of this pregnancy well. “This is all Boone’s fault. If he hadn’t backed out of the arrangement I made with Dean, we wouldn’t have to deal with this slander.”

Piper wished she could blame someone other than herself, but she was the only one responsible for this entire mess. “Hoping Sawyer and I are dating is hardly slander.”

“When the new album comes out, everyone will move on,” Lana said. “People see them sing a love song together and it makes them want the feelings to be real. When you go your separate ways, the fans will forget about it.”

“We can hope,” her father replied.

The sinking feeling was back. He could hope all he wanted. Sawyer would forever be a part of their lives. There was a baby on the way, and Piper needed to figure out how to break the news to her father and Sawyer. Sooner than later.

CHAPTER THREE (#u74104fa4-2cf5-5fce-87e2-9871c226404a)

SAWYER BOUNCED ON the balls of his feet as he shook out his arms and rolled his head from side to side like a boxer psyching himself up for his prizefight. Bridgestone Arena was where Sawyer had attended his very first concert back when he was sixteen. His sister, Faith, had driven him and two friends up to Nashville to see Kenny Chesney. Even from their nosebleed seats, he had felt the energy coming off the stage.

Now he was only a few minutes away from performing on that very stage. Not in front of thousands of screaming fans but hundreds of country music’s elite. That was somehow more intimidating than the millions of people who would be watching him on their televisions at home.

“Is Piper ready?” Sawyer asked as Dean entered the dressing room, followed by Faith. “We’re supposed to go on in a few minutes.” Dean’s eyes were glued to his phone. He hadn’t stopped looking at that thing since they’d arrived at the arena.

“She’ll be ready. Goodness, Facebook and Twitter are all over this.”

“All over what?” Sawyer tried to sneak a peek over Dean’s shoulder.

Dean spun around. “I think I have a way to make you a household name, little brother.”

Sawyer’s sister put her hand over her heart. “Aw, that’s the first time I’ve heard you refer to him as your brother.”

“Let’s not call each other brother yet. You two aren’t even married.” Sawyer didn’t mind that Dean would soon be his brother-in-law, but it wasn’t something he wanted anyone to focus on too much. He feared people would accuse him of only getting ahead in this business because he was family. “What’s happening on social media?”

“Ever since the radio interview, you and Piper have been trending on Twitter in Nashville with the hashtag #PipermakesSawyersmile.”

Sawyer choked on the water he was drinking. It could not possibly be a good thing for anyone to think there was a romance going on between him and Piper. Not when she had made it clear they were better off as friends.

He ran a nervous hand through his hair. “Exactly how is that going to make me more famous? Piper and I are friends, but not even good friends. Barely friends. We’re more like coworkers. Acquaintances maybe. Nothing more than singers on the same label. What will people think next? That I’m in love with Boone Williams?” Sawyer tried to laugh the whole thing off.

“Wow, from friends to only singers on the same label? Way to downplay your relationship. You act like it’s inconceivable. You’d be lucky to date someone like Piper,” Faith said. “She’s beautiful, talented, ambitious and sweet on top of it all.”

“Sounds like you’re in love,” Sawyer replied.

“Piper still hasn’t signed off on an opening act for her first set of tour dates. You also have an album to promote,” Dean said as his grin widened.

“And we’ve been talking about me doing a small-venue tour across the South this winter.”

“Which was a great idea until another great idea came along.”

Sawyer knew exactly where this was headed. “What? That I join Piper’s tour?”

What Dean couldn’t know was that when Piper had squashed the idea of being a couple, her support of his career had probably gone right along with it. She’d been mortified earlier when he suggested this not be the last performance they’d ever do together.

“I’m going to run it by Piper first, but I think if we play this right, we could create a buzz that sends you both to the top of the charts.” Dean’s excitement would have been contagious if it wasn’t for the fact that he thought he could convince a woman who didn’t even want to sit by Sawyer to let him open for her.

“What if Piper says no?” There was no if, only when. Piper wouldn’t go for it. Most importantly, her father would never go for it, and he called all the shots in her career.

“She likes you. I saw how you two were on the farm. You helped her write the songs for this album. She owes you one.”

Sawyer tugged at the collar of his shirt. He had ruined his chances of getting a hand up from Piper by getting too close. Dean could try to sweet-talk her, but the chances of her giving him a spot on her tour were slim. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

“Stop worrying. I’ll make this work for both of you. One more thing,” Dean said, rubbing his hands together. “I think you should do something at the end of the performance tonight, but you can’t tell Piper it’s coming.”

* * *

“CAN I GET you anything?” Lana asked from the other side of the bathroom door.

Piper wiped her mouth. “I’ll be out in a second.” How she wished she hadn’t eaten dinner. She’d heard of morning sickness, but it was after seven o’clock in the evening. Why was she throwing up now?

“They’re ready for you onstage. This thing is a well-oiled machine. They can’t get backed up.”

Piper washed her hands and checked her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired. Even with all the makeup magic her stylist had used to make her red-carpet ready tonight, she could see the exhaustion written all over her face.

No rest for the weary. Piper pulled open the door. “Let’s go.”

The anxious-looking stagehand behind Lana radioed to someone that they were on the move. All Piper had to do was sing “You Don’t Need Me” one more time and then she could tell Sawyer about the baby. Once he knew the truth, maybe he would know what they were supposed to do.

Someone handed her an earpiece and a microphone as they approached the stage. Sawyer’s hair was like spun gold under the glow of the stage lights. With a guitar strapped across his chest, he wore jeans and an oatmeal-colored henley, while she was tortured in a dress covered in red sequins. He had the shoulders of a man who had lifted hay bales his whole life. He was so strong and sturdy.

He reached for her hand when they were directed to head out during the commercial break. Like a stupid moth drawn to the flame that had no goal but to zap the life out of it, she took his hand and let him lead the way.

“I’m so nervous,” he admitted. “Tell me everything’s going to be all right.”

Sawyer was usually so full of naive confidence. It always seemed like he had no idea whom he could disappoint. In front of this crowd, however, he was obviously humbled.

“Almost everyone out there has been on this stage and knows it’s not easy. They’re more forgiving than you’d expect. But we’re going to be better than all right, so no worries,” she assured him. At least she knew they would survive this performance. Afterward, things didn’t look as promising.

“How’s your sprain?”

She’d almost forgotten about her ankle. Had it not been for twisting it earlier today, she might not have figured out she was pregnant until much later. She wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.