Nashville by Heart: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

Robert. She’d been homesick and had no
friends, so she’d let Tasha drag her out to the honky-tonks. The men she met
had all been as dumb as fence posts and didn’t even hide what they were after.
When she wouldn’t sleep with them, they said things like, “But I took you to
dinner!” or “I bought you a beer!” And Gillian’s favorite, “But I know the head
of a record label. I can get you in. Just slide on over here, sweetheart.” Ugh.
    Patting
her apron pockets, Gillian checked for the order pad and pen, even though she
rarely used them, so accustomed was she to taking orders by heart. And it was
her heart, as well as her goal of getting a record deal, that she needed to
protect. She’d almost forgotten to keep her guard up. No matter how adorable
Will Adams was, she’d do well to remember her plan. She’d learned while growing
up in Gold Creek Gap that men tied you down to home, stole your dreams and then
left. She vividly remembered how she’d begged her songwriter dad to take her
along on his monthly drives to Nashville. Then one time, he’d hugged her a
little bit longer than normal, and never came back.
    “Maybe
Will Adams wasn’t serious about meeting at all,” she said, wondering if she’d
misunderstood again. “He is a man. He’ll probably stand me up.”
    “He
might,” Tasha said. “But then again, what if he doesn’t? May be your big
break.”
    “I
hope you’re right,” Gillian said. “Onward and hopefully upward, right?”
    She
moved toward her assigned table section to pour coffee while Tasha headed for
the VIP room. Gillian would usually kill to serve all the important locals, but
today she wanted to be around regular people.
    The
café’s owner, June, paused beside her. “Hey, honey. I heard about the meeting.”
    “Already?
No secrets in this place.”
    “No,
there aren’t, but if Will wants to talk to you again, that’s huge.” She smiled
her trademark red lipstick grin. That was how to wear red lipstick, Gillian
noted. Not the way she’d worn it earlier that day.
    “I
think he felt sorry for me,” she said.
    June
dismissed the comment with a flick of her wrist. “Men like Will Adams don’t
have time for meetings because they feel sorry for you. You’ve got to believe
in yourself.”
    “I’m
trying,” Gillian said.
    “Well,
keep trying,” June said. “I’ve seen a lot of girls go home, and I’ve seen some
make it too. I think you’ve got what it takes, sugar.”
    “Thanks.”
Gillian ducked to hide the blush of her cheeks, truly touched that June
believed in her. June was probably on the younger side of thirty, looked like a
star herself and knew everything about Nashville, particularly the music
industry. Everyone who was anyone came to her restaurant, and she treated them
like royalty. She even gave the true country music royals their own room to
dine in. She treated regular people the exact same way.
    “Oh,
while I’m thinking about it,” June said. “We’re gonna have a lot of leftovers
tonight. You girls don’t forget to dish up a bunch and take ’em home. I don’t
like throwing away food.”
    “That’d
be great. Thank you.” And Gillian meant it. After the money she’d spent on the
bus fare and the new outfit she’d bought for her failed meeting with Will
Adams, she didn’t know if she had enough change left to stock her half of the
fridge. Grateful, she hastened to get coffee for the customers.
    She
was so busy that the next half hour passed quickly. When the bell above the
door jingled, she glanced up to see if anyone was available to help the waiting
customers.
    “Oh,
shoot.” There in the doorway was Will Adams and his next big thing, Audrey.
Audrey was looking gorgeous, all curly blond hair, denim and boots. Gillian
wanted to duck, but that would be silly, so she stood holding her coffee pot in
one hand, frozen. Luckily, Will Adams’ gaze passed right over her. She must not
have been recognizable with her hair pulled back in a